{Friends, Food & Fun} Houston, TX

 I just got home from Houston, TX where I spent a few days attending a volunteer leadership conference.  Though I really like to travel & to go new places, I was wary of this trip because it was my first time flying in years and the first time flying at all since my girls were born.  I know (& believe) what everyone says is true, that airplanes are safer than cars, but there is still something that changes your point of view (at least for me & for many of my friends) when you become a parent.  I was excited, but very nervous about popping up into the sky and leaving my little ones down below!

Anyway, I have to say that I had a great time.  There was a group of about 8 of us from our state that stuck together.  We were in meetings, plenaries & workshops most of the days, but we did make time for a little fun at night.

Here are some of the highlights (friends, food & fun) from our trip!

K & I were the representatives from our organization.  She picked me up at 4:30am for our 5:50am flight...  Needless to say, we made it to Houston in plenty of time to grab breakfast!

Check out K's Texas Waffle from one of the hotel restaurants...  The blueberry represents Houston...  Clever, huh???

Our hotel was right across from theGalleria mall, so we did a little shopping before meeting up with some more of our crew from Columbia & Charleston.

We grabbed a delicious lunch in the hotel...

before setting off on a mission to buy some cowboy boots!  So, new friends E & L hopped in a cab with K & me, and we headed out to Cavenders.  Let's just say that it did NOT disappoint!

I settled on this pair...

and K got a pair for each of her little ones...

After our afternoon meeting, we enjoyed a reception held at the headquarters building of our local counterpart in Houston...

and then headed out to dinner at Guadalajara del centro downtown.

The next day was full of sessions until dinnertime when the 8 of us met up with the North Carolina girls and headed out to eat.  After dinner, our little group of 8 from South Carolina went dancing at Wild West.

On the last day of the conference we had another full day of sessions.  Half of our South Carolina group headed home & the 4 of us that were left headed back downtown for dinner at The Grove.  I have to say that it is a beautiful restaurant in a fantastic setting & has great food, too!  I even got to try a piece of cactus from MK's plate!

It was pretty good, too!

After dinner, we made a quick stop at a local bookstore to pick up gifts for my little ones...

This one for B - This is Texas...

This one for L - Heart of Texas: A Lone Star ABC...

This one for M - Goodnight Houston...

and one more for all 3 of them - L is for Lone Star

K & I caught our 1:45pm flight out of Houston & landed at our local airport about 4:30pm.  I'm so happy to be home, but look forward to my next conference trip in the Spring!

Walt Disney World - Day 5

So, the original plan was to get up and begin our journey home early Sunday morning, but staying on schedule can be quite overrated, right?  What fun is it to always stick to the plan?!?!?  HA! 

We were having so much fun & didn't want to leave without visiting EPCOT, too...  So, we again got up early, packed all of our bags in the car, checked out of our hotel and caught the monorail over to EPCOT...

We took a few photos in front of Spaceship Earth...

before experiencing the attraction first hand...

Hubby & B stayed around to explore both "Future World East" and "Future World West" while the girls & I headed over to the

"World Showcase".

B's favorite attraction was Mission:  SPACE where he got to command a space mission to Mars!

While the boys were blasting off to space, the girls & I were visiting with yet more princesses...

We encountered Marie (from "The Aristocats")...

on the way to see Belle in France...

We met Mulan in China...

and chatted with Snow White in Germany...

Snow White left L with a KISS!

As we were leaving Germany, we spotted Bolt!

We met Princess Jasmine & Aladdin in Morocco...

before catching up with Hubby & B for a quick & delicious lunch at Tangierine Cafe...

After lunch, we made our way through the United Kingdom

visiting with Mary Poppins...

Alice...

and both Winnie the Pooh & Tigger, too!

We were well on our way home by late afternoon, but it made for a late night driving for sure.  At least we had a very, very, VERY quiet ride...  The little ones slept through almost the entire trip waking only for our dinner stop outside Savannah, GA...

Hubby & I are in total agreement that we definitely made the most of our few days & had a fabulous time enjoying the ride as our little ones experienced the magic of Walt Disney World for the first time!

Walt Disney World - Day 4

We got up early and headed off to Hollywood Studios for the day. 

Our morning started with brunch at Hollywood & Vine...

where we danced & dined (& high-fived, too!) with Handy Manny, 

Little Einsteins:  June & Leo, and Oso!

After brunch, we passed the Sorcerer Mickey Hat...

on the way over to the "Mickey Avenue" section of the park where we visited the "Walt Disney:  One Man's Dream" attraction...

where we learned about the history of all things Disney.

We then stopped in "Animation Courtyard" to meet a few more characters including...

Sorcerer Mickey Mouse...

Winnie the Pooh...

The Incredibles...

and Little Einsteins:  Annie & Leo...

On our way over to "Sunset Boulevard" to see the "Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage" show, we stumbled upon the "Disney Channel Rocks!" street performance on "Hollywood Boulevard"...

L enjoyed every minute of it & even joined in on the fun!

It was too funny!

After the impromptu street performance, we continued on our way to see Beauty and the Beast which did not disappoint!

Hubby & B snuck out a little early to hit the "Backlot" for the "Lights, Motors, Action!  Extreme Stunt Show" (with a special appearance by B's favorite, Lightning McQueen)...

On our way to meet back up with Hubby & B, we stopped at a fire hydrant water fountain along a NYC street to cool off...

At this point we split up so that L & I could see a couple of shows in "Animation Courtyard".  First we went to the

"Disney Junior - Live on Stage!" show...

and then on to the "Voyage of the Little Mermaid" show... 

B, M & Hubby stayed put in the "Backlot" where they met both Lightning McQueen & Mater at the Winner's Circle...

 before heading over to the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" Movie Set Adventure playground...

After meeting back up, we headed to "Pixar Place" and entered a

"Toy Story" world...  Just being there was like being a part of the movie!

where we met both Buzz Lightyear & Woody...

We left Hollywood Studios late afternoon, went back to the hotel to rest and eat dinner before heading back out to Magic Kingdom for a couple more hours...

While Hubby & B went to ride Pirates of the Caribbean in "Adventureland"...

I took the girls for some more princess time 

(by this point, L was collecting autographs, too!)...

We saw Princess Aurora...

Belle...

and Cinderella...

before getting a photo made with Mickey & Minnie

(it was the best we could do)!

Both girls came a long way in 3 days.  By this time in the trip, L was high-fiving & blowing kisses to the characters...

and M was waving to them!

After our character encounters, we met back up with Hubby & B in "Adventureland" where we rode The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (which offered a beautiful view of the evening fireworks) multiple times...

took the Jungle Cruise...

and climbed the Swiss Family Treehouse...

before calling it a night!