Old vs. New

Every time I return home, I am astounded by just how much and how fast the city is growing. New homes, schools, shopping centers, roads and highways now reside in places where I never thought it was possible. While all this change infiltrates the nooks and crannies of San Antonio and its outskirts, I am relieved knowing one little spot close to the heart of the city has managed to stay put. Recently, Braedan and I visited the historic Kiddie Park, an amusement park with rides that are the just the perfect size for toddlers and kids. I use the word historic to describe it because it's been around since 1925, and if you were born and raised in San Antonio visiting the park is almost like a family tradition because chances are your parents frequented the park during their day as well. For those of you who know it, Kiddie Park still looks the same if not a little smaller than you remember with the original rides still intact - the cars, boats, airplanes, horse and carriages, Ferris wheel, school bus and those crazy flying saucers - all with a little sprucing up. Even the original carousel has held steady all these years. During our visit, I was really glad to see Braedan enjoying himself. So much so, that he even objected a few times by protesting, kicking and tightly gripping a few of the rides once they stopped to let me know just how much fun he was having and did not want to leave.

Notice how he is sitting. As soon as the ride started, he put himself in this position.

With this introduction to a historical part of the city, I in turn felt obliged to also show him a more modern kids hot spot just so he could experience the old vs. new of San Antonio. So on the Columbus Day holiday Braedan and I, with his Tia and two cousins in tow, jaunted over to one of the numerous new shopping centers near my old neighborhood for an afternoon of fun and games at Chuck E. Cheese. All had a good time, especially Braedan since he received the opportunity to eat pizza for the first time with the added bonus of getting on more rides. Just as before there was a repeat of protests when we had to move on to a new ride, but here he is during one of his happier moments showing Stuart Little how to drive.

Everything is bigger and better in Texas

I am extremely happy to say this post comes directly to you from Texas. Braedan and I packed up (well more me than him since he vigorously works to unpack as you're trying to pack) a few of our things and hit the road back to Texas. The whole packing business is the reason for our early departure from Chicago. Have you ever tried to pack whether it be for a short or long trip, or attempt any sort of activity for that matter, with an active one-year-old running around? It is pretty much impossible. So the hubby graciously stayed behind to do all of the major packing while we kicked up our boots to make our way down south, back to the homeland. We were a little nervous about how Braedan would do on his first, long road trip, but with a little help from Grandpa, Tia Jacquelyn and Barney, it went really, really well. Until this trip, I never understood the need for those TV/DVD players in a SUV, but after seeing the effect one purple dinosaur can have on a little one, I definitely know what Braedan should ask Santa for to bring with him on future road trips.

Even though it was such a long drive, 17 and 1/2 hours, it seemed to go pretty fast and we enjoyed taking in the sites and different views of southern Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and, eventually, Texas. A few funny things we noted along the way was how we weren't warmly greeted with a welcome sign in Missouri, Oklahoma kindly said welcome with its sign but then proceeded to charge us with a $4.00 toll as soon as we drove in, and then on the way out had the nerve to say, "Hate to see you go but please pay us another $2.00 before you leave." It wasn't until we arrived in Texas to reaffirm that everything is bigger and better in Texas. Plus, it doesn't quickly take your money for you to catch onto that fact. We weren't welcomed with just one, but two landmarks await you at the state line to let you know you've entered a whole other country in Texas.

Landmark #1

Landmark #2

And Braedan having some fun in the car.

Margarita Anyone?

Many of you know I am a big fan of margaritas, and I am loyal through and through to the traditional lime margarita. I'll take it frozen or on the rocks, anyway I can get it. My hubby on the other hand is an avid whisky man with his brand of choice being Crown Royal. Knowing this about him you might be surprised to know that if he orders a margarita, it's usually mango flavored. (I know, a whisky man drinking a mango margarita.) Anyway, a couple winters ago we went on this crazy kick where every Friday night we stayed in and made frozen margaritas. There we were with the temperature outside somewhere in the low-to mid-20's with an even colder windchill, the fire place blazing and our margaritas in hand. I guess maybe we were thinking if we could simulate a warm environment inside then it wouldn't feel so bad once we ventured out. Well I share this story because a couple weeks ago, I came across the greatest thing I have ever seen at the grocery store - margarita in a box. For those of you who enjoy margaritas, I strongly recommend you try it. It is really good and tastes similar to something I can order from one of my favorite Mexican restaurants back home. As a couple of my girlfriends might say, "It's no margerator, but it looks like it will do."

Lucky Number 13

Overall, I'm not one to be too superstitious, but there are two common superstitions which make me think twice if I happen to encounter them - ladders and black cats. I will avoid going under a ladder, and occasionally I will freak out if a black cat has crossed my path but it depends on what I have going on at the moment on whether or not I will let it affect my mood and future outlook. When it comes to numbers, I'm especially not manic about their pull in the universe, but I am partial to the number 8 for obvious reasons if you happen to know my full birth date. The funny thing is the hubby has always held affection for the number 9. Well so far for Braedan, it seems the number 13 is and will be good to him. I say this because at 13 months, he mastered two major milestones - walking by himself and saying good bye to the bottle.

Coincidentally, on Friday, August 13th the hubby and I left Corpus Christi, Texas with a new home. During our visit down there, we grew more and more excited with the thought of living so close to the beach. We're so close in fact, about a 10-minute drive, that we're hoping it will persuade many of you to come down for a visit.