october.

october october october.  you were a pretty sweet one.  if august and september were slightly challenging, then october more than made up for both.  i’ll let the photos show you all the love…

{our annual volleyball tournament at the office!  the weather couldn’t have been better.}

{shiner and mommy!}

{he’s adorable when he cocks his head like that…}

{i love where this collection of anthro dishes is going…}

{…and then i bought even more.}

{this is my coworker linda.  she’s wonderful.}

{when the weather is perfect, you find a patio.  at la comida with the latina version of myself.} :)

{mike and i went to a couples shower for our family friend susan and her fiancé jeff [priscilla wasn’t in town and i had no date, so we went together].  the shower was autumn-themed and her twin sister sarah made these cupcakes… aren’t they adorable??}

{dinner on the terrace after church.  mike got to reap the benefits of all my recipe testing for culinary school!  the fruits of my labor on this day were swedish meatballs and a roasted root vegetable salad.  i had bought edible flowers for a recipe and didn’t end up using them, so we decided to make some spontaneous cocktails!  lucky for us, i had a bottle of champagne in the fridge and some peach schnapps in the pantry…}

{one more of this drink because it’s by far the prettiest drink i’ve ever made.}

{and then priscilla came in town and we were so happy to see her!}

{at the common table.  also, as a side note, the week after she was here, she ran for student body president at her med school and WON!  we’re so proud of her.}

{this is what happens when i deprive myself of buffalo exchange for too long.  #oops #sorrynotsorry}

{on the left:  what it looks like when you’re cooking early in the morning and realize that you forgot an ingredient and have to get your butt to the store ASAP.  and on the right:  i made an executive decision that a froyo date + 85 degree weather means that pineapples are still allowed to be part of my wardrobe, even in october.  which is why i went all out with a pineapple romper and a pineapple necklace.  and gladiator sandals.  fall what?}

{shiner was over at my house and found a shaving cream cap, and this is the only way he could hold it without it falling out of his mouth!  i was dying.  he looks like a cartoon creature to me… maybe a heffalump or woozle?!}

 

{blurry, but we have a couch percher on our hands!  just like his angel brother lucky.  although he has a bit more trouble getting his balance with all that puppy clumsiness!}

 

{dinner on the rooftop of HG sply with the fam!}

{this one is cute…}

{…but i have to post these too because they make me laugh!  trying to get shiner to look at the camera + shiner looking like a little stuffed animal, all laid out.  i love my two brothers!}

{trying to take photos with a wiggly, curious little puppy and getting him to look at the camera is more difficult than you’d think!  this was his first public outing… we’re trying to work on getting him socialized, and he did very well overall.}

{hello, philly!}

{on another work trip – i flew into philadelphia, then drove to the cute little town of swedesboro, new jersey.  i had a chance to explore the historic downtown on the evening that i arrived.  i always enjoy checking out little towns across the U.S. and wondering what it would be like to live in them.}

{it isn’t the original building, but this was the first swedish church in america.}

{where i had dinner:  the red hen.}

{a lovely little evening in swedesboro.}

{that awkward moment when you keep thinking how damp your hotel room smells and then you notice this sign, hanging inside your room on the wall…}

{crossing the delaware from new jersey into pennsylvania.  next stop: colorado!  yep, got on a flight in philly and headed straight to denver.  these work trips keep me on my toes, i’m telling ya.}

{woke up in colorado to a foggy, chilly morning and a gorgeous sunrise.}

{it kept getting better and better.}

{on the left: i had to miss this one because i was traveling, but i love how my company gives us invitations to parties and events in the form of coasters and t-shirts.  so fun!  on the right:  i happen to work in an area that is surrounded by some of the best asian food in all of DFW, much to the delight of linda and me – self-proclaimed asian food connoisseurs!  we can list off the very best places in the area to get korean food, ramen, sushi, thai food, you name it.  this photo is pad keep mow from zenna, my favorite restaurant near work for thai.}

{baby shiner on the couch with the family}

{dinner at joyce & gigi’s!  their mint bread with chimichurri butter is so freaking good.}

{on the left:  chicharron to share – braised and deep fried bite-sized pork ribs, garnished with an herb and grilled corn salad and pesto cilantro sauce.  aaaaand on the right:  an amazing seafood risotto.}

{on the left:  mike’s entree… i don’t remember what it was, but it was delicious!  and on the right:  desserts.  choc g’s cake – chocolate cheesecake infused with cayenne pepper over a dried cherry sauce; south american style plum bread pudding; brigadeiro platter – white coconut and dark chocolate almond truffles.}

{i CANNOT get enough of this little.  he loves to sit on top of my dad’s suitcase… these photos were taken 11 days apart!  i can’t tell if he’s growing like a weed or if his hair is growing like a weed and that’s why he looks so different.  or both.}

{a suitcase lover… definitely our dog!}  ;)

{the state fair of texas day at the office [best day ever!].  it was so much fun.}

{hanging with my people!}

{had to get some grilled corn.  and tres rode the big one!!}

{s’mores beer.  it was aight.}

{my friend chris and i carved an aggie pumpkin!}

{i was so proud of how it turned out!  even if he did most of the work…}  ;)

{bishop arts with katlyn and alex}

{did you know that robert earl keen has his own beer??  and a chopped salad that took all of like three minutes to throw together but that was soooo tasty.}

{brother-sister date:  a walk on katy trail + a beer at the icehouse.}

{he ran into mike’s room, found this texas flag, and wouldn’t let it go.  that’s our boy!}

{happy halloweek!  trying to be festive}

{from one day on my run: i passed this cute little house, enjoying the fall air… and then did a double-take!  #creepy}

{it’s definitely looking more like fall around these parts…}

{i stole this pic from my mom because my photos didn’t come out as well, but this is their new fire table!}

{more shiner spam… but i was getting such a kick out of him sitting up like that, like a little boy.}

{halloween: then and now.  then was 1994 – two little pumpkins!  and now is 2015 – me making shirts like this for my brother’s halloween costume!!}  ;)

that might have been the longest post ever.  but october was good.  xoxoxo