Ye Olde Good Times

I time traveled this weekend.  I traveled to an old German town in the Hill Country of Central Texas where people still wear cowboy boots and hats, where there are more churches than people, where the ye olde ice cream shoppe closes at 8 pm.  I also traveled to a time where sleeping until 7a was a reality, day drinking was totally acceptable (and encouraged), and going out to eat was a pleasant experience.  The wine tasted sweeter and the coffee hotter.

I traveled to a simpler time.  

 

 

 By the end of the weekend - it was time to travel back home....

 

Sweet Sixteen

Tomorrow afternoon Matt and I leave for our first weekend trip alone in over 21 months!  We are heading out to a B&B in a quaint town that is 1 1/2 hours away from Austin.  Half of me is ecstatic to spend quality time with my husband, lounging around and enjoy the libations at the Fredricksburg Food and Wine Festival - and, the other half of me is soo very sad.  In my head, I know it is healthy to separate from your child. It will be refreshing for Matt and I to spend time together without distractions.  But when we pull out of the driveway tomorrow will Grace understand all of this?  Or will she think that we just left her and aren't coming back?  Will she miss her Mama and Dada?  Will she have fun? Will she be okay without us? All of these questions running through my head because of a 48 hour trip.

Yesterday, Matt, Grace and I were sitting at home hanging out -  Grace relaxing on top of Matt like he is is her own personal recliner.  Conversation begins:

Me: Are you sad about leaving Grace this weekend?
Matt: a little but she's going to have fun with your parents.  She'll be fine! 
Me:  I guess it will be weird not having around....
Matt: Yea but its only for 2 days
Me: I know, but what are we are going to do when she goes off to college?? (breaks down)
Matt:  Are you crying? (giggling at me) 
Me: (in between tears)  yes, I don't want her to leave us.
Matt: We don't need to worry about that for another 16 years.

And in my head I know we have 16 years to prepare but in my heart, 16 years is not enough.

Emerging

I'm enjoying my downtime on the couch this Sunday afternoon.  I earned it.  I already went to the gym, went on a walk with Grace, ran errands and visited family...  Now its me time.  I guess over the past couple of months, when I have had "me" time I wasn't in the mood to blog.  But I've missed it and am ready to rekindle my love affair with my photography and blogging hobbies. 

Grace is napping, the sounds of Sunday football are playing, and the smell of Matt's baking fill the house - and I know, its Fall!  Growing up, I absolutely loved Summer - no school, days at the beach, everybody out and playing.  In Austin, I hate summer.  It is so flippin hot here and everybody hibernates, you literally don't see your neighbors for four months.  It is usually during the first week of October that everybody starts emerging from their houses.  It's the perfect time of year.

What I've really enjoyed since we welcomed "cooler" weather is our nightly park trips after work.  The sun still sitting high in the sky long enough for us to enjoy time to play and get some energy out.  It's weird the older Grace gets the younger I am feeling.  When we are at the park, I want to go down the slide with her, I want to swing on the swings, I want to jump into the soccer practice that is taking place at the park.  It's like the energy she is burning is being transferred to me.  Or maybe it is the four months of hibernation being unleashed.

Hope you are enjoying the first week of October!  Happy Fall!  

oh and I'm obsessed with this video and song!