Fabulous Frisco!

This past weekend Mr. Incredible's mom and dad (Nonnie & Poppie), Sister (Aunt Sissie), Brother-in-law (Uncle G), and their boys~our nephews, and our family had a fun, end-of-summer trip to Fabulous Frisco, Texas.  We ate way too much and shopped until we all dropped....note to self, we need one more day if we are blessed to do this again. We stayed at the wonderful Westin Stonebrier where we slept in heavenly beds and drank starbucks coffee...okay, I drank Starbucks coffee, it was delightful!

Yesterday (I can't believe I missed a Monday blog post) I worked on the "D" family photos from last week's photo shoot.  I have to tell you that I adore this family.  They are beautiful inside and out!  It was such a fun photo shoot.  I could have spent way longer than the 2 1/2 hour photo shoot.  I was determined to get the pictures narrowed down from over 500 to less than 50.  I tried really hard, but I could only narrow them down to 60 something.  Their children have the most incredible eyes...and smiles...and giggles...and everything...just like their momma (sorry Shane, I've known Jaclyn longer...but you are great too).  It was fun and yesterday was fun editing their photos too. 

I played with photoshop a little bit and had a delightful time applying black and white actions to photos like these 2 cuties:

I often work with color but there is something about black and white that I am loving right now.  So, they inspired me and that's why all of our weekend pics are in black and white...well, most all, there are a few exceptions, but you'll understand why. 

And I cannot believe that I don't have more pictures from our weekend.  I lugged my big girl camera around all day Friday (we stopped to tour Hardin Simmons University for Rachel...be still my heart!) and Saturday....my sore shoulder is proof.  I think I'm walking with my right shoulder 2 inches below my left...my bgc (big girl camera) is heavy stuff...but I LOVE her anyway! 

We planned to have a mini family photo shoot all together in Frisco but we all got so in to our back to school shopping that we forgot.  So this is all I've got~shocking, I know!

Here is my baby girl at the Westin:

And Andrew who has just been told that we are going shopping...all day long! 

But we were nice to everyone and stopped for an amazing breakfast at La Madeleine first:

So many choices...it's all so yummy:

This is my FAVORITE thing to have at La Madeliene. I order it every time without fail.  It's called Strawberries Romanoff (or Strawberries Smirnoff as Poppie likes to call it).  It is scrumptious!  I try not to embarrass myself by licking the bowl but it is just too good to leave any little bit behind.  I didn't know it until this trip but the divine romanoff sauce is made with brandy....hmmm!  I don't drink.  I am a good preacher's daughter, but this sauce....let me just say, I could bathe in it....oh my it is that good!  It is just not as pretty in black and white so here it is in color (my mouth is drooling just looking at the picture):

After breakfast we headed to Allen's Premium Outlet Mall where we found all kinds of delightful back to school things and I even purchased a few Christmas gifts!

We then drove a few miles to Watters Creek to shop at their beautiful outdoor mall.  We don't have these kind of malls in our part of Texas.  It was fun!  One of Mr. Incredible's cousins heard us talk about Sam Moon (awesome place to buy purses and jewelry on the cheap) and she asked us if we had ever been to Charmin Charlie?  Charming What? So we made a mental note to try it on our trip to Frisco and it did not disappoint.  We girls could have spent a whole day there and at Vera Bradley's too.  Rachel found the cutest memo bag for school there.

I think we spent 2 hours in Charming Charlie's and yes it was charming!  Uncle G and Mr. Incredible met us outside with bottled water...shopping can wear a girl out!  I think we shopped on one of the hottest days on record in the metroplex.  It was 102 degrees before lunch time.  But we managed to find a way.  Ha!

My girls with their Charming Charlie purchases:

It turned out to be the year of the Converse.  Hannah bought 3 pair, Andrew bought a pair, Aaron bought a pair, Rachel bought a pair with bling (black glitter) and I bought 2 pair.  Who says 40 year old momma's can't wear converse.  They are soooooooo cute! One pair is red and the other pair is red and black plaid (for game day Fridays at the high school).  Hannah has always worn them and Rachel adores Tom's shoes (great company~for every pair that you purchase they give a pair away to someone who needs them) but Hannah prevailed and talked us into trying them.  They are comfortable....Converse converts...and we're never looking back!

After we rehydrated it was off to the Stonebrier Mall (yes, it's still the same day.  Remember?  Shop till you drop) for more back to school shopping.  The girls and I hit Forever 21, Aunt Sissie, Nonnie and our nephews hit the Lego store, while Mr. Incredible, Uncle G, and Poppie disappeared to another store.

My girls found some cute things at Forever 21 and then we texted their daddy to see where they were.  They were in the Apple store....a place that melt's my techie heart into a million pieces.  We decided to meet them there because I was dying to see my new photography site on an Ipad and they let you play on Ipads for free.  We met they guys inside where Mr. Incredible, with a grin from ear to ear and eyes as blue as the ocean,  hands me a sack.  And the Apple sales guy and Poppie and Uncle G stop what they are doing and smile.

This is what I unwrapped:

I couldn't believe it...an Ipad!  I squealed for joy, jumped up and down, did a happy dance (sorry girls~this white girl can't dance), cried a little, hugged my man and kissed him in front of the entire store who was now watching my reaction!  It was awesome!!!! 

I still can't believe I have one.  I was maybe...if I would allow myself to...hoping that I might possibly get one for Christmas...if I was very good but now?  Really?  He flashed his baby blue eyes and said, "Happy back to school, sweetheart!"  And I melted right there all over again!  He so gets me! 

I cradled my Ipad in one arm and my man's arm in the other the rest of the shopping trip. And then I stopped at Macys for a little something, something to surprise my man. 

I am still in shock over this extravagant gift!  Isabella (yes, I named my Ipad) and I are having so much fun getting to know one another! 

Whew!  It was a whirlwind trip to Frisco but so worth it!