Memorial Day Weekend

Much much to report - where to begin...I guess at the start ;)

...To Ohio for the 3rd annual OHIO Memorial Day weekend. This year we decided to jazz the weekend up and add in some family fun time in Cincinnati. We desperately were in need of a long weekend so we decided a "stay-cation" was perfect. To make the long weekend really feel like a vacation we checked into the Westin around the corner from the Schneider's. And for those of you that have not stayed at a Westin - the "Heavenly Bed" is just that!! And after a really long road trip it was just what we needed.

Saturday morning:

Louie & Michael could not have picked a better family fun-time occasion...a race with their daughters - how sweet. Look at how proud they are!

Lyla was so excited about the race that she decided she had better get in a quick nap....

Josie, on the other hand, would not dare to miss crossing the Starting Line...

And off they went - the first of 2 bridges to cross...

Big bridges...

And the last bridge - The Purple People Eater Bridge - to The Finish Line. Which I must pause for a quick note...you will not be seeing the expected picture of them crossing the finish line because....we were SO exhausted from watching them run that we had to stop for iced coffee at Starbucks...Yep...and we missed the big finale!!!!

The finale ending just opposite of how things started with Josie napping and Lyla ready to party!

Saturday afternoon:

Question: After a long hot race - what would you want to do?

Answer: Go swimming!!!!

So that is exactly what we decided to do.

Lyla LOVED LOVED the water...she is our little fishy!

And Josie - my goodness was so brave - she was blowing water bubbles with her mouth and leaping off the side into her parents arms. We are all going to Florida for a family trip the end of July so this was the test of how things may go...I think the girls passed with flying colors.

Saturday late afternoon:

...after a 2 hour nap in the "Heavenly bed"....

We headed over to the Taste of Cincinnati for some beer and yummy Cincy food. Michael and grandma could not pass up the opportunity for a friendly competition - who would be the one to "win" Lyla her first carnival stuffed animal...drum roll please!!!

And the winner is GRANDMA - Sweet - I love it!

There will now be a lapse in time...this is when drinking and eating became apparent and photography quickly became not as important :)

After a Mexican dinner and margaritas we decided that it would be a great idea to have grand-daddy and grandma take the girls back home to the Schneider's for bed-time. Which left The Austin's & The Schneider's to do what...ummm that would be drinking and chatting. So after a few more beers, martini's and Makers Mark...we all decided that we should really go to bed.

The Austin's headed to the Westin heavenly bed for our first entire night away from Lyla. The Schneider's headed back home to make sure the Grandparents were able to get the girls to bed---no doubts of course!!! We woke early Sunday morning - wondering what Lyla was up to....

Thank goodness Grandma captured it on camera...

How sweet is this!!! They played, played and played some more....

The day I have always dreamed of....

So our time in Cincinnati was ending - it was time to head back to Xenia for some good ole' relaxing and some of mama's/grandma's home cookin'!! We managed to find enough energy to walk down the street to the park...which always leads to lots of reminiscing. Folks - here you have it - this is where "Mandy and Michael" aka M&M met ...long ago in 9th grade at Central Junior High School.... And I just had to end the post with this...it sums up the weekend perfectly in my eyes. Michael and Mr. J having one of their talks. I will always wonder...and will never ask what they really talk about. I am comforted knowing how much they appreciate one another - it just warms your heart...

Pay close attention to how they are standing (their legs) in each of the photos below...

Can you say "in sync"..... So here's to another great Ohio Memorial Day weekend - the perfect "stay-cation" spent with family!!!