Visit from Grandma & Grandpa Larson!

Scott's wonderful parents came down from Blanding to see us this week. It was great to see how quickly Ian fell in love with his grandparents and we had so much fun watching them interact. Ian absolutely adored them, especially all of grandma's special attention (and getting to wear her watch!) and grandpa's funny noises, which seemed to baffle Ian. And I think adoration was mutual. :) It was wonderful to have them here with us. While they were here, we also saw and did some touristy things that Scott and I have been wanting to do for a long time. Here are some highlights of our adventures with the Larsons.

Houston Space Center

On Monday Scott took the day off work (woohoo!) and we all went to the Houston Space Center. Think 'Houston, we have a problem.' There is SO much to see and everything is so well done. I was amazed at all the things for people of all ages. Scott and I got season passes so we could take all the rest of y'all when you come down. In addition to watching one of several well-made films and exploring many fascinating exhibits, we took one of three trams to see actual space equipment and some impressive mock-ups.

Here we are passing time in the boarding line.

Mom and Dad Larson on the tram. Aren't they cute? They saw an alligator below us when we passed over a bridge. Yikes!

My astronauts by a rocket.

My guys hanging the moon. (After Scott did this, I watched a procession of other tourists do the same thing. What a trend-setter.)Ian loved riding on Scott's shoulders that afternoon. We were surprised when Ian suddenly leaned down and playfully bit Scott on the cheek. He apparently thought if was so clever and pretended to do it over and over.

This shot fascinates me. Would you believe the black , yellow, white and silver sections are only there to send that little brown part into space? That's it! Just the brown part! The astronauts then ride the brown part back down to earth and land in the ocean. Amazing.
Old Town Spring

On Tuesday Ian and I took grandma and grandpa to Old Town Spring. We learned that the city of Spring, Texas, was named not for a natural spring, but because when the railroad builders arrived they were delighted with the pleasant Spring weather. Old Town Spring is made of a few old residential blocks turned into fancy shops with toys, antiques, collectibles from around the world and lots of food.

We ate lunch at Puffabellys, a Southern-cookin' joint built out of an old railroad depot. It was a relaxed place and we dined alongside some cowboys. I liked the bucket of peanuts on the table and the encouragement to throw your peanut shells on the floor. It was there at Puffabellys that we all fell in love with Fried Green Tomatoes. WOW. They were phenomenal. And along side them came enough fried pickles to feed a starving army. Between those and the peanuts, we all struggled to finish our burgers and chili, which also tasted amazing. We were all stuffed to the gills, and incredibly satisfied. Then we set out to do some shopping. We got drizzled on, but thankfully there were fun shops to find refuge in.

Puffabellys. Now I know why they call it that.
Fried Green Tomatoes. Mmmmmm......

Ian refused to sit in his stroller, and his sweet grandma was willing to carry him. Ian loved feeling the rain fall on his face, and although he looks serious in this picture, he was smiling over grandma's shoulder nearly the whole time.
When our bellies finally recovered from our fried lunch, we joined Scott for dinner at my new favorite restaurant, Landry's. It was situated right along The Woodlands Waterway, and we watched a ferry pass by the windows and also had a great view of a dramatic Houston downpour hitting the water. Oh, and the food was phenomenal. In our group, Swordfish, Mahi Mahi and Tilapia were enjoyed. For the record, I got my typical Fettuccine Alfredo with Blackened Chicken and Broccoli, and it was fantastic. Yes, I know we were at a Seafood restaurant. I don't care. It was so yummy, and the leftover fettuccine also fed us for an additional 3 delicious meals.

The Waterway with Landry's in the background.

We had so much fun with Mom and Dad Larson and can't wait for them to move down here... We can dream, can't we? Thanks for coming to see us!