Feathers in Hook’s Cap

Who knew that Captain Hook was a Jack of All Trades?

Veterinarian?

Gourmet Grocery Shopper?

Trick-or-Treater?

Ladies Man?

Must be the mustache…

Or the venerable side-kick?

Back to our Texas Roots

You know a road-trip is going to be fantastic when you see this sunrise with a Pumpkin Spice Latte in your hand:

San Antonio is where Gus and I started our marriage almost 7 years ago and it will always hold a special place in our hearts. We both got a little emotional when we got our first glimpse of the Riverwalk; it’s such a magical and romantic place where we have so many memories, and most of them include this gal:

Not only did we get to spend some time with my Texas Bestie, but we also got to grab a bite in one of my favorite cities, Austin, with one of my high school besties:

The boys were all over her and I took a few cute pics and ate my whole bison burger (ridics), totally forgetting that she might want to eat too…

Added bonus: catching up with my old co-workers and the second generation of our little trio:

The 3 hour roadtrip home was utter perfection: Ace fell asleep before I put the car in drive and Bo just a few minutes later. I listened to Anna Karenina on my iPhone and learned that I was just a tired as Ace. Sunflower seeds, anyone?

California Love

Nana is here and the hugs and kisses are flowing as much as the tears. I wasn’t at the airport, but Gus said it was quite a reunion.

These two truly have a special bond.

We took Nana to the “Zoo Boo” event at the Zoo and we Treated..

Patched…

Boogied to “Thriller”

and Created…

Added bonus:  Ace kept us laughing all day…

And then Poppa showed up and kept Acers laughing all morning…

Though the visit was short and sweet, it meant so much to all of us!!! We can’t wait for their next visit at Christmas.

Halloween Hunting

I really fell in love with our new Texas neighborhood when we decided to move to West U, and during this Halloween season, I absolutely love it even more. We have started a new Holiday tradition and it might be the best one yet….

2 enthusiastic hunters + 2 anything-to-get-out-of-the-house parents + double stroller + neighbors with lots of Halloween spirit = Halloween Hunting!

Everyday and almost every evening, we got out and about and hunted for ghosts, ghouls, pumpkins, witches, “banbers” (we found out later he meant “vampires”), skeletons, and all sorts of “spooky things.” Bo truly got over his MAJOR fear of scary Halloween decorations. The “banber” (vampire) that peeks out of his coffin just a few blocks from our house was the HUGE obstacle that after a few weeks of “hunting” was overcome. How? Bribery, of course: I told him I would give him ice cream if he touched it. We were triumphant.

The fan favorite was far and above the “pumpkin house!”

Emergen-C

Is anything more frustrating as a parent than finally scheduling your kiddo’s checkups in their new city with new Drs, and within two days after the appt. your house turns into the sick ward….

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3 – thought he was better, so he wanted to get dressed and then he face-planted on the couch.

Day 4 – A dramatic morning begins in the ER!

All is well now, and he didn’t end up having an appendicitis like we thought, just a TERRIBLY violent case of the stomach flu. Poor lil’ man was a trooper. Can someone please send the Argenal’s some immunity to all these Houston bugs?! Or at least some Emergen-C that actually works. I never ever EVER want to see my Bobo that sick again. : (

Chalk it Up

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have reached a new milestone…

Instead of eating the chalk, we’ve graduated to body art.

Precious Pepperoni Minutes

When there are few minutes to play, every parent knows it’s always worth it.

So the cell phone went into the pocket and they built some mini-pizzas with the few minutes that Dad had before he had to go back to work.

Not only was Bo incredibly happy to get a few special minutes with Dad, but I was ecstatic for 2 reasons: I got to snap some cute pics of this sweet moment, but more importantly, someone else made dinner. : )

Downtown Houston

We took a quick Sunday trip to downtown and popped in the aquarium. It was small and quick, but probably a perfect length for our newest walker.

Polka-dot sting-ray? Cool enough to get a blog shout-out.

The also have a Moray Eel at the Zoo and Bo LOVES watching it swim. “Spooky but COOL green guy.”

For the big finale? A white tiger who performs.

The up close and personal tigress was little too much for big brother to handle. Now Ace on the other hand was ready to bust through the glass!

Downtown is less than 10 minutes away. Still loving our new city with so much to offer for our little adventurous fam.

Halloween Madness Begins...

Just a few days shy of October, I let the inner Halloween maniac that sleeps within my child, out to roam the streets of West U. He began by ripping through our box of décor and stringing items all over the house.

First we decorated…

Second we cooked…

And finally, we ate…

Who knew that cookie cutters could be used for so many foods? If you have a picky eater (understatement for Bo), try some holiday shapes. It WORKS wonders.

To cap off our Halloween mania today, we also got our first Halloween package in the mail from Grandma. Oh, to be 3 again and get so much joy out of a package with your name on it.

Guess who came out of the Grandma box:

Jack Sparrow and R2D2 still had enthusiasm to pose on the front porch after all that EXHAUSTING work of eating frosted brownie cupcakes and opening gifts.

And no, Bo did not break his right foot as the pic clearly suggests.