#TheKerrieShow in #Houston Day 12: A New Writer Friend and the Houston Museum of Natural Science

The Houston Museum of Natural Science is free on Thursdays from 2-5 p.m. Let me tell you that is not enough time to explore the place because there is a ton to see and do. They are giving you a preview so you will buy a membership and you probably should. This town is KID-FRIENDLY, people ... one of the most kid-friendly towns I have ever been in ... and I did not expect a museum like this to be so hands-on for children, which was WONDERFUL!

So here is our day in pics. I like to try to do one new thing every day while we are here, even if that just means eating at a place we don't have in Kansas City, meeting someone new, going somewhere new.

Sometimes we end the day with swimming and sometimes we start it that way. Today the kids hit the pool before we went to the museum.

Then we hit the highway and made it downtown to meet up with my new writer friend, Jill Morgenstern.

My friend Jon called these "mesmerizing" ... and they are. The kids just sat and watched the pendulum swing back and forth until eventually it would knock down a dealy-jobber.

Some gorgeous gems in an exhibit

My Mommy crown

Sam's brother

We need this at our house ... helps understand the Periodic Table of the Elements way better than I ever learned it in school!

The geovator. You get inside and pretend to go down into the earth where they drill oil and learn all about the process.

Too late to go on that cool grassy trail hill but I got a pic in front of it. They were tired and ready for the trek home on the 45 South.

I got all adventurous on the way home and wanted to try out the Sam Houston, or the Beltway or the 8. Every highway has like 76 names here. I paid a whole lot of money to drive on it but we got to go over a huge bridge and come back over it.

And here ends another lovely day in paradise. For real this place is growing on me.

#TheKerrieShow in #Houston Day 11: Whataburger, Armand Bayou Nature Center & My Book in Print!

Today was TONS OF CHILLING IN THE MORNING until I could not stand it anymore and we headed out for some fun. First stop: WHATABURGER! Look for the orange and white roof!

It's good to try new things and have new experiences in fun places.

Armand Bayou Nature Center in Pasadena, TX

No traffic to get here or back, no crowds at all, and lots of time in gorgeous nature in Texas. Yes, a recharging time for all. The kids are checking out an alligator in the water across the way.

Back at the hotel, my 2 proofs of my book came from Amazon and I immediately started marking one up. I've done 6 editions of the ebook version of this but holding it in my hands ... surreal.

UPDATE 2018: You can get the 7th edition of my book here, over at The Published Parent!

Mr. McLoughlin got in on the action and he has found so many things I would have missed. So grateful to have a supportive husband. He was all into the proofing that night in the room. Get this boy a red pen!

#Houston Day 10: Houston Zoo, Meeting Family(!), Weight Watchers and New German Friends

Day 10 in Houston found us heading Downtown again and getting familiar with the 45 to the 610 (love that highway for reals) and the 288. So many highways! I'm getting the hang of it here though! What I was not prepared for was the time it would take to find a parking spot at the zoo. INSANITY! We drove around for one full hour, including getting gas because we ran out, and finally snagged a spot. I conquered the lot!

I felt so bad leaving my 2nd cousin's wife and 3 babies in the zoo to wait on us, though, but she was so sweet about the whole thing. As for trying to chat with 8 kids around, that's another story. We plan to meet up this weekend instead for the conversation end of things and so I can meet my 2nd cousin in person. SO EXCITED because I am already in love with his wife and kids and he has my genes so he must be AWESOME.

Anyway, I had nothing to complain about on the parking situation because my kids were pretty much angels in the van the whole time. If they had been tiny babies that would have been a different story, but now that they are older life is lulling me into the notion that things are "easier" ... I'm enjoying this "easy" before they all hit the teen years. I'm storing up all my energy. Here we go with the day in pics!

#Houston Day 9: Trophies, Fish Nets, Walter Mitty

Today was a chill day. 

Callie showed off her creative side by making an M&M and jelly and ?? concoction.

Sam had seen a trophy store on the way home from the space center and wanted to check it out. I am standing in front of my ...

World's Best Parker award!

The trophy Sam wanted me to get him at NASA One Trophies (and don't pay attention to Google Maps when you try to find it because they put them on the entire wrong corner ... crazy-making!).

The trophy Sam actually got. It was for being World's Best 5th Kid.

Then we went to Sports Authority, but apparently fishing is not a sport, so we went to Starbuck's for coffee and cookies and then Academy for big fish nets for our next trip to Galveston. Oh, and sand toys. Later we did pool time, had grilled cheese and soup for dinner in the room and ended up watching The Secret Life of Walter Mitty all snuggled up in bed and staying up way too late. Such a great day!

Click here to see Day 10.

#Houston Day 8: Mass, Galveston Island and Gaido's

Sunday was gorgeous so we went to church, went back to the hotel for lunch, then drove down to Galveston Island, and it took less than half an hour to get there! The day can only be described as MAGICAL.

My parents have taught me an appreciation for cool old houses that started in Manitou Springs, CO.

Daddy and the kids did a lot of wave-jumping but it was WAY too cold for me!

They even gave Joel rock-hard abs made out of sand!

Michael smokes a BBQ veggie stick.

Joel's legs are buried! See Pleasure Pier behind him in the distance?

Gaido's! My parents ate here and also my husband many years ago. Now it's our turn!

Right on the beach!

Thank goodness they are okay with people going to the restaurant to spend so much money with beach hair!

They have different preparations or toppings for meals and Michael's was truly named Michael!

The Overland Park Hillbillies at a fancy place. Yep, it really happened.

Don't ask. There is another blog post to come about this topic.

Another cool house on the way back to the hotel. I texted back and forth with my dad for a while, and it was really nice to be able to do so!

Click here for Day 9.