Are you guys ready for a bazillion more Texas photos? I mean – everything is bigger in the Lone Star State and apparently number of photos taken is bigger too….it literally took me an hour just to pick out forty of the pictures to share with you today. SO. MANY. PHOTOS!
A few of you were wondering why we were traveling to Texas. Like we needed a reason 🙂 Well, Jeremy’s little brother Torrey was getting married! We figured that it only made sense to make our trip bigger too and really get to explore. We visited so many of the best sites and stops in Fort Worth and Waco too. We absolutely loved our time there but ESPECIALLY getting to see Torrey and Shannan tie the knot! Also – we were super pumped to meet the new cousins (Torrey is now a bonus dad!) and they were definitely a highlight for my boys. Ok – so where we left off is that we were staying at the Stockyards and we ate amazing chips and salsa for breakfast. Read that recap here.
This is the interior of our favorite place to eat at the Stockyards – it was highly recommended by all of you for atmosphere and it did not disappoint! The weather was perfect for dining al fresco and I don’t mean to brag but I was personally serenaded by eight mariachi band members 🙂
The name of the place is Joe T’s and they serve mexican food. The food was decent – we didn’t get to order off their regular menu because we had a super large party so they limited us to three different items – so honestly I have no idea what their regular food is like!
Aren’t the pillars and the lights and the pools and the trees just crazy fantastic? Like something out of a movie!
We stayed at the Renaissance hotel downtown and our favorite part of the hotel was the pool. I’ll share some of those pictures later! The place was really pretty and super convenient to the wedding….in fact, we actually walked to it!
Upon arrival, we got the nicest little gifts from the new bride and groom. They had bottles of water, trail mix and cookies and even a first aid kit! It was adorable and so thoughtful!
Our view from our room was so fun. We actually overlooked a roof top that was one floor down but beyond that was the big courthouse. Of course that warranted a weekend full of Back To The Future quotes curtesy of this 80’s girl 🙂 #savetheclocktower
Don’t worry – Jeremy was right off shot to grab LJ who is obviously not as afraid of heights as we are!
When we first arrived, we immediately decided to take the kids to do something fun. It was only a couple blocks walk to Sundance Square which is one of the best places for little ones!
It’s also pretty awesome for boyfriends who do things to make everyone smile. And yes, there was a camera crew who was shooting the news so Jeremy was in the background showing off his ballet skills for everyone….and we mean…everyone 🙂
The kids loved it. Weston fell asleep in the stroller so….yeah….no pictures of him 🙁
LJ is by far our smallest of the boys….he is just so tiny all over and is often under the 5% mark for size at the doctors office….but what he doesn’t have in height and weight, he makes up for in adventurous spirit. He is our bravest boy and is often the one that shocks us with how HAPPY he is to try new and different things. Water is no different. He is obsessed.
Maxi Knight reminds me so much of Will at this age. Super cautious about new things. Please note that the pants LJ and Maxi are wearing are the same size! Maxi Knight is a chunk of baby awesomes!
I loved the longhorn mural – it was a sweet reminder of our first few days!
I caught myself constantly taking photos of the buildings. I think it’s because they were all so different and it looks like layers of different styles, textures and colors all in one.
Will loved the fountains and by the time we had to leave, he had made three new friends. He is such a social little butterfly. Always making friends 🙂
That night we had the rehearsal and dinner….Will was the sign holder for the ceremony and Jeremy was a groomsman so we all got ready to go and walked over. We let Will pick out his outfit for the rehearsal to make it more special for him. He chose things that were a little different than his brothers matching outfits 🙂
He told me that he was gonna be the ring bear….and he honestly thought that he might have to dress up like a bear for the wedding. I told him that we would let Uncle Torrey decide what he would wear for that night and that one day when he gets married, he can have his ring ‘bear’ actually be in a bear costume 🙂 kids are awesome.
Okay so I love this photo so much because Will took it. He is actually a really good little photographer! He has such a good eye! Plus, one day I am gonna think “dang I look good” even if right now I think “dang I need to lose that baby weight” 🙂
So the rehearsal dinner was on top of the Reata restaurant which is SPECTACULAR. You can see the glass dome in the top of this picture….the one that looks like it has triangles all over it.
Inside it has this gorgeous beehive effect where you can see all the lights outside at night but then it multiplies them and makes them all dance! It’s just amazing. Also – next time we do a wedding with four little kids, we will remember to bring snacks and hire a babysitter to put them down at a reasonable time!
The next day we went back to the square to grab some food and we had so much fun dancing around and being silly.
LJ officially discovered the nose holes. And now he runs up to me constantly yelling “Mommy BOOGER! MERE! BOOGER!” with his little finger extended and his latest find on the very tip of it. It’s hilarious and adorable and sometimes very inconvenient.
Will was mad that we had to leave. He’s just now entering that stage where he thinks he has a very valid point and makes suggestions….and if we say no, it feels devastating. He understands so much and its really hard for him to understand that sometimes we as parents have a bigger plan. I guess that’s how I feel about life sometimes….I have valid points and make plans but if something happens out of order or something unexpected happens, I don’t handle it well either. It’s hard to be easy going about the next thing, huh? But sometimes the things in store are even better than the things we have now….if only we would accept the change.
Again with the different buildings….seriously somebody make some wallpaper like that triangle border work!
Okay. So just prepare yourself. Gather up your Kleenex because this next photo might actually make us all spontaneous burst into tears…..
That my friends is a glimpse. A small blip where you see something but then you see BEYOND that something into the future. A glimpse is like a worm hole into a new dimension….one where you see your oldest boy getting ready for his wedding day and his daddy helping him with his tie. That day is way too soon friends. WAY TOO SOON. #crying
So here is where I am gonna get realistic and share with you that Jeremy and Will had to be at the church at a certain time. Little did we know that the photographer was also expecting ALL family to be there….including the little boys and me! So my get-ready time was cut from an hour and a half to fifteen frantic minutes. I must confess….I did not even shower. I did not shave my legs. I did not stop at Go or collect $200. It was probably the most crazy get-ready time ever.
Will with the Groom….
And us with Uncle Torrey. I photoshopped the hair off my legs so you wouldn’t be permanently blinded.
During the ceremony I literally was on pins and needles. And I use the word ‘literally’ quite literally here. I had all three little ones and I had to keep them quiet. OH THE STRESS. Keeping a three year old, a one year old and a eight month old quiet past their normal dinner time is like saying oh just solve that issue of world hunger. It’s easier said than done people. Every moment I was sweating. I was also nursing. And fixing headphones and trying to keep anyone from screaming. I didn’t even see Will do his big job because I was actively trying to mute monster truck videos.
The wedding was amazing though. She had lots and lots of flowers and tons of sparkle and pink. It was basically the very opposite of my wedding. Jeremy and I joked later that our wedding wasn’t fancy but it was full of hilarious moments and had EVERYONE there. And then we joked that next time we get married we are registering for better towels and doing a destination wedding and dang it I am doing flowers!
The reception was at the Fort Worth Club and it was perfect! The food was amazing….you could tell Shannan put thought into every little detail.
The entire event was beautiful and stunning and nothing went wrong! Isn’t that unbelievable!? And Will danced the entire time. He was like this little whirling, bouncing, stomping, jumping, spinning machine out there. It was hilarious and so out of the norm and later on he told us that he was “the star of the show”. He also thought he saw “Dark Vader” on the roof of another building and freaked out a little but we took some extra close up shots of it and he realized that it was only an air vent 🙂
Overall – the downtown part of our trip was super special and we highly recommend the salmon with bacon sauce at the Reata and visiting SunDance Square….just bring some towels with you 🙂
UPDATE : Shannan sent me some pictures that I can share with you! This is the stunning bride and my new sister-in-law! Isn’t her dress gorgeous?!
Usually I can with hold the water works while at work. When I read your comment grab some tissue, I was all pffft. Then I scrolled down to see the picture and officially got teary eyed. It is such a perfect moment in time, I am so glad that you were able to capture it. #heartsofullitsgoingtoburst
So this is going to sound crazy and kind of stalker-like because, although we’ve never met, I’ve followed your blog since Will was first born. That photo of Will and Jeremy with the tie totally made me tear up a little in a bittersweet way. It was sweet because there is nothing cuter than a man helping his son with something “grown up” but it is also a little heartbreaking because the little dude is doing “grown up” things already.
I was just going through your archives the other day to reference a project you did way back when and I saw a pic of Will when he was just a toddler. When I saw the tie pic, I immediately flashed back to that toddler pic and thought, oh my gosh. How did time move so fast? He’s growing up into such a great little dude already!
Thanks for sharing your life and your little family with us internet people. You have done a wonderful job of making your blog personal, honest, hilarious, endearing, and making us feel like friends. You’re a great writer with an awesome family. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of it!
Ok, sappy crap over.
Beautiful family, beautiful wedding.
Great memories made in Texas.
Oh Katie!! All the feelings with this post!!!
Poor Will — I feel ya, buddy…Change is SOOO HARD! That pic with Jeremy helping him with his tie gave me a lump in my throat!! Such a great shot….and exactly like a porthole into the future!
Wow — what a gorgeous wedding! And, now I am in the mood for seafood! Just reading that line about having all 3 boys, in the church, needing to keep them quiet, gave me anxiety and I felt instant stress!! I am sure you did a fabulous job — both Weston and LJ looked quite content for that minute!! 🙂
And last comment….I totally need to travel to Dallas — LOVED all the architecture! With all those beautiful buildings around, of course you couldn’t stop taking those pictures! I’m in Colorado, so we might even be able to drive down there! Must plan…looks so fun!
So jealous you got to play in the water! We tried in January and a security officer came and told us we couldn’t! Looks like you had a fun time, and the wedding looked gorgeous.
Oh….The Glimpse. I know exactly what you mean. My two-year-old wanted to wear his backpack the other day, and as we were walking downstairs (hand in hand; I love holding his precious little hand), I flashed forward to when he’ll be wearing a backpack to get on the school bus, and I burst into tears. It’s a weird feeling, having your heart break and expand all at the same time.
Thank you CC – comments like this make the blog worth every dime, every frustration and every time investment. I truly love blogging but when others get it, it makes me fall in love all over again!
xo kb
Haven’t been in a while, but unless things have changed, Joe T’s only serves 2-3 entree options, no matter how big or small your party is! When we were there we were asked if we wanted fajitas or enchiladas 🙂 Someone else might be able to confirm…but anyway, we thought it was totally charming and the food was yummy.
Beautiful….. all of it and you.
KB- Fun fact, that courthouse is the very one Chuck Norris walked out of at the beginning of Walker Texas Ranger!
I loved all the pics (the tie! *sniffle*) and details but I must admit, my absolute favorite was the photo that Will took of you and Jeremy. That is epic, y’all. If I ever marry, I hope there’s such a lovely and romantic photo as that in my future! 🙂
I totally needed this post today-more the part of accepting bigger plans even if we don’t quite get it yet part. It looks like you had an amazing time/wedding!
Long time reader, first time commenter….random, but my cousin got married in FW two years ago and we went. The rehearsal dinner was also at the Reata…so pretty! and the reception was also at the FW Club, which is gorgeous. We have three boys but only had two then. They loved Sundance Square and the Stockyards…fun city!
OMG, not ONE photo of the bride…..I am dying to see her dress! Oh, and I LOVE that you take your kids everywhere, will make for fabulous adults.
Yes to the babysitter for the wedding!!! Recently my brother got married, all three of my kids were in the wedding. Getting everyone ready at the same time was a little crazy. Also, I begged my brother to also invite my in-laws. Luckily, he totally understood. They were more than happy to watch the kids in action, all dressed up and everything was so much less stressful for me knowing that if someone needed an early bedtime they could take care of it. Thanks for sharing all of the great pictures!!
Oh if only I knew that! I totally would above done a reenactment!
xo kb
Ahhhh! This post just totally reinforced the “Why aren’t Katie and I real-life friends?!!?” tantrum that I have in my head when I read almost every dang post! I’m from Dallas and had to make a very real effort to NOT stalk you when I saw where you guys were on Insta! Love reading about your beautiful family so, so much and Shannan is a lucky gal to marry into such a wonderful group of Jesus-loving folks. Also, your pics were a great reminder of how beautiful our little part of the world is…i think we take it for granted all too often, so thank you for that. Side note: those three entrees are the ONLY things that Joe T’s serves. ever. all the time. to any size group. Next time, you need to go kid-less so you can partake in their amazing pitchers of margarita….the food is just ok, but the drinks and ambiance make up for a lot.
I don’t know what you’re talking about with this so called baby weight. You look beautiful. Seriously. Your hair is gorgeous, btw. Also, I might have betroth my 9 month old daughter to Maxi Knight (if he hasn’t been spoken for yet, of course) because he’s so dang cute. But in all seriousness, what I love the most about your guys’ pictures is all the smiles. I know there are hard days(believe me, I KNOW), but I see your light shining, girl. You’re doing good.
This was obviously a wonderful vacation and you also got to attend a beautiful wedding of your brother in law. I don’t get why you had to compare it to yours and why you feel the need to write it in that context. Of course it’s different from your wedding… Why not celebrate the big details and the beauty of their wedding. The comparison just seems so catty.
Beautiful wedding and fun destination! I laughed out loud at your booger comment…and is there ever a convenient time to be handed a booger? My son chose this Sunday mid church service to hand me the biggest booger I had ever seen! Sigh…boys 😉
I think that anyone that goes to a beautiful wedding compares it to their own. That’s normal. I was just thrilled to get to go to it! I mean – heck, I celebrated, loved and wrote about their wedding! And I think that comparison is healthy if you realize that things can be different and still amazing! In my mind it’s unhealthy to compare if it brings you or someone else down but in this case, it’s more of a “beauty comes in all shapes and sizes” kinda thing!
xo – kb
That is hilarious! I thought for the last month that it was only because we had twenty plus people! haha!
xo – kb
Aww thank you Lauren. I know it’s crazy but we are in love with our family….truly. I am so lucky. I know that we got hard days sometimes and we wear our cranky pants out and about but we really are very fortunate to have one another.
xo – kb
You MUST frame that picture Will took of you and Jeremy. It’s BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!
It looked like an awesome trip and wedding! The old buildings in town are stunning, now you make me want to visit, lol. And the pictures of your family, honestly could those kids get any cuter?
Same as ever. Joe T’s still serves the two menu options for dinner but has a fuller menu for lunch which is less busy.
“I guess that’s how I feel about life sometimes….I have valid points and make plans but if something happens out of order or something unexpected happens, I don’t handle it well either. It’s hard to be easy going about the next thing, huh? But sometimes the things in store are even better than the things we have now….if only we would accept the change.”-Katie Bower
SO good! I love reading your blog, and this is a big part of it. You always share wonderful tutorials, family memories, GREAT photos, and these little wisdom nuggets. This spoke so perfectly to me today. My husband learned yesterday he has 3 months to buy the company from his boss or find a new job. Neither of these feel like good options. BUT, we KNOW God has a plan for us, much bigger than what we see. Accepting the change is scary and difficult. Thank you for yet another reminder that He’s got this! Also, I feel like we would totally be good friends if we ever lived in the same town (I’m about 2.5 hours away from Fort Worth), but because I don’t want to sound like a crazy blog stalker fan-girl, I’ll just say I really love reading your blog. 🙂
Bonus dad! What a lovely way to phrase step-parenthood. It’s exactly how I see myself — bonus mom — and how I approach my role with the kids of my partner. I’m not their mom, but I love them and want them to be good people and do lots of parent kinda things — laundry, cooking, bedtimes, soothing ouchies, teaching. Bonus mom makes it seem less…..of an afterthought. And more intentional, and so much more positive than step-anything.
Thanks for that, KB! What a thoughtful idea!
well Kate, your comment seems catty. I’m pretty sure Katie did celebrate the big details and beauty of the wedding- you must’ve skipped over that part of the post (i.e. the WHOLE thing)
I love all of these photos! It looks like you guys had an amazing time, and I totally feel you on constantly having a toddler’s finger stuck up your nose. It happens on the daily here.
That restaurant totally looks like the house on the Bachelor. All you missed is a bunch of women in cocktail dresses.
I wonder why you don’t have a pic of the beautiful bride!? Also, why did you say your wedding wasn’t fancy and you had EVERYONE there. Did they not invite some people? If so, why would you air that on a public site? I’d be mortified if I was the bride and reading that… heck, even a little ticked off. Just a perspective to think about.
We just said that we had everyone there because I invited absolutely everyone I knew. They had a more private affair. I don’t think there is anything wrong or right with either choice…that’s just preference, right?! Oh and I didn’t have a shot of the bride that I ran by her first – I know she is more private so I didn’t want to post something that she didn’t love – especially on a day that was her BIG day!
xo – kb
Love that you are writing such great things about Ft Worth! That is where my family is from and I spent my teenage years! I got married there and my wedding reception was at the Ft Worth club too! Such a great city!
When we got married 12 years ago one of my husband’s cousins brought her babysitter (and didn’t rsvp for her) and at the time I was totally pissed! But now…. I’m like dude I totally get it!!! It is HARD if you have little ones who need to be in the ceremony. Last year we went to a wedding where we needed to bring the kids, we brought them to the church and did that same thing… Screens with headphones, crayons and paper, me sweating like a pig trying to keep them silent; but then dropped them off with a sitter at the hotel and we went to the reception alone. Totally worth it!
How did you not know you would need a babysitter for 4 kids under 6? Didnt this exact same thing happen at your brothers wedding?
also, do your boys attend church with you? If so, do they sit with you on their ipads or do they go to the childrens center? (Im sorry, i know it is called something different but the name escapes me.)
different kate… WHY DO WE ALL HAVE THE SAME NAME?! HA.
Hi Kate,
To be perfectly honest, we don’t really trust a lot of people with our kids. We have like three people that ever watch the kiddos and none of them live in Texas or were available to travel with us….so yeah, even if we wanted a babysitter, chances were slim to none that we would actually pull the trigger and hire one from a website. PLUS…Torrey and Shannan asked that the little boys be there…and we warned them that they might make noise and they said that they were ok with that. So even if we had a babysitter…there is not a whole lot they can do to prevent the chances of noise. And the iPads are a rare treat so that is why it worked 🙂 And yes, at church they go to children’s church which is geared more toward their age bracket…and I am with them majority of the time because of nursing.
xo – kb
I guess it is just confusing because you say in both posts “next time we will hire a babysitter” but then dont… I totally 100% understand what you are saying as nobody has ever babysat my kids but I find alot of things you say contradict something else you just said or did.I know we’re all human and it is our prerogative to change our minds but you seem to do it post by post. Just confusing is all.
Yeah next time we will hire somebody…but probably not 🙂
xo kb