Girls Weekend

For our super secret girl getaway, I took Abbey to St. Louis for a surprise birthday celebration for my twin aunts who live there. This side of my family usually gets together for a football weekend but it didn't work out for anyone this year so I was happy to be able to take Abbey somewhere fun since it was her "turn" to go with me. She was pretty insistent we go somewhere on a plane and I was racking my brain for ideas. When my sister told me about the birthday weekend I knew it would be perfect.

And it was.

Our plane was little. 

My sister and I were scheduled to arrive in St. Louis within five minutes of each other and I should have known that was too good to be true. Abbey and I were delayed for over an hour in Denver making us quite late. My aunt picked us up and took us to the hotel where we met up with another aunt, my cousin, and our family friend. My aunts live in the city, but we spent the weekend at a hotel downtown.

View from our hotel room. Not bad, eh?

Friday night we just hung out in the hotel room, snacking and talking.
Saturday we got up and went to breakfast (which ended up being lunch by the time we ate) and then went to see my cousin's very cool apartment. We did a little shopping (The White Rabbit was a treat!) and then got changed for dinner.

Dinner was at The Libertine in Clayton and it was amazing!!!

 Mustache girl and her Shirley Temple. 

On Sunday morning I took Abbey to the Arch. We went to Saint Louis for Thanksgiving a few years ago and were going to take the kids up in the Arch but we didn't have a ton of time and we opted for The City Museum instead, which was a great choice at the time. I'm terrified of heights but put my brave face on for Abbey.

I think we picked the windiest day of the year to venture to the top. As soon as we got out of the egg-shaped compartment that carried us up I could feel the arch MOVING. I was freaked. A lady I was talking with at the top told me that even on the windiest of days it never sways more than 18 inches. 18 inches? Are you kidding me? The security guard at the top said the wind was the worst he'd ever seen. I guess we have a knack for timing, don't we. I felt off balance the entire time I was up there. Thankfully we just snapped some pictures and went back down.

 See those ominous clouds? Keep reading.

My aunts were checking out of the hotel while Abbey and I were there and as we were waiting for them to pick us up a freak storm blew in. We were outside waiting because I couldn't get a cell signal in the (underground) Arch area and that crazy wind was blowing us both around. By the time I realized we should head for cover it was too late. The wind-driven rain came so fast. We were drenched from head to toe. Guess we have a knack for making things memorable too.

A quick lunch, a little more shopping, and then we were Denver bound. I think Abbey best summed it up when she looked over at me on the plane and said, "Mom, that was the best weekend ever!" I think she had fun.