Historically Driving Home ~ SA Vacay Day 3

If you have not been to Guenther House on your trips to SA, you are sorely missing out.  Guenther House is the home of the founding family of Pioneer Flour.  It was built in 1860 and after a 2 year restoration, the restaurant opened in 1988.  I have been several times for brunch and it never disappoints.  I'll admit the wait sucks, especially with 2 toddlers, but really what good restaurant do you not have to wait for?  The best thing to have during a lengthy wait?  Drinks?  Ok, so maybe the 2nd best thing?  That would be a super cute gift shop that sells the best baking supplies (need a tortilla flattener?) and super cute items (princess tea party book anyone?) that you just have to have!  The store is super small and I could easily kill an hour there...all I have to say is, "what wait?"

After 2 hours in the car and 2 showings for Toy Story 2, we stopped in Salado for lunch.  We stumbled along a great little spot, Adelea's on Main.  Adelea's opened in 2008 by 2 sisters who launched their culinary careers based on recipes their mother had passed on to them from their late grandmother.   They still feature some of these recipes in the restaurant.  Adelea's and their bar, Hemingway's (named after their dog) is located in a home that was built in 1925.    I can't think of a more fitting location!

The rest of the trip was completely non-eventful...unless you count seeing Toy Story 2 for the 3rd time today as eventful...sigh.

Toddler Dream Day ~ SA Vacay Day 2

Toddler Dream Day includes the following:
- Brunch with all the Sesame Street characters
- Playing games with the Sesame Street characters
- Waving Abby Cadabby's magic wand
- Getting picture taken with every character from Sesame Street
- Seeing Shamu show, not once, but twice
- Feeding the dolphins
- Spending a good portion of the day in the Sesame Street Bay of Play water park for kids
- Visiting the sea lions and manatees

Toddler Dream Day does NOT include:
- Much eating; too hard to eat when Sesame Street characters are at breakfast
- Napping; too much to see and do!

So where do you eat with 4 tired adults and cranky, hungry toddlers?  Lulu's bakery of course!  Unfortunately, none of us made it to a cinnamon roll.  Did you really think Adam would go to SA and not eat at a restaurant that was featured on Man vs. Food?


If you are wondering where are all our fab pictures that capture Maison having her dream day, they are on the camera that we brought but left the battery at home.  We're hoping that that we can bribe Jon so we can have copies of his pics!

Remembering the Alamo ~ SA Vacay Day 1

I remember my parents taking me to see the Alamo several times when I was a child.  I remember passing through the front door and being shocked that that was pretty much it.  A standing facade with cannons laying around.  Other than the barracks there really wasn't much to see.  Shari, Bubba, and I would run around and climb on the cannons and try to pick up cannon balls, whether it was allowed or not.  I have fond memories of trips to San Antonio, so when I found out that Sea World has a Sesame Street Brunch I was convinced that we had to take Maison.

We took the day off so that we could drive down and see the Alamo before heading to dinner.  Imagine my surprise when we walked in the front door of the Alamo that it wasn't just a shell of a building....it has now been 'renovated' so it is enclosed and has air conditioning....yes air conditioning!  And the barracks I fondly remember running through are now a museum.  Museum about a war with 2 two year olds (Jon, Lisa, and their son Jayden were with us) = BOR-ING!  Bored two year olds = WHIN-ING!  Needless to say we didn't last long...

Maison and Jayden in front of the Alamo:

Since the Alamo didn't last long we went shopping at El Mercado (the Market).  The kids convinced us that they HAD to have maracas which I'm sure will be the gift that keeps on giving...

Maison and Jayden hanging at El Mercado:

Unfortunately these are the ONLY pictures I have of the Alamo, El Mercado, and our yummy dinner at La Margarita (one of the best Mexican restaurants in SA!) because when I started to take Maison's picture at the Alamo I realized the camera wouldn't turn on.  Turns out it requires a battery to work and said battery was plugged into the charger in Plano.  I only feel like documenting so much with an iPhone....but at least I got one shot of Maison's first trip to the Alamo!