First, to get ready for the big trip I HAD to get my hair done. I went to my favorite boutique - The B&C Salon

Then on the way down we found THE HIPPO CAPITAL OF THE WORLD!!! Hutto, TX. aka Mom's Heaven

Not only did we shop at Everything Hippo, but we also got to see the shrine to Henrietta!

Have you ever tried to straddle a hippo? They are wide. I felt like I was doing the splits. And it hurt.

Pero valle la pena y sacabamos una foto buena.

I like Texas. I like the pride it infuses in people (and hippos.) Check back in a few months -- I may just have a wall dedicated to all the fun, fond memories I have had in Texas.

Next stop on the agenda: the missions of South Texas. NOT my mission, the McAllen Texas Mission, but the old Spanish missions - the places where they brought Christianity (or more specifically Catholicism) to the Indians. This is Mission Concepcion.

Ave Maria was playing in the cathedral. This was my natural reaction. (I wasn't meaning to be disrespectful despite what Head may have been thinking!)

Heather, Mary and Me NOT being saints. (except latter-day...hahaha)

We decided the missions are old, but really not THAT old. They are crumbling, but what about all the buildings in like England or France? They're older and seem to be in better condition. Based on photos at least -- I've never been.

Good for them. A field trip to learn about the history of the people of the area. Kudos.

Welcome to my house! Actually, it kind of looks like a set for a play. It can be called...Gente de Razon. (oh, wait, that's the title for the "Award Winning" movie we saw at la mission de San Jaun. -- oh, don't worry I'll post a picture of us in the auditorium for that!)

Kind of a cool place -- with the palm trees and the architecture and the Moms and all.

We are Ready for the film. It really was good. They tried to be balanced in the presentation of what happened in the area and in the missions. I mean, I'd give it an award. And Mary gave it two thumbs up even before it started.

I wasn't in the last photo so I HAD to take one! :) -- I wish I could make the eyes on the happy face bigger! %)

San Juan. AND Mom let me "drive" her around. She said she was kind of scared for her life, yet note -- she is still smiling in this picture!

Me and the cool arches.

Me and Mary and the cool arches.

Me and Mary and Heather and the cool arches.

Kind of neat, huh?

Our heads are blocking the neatness, but then I think we're pretty neat too!

The grist mill at San Juan.

Stairs to my bedroom at San Juan.

There were a few things I was hoping to see while in San Antonio. While researching, we found out that the indoor stage at el Mercado has live dancing and maybe mariachi bands. Pretty cool. I was wishing for the mariachi. No mariachi. Maybe some dancing then. Oh yes, there was dancing. And not just any dancing. We got to see Michael Jackson dancing. Kind of. The entertainment was a Michael Jackson impersonator. and his dance off pal. We made it through about one song. My favorite part besides the lip syncing and the play fighting was Mary walking away and stifling her laughter.

Now this is more like it. A Mexican love song sung especially for our table. And Thomas was intrigued.