Our Weekend Getaway

(I meant to post yesterday but, well, my friend went into labor and I helped deliver her baby. Okay, maybe I didn't help "deliver" the baby, but she definitely squeezed the crap out of my hands a time or two during some nasty contractions, and I like to be a martyr, so there. More of that to come on a separate post, though.)

Anyway, our weekend trip to the The Natural State was great. Carter & Olivia did better in the car than I had anticipated, I didn't kill my husband or my kids, and we made it home with everyone and everything we left with (except Nick's cell phone, but that's not my fault).

If you're a friend on mine on facebook, then you probably already saw one picture of Carter watching Barney on Nana's DVD player in the car. Let me tell you: I would like to kiss the man who invented the in-car DVD player, and I would happily tattoo myself with the name of the genius who invented wireless headphones. The combination of these two things is what saved my sanity for about 8-10 hours of the total 12 hour travel time (round trip). As soon as one DVD finished, Carter asked for another one, and I was all too happy to oblige. It was so great, in fact, that I don't even care how many of you are judging me right now for the amount of time my son (and daughter, actually) spent watching a tiny 10" screen donned with the presence of a giant purple dinosaur. Nope, don't care one bit.

And this little precious, sweet, innocent sleeping child? Well, she was a fantastic traveler WHEN she was sleeping, but if she was awake and wanted out of her car seat, well, let's just say, she made her request known. I have no idea where she learned it from, but she has perfected the most shrill, high-pitched squeal that bellows from the innermost of her being and could drive a saint to drinking. I know, I know, how is it possible that this sweet, blue-eyed angel could make such a noise? Trust me, it's possible. And if you don't believe me, just ask anyone within a 500 mile radius of Interstate 30.

I didn't really take more than a couple of pictures of our weekend because pictures of trips to different Walmart stores and the Vilonia Festival (if you can call broken down carnival rides and vendors selling everything from LIVE ducks to oven door "dresses" a festival) just aren't that interesting. But I did snap this cutie shot of Carter & his cousin, River, on the way home from dinner at Ropers Steak & Pizzas (yep you read that right, famous for both slabs of beef & Italian pies. Don't judge, my chicken fried steak was quite delicious.)

It was actually very relaxing to get away and have some time to do a little bit of everything yet nothing at all. Nick was able to play golf with his brother & dad on Saturday while my MIL & I went and did some shopping.*

*Shopping at the Dollar General. And going in and out of every Walmart we came across trying to find as much Arkansas Razorback fan merchandise as possible since you can't buy it anywhere in Texas. Darn you Longhorn, Aggie & Sooner fans. You've got a corner on the market.

Then on Sunday, we went to church and had a potluck afterward with [what seemed like] all of Nick's extended family for his Mema's 82nd birthday (complete with Elvis impersonator, I kid you not). Here are the pics...

Trying to organize seven Easons for a picture. Goofballs.

Ed and all his children (Nick has three half-brothers)

Children only, in reverse birth order, youngest to oldest:
Jordan, Jacob, Joseph, Nick, Bo, & Melynda

Just Ed & Gwlynda's kids

See? I told you Elvis was there, singing to Mema. Carter wasn't too sure what to think of him.

Olivia could have cared less, she slept right through Houndog, Teddy Bear and many, many others. Thanks Aunt Getta!

Nick & his Dad (as if you couldn't tell)

All-in-all, it was a great trip and I'm glad that we were able to go. And I'll definitely consider taking the kids on another road trip. Just not before they're thirty. Kidding, mostly.