Celebrate!

The weekend is over and I'm so sad to have it end...it was filled with so much fun and so much love.  

The summer before last we took a short little family trip to Austin and absolutely loved it.  Brad and I had decided we really wanted to make a point to go back with the boys this summer and so I decided what better time to go than the weekend full of reasons to celebrate...my birthday and fathers day!  

We had a list of things we would like to do but purposefully did not have any set agenda so we wouldn't stress and could just pick what to do based on weather, moods of the boys, etc.  It worked out great.  We had lots of outside play time, soaking up all of the love of Austin we have.  Swam at the hotel pool briefly to meet the boys' request and ate lots of yummy food.  Lots of yummy food.  

I started off my birthday morning being woken up by two very excited little boys with sweet cards they had made me and were oh so proud of.  Best start to my day!!

After a yummy lunch and amaze ice cream we enjoyed play time on what else than marble cows of course.

We walked over to a bridge with a scenic look out and Blake decided he wanted to practice his photographer skills, so the next set of pictures are courtesy of Blake.

After swimming and getting cleaned up we headed to the Capital with our soccer ball to play in the grassy areas in front.  Man oh man how I love all the park areas in Austin.  Of course, we had to get some pictures sitting on the canons first though.

This picture Blake was saying, "Watch out momma, I'm about to launch the canyon"  Yes, he called it a canyon and was adorable.

After we were good and sweaty and thirsty we headed to some good ol' bbq.  While we waited out the long wait I enjoyed my giant alcohol beverage and sat and watched the boys feed the turtles.  I was a happy girl.

View from the deck

Best birthday I've had in a long time.  Spending a whole day filled with fun memories with my three guys...heaven.

The last two times now taking the boys to Austin we've stayed at the Embassy Suites.  It is such a great place to stay with kids.  We brought the blow up mattress, set it up in the living room and the boys get to sleep in the same bed which they get the biggest kick out of, and we can close the door off so Brad and I can watch tv in the other room without keeping up the boys.  Its such the perfect set up.  Plus I love love love listening to little whispers and giggles as they fall asleep together and then again when they wake up, in the moments before the door flies open to jump in our bed.  

What's better than after celebrating your birthday to keep up the celebrations with Father's Day?!!  The boys couldn't wait to bring Brad his card and presents and was a really sweet morning.  After some good rest and good breakfast, we loaded up and headed to Zilker Park.  The boys got snow cones and played on a really great mostly shaded playground and rode the miniature train around the park.  It was a blast and a great way to end our time in Austin.

As the ride went on the boys got closer and closer to each other.  Love.

Snow cone smile!

Words can not express how much love I have for this man.  I am the luckiest girl to have him as my husband and our boys are the luckiest boys to have him as their daddy.  So grateful.  Loved spending an entire weekend together!

And because we hadn't eat enough food (yeah right) we had to make a detour on the way back out of town to one of the best rated donut places in the U.S.  And oh my word, totally worth the calories.  I can just hear myself getting fatter.

The drive to and from Austin was extra scenic as there were fields periodically of beautiful sunflowers.  It looked like blankets of yellow.  Gorgeous.

When we got back in town we made a stop along the way to have dinner with my parents.  I have one pretty special dad and a pretty special papa to our boys so we couldn't let the day go by without celebrating our love for him either.  We enjoyed dinner and then went back to their place for ice cream cake to celebrate my birthday.  Oh lordy I have some working out to do this week!  

(please excuse my disheveled appearance.  After being outside the first half of the day and in the car the second half we were all pretty beat up looking)

My loves!

I hate to see this weekend come to an end!  Happy Fathers Day Brad and Dad/Papa!!  And thanks Brad for helping make my birthday filled with so much love.