Hondo with our Homeboy

What's that?  We're invited to a friends' ranch with three other couples?  Only one-year olds and younger are coming?  It's when Miles is supposed to be getting baptized? Well that's an easy answer.

I cut out of work early last Friday so that Erinn, Miles and I could head west of San Antonio to Brian and Sarah's family ranch with Gage.  Both Simon and Henry were taken by grandparents so that it could be just the little ones.  Joining us were Will & Stephanie and their new baby Posey (a girl?  what's that about?) and Joe & Kelley and their new Newb, Hayes.

The perfect setting for relaxing with friends.

Any game where you throw/ move/ slide an object to get it close to a target is my favorite game.  Shuffleboard, horseshoes, bocce, petanque, washers, ladder golf, beer pong... these are the games of the gods.

If this picture had been taken one year prior, there would probably be a beverage in Joe's left hand.

It was especially nice to get to spend time with just Miles.  We don't really ever get a chance to do that.

Here's Miles listening to Joe.

Miles watching Gage sit upright.  I don't know if it's possible, but Gage might be more smiley than Miles.

All weekend long, big ol smiles from Gage.

From youngest to oldest.

Proud Mommas.

Spent a lot of time doing things I really enjoy, which is what a vacation is about.  Just doing things like...

 Check out small town High School Stadiums... Go Owls!

 Smoke an unplanned brisket ....

Let Miles watch me prep dinner...

Research Children's Literature inside a deer blind...

 See deer from deer blinds...

Help to remove a nuisance...

Pose like Teddy Roosevelt over your kill...

(It's like looking in a mirror.)

At the end of the weekend, it was good to get back to Simon.  This was a much needed respite that all four of us benefited from.  Loved the opportunity to spend time with friends that I don't get to see as often as I'd like.

Let it Snow

This past Saturday Mark, Henry, Simon and I took the early morning drive out to Lexington, TX to hit Texas Monthly's choice for Best BBQ in Texas, Snow's. Their brisket is definitely in the top 3. Their ribs and sausage could use some work. Still tasty, but not quite on the same plane as their brisket.

 Henry and Simon belly up to the table.

Ribs, brisket, and a fairly dry piece of sausage in the back.  Standard trifecta.

Simon works on a rib.

After eating it's time to play cars on the steps to the bathroom.

... or play in the town gazebo.

... or hunt for cats.

So far, Simon's hit Kreuz's, Salt Lick, City Market, Snow's, Franklin, Louie Mueller...Not bad for a Californian.  He's got a lot to teach his little brother.

Independence Day Parade

We found ourselves downtown last Saturday at the Farmer's Market, but took a detour to watch the Independence Day Parade.  The camera ran out of juice before we left, but it was fun, if not hokey.

Simon:  "You promised me freshly squozen orange juice and here we are, sitting on Congress Ave, waiting for a parade that won't start for another 20 minutes.  This isn't even my regular stroller.  This is the emergency stroller.... I hate this haircut."

Andrew:  "We'll get you some juice and that hair will grow ba- Oh look it's David Thomas!"
Erinn: "Who?"
Andrew:  "You know, he played Tight End.... nevermind, here comes a canon."

Yes, they shot it off.  Several times.

Davy Crockett everyone!

Andrew:  Simon, check out that big Texas flag!
Simon:  Yay runners!
Andrew:  That was a couple weeks ago.  We've moved on.

Barbecue worth driving 45 minutes for

Didn't make it to Lockhart or Taylor, but those would qualify under the 45 minute window. We went out to the Salt Lick with about half of Erinn's playgroup. Even being exhausted from the previous night, I wasn't going to pass up Salt Lick.

Now that Simon is trucking, this is a familiar sight. Simon charging ahead, with Mom's angel wings right behind making sure he doesn't crack a skull.

"Hat"

There was just enough room for two high chairs on each end of the table. Two for Reese and Henry H...

The other two for Jack and Henry L...

Which put Simon right in the middle of Erinn and me. How he got sauce in his eyebrows is still a mystery.

Henry H. had the right idea with the rib, and still managed to keep his eyebrows clean.


Moms and momma's boys.

Adios James and Corrie (til October)

We helped throw a party for James and Corrie who are getting married in October, but leaving for Colorado this week (well, half of them).

In preparation of living in Colorado, we turned the party site into a campsite.

Frankly, after this picture, I stopped taking pictures until the very end when everything was winding down. My bad.

Hats and Horseshoes

Here are the rest of the pictures from Simon's party.

When I think Kentucky, I think of their first President... Colonel Harland Sanders. God Bless You and your secret recipe.

Will and Todd pitchin horseshoes.

Seven hats for Seven moms.

Will and Nicole.

Brian in his riding outfit working an old teething trick on Henry.

Mark and little Garrett Gomez.

Azzy, holding Reese, with Chris and Aidan in the swing.