4th of july with miles

I was in Houston for the weekend with my parents, Rebecca, Michael, and Miles (in from Chicago). It was so much fun playing with Miles! I hadn't seen him since he was 3 weeks old so it was crazy to see how much he had changed. He is already holding his head up on his own, talking, and rolling from his back to his stomach! He's still working on going from his stomach to his back. I tried teaching him that one, but it didn't work out.

Before the first swim. He was very excited for his first pool experience!

I bought him this super cute hat. It said it fit infant/toddler...but I think that was a lie.

  

He loved the pool by his second go around!

We also spent a lot of time together in his jumparoo.

He needed a break between photo shoots with me.

Twins! We totally called each other the night before to plan our outfits for the pool.

In case you didn't know, Miles has some ridiculous hair!

 Happy 4th of July y'all!

The last day we had several deep conversations...

...read some awesome books...

...and once again had a photo shoot like our first meeting in Chicago.

I'm a pretty big fan of this kid! I can't wait for our next photo shoot in Chicago!

crackling sucks

I have this little table thing by my door that I hate. It's this ugly light wood, and I have been looking for a replacement for it for awhile now. It's much harder than it seems since everyone wants to sell something similar for more than $50 or it's ugly. Well I came across a website that showed how you could crackle something yourself! Done and done. Especially since I would only need to buy blue paint since my parents happen to have everything else I would need.

Before with some of my supplies.

I sanded it down, primed it, then painted it black.

Luckily my dad had some scrap wood he let me use to test out crackling first.

Too goopy.

The left turned out pretty good, but too much blue. When I tried using less blue paint it just looked crappy. So I decided to change my plan. I painted the entire thing blue, let it dry (in our heat it only took about an hour to dry) and then sanded it all down to make it look distressed.

I got some really cool knobs from Anthropologie, but the screw part on the back was too long so I got to use a hacksaw for the first time! Luckily dad was able to keep all of his fingers. I was a little worried, but I didn't tell him that. Who else would hold the knob for me while I sawed right next to their hand? Not Rebecca, that's for sure!

All done! It looks pretty awesome, and it looks great in my apartment. I already have my next 2 crafts planned. Once school starts back I don't know how I will be able to craft and teach!

franklin barbecue

For the past month I have heard about Franklin Barbecue at least once a week. Apparently this place started out as a food truck and was so popular he opened up a restaurant. It was recently voted the best BBQ in the nation, and as someone who loves BBQ and has grown up around some amazing food I was skeptical it truly was the best in the nation. It opens at 11 and I was told if you don't get there by 10:30 don't bother because they close whenever they run out of food. Ok, so maybe they really are that good? A few friends of mine and I decided to finally try this place and see what it was all about. We got there at 10 and there were already about 50 people in line in front of us. Another thing to note, you wait outside, in the heat, for however long it takes.

The line wrapped around the building by 10:30.

Heather, Alli, and I. (Larry took the picture)

 

So we waited an hour for the place to open, and another 30 before we even got to the door. While we waited one of the girls that worked there walked around selling beer for those waiting outside in the heat. Another worker even came around asking how much brisket we all planned on ordering. Not quite sure why. Maybe to go ahead and crush some of the suckers dreams that got there too late? Once we got to the door, our dreams were crushed.

Just kidding! They were putting the sign up on the door by 11:30 for the newbies joining the line. Apparently they are usually sold out by 1 or 1:30. That is nuts! It took about another 30 minutes before we even ordered our food. While we waited we already talked about how we weren't coming back unless it blew us away. (Waiting 2 hours for food, without even knowing if you'll get any is a little ridiculous.)

Well, it was freaking AMAZING! I think I said yum after every bite of food. See the brisket over there, that one piece that looks all black? That's right, I got an end that is 80% bark, and I could not have been happier.

Because I am such an awesome daughter, sister, and sister-in-law I ordered half a pound of their brisket, sausage, pork ribs, and pulled pork to share with my family tomorrow. (I'm going to Houston and Rebecca, Michael, and Miles are coming into town as well.) After we all took our first bite we looked at each other and said, so what are you doing next Wednesday?

It really does live up to all of the hype! I plan on telling everyone I know that they need to go ASAP. Maybe I should have ordered enough to have to carry it in a box like some of the other patrons did...maybe next time.

keep austin weird

One of my goals after my half marathon was to run 4 runs before the summer was over. I am close to accomplishing that goal! (My mile time has also gone down, another one of my goals.) I've done the Run to the Sun, Bun Run, and this weekend the Keep Austin Weird 5k. (Although I don't think I'll be counting it as one of my four...you'll understand by the end of the post.)

Before the run at 7 pm, in June, in Texas with 100+ degree heat, they have a festival. People dress up, there are bands that play, and there are a lot of vendors selling food, drinks, and things made by locals. Crissy and I went as Hooters girls (Rebecca said our outfits were oxymorons) and Evan, Crissy's husband was Hulk Hogan. Before we left we youtubed different Hulk videos so he could see and practice things to do and say. Evan was planning on staying in character the whole time. As we were walking to the festival we must have been there a little early because we didn't see anyone dressed up and Evan was starting to freak out. All of his fears were quickly gone.

I loved that Crissy was standing outside the port-a-potties with her phone ready to take a picture. That's not weird for the other guys coming out or anything.

Evan was THE hit of the festival! The moment we walked in people started asking to take pictures of him!! We decided to take a tally of all the pictures he was in, and we finally stopped counting when he had taken 30 pictures, and was interviewed for a Dallas radio station (hopefully they will post it soon, and I'll of course share with you), the Austin American Statesman (the link doesn't work anymore), Austin 360, and some news station. The best question the radio guy asked was "Do you always have to flex when you talk?" 

We ran into one of his wrestling rivals! We wanted Evan to pick him up and hold him over his head, but he wouldn't.

See that crowd surrounding him? Each one of them took turns taking pictures with him. 

When the race started, everyone was running like normal. After a water and gatorade station we were all starting to feel the heat and drinks we had had, so we decided to stop running at mile 1. From there on we walked like half of the other "runners." Normally throughout the route you will have water and gatorade stations. This one had that, along with a game stop, 2 photo booths, 2 vodka shot stops, a wine stop, pizza, and Amy's even had a stop where they pass out scoops of ice cream. Walking the last 2 miles was the best idea ever!

They had to have been hot.

Of course we stopped at the photo booth! People kept yelling at the Hulk as they walked or ran by.

It was the most fun, and slowest 5k I think I will ever do! Now back to my real running to get ready for my 4th of July 5k.

the talking club

A few girls and I from work decided that we needed to become for real friends and get together over the summer. Somehow we decided we needed the pretext of watching the Bachelorette to get together. After 3 weeks of putting the show on and talking through it, we finally decided to call it like it was and stop watching the show and just talk. This week everyone came over to my place, and I got a little carried away with the food. I even realized after they left there was more food in the fridge that I forgot about.

Roasted, marinated artichoke hearts from the Barefoot Contessa, and marinated mushrooms from my dad.

Bacon wrapped chicken.

One of the best things about this is that I am trying a bunch of different gluten and dairy free recipes that I've been wanting to make but haven't. So far everything I've made is delicious! Hopefully that luck will continue.

my first turkey

After leaving Shreveport, I went to Dallas to spend the night with my friend Pat. Something must have been in the air because a lot of strange things happened while I was there. We decided to get our nails done, and the ladies who did our nails did an....interesting job. My fingernail polish was uneven and you can see the lines. Also she decided to trim my toenails which I didn't mind. However, she decided to trim some, and not others. She also decided to trim one at an angle making my toe look crooked. As we were paying and getting ready to leave someone started getting their face waxed. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STORE. Obviously I took a picture because I didn't think anyone would believe me.

After that we went and had dinner at a Mexican restaurant. I loved their music, it was a blend of tejano and japanese pan pipes. After that we met her cousin and his wife to go bowling. I love to bowl, and am awful at it. There aren't many games I will play knowing I won't win, just ask my friends. (I can be a little competitive, although it has calmed over the years.) Pat and I decided to try new throws: left handed (I almost fell over), granny roll, spin rolls, and the correct way to bowl. (That last one was mine, I don't have the correct leg forward when bowling.) 

On our last game we noticed a large angry bowling lady. She was throwing her bowling ball like she wanted to kill it, complete with an angry face. Right when Pat's cousin made us aware of her, we watched her bowl and then walk towards her table and throw a drink in her friends face! During this Pat threw a strike and was mad we were more enthralled in the angry bowler throwing a drink in someones face. The girl stormed off and left with her bowing shoes on. 

Somehow that angry bowler changed my game. I had my best game ever because of her! I even got a turkey!! I rarely get one strike, let alone 3, in a row! I usually just barely break 100, and this game I got a 151! Again, I didn't think anyone would believe me so I took a picture.

Apparently lots of drama improves my bowling game. Next time I go bowling I'll make someone throw a drink in someones face that way I'll get another turkey.