Houston Love!

This past week served as a reminder of why I love living in Houston!

Wednesday we went to Carrie Underwood and Billy Currington with my brother and his girlfriend.  It was wonderful, and made me love Billy Currington even more than ever.  So, with this our 'country western' side got some love.  Then Friday we took my dad to see Shakira, and he absolutely loved it which was the most important thing!  Right there we got to please a family member and get in touch with our Spanish music-belly dancing-concert side.

Saturday we hit up some festivals!  Beautiful October weather made being outside completely fabulous and we had a blast.  We went to the Bayou City Art Fest, and it was amazing!  So many incredible artists from all over with genuine talent and vision.  We came home with a couple of things, but our favorite was a print for our formal dining room (whenever we actually get around to furnishing and decorating it!).  It will perfectly tie in the colors of the room, and I just love it!

Afterward, we went to a brand new restaurant called Jus' Mac.  It is in The Heights, close to where I work, and I have been anxiously awaiting their opening.  They only serve Mac and Cheese, but they do it all up in fun, fancy ways.  It was amazingly good, comfort food to the extreme, and we will definitely be repeat customers!  I mean they have fresh Gerber Daisies on each table, what is not to love!

We then hit up Greek Fest with some friends.  Awesome food, friends, and finds.  We got this great lantern for the mantle...pictures to come.  Then we will all went to do some hookah, and wrapped up our night with good company and good laughs.  So, in one day we were able to be cultured-artistic-foodie-shopping fools!

The best part comes today.  Living in Houston means I am close to my family, and today we are all headed to my brother's for burgers and family time.  We will end our evening at a Dynamo game which will allow us to get in touch with our sporty sides too.  It has been a successful week, and our love for Houston is ever growing!

Catch Up!

Just merely living life has been exhausting lately and has been the cause for my lack of posting.  However, I have survived my first six weeks as a teacher at a public school!  I must admit that while it has been amazing it has left me questioning my career choice.  Teaching is by far one of the most exhausting jobs ever!  It doesn't help when you have 150 short stories to grade, and it turns out that my kids spell like the Chick-fil-a Cows. 

Moving onto other things...

My cousin's Quince was a couple of weeks ago, and we had our own fun while the birthday girl partied with her friends!

This week is concert filled, which is going to be fabulous and terribly exhausting!  Wednesday we are going to see Carrie Underwood and Billy Currington with my brother and his girlfriend.  Then, Friday we are going to see Shakira with my parents.  My dad loves her, so Nick and I got him tickets for Father's Day.  He is so excited!

Also, the weather is completely wonderful, and I can't wait for it to be colder!  I absolutely love fall and winter clothes!!

Exhausted!

Let me just preface this with the statement, my new job is completely exhausting!  It has been a crazy first two weeks at my school, and has included going from seven periods to eight, changing homerooms, adding and losing kids, and all kinds of schedule issues.  Public school is so much more work than private school!!

Anyway, there have been lots of things going on other than school/work since my last post.  So, here begins the pictures and descriptions of what we have been doing!

Nick was chosen season ticket holder of the match at the last Dynamo home game.  He got to lead the teams onto the field, we got to stand with the players before the game started, and we went onto the field during half time.  Very cool and definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

My fabulous in-laws sent me the most amazing care package to start the school year off.  It was full of wonderful teaching/office/school supplies.  Plus, who doesn't love to get a big box in the mail!

We partied with the Mexican side!  My mom's aunt and uncle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, and as many may know Mexicans know how to throw a party!  We had a blast, and everyone was there.  My nephew did question my mom's true Mexican-ness though...he asked, "Ama, (Spanish word for grandma) you don't talk like brown people so you must not really be a brown a person!"  It was hilarious, and he has a point, my mom never really speaks Spanish in front of him or to him.  The best part of the night was when my mom's cousin Henry, who we all love, gave my dad a hat!  My dad said he liked Henry's hat, so Henry said he could have it because he had another one in his car...pure awesomeness!  So, below is my dad with cousin Henry and their hats!  Henry then walked around the party, pointing at my dad, and telling everyone he had a white cousin!

Eric and Selina showing off their moves!  We really had a great time, and it was nice to be surrounded by family.

I am so thrilled that tomorrow is Friday and that I have a three day weekend in store.  Plus, I have pretty much the best mentor teacher ever this year, and she is buying me lunch!  I will try to post more frequently, but I make no promises, seeing how exhausting teaching at the largest middle school in Houston ISD is!

Sweet Surprises

This weekend I went on a lovely date with my fabulous husband!  We decided to hit up The Heights first since that is where I will be working and spending a lot of time.  Our first destination was the Art Car Museum...we lived in Houston about 5 mins away and this was our first trip there.

We also found this super charming place called Dessert Shoppe on 19th in The Heights, and it was incredible.  They had all kinds of yummy, caloric fabulousness, but Nick and I decided on cupcakes.  It was an amazing choice, but I bet everything there is wonderful.

We also saw Dinner For Schmucks, which was hilarious.  I love Paul Rudd and Steve Carell, and the movie really was excellent...as my brother put it, "it is a comedy that actually has a really good plot"!

Dinner was interesting, to say the least.  We decided to try Tokyohana only to find that it had some sweet surprises and some disappointments as well.  To begin, I have never been to a restaurant where a magician walks around.  I am being very serious, there was a magician who walked to each table doing card tricks.  I haven't quite decided if it was off-beat and fun or just odd and a little disturbing.  Anyway, food was ok, the portions were huge, as was the price, and it is the only hibachi restaurant I have ever been to that makes you pay extra for the soup and salad.  It wasn't a bad experience, just not as good as we would have liked.

We had a very successful date, did lots of exploring in The Heights, and enjoyed a day where it was just the two of us!  On a completely different note, yesterday was of course Sno-Cone Sunday, and my brother joined us and spent the evening with us.  He has since decided that he will always join in on Sno-Cone Sunday and Selina, his girlfriend can't wait to come next weekend!  Weekend was amazing, and unfortunately my summer is officially over and it is back to work for me...

Ninja!

My nephews informed me of this game that, apparently, all the kids are playing called Ninja.  It is kinda like fighting, but you only get to move once and then have to freeze while the other person moves.  Confusing, I know!  However, Tripp got Nick to play with him and it was hilarious.

It took some convincing for me to believe this was a real game and not one my brother made up and taught his kids...it wouldn't be the first time!  My brother created the "Trip Game" to play with his kids...without using hands you try and trip one another, and obviously if you get tripped and fall you lose.  It is important to remember that my brother is 33 and his kids are 6 and 9, so he doesn't exactly lose at this game.  The Ninja game is real though, before school was out my 6th and 7th graders wanted to play it in P.E.  The things I learn from being an aunt and a teacher are rather amazing!

DOUBLE Date Night!

I know, I know!  I have been quite the blogger slacker lately, life has been hectic!

Last weekend, though, Nick and I double dated with two of our most favorite people...Eric and Selina!  We did some bowling, made chocolate covered strawberries, baked some cookies, and just hung out at our house.  We always have fun with them, and this was no exception!

It is not bowling without the butt shot!

The strawberries were amazing! 

Stay tuned, the next double date will be at a drive-in!  We can't wait to go see movies at the drive-in, and kick it old school with glass bottle Dr. Peppers and fun candy!
Plus, this weekend, Nick and I are doing Austin.  Can't wait to be done with this week, and this trip will make everything better!  AND...tomorrow is field day so I will truly get to end the week in the best way!

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!

Today my little brother, Eric, turns 20!  I love this kid...it is a love that has grown since we both left home.  We were totally the bickering siblings that thought they hated one another, but now we enjoy our time together and would be there for each other in a heart beat!

I adore my brother!  He is growing up to be an awesome man.  I love that he and Nick have become like brothers and are super close.  This picture definitely shows their personalities...they knew I was taking a picture of their backs so they planned 'the turn and pose' just as I snapped this shot. (Sorry it is so small, I took it off of Face Book)

Eric has met a wonderful girl named Selina, and I hope nothing but the best for them!

Happy Birthday, Eric!  Love you!