Living in Texas: the local swimming hole

Summer is, hands down, my favorite season.  Always.
And probably forever.  Okay definitely forever.

I just love spending time in the sunshine, with family and friends, goofing off, having fun.
Which is probably why I love living in a warm climate.
I would rather spend extra-long summer months splashing in water, than extra-long winters bundled up in snow.   Less clothes over more clothes?...(in the most Rated-G kind of way).
Right?  Right.

What I'm trying to say is,  I like wearing shorts.  I like swimming.  And in Texas there are a lot of swimming holes to explore.  Yay!
Some spots are calm and serene, and perfect for fishing (which we love to do)

And others are just a party on the rocks.   

If you ever come to Austin, you definitely must visit the famous Barton Springs pool and water area.  In a city that's roasting, the spring-fed water temperature stays at 66 degrees.  It's amazing.  And it also feeds into Lady Bird Lake, which we love to kayak on.  We've paddled out as a family in two kayaks, jumped out for a swim, and we've also spent date nights cruising around.

Such pretty views of the Austin skyline.

And just this week we discovered the Deep Eddy Swimming Pool which is also spring fed and overlooks the Colorado River downtown.  

It has such an interesting history---built in 1915, with a cool bathhouse, a diving horse platform, zipline, giant slide! (I wish those were still there...Wild Hearts Can't be Broken....)   But today there's a really cool mosaic depicting what it was like back then.

The water is not chlorinated because they empty half of it each day and the Spring refills the pool.  And in the summer they put up a screen and project movies! Duh-nuh, Duh-nuh, Duh-nuh (that's my best Jaws impersonation)

Basically,If the weather's warm, we're outside doing this:

And one of our favorite swimming holes so far is Blue Hole.  It's so picturesque.  And every visit is a new adventure.  One particular evening we found a turtle, a giant crawdad, frogs, and plenty of bluegill fish.

It's total small-town fun.
The stuff Huck Finn books are made of.

And the cascading waterfalls create 3 different pools for kids to enjoy from below,

or above,

or in the air.

 And most definitely in the water.  Sometimes I even jump in too.

And let my kids run around like ragamuffins.  I mean, how many bruises and dirt spots are on those legs? The sign of a good afternoon.

Thank you Texas for always showing us a good time!
As we do more swimming, I'll post again because there's so much more to discover ---like the other Blue Hole in Wimberely with a rope swing, Hamilton Pool, the Frio River....

In the mean time, you can read more about our adventures here:
Texas Day Dress
Wildflowers in Texas
Friday Night Lights
Lake LBJ
3 days at the beach - Port Aransas
The Kite Festival
Trip to Dallas
Shopping for fabric in Texas
Weekend at the Lodge
We're building a new home

Happy adventuring!

Living in Texas (2)

When we moved to Texas 6 years ago, I knew it would feel a bit "country" compared to our Los Angeles neighborhood. I expected it; I welcomed it!  But what I wasn't prepared for....was Texas wildflower season!   Oh my, oh my.
Among the boots, BBQ joints, and food truck explosion, no one had told me about springtime in Texas!  There are red poppies, blue bonnets, indian paint brush, weeds that belong in a vase.  It's like a small-town fairy tale, where you get to eat brisket at the end and wear dresses with floppy sleeves.  

Dreamy.

I know I've posted about poppies and blue bonnets before (like the time the sheriff pulled me over for picking them?  Or maybe that was just for being a crazy person....)

But if you ever have a chance to visit Texas in the spring, you must.
And if want to read more about our Texas adventures, check out these posts:
Friday Night Lights
Lake LBJ
3 days at the beach
The Kite Festival
Trip to Dallas
Shopping for fabric in Texas
Weekend at the Lodge

And looking through these wildflower pictures has made me realize a few things:

1.  The color of poppies + blue bonnets are the same as the Lone Star State flag!  Simple and patriotic.  Perfect. 

2. I never shared these cute outfits I made for STYLO a couple years ago!  And I can't believe how much older the girls look already!

The skirts are both versions of the Skirt with a Sash tutorial.  And I love how cool this fabric looks in a maxi length.  

This little top is a version of the Bateau Top, with flutter sleeves that I sort of threw together.  You can see the shape of my "pattern" piece below. I love how it turned out and how soft the fabric is.

So when it came time for taking photos of the skirts, I did it like a true Texan---in a field of flowers.   Cause that's what you do during wildflower season---gather your whole family, sit in a field, and snap pics, even if you're on the side of the highway, or in a stranger's yard.  People take pictures ANYWHERE the flowers are popping up.

So we found a gorgeous field. 

Tromped around,

Shimmied and shaked

Directed traffic?

and just enjoyed the scenery.

Which leads me to point #3....

3.  There is actually a downside to the gorgeous views.
Allergies.

Yep.  Austin may not have earthquakes or hurricanes, but we have giant critters and plenty of allergens....which....I guess happens in many parts of the world.  But I never really understood seasonal allergies, till I lived her long enough to experience them myself.  Because that's what everyone says---even if you've never had allergies before, they'll creep up on you.
Ahhhh. 

Casey got tested for allergies (he's allergic to every plant, grass, and tree in Texas)
I got tested for allergies (I'm allergic to Oak and Pecan)
And even more poor Lucy has problems with Oak and other irritants in the air.  

I was about to delete this photo from my post till I noticed that IN this very picture, she's having an allergy attack.  Poor girl.  

The itchy eyes, the nose, the ears.  You want to reach down and scratch your nasal passage with a pumice stone.  Ugh.

So.  Here's the upside.
This is what I recommend to any friends who ask "what do I do about my allergies??"
And I should note, you don't have to be allergy tested to use this.  It's over-the-counter.
And it's the same things my doctor always recommends to me....and the reason I was excited when Flonase contacted me to partner with them on this post.  Because I was already using their product every day.

So.  The answer my friends is Flonase.
Yep!
Just a couple of sprays.  Every day.
And use it consistently.

In fact, consistency is the key.  The nasal spray provides relief from all those irritants (and has a really pleasant scent btw)  But it's most effective with long term use.  I used to forget to use it for days at at time, till my doctor gave me the good idea to keep it near my car keys or something that I have to reach for every day.  And now I never forget.

It's kind of funny when Casey, Lucy, and I all do our ritual sprays in unison each morning.  But hey, a family that Flonase's together? 

...can enjoy the flowers together!

And spend a little more time doing this.

And maybe this.
Which, people did warn me about....you know, that awesome 2 year-old stage.....which unfortunately does not come with Toddler-spray relief. 

Here's to a headache-free Spring my friends!

Living in Texas: Wildflowers for days

When we moved to Texas 6 years ago, I knew it would feel a bit "country" compared to our Los Angeles neighborhood. I expected it; I welcomed it!  But what I wasn't prepared for....was Texas wildflower season!   Oh my, oh my.
Among the boots, BBQ joints, and food truck explosion, no one had told me about springtime in Texas!  There are red poppies, blue bonnets, indian paint brush, weeds that belong in a vase.  It's like a small-town fairy tale, where you get to eat brisket at the end and wear dresses with floppy sleeves.  

Dreamy.

I know I've posted about poppies and blue bonnets before (like the time the sheriff pulled me over for picking them?  Or maybe that was just for being a crazy person....)

But if you ever have a chance to visit Texas in the spring, you must.
And if want to read more about our Texas adventures, check out these posts:
Friday Night Lights
Lake LBJ
3 days at the beach
The Kite Festival
Trip to Dallas
Shopping for fabric in Texas
Weekend at the Lodge

And looking through these wildflower pictures has made me realize three things...

1.  The color of poppies + blue bonnets are the same as the Lone Star State flag!  Simple and patriotic.  So perfect. 

2. I never shared these cute outfits I made for STYLO a couple years ago!  And I can't believe how much older the girls look already!

The skirts are both versions of the Skirt with a Sash tutorial.  And I love how cool this fabric looks in a maxi length.  

This little top is a version of the Bateau Top, with flutter sleeves that I sort of threw together.  You can see the shape of my "pattern" piece below. I love how it turned out and how soft the fabric is.

And when it was time for taking photos,  I knew it had to be in fields of flowers.  Because that's sort of the thing you do in Texas---gather your whole family, sit in a field, and snap pics....even if you're on the side of the highway, or in a stranger's yard.  People take pictures ANYWHERE the flowers are popping up.

So we found a gorgeous field. 

Tromped around,

Shimmied around,

Directed traffic?

and just enjoyed the scenery.

Which leads me to point #3....

3.  Everyone who lives here gets allergies.    Even if you've never had allergies before,  in the midst of all those beautiful blooms they will creep up on you.  Which is probably true for many parts of the world. 

But if you live here, you know what I mean.  Seasonal allergies suck, and really create a poorer quality of life....which I didn't understand, till I developed allergies myself and realized that it's like having the flu all the time.
(Sorry. I won't turn blue bonnets into a debbie downer.  I promise here's a happy ending)

Casey was allergy tested the first year we lived here, and found out he was allergic to basically every grass, tree, and pollen in this region.  Oy.  Then two years ago (right after we moved to our new house) I was tested too because I kept waking up with headaches.  Turns out I'm allergic to Oak and Pecan, which I'd never experienced before.  And even poor Lucy gets bad episodes of hay fever every spring.

Ironically as I scrolled through pics for this post, I almost deleted this particular photo, until I realized that Lucy's having an allergy attack in this very photo!  

Oh, the itchy eyes, the nose, the ears.  You want to reach down and scratch your nasal passage with a pumice stone.  Ugh.

So.  Here's the upside. 

And it's the same thing I recommend to any friends who ask "what to do I do about my allergies??"
(because it's the same things my doctor always recommends to me).
(which is why I was really excited when Flonase contacted me to partner with them on this post.  Because I was already using their product every day).

So.  The answer my friends is Flonase.
Just a couple of sprays.  Every day.
And use it consistently.

In fact, consistency is the key.  The nasal spray provides inflammation relief (and has a really pleasant scent btw)  But it's most effective with long term use.  I used to forget to use it for days at at time, till my doctor gave me the good idea to keep it near my car keys or something that I have to reach for every day.  And now I never forget.

It's kind of funny when Casey, Lucy, and I all do our ritual sprays in unison each morning.  But hey, a family that Flonase's together? 

...can enjoy the flowers together!

And spend a little more time doing this.

And maybe this.
Which, people did warn me about....you know, that awesome 2 year-old stage.....which unfortunately does not come with Toddler-spray relief. 

Here's to a happy, breathable spring my friends!