weekend roundups

My 28th Birthday was the last weekend of January and we went up to my parents camp house for the weekend.  I haven't featured the building and finishing of the hunting camp much on my blog because my older sister designed and helped make their vision come to light and she has blogged about it along the way.  Everything turned out absolutely amazingly and we love going to visit.

incase you don't click the link... this is our room

and the massive great room

we planted trees by the lake... can you spot all of the participants? 

three men, one woman, one 4 year old, three dogs... and I watched :) 

We had a huge bonfire on my birthday that was both warm and beautiful

Emory enjoyed it

My mom made me an absolutely delicious strawberry birthday cake and my parents gave me these awesome Tory Burch earrings that I had been wanting (and now wear almost every day)!

About a month later, the last weekend of February, my mom and I went to Houston, TX to visit my younger sister Rachel.  I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but after Rachel & Hollis got married in September they moved to a great apartment in Houston and started their new little life together.  They both have wonderful jobs there and have made themselves at home and are enjoying their new adventure.  I wanted to go visit before the baby comes and while I was beginning to feel better.  

The Houston Rodeo (apparently a huge deal) started the weekend that we were there... as evidenced by the random parade of horses and buggies going down the street while we waited at a red light.  

Friday I had a lunch date at Nordstrom's Cafe with a wonderful friend, Megan, and her son Jackson.  A very long & somewhat crazy story short, we have been friends for at least 2 years but this was our first time actually meeting in person.  It was such a wonderful time and I loved visiting with Megan and sweet boy Jack.  We talked for hours and then went shopping at the Galleria and in our favorite store!

We met back up with my mom and sister and I was able to find some maternity clothes and finish up our exhausting but fun shopping day.  That night we went to a delicious restaurant for dinner "Benjys."

I can still remember how delicious this fresh-made ravioli was...

We got plenty of driving around Houston time and seeing all the different places that Rachel & Hollis, go, visit, eat, shop, and work! We stopped by Hollis' work:

Went to their new church on Sunday... it was great!  

Ate at more delicious restaurants: Tiny Boxwoods, Chuy's, BRC, and cooked a fantastic dinner at the apartment one night (I sent Ben this picture text and he thought it was from a restaurant)

and did more shopping in Rice Village... finally finding some goodies for the baby boy! :)  

I had a work event in Houston on Sunday night and then we came back to our lonely, missing-their-sweet-wives husbands on Monday.  Thank you Rachel & Hollis for being such wonderful hosts and we absolutely LOVED our visit.  Need to do more visiting, somewhere, SOON!  

In March, we made a weekend visit to see Ben's grandmother; his mom, Amy, and Leigh came too.  Every bit of time we spend with her is such treasured moments... country home cooked meals, feeding ducks by the lake, eating at restaurants Ben grew up visiting when they were younger, etc.  A wonderful visit, never long enough!  

Last weekend we helped host our friends Austin & Stephanie's baby shower.  It was a couples shower/brunch and was a lot of fun celebrating the upcoming arrival of baby Caroline.  Their baby girl is due exactly 3 months before our baby boy and we anticipate a lot of fun times together watching our babies grow up and learning the craziness of parenting along the way.  Ben & Austin have been taking the parenting Bible Study based on the movie Courageous together so I know they are mentally preparing themselves.  :)

I made the Diaper Cake for the party and will warn that these things are not easy to make (this was the 3rd one I've made before)... Worth it in the end though!  

 I've been meaning to catch up on all of these weekend activities for months now but have just had baby on the brain.  Next post will be all about the baby I promise :)