Time With My Bestie

My dear friend, Natalie, came to visit me last week and we had such a grand time. I visited her in Virginia last year, and we plan to alternate locations each year, which is oh so fun. The first day she arrived was a crazy one; we dropped the kids off at the Rangers game with Neal and then made our way to the temple. Afterward, we enjoyed a late dinner at La Madeleine, which was our favorite dining spot when we lived in Houston together. The next day, we did some local shopping and watched Parker and Miles play baseball. Friday morning, Neal took the kids to Corpus Christi, TX for the State DI competition, which meant that Natalie and I had the rest of the weekend to do as we pleased! It was so strange to be at home but to have no mothering to do! We had a great time.

Friday, we shopped in Dallas. I took Natalie to some of my favorite spots (Little Bean, Milk + Honey, Zara), and we found a couple of new ones, too (Garden Cafe, Gypsy Wagon)! That night, we soaked in the atmosphere at Cowboy Chow in Roanoke, after visiting my favorite little bookstore, The Book Carriage.

We visited the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens on Saturday, grabbed lunch at a cute bistro on the South Side of town, then went to the Stockyards for some historic Texasness. Each night, we came home to a few delightful episodes of Downton Abbey, which Natalie had not yet seen. Hooray for Edwardian England!

I am so grateful for Natalie in my life. We share so many interests and opinions and I know that I can always trust her to be my friend and to take my side. Everyone needs a someone like that. Until next year, Natalie! (Unless we can hook up in Utah this summer!)