Texas adventures: The Rest of the Story

Let's finish this saga up, I mean it's been over a month and still have not gotten around to finishing it!
So we left off the day after we gathered our treasures and were pondering what to do with them (more about that later) On Sunday, we did church and I got to catch up with my old church people and it was just wonderful. I miss that little place! While I love our church at home, there is just something about Chandler Street that makes me happy!
After church we headed to Callie's most favorite Mexican restaurant, The Jalapeno Tree. It's a Texas institution, y'all!  While the food is subpar, I mean, Callie orders mac and cheese every time, it's always fun to be with your people!

After lunch we had big plans to hang out and do nothing, but instead, we suggested a trip to the land in the woods to show Denise! I don't think she realized that this is pretty regular thing, but she was surprised that we loaded up the snacks and four-wheelers and all that jazz to head to the river house!

How cute are these rainboots? Thanks Kilgore Wal-Mart!

Then we ventured out into the woods! Most of the well worn paths were underwater or blocked by trees from a bad storm a few weeke earlier, but it gave Callie's grandpa a chance to survey the damage and bust out the chainsaw to get everything cleaned up and put back together!

Fallen tree photoshoot? Why not!

The biggest tree on the land. The picture does not do it justice! I cannot explain how big this cypress tree is!

I think we just may have converted her to loving Texas!

Before we left, my mother in law said to me, "I finally get why you love it here and it's as much about the people as it is the place." MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

After exploring all over the river a storm blew in so we packed it up and headed to town for supper! Our last Texas dinner was comprised of catfish, shrimp and hush puppies, we had to do it right!

The next morning we packed up the truck and made a few last stops before pulling out of town!

This was my old house and the house where Callie lived her first 18 months!!! We were just going to do a quick drive by and there was a for-sale sign outside! So we wandered around and took a trip down memory lane. It was in pretty sad shape, but nonetheless, most of the improvements that were made were still holding up! 

We also made a pit stop at my old school, where Callie's Meme still works. It has changed SO much in 8 years and it was super fun to see all of the new buildings and foot ball field! This was a far cry from the rusty bleachers and dry viney grass that we had in my teaching years here!

My old classroom was being used for summer school, but this was one of my old neighbors class a few doors down. Let's be real here, all classrooms need a stage! Callie was in heaven! I miss the old wood floors and history of this place.

After we said goodbye to Meme it was time to hit the road and head to Ok-a-la-homa!

It was a drive let me tell you! We ran into an accident and good old siri rerouted us something terrible, but we ended getting to see some really pretty towns and it was an other wise uneventful drive.

Once we got to Oklahoma we had dinner with one of Brien's cousins and her precious little family before heading to spend the night at Denise's brother and his wife's house. We had a great night and they were so sweet to put us up! Before we went to bed that night we made big plans for the next day. Since we were only 9 hours away from home, we had what Denise and I have a coined as a turn around trip. Let me explain. A turn around trip is a road trip in which, if you see something interesting that warrants turning around and going back to look at, you do it. It's the kind of trip boys hate, specifically our boys, so we took advantage.

The first leg of our trip led us to a berry farm! Say what?! How quaint is that? It's also the reason for all the blueberries all up in my house. It was such a pretty morning, cool and crisp and all those berries were just calling to us. Callie and I managed to pick 8 pounds of berries in less that an hour!

When we first pulled up the farmer who runs the farm was feeding he baby lambs, Callie was not going to miss out on a chance to feed them!

Then the blissful blueberry picking!

Thanks sweet aunt Julianne for bringing us here!

After we had picked a sufficient amount we got back on the road and headed for home! I have to say our turn around trip was going well so far. After we had been on the road a few hours we saw an amazing antique mall in Wichita. Since this was a turn around trip, we surely did turn around. My mother in law found a super cool tobacco basket from the 1930's that she regretted not picking up at Canton, so that turn around was a successful stop! We made one more turn around to get Callie a burger at Steak and Shake and then we were on our way. After a loooonnnggg day, we finally made it! We had such a great adventure and came home with so many treasures, but boy, was it good to be home. Until Next time Texas!

More Adventures in Texas Part One

The first week of summer we got off to rip roaring start with a quick trip to Texas! It was glorious and here's why, it was just the girls and just for shopping, and just what we needed!

We left at the crack of dawn on Thursday, like 4 in the morning...

First stop: Coffee!

The rest of the drive was so long... You know that feeling when you are making great time and you think, "Yeah. I am speed racer. Getting places efficiently." I mean, we had crossed over into Texas by 9 am. But then I forgot just how big Texas is. Long story short we arrived about 7:30 pm. Thanks Metroplex traffic and random rain storms.

After a loooonnnnggg day in the car, we were whipped for the night, we needed our beauty rest for shopping the next day.

The main purpose of the trip was to take my mother in law on her first trip to Texas and visit Canton. You see, Canton is perhaps the most glorious shopping experience of all times. It's a once a month flea market. But not just any flea market, the biggest one in the whole state. Texas is big, so that's saying a lot!

It's miles and miles of anything that you could possible imagine buying. If you can't find it at Canton, it might not exist!

Giant metal T-Rex for your yard? Canton has you covered.

We actually ended up seeing this in someones truck when we were driving down the interstate back to Kilgore!

We had a BOLO (be on the look out) list as long as my arm and we were determined. We were looking for furniture and fun things to re-do or re-purpose. Most of the shops are inside pavilions, but the real treasures are outside, in tents. That's where you can find all the stuff that's unfinished so you can make it look like the stuff in the pavilions and not pay a fortune!

Plus, I was crazy inspired for a bunch of new projects I want to try. Or rather that I want Brien to try. I think he might not like me or Canton too much, because I am full of new ideas! 

I can totally make this!

And also this!

Add this to the list!

This is just old fence pickets. We got some laying around, I know it!

This is just old shutters, $300? No thank you. I have a husband with a saw!

Here is what I actually bought...

I thought this unfinished little monogram laurel would look oh-so-cute on my front door. P.S I am totally painting my front door red!

A set of four of these hideously painted chairs that I scored for $80!

And this 100 year old 5 panel door, for $30!

Here's what I am going to do with them...

I found these identical chairs at an inside pavilion with a table of course, but this set was $800. Umm I will get a can of paint and fix that right up for!

So big plans to white wash with chalk paint and then stain those super cute little nooks and crannies on the back. I am pretty excited to get started on them!

Annnddd...

I am going to turn my door into a head board. Since my fella threw away all of my pallets, I think I might just use this instead. It needs to be sanded and sealed, some crown molding and done, new bed.Or maybe a coffee table. I haven't decided yet!

Do you see why I am torn? I should have bought a few more doors!

Things I should have bought, that are on my list to keep my peepers out for are...

A dough bowl. How cute would this be with some pine cones in it or some Christmas ornaments during December?!?

A cotton boll wreath. Cotton was ALL the rage at Canton. I bet Joanna Gaines uses it a bunch in her houses (I actually heard she shops at Canton for things for her store!) I didn't want to pay a fortune, they were like $80, I am thinking I can re-create this somehow!

Back to Canton... After a crazy rainstorm and a quick rest,

We collected our treasures and headed back to town. That night we went out to eat and went to see Wonder Woman, which really was so wonderful. Callie loved it and decided that she now would like to be in the military or maybe a super hero. I believe she could certainly do both! 

 After we had shopped til we dropped, we settled in and showed Grandma Denise how great Texas really is! More on the rest of the trip later!

Namaste

Last week, I checked another bucket list item off the list. Callie and I actually went to a yoga class, yes us. The 2 single most uncoordinated girls in the universe got schooled in all things yoga.

I have this amazing teammate that goes to these pop up yoga classes that happen all over Denver. They are put on by a non profit group and they host classes throughout the month at different places. I guess she loved it so much she became certified to be an instructor. She invites Callie and I every week to join her and we always have some sort of activity that falls on Tuesdays, but last week we were free as birds to go!

Let me preface this by saying, I have NEVER done yoga, in real life. I had a dvd from college that Brien and I tried one night when we were bored, but I think we got like, 10 minutes in and then quit, so goes my experience with the practice.

But this time we were all in and y'all it was a game changer!

We braved the big city traffic to the museum of nature and science and we did it! The instructor was amazing! He was all about, go at your own pace, do your own thing, if you just want to just lay on the mat and listen to music, go for it! You get noise cancelling headphones, they dim the lights and everyone is closing their eyes, so if you look a hot mess, no one even cares. Now I was on board!

There were moms and dads and kids, all kinds of people with all kinds of abilities, so any self consciousness kind of goes out the window. 

The teacher went a little fast with his "right arm up, left arm back, left leg bent, right leg straight" and didn't quite have time to get the right limbs where they should be, cause I am 33 and I still struggle with left and rights, but other than that Callie and I kept pace!

The class, which only lasts about an hour, zoomed by so fast! And afterwards, don't even get me started...I was energized and relaxed and peaceful at the same time, I can't even explain it. But you know what I explain, how good I slept that night! Like a baby, holy moly! 

 Our maiden voyage into yoga was pretty amazing! You have converted these 2 ladies and we will definitely be going back this week! 

Take a little Trip

I was looking back the last week at some of my blog posts from when I first started. While they are not amazing, at least I was consistent. How on EARTH  did I find time to post so much?!? I have more time on my hands now and my day still seems filled to the brim with school and life and children. Yet, back then my kids were smaller and required more attention and my job was far more stressful and time consuming. Which lead to me the embarrassing conclusion that I am pretty much a slacker. I hearby promise to do better!

So lets get all kinds of caught up! Take a trip back in time with me... To a month called March....

So we took a field trip the farm with the second grade. 9 Mile Historic park is a strange little place right in the middle of the city... We had a blast! We played, fed chickens, had 1800's school, made some corn bread and then returned to life in the 2010's!

We did up St. Patrick's Day...

 On which these little nuggets got a visit from their favorite leprechaun!

Brien and I got a super awesome surprise date night! We checked eating sushi off the  bucket list! I have never been brave enough to eat raw fish, but when it's full of salmon and cream cheese and avocado and slathered in sauces, it was quite delicious!

This little cowgirl ROCKED the whole school with her amazing vocals at the talent show! She really was awesome. I thought I just had "mom" ears, thinking my princess could sing. But, afterwards so many sweet people said, "I had no a idea she could sing like that!" Even with sound issues, she smiled and sang her heart out! After the performance, we had to visit urgent care to take of an ear infection, so that was an interesting way to kick off spring break!

We spring breaked... It was rather uneventful and I was totally okay with that! The weather was kind of eh, so we fixed much needed things around the house and yard. We decorated for Easter!

We had late night, in the pouring rain ice cream trips!

And sadly, the most exciting thing we did, was a trip to Colorado's famous Casa Bonita. Or basa comita, as Kellen calls it! This place was a favorite for Callie when she was about three, so we decided hat Kellen needed to experience all the greatness that is Casa Bonita!

If you have not had the pleasure of eating at this fine establishment I suggest that you do. Let me preface that by saying, the food is awful. Truly terrible. But you pay for the atmosphere. 

I tried so hard to get a good picture....

The inside of Basa Comita is a huge waterfall/caves/Spanish villa/ tropical paradise. You really need to go and see to get the full picture! 

They do shows every 15 minutes to distract  entertain you while you dine on Mexican TV dinners!

Afterwards you play in an arcade full of broken games and explore spooky caves full of pirates and spiders. It is sensory overload. But the kids loved it and it was a fun little trip on a cold spring day!

Let's see. The rest of spring break was spent getting ready for my sweet sister in law's baby shower. The sad thing is that I got only got one,  one picture! Annnddd this was it....

I am pretty sure Callie took it with my phone, because she set up the hair bow table and wanted to show off how pretty it was. Hmmm, I am hoping my mom got some good ones on her camera!

So that's it for our little trip through March! April has been just as much of a  whirlwind! We are about to take off for the Colorado Culture Fest at school tonight so Callie can present what she has been working on! Time is running short on the end of school and Easter (My favorite!) is just a few days away. So there we have it, a month jammed into one quick post and a promise to do better! Until next time....

Adventures in Frisco

The Wood's just got back from a super fun little mountain getaway yesterday! I am telling you, there is just something about the hills that make me calm. Even with traffic and crowds looking at those snow covered mountains is plain peaceful!

A few months ago one of my girls friends said we should get our families together and go to this snow sculpture festival that they have every year in Breckenridge. I thought this was a fabulous idea, as January is such a dreary month, it would be nice to have something to look forward to! 

On Friday, our three little families took off and headed to the mountains for a little fun! I am not gonna lie, it was crazy and chaotic with 6 kids under 10  and 7 more adults in one tiny little house, but there was never a dull moment!

This is the view right out the windows, SO crazy, pretty right?!?

We got in on Friday in the late afternoon, just in time to watch the temperature drop from 35 to 1. 1 degree!!! BRRR! So after a quick trip to the store we made dinner and settled in for the night. I had grand plans to hit the Outlet shops that are at the bottom of the mountain, but I just couldn't bring myself to brave the 1 degree weather for sweet bargains. 

After all of our friends and there kiddos showed up, the crazy began! I am glad our offspring are sweet and funny, but whoa, are they noisy! Plus, at the condo, it is all open and lofted so you can hear literally every thing that happens!

After a night of playing and jumping on beds and throwing toys over the railing, they finally settled down for the night. Morning came way too quick and it was a mad dash to get everyone ready and out the door for tubing! 

I had never been tubing before, so I got to check that off the bucket list. I was just thankful that no one wanted to ski. I may have died a little inside after the skiing debacle of 2011.

We got all bundled up and headed to Frisco Adventure Park. This super awesome little place tucked away in the mountains, that has so much cool stuff to do! We had been here once before to go on a Christmas sleigh ride. I had NO idea they had tubing too!

After we signed our lives away it was time to go careening down the mountain!

This boy and his snow eating...His little face was red and raw before we went down one run!

Callie, the old pro showed us all about it!

After we watched the safety video, I was a little bit nervous because they said that you couldn't have a child in your lap for fear of them flying off. I was wondering how this was going to play out with Mr. in his own tube...

Turns out it was pretty easy and magical! Kellen could sit snug down in the actual tube and you could tie all of the tubes together to go down. With all four of us, we flew down the mountain! It's like sledding times a thousand! It was totally worth it to hear my loves squeal with delight as we whipped down the mountain!

I sure am thankful that I can drag my fella all over and he just goes with it!

At the end of our session these critters were tired!

annd these mamas were tired too! PS. why do I look like a ghost? I need a tan stat!

After our tubing adventure we had the super bright idea that we would drive into Breck and eat lunch and then head to the snow sculptures. Sadly after an hour and a half of driving all over the town, we COULD NOT find one single parking space, let alone three for all of the families. Bummer. It was so crazy crowded, thanks skiers and out of staters taking up all the parking spots...

So we abandoned our whole reason for coming to the mountains, but everyone was pretty whipped and not funny enough not really disappointed in just grabbing some lunch and heading back to our warm and cozy condo. 

The rest of the trip, we did just that, hang out! It was oh so nice to get away and relax with friends in a super pretty place! I mean lets be real, cozy fire? Check! Fun friends? Check! I love a good mountain adventure!