Wicked Weekend

My BFF came to visit!

My beautiful, smart, funny, awesome friend from Lubbock came to see me last weekend, and we just had the best time. The best! We went to Austin to see "Wicked," we shopped in San Marcos, we shopped in Houston, we ate A LOT of food, and just enjoyed each other's company so, so much.

We spent one night at her in-laws' house, and she slept with her favorite dog Titus.

It looked less than comfortable.

We had such a great weekend, I had to take a sick day Monday to recover. When I got back to the office, my birthday plant looked sad:

I think I broke it. Or maybe it's just a metaphor for how much I miss my friend . . .

Running Away

Running three miles doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty far for 10-year-old legs. These girls ran it strong, and they ran the whole way, never stopping to walk. Meap told me throughout the entire race that I was going too fast, but when we turned the corner and saw the finish line, she and her friend took off like they were on fire--it was all I could do to keep up.

While we ran I kept telling them how proud I was of them, but that doesn't even cover it--I was bursting. I hope they always try harder than they think they can and finish strong, and I hope they make themselves proud.

I think this one definitely felt some pride--this was a self-portrait on the way home. Way to go, Meap!

New Faces

Number One and I got to pick out our new faces yesterday--we visited our favorite optician for new specs! She knew exactly what she wanted and had her new frames picked out in less than a minute. I had to try on just about every pair in the store before I found anything we could all agree on--and yes, those are ladies' frames.

On our way home we picked up Buffalo Wild Wings for late lunch/early dinner (linner?) and called GrandBob to come over and watch the Texans game. Obviously that's what made the Texans win, so now we have to eat wings during every playoff game, to help them win again. It's science.

(They are dubious of my scientific claims. But not so dubious that they'll turn down wings.)

What I Wore Today

I love this new skirt from Forever 21! And I have managed to make it through the entire day wearing blue tights without anyone asking if my legs were cold or making a Smurfs reference. I'd call this a success.

A Day at the Park

We took Sweet Tea to a dog park today. She wasn't wild about the slide.

Well, Thank Goodness THAT'S Over

I've hardly been able to enjoy this holiday season. All I could think about is how glad I am that 2011 is ending; I just wanted to get through it and start a new year. I have no evidence that 2012 will be any better, but having that fresh page on the calendar is supposed to mean something.

But I can't let this past year go without commemorating the GOOD things that happened. So without further ado and in no particular order, here are eleven highlights from 2011:

1. Menchie's. This place makes our family smile, and it's a perfect, cheap, last-second treat.

2. Sweet Tea. All four of us are stupid about this dog, and she makes us smile even when the gas she passes leaves a deadly stench in her wake.

3. The painted churches in Schulenberg. When my parents came to visit for spring break we took a day trip here, and it was pretty much a perfect day.


4. Softball. Watching her play was fun for the whole family, and she liked it so much she's actually willing to do it again this year.

5. Enchanted Rock. Also pretty much a perfect day.

6. Corpus Christi. We spent a weekend here in early June; the weather was warm but not too hot, we had a great room at the Omni thanks to AMEX points, we had the rooftop pool nearly all to ourselves, and we spent just enough time at the beach.

7. Great Wolf Lodge. Who knew you could have that much fun on an inner tube?


8. SkyCoaster. Only two of us were brave enough to attempt it, but it really was fun for the whole family.

9. Visiting Nana. I only got to spend a very short time with her this year, but she was in great spirits. I love this lady.
10. Whale watching. Our whole 20th-anniversary trip to Montreal & Quebec City was fantastic, but the best part was the whale-watching tour. If I had a bucket list, this would have been on it.

11. Running 13.1 miles. I ran the Houston half marathon in January just after my 40th birthday and while I will never run another one, I am proud that I finished it in a decent time.

(I don't have a picture for this one, but it's just as well; although I feel like a graceful gazelle when I run, I actually look like a doofus.)

So. 2011 definitely could have been worse. Here's to a better 2012, one day at a time.

I am definitely down for some rock climbing

We didn't do much for spring break this year, but at the end of the week we decided to spend a night in Fredericksburg and then visit Enchanted Rock. We found a tiny motel that had a room available, I made sandwiches for a picnic lunch, and off we went.

Some of us went up more quickly than others; I think by the time the girls and I reached the footpath, Batman was already at the top.


It was overcast but warm; really it was a perfect day to go scrambling around rocks.

We ate lunch on the other side of this pond, near the big tree.

Batman ran ahead of us on the trail and ended up climbing another rock called Turkey Peak. (I'm pretty sure he's part mountain goat.) We kept seeing glimpes of him as we walked on the trail; I told him it was a good thing he'd worn that yellow shirt, so he'd be easily found when the inevitable rescue helicopters came.

After a few hours we cleaned up a bit and headed into Fredericksburg, which is full of fun little shops and art galleries. On our way home we stopped in Austin to eat delicious hamburgers and spend quality time with the B's at Hopdoddy, and finally got home tired but happy. It was just about the perfect weekend, made even better by the fact that we didn't end up as an episode of "I Shouldn't Be Alive."