Memories That Will Hopefully Stick

The strange thing about having children is that you're constantly doing fun activities to enhance their little lives (even though some make you bonkers - Chuck-E Cheese anyone?), but most of the memories won't easily be recalled by them until they're in the early elementary years. Yet we press on, mostly for our own sake, dragging them to pumpkin patches, zoos, museums, cool parks, etc. Making new connections in their brain, letting them explore the world, but they'll never be sitting around when they're home from college saying, "remember when I was two and we..."

This weekend, we secured a reservation to Wyldwood's season ending concert. It's not your typical Austin music venue ie: seedy bar, but rather a backyard. A family started hosting backyard concerts for their family and friends that grew and grew, and eventually, they had to crack down on attendance as their backyard, even with a few acres, couldn't accommodate everyone. Now, when they post the newest concert on their website, you have to make a reservation almost immediately. Thankfully, Loran has some internet magic that can detect when a webpage makes changes and alerts him, so within minutes of the concert being posted, we've been able to peruse the site to see if we can make the show. Saturday was our night, so after Trunk or Treating, we packed up our blankets and chairs, snacks, sweatshirt and bug spray and headed out. 

Let's just sum it up this way. It was amazing. We literally parked in the front yard, walked to the backyard, stopping by the folding table to give our names and pay the suggested donation. They had complimentary hot dogs, water, and a few extra blankets, bug spray, and chairs. We staked out a place a few rows back, center. 

Even the bathroom situation (I was expecting porta-potties) was top-notch. A double outhouse, that was actually two adjoining bathrooms with flush toilets, running water, cloth towels...like I could have been standing in someone's powder room. Impressive. Then I opened the door and suddenly, I'm in someone's backyard.  

There were three folk artists who were taking turns playing a song, acoustically. All three were amazing.

Of course, my photo taken with my phone in the dark doesn't do it justice, but imagine three guys on a raised platform (their deck), surrounded by trees wrapped in lights, surrounded by darkness with stars above. 

It was one of those moments I wished I could bottle. We sat in the yard, enjoying our snacks. The girls sprawled out on their blanket, looking up at the stars, whispering to one another. The concert started at 7:30, Ella was passed out by 7:45. Lily followed and was snoozing by 8. We wrapped them in the blanket and they slept until intermission when we walked their tired little bodies out. We figured they'd never make it until 11:00.

I hope they're old enough to remember this. The happiness of being in nature, feeling safe enough in a stranger's backyard to drift off to sleep under the stars with acoustic music in the air next to your sister as you whisper and giggle during your final waking moments.

I think we'll have to return for some more concerts next year so we can solidify this memory.