Five Question Friday.....a bit late

                                                                

Wow... I can't even remember the last time I linked up for 5QF over at My Little Life. I do know it's been waaaayyyyy too long. I guess that's what being a working mom does to you. Other than family and work, I hardly have any free time. My three days off a week are stacked full of errands I need to run or things that have to get done that I don't have time for working my ten hour shifts. AND.... I NEED time to recuperate....it just hasn't seemed to happen yet!

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One thing I do plan on doing to day......

Watching my Aggies play the Razorbacks!! I've been patiently (or not so much) awaiting this game. Today will find my rather ample bottom parked on the couch, eyes fixated on the screen and a few (or more) screams emerging from my lips....I love College Football Saturdays!

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Now, on to 5QF!

1. Do you prefer to drive to your vacation spot or fly?

If it's not a far distance, five hours or less, drive. Especially if it includes pretty scenic routes.

Just driving down country roads and enjoying the view can even seem like a mini-vacation....

If it's going to take more than five hours to get there, I would prefer to fly. I love flying at night and looking down on all the city lights.....it's so so pretty!

2. If you could live any where in the world, where would you go and why?

This one is easy.....the Italian countryside. I would love to have an old farmhouse with an olive vineyard....I can't think of anything more perfect....fresh air, gorgeous views.....

And of course I would be cooking, happily, in an old rustic Italian kitchen.....

3. Should grown women wear leggings?

Ohhh....that's a great question. IF you know how to do it, yes, why not? They are cute, can be paired with several different items and can extend your wardrobe.

HOWEVER

If you aren't really sure how to wear leggings...you better hope you have a good friend to tell you how you really look (or be able to interpret what the mirror is showing you) and NEVER, EVER leave the house looking like this......

4. If you could change your name to any other name, would you? And what would it be?

I never liked my name. It is just so very country. I always wanted to change it to something more sophisticated like Jacqueline  or something cute like Meadow.... but now that I've gotten older and appreciate where my name came from and knowing that my sweet Mom (and sister) chose it makes me appreciate and respect it more.

5. What magazines to you have subscriptions to?

More than I should... I have piles of magazines around the house....
I subscribe to:
Southern Living

Country Living

Better Homes and Gardens

Family Circle

Allure

Nailpro (it was my Mom's but I decided to keep up w/it)

Veranda

Elle Decor

GIRL'S DAY, WHILE OUR PAPA WAS AWAY 8/15/12

I had to start off with this picture... CC snapped me and Charlie sleeping together Friday night. I remember being too tired to cut the light off and covering my face.....I just didn't think Charlie was going to come sleep ON my face! What can I say? We're in love!

So Saturday morning the girls and I woke up early and went to Homestead Handcraft's sidewalk sale. I didn't get to snap any photos (left my phone at home) but it was nice and chilly and crisp outside. There was a fall theme to everything, inside the store and out. It was perfect AND the girls and I picked up some great goodies at amazing prices!
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Next we stopped over at Nadler's Bakery to try it out. We have never been but have always wanted to and by the time I finally decide to get my butt out of the house on my days off, it's too late and they are closed!

They had cupcakes and tons of cute fall and halloween cookies as well as traditional cookies. CC and I decided on Fall themed cookies. They were great...can't deny it...but $2.25 for one cookie is a bit much for me. Honestly, I'd rather pay $2.25 for a cupcake if I'm going to treat us girls!

Next we headed over to the mall. Lena was wanting to check out Hot Topic and I was eager to make the Fall Celebration at Bath and Body Works. We left with some great smelling candles to get us in the Fall mood. I purchased Leaves and Marshmallow Fireside...and of course we were given some smaller size Pumpkin Carving scented candles. I left the store a very happy lady! Of course, normally Mom would have joined us, but we had her in our hearts and thought of her often during the day.

CC was hot and was looking for a cooler shirt and Charlotte Russe for sunglasses. We never did find a Charlotte Russe, but we found another store with some really good prices on shoes, scarves, cute tops and skirts....and did I mention the shoes????

I loved their lighting....

After walking around the mall we girls needed to fuel up so we went to our favorite Le Madeleine. We three girls shared the Croque Monsieur, which was sooooo good!

Lena and I each had French Onion Soup and CC had Tomato Basil.

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After eating we came home to watch the Arkansas Razorbacks play Alabama. That was a huge disappointment! The Razorbacks lost 53-0.... I am patiently awaiting the Razorbacks meeting A&M!!!
I did snap a couple of photos of some of the items I bought at Homestead. These bracelets were $1 each!! And I love, love, love cut glass bowls...this one was only $6!!!

I also spied a really pretty purse that I really, really wanted. It's brown leather on top and black crochet on the bottom. I told myself if it's $10 I'll buy it. I had been wanting/needing another purse but am not really in a position to purchase anything expensive. The purse I was using Mom bought for me when I started my new job and it's starting to show wear and I really don't want it damaged. So, when I saw the price of the brown leather and black crochet bag was only $10 I snatched it up!!! Now I am deciding between a mostly brown Vera Bradley wallet and a really pretty yellow and black Provence Vera Bradley wallet. I'm giving it some time before I make the final purchase.
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The girls napped for a bit then we went to see Finding Nemo at the Palladium Imax in 3-D. It was good... we had fun.

After the movie we stopped by Pro Bass for a look around....and some hot chocolate! I really wanted to buy some of this cute candy for my desk at work...but I refrained. It's really hard having a tight budget!

Some of the fish in the tank were huge!!

I have to admit, it was a bit sad seeing all of these beautiful animals in that condition....

But man.... how beautiful are these antlers??????? I could see them on my wall!

CC's eyes had been hurting her all day Saturday. So our evening ended with us at Texas Med Clinic. She has a bacterial infection in both eyes and had to get medicated drops. At least she's feeling better now!

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Trying New Things....

I woke up early this morning and was able to get in a test and a much needed cup of coffee....

The girls kept wanting to do something. I didn't want to do anything. Emil told the girls he would take them to Guadalupe State Park... I wasn't going to let them go without me!

I don't think you can see it in these pictures, but if you look closely you can a tiny, tiny frog..about the size of a tic-tac.

The park was so beautiful and the best part is that there were hardly any people there at all. We pretty much had the area all to ourselves.

I have NEVER been in a river before...ever. In fact, I thought people who would go to the river and go tubing were completely out of their minds...especially the Guadalupe River! When we go down to Shiner to visit my sister and I have to drive over the Guadalupe River I drive in the middle of both lanes because that river terrifies me!

We all started out slow and cautious, but after a short while we were really having fun!

The scenery and surroundings were just so tranquil and beautiful.

It was hot but we did find some nice shade areas...

There were so many dragonflies. I never knew they made their own sounds and it looked like they travel in pairs. And these dragonflies seemed so used to people... one even sat on Luigi's head.

And you know I can't pass up the opportunity to photograph a leaf. I love leaves, especially fallen leaves..and I love the way the deep rust color of this leaf pops against the smooth neutral rocks.

These huge trees were everywhere, showing their exposed roots.

My papa took his rod hoping to catch something.

The opposite side of the river was this huge "wall". It was so pretty.

I would love to know what each of those layers stood for.

I did manage to get a little studying in...just a little. I wanted to enjoy the day honestly, not study.

I found this odd....one little bush near the river among all the white smooth rocks.

We found a neat little area sectioned off that made the most relaxing trinkeling sound.

We spent a majority of our time there, just laying down in water.

I did manage to get a few pictures of us.

I was shocked when this dragonfly rested on my flip flop.

We walked a good way up and down the river. It wasn't easy with all the rocks and you see the flip flops we brought were not the best choice. We each lost shoes at one time or another.

Luigi even enjoyed himself. He had never been in water and he did really well.

But after a while he was done. CC managed to get him back in the water and then it was over. He wouldn't budge. He wouldn't move. He was a stubborn, mad, tired wall.

Lena found some shells in our little sectioned off area. I know this is out of order....

Snapped a picture of me.

Luigi made his way back under the tree where the water was cold. He stayed there the majority of the afternoon.

No, I don't think my feet or scarred up calf is pretty by any mean, but I had to get a picture of these little fishies that nipped at our feet and toes in the water. I think they were attracted to my colorful flip flops.

My papa hoping to catch something.

CC hoping she doesn't catch anything!

Emil and Lena going for a walk.

CC and I decided we would NEVER want this many stairs leading up to our house... it was exhausting!

Luigi clearly enjoying himself.

We came home from the river and were starving. The girls and I couldn't decide where to go...then I thought of Luciano's. I love, love, love Luciano's, it's so delicious and homey.

CC and I had the avocado salad and Lena had the Caprese salad and we ordered a medium half Chicken Alfredo w/Mushrooms and half Pepperoni pizza. We brought most of it home!

Then we rented The Lorax and spent our night on the couch watching it.

I did fall asleep during most of it but what I saw was so cute. I think I will need to get us our own copy!

Tomorrow is work. My day off went by so quickly but it sure was fun.

I was also super excited that Starbucks has pumpkin spice again!!!

I did look back over my blog to see what we did a year ago today....we went to the park with Mom and then there were wild fires near our house. It's crazy that just 365 days ago we were walking in the park with Mom and she was fine and smiling and happy and ... just Mom. Now here I am 365 days later with my heart broken and the devastating realization that I will never see her or hear her voice or feel her touch again. It hurts. Our normal thing to do once the weather got cooler was to get a Fall flavored drink from Starbucks in this particular shopping center, then walk over to Bath and Body Works and stock up on Fall Scented hand sanitizers. That will never happen again. But my sweet friend Pam told me this morning, we made those memories with Mom and had those traditions but my girls need me to continue doing those things, making new memories and new traditions. And she's right. There are so many times I just want to break down and lay in my bed and mourn like I never really have been given the chance to do. Then I think of how Mom told me she was worried about me and if I would make it when she wasn't here and I think of how in that last crazy day when she knew nothing about what was going on, she heard me crying. She stopped the wild, crazy talk she had been doing and said, "Who is that crying?" Someone said "that's April: and she said, "Tell her not to cry. It's gonna be ok." And she's right. It's gonna hurt like hell and it does and it will... forever, but I have to be the mother and the woman and the wife she would want me to be, the person she taught me to be....the woman she showed me how to be. I have to do that, for her and for me and for my family. She would want that.