A weekend to remember

For a long time I have loved Francesca Battesteli's music. When she released a new album this year, my bestie bought it for me for my birthday. It's so good and just like her other 2 albums, they just really speak God's truth to my soul. Not only do we both love her music, so do our daughters! So when she released tour dates, we found the closest place she was coming and planned a trip.

A couple months ago was that trip and it was one of the most precious memories I have. This post is really just for me to not forget all of the fun and sweet details.

Inara had been waiting for months for the concert and when it was October she started saying "I can't wait. Friday, the 31st will be Halloween and then Saturday is the FRANCESCA concert!" She would say Francesca in the most excited voice ever. So Saturday we woke up, finished packing, and drove to Katie's house. We loaded the girls and our stuff in the van and headed out.  It should have taken 3.5 hours, but took 4 because we I missed a step in our directions then got stuck behind stupid traffic. I say stupid, because it really was. We saw it happen and honestly can't explain it at all. 2 cops were going super slow and created traffic for about 10 miles and then stopped. It was one of the weirdest things ever.

The girls did great on the way there. We only stopped once for a potty break and they ate tons of Ritz crackers and Craisins for snacks. We stopped at Chik-fil-a for dinner, which is always amazing. We planned on getting there early because we bought VIP tickets which included getting to meet her and get our picture with her. Before we couldn't find when that part really started so we looked one last time and realized the VIP stuff started in 5 minutes! Thankfully we made it there on time, no thanks to a slow moped driver, wrong turns, and every red light. We got there in time to grab seats in the 5th row and snap a picture.

So we get there at 5:15, doors open at 6:15, for the concert to start at 7.00. So we had about an hour an a half to kill. We walked around, bought some merchandise, and played "Head's Up." Inara had so much fun with that game, and I was actually pretty impressed at her ability to play it correctly. The opening act went on at 7:00, followed by another act, and then FINALLY around 9:00, Francesca went on! For being there for such a long time, the girls did really great. They were both so excited about seeing her, and the lights! It was really just so sweet to see how childlike they were. If we had gone there for ONLY a light show, they would have been fine. Every time the lights from the show did something fun, they both got so excited.

After the show, we went back to our hotel. The girls had been asking if they could sleep together and we said yes, but they got ONE chance to go to sleep. If they were loud or fighting, then we would split them up. So we put them to bed and Katie and I stepped out into the living room to chat. It was so great to have some time with the girls and then time with my bestie.

Morning came and we went downstairs to our breakfast. Loaded up our purses with cereal and fruit for the ride and headed to the Indianapolis Children's museum. It was pretty great. 4 floors of fun. Here are some of the highlights!

Both girls taking a snooze on the way there

Meeting Francesca!

They were so sweet. This was their expression from
seeing the lights from the show. What a blessing
to see their child-like wonder at something so simple.

My bestie and Inara's bestie! <3 td="">

It was a little loud at first 

No joke, she fell asleep in my lap at the end of the concert

Snuggled in bed

They held hand the entire time we were gone.

Millennium Falcon 

Writing Japanese Calligraphy 

The girls took a little art lesson at the Indianapolis
Children's Museum. They were drawing a rabbit and I KNEW
right away that she would draw Pikachu. I was right.

Marley rescued Inara from this big web. I was seriously in tears and so
thankful Inara has such a good friend at such a young age.

Then she was brave enough to climb through the web herself!

Our last stop in the Museum was this music room and the girls, LOVED
these little rainbow ribbon dancers

Definitely framed her picture when we got home. 

After the museum we took the 2 hour drive home. We figured it out and in 2 days they spent 4 hours in the car, but they were really great about it. I brought some toys to play with and they did a pretty good job taking turns. They are getting to the age where they will argue about something then come to us to help, but we have no idea what they were fighting about, so we just told them "Well, you guys gotta figure that one out by yourselves." And it worked!