Lady Bird Lake

We finally took the canoe out on Memorial Day!  It was a perfect day to be outside in Austin.....we're used to snow on this particular holiday, but this was much better!

We were out for about 4 hours and the kiddos had a blast.  They were on the lookout for turtles, fish, birds and snakes the entire time.

 We paddled over to Barton Springs where the kids waded around in the water and caught tadpoles.

Owen jumped in the canoe pretty quick after we saw a snake slithering towards us!

It was a great day, happy to have a long weekend with everyone and explore our new city!

Adler took a little nap as we paddled back.

Veloway

We discovered a great bike loop called the Veloway not far from our house.  It's a paved 3 mile loop that can only be used by bikers and roller bladers......no cars or pedestrians!  This is perfect for us and the perfect distance for Owen.

 The path winds through trees and flowers and the wildflowers this time of year are amazing!!  Can't wait to go again soon!

Adler found a coin!

Sea World!

 I surprised the kids with a trip to Sea World last week!  My mom was there for the day with a large group of kids from Bryan ISD, so I let Owen skip out on school and we met her there!  Aside from the rainy, chilly morning, we had a great time!  The weather in the afternoon was perfect and we didn't get hot once!

I'm pretty sure the killer whales were the highlight of the day!

Adler was excited to see the Sesame Street show!

Adler & Abby

Owen with Franklin the Turtle....from the books!

This show was pretty funny....Owen is still talking about it!

Of course the rides were a huge hit!  Adler rode her very first roller coaster and Owen actually rode a BIG roller coaster with me.  It scared the crap out of him and he may never ride a roller coaster again.  He still prefers the kiddie rides.

It only took us an hour and a half to get to Sea World, so this may be a regular trip for us!  We'll definitely be going back this summer so the kids can enjoy all the water rides on a hot, summer day!

Dave Matthews Band

Just a few days after our trip to Frediscksburg we went to see the Dave Matthews Band in concert!  They're just one of those bands you have to see at least once in person, and we had actually never seen them!  They put on a great show, although the venue was a little big for us.  We definitely prefer more intimate shows, but the music was excellent!

Fredericksburg

Micah and I had a very much needed weekend away together to celebrate our 12th anniversary!  We didn't go far, but really enjoyed exploring Fredericksburg, a small town close by known for its shopping and wineries.  We were able to squeeze in quite a bit that weekend!  We saw live music two nights in a row at a cute outdoor beer garden.  That weekend just happened to be Fredericksburg Trade Days, which goes on once a month.  It's a giant flea market that Micah went absolutely nuts in.  I think he found a new love.....a love of JUNK.  We visited two wineries and had some fun wine tasting.  We had a wonderful hike to the top of Enchanted Rock, AND on our way out of town we stopped at the Wildseed Farms to check out the flowers and plants. Lots of fun!

We stayed in this adorable little cottage for the weekend!

Enchanted Rock

We woke up early Sunday morning to hike while it was cool outside.  It was such a gorgeous hike and one that we'll have to bring the kids back to!

Exploring the lavender fields at Becker Vinyards

We came home with one of these giant L's.  Thought it would be fun to have in our home!

We saw lots of weird junk....this sort of freaked me out.

 

Here's our Prius stuffed with junk leaving the flea market.....lots of plant stands and a few tractor seats Micah is going to use for some creative outdoor seating.

Weekend with Grandma

Last weekend Micah and I celebrated our 12th anniversary with a weekend trip to Fredericksburg with NO kids!!  This is actually the first time we've had a weekend together without kids since before Owen was born......so it was about time!!!  While we were away the kids stayed with my mom.  They spent one night at our house in Austin and then she took them to the Ranch for a night.

 At the Ranch they found the perfect tree and built a little treehouse!

Owen learned how to drive the golf cart!  Watch out!!

They had a wonderful time and barely realized we were away!  Thanks so much to my mom for keeping them for us and allowing us to enjoy a great weekend together!

Barton Creek Greenbelt

On Mother's Day we attempted a family hike on the Barton Creek Greenbelt, which is about 8 miles long and runs run through the city of Austin.  From what we saw, it was absolutely gorgeous, with various trails running along the creek. Unfortunately, Owen got sick when we were on the trail, so we didn't make it very far (poor guy).  We'll definitely get out there again soon though.

hiding up in a cave

tree climbing with Uncle Brian

exploring the creek bed

Owen's last soccer game

Owen's soccer season ended a few weeks ago and for his last game he had a HUGE cheering section!  All of his grandparents were there, as well as his Uncle Brian and his cousin Jordynn!

I love this picture of my dad, Micah's dad, Micah and Brian at the game!

Owen and Grandma

Owen with Mimi & Olfa

This is a rare picture of Owen with all of his grandparents!

Owen had a great season and was bummed when it ended.  I would be perfectly happy if this was his sport of choice.....such an exciting, energetic team sport!  If only I could learn how to control myself at the games and not turn into one of those crazy moms.

Owen with his Papa and Grammy