2011 Houston Art Car Parade! * PHOTO HEAVY*

This past Sunday was a beautiful day to sit outside and watch ridiculously adorned cars drive by!

 MY FAVORITE ARTCAR!

Snowball Bliss!

Sunday was the most gorgeous day! We officially kicked off our Spring with the first snowball of the year. We went to Mam's House of Ice in the Heights for the first time (WHY it took me so long to go is beyond me...) I got lemon, Ryan got pink lemonade and they were fantastic! I hate it when snowballs are too crunchy and this one was perfection, super-soft ice...tart and refreshing. The little trailer was cute, too- pale blue with lime green accent trim. It felt so good to sit in the grass in the sun with a frosty treat and I think I could make this a weekend ritual.

The lines can get a little long, but it's so worth it.  

Damn allergies

First it starts off as a nose-itch. Then maybe a sneeze here and there...then your throat gets a little scratchy, then it feel like you gained 30lbs in your head. I don't know what it is... exactly...that I'm allergic to. Oak? Ragweed? My office? Maybe all three? But I'm ready for it to be over because I've been substituting my glass of wine at night with 2 benadryl and I miss my Pinot. I'm sure Ryan is totally thrilled that his girlfriend is a Zombie.

In other news, I've resisted the urge (strong, strong urge) to buy any clothing online this pay period. (remember when I said I would allow myself one new dress each pay period?) The Mercury recently had some costly repairs so I'm pinching pennies this month.  My last few trips to Leopard Lounge were disappointing which was odd because I usually have good luck! SO! Last week I brought 3 of my long vintage dresses (Leopard Lounge finds from last year) to the tailors so she can wave her wand and magically turn dowdy frocks into brand-spankin' new summer mini dresses! I'm picking them up today after work. SO EXCITED. I do hope she cut enough off...I'd hate to be on the receiving end of a disdainful look if I ask her to cut them shorter. But I've been making an effort to restyle the things that are already in my closet. I absolutely need to update my shoe and accessory stock but as far as dresses, skirts, etc go I'm not buyin'. I also resolve to clean out my closet sometime this weekend and make a big bag for Goodwill. The thing about Goodwill is...when I go to drop off a bag...I usually leave with a bag. Sigh.

I just realized that my toiletries and makeup were more organized when I was 15... in my caboodle... then they are now. Ryan...30th birthday present idea, plz?

Also what happened to Kissing Coolers? 

OH SNAP you can buy it on eBay... FOR $10-15 EACH WHAT THE WHAT. Isn't that how much MAC lipsticks are?  

It's Friday...so I gotta go listen to Rebecca Black as she is now part of my celebratory ritual.

Happy weekending!

Oh hai! Let's ketchup.

So I haven't been around much as you can see, but things...life...has been very good. The Omaha trip was wonderful, fast paced craziness but I think next time we'll go the airplane route. There's just too much we want to do when we visit that wasting a whole day in the car isn't worth it! Instead of car-riding we'd like to sip an Irish Coffee @ Mr. Toad...get the creme brule at M's Pub...hit a few more antique shops...the list is endless! This is the only photo from Omaha... a silly picture of Pat (looking a little suspicious) and I at Slowdown before the Lady Gaga show...and as Gaga shows go..it's always too much, too fast.

Work is A-Ok (I got a new office!... with a window!)

A few weeks ago Living Social had a great deal: 20 pilates and yoga classes for $20! I snagged one and so did a few friends so twice a week I've been going to yoga! The first class I signed up for was called "Fundamental pilates"... I'm thinking... ok fundamental.. like.. beginners, right? hooollllyyyy crap..that class was NOT for beginners. I don't exercise regularly. I'm not proud of it, but I would make an effort.. maybe... twice a month. After years and years of gymnastics and cheerleading, I guess I was just over it. So I thought "ok... lets start slow.. ease into it with a little "fundamental" class. NOPE. The instructor was great, but she was going at like...fitness guru pace. She was Denise Austin on speed. She didn't really modify anything for someone who.. oh I don't know... hadn't worked out in a month and had never taken a pilates class in her life. By the end my body was shaking horribly...my muscles feeling like jello. For a split second I though "oh shit...I can't stand up"... and it freaked me out. So with focus... I got up..and walked very slowly to the door...then to the car where I proceeded to get into the drivers seat butt first and lift each leg...one by one.. into the car. It freaked me out and so until I they offer a beginner's pilates...I'm done with pilates.

Probably because I'm a spaz.

Yoga on the other hand... I liked! It was challenging...I learned that I don't know how to breathe which is funny...and that I'm about as flexible as a bread stick now. I have another class scheduled next week! Today I'm doing something called Shimmy Express...which I believe is something like belly dancing? Basically a gut focused work out which it something I am all for. So... I've been working on my fat ass fitness, trying to be  active at least 3 times a week. Swimsuit season y'all. It's still coming.

We went to the Bayou City Arts Fest last weekend which was fantastic! Made By One Girl was there again and I bought two more of her map love notes. I just love them!

Last weekend was also the first Braud family (minus Michelle+Dylan and Peter) crawfish boil of 2011... SO EXCITED FOR CRAWFISH!

{ryan's photo}

My brother's been living in Peru and visited Machu Picchu this last weekend- abso beautiful!:

{pete's photos}

Michelle and Dylan are still surrounded by snow in MN but it's getting better, right? RIGHT? IT HAS TO WARM UP. SRSLY.

This weekend the Final Four is in Houston. I loathe basketball...I hate the squeaking sound the sneakers make BUT...because of the final four there are tons of free things to do in Houston this weekend! (Free is good... the Mercury needed some repair work this week...VERY inconvenient). So Friday the Hold Steady is playing a free show and Saturday-- Kings of Leon! The shows are @ Discovery Green which is one light rail stop from our house! Free things we can walk to! Which means... first we walk to the pub... THEN to the park. It works out.

What else has been going on? Oh, I've just started season 2 of LOST. Y'all I know I'm all late to the party but that show....is so good.

Ryan and I watch an episode of X-Files every night before sleep. It's one of my favorite new traditions. The other night we made an X-Files fort...it lasted like.. 10 minutes before it got kind of annoying (we're not architects...I'm gonna have to look up how to properly build a blanket fort on the Internet)  but it was fun for those minutes.

I hope you've been well, happy, busy (good busy...not the "oh my God I'm going to die" kind of busy). I'll be around more. Getting back to blogging is on my to-do list along with losing 10 lbs, letting my hair grow, eating less crap-food and being a better person.

ROOOAADD TRIPPPP!

I'm 90% sure we're going to Omaha in two weeks and since plane tickets are 400$ a pop (DUMBBB!) we're gonna fill the tires with air, get the oil changed and hit the great American road...(but we can only stop for bathroom breaks....we're on a time crunch!)

KIND OF EXCITED.

Cooler will be packed full of Red Bull and Starbucks espresso shots. It will definitely be a challenge, but we can do it!!

Rodeo Houston!

Just a few shots from the Houston Rodeo BBQ cook-off Friday (I didn't actually take any photos once we got into the cook off, just the carnival outside... derf. ) and Trail Riders Parade on Saturday.  

After one too many beers and gorging ourselves on BBQ, I can't believe we actually peeled our faces off the pillow @ 9am on Saturday to catch the parade. I'm glad we did... I love seeing all the horses!

How do i get this job? I want to be a prancing cotton candy SO bad!