Leiningers in Texas!

Right after we got back to Texas, we had most of the party follow us from Utah to here. It actually ended up being a huge blessing because my backpack was left behind at the Leininger household--with my wallet, phone, diapers, everything I needed to get on and survive the plane flight. Luckily x a billion, the airport has a secret security policy that if it's your return flight and you don't have your ID, they can still let you on the plane after they grill you with lots of questions to establish your identity. And then the Leiningers just brought my backpack with them a few hours later when they flew out here! It was the BEST time to leave your backpack at home if you're going to do that... which I never will again because I think I lost five years off my life just when I realized it wasn't there.

The reason why everyone came out to Texas was because Kurt is starting medical school here, in Dallas! He was moving out here, so Troy, Sarah, and Kristen road-tripped down with him, and Greg, Jackie and Kenzie flew out as well. They wanted to help him with the move, see his place, and hang out with us too a little bit as well. Troy also wanted to re-visit his mission in McAllen, Texas, with the whole gang (except us. We weren't going to drive eight hours with our kids in the car.). So they spent a few days doing that, and then a few days with us doing whatever we could when we didn't melt in the Texas summer heat.

Five Leiningers together.

Graham was getting into giving hugs to people.

We went to Top Golf and Dane showed off his excellent form.

Most everyone went to a FC Dallas soccer game together. Dane was super thrilled to be there. (I didn't even try to bring Graham.)

Both boys were thrilled to have uncles willing to jump on the trampoline with them.

Giving Grandpa hugs.

We brought them swimming at our Fun Club pool and they were all duly impressed.

Family Pizza Movie Night with everyone, before turning on the Olympics Opening Ceremonies.

Everyone spent a lot of time reading together. (No kidding--Dane and Graham were so excited to see their books, and to have some extra readers around the house, that they were asking people to read to them every five seconds.)

A look into Sarah and Troy's future...

We went to the George W. Bush Library one morning. Dane and Graham were super patriotic.

I'd vote for him.

They had a microphone and a place you could give a speech, and both boys were completely obsessed with talking into the microphone. Graham, who doesn't normally babble at all (he just screeches when he wants something), kept putting his mouth right up to/onto the mic and talking like he was just having a normal conversation. It was very funny. Even funnier when the soft part of the mic came away in his mouth. That is so sanitary.

He would make a great president.

Building forts with Auntie Kenzie.

After everyone else had to go home, we got to have Kenzie and Grandma stay for a few more days. It was so helpful because I was in the worst throes of morning sickness and Jackie did all the dishes and laundry and cleaning so I didn't have to do anything. They are the best types of visitors to have.

The last day they were here we went down into Dallas and went to the top of the Reunion Tower in downtown. We also went to the JFK memorial and the famous cattle drive statue in downtown, but those pictures are still on the camera and it's too much work to go find them. It was a fun morning and it was good for us to do because we'd never done any of those very quintessential Dallas things.

Awesome classy picture at the Reunion Tower.