Baldwin Bunch: A Trip Down Memory Lane

So a couple of weekends ago our little family decided to go on a road trip back to Beaumont, Texas where I spent 6 years living going to college and teaching school. It was so much fun to visit the places I spent a lot of my time. We left early Friday morning and drove 4 1/2 hours. We got to Beaumont around 1:30 pm and checked in our hotel. Then we did a surprise visit to my Bingman Elementary where I used to teach K-5 PE and 1st Grade. It was so much fun to see some of my work buddies. Then we went to Travis' work at the Court reporting agency. That was seriously the best job for a college student. He was their runner. Which meant we had yummy left over food each night for dinner. He would get to take home the food left over from the depositions that day. Great when your a poor college student. Then we went to dinner at Elena's my favorite Mexican restaurant in college. I was sadly dissapointed. Either I have been spoiled here in San Antonio or it was just a bad night for Elena's. Beaumont itself looked pretty good considering it has been through some horrible hurricanes (Ike and Rita) the past couple of years. Then we went to bed early. Saturday morning we went and visited the Lamar University campus. WOW! It really looks great. They built a brand new Athletic complex that was high class. We met with the volleyball coach and he took us on a tour of the facility (which was the McDonald Gym when I went there, old and smelly) but now it is so fancy. The volleyball team has its own gym they play in. I think I would still rather play in the Montagne Center though. It was so much walking around and driving around campus. It was such a walk down memory lane. Then we drove over to the new football field/arena. Lamar is bringing back football this fall. It was such a great feeling to see the campus growing and going in the right direction. I am proud to say I am a Lamar Cardinal! Then we went and visited with my #2 mom Phyllis (Nanny Fe-Fe as Sophie calls her). She was my mentor teacher when I student taught and we have been so close ever since. Then we went to lunch to my other favorite restaurant Chedders. Then we went back to the hotel and went swimming. That night we went to Travis' favorite restaurant called Sartin's Seafood and had all you can eat BBQ crab and 3 lbs of Crawfish mmmmmm my favorite! Then we went grocery shopping and got our 5 year supply of TEX-JOY steak seasoning. Sunday morning went to our old ward. It was so much fun seeing some of my old Young Women girls. They are so grown up. Then we finished the trip with a delcious lunch at Nanny Fe-Fe's house on the way out of town. It really was a special trip and makes me so sad to be leaving Texas. I really have grown to love Texas and deep down inside I am really sad to leave, but so excited for our new journy ahead.

Hangin' out in the hotel room!

Eating at Elena's (check out my hair from the humidity....don't miss the humid Beaumont weather!)

Tann Tann loves Mexican food!

The renovations of the football field...I remember running the stadium stairs for conditioning...good times! The new athletic weight room, training room and football locker room are at the end. I remember when there was just this small little red brick building the was all old and moldy that we used to work out in.