Texas fun on the Riverwalk...

We spent phase one of our family vacation in Texas on the San Antonio Riverwalk. We were hanging out with "my side" of the family. Our first night was spent with my sweet sister and her hubby John. They have a charming little apartment in Monte Vista and they're cute so we like them...

and their cute apartment...

and their cute dog Griffin...

Kim found the quickest way to Carter's heart is through a nice warm fluffy pancake...

We were pretty pumped about the sunshine and decided the perfect way to enjoy it was a trip to the zoo...

Our tour guides...

a.k.a cheesy lovebirds...

our little family of three...

and the highlight of the zoo petting some really smelly (and mean) goats...

We also soaked up good food because let's face it...no one cooks like Texas! One new place we checked out was called the Cove and it proved to be casual and delicious. The concept is ingenious, they put a playground right next to their outdoor seating! So, while Carter enjoyed the slide...

We enjoyed eating our food at a leisurely pace...

A little time with Aunt Kim...

and you can't help but smile!

And with that we were off to our Beautiful, with a capital B, hotel on the San Antonio Riverwalk. The Hotel Valencia was our home away from home. We stayed there, with my parents, for 3 wonderful nights (I would highly recommend it)! Our lovely room...

Citrus Restaurant YUM YUM...

Cozy courtyard...

and Riverwalk Views...

all made for a great start to our get-a-way! We were also looking forward to a visit with our favorite Killer Whale, Shamu! Little Miss Carter is now tall enough to ride her very own roller coaster (first time was with dad)...

second time with mom...

And her smile says it all!

And, there are no pictures to prove it but, she also rode a very non-tame version of the log ride and was still smiling! So I'm thinking this means we've got a thrill seeker on our hands! Roxi on the other hand...that's a different story...she seemed to think this ride was a close cousin to the Texas Giant...

We're happy to say she survived with a little comforting from a certain 3 year old! We heart Sea World (even if Shamu wasn't cooperating and they had to cancel the show half way through)! The other highlights of our trip included the IMAX...

and several fun restaurants...including breakfast at the Old Pioneer Baking Mill where Carter stopped to smell the roses...

and showed off her speedy wheels...

Dick's Last Resort had us all smiling...

And are my parents cute or what?! (And they're also pretty good sports)...

I'm so happy that I can say with complete honesty I LOVE MY FAMILY!!! Being with them and spending time with them is about as comforting as homemade chicken noodle soup! And with that... Phase I was complete and we headed South to Corpus Christi (at about the same speed as the cold front that was sweeping across Texas and stealing our sunshine)...Phase II coming soon!