Austin

Last week, Matt went to Austin on business to recruit at UT. I begged to go, and I easily got my way! I love my hubby. Thanks to my in-laws we were able to get away for 4 days without kiddos. It was fantastic. I was a little misty eyed leaving the kids, but I knew they were in good hands. I love the Texas hill country. It is so beautiful this time of year. The weather pretty much parallels here, but the scenery is out of this world. Our hotel was downtown in one of my favorite areas, just down the street from Zilker Park. It is a gigantic park with trails around Town Lake, and just down the street is the Zilker Botanical Garden. Right out of the airport, Matt and I headed to Rudy's for some of the best BBQ in Texas, and then we went to the gardens.

I love plants. I can't help myself. It is kind of ridiculous. The gardens were just absolutely beautiful. Huge trees just surrounded the whole garden and all the little paths and water features were so neat.

There was no one there. It was almost like being in your own little fairy tale. Seriously, it was that beautiful. That night we met Marz and Mark for dinner at Maudie's (the restaurant), there is nothing better than Texas queso.

Thursday morning we slept in. How incredible. Till almost 9am! Its been years, seriously...anyway, we Met Marcie at Kerby Lane. Isn't this restaurant cute! This is what I love about Austin. There are so many fun and unique local businesses. This one happens to be downtown just a few blocks from my old clinic. I loved that area. The food is so good here. We ate a fantastic breakfast and then Marcie, and I spent the day hanging out and shopping around while Matt worked.

Later that night, Marcie had to go to this client appreciation party, hosted by a Realtor friend. I was glad I got to go. Her friend introduced Marcie and talked about her jewelry line and gave some of her pieces aways as gifts. It was pretty cool. Let me tell you, what Marcie has built for herself is pretty awesome. I am so proud of her. Her pieces are just exquisite. I got to see all of her amazing new pieces and see the incredible amount of work she has been doing for Aveda. She just finished part of a 700 necklace order and has done this single handedly with only one other girl she hired to help! She really is an amazing artist and a great talent for marketing herself and designing brands and logos. You rock Maudie! I know there are wonderful things in store for you.

Marcie and I outside her adorable house near Lakeway, modeling her ever so fabulous jewelry. If you want to check out her line you can go to her website http://www.seedsforgoodness.com/

There you can view some of her pieces, but she really has so much more than what is on her site. Recently she has been making custom pieces for clients, using old family heirlooms, and redesigning them into incredible new pieces. She has been so busy with all her orders she hasn't had time to completely update her website, but if you have anything in mind you can always contact her. I love the long necklace I am wearing in the picture, and she has many other styles.

On Friday we went to some of the boutiques that carry her line and then we shopped around again, it was a fun lazy day. By the way do we look like twins? I kid you not, every where we went at least one person asked us if we were twins. Marcie and I have this joke about this because way back when....we took a trip to Arkansas with my mom and some kooky hillbilly hung out his truck window screaming at us "are y'all twins." We have since adopted a name I won't share with you for those kind of men. He he he....

On Saturday, Matt and I drove around looking at our old stomping grounds and looked at some houses out in Dripping Springs. Then we met Marz for lunch at Rudy's before heading to the airport.

I love the atmosphere of this place, its seriously a gas station with this big barn as the store and restaurant, and then out back is this incredible yard with picnic tables. It always makes me a little sad when we are there, b/c it always seems to be my launching point. We always eat here and then leave. This was our last stop before getting on the road to move here, so it is always bittersweet.

So long Texas, till spring time. I miss it every day!