Ahem. I HAD to celebrate my birthday, and tried to do it as minimal as possible.  My family took me out to HG Supply Company on Friday night and it was really, really good food!  It's Paleo but you don't even notice the difference it's so good!

Drinks!

My Artic Char and yummy sides

Delicious ginger hummus!

Best chocolate cake pudding dessert ever!

Then Todd took me out on my actual bday to the new hot Italian restaurant Lucia in Oak Cliff!  It was amazing food and love how unpretentious it is.  I highly recommend it and most everything on the menu is made in house!

Watermelon and Feta Mint Salad!

Shrimp and summer squash risotto

Ricotta, Potato Pesto Raviolis

Todd's Pork dish with Kale

Todd and I had been discussing a few months ago how we REALLY needed to get out of the Texas heat over the summer and wanted to go on a trip with his family.  So we figured out that the only place to go that's pretty close is up in the mountains!  I lived in the Breckenridge area after college while working for Club Med and have always loved the charming town of Breck.  We also used to go there when I was a kid and have great memories of it.  t's not new and built up like Vail or Aspen and still feels like small town Main St. America.  It's also only 1 hour from Denver (in the summer) and has a TON of kids activities.  We rented a house with Todd's family and had the best time ever!  It was also Belle and Luna's first time to fly (I know, it's been a long time coming, but we've just driven every were because it's so much easier!).  Flying with 2 small kids is not fun- the packing and checking the liquids, going through security, strollers, car seats- makes you second guess driving the 14 hour trip!). 

We left on Saturday morning, the flight was good, not too terrible, and then waited for our checked car seat.  It never showed up, so the airline gave us a spare and off we went to the rented mini-van.  We drove an hour to Breckenridge and finally made it to the house!

We grocery shopped and cooked at home the first night.  We put Belle's pack in play in Luna's room's bathroom but with the altitude, Belle would not sleep, was up all night, so we moved her into bed with me!  That was a disaster, so none of us slept well, but we made it out to a biking expedition the next day.  It was a lot of fun, 60 degrees, but the sun is still a little hot because you are up so high (9500 feet).

The next day we did the Gondola up to the mountain and did all of the fun kid stuff: Panning for gold, hiked up to touch the snow, watching her cousin get on the bungee trampoline, ride the slalom slide and watch kids get on the rollercoaster, bounce houses, rock climbing walls, etc.  We also ate lunch up on the mountain too.  We had a lot of fun up there!

We also enjoyed walking around Main St. and playing in the creek, and petting the horses.  We can't wait to go back next year and do more fun stuff.  One day when they are old enough, we are looking forward to doing horse back riding, canoeing, white water rafting and fly fishing!

Ha, look at this old 1980's photo I found of myself in Breck one summer, compared to the other one :)

Luna was due for her dentist appointment today.  It's been about 6 months since her last one, and 1 year since her very first appointment.  We are so glad we found her dentist at All Kids Dentistry and love Dr. Colter and her hygienist.  So lucky she has had the same hygienist since we started going there.  Luna did great!!

We met up with some of our MOPS friends today for fun times at the LH Splash Park.  It was Belle's first time, and Luna had not been in a year, so it was nice to try something new and a cool way to beat the heat! (and just in case you are wondering, Belle is in a SPF shirt, we have to double layer her since she is the fairest of them all :)

Then later that night, some of the moms from our playgroup met up at Lush Nail Salon.  And if you haven't been yet, it's a must do!  They give you free drinks (wine, margaritas, etc) and it's open until 12am!!  We were celebrating our friend Kate's last MNO with us, since she is moving to Houston next week.  We are really going to miss her, but excited for their new adventure and for her daughter Harper to attend a new speech therapy school.  (We also had a last KC Pool playdate with the kids this week and had a great time swimming with the crew!)

We spent the 4th with some friends at a Pancake Breakfast, then headed to the Lake Highlands 4th Parade with some of Luna and Belle's buddies!  Luna had fun catching beads, candy and frisbees while Belle chilled in her seat.

Then we headed to my sister's for some family time and swimming.  It was perfect weather, not too hot and with neither girl napping today, didn't quite make it to the fireworks show at 9:30pm :(  Each passed out at 8pm when we got home.  Maybe next year :)

Belle has been taking steps here and there and cruising like crazy since she was 11 months old.  I thought for sure she was going to be walking by her 1st birthday, but she just kept holding off a little bit.  No complaints here, since Luna didn't start walking until 15 months of age (and I was 16 mos.), and once they start walking, things get even crazier!  But this little ginger girl was super fast and I just knew any day she was going to be there.  Sure enough she took off today and there was no holding back!

Luna had a 1 day Ballet Camp and her ballet studio, Studio B.  It was a Princess and Fairy theme and the girls could pick out anything to wear that day, and she wanted to wear her usual black leotard and pink skirt.  No Cinderella dress, no Tinkerbell dress-up, just her usual uniform.  She normally won't wear anything around the house but her pink dress-up dresses and Disney princess outfits.  But she had soo much fun and we all watched her e