A Resort Birthday Treat!

So...it was Daddy’s birthday yesterday! Woohoo!

And although we met him for a birthday lunch...

And got him birthday balloons and gluten free cake...





He’s notoriously impossible to shop for. True fact. It’s ridiculous to try and come up with a decent gift for him that he’ll actually keep.

So...I typically try to come up with some experience or family event instead of a random gift.

It doesn’t always work, but I give it my best shot.

Now...back in March, when we were moving to SA, we stayed at this amazing resort our first night in the city. But we arrived right at dusk and we had to meet the movers not long after dawn, so...needless to say, we didn’t get to see much!

So a few weeks ago, when we were supposed to be out of the house for one night during the most extensive kitchen painting, we decided to splurge and book a night at the same resort again, so that we could better enjoy all the property has to offer.

Well...best laid plans.

First, our contractor flaked on us timing-wise, so the painting didn’t even happen on the day we planned to be at the hotel.

And second, four of us (Mama dearest, included) came down with strep throat again). This was the weekend of Chicklet’s fifth birthday, if you’ll recall.

So...we couldn’t get a refund on that hotel reservation, but we could shift it to a better date. And today was the winner! Celebrate Daddy’s birthday, enjoy the weather that just keeps getting warmer, and, let’s face it, also luxuriate in the fact that none of us currently have strep throat (knocking on a giant piece of wood, here—though I should mention that Chicklet is currently sick with something as-yet-undetermined, but we just had to go for it anyway!).

Honestly, it was a glorious afternoon with the bluest of blue skies, and just some good family time in a low-stress environment.

We still only enjoyed one of the property’s many pools (the one with the sand—no brainer!), and the lazy river. But it was really, really, lovely. And definitely what we needed after another sort of emotionally challenging week (much more on that at a later date, when I’m ready to dive into a really long tale of our renovation story as a whole).

So. Win/win for birthday fun and family fun time. AND, most importantly—we’re sending Daddy off to golf tomorrow morning at a really amazing course on property as his final birthday treat, while we enjoy just a couple more hours of sand.

And then we’ll meet up at home and lament how the heck this weekend flew by so quickly!

Now...pics!

Some happy kiddos soooo ready to hop in the car and travel the short 15 minutes to be resort! (P.S. The girlies’ dresses were some of my favorite and most-worn from last year. Sooooo glad they still fit!)

An aerial shot of the resort that I found online (in lieu of chartering a helicopter to give you the lay of the land, hehe).

And another shot from the website. Seriously, it’s such a lovely property.

You know, when we moved to South Texas—a place we never really envisioned ourselves living—we sort of make it our family mission to just take advantage of all the region has to offer during the years we are here.

Of course, best laid plans—again—and we don’t truly know what the future holds for us, and how long we might end up living here. But for now, it’s nice to enjoy new places and new experiences as the fresh adventures they are.

And, also, to continue to have some distractions of the non-stressful variety. ;)

Happy Night Before Game Of Thrones, peeps.

Over and out.