Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is around the corner and I've rounded up some fun gift ideas that will delight any mama out there -- from sparkly arm candy for the fashion-conscious mother to a healthy cookbook for the mom that loves to cook. In the past I've gotten BirchBox and Kendra Scott jewels for my own mom. I'm currently undecided on what I'll get her this year, but I know she'd be happy with any of the gifts above.

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A Weekend in Texas Wine Country

This past weekend my husband Cory and I flew down to Texas to celebrate his 30th birthday with a group of friends in Fredericksburg, Texas. If you aren't from Texas you may not realize that Texas has its own little wine country about an hour west of Austin! This area is also known as the "hill country" because while much of Texas is quite flat, the terrain in this part is hilly and just beautiful! And while all the recent rains are catastrophic for people, the land has benefitted and is currently lush and green.

On Friday,  Cory and I got picked up at DFW Airport by two of our friends and we carpooled down to wine country, stopping along the way for a wine tasting and some lunch at The Vineyard At Florence.

Once we arrived in Fredericksburg, we stopped in at Becker Vineyards--Cory and I's favorite winery--for a quick tasting before they closed for the day. We then set our things down at the house and grabbed dinner at Fredericksburg Brewing Company. We always have to stop here when we visit! The rest of the evening we caught up with friends and enjoyed a low-key wine night.

Saturday we were up with a quick breakfast before getting picked up by our private shuttle! If you are planning to do a day of wine tasting, I highly recommend doing either the public or private shuttle (don't drink & drive!) After a day of wineries, our shuttle dropped us off at the house and we played games, grilled fajitas, and enjoyed more wine. The plan was originally to go to our favorite dinner spot and go out dancing, but the sun was just starting to peek out and we were having too good of a time at home!

Sunday morning we all rose early, had some coffee and hit the road. It was the best weekend, even with the overcast and rainy weather! You can't go wrong when you've got friends and wine.

What I Packed

lightweight gray sweater // cold-shoulder top (similar here) // lace-up top // open-knit cardigan (similar here) // denim cut-offs (similar here) // cropped side-zip jeans (similar here) // boater hat (similar here) // white sneakers // sandals (similar here) // earrings (similar here and here)

I kept my palette and items simple but allowed myself a few options due to uncertainty about the weather. It turned out to be cool and drizzly so I was glad I opted for a old pair of sandals rather than packing one of my new never-worn pairs. Normally, the weather in Texas is hot and sunny, so in that case I would not have brought my jeans or sweaters!

Where We Stayed

We stayed in a house right off of the highway that leads into town, which I found through HomeAway. It was super cute and I wish I'd taken my own pictures of the place, but here are some from the home's rental website. Joanna Gaines would love it, I think! If you're planning a trip for two, I can also recommend Austin Street Retreat.

Wineries

William Chris*, Lewis, 4.0, Grapecreek, Becker*, Six Shooter, Messina Hof

Transportation

The 290 Wine Shuttle provides public hop on/hop off transportation for only $25/day! Private tours cost $395 for up to 14 people. To me, this is a great deal and way better than drawing straws to figure out who will be the DD. 

Eat
There's plenty of delicious places to eat in Fredericksburg. However, these are some of my favorites!

• Hondo's - If you're feeling adventurous, try the jalepeno margarita. The quesadillas are my go-to but everything here is great.
• Fredericksburg Brewing - I love this spot for lunch or dinner. A few pretty good beers on tap and a pretty wide selection of food choices -- from salads to German cuisine to wraps and burgers.
• Clear River Pecan Co. - Cookies & ice cream. Enough said.
• Werner Warehouse Cafe - This is a charming little place tucked away from Main Street. I am a sucker for their cinnamon rolls!

To Do
If you need to take a break from wine tasting, there's lots of cute shops up and down Main Street to keep you busy. In the evening, put on your dancing shoes and check out Crossroads. The infamous Luckenbach, TX is only 15 minutes away and a fun place to visit for music and drinks.

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Healthy Baked Sweet Potato Fries

My friends, I've been keeping this a secret for too long. If you are a sweet potato fan like me, you will love this recipe. It is super easy to make and also easy to change up ingredients to fit your taste. Sweet potatoes are a super filling and pretty healthy snack, side, or (in some cases for me) meal! I've been making this recipe 1-3 times per week over the last couple of months and haven't gotten tired of it yet!

What you need:
1 small sweet potato
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chopped fresh garlic*
Chili powder
Cayenne
Grated parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Chop the sweet potato length-wise into fries. Put in a bowl and coat with olive oil. Add garlic, chili powder, cayenne, parmesan, salt & pepper and stir a few times until the fries are evenly coated in spices. Add more or less spice to taste. I love the extra kick that the cayenne gives and the smokiness from the chili powder.
3. Spread fries in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes to the desired level of crispiness. I like my fries when they just barely start to burn on the edges. If you like super soft fries then around 20 minutes should be fine. Rotate the pan every 10 or 15 minutes to make sure they bake evenly. Feel free to flip the fries over midway to really ensure even baking.

*I use the pre-chopped kind in a jar because I can't stand when my hands smell like garlic all day!

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