Motherhood Mondays: Girls Weekend in Austin

Nothing is better than quality girl time especially when its spent with some of your greatest friends a girl could ask for. Three of my close friends from our Delta Gamma days in college flew in for the weekend.  One friend came in from Charlotte and the other two flew in from Minneapolis. The best part is our friend from Charlotte had no idea Amanda was also coming along! 

All four of us recently celebrated birthday so the timing worked out perfectly to get away from the busy demands of motherhood, work, and to simply reconnect and celebrate being with one another. 

Everyone flew in around noon on Friday where we then headed to lunch and to do some shopping at the Domain. If you have never been to Austin this is a beautiful outdoor shopping mall and my favorite place to shop. Now if only our Nordstrom and Pottery Barn Kids would move to the Domain.

Enjoying some cocktails before our afternoon of shopping.

Friday evening we kept it low-key with an around the world dinner to kick off the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. We had brats and potato salad with beer to represent Germany, a Greek salad for Greece, Macarons for France, and Prosecco to represent Italy,.Just a few of my favorite countries and ones I have all been to except to Germany. 

Then it was bedtime for Miss E who enjoyed having story time with her "honorary aunties."

Saturday morning we took in the sights of Mount Bonnell, strolled Congress and stopped for coffee at Jos on Congress, ate lunch in the food truck court, and wondered into some boutiques on 2nd Street. 

We also made a quick stop into Waltons Fancy and Staple to grab a sweet treat. We grabbed macarons and a piece of their flour-less chocolate cake which was really good. 

 Saturday night we headed back into downtown for dinner at Garridos.

It was good but definitely not my favorite Mexican restaurant for what it cost. I think it is a place worth checking out and in the end you will either like it or hate it. 

 Us girls at dinner

We ended the night at the Wine House where we enjoyed table side s'mores and enjoyed great conversation.

Amanda and I. 

Almost as if we were 22yrs old again and in Winnipeg for DG Senior Weekend!

Sunday morning Brooke and Amanda flew back to Minneapolis and since Lisa had a later flight we wondered back into downtown. It was such a beautiful day which was a good thing since we waited for an hour standing in line at Hopdoddy Burger Bar. Hopdoddy came recommend to us when we first came to Austin to house hunt. It is now one of our favorite places to eat at.

After lunch we ended our city wide macaron tasting at La Patisserie. It might not be Laduree but it works for me. This month they have champagne macarons. I love champagne so I was all in favor for a champagne flavored macaron and it certainly did not disappoint. 

 and what better way to say Thank You for the amazing gift of friendship and wonderful new memories than to pose with the famous wall from Jo's Coffee on Congress.

There is definitely something to be said about the closeness of college friends being your lifelong friends and for me me this is one of the things I am truly most grateful for.