Sunday, April 4, 2010

Whirlwind trip to Dallas and the Best Laid Plans

My mom has been bribing Twinkle Toes to practice her piano. Amazingly enough, it's working. Twinkle Toes is playing beautifully and earned enough points for a quick trip to the American Girl Store in Dallas this weekend. It was a whirlwind of a trip, but packed with fun and memories. My mom, 5 kids and I stayed at the Cooper Guest Lodge (part of the Cooper Aerobics complex in what used-to-be-called North Dallas, but now has become just Dallas.) It's always beautiful, but was especially so this time of year. You'll just have to take my word for it since, as usual, I didn't take a camera. (I included someone else's picture below so you can get the idea.) The kids swam in the pool where I used to swim on a Master's team and give swim lessons, myself. A duck even joined them for a swim.



The girls wanted to ice skate at the Galleria and while they were doing that Monk, Baby Lu and I searched the Galleria for a bookstore. I'm sorry to inform you that there is not one bookstore in the entire mall! Fortunately for Monk, we were able to stop at a nice big Barnes and Noble on the way to dinner. Then we met some friends for dinner at The Magic Time Machine, a character dining experience. Our waiter was Jack Sparrow, and unfortunately he smelled the part. We don't let our kids watch the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, but the older kids knew who he was. I was a little surprised our American Boy (3) agreed to pose with our scary waiter for a picture. I think seeing his friend Zach up there with the Pirate gave him courage. It was fun catching up in real life with my friend (she blogs about her adorable children at Triplesmiles). I'm sorry Big D couldn't go with us since he would have had a good time with his old roommate (my friend's husband). We all met at church in Dallas years ago pre-marriage and kids. Anyway, we finished off our evening with a two mile loop around the Cooper Fitness Center.
Saturday morning, after cleaning out the Guest Lodge's complimentary breakfast room, and then walking off breakfast, we hit the American Girl store when it opened at 9. It was quite an experience. I've never seen a doll store quite like this before. Your dolls can even have their hair done and ears pierced. We had brunch at 10, with dolls. (They even served the dolls brunch.) Then it was back in the car for the long drive home.

The best laid plans I was referring to has to do with the kids Easter outfits. I didn't do Easter dresses at all last year, but at the last minute this year I decided I would get the kids Easter outfits. It's not easy finding 3 dresses and 2 shirts that coordinate, but don't match, and Twinkle Toes is not into matching. So, I did it, I found cute dresses and shirts that all had purple and looked good together, but were unique. Of course, Twinkle Toes hated her dress. So, I took it back and got my money back. We decided she would just wear her flower girl dress, which was the original plan, anyway. Then this morning Measle, who loved her dress when I brought it home to her, starts complaining that the dress is itchy. Then Baby Lu has a major blow-out all over her tights and dress. I think I'll go back to no Easter dresses next year. I will say, though, that my boys were such troppers. They didn't complain one bit about having to wear purple shirts! Also, Baby Lu refused to cooperate for pictures until I stuck a cookie in her hand. I did manage to get a few shots off, but now you know the story behind the pictures. It helps me appreciate them all the more.

1 comment:

  1. I love the purple! I dressed mine in yellow and blue this year, but let me tell you, it gets harder and harder to coordinate them! I can buy clothes at the Children's Place for all of them except Olivia who is taller than me!

    What a fun trip! We have been to the American Girl Store in Georgia, but we have not dined there. I know that must have been fun.

    I am not ready to get back to school. The sun is out, the weather is warm, and we uncovered our pool yesterday. I have spring fever!

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I'm an on-the-run mom to 6 kids who studied and taught exercise science in a previous life. I love all things running, nutrition, and health-related. I usually run at zero dark thirty in the morning and am often quite hungry before, during, and after my run, but I live a rich, full, blessed life with my children, family, and friends. My faith in God is my anchor, and looking to Him and His promises allows me to live fully even when life circumstances are difficult. While running gives me an appetite, my desire is to hunger and thirst for righteousness more than for physical food.