visitors!

Sarah and Laura (YaYa) Ralston (my sister and niece) came to visit us last month! It was their first trip to visit us in Houston, and Laura's first time to Texas. We were so excited to have them come. They stayed for 8 days, which just flew by. It was so fun to have them here, and now we miss them even more! While they were here we:

...started the mornings really early. Not by Sarah or mine's preference...

But my kids were sick, Bailey had to go to school, and YaYa was just so excited to play with the kids in the morning, she would wake up early to see if they were out and up (which they usually were.) It was such a treat to hear YaYa's deep voice in the mornings. It was so fun to be around her all day and all night to really get to know her cute little personality and see how funny she is.

...we played A LOT!

Just playing here at home, the kids had so much fun together.

YaYa loved Bailey and Bailey loved having an admirer and friend!

YaYa also was very interested and very 'helpful' with "Bebe Bwynney." Here she's even trying to 'ninny' (nurse) Bryn for me. She loved to "hode bebe" (hold the baby), and help me change the baby's diaper. Bryn loved the attention and admiration, too. And I loved watching it all.

...we ate a lot...

It seemed like it was always feeding time at the zoo, or restaurants...

...we went out to eat, A LOT.
Houston has SO much good food, we had to give Sarah and YaYa a sampling of it all. Like, Valley Ranch BBQ, Papasitos, and Rainforest Cafe (which was more for the atmosphere). We also had to help Sarah get her fix on some Texas classics (she lived in El Paso for 8 years), like Chick-fil-A, Jack in the Box, and Snowflake Doughnuts.

We went to The Rainforest Cafe on a Saturday. It was supposed to be a fun alternative to going to the beach (we got rained out!). Most of us enjoyed it...

...but some were TERRIFIED of the dark, big, moving, howling/chirping fake animals and 'greenery' that hang from the ceiling and walls.

...and Benson hid his face from the 'scariness' most of the time we were there.

...we went to The Children's Museum of Houston.

(minus Bailey, she was at school)

...Brynley was so good to just 'hang out' while we toured the museum with YaYa and Benson.

The Museum is all hands-on and so much fun for the kids. They loved all the cars there were to 'drive' and climb in.

...hmmm....

two two -year -olds, 'nuff said.

...and at the end of the day, the kids collapsed into bed, early.

(believe it or not, YaYa IS under all those pillows, asleep!)