Austin, Texas

One of the reasons I had been looking forward to visiting Austin was to meet these moms and kids. Alexx and Rachel are two of my twin mom friends. We have been talking to each other online since we were all pregnant with our twins and due the same month. We have met before, but it was so nice to see them again and finally meet their children. I was hoping to meet our other friend Bethany, but she was out of town.

It was a joy to watch them play together.

After playing in the park a bit, Rachel and I took our kids to the Thinkery, Austin's children's museum. They climbed that yellow worm-like structure more times than I could count.

This water room reminded me of Vegas' Discovery Center, but was much smaller. I was impressed that they not only have the smocks, but crocs for the kids to wear in the room. Of course I noticed this after their shoes were wet.

They loved the play kitchen. Before we left I watched
as Journey took orders from a few of the parents sitting nearby. 

Last we went to the light room, or maybe it's the dark room, either way, it was fun.

Another day we drove down to Sixth Street for dinner at Roppolo's Pizzeria. The kids loved it and were all giggles. Afterwards we walked around downtown and the kids peeked their heads into a bar to hear some live music.

We also stopped at IKEA and checked the kids into their Smaland children's play area. It was the very first time that we've ever left them with someone that we didn't personally know AND the second time that they've ever been in an indoor play area AKA germ central. (The first time they both ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, so yah, we just don't.) It was basically a table for coloring and a ball pit. We left them with strict instructions to avoid the pit - do those ever get washed? Anyway, when we collected them a short time later, they both said it was fun and they want to return. We took them back thru the store with us and this time Journey pushed me in a wheelchair (sprained ankle) which was pretty funny as people kept pointing out.