Sh*tty Longhorns & Chicken Bites.

Wednesday was a long, but great day!

I failed to get my car registration thing in the mail in a timely manner. What does that mean? Well, it means that I got to take Gage to the Records Building in downtown Dallas on my day off. Not too bad. I really enjoy just being downtown, so it was nice. I wasn't too sure about schlepping a toddler in a stroller all around down there with the bumpy & crowded sidewalks, curbs, & crosswalks....but whatever.

We get down there, get parked, & get him all strapped in...

(Why, yes, that IS an orange tootsie-pop in his hand. We had to stop at the ATM in a convenience store just prior to parking---you know, so I'd have some cash. So, I bought him a little treat.)

So, as I am navigating my way to & around the Records Building---for the LIFE of me I cannot locate a handicap accessible entrance. Every entrance I encountered (you know, until the last one) had exterior doors, and just beyond that---you have to immediately go up stairs. Fun with a 40 pound toddler in a stroller, right? mmm...not so much. So, finally, I am working my way through the crowd & find a ramped entrance. Sweet.
Back up: did she just post "crowd"? Yes, I did.
Come to find out----we made it just in time for the Texas Stampede!
What's that, you ask??? It's a big Longhorn Drive down the streets of downtown Dallas. They've done this for the past few years to kick off some rodeo that is hosted once a year. They march 100 head of cattle down Main Street.







And so, while I would love to say that I'm the super cool mom who planned this outing for her child...well, that just wouldn't be the truth. The truth is: we just happened to be at the right place at the right time to catch it.
And, what did Gage take away from the experience? Well, first I might mention that I was proud that he actually recognized live cows/cattle/longhorns when we saw them. THAT was a good thing. Obviously the little urbanite retained some useful (??) information from our last outing to the wild, wild, wilderness over the Summer. But the best thing that Gage pointed out at this event: "Mommy, they poooooop A LOT!" Seriously---he couldn't get over how much these things shit. I couldn't get over it. I dunno....maybe they thought they were on some death march to the slaughter house & all of their stomachs got nervous...I really don't know what triggered it---but each one of them probably pooped 80 times down Main Street. Then again...the whip that cowboy was cracking was ummmm....well, it was long & loud. It would make me crap too if he was crackin' it at me! They had these clowns who follow behind the herd, and their job is to shovel up the poo. .......and you thought your job sucked. How'd you like THAT job?

But, we had a good time with that.

After that---off to G-town to meet up with Zephra (http://chroniclesofanexhaustedmom.blogspot.com) & Ginger (http://thesmallmoments.wordpress.com) for a little play-date at Chick-fil-A!
Garland has changed soooooooooo much. This entire area where we met---yeah, NOT there way back when I lived there. Some areas that used to be nice---not so nice any more. Some areas that used to not exist---now they do. Wild.

But, more importantly, it was nice to meet face-to-face, and gab with gals, and the kids had fun playing together. Zakary & Gage are very much alike in that they need a bit to warm up to the other playmates, but in the end, they seemed to have a good time.

Happy Boys...


Silly Boys...


Gin & Emory


Zephra (Stephanie) & Emory

(aren't those little Halloween outfits sooooo cute?)

It was a great day. I swear, we probably could have all just sat there for 2 more hours chatting...but, the weather got windy, cold, & wet, and we all had to get going. We hope to do it again soon. Gage just LOVED playing with Zakary...and of course, I've gone away from the whole gathering just hoping that Zakary had as much fun playing with Gage.

After that....on to the casa. Gage asked for a cupcake. You know---those chocolate ones with the white swirly squiggle down the top... Hostess, I think. So, I gave it to him in a little bowl & I carted laundry down the hall. He came to the back of the house & found me. "Don't go in the living room." (or, "riving room" as he calls it.) So, of course, I ask, "why?"
"Just don't go there."
I cut through the dining room, into the kitchen, and enter the living room from the backside, to find the entire floor covered in chocolate cake crumbs. How my child can manage to eat the top icing & creamy filling without eating a single crumb of cake---well, that's just completely beyond me.
And yes, THAT was a fun mess to clean up.

Mom Lesson #6479: don't give your kid a cupcake & then just walk away, even if he CAN feed himself.

Spaghetti for dinner last night....watched a movie when Gage was off to sleep, and then I watched "Private Practice" after the whole world was asleep. I shouldn't have had all that tea at Chick-fil-A. The caffeine kept me up. My eyes are stinging tired today!