Texas! The Dallas Part

Well, we survived Dallas and remain Ebola free. One thing I didn't really handle well was how much that city had changed. It's been 3 years and granted we were out in Southlake most of the time (an area I almost never would visit previously), but man... that was crazy. After what Bill described as the "ugliest drive he's ever done" (aka that beautiful flat Texas landscape, haha. I told him we should take a drive in West Texas sometime if he really wants ugly), we switched places and I drove into the city I called home a decade ago. We had some time to kill so I took us on a little tour of my old stomping grounds: the apt I lived in with Brenda our Senior/post college years, uptown, Highland Park, Turtle Creek, SMU, Fraternity and then Sorority row... and when we got to my Sorority house I found it completely demolished! They're rebuilding, of course, and with good reason. When I lived there over 10 years ago it was worse than my freshman year dorm. But still, a shock of change.

The SMU campus itself it absolutely beautiful. Say what you will about politics but the addition of the George W. Bush Presidential Library has really rounded out such a gorgeous campus. I'm so proud to be an alumni there.

Most importantly though, I finally met Sophia! And Bill and Moira met Brenda and Brandon! My mom was also so sweet to join us to help look after the kiddos so that we could have a more relaxing weekend together and it was such fun. Bill experienced his first SMU tailgate and subsequent game. After we went to a little fall festival in the Trophy Club neighborhood, where Mo painted a pumpkin and then too a hay ride!  Then we had a throwback meal that night at Snuffer's (though not the divey Greenville location). On Sunday we had a whirlwind day, going to Northpark La Duni for brunch then hitting up the pumpkin patch at the Dallas arboretum. That night I cooked dinner for everyone with a very special sous chef and an eager assistant (also think I've figured out a great Christmas present for Mo... a handled step stool! We're in need of a new one anyways). Anyways, that was our trip in a nutshell and now you can see the pictures.

Future cheerleader move?

"I don't know why SMU can't win a game this year"

After waking up at 4am to get our 7am flight (also we discovered the best time to fly with Mo, she slept the entire flight) we made it back to NYC and discovered our Halloween outfits had arrived!

The black tulle off to the side is the adorable black cat outfit I also got. Mo was NOT having it though and HATES tulle. Oh well.

MUCH happier in her Chewy costume!

Upcoming:

• We went to Luke's birthday party at Gymboree this past Sunday and I have tons of pics from that... I'll upload soon. Mo had a BLAST though!
• She was also really sick last week when we got back but we don't need to talk too much about that. But if parenthood were like the Girl Scouts, I'd have earned the "puked and pooped on numerous times in 24 hours" badge. Good times.
• This Friday we're hitting up Trinity Church for their Hometown Halloween again with Melissa and Jaz (aka Khalessi and one of her dragons) then hitting up music at Deanne and Ollie's.
• Then we're home by 6pm to pass out candy and watch the NYC Halloween parade!
• Mo will also be in a parade down the block that morning at daycare! AND her class decorated a pumpkin for the school wide pumpkin contest (a very cute Despicable Me guy). 
• Bill will be missing all this fun (though he's claimed to be a Halloween party pooper) by going to Voodoo Fest instead with his client. Clearly Mo and I will be the weekend fun winners, haha.
• It's supposed to snow late Friday night. WHA?!