Weekend at the Inn Above Onion Creek

(Written over the course of the weekend):

Oh my word it is beautiful out here.  The Texas hill country is so pretty. 



Daniel and I have been enjoying a weekend with my parents, away from our kids--whom Daniel's parents are so graciously babysitting.




Yesterday we went to Hamilton Pool, which is a natural swimming hole that was formed when an underground river's dome collapsed. 



There is a 45 foot water fall with natural trails around, and it's just beautiful.



We couldn't swim in the water due to high bacteria levels, but it was so nice to sit and eat lunch there.

Today we visited the Bella Vista Winery and olive orchard and enjoyed a very informative tour.  

The man who gave the tour was the same as from last year--but still we learned so much, because he said so much!  He spoke for about an hour and a half--almost nonstop.

 

(Written today): I loved seeing the wildflowers this weekend. 



This (below) is what an artichoke looks like if you keep letting it grow and don't eat it.

 

I had mixed feelings about coming back home, because it was a lovely weekend. 



But we missed the kids SO much, and it was so good to see them yesterday! 



So fun to hear David and Becky's stories of the cute things they did over the past two days.



Lucy looked so much older to me when I saw her on Sunday.  Her annunciation of certain phrases gets better by the day.  

 

These sunflowers were amazing... but unfortunately facing North, so it was difficult to get a photo that really captured them well.  



Over all, we are glad to be home.  Vacations are so fun.  But coming home to little ones is so fun, too.

A Weekend Away and Lucy's First Word

This weekend I worked. 



But last weekend Daniel and I spent our fifth anniversary (whoop!) at The Inn Above Onion Creek in the Texas hill country just south of Austin. 

 

It was so beautiful, and we had a wonderful time. 

 

There's so much space out there. 

 

The Inn sits on an 80-something acre plot of land, and there are hiking trails and lookouts (as the name implies) above Onion Creek.   



Being there made me wonder why more people didn't settle out there, instead of in the Dallas or Houston area. 



It's just beautiful country. 



The original plan was to tour several wineries while we were in the hill country, but baby #2 changed our minds, so instead we toured Bella Vista Ranch, a winery and olive orchard - and the first commercial olive oil producer in Texas. 



They say this land and soil are similar to Italy's, so I tried to imagine we were in Italy for a few seconds.  I've never been to Italy, so I don't know how similar they look. 

 

But it's hard to forget you're in Texas when your tour guide looks like this.  He was quite proud of his olive trees--apparently they don't grow well in Texas, and he has a way with them, which is why he's been the only successful olive oil producer in the state.



We learned a ton about the history of olives and olive oil on the tour, as well as the process for making olive oil and the various methods of curing the olives to eat.  This is the room where they make the oil.  They swap out the machines when it's time to make wine and use this same small room.



Can you believe this is what an artichoke looks like if you let it keep growing and don't eat it?  Why don't we see more of these in bouquets? 

We dearly missed our munchkin during the weekend, but it was nice to know she was in good hands at her Nonnie and Papa's house.  You can see her saying her very first word here - "hi."  She says it several times a day while she waves.  So, so cute.  "Hi.  hi.  hi."