Summer Road tripping

Continued from UT post...

After visiting UT we stopped by Chuy's  after being recommended. We are big time lovers of Mexican food so I was a little nervous but I can assure you it didn't disappoint. I will be back and if you haven't visited one I would recommend it. It was some of the best Mexican food we have ever ate. It took us back to being in Mexico yum. I also treated myself to a Peach Margarita and it was right on point. The hubs and I know where we will be eating and drinking when we come to a Longhorn game or visit Austin again.

 

Rhett loved this shirt

The next morning we woke up and headed to grab some breakfast at the Union Street Station.

After eating a breakfast we then headed to float the Gaudalupe River.
I wasn't prepared at how cold it would be being a natural spring.
Here is a sneak peak at the start of the river.

We tied everyone together and the ice chest and the float began. 

 

 It was so pretty and loved being able to just relax take our time and enjoy it.

This was a calm piece that was very few being just us.

 

 The kids would hop out swim a little or pull the adults if we were hung up on rocks.

They had a blast

 

As we went further there were people everywhere.

It was cloudy and with the water being so cold we froze the whole time. We had a blast but I would like to have it sunny and hot that day. With the kids we took the 4 hour float instead of the 6 hour float because we didn't know how the kids were going to do but they did so good we will do the 6 hour float next time. We cant wait to go back.

We hoped on the bus they took us back to our car and we went back to the hotel and got changed to head to San Antonio. Nick and the kids have never been to the Alamo so we were hoping to get there before 7 because that when they closed. Whew we got there at 6:45.

 

Rhett found him a new hat



 

We then went to the RiverWalk so eat and walk around. After we ate the kids wanted to ride the boat but the lines being so long and it was hot and muggy we decided it wasn't a good idea so we just walked around for a while and that when we found Mamaw a new hat to work in the yard with while Maci photo bombed.

 

 

The next morning we woke up and headed to Schlitterbahn water park.

With this short hair you cant exactly throw it up so I had my hair braiding SIL whip my hair into waterpark shape and out of my face.

 

The kids loved all of the slides and the tube slides that I lost my top 3 times.

FYI do not wear a clip top they don't stay clipped.

Who wants to walk up when you could ride? Very smart



 

and if you take the tube ride The Falls it ends up in the Caddo River you can swim and play in the river and when finished there is an entrance that goes right back into the park.

 

We didn't leave the waterpark until they closed at 8 that night and we were all so tired we just called Olive Garden in and brought it back to the hotel. We had a blast and loved taking the time out of our crazy busy schedules to enjoy some fun. 

Daddy does UT

We all know how much the Mr loves UT and he bleeds orange. His gang sign of choice is hookem. You can see him sporting his Longhorn stuff here, here, and here. There are so many but just to give a few. We knew that we wanted to do something different this year as far as vacation we have been going to Destin every year for 13 years in the summer and wanted to change it up a bit. We knew we wanted to float the Guadalupe River and do some more things in that area so as soon as it rained we packed our bags and headed out.
We couldn't close to Austin without making a little detour on over to UT. The kids got to see where we have them planned for college. Although we know it will be their decision we figured we could give a little encouragement.

When we took the kids to see the football stadium they were hosting a football camp so lucky for us it was open. We talked to the security guard and told him that we were not here for the camp but a big fan and was wanting the kids to see where they would be attending, he told us to go ahead.

 

as you can see my boys are taking it all in

 

H5 crew enjoying being able to share and experience this as a family.

I loved seeing how happy Nick was and it melted my heart seeing him in his element and taking it all in. He has been a fan forever but with harvest in the fall college football is hard to attend so this was a great way for him to experience it. Hopefully one day it will all work out and can attend a game here. 

 

While football camp was going on without getting in the way we took a few pictures on the field and everyone was so nice about it and encouraged it. They didn't have a problem with us taking advantage of every moment. When you attend a game you are not allowed in certain areas and certainly not on the field flipping, cheering, and playing in the turf.

 

Daddy and his girls

Maci still says she will be attending LSU so unless she changes her mind and we all know that she has time to change it a million times she will not be hookem alumni. Even though we kid a lot about where she can and cant go we just encourage her to make the choice that is going to make her the happiest.

 

Mauri practicing her cheerleading.

She kept saying this is where I'm going to cheer at. She flipped and cheered all on this field.

I think Santa needs to bring her this cheerleader set.

 

 

 

Rhett couldn't understand that he couldn't go play football with them that this was a camp and they were practicing not playing for fun. Then he was upset that the fan shop was closed so he was not a happy camper from then on and didn't want to take part in any pictures or anything other than pouting. He wanted a longhorn football and wasn't going to be happy until he got one. We tried to explain that when we got home we would order him one from Fanatics. But I cant come back and throw it with them I want to play with them he kept saying.

 

Hookem Horns

 

We love us some Colt McCoy and we got to see his name on the wall

 

This was waiting on us when we got back to the car. Really?

I guess no matter how old you are and how much stuff changes it doesn't really change, still giving parking tickets.

Now that we are home and settled I can order Rhett a new football jersey he has worn his for 2 years and it is now to small. With football season coming up I'm thinking its time to get everyone ready

We have Ugly Christmas Sweater parties we attend and Nick isn't a bug fan of wearing one but with this Longhorn Sweater I think he will wear it proudly. Did you know that they also carry swim trunks? I'm thinking these will fit great into Nicks stocking for Christmas. I got him these pj pants last year and he loves them. I'm loving this Polo style UT shirt for him also.

Not only do they have college stuff they also carry any kind of sports team you like. I am a Jeter lover #2 I'm going to hate to see you go. I bought Rhett his first hat and it was a Yankees hat. That same year they won the world series in 2009. I remember it like it was yesterday.  If you are like me and a Jeter fan you better grab this, this, and my favorite Captain.

TeamRundown:
Nick: Longhorn, New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers
Me: Alabama, New Orleans Saints but I also go where my boy Peyton Manning goes so currently Broncos, and of course the New York Yankees
Maci: LSU, Saints, Rangers
Mauri: Longhorns, Saints, Rangers
Rhett: Longhorns, Saints, Yankees {he is a Jeter fan like his mom} and Rangers

Our family comes together with sports we all bond over watching, talking or going to them. Even though we all don't agree on teams we all come together and create tons of long lasting memories. My kids still talk about the Saints game, Texas rangers game and I know they will cherish the UT tour also.

Don't forget to stop by Fanatics and get your sports needs. You will be surprised at what all they carry and what all you will find.

Meal Planning and Grillin & Chillin

Monday:

Tater Tot Casserole

I've heard of this a lot but never tried it and I'm thinking this will be something the kids will love



 

 

 

Tuesday:

Taco Bar

We try and get in a Taco Tuesday or Mexican Monday each week being we are Mexican food lovers.

I love doing different kinds of bars and with all 5 of us liking different things a bar is a great way for everyone to fix it how they like it. Its also fun and kind of feels like a party.

picture via

 

 

Wednesday:

Bacon Wrapped Cream Cheese stuffed Chicken

Chicken, Cream Cheese and Bacon....need I say more?

 

Thursday:

Honey Lime Grilled Mahi Mahi

I'm so picky when it comes to fish. I do not like or eat fish except for fried white perch. Until while we were at the beach and for some strange reason I wanted Mahi Mahi a table beside us got it and it looked so good I had to. The hubs kept asking are you sure? You know how you are and what if you don't like it? When it came out and I took the first bite I was hooked. Pun intended

Then the next night I order Amberjack and fell in love with that too. So not I will eat Amberjack, Mahi Mahi, and white perch but other than that I cant do others.

Add some grilled veggies and its like heaven at our house.



Friday:
I want to do different kinds of Pizza from a few recipes out of my new Pizza cookbook
I'm not sure which ones yet but will do a post on this.
This is a new for me to make a homade Pizza.
Fancy Ashley makes it looks so delish, easy, and fun.




 

Saturday:

Simple Smoked Ribs

In the summer the weekends means Grillin & Chillin to us.
I love a good fall of the bone Rib, that to me is food heaven.
In July the farmer will start being partially off on the weekends meaning being after the check water they are off so usually around 10am. We will prepare what we are going to grill, get it all ready and the fixing we are going to have with it. Then we hang around the pool, do a little grillin, chillin, and just have lots of fun making the most of the weekend. Until we got a Traeger Grill I wanted no part in the grilling. Traeger just makes it so easy that anyone can do it and less hassle of gas or charcoal.

 Here is a look at my meal plan for this week. a few favorites  mixed with a few newbies. I love trying new recipes and being able to bring something different to the table. Some we love and add them to the rotation and some we choose never to make again.  Meal planning makes me spend less money at the grocery store and helps me have a more prepared week. Why don't I choose to do this weekly? I'm going to have to bring back this habit.



Epic Fail

Using my camera in manual mode: I consider this time a failure and all I've got to say is
A. I'm either doing something wrong
or
B. They lied

I mean I don't know why it seems so simple and while all these cheat sheets you would think it would be simple. I used some of the tricks they said to do I put the ISO on 400 due to it being cloudy and take a look at my manual pic

 

I changed the ISO to who knows what and the best I got was these two pictures so I said screw it

 and took a picture in auto to see what it looked like.

This is in auto

Ok what did I do wrong? I mean I just don't get it

 

 I decided to give it another try......and again it doesn't work

At this point I'm trying to keep from chunking my camera to the ground or throwing it in the pond.

I keep repeating: They lied they said that sunny you put it on 400 to 600 for cloudy and low light

 

I went back to normal to see if my camera was broke but nope

It takes just fine in auto

 

I told my self one more time

I read everything again and I did what it said and booom looks like failure again.

I played with functions and just took pics and I couldn't figure out how to get my white balance to move to the middle instead of the right side



Looks like I am right back at the drawing board and will have to go and study more.
What the hell am I doing wrong?