It's coming, y'all...and I'm scared...

I'm talkin' bout swimsuit season...but I'm trying to be optimistic! After browsing lots and lots of suits I found one...I present to you my 2011 suit aaaand I have to lose about 8 lbs before I can put it on.

It's being delivered Friday! I better stop eating.

Have you found your spring/summer 2011 suit yet? Are you even thinking about 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!

Texas is so pretty.

Beachins

Here are a handful of shots from our beachy weekend- We had such a great time with fam and new friends and as always, can't wait for next year's trip.

Since we can't seem to stay in one place for very long, there's another trip in the works... to New Orleans! WOOO! Ryan's never been and it's been about 5+ years since I spent a weekend in the French Quarter. I've been scheming so hard, making lists of landmarks places to eat and bars to sip tasty things in. I'm so excited! More on that later.

Happy Thursday everyone!

Memorial weekending!

With this new assignment/new schedule I'm doing a 9/80, which means that I have every other Friday off. This past Friday was my first so I had an EXTRA long memorial weekend.. 4 whole days! Friday morning started early ( a little too early after an evening of trivia and a few beers...) with breakfast at Baby Barnaby's! For someone who's been living behind it for over a year, and for how good it really is, it's a little weird that this was my second time to have breakfast here. Absolutely fantastic. I had the classic with apple wood chicken bacon, biscuits, buttery grits and scrambled jalapeno eggs (ugh, it's 8:30 am and I'm starving...) and Ryan had the green eggs with spinach, hash browns, toast and turkey sausage. YES. PLEASE. ALL THE TIME.

Then off to the Houston Zoo we went! We attempted once before, but were committed this day. It's very well organized and such a nice zoo. We had so much fun talking to all the animals (I can't talk to an animal without using this really high pitched, squeaky little voice...) and playing, petting the goats, enjoying the trees and shade...We happened upon the elephant area when the zookeepers we're answering questions, talking to the guests... I was so jealous that they got to play with Elephants when they went to work... that baby (400 lb baby) elephant Baylor is the cutest thing on this earth.

Playing with the P-dogs.

Oh hai. Dis my nest.

Sifaka Monkey- Their arms are too short for them to walk on all fours so they hop around on their legs... they were so funny!

Funny little owl, lookin' like a pirate with one eye open.

You know.. just brushin' goatz.

Baby Baylor!

After the Zoo, as if that weren't enough for the day, we walked around the Hermann Park Garden Center for a while. The flowers were in bloom and so colorful.

So that was Friday! Saturday we packed up the grill and headed to West Beach, Galveston for some sun and relaxing. Like a nerd, I forgot my camera... NEXT TIME!

Sunday we went to Mom and Dad's, Peter came into town, and enjoyed a sack of crawfish.

Monday we took it very easy, after a very busy few days. Hung out by the pool, made mojitos, had some friends over and topped off the holiday weekend with a little trivia. I think I've just now recovered from those 4 days.

Hope your memorial weekend was wonderful!

Summer in Texas = BBQ

Actually, summer everywhere = BBQ...and we've been doing it a lot. So we're sitting outside 2 weekends ago, near a flaming grill, sweating profusely thinking... damn. It's hot. We don't live in a large apartment complex, it's a small group of town homes (4 units). Just because we don't live in a mega-complex doesn't mean we can't get a little respite from the warmth! OH HAYYYYY Target run! And Lo! The Intex Family Swim center for $29.99. Dimensions? 6 ft X 10 ft. Back patio? 7 ft. X 12 ft. SHAZZAM! We've had so much fun with it, aside from a few close calls (like almost falling in when leaving for work in the morning) and a little bit of maintenance (blowing the thing up with your lungs takes a really long time and makes you feel like you're gonna pass out) it's been perfect. We sit outside, grill, get some sun while sitting in our little patio chairs and hop in when we feel like our skin may be cookin'. Comfortably fits 5 adults! Sure it looks a little ghetto, and the water bill may be a bit more this month... and we get a few giggles from Barnaby's patrons going to or coming from lunch... but I think they may be jealous.

There's an owl in my beer!

Steak kabobsssss mmmmm

Ryan was in charge of the corn... get it..? Cuz he's from Nebraska.. aha... (cough)

Continuing with the BBQ theme, this past Tuesday we went to dinner at Goode Co. BBQ and this giant guy was sitting outside. Perfect.

Do vegetarians eat animal crackers?

This weekend was all about celebrating the achievements of this guy right here:

We drove up to San Marcos at 6am on Friday morning, the commencement ceremony was @ 10 am during a terrible rainstorm, but that didn't put a damper on anyone's spirits. It was so great to be with the fam and watch Peter cross the stage, shake the hand of the university president and become a Texas State alum.

After the ceremony, we drove into Lockhart, about 15 minutes from San Marcos, to get some world famous BBQ. The photo below is a side shot of the Caldwell County courthouse, built in 1894.

Peter chose Smitty's for lunch.

The pit is indoors so as soon as you walk in the building you're overcome with the amazing smell of meat on a fire. It's smoky, warm and so so good. Dad, Mom, Pete, Min, Ryan and I shared all of this, and even took home a very tiny box. the brisket was thick cut, so juicy, the ribs were tender and the sausage was spicy perfection. I'm getting hungry for BBQ all over again and it's 7:30 am on Monday. When is it not a good time for this awesomeness?

After Lockhart, we drove back to San Marcos to have a beer with Pete at his favorite spot, Showdown, which is home of the best bloody mary in the hill country, but after stuffing our faces with BBQ, a bloody seemed a little heavy. Outside the bar across the street is a woodcut of a bobcat on the side of an old building, showing it's age. His little hat says SWTSU, Southwest Texas State University. I don't even know how old it is. appears to be from the 50s or 60s...but I've always liked it. When I was in school he had his while body, but sadly, it looks like he's disappearing.

At Showdown below:

The next day was Pete's graduation party and Mom and Dad's in Cypress. Dad boiled 2 sacks of crawfish, Pete had some friends over and we hung out on the deck all afternoon and ate. If it's not obvious from this post, this is what we do to celebrate. We eat.

Min' s ready to dig into some corn and potatoes with her own bottle of squeeze butter.

Crawfish love! I know... you shouldn't play with your food.

Cookie, our 15 year old cat, is a lap molester. It doesn't matter if you don't want a cat on you, if you're sitting down and you look comfortable, you're a potential victim. This time, Ryan was chosen. We had such a great time on Saturday visiting with friends and family but were officially tuckered on Saturday night.

Sunday morning was rainy and warm, we had a bit of a crawfish, corn and potato hangover and figured breakfast tacos were in order. Ryan and I went to the always amazing Taqueria Laredo on Washington where, as soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted by this little shrine to Mary.

We had spicy sausage, chorizo, bacon and egg tacos. I seriously haven't had better b-fast tacos in this city. If you know of better, please let me know.

Sunday was spent doing a little shopping and a little relaxing, some cooking, and trying to recuperate from such a busy few days. I'm still a little weary, but am ready to get into this week, finish an older project and start on a new one.

Here are a few W.I.P shots of the stag head. I don't think I'll do another project made of french knots only..I know you learn best by practice and repetition, and I think I've got these knots down.

How was your weekend? Anything exciting planned for this week? I'd like to get a trivia night in sometime this week, I want to go back out to Mandell park, start a new book (after finishing Time Traveler's Wife last night) make a Shepherds pie for dinner one night... nothing too thrilling but comfortable for sure. It's supposed be a pretty week. Happy Monday!