Labor Day Weekend River Trip

Connor's multiple beach trips during the summer before his senior year really cemented his friendship with Sam, Morgan, and Ava. They had an idea to switch it up for Labor Day weekend and plan a trip to the river, and the parents got wind of their idea and ran with it. Sam's and Morgan's moms found a river house on the Guadalupe River, and they invited the four families to hang out for the weekend along with these seniors and their siblings. Anyone who knows me would realize this type of thing is WAY out of my comfort zone, but I said "Yes!" without thinking and before my introverted self took hold. Leading up to the weekend, I was nervous but excited to spend quality time with these kiddos during their final year of high school.

When we arrived at the house, the kids were excited to find their bunk room and soon fell into their teenage antics with lots of laughs, food, and fun.

As for the parents, we fell into our roles with grocery shopping and food planning for this big group of ours. Once settled with groceries and new floats, it was time for our float trip on the Guadalupe - yet another thing out of my comfort zone but I was trying to be chill and enjoy the ride. Luckily, Sam and Morgan's parents were river pros and made sure we were all stocked up for our float. I joked with the other moms that I was a newbie and this wasn't really my thing, and they were all really sweet and encouraged me that it would be fun. We arrived to our drop off zone and took some pictures as the kiddos were having a blast in the summer sun. Connor made sure to request a barefoot photo near the "No Dogs Allowed" sign - the dogs were all out in full force!

Getting in the tube was my least favorite part - not a fan of cold water! But Sam's family had us fully stocked with snacks, drinks, and music, and soon we were all settled in our tubes and relaxing on the slow, meandering river. It didn't take me long to realize the appeal of the float - I was enjoying every minute and really loving the river chats and laughs with great friends. Apparently, my comfort level was noticeable enough that I even earned myself a new nickname, River Lauri. HA!! I admit, I had a great time on our 2+ hour float and really loved watching the kids enjoy their time together as well. Such a fun group!

After such a fun experience floating down the river, most of the group decided we wanted to go again the next morning. River Lauri was really taking off - I was so proud of myself for overcoming my introverted tendencies! Back at our shared house, the kids were really enjoying the down time with games and lots of rambunctiousness with the "mega bed" constructed from the living room futons. The parents sat around chatting about how surreal it felt for our oldest babies to be seniors and how we wanted to soak in the rest of our 90% with them. (Inside story.) We had lots of conversations about the unknowns ahead - senior homecoming, college applications, prom, graduation, and college... Oh my! Of course, it wasn't all so serious. This group was FUN and I found myself laughing nonstop as we all shared stories and got to know each other better. Connor sure does pick some great friends with amazing families!

On the last night of our trip, we had a reservation at the Gristmill restaurant near Gruene Hall. We did some shopping as we waited for our table, and the girls found the cutest matching tees to wear at dinner. When we finally sat down to eat, we enjoyed a delicious meal while truly enjoying everyone's company and laughing nonstop. I don't think I've laughed so much and so hard for as long as I can remember! It was such a fun and beautiful night with these four families and the perfect way to wrap up our time together. Jeff and I left the holiday weekend trip feeling so thankful for the family bonding, great memories, and hysterical laughs shared.