Mommio: Texas Staycation Day 4- Driving Home

Even though day four of our vacation was spent mostly in the car we did manage to see and do some interesting things along the way.  Before we left the island in the morning we took some time to check out a few houses that Grandma and Grandpa might rent next May- it was really surprising how close all the houses were to the water.  We think we picked a good one and you'll be hearing much more from the beach in May!

The kids all wanted to stop at a souvenir store on the way out of town but instead of going to one on the island we all HAD to go to the one with the giant volcano that we had seen on our drive in.  We really weren't sure if this was even a store but we decided we would chance it.
Turns out it was a huge, super souvenir store!  We tried on silly hats...

 Bought some hermit crabs...

 And posed for pictures outside....

 We all piled back into the car for a while and stopped for lunch at a McDonald's along the way.  Even the crabs got to come with us.

 Here's Daddio and Gabe trying to win us millions in the Monopoly game.  We figure with this many kids its bound to happen soon- we do get more little game pieces on one order than the average family!

 After lunch we all settled in the car for the rest of the long drive home.  Since we never crossed the border, we were very surprised to be stopped at a US Customs checkpoint a little farther down the road.  There were federal agents and dogs checking all the cars.  They stopped us and asked how many people were in the car and if we were US citizens, but that was it.  I don't think they noticed all the sand we were importing from South Padre Island...
is that legal?

 The rest of the trip was our normal car ride- loud singing, doing the wave, fighting among siblings.
Seven exciting hours of this-

We said goodbye to Kalli and got home around 7 that night.  Exhausted.  And happy.