Red Barn Nursery

I'd been seeing this charming nursery off the highway close to our home for a while now and had been meaning to go. We finally got around to it and were totally delighted! Firstly it is HUGE!!!! This picture is maybe a fourth of the whole space? All the plants were happy and healthy and the selection was great. What a pretty place to even just go and take a walk with your family- plus you can give a good home to some gorgeous little planties too if you like.

I had fun putting Max up on the big tables to check out the fleurs- he was pretty gentle actually- so that was nice.

There was this gorgeous hanging wandering jew- this has got to be one of my all time favorite plants- there are so many lovely varieties.

Max had grand fun when we got to the shrub area- he kept grabbing the pots and trying to run off with them. This first one that he's holding is a type of Nandina, (I don't know how to pronounce that i) but I'm glad to know the name because I want some of these for our front yard. They are evergreen, fine in sun or shade and they have every color of fall foliage in one bush all at the same time! They are just amazing.

He was also pretty jazzed about this hose on the ground.

Still in productive-sunshiney-day-happy-plant-mode I saw this lovely tree on our way home and had Jack stop so I could get a quick picture. I've heard many names for trees like this one and I just adore them. SO pretty!

We got home with our new little plant friends and set to work getting them into some larger containers - Max was very excited about playing with our collected rainwater.

We got a purple variety of sage, some sweet basil (yum!), catnip and a sweet 100 tomato plant. Very excited about all of these. There were so many different kinds of herbs there. I'm particularly interested in the lemon basil and the CINNAMON basil!!! Both smelled divine. They have some really nice mint variations as well. I have never had an herb garden and have always wanted one. I'm really hoping that it does well. Advice welcome!

Balloons at dawn

Max pretty regularly wakes up around 5:20 these days. Generally this is the time when I take him to bed with me for his morning meal and sneak in a little nap time for me. But since I found out that there was going to be a balloon launch at dawn on a Saturday I figured it was an opportunity not to be missed. It's an annual event and you can find out more at centraltexasballooning.com. I found out about it from a free calendar of Austin events that my sister got in her Greenling delivery and let me have.
Anywho- we woke up at 5 and got ready before Max was awake- he woke up a little earlier than normal since we were bustling around the house a bit. Then he had a little "snack" and we loaded him up and were on our way! It was very exciting and we got there early enough for a great parking spot and chatted with some other parents of a little one.
As it got brighter outside things happened pretty quickly. The different balloon teams strung their swathes of nylon through the field and the flames started going. I kept thinking someone was going to tell us we would have to go back across the road and get out of the way but everyone seemed cool with people just milling around, watching and taking pictures, it was really neat to be right in the middle of it all.

Max jumped once from the pop of flames but other than that was pretty chill and watched everything. I was glad that we could be so close because it made it easier for him to experience it.

Watching the balloons ripple and blow up was really cool- they seemed so delicate and fragile to be carrying all that weight. This is an annual event and I think it will become one for our little family as well- because free awesomeness along with a learning experience can't be beat.

I'm in love with this photo of Max- it's my new favorite. His little ever-so-slightly-raised eyebrow slays me and really makes the picture in my opinion. I also think that this face makes him look more like Jack than usual. Anywho- a good time was had by all (my parents hauled their cookies out of bed to meet us at the dam) and it definitely warrants a repeat performance. I think getting the kids up at dawn occasionally to see/do something cool is really important.

Highlights

Okay- so I haven't posted in a long time because I've been continuously trying to load the same damn picture from Father's Day over and over again in an attempt to write a post about it. Sadly my computer is randomly cranky about uploading photos- I think it has to do with the connection- but I just got wireless so I don't know what else I can do. Anywho- in light of the picture disaster and all the stuff that's happened since I am going to just do a highlight reel type post- some of you are probably relieved. :) If some of the photos are wonky- so be it.

Father's Day- really nice wake-up in bed with 3 bears after Max and I do side by side feeding- Jack gets to play with Max in his adorable new jammies.

Jack requests pancakes, eggs and sausage for breakfast- it's really yummy. The pancakes are not from scratch- they are in a spray can like whipped cream- but they're organic and tasty and pretty convenient.

We pack up and go to my family reunion- which is really our Father's Day gift to our Dad- to have his girls with their babies in such a special place on such a special day. We also got him a yoga gift certificate.

While we're up there we get a cool pic with the other twins in our family tree (or at least the closest ones) Burt and Clay. Burt is now the proud father of three gorgeous little girls- one of which is being held here by her uncle Clay. Both of those girls are 2 months older than Max. My question is, are all boys a bit bigger or is Max individually huge?

The next day we got Thor professionally groomed- he had basically never done this before. We took him to a Grandmom and Grandpop operation in San Marcos, but she requested that Jack stay and help her with our overly large cocker spaniel and it was just not the same as an anonymous professional place without Mommy or Daddy there. It didn't go well and so for the next 6 years or so Jack and I always groomed him at home with some clippers we bought and scissors and stuff. It was quite the production and we never did a very good job because Thor was not particularily co-operative. So, you can imagine our surprise and delight to have the groomer at Petsmart declare Thor "one of the best cockers [she's] ever groomed." Yippee!!! I don't have to forcibly groom an unwilling dog anymore! We also discovered that A. Thor really likes those cow hoof chewies and B. He's fatter than we thought he was under all that hair.

Max turned 4 months old! He sleeps between 11 and 12 hours every night by himself and he has just recently started rolling over completely- he still sometimes gets stuck for awhile and frustrated but he generally works it out. He also likes to stand for a long time if you hold his hands for balance. His favorite games are peek-a-boo and when we pretend to eat him.

I amuse myself slightly at Max's expense when I discover that he'll leave this horse on his forehead for quite awhile- I have a million pictures- but this is one of the best.

I also amuse myself with his adorable little hat that Selah gave him because it goes with the outfit that is extra wide and does not fit her lean baby. While making fascinators, I stick a stray leaf on top for a little green apple effect- so cute. :)

Mine and Selah's 31st Birthday! We have in the past thrown many and huge themed get-together but with babies we take it easy and go to our Parent's house where Mum is making us dinner. I really cherish showers now that I'm a mama and I have this nice robe from my mother in law and these turbie twists for my hair and I feel so fancy like I'm in a salon in the 40's when I wear the matched set. I feel like Esther Williams.

We put Max-o in a little outfit that Grandma Cat bought him and sadly I think we waited too long as it is really difficult to get him in and out of and is a bit snug on his chubby legs.

But at least we get a few pics of it....

Before he lets us know that he would prefer nuditity for a little while. Yay Naked-Time! He gets this every day- usually in his diaper so he doesn't pee on us. Dicey likes to touch his head- it's very sweet- she seems fascinated by him- he hasn't particularily noticed her yet but if you lay them next to each other they'll sometimes hold hands like that video of the otters a while back.

This is my Dad's hand- not Jack's- Max tends to make funny faces when you squish his cheeks.

So, Father's Day=Good, Birthday=Good- I will try to do more frequent postings and ignore the occasional janky photo so I don't get so behind again.

Visit with "Aunt" Kake and "Uncle" Leaf

It was Max's first car trip lasting longer than 30 minutes and he did rather well I'd say. I did end up crawling in the back and hugging the car seat so I could breastfeed while he was strapped in- but it was more preventative than out of desperation or anything- He napped some both ways and I didn't feel like I had to be in the backseat the whole drive or anything- so I view it as a success.

It was crazy to see how much San Marcos has changed since Jack and I were roaming the streets. Rivendell is no more *tear* and Paper Bear is downsizing! I never thought I'd see that day- I hope it is not a harbinger of things to come- those were/are two of my very favorite things about San Marcos. I was able to stop at Paper Bear and get a magnificent sunhat and a couple more charms that I'd been wanting for my bracelet- they are hard to find these days!

The endangered wild grass that grows in the river is now so prolific in one spot it's basically an island and yet people are still tubing around it. Maybe it's only me that has a paralyzing fear of underwater plant life.....

Anywho- I digress.

It's always lovely to visit these folks- I've known Kaite since 1993? (correct me if I'm wrong sweetie) and even though we have lived far away from each other a lot of that time every time I visit it's the same old friend dynamic no matter how much time has passed. I really treasure that.

We had a nice time catching up and playing show and tell- there's always so much to see and taste and admire at their home. Max had a great time- meeting new people and animals- he was very well-behaved if I do say so myself- he even took a regular length nap in our little foldable travel "bed" in one of their bedrooms- yippee! It's always a gamble as to where, when, if and for how long your baby will be able to sleep.

As always- the food was delicious- Jack and I are now big fans of grilled pattipan squash and will be making some as soon as we see it for sale at our HEB.

Pippi discovered the joys of licking baby feet and Max's feet were the main attraction any time they were within reach- it was pretty funny- he didn't seem to mind one bit.

I got to see all of Kaite's current "house" chickens- (they have more on some land nearby) and they were delightful as always- I love Saffron so much and the two ladies (Helga and Ursula) I'd not previously met were glorious.
I would love to post more pictures as I have a ton but it has been a really long time since my last post and I'm having picture uploading woes. I just got wireless internet- I don't know why this is happening. Poo.

In closing- I got to bring home 2 good sized boxes of eggs from Kaite's chickens! She was delighted that they were not taking up room in her fridge anymore (she had been stockpiling them- I guess for me?) but she has no idea how thrilled I am to get them. A bunch of them had been in there for quite some time and so I'm in the process of blowing them out- I'm keeping count so I know how many she gave me and how many get lost in the process. If anyone knows anything about letting eggs dry out inside their shells let me know!

Yay eggs! Homegrown ones always dye better than the lame store ones- their shells are so thin and inconsistent. I'm really looking forward to making a bunch more pysanky with these. :)

These are all the extra special eggs that were in the mix- oh the interesting details we are spared from by our homogenized grocery store society....

Max admires Helga (I think). It's always so fun to walk through a yard with chickens milling around- they're so much less menacing then geese.

Max met Paul for the first time and seemed reasonably unfazed by his boisterousness- which is good- but then Max is generally unfazed. It was great to see Paul and I was glad to have him meet the little guy.

This is Max looking super adorable on Kaite's beautimous fabrics/quilts with his own little gingham number thrown in the mix- he was being fascinated and charmed by Kaite when this photo was taken- she's the best Faerie Godmother a kid could ever ask for. So, a wondrous time was had by all (at least the members of my little family) and as always it was like a little visit to some amalgamation of a faerie palace, a petting zoo, Little House on the Prairie, some kind of fantastical factory and a tattoo shop. Thanks for having us! We hope to be back soon and often :)