Oktoberfest

I've heard about Oktoberfest for years, and today-I finally decided to go. I called up my cousin Holly, who is usually game for an evening of randomness, and she didn't disappoint. This particular festival was held out in Addison, and it's really famous (in the DFW area at least!). It was pretty much what I expected-lots of 'bier' for the mug carrying guest (totally wasted on us Baptist gals), and plenty of seats in the bier garten to enjoy the beverages, polka music, lederhose wearing guest, yodeling contest, and chicken hats. Along with all the 'bier' kegs they also had rides, a German car show, and crafts. We sampled the pretzels, and apple strudel and were not disappointed in either. Everyone was pretty tame when we were there, and I can check it off my to do list now! I'm still not sure about the September date of this Oktoberfest, but whose to question Munich's chosen date, maybe they chose the date last year sitting around and chatting in the bier garten?

Up, Up And Away

This morning I did NOT get to sleep late. With the festival less than a mile away, you can hear their speakers, or rather....the dogs can hear their speakers! Lilly and Max were barking, and then they went completely out of their minds when the balloons started passing my house (there were about seven that took a direct path over my house, or my neighbor's house. Check out Lilly's mohawk, and Max in motion. The people in the balloons were within talking distance, and literally over my backyard leaning over their baskets and watching the dog's put on a show-I'm not sure who was more interested in who. It was an incredible (and early) way to begin a Saturday morning!
Incoming balloons...

Neighbor's Fly Over...

My backyard balloon viewing...

Balloon Festival

This year I headed to the balloon launch the first day of the festival. I've seen these hot air balloons fly over, and near my house every year they have managed to lift off (they are weather sensitive). This is the first year I watched the launch. It was awesome to watch the balloons fill up with air, and lift off one at a time. They have 60 balloons participating this year, and the first 30 launched at 6 after sky divers opened up the festivities, and then the next 30 headed in and began filling up for the balloon glow. I didn't capture nearly all of the balloons, but I got a few shots. My favorite balloons include a pirate, a tree from the rain forest, a daisy, a dinosaur, and a panda bear. You never know what you are going to see! They do large launches twice a day all weekend, and a balloon glow in the evening. They have booths, and games, and entertainment out in the fields, it's fabulous! You can also purchase rides...I think I can go to the rest of my life without feeling a desire to go UP in a balloon, but they sure are fun to watch!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Birthdays are all about traditional activities. No birthday is complete without the family present! It's always fun for me to help Mom celebrate her birthday with some of the traditional activities she passed along to me. We always start the day with breakfast (which is a little more difficult for those born during the 'school months'). My Mom said she has been eating this particular breakfast for her birthday since her Mom fixed it for her (biscuits, gravy, and v. sausage....oh and Dr. Pepper, I seriously doubt her Mom served them Dr Pepper, but who am I to argue on someone's birthday?) So, in keeping with my personality, it was a mini-themed breakfast for just us gals. I usually pick up a lot of little gifts for my Mom during our annual mother/daughter vacation over the summer, and since we went to Hollywood this year, that was my wrapping, and breakfast 'theme.' (Life in the gene pool).

This evening my Aunt had a family dinner for my Mom with all her favorites (chicken enchiladas, and the best cake in the world made from scratch-Sheath Cake). Yum. All the candles were present and accounted for-because it's 'tradition."

Texas de Brazil

Tonight I took Mom to Texas de Brazil for dinner for her pre-birthday. I've wanted to go for years (in fact, I may be the only person who ever comes to my blog that has NOT been)....but, it was interesting. I thought Mom would probably like it b/c she likes steaks. I had doubts about myself, since I'm not a huge fan of meat, but since it was my treat, I gave myself permission to pay for the experience, even if I didn't get my moneys worth of meat. The salad bar was really yummy, very high class. Then there was the meat. Basically, waiters with swords of meat walk around ready to offer up their fair if you are ready to eat it. I saw some sausage that looked interesting, so I flipped the little disk that sits next to your plate to say "I want meat." The sausage guy came, but then.....all the meat men started coming. It was a stampede of meat, it was a little frightening to have one man sawing off meat from his sword, while the next saber of sausages waited in the wings. I would get the meat I wanted and quickly flip my disk back over, which means....back off.....but then....my Mom wasn't cooperating and I'd try to get her to quickly convince her to flip it over before the next steel rod of roast beef came flying by. It was really delicious meat, and there was LOTS of...and this from a non-meat-eater. The sides were fabulous. And....another item to check off the ol' to try list!

Flutterby

These are some of the fabrics I purchased for a quilt I will....someday....quilt. I bought the pattern, and the fabrics over a month ago, and it'll probably be another year before I put it together. It's by Moda (one of my all time favorite fabric lines), and it's a series called Flutterby. I promised myself (before buying this) the next quilt I did would be 'dark' and 'amishlike'.....that didn't go over very well as I was shopping. This winter I plan to attend a quilting retreat...that WILL be the place I finally do my 'quilt like quilt'....obviously I can't be trusted to do anything but bubblegum like colors when left to my own devices. The plan was also to eventually get into making gifts, but there is this little bratty girl inside of me that keeps shopping for me, me, me! I'm still waiting to get back my Dick and Jane quilt....soon, I hope!