Trip to Texas

Hey there, peeps! Have you missed me over the last six days?

I've been crazy busy, which is why I haven't posted anything. It's funny how "busy" in my life can now look really different than "busy" before. Before, it was running from work to grab some dinner on the go to meeting some friends for something or other. Now "busy" means I'm making two dinners in one day because I'm planning for tomorrow as well, but oops, I forgot the potatoes for the beef stew. Run to the grocery store. Dangit, I forgot to get chicken stock for the broccoli cheese soup and pumpkin for the cake. Run back to the grocery store. (This is what happens when you leave your grocery list in Houston.)

Such is my life. I enjoy it. Well, I'd enjoy it more if my pregnancy hormones hadn't eaten like 19% of my brain and left me with less memory. Anyway....

Some of you know that Nathan, Noah, and I took a little trip to Houston last week. Nathan had a big geology conference there, and we figured that since his ticket was paid for, Noah and I should go too, to visit our families. (Our families have totally lucked out, by the way, because they've gotten to see Noah every three months or so since he was born, and we usually do not go home that often.) Nathan gave two talks at the conference, and they went really well. He got some good feedback. Lots of fellow geologists told him how well he did. I'm glad I married a smartie. :) (As soon as he reads that he is going to want me to take it down.)

While we were there, I met up with Amanda & Jackson and Courtney & Moriah for a walk around Rice. It was nice to see my alma mater. Noah enjoyed visiting his future university. No pressure, kiddo!

Noah and Mommy at in the beautiful Academic Quad.
I had my bridal portraits taken in the arches of that building behind me. Oh, and we had some of our engagement pics taken there, too.

Noah loved the dogs at my parents' house. They learned pretty quickly, though, that he pulls their fur, so they avoided him after the first few minutes.

This dog, though, wasn't afraid of Noah one bit.
Aww.

Bleh! Dog kisses!

Noah got up crazy early while we were there, and since my dad gets up before dawn, too, they had breakfast together several days. Dad with oatmeal, Noah with his beloved Cheerios.

Noah really enjoyed hanging out with my grandfather this trip.

He really enjoyed Papa's walker, so Papa eventually sat him in it and drove him around.

It was a good trip!