Michael's Weekend Part I

Michael's Birthday and Father's Day are very close to each other. Often the same weekend. We celebrated like crazy this year.

1st on the agenda was our date night.

There are always a ton of groupons for art studios to take a painting class. This was seriously so much fun! We even got to choose the painting on this one. I was excited to paint a little bit of San Antonio. Gotta love the riverwalk.

 They provided the canvas with a few rough lines, or you could opt for a blank canvas.  We stuck with the pre-sketched :)

 We really had a great time. It was one of the more unique dates we been on and had a blast.  We thought it would be a good activity to go with friends but we couldn't convince any to join us that night. Maybe another time :)

 We both threw in a little spurs love :) When in San Antonio, right?

Story Time

We love story time at the library! During the summer they have big themes and a whole 'pretend' room with all sorts of things to do. Lots of sensory tables that I don't have to clean up. Art projects I don't have to put together. An amazing puppet collection. In the blessed Air Conditioning!! And close to Daddy's office so we often meet him for lunch. Now that school is back in session its scaled down a little but we're definitely regulars.

Unacceptable and Austin

My sister informed me that my lack of blogging these days is unacceptable. ;)

Ok, not really, but she was shocked that she updated hers twice since I have. That's got to be some sort of record. 

I will say this: While I don't typically go into quite the same depth - Instagram is so easy and fast. especially when 90% of the pictures I take anymore are on my phone.

I have decided to play catch up (just in case I ever actually print out these blog posts into books as I intend) instead of skipping ahead and trudging forward. Hopefully its quick as I feel I spent most of the summer in camp meetings. At any rate, this is for you Lisa ;) on with the show:

We spent a day up in Austin.  There were some shops I wanted to go to, food to eat and sights to see. We got a bit of a late start and weren't able to fit everything in, but we tried.

After the mandatory IKEA visit (which isn't exactly speedy) we headed to Zilker Park. We rode the zilker zephyr (the miniature train) and played at the playground. The train is lame. Don't do it. seriously. It took us a little while to find the depot and drove around the park. Well, the train pretty much goes exactly where the road is, and under a bridge (where we slowed down to maybe two miles an hour) on the same track. I know its a miniature train, not an amusements park but SA's is much better as far as destinations of miniature trains. But the kids had fun even if Kelsey doesn't look like it.

 A friend of mine would ask Rylee to give her a kiss on the check and when she went for it would quick move her head to get a kiss on the lips. Rylee would pull this face EVERY. TIME. I was so happy to catch it on camera after the stone seal gave her a kiss ;)

 Rylee was VERY particular in how she wanted to be posed on the dolphin and for me to take a photo. So funny.

 We then were the epitome of tourists and set out on a sunset/bat-watching tour. Under the congress street bridge lives the worlds largest urban bat population (about a million of them).  They are Mexican Free-tailed bats and thy migrate to/from Mexico.  They come out to feed every night *usually* around sunset. They have a 'season' when they are in Austin.  I thought it would be easier to keep the kids occupied on a boat vs the riverbank/the bridge itself. The kids had fun.

Little did I know the colony is entirely female and we went up at the end of their gestational period (They migrate back from Mexico pregnant). Another interesting fact is a bat gives birth to a baby 1/3 of its own weight. yikes. So, apparently in late May the bats are super pregnant and tired and a storm was coming in so they were being lazy and didn't come out before we had to take the boat back in.  We saw a few 'scout' bats here and there and a few eyes/wings peaking through the slats in the bridge but no grand emergence like we were expecting. And it was really late. lame.

But it was really pretty. Its crazy how the bridge and riverbank were JAM PACKED with people. The guide said they come out every night but occasionally not until midnight. So, we weren't waiting around for that.  We had a doughnut shop to try.

 We learned some fun facts about the city (the little tower used to be the tallest in the skyline and was built buy the fire department for practice drills extinguishing fires from sky scrapers. Funny how times change.)

 Although we were sad we didn't get to see the bats, the storm clouds made for a pretty night on the lake and a fun Saturday family day. I've already been back to the bridge and we have more in Austin we'd like to do.

Father- Sunbeam

Our stake had their priesthood commemorative camp-out a few weekends ago. More commonly referred to as the "Father and Sons".

As luck would have it, Michael doesn't have a son but decided to take Rylee along as well.  She has a few female friends from her class at church that also went.  These three girls with their Daddy's and a bunch of other men. Rylee was thrilled for her special trip.  "No Mommies, and No babies!" haha.

It was quickly coined the "Father-Sunbeam" camp-out. Sure, she'll reach an age where she shouldn't go, but for now - camp on :)

Mother's Day 2014

I had a lovely Mother's Day.

I woke up to Rylee announcing "We're making you a special breakfast!"

and quickly ran out of my room.

She quickly came back jumped on the bed and gave me a huge hug and a kiss and a "Happy Mother's Day!"

Kelsey attempted to do the same and ended up just head-butting me. She meant well.

I was thrilled that the youth were taking over primary classes including nursery so I was actually able to make it to an adult meeting! YAY!

 

The girls were so sweet and gave me lots of extra hugs and special gifts.

Rylee has been really into art, drawing, and letter writing lately so I received an abundance of those wonderful things!

 Michael was very sweet and took over for the day. I was very relaxed. Border-line bored. I attempted to help clear the table after dinner and Michael objected.  As he was busy loading the dishwasher he asked Rylee to come get me, have me sit on the couch or play a game.  Kelsey ran right up to me grabbed me by the hand and led me to the couch she turned me around and pushed my legs so I'd sit down.  lol. She was so proud! Maybe you just had to be there but we laughed and laughed. Due to the reaction, we then had to repeat the activity several times.

This was from Easter, I just forgot it in that post.  Our lovely set up: I busted out the china with my new glitter chargers (they're so pretty!! :)) I even chilled the salad plates. The nice thing about big holiday dinners is the leftovers. I almost didn't get a big enough ham (since it was just us this year, I just got a small deli one).

Back to today. . . I was quite spoiled Sunday I'm still working off a Mother's Day 'hangover' - back to waking up, cooking, laundry, setting time-outs and contemplating potty training. ::sigh:: In all seriousness, I'm very grateful for all the wonderful women in my life: My own Mother, Mother-in-law, Grandmothers, Sisters, in-laws, Friends I see amazing qualities in each of you that I admire and inspire me so thank you. You are incredible.

Missions Game

We attended our annual Missions Baseball game a few weekends ago.

They come up on groupon fairly regularly where we get good seats for the price of grass seats. It was a very slow game. They have a playground and a couple inflatable toys.  The girls both loved the big slide.  Not gonna lie, I was a little surprised. At first I just sent Rylee up on her own.  Kelsey was distraught, so the people in charge let me go up with her. She actually did very well climbing up on her own as well. (Pretty sure the last time I climbed up one of those things I was pregnant with Kelsey and helped Rylee up. . . .that was a bad idea. Good thing I only had to do it once. This time was much easier.)

Anyway, we'd get to the top and I'd have to quickly grab Kelsey so we could go down together. She didn't think that was such a great idea until the last time I actually couldn't catch her and she tumbled down and face planted it. Then, I landed on her, ok, not really on the last part but it was sad.

Though it made leaving the area easier than I expected.

 We got some Kettle Corn for the end of the game snack. ah, love that stuff. The truck outside our HEB that sells kettle corn is back. trouble ;)

 Since it was Saturday they had fireworks after the game. The girls were in awe.  Rylee wondered why they were so far away, but appreciated they weren't as loud as when we do them in the street.

Viva Fiesta!!

Ok, Maybe "Viva Fiesta!" is a bit of a stretch here. Fiesta is a two and a half week party celebrating the loss of the Alamo. Yeah, pretty much.

Lots of music, vendors, food, parades, carnival, drinking . . . . . most of which cost a surprising amount of money.

Many people talk it up. I know I'm not very cultured but I just kind of don't get it. I want to, but am pretty unwilling to spend $50 to see a parade.

Several years ago Michael and I headed downtown one evening during Fiesta- music, dancing,  drinking, and El Mercado tripled its size out to the street. Granted we weren't going to an 'official event' but that experience makes it hard to spend money to try something new.

Anyway, I heard there were some Fiesta dresses on display at one of the local museums. Since this year's theme was "The magic of make believe" I figured it was right up our alley.  Even better, the museum has a free entry every Tuesday afternoon. We rode the zoo train to the museum (just for fun) and then walked around a bit.

Some friends joined us for the excursion.

 There was a little 'textile room' that had fiesta dresses on display.  They were all based off a fairy tale or story.  The one inspired by the Princess and the Pea was my favorite.  The train is hanging up on the wall.  They all had lovely detail.  This particular dress was much simpler than the others, and that may be another thing that drew me into it. Rylee liked the Mermaid dress (which I didn't get a photo of) but the dress itself was pretty cool.

 They also had a pile of dress-ups for the kids to wear.  This little headdress took me back.  There was one in my own dress up box growing up. It was my favorite!

 We walked around the other parts of the museum.  We were sad the HEB Treehouse (kids section) is under construction.  Maybe we'll go back this fall (apparently its a mad house in the summer). Rylee's favorite was the train. Go Figure.

So, yeah.  Go ahead and "Viva Fiesta!"