Aunt and Uncle Visit

On Saturday we ate breakfast on our back patio and decided what to do for our day. CK was gone for a meeting in Austin but planned to be home by lunchtime so we had a few hours to hang out or do something. After talking over our options, we decided to visit the Dallas Arboretum for the Chihuly Exhibit which opened a few weeks before and I'd read amazing things about. After a very long drive which included a few wrong turns, we made it to the Arboretum, parked and went inside. It was incredible! Not only are the Arboretum grounds absolutely spectacular, the Chihuly exhibit was amazing and so well placed that we wondered if he'd made each piece specifically for every location. It also helped that it was a clear, sunny day and not too hot. We ended up having lunch at one of the food stands and the food was delicious. After lunch we walked around for a little longer before we headed back to the house. CK never ended up joining us and decided to go home and relax until we got home. I told him we must take him to the Arboretum to see the exhibit. It was such a fun exhibit and I can't wait to go back with CK!

After we arrived home, CK and Sofia went swimming then we all made pizzas together and watched the Preakness. While we enjoyed our pizzas, we sat outside and talked. It was the perfect end to a very fun day!

On Sunday we visited Grapevine's Main Street for Main Street Days. We were able to arrive just as the festival opened and enjoyed it before it got filled up with visitors. Sofia wanted to go on some of the rides, so CK and she started out on the ferris wheel before she and I went on the dragon roller coaster. We walked around, had pizza for lunch and Uncle Steve and Sofia rode a few rides together before we headed to the airport and said our farewells. Another fun visit spent with Aunt and Uncle!

Olivia FINALLY started feeding herself on Saturday with a full-size strawberry. Yum!


Our first visit to the Arboretum - the person we asked to take the photo sort of left Olivia out..


So beautiful!


This was spectacular...the photo doesn't do it justice.


Getting a little cool down with Aunt Shirl


Cute girls


My girls and me


One of my favorites..."ice cubes" in the river.


The sun


The Dallas Star


Yet another photo of Olivia sleeping


Another one of my favorites


Aunt, Uncle, and the girls


Sofia and one of the many "princesses" at the Arboretum. She loved running up and meeting each one of them. So cute!


All of us at the Arboretum


Making pizza - yum!


Uncle Steve reading "The Lorax" which they gave to Sofia....It's now her favorite story.


At Grapevine on the ferris wheel with her Papa


Riding the dragon roller coaster


Sofia's new cowgirl hat from Aunt and Uncle


Talking to the tall man


Eating lunch before having to say goodbye to Aunt and Uncle

Mother's Day 2012

What a lovely Mother's Day CK and the girls treated me to today! I'm so lucky! We started our day off with a donut at Krispy Creme followed by Meeting. After Meeting, I asked Annie, who is a professional photographer, to take a family photo of us since we don't have many of all of us together. What a great treat! In a matter of minutes with my camera, she captured the best photo of the four of us as well as the girls and I! They are such great pictures! After that great surprise, CK and the girls took me to a 'surprise' brunch which ended up being at Lavendou, an outstanding little French bistro in Dallas. The girls and I have actually been there before over Thanksgiving when we went to afternoon tea at Lavendou with the girls' Grandma, Aunt Cynthia and the kids, so I was super excited to try their regular menu after such a great treat. It was outstanding! CK had the Vichyssoise followed by the sole in champagne sauce and ended with the key lime cheesecake. Sofia had the leek, onions and bacon tart, followed by the tenderloin with peppercorn sauce and ended with the chocolate cake. I started with the mixed salad with poached pears, followed by the poached eggs, spinach and smoked salmon on english muffin with hollandaise sauce and ended with the raspberry mouse cake. WOW, it was all so delicious. Olivia ended up eating a good portion of CK's sole and couldn't seem to get enough! We actually split all of our deserts and couldn't decide which was the best - they were all delicious. It was such a wonderful meal and such a festive feel to the restaurant.

After, we headed home and got Sofia ready for her last ice skating lesson. She enjoyed her lesson and actually took her first real glides across the ice! She's really made great progress! From there, CK headed to take care of some things at the airport and mess around with his airplane while the girls and I headed home for a little time to relax and so Olivia could nap. After CK got home, I got to open my presents. The girls and CK got me such great gifts - a beautiful sunflower serving platter and pitcher that will be great for entertaining guests. They also got me a set of baskets that I plan to use for holding fruit and vegetables and the other one for decoration. What a great day of being spoiled and for realizing how incredibly lucky I am to have such a great husband and healthy and sweet girls! Happy Mother's Day!!

The girls and me


The four of us


Sofia and her huge meal


Olivia and Papa's sole....yum


The four of us mid-meal


Opening presents


Such a beautiful platter!

Aunt Becky Visits

Sofia and Olivia's Aunt Becky visited us for a few days so she could meet Olivia for the first time and play with Sofia. We started off her visit with a trampoline workout class! Becky arrived late Wednesday night and we were catching up when she told me she regularly does a rebounding class that she loves. She described it as a cardio workout on individual trampolines, so I told her about a trampoline park near us that offers cardio classes, so we decided to do it the next morning! Sofia loves going since she gets to bounce while we work out, and Olivia sits on a blanket with toys and watches the 20-plus attendees bounce up and down (she probably thinks we are all crazy). It was so much fun to do the workout with Becky.

After, Sofia and her Aunt Becky went swimming and they had underwater tea parties together...soon they became "tea-drinking whales" and Sofia took rides on "mommy whale" back across the pool. They had a great time in the pool together and they even went swimming in the rain the next day. Olivia loved having Aunt Becky around to hold and feed her and she looks super cute in the new swimsuit and cover-up Aunt Becky brought her. Aunt Becky also taught us how to make mixed fruit crepes, which were delicious! Although it was a short trip, we had such a great time with Aunt Becky and I wish we lived closer to each other. Sofia still talks about her tea-drinking whale parties and we look forward to seeing Aunt Becky again soon so we can enjoy more fun times together!! Until then, Sofia is quickly burning through her supply of fun band-aids Aunt Becky brought her!

A little shiny after a fun workout!

Aunt Becky and her girls - I love this picture!

Aunt Becky and Olivia

Who is happy to meet their Aunt Becky?? (Aunt Becky sent Olivia this little sleeper when she was first born...I remember thinking it would be forever before it fit her but she's been sporting it now for awhile...)

Olivia loves anyone who will feed her!

Aunt Becky's mixed fruit crepes for breakfast!

Yum!

Olivia in her adorable new swimsuit

Aunt Becky and Sofia with their 'crazy hair'

Sofia riding on "Mommy Whale"

A "tea-drinking whale party"

Grandma Visits

Sofia and Olivia's Grandma visited us for a week and we sure had a fun time together. Of course I was completely spoiled by an always ready hand to hold Olivia, change diapers and do every dish in the kitchen...something a girl could get used to! Sofia loved having her Grandma here and had fun having "giggle parties" with her and I think I only heard "Grandma, watch what I can do..." about 100 times. Grandma also brought two coloring books which Sofia immediately started working on and has become very intent on finishing.

On Friday, CK took the day off and we all drove into Dallas to see his office and meet his co-workers. Then we went to Preston Center for lunch and an Orvis visit followed by a Sprinkles cupcake. Finally, we drove to Arlington so Grandma could meet the Bluebird. It was a very fun day.

On Saturday we had Scott, Brenda and the boys over for a BBQ and the kids had a great time swimming and playing together while we talked. Unfortunately I wasn't very good at taking pictures. Most morning we took long walks and it was great to get out and stretch our legs before getting the day started. Even Sofia enjoyed the walks, especially collecting rolly pollys (I think she had at least 30 on one of our walks). The evening before Grandma left, we put Olivia to bed and the three of us went to Sofia's Kindergarden Round-up. I can't believe Sofia will be starting Kindergarden, with her first day being Olivia's 1st birthday. It already makes me sad to think about. But, we are very excited about Kindergarden after meeting her teachers and the other administrators!

We had a great time with Grandma, whether we were out doing things or just relaxing and can't wait for her to return for another visit.

Infront of Papa's work building -everyone is looking and smiling!

Same photos, but all of us.

Inside Papa's office with the great view of Dallas

Olivia reviews some bank regulation documents

Olivia and Sofia after lunch

All of us after lunch

At the Bluebird

Grandma's first time meeting the Bluebird

Papa introduces Olivia to the Bluebird

Looking at the cockpit

Sofia and her Papa on top of the Bluebird - she's more than happy to climb all over it.

Sofia, Brandon G, and Oliver having fun in the pool on Saturday

Sofia and Grandma before Sofia goes to school on Monday

Grandma and Olivia at Central Market

Olivia mid-meal (so cute I had to post it)