Stopping to smell the flowers in San Antonio

A few weeks ago, Sammy and Charlie's Auntie G emailed me to let me know that she and her husband were going to be journeying to San Antonio, Texas, to visit with some family.  I couldn't resist the opportunity to see the two of them, so we made arrangements to meet at the San Antonio Botanical Garden the weekend they were in Texas.

The boys and I tackled the eight-hour drive to San Antonio on our own (Captain Husband wasn't able to take the time off) last Saturday and checked into a hotel on the northwest side of town where we explored for a little bit before settling in for the night--it had been a long day in the car and we wanted to be well rested for our visit with Auntie G and Mr. P!

Sunday was a beautiful day to spend wandering through the gardens (although a little too humid for me--two years in El Paso has definitely ruined me in regards to humidity); all of the greenery and flowers were a welcome sight after the long drive the day before through the Texas desert.  Both of the boys really seemed to enjoy themselves and the extra attention that Auntie G and Mr. P lavished on them.

Before we knew it, it was time for the boys to take a nap, so we said our goodbyes and headed off on our separate ways.  I'm so glad we were able to meet up and visit, even if it was only for a little bit; hopefully we'll be able to get together again soon!

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: A few fun finds

{You might be wondering just what's been keeping me busy these days, or at least busy enough to be dropping the ball left and right in regards to keep up this blog.  Well, I'll tell you--I've been busy finding fabulous vintage things all over the place thanks to local thrift shops and estate sales.  If I keep this up I really am going to have to consider opening up my own little vintage store.  Captain Husband thinks I'm nuts for buying quilts when we live in the desert, but we won't always live in El Paso, right?}

{I found this lovely Arts and Crafts drop-front desk at an estate sale a few weeks ago; the estate was of a couple who had owned their own antique store, so going through their house and giant garage had me feeling like a kid in a candy store.}

{This stunning step-back cupboard came from the same estate; it had been hidden at the very back of the garage and no one seemed to notice it.  Of course, they probably had more sense than me and realized that moving an 8' tall and 4' wide ONE-PIECE cupboard just wasn't worth the trouble.  Thank goodness the ceiling in my garage is high; this thing just barely fit inside with only a few inches to spare.  The movers are going to hate me the next time we have to PCS.}

{And last, but not least, is one of my favorite thrifted treasures: a full set of vintage Lustro Ware yellow kitchen canister set, bread box, and salt and pepper shakers.  I honestly don't think they've ever been used--the bread box still has the Good Housekeeping seal of approval sticker on it.  I found them at a thrift store in New Mexico and nearly did a little dance when I realized that the bread box was filled with the other things and that they were all included in the already ridiculously low price.  I think these might be my best thrift store find to date!}

Charlie's eight-month update

I'm having a little bit of trouble coming to terms that my baby boy is now eight-months old; it seems like just yesterday he was this tiny little creature that I had brought home from the hospital.  But there's no doubt about it--Charlie is fast on track to becoming an independent *gasp* toddler.


Charlie is this close to crawling...in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he figured it out by the end of this week.  He's very adept at going from a seated position onto his hands and knees and Charlie has also mastered the art of scooting along the floor on his bum.  It's slow going, but he doesn't seem to mind--Charlie's just so happy to be able to get to some of his favorite toys on his own.

Charlie has figured out how to use his two bottom teeth over the past month and loves to chew on steamed veggies like cucumber, carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and sugar-snap peas.  He has nothing but disdain for being spoon fed, so I've started letting him finger feed himself and Charlie seems to really enjoy this new independence.

Stats: Charlie is currently wearing 18-24 month clothing and probably weighs around twenty-four pounds.  He's settled into a regular nap and bedtime routine and is generally sleeping through the night most of the time (when Sammy leaves him alone, that is).  Charlie is babbling a ton now and is beginning to copy the sounds and movements of others--he loves to blow raspberries whenever Sammy or Captain Husband do and shake his head back and forth in imitation and he's even started to wave.  And in other news, Charlie has mastered the fine art of clapping!