OU/tx Weekend Getaway.

The hubs and I had the unexpected opportunity to go and partake in the Red River Rivalry {say that 5 times fast} at the beginning of October. So, we packed up and sent the bug to Ouma and Oupa's, the dog child to Nana and Papa's,  and headed south on I-35 the Friday before the game. We left between 8 and 9 am because the driver {aka Adam} was afraid of the possibility of stand still traffic during most of our trek.

 It worked in our favor, because we pulled into Irving around lunch time, which was just in time for this mandatory stop.

Two In-N-Out burgers, fries, and a couple of sodas later, we were back on the road for the last few minutes of our ride to the hotel.

We took the opportunity of being kid free to actually nap ourselves and then we washed up and headed out for a night in the Big D. We went to check out the historic West End; however, being as how we are old people now- our 6pm eating time didn't lend itself to much excitement. And, as things began to pick up around there, we realized how much that sort of thing was not our scene anymore. So, we packed it up and headed to the Cheesecake Factory for some sweets and drinks. Much more like it.

This was our first trip down to OU/tx together without being in band {or with a person who actually lives in Texas} so we had no idea what to expect as far as traffic, parking, etc. on the day of the game. The overwhelming response seemed to be to take the DART, but we weren't too keen on the idea of being on it for 2 hours along with the wait to get back to where our hotel was in Irving. 

We decided to take a gamble and instead of driving to the DART station at 7am, we braved the highways. Yet another point for the driver of the weekend- we parked {for free!} a block away from the stadium/fair and had basically no traffic. This guy was there to greet us along with the sunrise...

We were then left to just enjoy the atmosphere and pre-game festivities...

Pre-game team warm-ups...

The dividing line of Crimson and burnt orange.

And, although the clouds parted and the sun beat down on us like the longhorns did that day- we had  a blast just soaking up each other's company. And, well, there's always next year. Until then...

Boomer Sooner!

Happy birthday, Heath! {An animal Discovery}

Birthday fun with Drake aka The Lorax. 

I knew my little girl loved animals. I mean, how many times have I posted about our trips to the zoo? Or, how many pics do I have of her and her stuffed animals or of her and our beloved Boston dog?
But, when we went down to Norman at the first of October to celebrate Heath, I saw something different spark in my little animal lover. I saw a mixture of compassion and fearlessness that I had yet to see. She was mesmerized by each and every one of the traveling critters that came to celebrate Mr. Heath on his 3rd birthday. She was gentle {much more so than with the good 'ol Boston dog} and she would've held onto that baby kangaroo forever if she could have.

With the birthday boy and one of the other stars of the afternoon.

A new world was opened to both her and I that day- thank you Davidsons for opening the door and letting us celebrate with you. Your birthday celebration definitely left a mark on this family.

Breaking in Fall.

I am so thankful that fall is here. I love it. I absolutely love it. And, I loved it back before Pumpkin Spice Lattes made it cool. Now, don't get me wrong, I love pumpkin just about everything, but my love for fall runs deeper than just one flavor. It is a season for all things new: new colors that you can only see this time of year, a new school year {and football season}, a crispness in the air while the scent of fireplaces and grills tickle your nose, and everything around you seems to build in anticipation for the holidays on the horizon. 

We've broken in this fall just right with fried food and other festivities- enjoying the perfect weather this season has to offer. 

We began fall with a trip to the Great State Fair of Oklahoma! This trip included the aforementioned fried food, a date with the Disney princesses and a car show. I am not sure which the bug enjoyed more, Disney on Ice or the car show- both scored equally big in her book.

This weather allows for trips to the zoo- we never seem to get enough of that place. We even brought some new friends with us on our past couple of trips. Uncle Ray Ray and his girlfriend joined us one week and part of the Brooks fam joined us on another trip.

 

We've spent time in the sun and time in the shade with little ones, dressing in layers as the weather dictates our days and fluctuates 20 or so degrees within a few hours.

Our garden hasn't stopped blooming. It knows this isn't a season to be missed either. It wants to be a part of it, just as much as we do. And, with a little cleaning up from me and some touches from Ouma, it hasn't missed a beat.

 Fall is in bloom around here- now go break it in.