So yeah, I’m a dreamer. Often times I tend to get caught up in the fantasy land of other people’s lives and worlds where heroes and heroines… get to have ROMANTIC DINNERS AND SEXY NIGHTS OUT! …get to TRAVEL! …get some PEACE and QUIET while they enjoy their coffee! …get to have SOFT and SOOTHING conversations since they aren’t yelling at the kid monsters all the time! In the real world, it is nearly impossible for me not get bogged down by the constant crazy slapping me in the face daily, and unlike a book, I can’t just stop it and put it down to get back to later. I love my life and family, but I really miss all those ‘dreamy’ things that I love (see shouty capitals expressed above).

SO, when my husband whisked me away for a little getaway to Austin for some ‘us time’ and to celebrate my birthday last weekend, I was totally excited! We kicked off the trip with the Austin Book Fest – not really romantic but right up my alley and he knew it. A little something for myself and he wanted to be a part- meant so much to me! I got to meet some great new book friends and visit with some amazing authors. Let me tell you, my hubby was a trooper! We had the cart, the books to sign, the map, and snacks and he helped maneuver us through the huge crowd with a smile. When I sensed his enthusiasm beginning to dwindle, I quickly maneuvered him to the closest bar to unwind. We made such a great team! We ended our day with cocktails, live music, and a little stroll on 6th Street. The perfect end to a perfect day! The next morning started with an easy pace – coffee and breakfast in bed, a jaunt through the park, and antiquing on the way home. It was such a great step out of the everyday chaos of our life to share this lovely and refreshing time together.

OK, so it may not sound like some fancy fairy-tale you might normally hear about, but this dreamer here says it counts. Sometimes it’s those small gestures, stolen moments, and quality time together that are even more romantic than any extravagant vacation. My husband took a little fairy dust and sprinkled it on us and gave me a very thoughtful and fantastic birthday weekend getaway – sometimes it really is the simple things that mean the most!

‘Listen to me, mister. You’re my knight in shining armor.’  – unknown author

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