perfect weekend

A perfect weekend could be a combination of a million different things.  Here's our version of a perfect weekend.

A trip to the zoo!  We all love the zoo.  The animals, the sounds, the interactive adventures, and for the littles, the statues they can clamber over.

They are drawn to the animals that they can touch and hug on.  Rowan especially loved the baby lion.  Here she is making her mama happy in a vintage outfit.  Which was worn by me way back when it was new and not vintage!

She got a lot of gnome comments at the zoo, thanks to that hood.  I LOVE that my mom saved some of her favorite outfits of mine, and now my daughter gets to wear them.  We're running low on the outfits that still fit, which makes me sad.  Quick, I need another baby girl!  Just kidding.  Kind of.

We checked out a few REAL animals, too.  How cute is that bear sunning himself on the log?  Preeeetty cute.

We all enjoyed the sunshine, not just the bear.

And this Northerner really enjoyed the brisk temperatures after a week of 80 degree weather.  I know, I know.  You think I'm crazy.  But give me a 55 degree day with sunshine, and I'm a happy camper!

A perfect weekend includes a lot of time outside.  And we took in the outside in huge doses!  We also found out the Rowan has the upper body strength in the family.

Poor Fletcher has inherited my upper body strength.  He just falls right off when he tries to hang on the monkey bars.  I feel your pain, kiddo. 

A perfect weekend includes a trip to Barnes and Noble, where the littles get to play with the train table.  And Brian and I take turns just browsing and drinking coffee.  We also got a great view of a beautiful sunset on the way back home.

{taken from Brian's phone}

A perfect weekend has lot of happy family time, but also a bit of alone time for me and Brian.  The babysitter came to hang out with the littles on Sunday, and we had a farewell to Columbia date.  We usually headed downtown for date days/nights, so we hit some of our favorite places to say goodbye.  We had brunch at The Gourmet Shop, a great little place to while away a Sunday morning.

We thought Brian's beer name was pretty funny.  You know, since he'll never be "Ruthless."  Heh.  Heh.  Get it?  Sorry.  I even let Brian hold the camera just a little.  Like for 5 minutes.  I avoid letting him hold it, because I end up with 20,000 pictures of me on the sd card, most of which will never see the light of day.  It's sweet, flattering, and super annoying.

But I guess one day our children will know that mama existed, too. 

The Gourmet Shop has great little restaurant, and then a big shop stocked with wine, cheese, gourmet food, and fancy kitchen equipment.  I always drool over the fancy kitchen equipment.  How cute are these mini le creusets?  I want one in each color!

I also think I need a SERIOUS rolling pin.  Just to keep Brian in line.

He ran away after taking these pictures.

We did a little shopping around the vintage shops, and Brian briefly considered trying on one of these seersucker suits. 

I think he's been wanting one ever since we moved to the South.  Maybe since before that.  I don't think they'd fit in back in the Midwest, but who knows?  If anyone could pull it off, it's Brian.

We wandered into an Irish pub when we heard live music, and we were lucky enough to catch some really awesome music.  And also catch a coupla drinks.

After our drinks, Brian obligingly drove around downtown, letting me jump out and take pictures anywhere my little heart desired.  He's a keeper.

It was a great weekend.  Nothing monumental happened, but it was still one for the books.

What does your perfect weekend look like?