Kings of the Road 2013 (part 1)...

We did it! The Kings took our first "official" family road trip/vacation!!! Yes, we have travelled as 5 before, but this was different. We set a goal as a family to see all 50 states by the time Landry turns 16 - so this was the beginning of accomplishing that goal!

We packed up and headed out early Tuesday morning so we could make it to Baton Rouge in time for lunch. Our only stop was at the state line where we took the first of 50(!) pictures commemorating our trip. I mean, how adorable is this! (And mad photo props to Rad for letting me and Ryan in on the fun, too)!

We made it to Baton Rouge, ate some lunch and then headed out for our first stop - a tour of the USS Kidd.  This trip was a journey down memory lane for me and it was so much fun to share those childhood memories with my kids. 

This ship is awesome - if you are ever in Baton Rouge, make plans to stop. It's only $5 and a great way to explain history to your kiddos - and have lots of fun, too!

You are encouraged to look and touch and really experience all parts of the ship - which is giant. We walked three levels down into the carrier which was much easier when I was 8 (and not carrying an infant). It's crazy to think about how these men lived on this ship - exploring the mess halls, the bunks, and the bathrooms was tons of fun for our crew.

Landry wanted to walk around just like the big kids (hooray!!) but she got carried a lot since there was so much up and down going on. 

Emersyn kept stopping to tell me to "take her pitcher". This girl.

The cutest crew in all of the sea!

We walked up and down and all around for over an hour. We ran into a man that has been painting this ship since 1978. The same gray paint, every day on different parts of the ship. What stories he must have!

We finished exploring the trip and headed to visit Mamaw before calling it a night on our first day. I would say day 1 as the Kings of the Road was a huge success!! 

Next up ... the Baton Rouge Zoo... 

Simple Sunday...

We enjoyed a simple Sunday around here!

Church goin'...

big girl walkin'...

water spraying...

splish splashin'...

face dunkin'...

popsicle eatin'...

cutie cheesin'...

ice slurpin'...

summer bucket listin'...

Simple Sunday FUN!

InstaKings...

A couple of weeks ago Ryan headed to North Carolina for an annual guys golf trip. That meant that I got to spend some extra late night snuggle time with these two cuties! Don't let their size fool you - they are complete bed hogs, so they both got the boot!

Aren't they pretty precious when they are asleep?

Overnight this one became 12. 

When did my BABY start playing "babies"??!?!? 

#makeitstop

#seriously

Radley LOVES puzzles. I looked up and he had done all of these alone. (Now if only his middle sister would get the memo of playing quietly without pulling out every.single.dress-up item.)

And then soccer camp began...

Just hanging with my friend, Melanie. We send our kids to the same soccer camp, no big deal. 

(If you don't read her blog, click the link to the right. Immediately.)

We decided that since he had soccer camps in the morning, there was no real reason for him to go back to school, so I got to spend a week hanging out with this kid. HAPPY DAY!!!

He may get this from me.

;)

He even decided to go back...

and again! This is the day that he declared, "Mom, soccer players don't match. I'm wearing the yellow shorts." 

I may have gone overboard with the soccer pics.

Emmy is pretty much a doll these days. She LOVES being the mommy and playing teacher. (Or really, just bossing everyone around.) She is a great helper and loves folding clothes. I had thrown some towels on the couch on the walked in the other room and when I came back, she had folded the wash cloths. She's a keeper.

On Thursday Radley got to play hookie from camp because he class was taking a field trip to the Waco Zoo. Cindy and I tagged along and had so much fun with these big kids!

We convinced them to ride home with us and stopped for some surprises along the way.

We ended up eating dinner with the HMMs... always fun playing with other people's toys!!

On Friday, I got back in the car and drove to Waco to grab this girl before we headed to Dallas for "The Package" tour!

Be jealous. Be VERY very jealous!

We.had.a BLAST!!!

And I think we could all totally pass for people in our 20s. 

Right?

We stayed with my friend, Amy who actually married one of my friends from college (small town, small world). I sent a Adam a text message letting him know that we would like eggs benedict for breakfast, complete kidding of course, and, well...

Top 5 breakfasts of my life! Thanks for being such great hosts Amy and Adam!!

And that's us in an instant!