This post comes with a disclaimer: not all anniversaries are created equal. This one was exceptionally perfect! So on Saturday night we set out with these high hopes of going to our church's Easter morning service and then heading home to relax all day and make a scrumptious turkey dinner. When Sunday morning rolled around (Easter and our 6th Anniversary) our previous plan just wasn't falling into place. I've realized quickly that the timing of my day's plans has everything to do with what time Nash wakes up. Going to church just wasn't going to sync up based on the time Nash chose to rise and shine. Plan B? (not the contraceptive) Watch our Easter service on the internet and pack a picnic lunch to an area park.
So as Nash took his morning nap after our internet church service, Walt and I raced around the house getting everything ready for our picnic lunch. We opted for Emma Long Park and decided it was a total family affair so Zola was going to make the trek with us. The second Nash woke up we were like a Nascar pit crew...feeding, changing and getting him dressed. We hopped (yay Easter puns) in the car and headed to Emma Long which is about a 30 minute drive. The second we turned off the busy highway we started to see the disconcerting yellow signs that read, 'Emma Long Park is at max capacity.' Oh boo. Now what do we do?
In order to get to Emma Long, we had to pass over Austin's gorgeous 360 bridge. I told Walt that I did a commercial shoot last year along the shoreline directly beneath the bridge. I knew there'd be some greenery to lay our blanket and relax for an hour or two so we should head over, and check it out. A few other families had the same idea and even though there are signs posted about no trespassing, we went for it and holy smokes...I'm so glad we did. We had the best afternoon. We arrived just shy of 12:30 and didn't leave until four hours later. What a glorious 'Easteraversary' we had!
Read on for some highlights, including Nash in costume.
So this is where we finally 'landed' ... in all seriousness, it was like our own little slice of heaven.
I cannot believe the amount of stuff you have to drag along for a picnic in the park...when you have a baby on board. Granted we probably didn't need the Boppy, but it was great to have for nursing comfort and to lay Nash on for a while. Even though we didn't use the stroller, it was quite the pack mule for dragging everything from the car and back. As for our picnic blanket, best garage sale find ever. We bought it for $5 at a garage sale in San Francisco and that old Ikea rug has catered to more good memories, laughter, naps and scrumptious lunches than I can even count. Seriously, I will likely cry once we have to retire that old blue Ikea rug.
My adorable Irish men! As you can see we were right up on the water and there was this amazing breeze blowing non-stop to keep things temperate. There were also gobs of boaters out so we enjoyed watching the wake boarders do their tricks and teenagers on tubes constantly crash and burning.
PS - Nash says, 'A big thanks to Uncle Beck and Ediz for my Easter onesie...and Mimi and Papa for my Easter bib!'
This is how we rolled on our picnic. Also throw in some fresh fruit and Easter basket snacks...we don't need no stinkin' fancy dinner, ha!
One piggy, two piggy, three piggy...LOVE THIS!
It was a 'toes in the grass' kinda day.
Walt slyly snapped this. And I'm so happy he did. We were watching all the boats fly by. You can see one coming in the upper left.
Hilarious ensemble, take 1. So there's quite the back-story to this little bunny hat. We got it when we were in Nashville last September and I remember I kept taking it out of Nash's hat box when he was first born and it was always too big. In January I saw it and I told myself to remember to bust it out around Easter. Well we all know that Nash went from a scrawny little bubs into a chunk-a-roo and now that little beanie just barely inched its way over his little round man noggin. But none the less, it made it.
And I adore these absolutely precious Bla-Bla shoes from Nash's good friends Maribel and Danielle over at Dearest Daughters. On that note, if you love a good read, you must bookmark this awesome blog. Lauren is one of the most clever and witty writers I've ever read. Mark my words, she will be famous for her writing one day. Mark...my...words! So check out the hilarious (and then sometimes serious) shenanigans that adorable family get up to, from time to time. Btw, this picture really is just too much, ha!
Sweet Zo even had herself a little Easter feast!
The only non-asleep picnicker in the crowd...I couldn't help myself, I had to snap a pic with my phone.
Then I got some 'Mommy time' when the crew woke up. Aka: I laid down and relaxed white my vertebrae realigned from holding a sleeping baby in a really awkward hunched position. Oh the things we do, right? But how can you not adore this view?
Nash using his Dad as a jungle gym. I'm thinking this is just the start of a daily ritual that will continue for years.
Hilarious ensemble take 2...BWAH HAW HAW! Look at that expression. It's the best! And I mean, the BEST! He actually totally didn't even mind wearing his bunny ears because Walt ghetto rigged them with a rubber-band at the bottom to go underneath his chin and hold them on. That boy was just happy as can be in his ears. Want proof?
We even switched him over to me and he was all smiles. I'm sure he was wondering why his Mom and Dad were laughing so hard we were practically crying. He was the best sport and the cutest little bunny boy we've ever seen. What a blessed day we had and about that turkey dinner...we brined the turkey overnight and can't wait to have that fancy feast tonight. But sometimes you just have to throw a wrench in your plans when God gives you a gorgeous day like yesterday. Picnicking in the park is one of our favorite things to do (we used to do one almost every weekend in San Francisco) so it felt great to get out in Austin and enjoy nature and our family of four. Especially before the Texas heat sets in.
PS - You're probably wondering what we got each other for our Anniversary? Well I can assure you there will certainly be a post about it in a few weeks because we splurged on some art and a massive piece of furniture. And guess where it's all going? IN OUR MASTER SUITE! So it really was a gift for us because we've spent so much time making all these other rooms in our home decorated and homey, it's high time to make 'our room' into a space we love.
PSS - You know you're getting old (and maybe wise) when you buy furniture and artwork for your Anniversary, ha!
