Sending 2011 out with a Texas size bang! {day 2}

*Before I get started with day 2 .... NEW music on the blog for 2012. As per the request of several peeps. It is only 13 tracks, but 13 very delightful tracks!

We began the day early in the morning in order to arrive at one of our bigger destinations before the evening drew too late. First on the docket was a stop off in an area that may put us at risk for alien abduction, Roswell NM. I fully intended on stopping and touring the silly alien museum but instead we counted the aliens on all the business signs and read about the myths and legends regarded here in this cooky town and only stopped for gas. The kids were being really good, Nate had figured out our end of day 2 destination and I think he was antsy as all get out to get there! sigh ... oh well not all the plans can work out perfectly.

Between Roswell and our next destination {were we did get out!} we experienced are very own episode of ice road truckers. We were also carrying expensive and valuable cargo, only difference was we were in a Honda Odyssey. Apparently NM had experienced some sort of crazy storm that led to unusual amounts of snow for them. They were so ill prepared for snow removal and de-icing the roads that around 100 miles of this particular leg was like skating on ice. I counted several dozen cars off the side of the road abandoned and we passed a dozen or so accidents, some already being attended to and others waiting. It was frightening, really truly some white knuckle driving.



Nate is a really good driver and has driven some harsh conditions in all his journeys, he got us through the ice and onto dry road before we hit .....

FORT STOCKTON TEXAS!



I myself was particularly giddy about this one. Finding a stop on our journey such as this just screamed fun no matter how po dunk it was. I did some research and found out the actual fort in the town Fort Stockton was still in tact and could be toured. By the time we got there it was mid-day, we had all been in the car around 6 hours and our little nox was proving to be the sweatiest baby {along with the sweetest} that we have ever created and filling is clothes and car seat with poop, everyone needed a potty break and some fresh air and this was just the right place.

Though this likely is a popular tourist destination {if you were to ever be a tourist in this small town for some odd reason}, not another soul was there besides the Indian woman at the museum desk who actually was pretty clear about her loyalties.



This history of this fort in short is that the military built this as a camp essentially to house traveling militia and serve other purposes not as front line as one would expect. The fort exchanged hands between the military and Indian tribes a number of times and so the name also changed several times. With these change of hands came a few battles as well. Today the main hall and a few bunk houses exist as well as a church, graveyard,jail, and some leadership housing.



I myself took a special liking to these captains homes that are now privately owned and renovated homes on the Fort property.




we all got a kick out of Nox's little noggin in this soldiers cut out and we used the time outside to catch some sun and air this little man out a bit.





Saylor's chair was dissembled and buried in the car so she was forced to walk, we saw this as a good thing but when she got tired stock the rock took over. Here you can see their happy smiling faces and the church {now painted turquoise} in the back ground. There was still a "jail" so to speak on the premises as well and I loved the old Texas wood original door.

The city of Fort Stockton has acquired themselves a mascot, the roadrunner. We found this especially funny considering that the mascot of the kids elementary school here in Provo is the roadrunner, so we couldn't help but stop by and take a pic next to the giant enormous replica of this strange and exquisite animal, apparently native to Texas.



We left Fort Stockton rejuvenated and ready to get to our next destination which held the primary reason for our journey. When I was contemplating destinations I knew that my hub would really like to visit his brother in San Antonio, he talks about it frequently. I contacted heather my sister in law and we did what we could to figure out the husbands schedule and plan this little surprise. It was a little comical at times, both Aaron & Nate became suspicious but it was still fun to pull off a bit of a surprise. Nate doesn't show emotion much and I wouldn't say he did on the trip either but I could sense his excitement and anxiousness the closer we got to San Antone. The kids were all thrilled as well, they adore uncle Aaron & aunt Heather. We were set to arrive around 7 at night and we wanted to surprise Aaron in a fun and unexpected way rather then just showing up at his house. So with Heather's help over text we planned a little Costco size surprise.

Heather got Aaron to go to Costco with her and so we pulled in and proceeded to appear as though we were shoppers and happen upon them. Aaron caught a glimpse of Storie first and wondered if he could believe what he saw then we came around the corner and surprised him. One of the most fun moments of the trip! Good times, memories!

We were all starving so we let Aaron lead the way to something we would not be able to find in Utah. Food was on Nate's mind, the kind you cant find anywhere but Texas. So we experienced Rudy's!



Some good down home BBQ with down home sides. A chain that is found in various places in the big T accompanied by a gas station usually. With your choice of meats this dining is family style and comes with an entire loaf of bread and any drink you want in the gas station, they are all the same price bottled, fountain, or otherwise. We put our pin on the map, we just couldn't help ourselves!

All the adrenaline from excitement led to a late night for the kids and an even later night for the adults :) end of day 2!