Houston birthday weekend

Later in April we headed to Houston to celebrate both of our dad's birthdays and mine.  We also got to go out and celebrate Vince's dad's 35th anniversary working for Shell.  We had a nice relaxing weekend filled with family and fun times!

Mack proving that he really wants a backyard

Brooke and Hope helping me open presents

Birthday present for daddy

It was also the first time we were all together after my parents' 30th wedding anniversary.  We had created a photo book with pictures from all 30 years of their marriage and finally got to give it to them.

A joint birthday cake

Birthday day trip

The weekend after my birthday we took an incredible day trip to Fredericksburg.  We stopped at the LBJ Ranch for a tour, went to the Torre di Pietra vineyard for a tasting, stopped by the Wildseed Farm, and finally made our way in to Fredericksburg.  We did a bit of shopping around, a few more wine tastings, and had a delicious German dinner.  We stayed a bit later than expected to listen to a fun band, Fingerpistol, and finally made out way home.  It was an absolutely fantastic day!!!

On our way

Working ranch at the LBJ park

Part of the working ranch...they were eating chicken 'n dumplings after one of their hens had stopped laying eggs

Vince posing in old time fashioned

It was super windy all day

The last blue bonnets of the season

Chickens and turkeys 

Perdernales River

Recreation of LBJ's birth house - Vince would have fit right in back in the day

The "Texas White House"

Vineyard at Torre di Pietra

At the Wildseed Farm

Dinner at the Auslander for yummy German food

Fingerpistol's fun, relaxing music made a perfect end to the night

Birthday Bash!

We celebrated my birthday over a few different days this year.  Over Easter weekend we went out to Oma's house on Saturday and visited with her and my parents.  Then on my actual birthday a bunch of our friends came out to Central Market and we had a yummy, relaxing dinner al fresco, complete with fireflies and delicious chocolate cake courtesy of Katie.  

Mack enjoys helping open presents because it involves shredding paper which is his favorite past time

Looking through Oma's wedding album for fun

The spread for our Easter brunch - our church had one big service at the Erwin Center then some friends came over for a yummy potluck brunch.  It was such a fun way to celebrate Christ's resurrection.

Emma came to my Central Market birthday party, popping up for some french fries from her Uncle Vince

Delicious chocolate cake

Derek, Amber, and Sammy...I love how the guys both look confused but Amber is beautiful as always!