Spenser (and Hannah) goes to El Paso

Forgive my slowness of posts, but we have been under the weather this week. Hannah and I both have had colds. All the traveling has caught up to us I guess. Hannah is still coughing - a week later - but I feel mostly good. I'm ready to feel like I'm in the second trimester though. I was 15 weeks on Thursday and this time last time I felt great. Not so now. I can't seem to shake the first trimester lethargic/nauseous feeling. My appetite comes and goes day by day, and overall I'm just exhausted. And that could be from chasing a very active toddler all day! This pregnancy has been different. Could this be a boy? or perhaps a more high-maintenance girl?? Oh what fun...  

Last weekend we were in El Paso for the launch of SpenserNation's fourth book, Spenser Goes to El Paso. It was Hannah's first time on an airplane, and quite a busy - and tiring - weekend.

early in the morning, watching for daddy at the savannah airport.

Thursday was an early morning, leaving Jesup at 5:30am for our flight out of Savannah. Our plane was delayed - yes, after all that - and we didn't leave until 10:30. They bumped us from our Atlanta connection and put us on the flight arriving in El Paso at 9pm. Not acceptable! As we arrived in Atlanta we found they had just delayed our original El Paso connection. We were able to get seats (sure as heck better have) and make the flight. As long as we ended up waiting in the Atlanta airport, they still couldn't intercept our luggage, which was on the late flight. No SpenserNation shirts for our Thursday night event at the food bank. Even better, the seats we were so lucky to get (while we shouldn't have lost our's in the first place!) were in the back row of the plane (small plane), at the toilet (lots of smells), with no window. Lovely. Well, we got there. Better late than never. We had a nice reception at the food bank that night and ate the spiciest Mexican food I have ever had.

At the West Texas Food Bank - El Paso

Thursday night was not good for Miss Hannah. She slept almost nada despite putting her in bed with us and walking her around the hotel atrium on two different occasions during the night. All three of us were exhausted on Friday - a full day of activities planned. We had visits at two schools followed by sightseeing. Mom wanted us to see some of the things she did with Spenser in the book, and we wanted to do all that we could. We had lunch at a place called H&H car wash - yes, a car wash. It was excellent!

listening to grandma read to lots and lots of kids!

Then we headed to New Mexico and White Sands National Monument. Very cool. It was a drive but worth it. Purely majestic. It was beautiful. Nothing but white sand for miles - the size of Rhode Island actually. It's weird to be in the midst of all that white powdery sand and never see water. There should be an ocean somewhere, but you're in the middle of the desert!

hannah loved playing in the sand and the two of us and grandma chased her around the dunes.

the cutest little footprints i ever did see.

hannah can write her own name. isn't she smart?!

just one example of God's amazing creation.

hannah with the world's favorite traveling dog.

Friday night we went to a neat place back near El Paso for dinner, called Cattleman's. Holy cow. Ok, literally. Lots of cow. The best steak Joe and I have ever had. It was a yummy meal and a good time. Except for Hannah getting sick at the end. (But hey, it was all over Uncle Ben....I'm just kidding Uncle Ben.) Friday Hannah slept better in the hotel, thank the good Lord. Saturday morning we joined the rest of the team at the El Paso library's book fair for a little while before heading to the airport.

no bias here: if you have kids and don't have these books you are MISSING OUT! period.

We dressed Hannah in her ballerina costume for a full day of airports and airplanes.

walking through hartsfield. notice my bow on daddy's pants? that's where it lives when i pull it out.

sweet, happy baby. finally in savannah - about to drive to jesup.