My Dallas Valentines

I love surprising my dad - it's just too easy.  I think I've done it every time I've gone to Dallas (with the exception of maybe Thanksgiving and Christmas).  My mom is a great accomplice (only because a surprise could never work on HER!), he's never suspecting, and he's genuinely thrilled when he comes home from the office for a little lunch & I'm causally sitting at the kitchen table!

Last week, I had a meeting in Dallas for work - and since it was a long weekend I turned my business trip into a birthday surprise for my Pops!  Yes! It was too perfect - a business trip + a long weekend + dad's birthday.  The stars were all aligned.

I'm trying to work here
Burton....

Mike came and met me down in Dallas after he had finished up the work week, and we managed to get a 3 day break from the 11 degree weather here in New York and accumulate some much needed vitamin D and family time.  With my maternity leave coming up in 5 months or so, it's harder and harder for me to get away for a few reasons.  First, I'm going to have to be careful about traveling a little bit later in my pregnancy.  And second, I kind of have to stock up on those vacation days so that I can make the most of my maternity leave.  So between now and July, I'm going to have to be very stingy with these 2015 vacation days.  Which means, my 4-5 yearly trips to Dallas are probably going to be down to MAYBE 2 this year...a major lifestyle change for these two jet setters!

We've had a cold winter this year.  I think it has snowed at least once a week, if not twice for the past 5 or 6 weeks.  While we haven't had to dig ourselves out TOO much like our friends up the coast in Boston, it has started to cause a little bit of cabin fever over here in the Mobley household.  So Mike and I were thrilled when the Dallas forecast was in the 70s and we got a sky full of sunshine.  That means some fresh air and walks outside with the whole family - pups included of course.  It was even nice enough for a lunch outside on the golf course to celebrate the birthday boy!

That's a lot of love!

We opened presents and cards in our pajamas on Valentine's day.  Since we were seeing everyone in person this year, we had a few extra gifts in our suitcase to bring along!  Our evenings took us from lower Greenville for an Italian dinner with the 6 of us to our Four Season's staple - Via Real for dad's birthday - and also Valentine's Day!  I was happy as a clam with my first Valentine (my pops), my last Valentine (my husband) and my furry Valentine (Burton...of course!).  And we gorged on the greatest Tex Mex and margaritas (virgin strawberry daiquiri for me please) to toast the man of the hour.

It's been hard being pregnant and being away from our parents during this exciting time.  And it's been even harder being stuck in the house and not knowing when you'll see them next.  I don't often get a business trip in Dallas - it maybe happens once/year.  But I'm glad that this one was perfectly timed so that I could get AND give a little TLC from my parents.  It was good to restore my spirits and warm my soul and my chilly bones up a little bit before returning to the frozen concrete jungle.  I'm not sure when we'll get back out there or if we'll be traveling with a sweet little carry-on next time, but I'm glad we could make a little getaway out of a work trip!  Happy Birthday Pops, I'm glad we could pull a fast one on you again - because it's just too much fun!  We love you & can't wait until YOUR next business trip to our coast!