Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest Texas style...brats, beer, and polka dancing with the cousins in Fredricksburg, TX!

Commons Ford Ranch

Nothing like sneaking off on a Friday afternoon to another hidden gem in ATX. Commons Ford Ranch is just down the street from us! With short hiking trails, waterfront property to Lake Austin and peacefulness...we may have found our favorite picnic spot!

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Okay, not so itsy bitsy and on my front porch! The second one this week on our street but comparing to our summer critters (copper heads, rattlers, coral snakes, scorpions) is a tarantula really that bad? Most tarantulas are not strongly venomous to humans. Maybe not but as I tell my kids, "my favorite kind of snake is a dead snake!" and I feel the same about BIG hairy spiders. I let this lucky one get away (maybe because I was barefoot and not to mention the nightmares that are now expected tonight). Can someone please remind me why we wanted to back up to a greenbelt in the hill country...maybe he just likes my Halloween decorations?

Lazy Saturday

With my best friend and her kids in town for the weekend, we had to plan according to the weather. Blessed with a nice Saturday morning, we loaded up the 5 kids and headed downtown to the Austin Nature & Science Center. Some hands on play and learn, digging in the dino pit, looking at the "rescued" animals, and a hike to one of our favorite look out points for a snack. We even met up with our neighbors. Unfortunately, the younger ones were ready for a nap so we skipped the trailer lunch...maybe tomorrow!

Another camera

The only negative about the triathlon Sunday was the super short course...negative from a parents view but great for the young racers. Try catching both boys on all courses with limited sideline access in less than 10 minutes. Pretty much impossible. Thank goodness for friends with cameras! Here are a few more pics:

Coolhaus

After enjoying lunch at the legendary Juan In a Million, we tracked down the newest food truck in the city. Coolhaus is a create your own ice cream sandwich truck. Pick your cookie (chocolate, chocolate chip, oatmeal, or snickerdoodle) and name the ice cream filling (Mexican chocolate, dirty mint, lemon peel, candied bacon, balsamic fig, or vanilla bean & lambrusco). Wrap and serve in an edible wrapper then try to eat it faster than the sun melts it!

Our First Triathlon

The boys have done many running races and one muddy race, but this morning was their first triathlon! Colin's Hope promotes water safety in our community and educates children, parents and lifeguards on drowning prevention. It was a very proud "Mommy Moment" for me and the kids had a blast. With both falling in the Rookie group this year, their swim was 25 meters, bike 1/2 a mile, and run 500 meters. They both finished in under 10 minutes. I think we ran more trying to get photos.

HOT & HUMID

Nothing like a hot and humid day at the park after school, but we have missed our cousins. When school really does rule the schedule, making time for friends and family becomes difficult. We met our kinder cousins for some quality play time and left just in time to miss the down pour. In a short hour we crammed in 2 parks, walked the rocks (and only had one casualty), fed the not-so-hungry ducks, and put up with one very temperamental, "I need a nap" 2 year old!

Hello Hermine

Crazy rain in central Texas from Tropical Storm Hermine...12 inches in the past 24 hours and more to come! Nothing like an afternoon of foil boat races when the kids are home from school.