CHICAGO, My Kind Of Town {Part One}

I traveled to Chicago for a long weekend last summer and met up with my friend B.  We rented an adorable Airbnb which I will link HERE, because it was so well kept and comfortable.  Our husbands are both students in the EMBA program at Northwestern in Evanston, so the house we chose was a great location for us.  (It was only blocks from the beach on Lake Michigan and I did pack a bikini and cover up, but we never had enough time in our schedule to saunter up to the sand).  We did however have enough time for some mouth-watering and satiating food and drink options.  

Friday was my day to choose our excursion and if you know me then you know my theme was food.  I am the self-proclaimed #wannabefoodie in my world after all.   I started research on walking food tours a couple months before we arrived and chose one in the historic Chicago neighborhoods of The Gold Coast and Old Town.  {SIDENOTE:  If you have not incorporated walking food tours into your travels then you are completely missing out on a unique and inspirational way to see a city.  Forget all the tourist trap restaurants and eat where the locals dine/shop/drink.  This is my absolute favorite thing to do in a new city.  Our tour is linked HERE so you can add it to your bucket list; our guide was named Jackie and she was very knowledgeable and hilarious. Her second job is actually at Second City (a legendary improv and comedy theater) so she knows how to draw a laugh}.  Funnier than her, she actually reminded me a lot of my therapist; which is ironic because my therapist hasn’t shown me any humor at all in our sessions.  They had the exact same voice and cadence.  Back to the tour... The tour I chose encompassed seven different stops and a wide variety of cultures, because I love diversity in all forms, including culinary.  We met at a tourist trap...yep.

  • Lou Malnati's Pizzeria has a location in The Gold Coast and I tried my best to not roll my eyes.  I was quickly eating crow (and delicious pizza) when Jackie began explaining who exactly Lou was and then she served us each a slice of traditional Chicago-style sausage pizza...with a fork.  It was delicious.  This pizza at Lou's was, dare I say, one one of the best slices I have ever had...it's the butter crust.  I mean y'all.  It is essentially a thin pie crust with mozzarella and fresh tomatoes layered on top.  So good.  Our next stop was the perfect respite for washing down all that ooey-gooey, buttery pizza...a tea shop!

  • Can you say TeaGschwendner?   (Who knew Germans could love tea so much?). This was the most educational stop for our group and it also elicited the most questions.  They served us a full-size iced white tropical tea with hints of passion fruit and pineapple.  It was delicious and this southern girl did NOT sweeten it one bit.  {shocking} Did you know that all tea is made from a single plant?  There is not a different variety of tea plant for each type of tea?  Different types of tea are created based on how and the the length of time the leaves are oxidized.  Is your mind blown?

The entire tour took three hours and our walk led us down beautiful tree-line streets with gorgeous historic homes.  Surprisingly, this included the original Playboy Mansion owned by none other than Hugh himself.  Even more surprising?  Hugh sold it to the University of Chicago and they turned it into a female dormitory.  I'm not kidding.   I'm glad our walk was further than down the street than a block or two because I needed to work up more of an appetite before we sat down at our third stop;

  • Old Jerusalem in Old Town.  This small family-owned restaurant serves up Mediterranean cuisine; you feel like you are eating at your grandmother's house and your sweet grandmother is busy in the kitchen...and also of middle-eastern descent.  We ate a falafel sandwich and it was so good...but I had eaten too much pizza at Lou's!  I should have had half a slice of pizza so that I could eat my entire falafel sandwich.

Old Town was cool; I loved the history.  This neighborhood actually existed before and during the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.  Seven buildings in a four mile radius survived the blaze...seven buildings.  Our final four visits were all on the same street and it included my top two stops.  

  • The Spice House - a store unlike any I've ever entered.  The air was so heavy with spice and you didn't know whether to take a deep breath or sneeze.  I loved it!  We tasted three types of cinnamon in their back courtyard and I found a spot to snap a few stylish pics.

  • Old Town Oil - MY FAVORITE VISIT on the tour!  The gentleman here was so friendly and helpful.  He paired different vinegars and oils just as you would cheese with wine in France.  It was beyond delightful and my tastebuds were celebrating.

  • The Fudge Pot - This small family-owned confectionary has been making chocolate in Old Town since 1962.  We tasted fresh toffee, still warm and gooey; I'm not much of a sweets girl, but I could have eaten the entire slab off the kitchen table.

  • La Fournette - A local french bakery, again family owned, and specializing in small batch breads baked daily in-house as...bread should be.   It's crusty on the outside, speaks with a deep crunch as you tear off a piece and full of delightful pockets of buttery air on the inside.  We were served a traditional french sandwich and homemade macarons.  

And that ladies and gentlemen (but mostly ladies, b/c that's my demographic) concluded our food tour.  We were free to go about Chi-Town as we pleased.   Do you believe me when I confess to you that we walked to a juice shop, coffee shop and ate dinner at another restaurant after all that food???  I know, it was pure gluttony.  But it was so completely worth every bite and sip.  I'm going to jump straight to dinner, because this was my absolute favorite meal of the entire trip.  Before I left Texas I reached out to a good friend who also happens to be a chef at one of the hottest restaurants in the country right now and he told me to plan a meal at Giant.  Oh my gravy...I'm so so so glad he did.  {Thank you for the recommendation Nick & Chris!}.

GIANT

This spot has got to be on your list for every single trip to Chicago and you ought to sit at the counter in the back at least once so you can chat with the cooks on the line; watch the show as they prepare all of the plates for the rest of the house and enjoy a glass of wine, beer or craft cocktail.  I opened with a glass of rose´ myself while I examined the menu and then I ordered pasta (because when you are at a restaurant that makes pasta fresh, in-house you order pasta every time)...and sea urchin...and asparagus.  To be specific my first dish is at the top of the menu and such a fun surprise, the Fried Super Uni Shooter (that's deep fried sea urchin with cucumber and soy my friends, and it's delicious).  The pasta I chose was Tomato Sortallini (made with guanicale which is an italian cured meat made from the jowls/cheeks of a pig...did I mention my favorite protein is pork?).  Finally, I felt it necessary to order something green so I could feel good about myself and I opted for asparagus, (which was delicious, but I didn’t find it on the menu recently).  I recommend all of it; every last bite.  My friend, B, was in the mood for dessert and when a woman wants dessert she has the right to order it for dinner.  Amiright?  Cajeta Ice Cream (cajeta is similar to dulce de leche, but it is made with goat's milk and the flavor is sublime).  It was the absolute best ice cream dessert I have ever tasted and I've actually daydreamed of it many times since last summer.  

Okay.  Now I am hungry and luckily, for me anyway, it’s time for dinner.  My plan is to follow this post up with a Part 2 and tell you all about the day my friend, B, planned…{Hint: we saw a musical about a famous American Founding Father who co-wrote the Federalist Papers}.  You want to read Part 2 and I haven’t even drafted it yet.  

Twelve Observations From A Rookie International Traveler

I've not traveled much in my ripe old age of 33 years and 11 months so getting on an airplane still gets me excited. I don't mind the lines at the airport, (but using my husband's frequent flier status was way cooler than I expected and I may or may not be spoiled ) and exploring new places scares me before it thrills me, {except Paris.  I was made to live in Paris. More on that later}.  

I'm back home and working on laundry filthy with the dust and sweat of ten days in Europe, normal household chores, folding paper airplanes, nursing a sick child and carrying a baby on my hip (because he luuuuubs his mama and I luuuub him too). I have too many post ideas to draft, so for now I have chosen to create of list of observations/discoveries from my first trip to Europe.  Let's begin:

1.  Everyone in London wears sensible (which generally equals ugly but comfortable) shoes everywhere.  I was so depressed to wear the same slouchy black boots day after day.  I'll be avoiding them like the plague, although they did keep my feet warm, dry, clean and comfortable. 

2.  Londoners walk FAST. Like fast, on a whole new level.  They bump each other and keep on truckin'.  Watching the sidewalks reminded me of my years working downtown and of the rabbit from Alice In Wonderland singing "I'm late. I'm late for very important date; no time to say hello-goodbye I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!"  The energy level is very high on the streets and is both exhiliarating and exhausting.  (My calves look better than they have in years btw.)

3.  If you're at a pub in London and you see what appears to be a footstool at your table do not put your feet up on it. It is not a footstool but rather another seat and they do not appreciate Americans who want to put their feet up and relax with a pint.  Feet down. Pint up. 

4.  The USA is a very young country.  I was completely taken by the history in both London and Paris. London in particular, the sight of 1000 year old palaces intermingled with modern glass skyscrapers is beautiful and in some odd way harmonious. 

5.  I can survive traveling on the tube all by myself without anyone jumping out to snatch me, throw me in a van and behead me on a YouTube video.  The tube was a very safe, cheap and quick way to travel around the city.   I never felt threatened.  Everyone just kept to themselves, no conversations, no eye contact, no harassment. It was great. But don't dawdle. Again, they move quick in London. 

6.  Drinking in Europe is part of their lifestyle, like having coffee and sweet tea in the south.  I never saw a drunk person...not one. But everyone was having drinks with friends and family at all hours of the day.  Here in the States we have used media to portray drinking as something you do TO get drunk and for no other reason. It is not that way over there and it was refreshing to see everyone drinking in moderation.  

7.  If you have a love affair with food then you LOVE Paris.  I LOVE Paris and it loves me.  

8.  If you have a love affair with fashion and shopping then you LOVE London.  The shopping was unlike anything I have ever seen. I do LIKE London but I don't LOVE shopping. I love food. See no. 7. 

9.  Indian food is delicious. Vietnamese food is delicious.  A scotch egg is delicious.  Hard Cider is delicious. 

10.  Paris is meant to be enjoyed leisurely, with a glass of wine, a plate of cheese, sliced cured ham and a baguette traditional.  Skip the hike to the top of the Eiffel Tower, learn some common French phrases and head to Le Marais neighborhood for the best food you have ever eaten.  If only we had boulangeries, patisseries and fromageries on the streets of my city like they have in Paris...I'd be in heaven.  Food is so much more than just food and I found an entire city of people who agree with me!  

11.  Hand sanitizer does not exist across the pond. 

12. No one is as friendly and hospitable as folks from the Southern United States.  It's my favorite part of OUR culture. 

 

 

OKC Roadtrip

We have three kids and they are three "very active", a.k.a. wild, young kiddos so road trips are slim to none lately because, let's all face it, they are full of stress, crying, hollering and bickering at this stage.  BUT, this mama needed to get out of HTX stat and it was high time to visit some of our best friends whom moved to OKC a year and half ago.  I had gone to visit on my own and Mr. GQ had gone on his own (his company has an office in OKC) but we had never jumped in the car and taken the kids any further than Baton Rouge, (for a college football game of course).  We decided this Thanksgiving break was the time.  Mr. GQ needed to make it to the OKC office for some meetings, the kids were out of school for a week, and as I mentioned previously, I needed a change of scenery.  After loading three suit cases, an over night bag, two back packs, one pack n play, stroller, emergency medicine bag, DSLR camera and a partridge in a pear tree into the Caddy we were headed North!

We knew an 8.5 hour trip was not going to end well so we chose to break the trip in half and the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, TX was the quintessential stop this time of year.  As a born and raised Texas girl myself I can vouch that everything truly is bigger in Texas and this resort does NOT disappoint.  We have stayed at the Gaylord in Nashville a couple of times and so we had high expectations for the Texas sequel.  It.  Was.  Fantastic.  Every winter the resort transforms to a winter wonderland with a long list of super kid-friendly activities that run from early morning until 10 p.m.!  Since the resort is encased in a giant glass atrium it will never rain on the festivities and the temperature is always constantly perfect.  We opted to NOT purchase tickets to the enormous ICE exhibit, (life-size ice carvings that you walk through and tour, it takes about 20 min and this year it is the original Frosty The Snowman theme) because they did not offer any covering for a baby.  We would have to bundle him up ourselves and I don't have enough layers for six degrees.  Instead we chose to let the kids snow tube!  They loved it!  Actually, we all did.  {Mr. GQ and I took turns riding with Cowboy.}  Roughly $20 buys each kid 12 runs and that took an hour.  Then we walked through the resort and had fun admiring all of their gorgeous Christmas decorations, not to mention, the year round themed decor of each atrium.  We sipped cocktails next to the grand piano and the Silvery Bar while the kids enjoyed lemonade not the rocks and watched the model train run round and round the atrium.  Our room was very affordable at $179 on a Friday night.  That gave us a King size bed with a view of the front drive (which was a actually perfect for the kids because they loved the Christmas lights on all the trees out front).  We had a pack n play (in the closet, don't judge) and a blow up queen size mattress for the two biggins.  We stayed at the resort again on our way home and requested two queen beds which was a much better choice for our party of five, but Angel Baby still fit in the closet and he slept like a dream.  We ate at the Riverwalk Cantina on our trip home (b/c we stayed one night on our trip home as well) and the food was mediocre.  The salsa was good.  That's about it.  Stay away from the margaritas, unless you like overly sweet drinks and then you might like them!  After dinner we took the kids to the Cocoa Bean Coffee and Sweet shop and they each chose a special dessert for the night followed by family movie night in our room.  Our inside tip: DON'T rent Boxtrolls.  Not a fan.  The kids were entertained, but I was annoyed by the political undertones and Mr. GQ fell asleep.

The Riverwalk Atrium at The Gaylord Texan Resort

We awakened Saturday morning and were checked-out in time for brunch.  I had done some research and found what I suspected to be a very good French bakery in downtown Grapevine called Main Street Bistro and Bakery.  I was right on the money and everyone else in town knew it too…the place was packed!  We ordered at the counter and then wandered around the dining room hunting for a table.  We found one to seat five that needed to be cleared so the kids and I stood next to it until our server came with our Cafe Americanos and cleared the table for us.  I ordered the traditional eggs benedict, Cowgirl ordered Strawberry Romanoff Crepes, Cowboy got eggs, bacon and fruit, Angel Baby had a muffin and fruit tray and Mr. GQ ordered Le Perisian (scrambled eggs, apple wood bacon, with our award winning croissant, jam, butter, breakfast potatoes).  The food was delicious.  The coffee was splendid.  The cafe was crowded and not the most kid friendly place to eat but we all survived.  I'd love to go back to downtown Grapevine just to shop and eat sometime with Mr. GQ because it looked like a main street straight out of a romantic comedy.  Envision Hope Floats meets Sweet Home Alabama.  

The drive from Dallas to OKC was easy, except I took my supplements wrong that morning and I was nauseas the entire drive, but the scenery was very pretty, especially in Oklahoma.  Our friends live in a suburb of OKC and their house was perfect to host us for a couple of nights.  The kids had a blast destroying, I mean playing, in their two toy rooms and conquering the outdoor playground.  The last time we all hung out we had three kids between the four of us.  This time we had SIX!  HA!  

The first night in town my girlfriend had planned a dinner out for she and I at a local OKC hotspot called RePUBlic Gastropub.  The scene was definitely very modern and hip, a large pub/restaurant enclosed in glass walls with an obscene amount of flat screen televisions to keep you up to date on all your favorite sports.  {We were watching the OSU Cowboys play Baylor in Waco.}  As an appetizer we ordered their Homemade Pub Pretzel which is served with serrano honey mustard and beer cheese fondue.  For our main course we ordered two items and split them; which was perfect for the two of us.  We ordered the Rotisserie Chicken Salad~ mixed field greens, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, goat cheese and herb vinaigrette and the Knife & Fork BLT (probably the best BLT I've ever eaten),~ hand-cut bacon, fried green tomatoes, avocado relish, white cheddar, arugula and herb vinaigrette served open faced on toasted sourdough.  I stuck with water because of my day long tummy ache, but my GF enjoyed a yummy cocktail called the Raspberry Gimlet .  After dinner we decided to have dessert at a popular new cupacakery called Cuppies and Joe.  Now, let me just begin with the host.  He was so warm and welcoming that he alone made the visit worth it for me.  Seriously, I could have sat and chatted with him all night but not over coffee.  {I need to preface this part with how badly I wanted to write a stellar review for this cupcakery.  I wanted so badly to fall in love with it because from the outside looking in it was the perfect after dinner destination.}  Sadly, the cupcakes and coffee left much to be desired, as well as the group of three local girls sitting near us.  {They snooped our conversation the entire time and never stopped rolling their eyes at us.  I'm surprised they didn't yell blasphemy when we started talking about the Obama administration.}  I had the red velvet cupcake, which they call Sassafras, although I don't believe it contained any Sassafras root and the Bangarang b/c it just sounded fun. {Instant memories of watching HOOK as a child} Both cakes were good but the icing was lacking, especially on the red velvet…the butter was too strong for me and I'd have preferred a cream cheese frosting.  The coffee is roasted locally in Tulsa, but that night my Cafe Americano was very bitter with a startling finish.  On a positive note the atmosphere of the quaint little house which houses Cuppies and Joe was very inviting and I felt like I was visiting my great aunt's house.

My Cafe Americano at Cuppies and Joe was pretty at least.

The rest of our visit was spent lounging in pajama pants and workout pants while keeping track of six little angels and watching marathons of Mickey Mouse and Hallmark Movies.  It was perfect.  I loved every second.   The husbands had a guys night to a Thunder game and Fuzzy Tacos, but I wasn't there so I can't blog about it; perhaps I should ask Mr. GQ to be a guest blogger!  {I'm sure he'd love that.  Sarcasm fully intended.}

Art In The Heights

I spent a morning in The Heights of Houston with my sweet Aunt Carla in the early summer and she drove me over to a new art installation in town.  I knew as soon as I saw the first sculpture that this was something I had to bring the hooligans to see before it was taken down.  The Heights have allowed local artists to display enormous sculptures on the walking path that runs down Heights Boulevard, (not to mention, that many of the homes along the street are pieces of historic art in their own right too).  We went to visit my aunt again recently and with all three hooligans in tow we made our pilgrimage, parking along the street for free at each stop so we could snap a cute pic with our favorites.  It would be totes easy to turn it into a great exercise excursion and walk down the 11 or so blocks to see each sculpture, but again…hooligans; we drove.  The installation will be on display thru NOVEMBER 4TH, so you only have a few more days to enjoy it.

{SIDENOTE:  If you have more time and kids that aren't trying to play chicken with the cars speeding down the boulevard then take time to eat at one of the yummy cafes in The Heights.  There are too many to name a "best" and some aren't as kid friendly (depending on if you have kids with you that day) as others, but truly your options are limitless.}

{CLICK} on the pic below because it is a small gallery of our favorites. 




Grown Up Fun

As you get older "fun" is all relative and as a 30-something mother of three anytime I get to organize anything is deemed fun. 

I'm cleaning out and organizing. Last week I worked on my gift wrapping supplies.  I'm so pleased with myself I may celebrate tonight!

Years ago I sewed this handy dandy gift wrap organizer for all my goodies. It holds scissors, tape, cards, stuffing and what-nots on one side and the other side has four large pockets to hold rolls upon rolls of wrapping paper. 

After baby showers for three babies and years of kids birthday parties I am the proud owner of a ton of gift bags. But I can't throw them away BC they save me so much money!  I snagged these handy dandy hangers at Walmart and they worked perfectly to sort my bags based on occasion. 

Lastly I got a storage box (for free off the curb) and sorted all of my tissue paper by color. It may not stay color classified but it looks great now!  

Let's celebrate!

Maui Waui - Day 2

We awakened on Day 2, our first official day on the island and I'm pretty certain I woke up at 6 a.m.  I changed into my workout clothes and running shoes and headed down to the beach for my first run of the trip.  The Kaanapali resort area has this awesome mile and a half long sidewalk that meanders between the resorts and the shore.  3 miles was a beautiful way to begin each day and wasn't hard to put my running shoes on when I knew where I was headed and the view from the path.

After my run I met Mom & Tiff downstairs for our first breakfast at the resort which meant we were headed to the orientation/welcome breakfast.  I wasn't sure what to expect because I had never stayed anywhere that offers a welcome meal, but it was definitely beneficial to us.  As we ate our meal the hotel staff gave a power point presentation on all of the activities they offer for free at the resort as well as the paid excursions they recommend on the island.  We sat with two guys from Sweden who I don't believe were as into the suggestions as we all were but to each his own.  

Afterward we set up the classes we wanted to take at the resort that week:  ukulele lessons, hularobics and lei making.  We also decided to buy tickets to the hotel's magic show and dinner theater.  Once we had our plan for the week we got in our Jeep and headed out to a little town North of us.  They had a farmers market that Kat (from our hotel staff) recommended.  We were talked into buying all kinds of food…fresh pineapple, candied ginger, cookies, papaya and pineapple scones, banana bread… it was all delicious but our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs because we did not eat it all before it was time to head home.

Across from the farmers market was a beautiful beach (pretty much the same glorious perk everywhere we drove…beautiful beaches).  We walked out to it and got our feet wet for a few minutes because you just can't say no!  Mom wanted to take us to some shopping centers that she likes to frequent when she is in Maui and we did a little perusing.  We ate lunch at the one restaurant I had begged to visit.  I had read about Aloha Mixed Plate before we left Texas and couldn't wait to try their "mixed plate" of all things.  ;0)  (The restaurant is located next to the Old Lahaina Luau and owned by the same family.  Sheldon, a contestant on Top Chef, used to work in their kitchen).  Tiff ordered the grilled chicken sandwich but was later disappointed she didn't order something more adventurous…BUT her chicken breast was ginormous and she said it was tasty.  Mom ordered the Ono and as I said I ordered the mixed plate.  I also ordered the day's special appetizer which was like a ceviche crab…the entire crab.  It was messy.  I smelled like crab all day.  Our waiter actually lived in Texas and went to SMU on a soccer scholarship for college.  I made friends with him and he gave us a free bowl of ahi tuna, raw ahi tuna!  It was the first time for all three of us to try it but we all did and none of us spit it out.  I liked it enough to eat several pieces but that dang mixed plate was so stinkin' good I tried to focus on it.  For dessert we split a small piece of their pineapple upside down cake.  yum.

That afternoon we went back to the hotel where Tiff and I headed down to the beach for an hour or so while Mom read her book and rested upstairs.  I had a friend tell me to pack my own cheap floats for the beach and I found a twin pack of inflatable noodles at TJ MAXX.  It was a fantastic tip.  We used them to float while we "snorkeled" on the top of the water.  I bought my own snorkel set from amazon for $20 and packed it as well.  To go with all of this she told me to go to a souvenir store and purchase a special bag to put my iPhone in so that it become submersible.  So friggin' cool. Great tips Dee Dee!  The sand at the beach is hot as hell.  I am serious, I imagine my feet burning like that if I ever had to step into hell (thankfully I do not because I know Jesus as my Savior, but you get my point).  I'm talking hot.  It's totally fine during the morning and the evening when the sun isn't directly overhead, but my guess is the lava rocks, which make up a large part of the sand particles, heat up in the sun and then when you walk across it…holy smokes!  I'm seriously glad no one was near me the first time I did b/c I cussed like a sailor…it's the only thing that would come out of my mouth!  (Again, I am being REAL on my blog.  No judgement from anyone for my potty mouth confession).  

That night we got all gussied up for our reservation at the Old Lahaina Luau.  This is a MUST for anyone on Maui.  We saw other luaus from the beach and they looked very hokey.  This Luau was art.  It was beautiful.  The food was served buffet style and I thought it was very good.  We tried Poi for the first time.  It is a Hawaiian staple and was a means for survival before America invaded.  Poi is made from the Taro plant which grows all over the island.  The plant is used for a ton of different reasons and we ate it in four different forms during our trip.  Poi is packed with protein and has the consistency of pudding but the flavor reminded Tiff and I a lot of refried beans in Texas.  ha!  Not something I'd want to eat everyday but not so bad that I wouldn't either.  The dancers at the luau were fantastic and I found comfort in the women who were beautiful and curvaceous but I could tell from the way their belly buttons were shaped and their skin hung they had babies at home.  They didn't care and neither did anyone else.  Their dances and bodies were beautiful.  The dance told the story of Hawaii from its origins, through the missionaries and Americanization to now.  I can understand why some Hawaiian youths hold animosity towards the states for what has been done and taken from their islands, but I also wonder if we had not annexed them…who would have been there next?  Off my soap box...

Click on the pics below to go thru the gallery of Day 2:

Maui Waui - Day 1

My mom surprised my sister, Tiffany, and I with an amazing gift in June 2014.  She took us to Maui!  This was only our second official mother/daughter trip and the first of this caliber.  It was a long time coming.  {ages 61, 40 and 33} Our mother is a planner and so she told us about the trip with plenty of time for us to anticipate and plan seven days in paradise.  She told us 15 months before our plane departed.  

It was no secret that I was very anxious about leaving Angel Baby, Cowboy and Cowgirl for that long and flying so far away because I had never done anything like that…ever.  {The furthest I had gone was Jamaica for four nights and that was before Angel Baby surprised us.}  It all worked out great for my husband to take a couple days off work and my mother-in-law and teenage niece came in town to wrangle the kids for five days.  {They were exhausted and ready for a vacation themselves after managing this house.}

I chronicled the entire trip on social media via FB, Twitter and Instagram, but I didn't get to share the funny stories and experiences that we had in detail.  It was a snap here, a click there so now is the time to catch up.  The messy laundry room can wait another half hour.

DAY 1

My car service, ahem step-dad's pick up truck, arrived in my driveway at FIVE A.M. on Thursday, June 19th and we threw my bags in the back along with everyone else's and drove to the airport for our departure.  A trip to Maui will wake me up quick, even with only four meager hours of sleep the night before takeoff.  At the airport we dined on Wendy's breakfast sandwiches and coffee when I had this idea to tear the Wendy from the takeout bag and take her along for the ride.  Flat Wendy if you will, so you will see pics of her with us, but not too many b/c my husband told me that was "weird" and no one would get my humor. {I told him he was wrong and a few days later he saw someone on his feed post a pic of them with Flat Stanley somewhere exotic.  haha.}  

We flew United Airlines (on frequent flier points that my mother worked very hard to earn and save so that our tickets cost only $30 TOTAL.  She is an airline-points-earning guru.)  The flight to LAX was uneventful, other than the instant nausea I experienced when the plane took off.  (I used the vomit bag as my book marker for the entire trip just in case.)  We had a short two our stop at LAX where I found a very dirty outlet to plug in and charge my iPhone and ate a quick bite from WolfGang Puck's little airport bistro.  The flight to Maui dragged on forever to me but I was glad we were so high and had such cloud cover that I couldn't see the never-ending ocean beneath us.  I sat on the aisle for that reason too.  We landed sometime around 1 p.m. if I recall and headed to the rental car station.

Mom had purchased a deal from her hotel that included a rental car, or should we say clown car?  It was some type of tiny dodge or chevy and we couldn't fit our three carry-ons in the trunk…forget about the three checked bags, two back packs and giant purse.  "Somebody rented my car and it's much too small for our luggage."  So Mom upgraded to a Nissan Altima.  We could fit two checked bags in the trunk and maybe one carry-on.  "Somebody rented my car too and it's STILL too small for all our luggage as well."  Back inside Mom went and upgraded yet again to a four door Jeep Wrangler.  Perfect fit!  "Somebody rented my car and got a super rad Jeep and everything fits just fine!"  An hour or so later and we were on the road to the hotel and haaaaaaawngry!

Mom always (as in eight times) stays at the Kaanapali Beach Hotel on Kaanapali Beach.  Yes she has stayed other places but this one is her ultimate favorite.  It is the oldest hotel on Kaanapali and touts itself as being the most authentic Hawaiin hotel.  Both statements are true.  The decor in the lobby made me instantly think I was traveling with the Brady Bunch.  (an observation mom, not a complaint)  I wish I had taken a pic but I didn't think of it.  The staff at the hotel was fantastic.  I'm talking super nice people.  I didn't see one grumbling person and they were all locals.  The grounds were full of gorgeous, mature Hawaiian plants and it smelled divine.  Our room was a basic hotel room, but our view was INCREDIBLE.  Seriously, just gorgeous.  We were on the fifth floor and looked out towards Black Rock and the beach, but turn your head 45 degrees and you saw gorgeous mountains carpeted in green.

If I remember correctly we unpacked and got back in the car to get the "lay of the land".  {We learned on this trip that our mama likes to say "lay of the land" and always spends time the first day driving around to get accustomed to her new surroundings.}  Mom had never gone to Hawaii without her husband and he always drives so she was a little anxious about being behind the wheel all week, but she did just fine…well most of the time.  ;0)  We drove north towards Napili Bay and stopped along the coast for plenty of photo ops.  Mom pointed out several places she likes to stop and shop along the way and then we headed back to the resort to get ready for dinner.  A quick walk down the path along the beach led us to Whaler's Village where we ate dinner at Leilani's.  I think we all had Ono (a white fish with a texture and density much like chicken.  It really has no flavor of its own and takes on whatever seasoning you add to it).  Then we walked through Whaler's village to look at some shops and I was itching to get my feet in the Pacific Ocean so we made our way to the beach for a short stroll back to our hotel where we sat for a bit to watch their nightly hula show.  I know we were in bed by 9 p.m.  I slept with Tiffany, wore ear plugs b/c she said her husband says she snores now and Mom got a bed to herself.  Aloha Day 1!  

{Click on the pics below to see the Day 1 gallery}

Dresser Re-Do

So sometimes fun doesn't mean you have to get dressed up at all.  Sometimes it means you get to get messy.  That was what I did the past three days.  I dismantled, sanded, painted, stenciled and stained a dresser for the guest room/nursery and now Booger finally has somewhere to put all of his clothes or I have a place to put all of his clothes... (ahem, he is nearly nine months old…baby #3).  

I bought this dresser from one of my best friends, Allyson.  This was her dresser since we were kids and so I knew exactly what it looked like when she posted it on FB one day and I jumped on it.  I'm happy to move it to our house and give it a new life with a fresh little baby. Now every time I look at it I think of her.  Love you Woo.

Here are the pics from before to after, (except I failed to take a pic of it before with the drawers in it.  I was just so happy to start working on it that I yanked the drawers out and THEN thought to take photos of each step.  oh well.)  {It's a slideshow so click on the image below to see all of the pics.  P.S.  No filters.}


H-town Happenings

I grew up in a suburb of Houston and actually moved back after college to raise our own family here, but when I want to get out of this bubble and have some adventure nearby I almost always head in town.  

My favorite site to follow for the best of Houston is Houston Culture Map and this article is about a pop-up market.  {"pop up" is the new cool term to use for something that is portable and not a true storefront.  Pop-up restaurants are all the rage in major cities too.}

 This market looks like a lot of fun and I am always in the mood for shopping and delicious food. I think this is a destination for families or just the girls and I hope someone gets to go check it out!  I'll add it to my calendar as well.  The last two Saturdays available are in March and April before it shuts down for the hot Texas summer.

Check out culturemap for all kinds of fun happenings in H-town.  I'm sure I will use it a lot in my blog b/c I am addicted.


Baseball, Babies and Blue Bell

We are Texas Aggies, {that's an important part of our life in case you haven't met me, because if you had then you know this already.  We bleed maroon and we are doing an excellent job of brainwashing, ahem, I mean indoctrinating our three little pledges.}  So this past Sunday we awakened and decided it was the perfect day to all attend our first ever Aggie baseball game together.  {We are die hard Aggie football fans (and season ticket holders and members of the @thehowdycrewtgs) but baseball has never been our thing.  I'll blame that on Mr. GQ.  It's never been one of his favorite sports.}

I packed everything I thought we would need to survive the day away from home (diapers, wipes, snacks for biggins, four jars of baby food, but forgot the spoon-oops, two bottles, two changes of clothes, a veggie tray and protein bars for los padres) and we were set.  We loaded up the family in the Cadi for a short two hour road trip to the promise land.  Seriously, we love it that much.  When we arrived the sun was shining (oh, I did pack sunscreen as well) and the campus was crawling with fans clad in maroon and white.  We were ready to enjoy the great American past time.  It was awesome.  It got even more awesome when we found $15 in the parking lot!  Whoop!  Funnel cakes, a corndog and two waters please.  General admission tickets (I wanted to sit on the lawn) were only $8 per adult and the kids were all free b/c of a special promotion that day.  The stadium, Blue Bell Park, is beautiful and perfect for a family outing. 

I suggest sitting on the 1st base lawn because it is close to the sno-cone stand, Double Dave's Pizza Works tent  (a staple eatery in Aggieland) and the covered PLAYGROUND!  WIN WIN WIN!  Yes I said "covered playground".  It is awesome.  We got our snacks, sat on the hill and watched until my little Diva said she wanted to go play.  Kids must have an adult watching them on the play structure and there is ample room and benches for the parents to be comfy.  Booger and I sat on the lawn of the playground and were still able to watch the game through the fence. 

Mr. GQ and Monster were there for a father/son day but I asked for all of us to tag along so they sat in real seats but not far from us at all.  We wanted Monster to really get the opportunity to see a baseball game and knew he wouldn't watch if he was close to the playground and all the other kiddos in the park.  It worked great and he made it until the 7th inning before he got bored and wanted to come play.  The train came through town only once while we were there but it runs right along the stadium wall and our view was fantastic.  All three kids were super duper thrilled to see it roll past. 

My only suggestion, pack a baseball cap or glove to catch foul balls.  I wish I had remembered one.  A ball landed about 10 feet from Diva, Booger and me and I used my body as a human shield to protect them bc I couldn't see the ball in the bright sky.  I only knew everyone was looking in our grassy corner and waiting on it to land...on someone.  It did not.  A grown man caught it and gave it to a kid.  I sat up and when I did Booger rolled onto his side and my eight month old baby started to roll down the hill!  {Seriously.  Can't make this up.}  I shouted an expletive out of fear and without thinking which made the man in front of me turn around to see what was happening.  I apologized and explained my tiny baby was rolling down the hill which scared me to death and that word flew from my mouth.  My Granny, who was an amazing Christian woman who loved the Lord and her grandbabies, would have laughed b/c I chose her favorite bad word and the only one I ever heard her say...when she used to play video games with me on my Sega.  HA!  I digress.  {I think I digress in every post...}

It was an awesome day.  I seriously recommend this outing to everyone; aggie and non-aggie faithful alike.  But do me a favor, if you have no team to cheer for in the game and refuse to wear maroon...at least where white. 

{CLICK on the pics below...it is a gallery.}