Fiesta Sista

After our trip to the temple we knew exactly where we were heading. The girls couldn't come all the way to Texas and not get some "real" mexican food. Nina led us to a great hole in the wall place called Papa Gallos and we all got our fill of some yummy stuff. I'm not a huge mexican food fan but I really really liked this place. We all got something different and taste tested off of each others' plates. Mmmm Mmmm... good. I'll have to hit that place sometime again soon.

We then hurried home so I could spend some time with my family on my birthday and in time for the kiddos to get home from school and let them spend some time with the Aunties. It was fun to just let them all interact with each other. It's always interesting to see who gravitates to who. The boys were all vying for auntie Eliza's attention. Even Brayden found enjoyment in hanging out with the big crowd. They all loved all of them but the girls especially had their favorites. Payten Ella snuggled up to Auntie Jen from the get go. (Sisters, who has a picture of them together? I need one!) Haven Gracie found a forever friend with Auntie Amber.


I snuck back to the girl's bedroom at one point and found Haven introducing all of her friends to her Auntie. There was Amber so sitting happily on Haven's bed. This is them with Gracie's animal friends.


And then they had to get one with her dolly friends too. It was so cute.

THEN.... Spencer came home from work early and cooked the most amazing dinner I've ever had. He was running a kitchen like I've never seen before. He had two little prepping girls (Catherine and Eliza) working with the knives and he had all four burners and the oven going at once. There was steak, fish, scallops, salad, shrimp, hot bread and a white chocolate raspberry filled cake. It was better than any restaurant I've ever eaten at. Thanks baby! Hell's Kitchen has nothing on you! With our very very full bellies, the girls headed out to Fiesta in San Antonio. But first the Aunties had a surprise for the kids.


Catherine set them all down and had a surprise basket for them. She explained that we were leaving for the night and she wanted them to have fun while we were gone. She unveiled a basket full of coloring/activity books, crayons, markers, movies and candy.


They were set! It was so thoughtful of the Aunties. Even with all of that they were still sad to see us leaving but being the selfish people we are we left them in Daddy's care and took off to party.

We headed down town to the River Walk and just did a little of nothing but had a lot of fun. We were initially trying to find the La Villita place . We walked around the river paths not only in search for La Villita but it was a vacation quest of Catherine's to see dancers and some mariachi bands. (Tourists.) Along the way we ran into lots of both.


They were on boats, in restaurants and at one point we found them on the path so we grabbed a photo op with them too.


(Who has one with me in it?) Fun stuff.


They have these old cool bridges all along the river walk so Eliza snapped one for us.

Once we finally found the La Villita hours later we found out it cost something stupid like 12 dollars just to get in and there was only 30 minutes left. We thought it was a place with fiesta style entertainment but learned it was basically a big Texas bar-b-que with a mixture of tejano and country music going on. We were thankful we had enjoyed ourselves and taken our time along the way. In fact, I wish we had had more of it.

Later we found the Alamo and there was a nice old man there who had lived within 15 blocks of this place his whole life. He took a group shot of us which I don't have on my camera. (GIRLS???)

When we were walking back to the car there were a few shops still open at almost midnight so we ducked into one and had some fun.



There are a lot more funny pics of us in this store. I'm pretty sure the guys running the store thought we had been drinking too much at La Villita but we all know that that is not so. And I don't think any of us cared. We were having fun being silly. I can't wait to get our memory book we're having made done. Four girls with four cameras equals a lot of pictures I don't have. We had a lot of fun days making a lot of happy memories for me in just a few hours. I still can't get over the fact that they would do all of this for/with me. It will forever mean the world to me.

When I got home late that night, Spencer surprised me with my birthday present. I get to go see Broadway's Wicked at the Majestic theatre in June! After the surprise of all of this then the fantasy get away to Rockport with my husband, it is so good to have something unbelievable to look forward to.