Picnic at the Arboretum

My Mom and Bonnie came in town last weekend, and they got to spend lots of quality time with Ava. Due to the absolutely perfect weather and the fact that neither had been before, we planned a trip to the Dallas Arboretum on Sunday (thanks to Gary and Betsy for our family membership for Christmas!). 

We started our visit with a picnic brunch, courtesy of Taco Joint, on the lawn overlooking the lake. 

After brunch, we made our way through the grounds. 

The Arboretum is currently featuring their "Dallas Blooms Festival," and the flowers are gorgeous!

It was a practically perfect way to spend a Sunday morning. 

Weekend Fun | Gin Blossoms + Sunday Cookout

This past weekend was busy and super fun! 

Josh and I kicked off the weekend with a hot date in the Bishop Arts District. We started the night with a fantastic dinner at Tillman's Roadhouse. And we ate so...much…food. Beginning with the delicious trio of fries appetizer.

After dinner, we headed to the Kessler Theatre to see the Gin Blossoms. 

It was our first time to visit the Kessler, which is such a cool venue. As a former movie theatre built in the 1940s, it offers a vintage vibe as well as an intimate setting. 

There is not a bad seat in the house. 

The Gin Blossoms put on an excellent show, and they played all their classic songs, including "Hey Jealousy"…

It was a total 90s flashback.

And it made for a wonderful date night. 

Thanks so much to Aunt Hannah for babysitting! She made sure to send pictures and videos to the rest of the family to make them jealous of her time with Ava…

After a productive Saturday complete with swim class and prepping the guest room for its transition into Ava's big girl room, we continued the fun on Sunday with a little potluck-cookout at our house. 

Luckily the weather cooperated, so we were able to spend plenty of time playing outside. 

 

We should really do this every weekend :).

Spring Break 2014 (AKA Camp Grandma)

Ava's school was closed for Spring Break a couple weeks ago, and since I have to save up vacation days for my upcoming maternity leave, Grammie and Bunny came to the rescue. 

Grammie came in town first and took care of Ava on Monday and Tuesday. They had fun taking advantage of Daylight Savings and the extra hours of sunshine to explore the neighborhood.  

I took off on Wednesday, and we joined the Lockwoods for had a fun morning at the Perot Museum.  We haven't been since last April, and Ava was way more into it this time around. 

We spent most of our time in the Children's Museum, and Ava loved following her cousins' lead as they explored all the different play areas. 

 I can't handle the cuteness of this photo. Sweet Jack held Ava's hand all the way outside. 

We tried to get a group shot before leaving, but that is nearly impossible with four little ones. It's pretty darn cute nonetheless. 

After leaving the museum, Ava and I made a stop at Josh's office to eat lunch. He was so happy that we had time for the visit, and she couldn't stop talking about "Dada's office" for the rest of the day. 

My Mom arrived Wednesday night, and she took over Ava duty for Thursday and Friday. Due to the beautiful weather, they spent most of their time at the park, which was just fine with Ava. 

Can you tell by this video how much fun she had on the seesaw?!

Thanks so much to both Grandmas for helping out over the break. Ava loved every minute of it!

Second Sunday Brunch Bunch: Taverna

For the March edition of the Second Sunday Brunch Bunch, we visited Taverna. I have been to Taverna more times than I can count, including for brunch; however, this was my first time visiting the new Dallas location. 

The group started with some very translucent bellinis and mimosas (and an OJ for me). 

As always, we clearly had to order the Chef's Focaccia for the table. Very tasty, enough for a group to share, and only $4. It's a no brainer. 

Sarah ordered the the Buffalo Mozzarella Caprese off the lunch menu to start. She may have licked the plate clean :). 

She and Jill also split the Breakfast Calzone. This off-menu item can be filled with pretty much whatever you want, and the girls had our waiter pick the fillings. With eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, and other things I am forgetting, it didn't disappoint. But their favorite part was the marinara sauce. It was amazing…and one container was not enough. 

But I don't blame them…this thing was HUGE. We had to take a shot with Erin's hands in the frame to really put it into perspective.

Speaking of Erin, she ordered the Taverna Frittata, one of her favorite breakfast dishes. 

And I ordered the Vanilla French Toast, which is served with fruit and mascarpone. I love their french toast…it's classic and delicious. 

But clearly that was not enough food for this preggo. I had to add a side of bacon and a side of breakfast potatoes. The baby was hungry. 

Taverna (as with all the Lombardi restaurants) always delivers a solid brunch, and this time was no exception. 

I also really like the new location (on Knox right next to Toulouse). It is bigger and has way more patio space, which I will be happy to take advantage of once the weather gets warmer. 

Ava's Nursery

Before we move Ava into her "big girl room" in a few weeks, I wanted to capture her nursery on the blog. We will be using most of the same furniture and decor in her new room, but it still makes me a little sad to dismantle the nursery that we spent so much time planning and decorating just a few short years ago. 

Since it was carved out of the attic, the room itself has wonderful architectural details as well as beautiful old windows. So, it didn't take much to turn it into the nursery I had always imagined for a baby girl. 

I will forever remember rocking my sweet baby Ava to sleep in this room. 

Source Information

'A' Yarn Wreath: Made by Rachel for Ava's shower. 

Wall Color: BEHR Premium in Sparrow.

Crib: Babies R' Us (no longer available). A gift from Grammie and Papa. 

Bedding and Fabric for Duvet Cover/Pillow in Nook: New Arrivals (my Mom made the duvet cover and larger pillow covers in the nook). 

Chandelier: Layla Grace - Maura Daniel Mimi Chandelier White Pearl (similar style still available).

Curtains: Pottery Barn Kids (my Mom shortened the one above the crib).

Curtain Rods: Pottery Barn Kids (no longer available). 

Rug: Pottery Barn Kids.

Silver Side Table: Lamps Plus. 

Lamp: Antique lamp owned by my great grandmother. White lampshade from Lamps Plus. I added the pink gingham panels using fabric glue. 

Crystal Pacifier Bowl and Silver Changing Table Tray: On loan from my Mom :). 

Clock: Ikea.

Antique Books Under Clock: Half Price Books.

Mirror: Restoration Hardware.

Dresser: Left in our house by the previous owners (score!).

Laundry Hamper: Pottery Barn Kids.

Wooden 'Ava' Letters: Etsy.

Degas Canvas Print: PosterCartel.

Armoire: Luxury Lamb.

Yarn 'A': Made by Rachel for Ava's shower. 

Pig and Bear: Jellycat Cordy Roys.

Perfume Bottles: Ikea (no longer available).

Ballet Shoes and Cow "Piggy" Bank: Gifts. 

Frames: Aaron Brothers.

"Reach for the Stars" Print: Etsy.

Einstein Quote Art: Etsy.

Eleanor Roosevelt Quote Art: Etsy.

Dr. Seuss and Audrey Hepburn Quote Art: Made by yours truly.

Flower Pillow: Etsy.

Rocking Chair: La-Z-Boy.

Ava Pillow: Made by my Aunt Laura (I told her that she totally needs to sell them on Etsy!).

Shadowbox and Silver Frame: Aaron Brothers.