out and about - chikaustin

out and about

July1st

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are we there yet?

Posted in: out and about

Bright and early tomorrow morning we hit the road for our two week whirlwind tour of Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. These are the books that I’m throwing into my bag. A girl can never have too many shoes (ahem) books. I’ve spent all day packing while the kids run in circles around me taking things out of bags. Right now I’m typing this up real quick for you so you won’t think I’ve fallen off a curb. Chloe is under my desk at my feet and keeps popping up to give me zerberts. Funny baby.

We are all really excited to hit the road. The trip is comprised of many mini-trips to see friends and family along the way. We’ll be spending time with family, many bloggy friends, my Craft Hope book editor, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse at Disney World.

We are heading east on I-10 and making stops in New Orleans and Gulport to deliver towels for Craft Hope. I am feeling awfully fortunate that we’ll be visiting The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies and get to see the oil soaked turtles first hand. I’m going to be taking loads of pictures of course and making my way to the beaches to see the devastation. I’ve been talking to my kids for weeks about the turtles that we are helping through Craft Hope and we’ve been reading books nonstop about the sea life. I’m so grateful that we will all get to see the turtles. I’m also getting to meet Kim, who is helping me run Project 8 for Craft Hope!

We’ll be visiting family in Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina. Then we are dropping down to Charleston to visit my editor and spend a few days in her beautiful city with her family. Disney World is next followed by a visit to New Orleans to the Audubon Zoo and Aquarium. We are rounding out the trip in the Bayou of Louisiana to spend the weekend with Beki and Cathy’s families all in one big house. Wahoo! Excited doesn’t even come close to how I feel right now.

I would love tips on places to go in these cities. Any cool shops I should know about? Any fruit picking along the way? I know… random.

I’ll take a million pictures and will certainly have stories to share. Friends, I’ll see ya on the other side. Have a great couple of weeks!
June8th

3 Comments

sweet berry farms

Posted in: out and about

There really is something about taking the kids to a farm. Letting them see how the very food they eat day in and out is grown and cared for. So twice a year we venture into the hill country and visit a very special farm that allows strawberry picking in the spring and a great pumpkin patch in the fall.

This time we went with the kids preschool and they were able to learn about the benefits of ladybugs in the garden. Then the kids got to release their own ladybugs.

Each kid got to fill up their own container of strawberries. Keegan picking the smallest ones he could find. Makena looking for the most ripe, largest strawberries.

We buy what we can from the farmers that sell their fruits/vegetables on the side of the road to support the local farms. And we’ve got a garden going, just hoping it doesn’t peter out with the summer heat. Little things that I’m hoping to teach the kids about our world that will ultimately make a big difference.

Speaking of, I’m working on a new button for the Craft Hope site. A ‘Craft Hope for the Earth’ button. Thinking this will be a new and exciting direction to take Craft Hope. Following along with Craft Hope for Haiti and now the Gulf Coast Oil Spill, there will always be something we can step up and do for the earth. I hope to have it ready today on the Craft Hope site.
May28th

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an oasis in the hill country

Posted in: out and about

Happy Friday friends! Memorial Day weekend is just hours away which for us means a weekend spent at home. Hours logged with a cold beverage or two on the back deck. And spending afternoons floating in the lake. I hope you are able to find your happy place this weekend. Spend time doing what matters to you most.

A couple weeks back Makena and I went to Krause Springs, in the heart of Spicewood, Texas. An oasis in the Hill Country. We played in the flower garden chasing butterflies, explored the pools of water, and were able to just be.

Have a beautiful weekend friends! As Ferris Bueller put it best “Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while you could miss it. “
May17th

12 Comments

renegade craft fair :: austin

Posted in: out and about

Happy Monday friends! Today I’m finding myself stuck on the computer while piles of dirty laundry are beginning to overtake my house. Chloe is a rock star napper these days, as long as she doesn’t get her chubby thighs stuck between the crib slats while rolling around putting herself to sleep. The kids have been have putting together mini fabric buntings Etsy handed out at the Renegade Craft Fair this past weekend. And I’m here trying to get everything organized in my head of what all I need to do today. Might as well blog while I’m stalling.

We had a blast at Renegade on Saturday. Can’t you tell Chloe is excited? So equipped with my Hotslings, that my good friend Kristen de Rocha created, we were ladies about town. I called up my sisters to see if they wanted to join us, knowing they are two girls who certainly know how to have a good time and make me laugh. We cruised the aisles, overwhelmed with all of the beautiful handmade goodness.

These beautiful dresses are made by Debra. You can find her here!

Squirrel!

So many beautifully handmade items. It really was overwhelming. I took home this poster in yellow, couldn’t resist.

Of course there was live music, this is Austin.

We were casually, trying to look super cool because everyone at Renegade looks super cool, browsing the booths when our eyes landed upon the photo booth. We all looked at one another and skedaddled into the line. A photo booth with mustache props is exactly what we love! Genius Renegade, great idea.

Ah Renegade Craft Fair, thank you for visiting our city we hope you return!
April17th

6 Comments

mad hatters

Posted in: out and about

As a family we really look forward to our Saturdays. They either consist of a very planned out day or nothing at all. We either go 100 mph or we sit on the porch. We had heard that the Luckenbach Hat Festival was coming up and knew this Saturday was going to be one of those days. Wake up early, eat breakfast out, and play turn up the radio really loud to drown out Makena’s incessant talking all the way to Luckenbach. I’m only half-kidding.

This is a very picture heavy post. I don’t think my words can do Luckenbach, Texas justice. Especially when there is live music, motorcycles, and old timers involved. The forecast was for rain, but that made the thoughts of dancing in the rain even more appealing.

Breakfast. Check. Hats. Check.

Happy baby. Check. So we hit the road.

First stop in Luckenbach, gratuitous longhorn photo. Because we are all cowboys in Texas.

Pretty soon after we got there we found a place in the honky tonk to sit and watch the music. The music started, the rain began to pour, and the dancing started. Makena even got in on the action by twirling around. We spent the day wandering around, looking at all of the characters, and watching the kids play games. There were maybe three other families who had kids, so we had the clown and her cowboy partner to ourselves pretty much. There were coloring contests, hat contests, hat toss, pin the feather on the cowboy hat, balloon animals, magic shows, and more.

We walked around and looked at the variety of cowboy hats available. Each one of us window shopping for the perfect cowboy hat, since we are working cowboys and need such a hat. None of us came home with a new hat needless to say. We like our simple, broken down hats very much.

At the end of the day I was smothered in baby kisses. Wet, sloppy, drool filled (oh did I tell you she got a toof) baby kisses. The kind only a mama can love.

Luckenbach, Texas… I love you.
April16th

14 Comments

round top, texas

Posted in: out and about, thrift and vintage

It’s really that time of year where not much is getting made around the house. Just a whole lotta livin’. Springtime in Texas is my absolute favorite time to hit the road and explore the hill country. There are so many places to go and the weather is just perfect. Plus, just like the rest of the country, the landscape is covered with wildflowers.

A couple of weeks ago my girlfriends and I descended upon Round Top for a two day adventure. Twice a year Round Top plays host to one of the largest antique fairs in the nation. And since it’s only a little over an hour from Austin, we hit the road. We did learn a lesson last time and rented a house so we could spread it out a little bit. So with the wind at our back, Robert Earl Keen on the radio, and our eyes set on the prize we took off.

You really never know what you are going to find in Round Top. You can go with the most well thought out planned list and come home with not a thing that was on it. You never know what the dealers will have, or what might catch your eye.

Some shots of Round Top…

And this is what my car looked like when we left. Yes the globes are mine and not a one of them was on my list. I came home with SEVEN. I also came home with a huge number 5 from the side of a building. A peace sign made out of an old ceiling tile. An old wooden door certainly covered with lead paint. A ‘porch party here’ sign. And a few other odds and ends. And yes, my girls helped me carry all of the globes around Round Top. We do know how to have a good time.

Until next year!
March26th

5 Comments

rules, what rules?

Posted in: out and about

It’s Friday afternoon in Spicewood, Texas so what’s a family of five to do? Why go golfing on Willie Nelson’s Golf Course, of course. Willie lives right down the road and has his very own country club. There are a variety of unusual rules, but this one set the standard for our outing: No bikinis, mini-skirts, skimpy see-through, or sexually exploitative attire allowed. Except on women.

Mind you we took a six month old, three year old, five year old, and then us. We all piled into a two seater golf cart, cooler filled with sippy cups and beer, and away we went.

This is what it looks like when we hit a golf course… Oh, and did I mention that I don’t play golf? Okay, as long as we are clear.

Makena’s choice of golf attire. We had a deal, I would drive the ball and she could putt. Worked out pretty well.

Hello six month old!

Yes, we told groups to play around us.

No that is not a necklace I am wearing. It’s a gorgeous tan line from Vegas. Oh, I went to Vegas last week! Sorry, no pictures.

I have no idea what I’m doing. Like my golf shoes? Yup, anything goes at Willie’s Cutt-N-Putt.

My big boy. See the boo boo on his knee? It was a doozy. Been there for a while. When boy met asphalt.

It’s a nine hole course, we had no tears, no temper tantrums (from me either), and we made it to hole 8. Not bad for a day out with three under five. And yes, you can call me crazy. I’m getting used to it. Have a great weekend friends. I leave on Sunday for the annual Round Top trip. Send me your shopping lists now!
August12th

16 Comments

home sweet home

Posted in: mi familia, out and about

Thank you all for your sweet comments and prayers about our bebe who will be here in seven weeks. Aack! After a visit to the prenatal cardiologist we found out that she has a Prenatal Aortic Contraction. The doctor began to tell me what that meant in scientific terms, I should have paid more attention in anatomy in college because it all flew right over my head.

Basically what that means is that there are two halves to the heart and a door that separates the two. The blood flows between chambers, through the doorway. Her door is too big for the door frame. So she has an early beat every few beats. What does all of this mean? He said that when they cut the cord it will all work itself out. He did say that it will drive the doctor and nurses crazy until she is born because of the heart arrhythmia. I now have to see my doctor every week until she is born just to continue to monitor her heart rate and make sure it does not go too high.

Sorry it’s taken me a few days to update this space. From my doctors appointments to the cardiologist appointment to working on the book I haven’t had a moment really to get on here. I do promise that I have been taking it easy, taking naps, and not getting all worked up about things as I would in the past.

Marjorie has taken over Craft Hope for this current project, SOCK MONKEYS! I am so grateful for her friendship and willingness to help out. She’s an angel. If you haven’t checked out the newest project, hurry on over. She’s doing a great job out there on the west coast. I can’t wait to see the comments and results!

We returned from the beach last weekend and actually welcomed the 100 plus degree weather. There is something about the humidity at the coast that makes you feel like your skin is melting. We had a wonderful time. And we were fortunate to travel with my dad who is a professional photographer. He got some great shots that I’d love to share with you.

When I get a chance I’ll go through my camera to see if I missed anything, but I think this is a pretty good reflection of our trip. Playing on the beach, looking at the boats in the harbor, and relaxing.

I feel like I’ve been put through quite the test with the baby’s heart scare and am stronger for it. Today was one of those days of the car breaking down, the printer breaking, my email server being down, and then running out of ink once I fixed the printer.

You know, it’s always something isn’t it. It’s just how you choose to handle it that makes all the difference. Today when things started crashing down around me I just shrugged and took a nap. What can you do?!? No sense in getting all worked up on things outside of my control. God is in charge here and he runs this ship much better than I ever could.
August2nd

25 Comments

on vacation

Posted in: out and about

Howdy friends from the Texas coast. I just remembered that I ran off and left you without saying goodbye.

I had a bit of a shaky week. At my thirty week check-up for the baby we found out that she has a heart arrhythmia. I cried for an entire day, unsure of exactly what that meant. In a week we go to a specialist to get a detailed view of what’s going on with my baby’s heart. In the meantime I’ve given up all caffeine, coffee, iced tea, and chocolate included. It’s been a tough few days. This beach trip was exactly what the doctor ordered. For the next week you can find me here…

I promise to return refreshed, relaxed, and sun kissed. Until then if you don’t mind saying a few prayers for my sweet baby I’d surely appreciate it.
July14th

8 Comments

que colores

Posted in: babes in toyland, out and about

We had one very busy and eventful weekend. A trip to garage sales, Ikea, dinner with family on the lake, small town market days and a visit to El Mercado in San Antonio.

There was very little time spent on the computer, a much needed break. There was plenty of family time. Shopping. Exploring. Playing. Growing.

I’ll have to share with you what I scored at the garage sale and Ikea later this week. Today, I’ve got lots of work to do on the book. Plus I’ve got boxes and boxes coming in for Craft Hope. I also promised a view into the nursery, so I’ll get those images up here too as soon as I can. So much to show you, so little time.

My favorite place in San Antonio is El Mercado, the Mexican market that is a feast for the eyes. This is also where I get the dresses to make the fiesta dresses. The shot above is of tortilla baskets. I own one and think it keeps tortillas perfectly warm straight from the skillet.

Kid’s guitars.

Notice anything different? Other than the yummy snow cone? And the squinty look on Makena’s face in the 100 plus degree weather and killer sunshine? Earrings. Makena asked to get her ears piereced. She said she was ready and ready she was! Too bad she got a cotton candy flavored snow cone as a treat. She’ll learn that pina colada is the way to go.