Austin StayCation!

Derek and I took a week off from work and just had a staycation.  It was great to catch up on some house items, hang out with the kids without a schedule, and then have a little 48 hour getaway ourselves.  We acted like tourist in our own city again and loved every bit!

Our favorite kids activity was spending the day at the zoo.  Eli of course loved every bit and showed Everley the good animals.

We took the train around the zoo as well.  I always think it would be a good idea until we get on and its noisy, bumpy, and just about 10 minutes too long.  Next time we will just stick to the animals..lesson learned.   

Our staycation started Tuesday night with the babes went down so I wasnt away from Everley for technically more than a day.  We stayed at Hotel San Jose on South Congress.  We have always loved the bar and hotel during SXSW, but have never stayed there.  We just wanted to be right in the middle of Austin and walk everywhere.  I would definitely stay there again, and still love San Jose!

The only thing Derek wanted to do was get a slice from HomeSlice pizza.  Of course, in our itinerary the one day they are closed happens to be the day we wanted to hang out and get a slice ... REALLY?!?!

Going to some of our favorite hot spots back in the day on Rainey street.  Things have majorily changed since pre-Eli.

Clive bar was our spot!  Turns out, its not so hot on a Tuesday night ... 

The taste of freedom and no responsibility in the morning.  Maybe one or two cocktails to many... :)

Loved our little secret side entry to the hotel

What better way to start off Day 2 then with Jos coffee right outside our hotel and Torchy's tacos.

Guess what everybody is getting for Christmas?!?!?

Our obligatory Tourist picture.  We had engagement, wedding, and maternity photos here, so why not for a staycation??

Perlas and a day drinik ... need I say more?!?

I <3 this man

Re-enacting our engagement photo

Afternoon snooze by the pool ... and yes we took a 3 hour nap just because we could.  IT WAS GLORIOUS!!

Dinner at Elizabeth Street.  One of my favorite restaurants of all time, second to Perlas.  Its a Vietnamese/French restaurant and bakery.  So, yes I will enjoy my amazing macaroon and Vietnamese coffee for dessert/

Surpirse!  Back again. Lanese, my bestie from high school was in town for a work conference and her husband, Brady tagged along.  Glad it was another excuse to get to Perlas for a day drink :) ... love a staycation!!

Meeting Everley for the first time

Eli's First Flight ... with Poppi

October is a great month to go flying, so we took it upon ourselves to head out to my Dads and hang out at the airport on a beautiful weekend.  The weather was amazing, still flip flop weather, but not sweating!  We headed out to the airport, ate Coopers BBQ and went flying.  Pretty good day!

Everley testing out the red airplane.  This was originally Aslynn's and now the 5th grandchild is able to have fun with it.

Eli going to see the big airplanes with Grammi in his little airplane

COOPS!!!! Doesn't get any better than this.

Watching airplanes, while sitting in an airplane, while sitting by a tractor = my boys dream come true 

Eli took his first flight with Poppi!  He did GREAT and had so much fun.  He kept looking back and me and give his sweet giggle, like "look at me, look at what we are doing?!?"  He was mesmerized!

We went up in one of the original Gist airplanes.  This Cessna has been in the family as long as I can remember.

He was sooo happy!

Ugh - mom fail!! I realized looking back at some of these pictures that I was squishing his ear with the headset almost the entire time... sorry buddy! 

Loved looking down and counting the cars and boats.

We landed and had a great time!! Thanks Poppi!!

Meanwhile, after all was said and done, who doesn't love a good nap with the fan going under the airplane wing.