Charlie is, apparently, still amped up from going to the Ranger's game last night.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Just another...
Saturday morning at the Allen's. (Pictures and video taken at 8 am).
Charlie is, apparently, still amped up from going to the Ranger's game last night.
Charlie is, apparently, still amped up from going to the Ranger's game last night.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Costa Rica 2011
In August we took our last family trip as a family of 3 to Costa Rica. It was so fun and relaxing and I am so happy that we got to go before The Gill family returns back to the states! First thing first, we got Charlie his very own passport (which was a beating in itself and required many forms to be filled out and re-filled out and many trips to the passport office before making it offically done, but all well worth it!)
Charlie's first airplane ride (since he was 5 mths old, at least) was an OK success. He didn't sleep, but did pretty well watching his movies and not wanting to walk around the plane... there was a lot of moving seats and at one point he acted as if he might throw up, but all-in-all pretty well.
We arrived in San Jose and spent the night at the Gill's fabulous home. Thanks to their hospitality, knowledge of CR and the language, and the use of their cars our trip was made pretty easy! Early Sunday we hit up a local Farmer's Market for all sorts of CHEAP veggies and fruits. The assortment was truly amazing!!
After the Farmer's Market we loaded up and drove the 1.5 hrs. to our destination for the next few days, Los Suenos. It's close to Manuel Antonio (where the Gill's used to live and where Patrick and I visited last time we traveled to CR) but is really a posh resort... perfect for kids. The Gill's had friends of friends who owned the 3 bdrm, 3 bath condo we stayed in for a measly $200 per night. Unbelievable bargain, right??? The best part was the pool:
The not-so-best part was what happened the first day we had gotten there. Myself and Mary Katharine had gone to the grocery store to get groceries for the week while Patrick and Martin where to take the 3 boys, Wilson (4), Miles (3), and Charlie (2) swimming. Somehow or another both Charlie and Wilson where trying to get water from the water fountain at the same time and Charlie ended up falling and hitting the back of his head on the corner of a wooden step. He had a pretty deep gash in the back of his head and it was bleeding pretty profusely. So, after some inspection it was determined that he needed stitches. Seeing as how we were 1.5 hrs. away from the closest hospital, our next best option was basically a Costa Rican Primacare (or doc-in-the-box if you will). The tragic event ended with 3 adults holding Charlie down while he got 2 shots in the head and 3 stitches and who vomited all over himself and momma due to the histerical crying. The doctor was concerned with infection, so we loaded Charlie up with antibacterial spray, infection-fighting antibiotics, and pain pills and where sent off with strict instruction to not let him swim for at least 2 days. (Trip ruined, right?) Well, we decided to get him this "awesome hat" and pool it anyways.
Charlie took to the hat very well and did not complain once that his head hurt due to water. And, because of all of the antibiotics I felt reasonably sure that we could still ward off any infection.
Another perk of traveling with locals is that they know where to dine. We went to a small beach-side restaurant and had the best food for a super reasonable price.
One morning, we loaded up the boys for a quick "monkey hunting" expedition. We didn't find any monkeys (as we were about an hour too late), but did see some amazing views and other wildlife. We also had 2 massage therapists come to the condo for couples massages one afternoon. Again, such a great deal at $35 per massage!! And one night, we took a walk down to the marina and fed the fish as a group. This night, the Gill's were kind enough to watch Charlie so that Patrick and I could have a date-night, which was super lovely!!
A HUGE thank you to the Gill family for all that they did for us on our trip. We seriously couldn't have done half of the things we did without you guys!
Cute pic of Charlie and Patrick
Charlie waking up from a nap with all of his bed-head glory.
The views were amazing!!
As were the iguanas. Huge, I tell ya! Charlie was fascinated.
The beach was just OK, but we still went in the ocean just to say that we did it!
(Please excuse the 6.5 month pregnant lady in the photo below!)
All good things must come to an end! On the last night we were in CR, we left the boys with a sitter so that Patrick and I and the Gill's could have an "adult" night out. It was so fun seeing where they live in San Jose and eating where they eat. It makes me excited to have many more nights out with them when they move back to Dallas in October!
The plane ride back was much better than the leg there. Charlie slept for a good portion of it and watched his movies for another good portion. He was pooped! (And, not to worry- the stitches came out when we got back home and we seemed to have avoided any infections! Thank goodness!) Weird to think that our next family trip with include baby Allen!
Charlie's first airplane ride (since he was 5 mths old, at least) was an OK success. He didn't sleep, but did pretty well watching his movies and not wanting to walk around the plane... there was a lot of moving seats and at one point he acted as if he might throw up, but all-in-all pretty well.
We arrived in San Jose and spent the night at the Gill's fabulous home. Thanks to their hospitality, knowledge of CR and the language, and the use of their cars our trip was made pretty easy! Early Sunday we hit up a local Farmer's Market for all sorts of CHEAP veggies and fruits. The assortment was truly amazing!!
After the Farmer's Market we loaded up and drove the 1.5 hrs. to our destination for the next few days, Los Suenos. It's close to Manuel Antonio (where the Gill's used to live and where Patrick and I visited last time we traveled to CR) but is really a posh resort... perfect for kids. The Gill's had friends of friends who owned the 3 bdrm, 3 bath condo we stayed in for a measly $200 per night. Unbelievable bargain, right??? The best part was the pool:
The not-so-best part was what happened the first day we had gotten there. Myself and Mary Katharine had gone to the grocery store to get groceries for the week while Patrick and Martin where to take the 3 boys, Wilson (4), Miles (3), and Charlie (2) swimming. Somehow or another both Charlie and Wilson where trying to get water from the water fountain at the same time and Charlie ended up falling and hitting the back of his head on the corner of a wooden step. He had a pretty deep gash in the back of his head and it was bleeding pretty profusely. So, after some inspection it was determined that he needed stitches. Seeing as how we were 1.5 hrs. away from the closest hospital, our next best option was basically a Costa Rican Primacare (or doc-in-the-box if you will). The tragic event ended with 3 adults holding Charlie down while he got 2 shots in the head and 3 stitches and who vomited all over himself and momma due to the histerical crying. The doctor was concerned with infection, so we loaded Charlie up with antibacterial spray, infection-fighting antibiotics, and pain pills and where sent off with strict instruction to not let him swim for at least 2 days. (Trip ruined, right?) Well, we decided to get him this "awesome hat" and pool it anyways.
Charlie took to the hat very well and did not complain once that his head hurt due to water. And, because of all of the antibiotics I felt reasonably sure that we could still ward off any infection.
Another perk of traveling with locals is that they know where to dine. We went to a small beach-side restaurant and had the best food for a super reasonable price.
One morning, we loaded up the boys for a quick "monkey hunting" expedition. We didn't find any monkeys (as we were about an hour too late), but did see some amazing views and other wildlife. We also had 2 massage therapists come to the condo for couples massages one afternoon. Again, such a great deal at $35 per massage!! And one night, we took a walk down to the marina and fed the fish as a group. This night, the Gill's were kind enough to watch Charlie so that Patrick and I could have a date-night, which was super lovely!!
A HUGE thank you to the Gill family for all that they did for us on our trip. We seriously couldn't have done half of the things we did without you guys!
Cute pic of Charlie and Patrick
Charlie waking up from a nap with all of his bed-head glory.
The views were amazing!!
As were the iguanas. Huge, I tell ya! Charlie was fascinated.
The beach was just OK, but we still went in the ocean just to say that we did it!
(Please excuse the 6.5 month pregnant lady in the photo below!)
All good things must come to an end! On the last night we were in CR, we left the boys with a sitter so that Patrick and I and the Gill's could have an "adult" night out. It was so fun seeing where they live in San Jose and eating where they eat. It makes me excited to have many more nights out with them when they move back to Dallas in October!
The plane ride back was much better than the leg there. Charlie slept for a good portion of it and watched his movies for another good portion. He was pooped! (And, not to worry- the stitches came out when we got back home and we seemed to have avoided any infections! Thank goodness!) Weird to think that our next family trip with include baby Allen!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Travaasa Hotel and Spa
The weekend that Patrick took off between jobs was spent at beautiful Travaasa Hotel and Spa in the Austin Hill Country. I found it on a whim, really. We had originally thought about spending a weekend in Wimberly or somwhere else to float a river. All we new for sure was that there needed to be water in close proximity to help with the Texas heat. Anyways, we started looking too late and everything was booked. So, for the same price as a B&B in Wimberly with no pool, I stumbled upon this place! It was PERFECT for our little babymoon weekend.
The accomodations were "luxeriously rustic". The resort has 5 Haciendas that each have 8 invidual rooms complete with decks looking over the Hill Country. They also have Casitas to rent out for larger groups. Everything on the resort is off of little trails that you walk to. So, you walk to dinner, to the pool, to the gym, etc. on foot. Here is our little hacienda:
The pool was awesome with views overlooking Lake Travis. Next to the pool is a yoga studio where they have yoga and pilates classes throughout the day. The yoga class was awesome that I took! They also have a spa next to the pool where I had the most amazing prenatal massage.
The price included complimentary breakfast/brunch. All of the food at Travaasa is organic, from local farms or grown on the property, and a lot of it is vegetarian. Patrick and I took a "Juicing Course" from a holistic nutritionist. She made us a fruit smoothie, a veggie smoothie (with apple and dates to sweeten), and a tofu smoothie (tasted similar to a protein shake). The course was very educational about the benifits of juicing and the vitamins you recieve from doing it. We also took a Cooking Class where we learned to make vegan "tacos" whiich were portabella mushroom salad wraps with a raw veggie slaw. Sounds weird, but they were pretty delicious. The brunch was great as well. One day I had Polenta French Toast, which was super good and the least amount of calories on the menu (yes, they list the fat grams in each course). We had dinner there one night, too. They offer a 3 course meal each night that you can pick a salad or soup (I had cold Watermelon and Basil soup), then a main course of meat, fish, or vegan, and then dessert. Super yummy food, if not a little expensive. The first night we were there they also had a "Meet and Greet Wine Happy Hour" with vegan appetizers.
Patrick did a 2 hour Ropes Course which looked like lots of fun and challenging. We also took hikes everyday through hiking trails on the property. In the middle of these trails is a meditation center were they also have yoga. Other things they have that we didn't take advantage of: Equestrian courses, Journaling, Drawing and Work-Out classes in the gym.
On Saturday night we decided to go "off-campus" and eat at "The Oasis" on Lake Travis. We actually ended up eating next door because the line was crazy for Mexican food, but the view was just as beautiful and the food maybe even better!
Thanks to my parents for coming and staying with Charlie for the weekend!! This might have been the first time ever where my parents have just been around Charlie (sans triplets) and I am truly glad they got to get in some quality time with him. And thanks to Patrick parents for keeping Hank... he always has fun there! It was so nice to be able to get away just Patrick and I... we thought back and figured out we haven't done an "alone" trip since our 1st anniversary, which was 4.5 years ago... pretty crazy, huh?
The accomodations were "luxeriously rustic". The resort has 5 Haciendas that each have 8 invidual rooms complete with decks looking over the Hill Country. They also have Casitas to rent out for larger groups. Everything on the resort is off of little trails that you walk to. So, you walk to dinner, to the pool, to the gym, etc. on foot. Here is our little hacienda:
The pool was awesome with views overlooking Lake Travis. Next to the pool is a yoga studio where they have yoga and pilates classes throughout the day. The yoga class was awesome that I took! They also have a spa next to the pool where I had the most amazing prenatal massage.
The price included complimentary breakfast/brunch. All of the food at Travaasa is organic, from local farms or grown on the property, and a lot of it is vegetarian. Patrick and I took a "Juicing Course" from a holistic nutritionist. She made us a fruit smoothie, a veggie smoothie (with apple and dates to sweeten), and a tofu smoothie (tasted similar to a protein shake). The course was very educational about the benifits of juicing and the vitamins you recieve from doing it. We also took a Cooking Class where we learned to make vegan "tacos" whiich were portabella mushroom salad wraps with a raw veggie slaw. Sounds weird, but they were pretty delicious. The brunch was great as well. One day I had Polenta French Toast, which was super good and the least amount of calories on the menu (yes, they list the fat grams in each course). We had dinner there one night, too. They offer a 3 course meal each night that you can pick a salad or soup (I had cold Watermelon and Basil soup), then a main course of meat, fish, or vegan, and then dessert. Super yummy food, if not a little expensive. The first night we were there they also had a "Meet and Greet Wine Happy Hour" with vegan appetizers.
Patrick did a 2 hour Ropes Course which looked like lots of fun and challenging. We also took hikes everyday through hiking trails on the property. In the middle of these trails is a meditation center were they also have yoga. Other things they have that we didn't take advantage of: Equestrian courses, Journaling, Drawing and Work-Out classes in the gym.
On Saturday night we decided to go "off-campus" and eat at "The Oasis" on Lake Travis. We actually ended up eating next door because the line was crazy for Mexican food, but the view was just as beautiful and the food maybe even better!
Thanks to my parents for coming and staying with Charlie for the weekend!! This might have been the first time ever where my parents have just been around Charlie (sans triplets) and I am truly glad they got to get in some quality time with him. And thanks to Patrick parents for keeping Hank... he always has fun there! It was so nice to be able to get away just Patrick and I... we thought back and figured out we haven't done an "alone" trip since our 1st anniversary, which was 4.5 years ago... pretty crazy, huh?
Back to school!
Charlie started a new Mother's Day Out program this week. He is now at Bethany Lutheran CDC for 3 days per week. New school, new teachers, new friends... lots of "newness" for that little man. His teacher's are super sweet and have tons of experience working with kids, which is comforting. But, there have been moments where Charlie has said that he wants to go to his "old" school. I know, little man, I miss it too! But, with mom at home these days the price difference is too huge and the need of a full-time daycare just isn't there. I'm hoping that he makes friends quickly and starts to really enjoy himself!!
What have we been up to?
I know, I know... it's been too long since my last post. I've gotten a number of people telling me it is time to update the blog, so here ya go. The last couple of months have had lots of changes. One of the biggest is that Patrick made the switch from Bank of the Ozarks to Deutsche Bank, which has been an awesome change for the whole family. It's most definitely a better "fit" for him. The other news, in the job world, is that I am now a stay-at-home-mom. I am taking this year off to have this baby and to spend more time with Charlie. The plan is to still see private clients as much as possible, though. As for Charlie, we decided to discontinue his daycare program since I will now be at home, so he has been at home with me for the month of August. He has been keeing me unbelievably busy, so that is my main excuse for not blogging. But, Charlie started Mother's Day Out this week, which has been another change in itself! Updates to come on the trips we have taken and other activities we have been up to!
Monday, July 11, 2011
4th of July
We spent the weekend at Possum Kingdom Lake at our friends, the McCulloch's, lake house.
The Boyd's made the trip also. Meg, baby Charles, and Chris.
Wilson and Miles Gill were the hosts for the weekend.
Charles on the boat.
And Charlie!
The boys had a fun time playing in the rain as well. (Reminded me of my camp days!)
This is also where I found out about this:
We got home early so that we could make the parades around town on Monday. Here we are at the Lake Highlands 4th of July Festival. Charlie always has a good time with his good friends, Rhodes and Drew.
And, at the Splash Park!
Such a fun weekend for everyone!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Our favorite summer spot
We have done A LOT of this:
Here:
This is our new favorite hang-out for the summer. The Kaycee Pool in Lake Highlands. Happens to be right down the street from our house. We've been on the wait-list for 3 years and FINALLY got in this summer. And, the best part is that it has an AWESOME covered babypool for Charlie... he is a big fan. And, it has this fun slide. Charlie can't get enough of it!
Here:
This is our new favorite hang-out for the summer. The Kaycee Pool in Lake Highlands. Happens to be right down the street from our house. We've been on the wait-list for 3 years and FINALLY got in this summer. And, the best part is that it has an AWESOME covered babypool for Charlie... he is a big fan. And, it has this fun slide. Charlie can't get enough of it!
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