CALVIN'S BIG ART ADVENTURE

Daughter Alexis was driving down Brodie Lane in Austin recently, just around the corner from her house, when she noticed that something new was going in where a Montessori school used to be -- a place called Figment Creative Labs -- Where Imagination Runs Wild. Lex went straight to her computer when she got home, to see what she could find out about them, and that's how we ended up taking Calvin on his biggest adventure yet!

BUBBLES!

Apparently this used to be called Wee Warhols, and got its start when owner Amber Scardino's friends were so impressed with all the fun things she was doing with her own kids that they offered to pay her if she would let their kids join in on the fun. So, she started doing some art camps and classes there at her own home, including her Mommy & Me program for toddlers, which focuses on process art -- art which is done sheerly for the joy you experience in the doing of it, with no regard for the finished product.

Kinetic Sand + Ice Cream Scoops

A Sequin Board Which Changes Colors When You Run Your Hand In Either Direction

We just happened to get in on the very last M&M session before she shuts down for the BIG MOVE, and Calvin ended up having the whole place to himself, with Amber's undivided attention!

The Potions Lab, where you get to play with vinegar and baking soda and food coloring!

It's Hammer Time!

An Inclined "Race Track" With A Bucketful of Vehicles

OH WOW! Train Tracks! I Love Train Tracks!

Making Muffins and Cakes

Calvin's very favorite station of all? The confetti egg stomp...

especially since, instead of getting the usual 3 or 4 eggs, she let him do the whole carton! (No one can resist the way he says "One more time?") Afterwards he got to drizzle glue on a piece of paper and scatter the confetti all over it (and the bottom of his shoes). There was also a masterpiece created with paint, paper, fly swatters and plungers!

The only bad part? Trying to get him to leave! Not even the promise of pizza with Papa could console him.

Check out this video to see what all is in store at the new location when it opens in June, and be sure to share it with anyone you know in S. Austin who has kids!

A COLOR MAD WEEKEND

It started with an uber-fun wedding over in Fredericksburg, where we got to hang out with old friends from our Indonesia days -- some we still see on a semi-regular basis, and the wonderful surprise meetup with a couple we hadn't seen since we left there almost 25 years ago!

She's not a flower "girl", she's a flower QUEEN!

Apparently, the bride is a bit of a popcorn fanatic. Hence the fabulous "Popcorn Bar" they had set up out on the porch when we arrived at the wonderful Hill Country venue where the reception was held.

So Many Choices!

The sunglasses all said "A REEH (pronounced ray) of sunshine."

The groom is the son of our Aggie-Ranching-Friends the Reeh's. We met way back when we were all living in Kingsville and Dan was fresh out of A&M, then we sorta followed one another to Houston, west Texas, Indonesia and, eventually, back to the Hill Country. They took great delight in the fact that our very own son turned redcoat and chose A&M over UT. Now we can delight in the fact that their son has married a big city girl who graduated from UT's law school. Payback!

It seems my sister, hubby and I aren't the only ones who think Junior Mints and popcorn make the perfect pair!

Since this wedding fell on the same evening as our monthly dinner club meet up, our foodie friends were kind enough to change this month's food frenzie to a Sunday morning get together at Blue Dahlia Bistro's newest location, on the square in San Marcos. We are so glad they did! We've been there once before, when they first opened, but had no idea that they too had a secret garden. What better place for a Sunday brunch on a perfect spring day?

And the food? Oh my! 

Blueberry Blintzes with a Lavender Bellini (which tasted waaaay better than anyone expected!)

The Best Coq au Vin I've Ever Had

The perfect end to a perfect weekend!