1. Learning, figuring it out and putting it all together
It started out with Chris wanting to go the University Co-op on campus to look for a birthday gift for a friend. Knowing that weekends go much better when I plan things out, I did some investigating to see what else we could do down there. Been to the Memorial Museum many times. Then I saw the Blanton Museum of Art! Kids had been wanting to go to an art museum and i had heard good things about it. And so the adventure was on…and it was awesome!

Coop and Campus

The Blanton
I cannot begin to express just how blown away I was by this museum. It is itself beautifully designed. Add in the amazing collection of artwork and you have a most amazing place to visit. I have no idea how many times “wow!” came out of my mouth.

This kids were incredible and I really appreciated their opening up to the experience. I do think that this particular museum does have a way of casting a spell. Also, they had this interactive exhibit on learning in their lounge area. I hope it becomes permanent. The exhibit is on learning and as part of it they have 10 wooden boxes of various manupulatives. We visited this room twice. I felt like it really integrated the experience – after spending time taking in so many different genres of art, they could process and let it out by creating with the manipulatives.

More Art

This Amazing Room

Some of our artwork!

Now time for some lunch!
So we decided to have lunch down on campus, but what? The kids ruled out hamburgers at Player’s. Yeah, we were shocked too. Tyler really wanted a sub sandwich, but we weren’t in the mood. And then as we are walking we see Crave, a Thai food and sushi place. We had a lovely meal there. Tyler has decided he likes Thai food which suits us as hubby and I love it!

It was a really great day!

1. Food
Food is a celebration in and of itself. My energy can wax and wane around my menus, but there are days where I put something together and when I sit down I can’t help but feel such joy. The colors, the textures, the flavors and everything looking so delicious!

My challenge these days is how to have the slow dinners that I desire with a very active family. Our eating time needs to equal at least half the time I spent making the meal in my mind..or at least this Mama wish it did!! I am sure as the kids get older and more conversational (I hope).

These pictures make me hungry and also very excited to plan next week’s menu as it is store day!

1. Spontaneous adventure to see lots of people you love
There is nothing, nothing in this world better than being surrounded by people that love you….when you didn’t expect it. And so it was one Saturday about two weeks ago.

Tyler and I were awake and the weekend was not looking that promising with not much in the way of plans. Getting a bit to late to get us out on the lake to kayak. Tyler says to me, “Mama, I want to see some family.” So be it. I told Chris that we should go to San Antonio. I could see my ill Grandmother, take the kids to the Wittie and possibly see my aunt and uncle. We called my Mom because I love dragging her out on our spontaneous adventures. She is a caregiver – and she needs to do something a little crazy now and then. I made a phone call and she was in!!

The drive down was quick and we first went to see my Grandmother. She is getting very frail and I wanted to see her as I don’t know what the future holds for her. She is in a place where it could be soon or it could be a year. They are starting hospice care, and she is getting weaker with passing days, so we will see. A nice surprise was that when we arrived, my uncle Darrell was there with his son Aaron as was my great aunt Dorothy! So we all had a great visit with Grandmother and each other. It was so fitting because this is how I grew up – always surrounded by family. It seemed to me that Grandmother was also quite please with having so many visitors.

After that, we went and had lunch and then headed to the Witte Museum to see their dinosaurs exhibit. The kids enjoyed the dinosaurs, but I think they enjoyed the treehouse at the Witte even more – four floors of interactive exhibits for the kids. They were really cool and the kids had a blast. We even went to a 20 minute demonstration on air pressure that was awesome – the kids really enjoyed it! Daddy enjoyed it too. He and Tyler must have spent at least 20 minutes at the stop animation table making a stop animation movie together. We had a great time there. Grandma enjoyed showing Quinn the animals in the Texas animals exhibit.

We stayed at the Witte until it closed. Then we headed over to my Aunt Elizabeth and Uncle Dennis’ house for wine, cheese, a light dinner and some swimming. We had such a great time visiting with them and so did the kids. We had gotten the kids out of the pool and in dry clothes, but not before long, they were back out there with Uncle Dennis. He was showing them how their dog loves to bounce the beach ball with his nose back to my uncle. Next thing I know, the kids are back in the pool splashing with Uncle Dennis!

For days after this, the kids talked non-stop about the museum, wanting to go back and visit Grandmother and definitely wanted to go swimming again with Uncle Dennis and Aunt “Beth”. It was one of the best days we have had in a long time. I felt like a kid again and that was a great feeling.

Tyler wanted to see family and I think we delivered in spades! What a most wonderful day that I will not forget anytime soon!

1. Reliving grreat memories and making new ones
I don’t know how else to describe this one. I hope to be wearing this in a few months when Chris and I renew our vows on our 10th anniversary, so pulling it out to see if it fit was inevitable. It does, thank goodness!

It was just fun and the kids loved it. I have had fun making many jokes – like the train is the same except it didn’t come with the 4 year-old attached. :-p Oh, and I love the kids playing hiding games under the train. It has come alive – ack!! Oh my….

And it took a mundane evening and made it really fun! Geez, that veil was poofy! It kept getting in my face and was cracking me up. I think I will skip the veil this time around.

1. Escape to one of my zen spots
Monday I was able to return to a zen spot of mine that has been closed for a year. I was excited and nervous. This place brought me so much solace when my kids were younger and we needed to get out of the house and just escape life for a while.

It was just as wonderful as I remember. Bliss, pure bliss. I have so much love for any place that can take whatever shit I show up with and wash it all away for a little while. Maybe it is just my Pisces nature to find peace wherever there is water.

And how I love watching my kids in these places. I love watching them expand and explore. How they are all at once at peace, but completely stimulated in a way that is not overwhelming. There is little to anger them and they are so fulfilled. Although we are usually all in different places, I feel so very close to them, so very connected through the experience and energy of these natural places.

I know I will be returning here often. It was nice to start the week off here – to begin the week with a nice dose of zen. I talk a lot and am not very succinct when it comes to explaining something. And as I am incredibly visual, so it goes with pictures. One just didn’t paint the picture for me. I had to share all the goodness from that day. Enjoy the zen!

1. Celebrations
I love celebrations of all kinds. They give us a reason to pause, to celebrate life, to be thankful, to love each other. The world only seems to spin faster these days and so many of our interactions are so superficial. I love those times when we can be surrounded by those we love to laugh, share, and revel in the goodness of the moment.

I think Quinn had a great birthday – she was surrounded by all the guests she requested. The kids played, ate and the adults enjoyed some time to catch up. It was a most wonderful morning and a wonderful way to celebrate my angel girl turning 4.

This is our tradition and is what each kid wakes up to on their birthday. We always create a custom scene for them. Tyler added some special rocks for her just before she woke up.
I love to see their reactions!	Many smiles.
She has on the dress Mama made and is about to open Tyler’s book!	Enjoying looking through her book.
Up they go and are working on going over and back down! We hope this keeps them busy for a while!	Our monkey girl loves it! She thanked Daddy for her “climber” as she calls it.

1. Surprise projects on a deadline (especially birthday ones)!
Somehow the best ideas come at the last minute OR the time to work on the good ideas come at the last minute. Quinn’s birthday had us working down to the wire! Friday evening she was busy outside with Daddy helping him finish an A-frame climbing wall. (He told her is was for Grandma to take home and hang things on.)

Meanwhile, Tyler was busy finishing a book he was drawing for her while I sewed a dress. She thought I was making an apron from myself. And so we all worked steadily and managed to complete all of our projects for the next day.

It is such fun to make something special and put so much love into something for someone we love so much!