Other

So we left Houston yesterday around noon and made our way to Bryan/College Station.

We drove into town, unloaded our car at Honey and Big’s house and then decided to go see Nena. And it was only after we all piled back into Gulley’s car that we realized her battery had decided to stone cold die. As in, her engine couldn’t even attempt to turn over.

Which meant we all got out of her car and into Honey’s car to go see Nena. And Nena was quintessentially herself, complimenting us all on our tans and telling us how great we looked and lamenting about all the old people who just “put puzzles together” at her assisted living home.

After that all we had left in us was a trip to Bahama Buck’s for snow cones.

I highly recommend it.

In fact, I plan to go back tomorrow. With or without the kids.

And then we came home and Big had found us some jumper cables.

Which helped us start Gulley’s car and drive it straight to the repair shop. We are currently waiting to hear about the condition of the battery.

I don’t feel good about its chances.

I’m just forever grateful we didn’t decide to stop for barbecue in Hempstead like we’d planned.

Well. It’s that time of year.

On Sunday Gulley and I loaded up the kids and headed out for our annual summer road trip. It really has become one of the weeks of the summer we look forward to the most and I think the kids do, too.

We usually spend the whole year talking about where we might go and this year we decided to head towards Houston. But our first stop? The ZDT Amusement Park in Seguin, Texas.

For years we’ve seen the billboards for ZDT between San Antonio and Houston but we’d never actually stopped there because I think maybe I pictured like a ball pit and a jungle gym. But eventually curiosity got the best of us and we decided it was a must see destination for Road Trip 2014. And I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint.

For $22 you get an extreme wristband that gives you unlimited access to all twelve attractions and unlimited video games in the arcade.

There were go-karts.

And yes. Gulley and I rode together.

Mainly because the kids didn’t want to ride with us. And also because this is what we do. I drive and she rides.

A little later in the day Caroline got in a little bit of trouble from the go kart operator for bumping into Jackson’s car as they parked but she swears it was due to faulty brakes and not her irritation that he passed her on the track. Either way, I told her it’s the Sicilian in her and can’t be helped. She comes from a long line of aggressive drivers, specifically her Bops.

There were three different water slides that we all rode multiple times until Gulley and I finally had to go sit in some lounge chairs to recover while we watched the kids ride. I’m not kidding when I woke up with a sore back at 2:00 a.m. last night and knew it was due to the Viper’s Tail slide. Some things aren’t as resilient at 42, namely your spine.

And then we made our way into the arcade to take advantage of the free video games.

I may or may not have gotten sucked into a round of Centipede. And also Ms. Pacman.

You can take the girl out of the Atari but you can’t take the Atari out of the girl.

Meanwhile, Caroline was busy with this.

All I know is it looks a lot more high-tech than Ms. Pacman.

Eventually we decided it was time to get in the car and head to Houston. We had plans to meet Mimi and Bops and Gulley’s dad, Bob Bob, for dinner at Collina’s. But dinner began to look like just a dream as we sat in bumper to bumper traffic for the next three hours. I had no idea that so many people would be trying to make their way to Houston at 5:00 on Sunday evening.

But we made it and had a great dinner and then went back to our respective family’s houses to get a good night’s sleep because we knew we were going to spend Monday in Galveston.

That’s right. Galveston. The beach of our childhood.

Gulley and I both grew up going to Galveston, but our kids have only known Port Aransas as their primary Texas beach experience. We felt like they were missing out on an important cultural experience.

And then our dads decided to join us for the trip which made it even better. Three generations enjoying not necessarily the finest beach Texas has to offer.

I should also mention that we stopped to pick up a bucket of chicken to take with us.

I believe the phrase you’re looking for is “casual elegance”.

Just some kids eating lukewarm chicken on a beach in July. Mixed with a little sand. Or as I like to call it “fiber”.

It was a really fun day and seemed a little bit like one of those full-circle moments. My dad took my sister and I to Stewart Beach so many times when we were kids and those are some of my favorite childhood memories. We’d make him drag us out on a rental raft until the water was up to his neck and then come in and eat Fritos and bean dip under an umbrella while we used baby oil to get the tar off our legs because this was the 1970’s and EPA regulations weren’t really a thing yet. And it was surreal to think that here we were all these years later with my daughter.

Of course none of us got in water up to our neck yesterday because JAWS.

But the kids thoroughly enjoyed it and caught more than their share of hermit crabs.

And got to eat snow cones and ride the big inflatable slide.

I don’t really know what else you could ask for.

Unless it’s that none of us get salmonella from the lukewarm chicken that sat in a bucket on the beach the better part of the afternoon.

The heat has finally gotten to me this week. And it’s not so much the heat as it is the humidity.

Yet in spite of the fact that I am currently living with temps that make me want to pack myself in ice and have possibly caused third degree burns on the backs of my legs every time I get back in my hot car with the black seats, I am drawn to fall clothes at the moment.

Maybe it’s because there are some great deals right now.

Maybe it’s because fall clothes are so much cuter than summer clothes.

Maybe it’s because I have seasonal depression and am dreaming of the first cold front in late October.

Whatever the case, here are some things I love this week:

1. steve madden leather boots

I love these boots. I love the color. I love the heel. I love that they look like something Farrah Fawcett might have worn on Charlie’s Angels.

Plus they’re on sale right now.

2. flower crown tank

I’ve had my eye on this top all summer long and it’s finally on sale. I realize that it’s technically not a fall piece of clothing, except that it totally is when you live in Texas.

3. los lunas embroidered blouse

I can totally picture this with jeans and boots. Great colors.

4. expandable zip tote

Um. So this tote would go beautifully with those Steve Madden boots and it’s on sale right now for just $35.90. Which means you can totally buy the boots with the money you’re saving on this tote.

That’s called fashion math.

5. north face glacier quarter zip pullover

I bought my first North Face fleece last year and wore it (this is no exaggeration) about six times a week. It is the softest thing ever and is super warm but still lightweight. Right now they’re on sale for $39.90 but go up to $55 after the sale. For size reference I wear a medium because I like it to fit a little looser than it does on the model.

And now I’m also tempted to get one of these osito 2 jackets because of all the cold Saturday mornings that find me at the soccer fields. It’s normally $99 but on sale for $73.90 until August 4.

6. olivia moon ruched sleeve jacket

This blazer is really cute and has good reviews. It’s $52.90 but $79 after the sale and comes in a lot of different colors.

7. j.crew quilt puffer vest

Last year I really wanted a navy puffer vest. But I was stubborn and refused to pay full price. I figured I’d wait until the weather got cold and then buy one on sale. You know what happened? They were all gone. ALL GONE.

Please let this serve as a cautionary tale. Do not repeat my mistake.

This darling puffer is on sale for $68.50 and comes in several great colors. Now I’m rethinking the navy and leaning towards the cranberry.

8. kut from the cloth natalie bootcut jeans

Last fall (this seems to be a trend) I tried on a pair of Kut from the Kloth jeans at Nordstrom and loved them. But I passed them up because I didn’t really need another pair of bootcut jeans. However, I’ve thought about them ever since because they fit so well.

These are on sale for $59.90, but are normally $89.50.

9. topoxte dropwaist tunic

This is another thing I’ve had my eye on. Love the bright colors.

10. target layering tank

I discovered these tanks at Target earlier this summer and have since gone back and bought about five more. They are a great length, not too thick, layer beautifully and wash and dry without shrinking. Even better, they’re only $12.

That’s it for today.

Have a good Friday.

Perhaps a few of you have been wondering what the puppies have been up to this summer.

I’ll tell you.

No good.

Here’s Piper.

Her hobbies include jumping vertically outside the kitchen windows in the morning to make sure I remember she exists while I try to enjoy my morning coffee, barking incessantly at anything that even dares to move in the vicinity of our backyard, and getting stuck under Caroline’s bed and whining until I pull her out.

She is also a big fan of Scout who we now refer to as Grandpa.

Every morning she greets him as if she’s never seen him before and runs around him in circles while he tries to maintain some dignity as he goes to the bathroom. It kind of reminds me of when Caroline was a toddler. I feel Scout’s pain.

And here’s Mabel.

She enjoys never posing for a picture, chewing incessantly on various cow hooves, growling at anyone who looks at her wrong and dragging you down the block when you take her for a walk.

The other day Piper ran into Caroline’s playroom when the door was open and came out with a ball of yarn she proceeded to destroy. And I felt like Mabel got a little judgmental and self-righteous about it.

Ball of yarn from Big Mama on Vimeo.

But pride goes before a fall because yesterday the tile for Caroline’s bathroom was delivered and P and I made the mistake of thinking we could stack the boxes on the back porch only to discover Mabel had other plans.

Mabel tried to play possum and look all innocent, but she was laying on a piece of cardboard that gave her away. Of course any of us would be exhausted after ripping three cardboard boxes to shreds in addition to gnawing away the wood frame of the back door and leaving muddy paw prints as an homage to the giant hole you dug in the yard earlier.

That’s right. I’m talking about you, sister.

It’s a good thing they look so cute when they curl up and sleep next to each other.

Consider this your public service announcement in case you’re considering adding a new puppy to your family.

A while back someone asked in the comments about the music I like to listen to while I write. And I thought that was a great question and was a perfect thing to write about and then I saw something shiny and forgot all about it.

But then I spent some time writing and listening to music last week and it reminded me that I’d never answered the question. That, combined with the fact that it would be next to impossible to write anything interesting about my day today, led me to decide this was a great time to share my musical selections with you in case you’re interested.

Now, I need to clarify a few things. This is only what I listen to when I’m doing serious, focused writing at Starbucks or somewhere other than sitting on my couch at night. At night I’m usually listening to the sound of a hunter whispering about a deer he just shot or a safety expert talking about the importance of a home defense system. Also, by serious, focused writing I mean writing an entire paragraph before I check Twitter or Facebook or play another round of Candy Crush.

My playlist tends to change a little depending on my mood, but I usually like something low-key with good lyrics. When I wrote Sparkly Green Earrings I listened to almost nothing but Andrew Peterson, Dave Barnes, Ben Rector, and Christy Nockels. And while I was writing The Antelope in the Living Room, I listened to a lot of The Civil Wars and Mumford and Sons.

Right now I’m working on a third book that’s supposed to come out in April 2015 assuming I actually get it written. This is what I’ve been listening to the most this time around:

1. Crowder – Neon Steeple

2. All Sons & Daughters – Live

3. Need to Breathe – Rivers in the Wasteland

4. Ellie Holcomb – With You Now

5. John Mayer – Born and Raised and Paradise Valley

6. The Oh Hellos – Through the Deep, Dark Valley

7. Andrew Peterson – Counting Stars

8. Ben Rector – The Walking in Between

9. Lady Antebellum – Golden

10. Ben Howard – Every Kingdom

Here’s another important component of this list. Some may call it a quirk. I have to listen to all my music on Shuffle. It completely throws me off if I can predict what song is coming next.

But I do love having certain music I listen to while writing a book. It’s like those songs become old friends by the time it’s all said and done and the lyrics inspire me as I try to put my own words down on paper.

In between playing Candy Crush.

And checking Instagram.

It has been quite the eventful week around here. In fact, I’ve spent the last ten minutes staring at a blinking cursor just trying to figure out where to begin. So I’ll start at the beginning which always makes sense.

I was born in 1971 in Houston, Texas.

That may be too far back.

Okay. So last Wednesday we drove to College Station to drop Caroline off at Aggie Soccer Camp. I wish I’d thought to take a picture of her suitcase after I finished packing it because I must confess to feeling an inordinate amount of pride over the sheer organization of it all.

P and I got her all settled in her dorm room and then we made the drive back to San Antonio and met some friends for Italian food later that night. It was like we were newlyweds again with our throw caution to the wind attitude about eating dinner after 8:00 at night.

And then the next day I tried to get some writing done while P began to demolish Caroline’s bathroom. You know what there’s a lot of in a bathroom? Tile. You know what’s not quiet and soothing? The sound of tile being shattered with a hammer.

This is what it looked like closer to the beginning of the process.

I need to have a moment of silence for that black and white toile wallpaper. I have always loved it so much, but Caroline has declared it looks “like a bunch of old ladies on a farm” and so it’s going. Along with the old plumbing that doesn’t really work anymore thanks to years of hard water building up in the pipes.

Along the way P discovered this layer of delightful wallpaper hidden underneath several decades of renovations and updates.

All of a sudden that toile isn’t looking so bad.

I’m assuming this decor decision is circa 1950’s because when else have people believed that nothing would quite add to the ambience of a bathroom like a sea life theme on a pink background?

By Friday morning I realized I wasn’t going to be able to get much writing done in the midst of all the noise and so I headed to Starbucks to write while P continued to strip the bathroom down to the bare bones. Later that evening all that remained were a few pipes, the wood walls, the sub-floor and a light fixture. P and I mapped out the room and figured out exactly where everything was going to go. We ultimately decided to keep the existing toilet instead of getting a new one which meant that P had to go pull it out of the trailer full of stuff he was taking to the dump. If I have one regret in life it’s that I didn’t get a picture of P hosing down the toilet in our backyard to clean it up.

Can you imagine what the people driving by must have thought? What havoc hath been wrought on a toilet that has to be taken out to the backyard and hosed down?

On Saturday we drove back to College Station since we had to be back at soccer camp on Sunday morning at 8:30 to watch Caroline play in a few scrimmages and for closing ceremonies. But it worked out because we got to go out for dinner with one of my dearest friends from college and her husband.

And then we spent the night at Honey and Big’s house which was so fun because Gulley and her boys were there too. They’d actually been there all week but I didn’t dare let Caroline know because camp was already not her favorite and that would have been the final blow.

We showed up bright and early on Sunday morning to get our girl and watch her play a little soccer.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Camp wasn’t a great experience. And I don’t think it really had anything to do with the camp. It was really her first time to be away from home and she wasn’t a fan. But sometimes that’s just how things go. I just want to be real about it because maybe there are some of you whose kids feel the same way and you might be like me and wonder why it seems like according to Facebook that everyone else’s kids love and adore camp and count down the days until they can go again next summer while your kid begs you to come pick them up early.

But hopefully we’ve learned a little something from the whole experience and we can mark it all down as growing pains and the important thing is she stuck it out and made it to the finish line. It’s just been bizarre that one of my hardest weeks as a mom has come during a week when my child wasn’t even with me.

And it’s shed new light on the old phrase “not a happy camper”.