tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33555479800136686832024-03-05T06:34:13.657-06:00First4MilesMichelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-43333712866039865712012-04-10T08:54:00.001-05:002012-04-10T08:54:08.066-05:00Easter Egg Hunting Can Be ExhaustingI'm sharing the obligatory Easter shot of Little Mister. He was all smiles on Easter morning at my parents' house and loved the thrill of the hunt. And for those of you who haven't noticed, we caved and cut his hair. I'm not sure if me or Matt was more distraught during the actual clipping but Little Mister seems to like it and admired himself in the mirror. <br />
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When we finally got home that evening, this was how we spent most of it. <br />
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All he wanted to do is cuddle with his daddy. I absolutely love this picture and I'm so glad I was able to capture this moment. <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photos by me with the Nikon D40X</span></div>
<br />Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-10362981543038448622012-04-04T09:45:00.000-05:002012-04-04T09:45:20.270-05:00Cupcake Detour - Bird Bakery San AntonioAfter dinner the other night, the three of us were craving something sweet so the car veered us to a new bakery conveniently located near our home in Alamo Heights, Texas. We were treated to the warm decor of <a href="http://www.birdbakery.com/">Bird Bakery</a> and the welcoming smiles of the beautiful Elizabeth Chambers, the owner of this brand spanking new establishment. <br />
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In a nutshell, the ambiance cannot be beat and I've been to my fair share of cupcake eateries (what? I'm pregnant!). There is still that chaotic newness about it and I can sense it will take some time to get broken in. All the hype leading up to the opening gives it a lot to live up to and with that, I only wish it the best. <br />
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Little Mister was in cupcake heaven and was smitten by our gracious host to say the least. We will be back. <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>photos taken by me using Instagram</i></span><br />
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<br />Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-36347552053811555832012-03-21T21:35:00.001-05:002012-03-21T21:35:08.244-05:00Spill the Beans, Already!<br />
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Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've been going through a bit of a change:</div>
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A bunch of you
probably got the hint from my <a href="https://pinterest.com/plearn/">Pinterest board</a>.
I couldn't help myself! You all
know my (un)healthy <a href="http://first4miles.blogspot.com/2011/05/jump-on-this-bandwagon.html">addiction</a> to Pinterest!
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We are excited and super surprised to say the least. I can't express ENOUGH the extent of our
surprise. We were told by more than one
medical professional that we would never be able have children on our own. Little Mister finally came to us by way of in vitro fertilization after years of trying, invasive tests and procedures, and disappointing results. He is truly our little blessing and there
isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't make me smile at the miracle of it
all. </div>
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So apparently as the story goes for many in our shoes after going
through fertility treatments or adoption, we took it easy and didn't worry too
much about having another one anytime soon.
We were convinced that it couldn't happen to us, right? Wrong! It was only after a couple weeks of just feeling downright crappy and (coincidentally)
I had my yearly scheduled with my OB/GYN that I requested, "While I'm
here, could I get a pregnancy test?"
At that point, I had a feeling but wanted to be certain. </div>
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My next phone call was to Matt: </div>
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"Are you sitting down?"</div>
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I haven't been 100% but I'm feeling that second trimester resurgence
so I'm taking advantage while I can. Running
after an energetic toddler has left me less time to worry about the little
things this time around and trust that my body will do what it's supposed to do
so long as I keep eating healthy and getting lots of rest. We ask
Little Mister if he knows what's in Mommy's belly - he says
"Bebe." (swoon!) He's going to be a wonderful big brother and
we are looking forward to the new adventure.<br />
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Oh and by the way, it's a girl! Let the shopping commence! </div>
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Until next time!</div>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-3778388293964850372011-11-22T15:59:00.001-06:002011-11-22T21:08:52.042-06:00Test Kitchen - Personal Apple PiesHello there! 'Tis the season for gatherings and parties and what better way to celebrate than with a bit of dessert? I made these personal apple pies with inspiration from Renata at <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px; outline-style: none; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://testadoprovadoeaprovado.blogspot.com/2011/09/apple-pie-in-apple.html">Testado Provado Eaprovado</a> blog for our office wide Thanksgiving feast this week and although they didn't turn out quite like I imagined them, they weren't too shabby! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px; outline-style: none; text-decoration: none;">I started out with a dozen medium sized granny smith apples and sliced off the top of the apple. The hubs and I then proceeded to go to town on the apples coring each one first with a melon baller to eliminate the seeds (we found that it had nice sharp edges to work with) and then with a spoon to get the rest of the good stuff. There was some trial and error early on in the process but eventually we had a mini assembly line going. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; outline-style: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">In a </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;">separate</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px;"> bowl mix together the following ingredients:</span></span></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; outline-style: none;">12 Tbsp sugar</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; outline-style: none;">6 Tbsp all purpose flour</span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; outline-style: none;">3 tsp powdered cinnamon </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; outline-style: none;">Sprinkle over the apple bits and toss well. Spoon the bits into the hallowed out apples. </span></i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; outline-style: none;">For the topping, I took a shortcut by using store bought pie crust to crown the apples and then I used a small flower shaped cookie cutter to create the pattern but really, anything goes. Just provide a little bit of space for the apples to vent while baking. Have fun with it!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; outline-style: none;">Ok, so we were quite proud of ourselves up to that moment. Everything was looking really good! I put them into a 370 degree oven for 40 minutes with the intent on checking back every so often. Then I got caught up watching last night's <a href="http://www.cbs.com/shows/how_i_met_your_mother/">How I Met Your Mother </a>(for those of you who watch it, I hope you know what I mean when I let out an audible "gasp!").</span></div>
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I ran to the kitchen after the show finished and panicked. This is what came out -</div>
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Yup. The apple containers exploded. All that work down the drain. </div>
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And if you don't already know by now, I'm not an expert baker of any kind so a number of things might have been the deciding factor to their demise:</div>
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a. I left them in the oven too long</div>
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b. I didn't allow for enough venting</div>
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c. The temperature of the oven was set too high</div>
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d. A mystery yet to be solved </div>
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e. All of the above</div>
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I'm going to go ahead and go with E. Do any of you know what could've happened?</div>
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I still needed to get a dessert together for the feast so I wasn't going to give it all up. I proceeded to carefully spoon all the fillings of the cooked apples filling including the pretty topping carefully into cupcake liners. They held up pretty well, thankfully and no one was the wiser! </div>
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Two of the apples survived the ordeal and I'm happy to present them here as my intention all along:</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--z4Sqgjbhdg/Tswc6TUu4EI/AAAAAAAAEm0/qlZKbYi_cl8/s1600/acloseup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--z4Sqgjbhdg/Tswc6TUu4EI/AAAAAAAAEm0/qlZKbYi_cl8/s640/acloseup.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hopefully you'll have more luck than I did and in the meantime, I will try this recipe again. Cheers!</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17px; outline-style: none; text-decoration: none;"><br /></span>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-80529473940224202692011-11-09T09:46:00.001-06:002011-11-09T09:46:55.296-06:00Finally!This came in the mail the other day and frankly, it couldn't have come at a better time. I've held out with envy as the rest of my friends flaunted the iPhone 4 in my face. But I was patient! <br />
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It was a good thing too, because just weeks before my phone fell 18" to the floor and when I picked it up, this was the state it was in.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAeBwbn2TlDNz5jgzqSEHOYEb0unyq51eimjsVNgWoSZy9w5DvH8DsYp3IQb3YVoz4np-XIP3dV3FRFUJ5gcEUDh6aoQV63jdUDye7Uerj5xlzgcJFlabOmYnWTI_d5jUEpvNnIfakEM_/s1600/IMG_0785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjAeBwbn2TlDNz5jgzqSEHOYEb0unyq51eimjsVNgWoSZy9w5DvH8DsYp3IQb3YVoz4np-XIP3dV3FRFUJ5gcEUDh6aoQV63jdUDye7Uerj5xlzgcJFlabOmYnWTI_d5jUEpvNnIfakEM_/s400/IMG_0785.JPG" width="327" /></a></div>
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Sad, isn't it? What's worse is that I was cutting my finger on the shards of glass so I put packing tape over it. Then the packing tape started to peel so I added more masking tape on top of it. Be honest, you think it's trashy. I do, too. I promise that it wasn't on purpose but I'm sure others in my life might tell you otherwise. (All lies!) I'm still considering selling my phone to a place like <a href="http://www.gazelle.com/">Gazelle</a> or <a href="http://target.nextworth.com/#/tab_page_column_features=feature_container_0/#?lnk=Utility_ESERV_080411_X2Y0W2|X2Y0W2">Target</a>. <br />
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I'm in the middle of making a snazzy cover for my new iPhone with inspiration from <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2011/10/4/sweet-stitching-with-erin-cross-stitch-iphone-cases.html">Purl Bee</a>. I don't have a lot of the colors that she recommended but that just gave me room to experiment a bit with what I have. <br />
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It's getting there!Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-71225760498087009982011-10-31T13:47:00.000-05:002011-10-31T13:47:27.809-05:00Sushi PersistenceHappy Halloween everyone! Little Mister will not stand to wear any sort of hat or headpiece so all those cute costumes on <a href="http://www.potterybarn.com/">Pottery Barn</a> and <a href="http://www.chasing-fireflies.com/costumes/departments/46/">Chasing Fireflies</a> would not suffice. I was even willing to suck it up and not come up with something clever and handmade. But alas, given our dilemma and that he's about as stubborn as they come, I decided to make something anyway (I'm pretty stubborn, too).<br />
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I was inspired by this <a href="http://www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com/coolest-california-roll-sushi-boy-costume.html">guy</a> and I'm really happy with how it turned out. <br />
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Except Little Mister wasn't. This is how the dress rehearsal the night before went:<br />
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The struggle leading up to it was even more dramatic. Let's just say both our hands were full. I asked him again this morning if he wanted to wear his costume and I got a resounding, "NO." <br />
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I brought it to his school anyway just in case his teachers had more luck than I did. Thankfully, they did and for the Halloween parade, he marched around like a champ and we won First Prize! <br />
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<br />Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-90234109982618496112011-10-26T08:39:00.003-05:002011-10-26T08:39:41.154-05:00HoundstoothI was feeling pretty daring this past weekend. (Plus, Matt was away watching the Rangers lose Game 3 of the World Series - jealous) So with Little Mister snoozing away I decided to play with a little something I picked up at Target.<br />
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Ok, I'm sure you can see that it's already chipped up and looking nasty. That's because I forgot I had to do dishes right after. I know, I know - rookie mistake. Granted, this is the first time I've done my nails in YEARS but I love them! :)<br />
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<a href="http://www.sallyhansen.com/products/nails/nail-color/salon-effects-real-nail-polish-strips">Sally Hansen Salon Effects in Houndstooth</a><br />
Nail polish - China Glaze in "Aqua Baby"Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-42629762262949062142011-09-27T09:45:00.000-05:002011-09-27T09:45:55.746-05:00Nap Mat - A Pinterest Inspired ProjectYou might have already guessed based on this <a href="http://first4miles.blogspot.com/2011/05/jump-on-this-bandwagon.html">post</a> that I'm what you might call a Pinterest fiend. That's cool, I dig it. If I were to be called a "fiend" at all, I'm okay with being the Pinterest kind. <br />
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My boards are stock FULL of ideas and things to do but somehow I never manage to get around to them. Figures, right? Little Mister needed a nap mat for school and popular on the circuit these days coincidentally, is this handy dandy nap mat. Since necessity is the fuel for creativity, I counted on Pinterest to help me get the job done. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image via <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/46239439/">Pinterest</a></td></tr>
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Doable, yes?<br />
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I purchased the pillows from Ikea and some fabric from <a href="http://www.fabricworm.com/">Fabricworm</a> and set to work with a few modifications here and there.<br />
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It's big and poofy and from what Little Mister's teachers tell me, he's quite comfortable at nap time. Plus, it's easy to wash when the weekend comes around.<br />
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That's what I call a success!!<br />
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<br />Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-45598199095648532992011-09-22T21:11:00.000-05:002011-09-23T11:49:07.186-05:00Giddy FridayA big DON'T fellow parents:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://didbygraham.posterous.com/childcare-for-beginners">via</a></td></tr>
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Happy Friday!Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-67568416538042478492011-09-21T20:27:00.000-05:002011-09-22T10:21:41.979-05:00TodayI'd like to take a moment to help raise awareness for a cause that I believe in. Every year for the past 19 years, I've donated to the <a href="http://www.afsp.org/">American Foundation for Suicide Prevention</a> in memory of someone very close to me. (I chose to withhold his name for the privacy of his family). It is the very least I can do to manage the pain and hurt that I still feel today. While it has been many years since our loss, I still relive the fateful day as if it were yesterday. I cannot turn back time, but I hope to play a small part in the prevention of suicide. <br />
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<br />Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-9102726398246251962011-09-21T17:00:00.000-05:002011-09-21T20:58:44.484-05:00Chair SwoonAs if I needed any more chairs. DwellStudio in collaboration with Precedent has released a new furniture line.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://precedent-dwellstudio.com/collection.php?type=Chairs">via</a></td></tr>
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swoonMichelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-26800693780393801522011-09-19T12:30:00.000-05:002011-09-20T08:14:31.803-05:00ACL 2011We had such a great time at the <a href="http://www.aclfestival.com/">Austin City Limits Music Festival</a> this year. The weather was cooperative and the music was fab as always. Going to ACL with a toddler is certainly a different experience for us - we were stocked with plenty of diapers, snacks, and baby wipes to get us through the day. Little Mister had no interest in wearing ear protection as he promptly pulled it off so we stayed safely back from the loud speakers. We also had to make the difficult decision not go on the last day of the festival since we still had to drive back to San Antonio and Matt and I had to work on Monday. We didn't want to push Little Mister too far. It was a good decision and we're still able to check out the highlights of Arcade Fire on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/aclfestival/">YouTube. </a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">watching <a href="http://www.fosterthepeople.com/us/home">Foster the People</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i haven't seen grass this green in ages. the grounds were beautiful!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgNxdJxO7JsLP6Jg-Uw7GWQPi_3hcPpa6155yTfXUSPcMllCXTpI-SkWCQmfMb9fSccpX0r2S_qWDl5tyz9825qIwEcwAdiyPZD-y-kpNRZ2TJBZX7vFtAdY3XodnkmD0oEuCEEvWuegk/s1600/IMG_0685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsgNxdJxO7JsLP6Jg-Uw7GWQPi_3hcPpa6155yTfXUSPcMllCXTpI-SkWCQmfMb9fSccpX0r2S_qWDl5tyz9825qIwEcwAdiyPZD-y-kpNRZ2TJBZX7vFtAdY3XodnkmD0oEuCEEvWuegk/s640/IMG_0685.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">i don't know who these guys were, i just thought their signs were funny</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFUOB4Jxc1seqofW-rBryLh-HAd1UMSufFkmbAMeK9NLiOfUmH2d_ITzNtc82m2h9gcVA-eBi6GA0zQJ0AU76OqgNwN40DzEh1OjkSpf1JoQKqk5OAKl483l92nlOTGKTM1LAg4Gjg6Zl/s1600/IMG_0689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFUOB4Jxc1seqofW-rBryLh-HAd1UMSufFkmbAMeK9NLiOfUmH2d_ITzNtc82m2h9gcVA-eBi6GA0zQJ0AU76OqgNwN40DzEh1OjkSpf1JoQKqk5OAKl483l92nlOTGKTM1LAg4Gjg6Zl/s640/IMG_0689.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Mister managed to nap through all the noise</td></tr>
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We had a great time with some good friends and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Tickets for next year go on sale NEXT WEEK. Yes, we'll try our hardest to score early bird tickets. See you all then!Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0100-198 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78701, USA30.267153 -97.743060830.0481095 -98.058917799999989 30.486196500000002 -97.4272038tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-37241436259520982012011-09-15T08:57:00.000-05:002011-09-15T08:57:45.548-05:00C'mon Colder WeatherI want to make this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYXsCYkIJIvnM8jVqBt91A06H5Z6ODMLqY0-xNVCU17rrg0wZarCaUlB2yaU-aJzbafNP81OLERjbpwSc8UjwN2LXbtUzJQWZjnSbdg9lnMKIBnWK8bSAcfoQ7UbZT6sn_sr8n92o1SeR/s1600/crochet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFYXsCYkIJIvnM8jVqBt91A06H5Z6ODMLqY0-xNVCU17rrg0wZarCaUlB2yaU-aJzbafNP81OLERjbpwSc8UjwN2LXbtUzJQWZjnSbdg9lnMKIBnWK8bSAcfoQ7UbZT6sn_sr8n92o1SeR/s640/crochet.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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The free(!) crochet pattern is courtesy of <a href="http://vickiehowell.blogspot.com/2011/09/ode-to-missoni-at-target-chevy-baby.html">Vicky Howell</a>. I love her. I really do. I've admired her for years and years and not only that, she hails from Austin! <br />
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Since I couldn't snag the coveted <a href="http://www.target.com/p/Missoni-for-Target-174-Throw-Colore/-/A-13444115">Missoni for Target throw</a>, I think this is a nice alternative. I looked on eBay and people are selling it for nearly 3 times the retail price. Crazy. But as much as I love to knit and crochet, it doesn't make sense to cuddle up with yarn and needles on a 100 degree day. It just feels wrong. So I'm hoping for a cold front. Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-90109207334903329132011-09-08T22:24:00.001-05:002011-09-08T22:36:24.953-05:00Texas BBQ - A ChecklistA new app came out on the iPhone called the <a href="http://www.texasmonthly.com/apps/app_ad.html">Texas Monthly BBQ Finder</a>. Not only does it direct you to the nearest BBQ joint (just in case you have a mad craving for a brisket sandwich) but it also lists the top 50 in the state. I firmly believe that if you live in Texas, it is a prerequisite that BBQ becomes a part of your diet. Veggies? Check. Whole grains? Check. Pork Ribs? Check.<br />
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Oh and forgive me, my vegetarian friends - I'm about to talk meat. <br />
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We decided to take the Texas Monthly Top 50 challenge. This is not an official event, but for us - eating might as well be a sport. Our goal to is eventually hit every single BBQ joint on the list and space them out enough so we won't suffer from too much heartburn and weight gain. It also ties in with our love for long road trips and visiting the far reaches of Texas that we've never seen. <br />
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First stop: <br />
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<a href="http://www.lulingbar-b-q.com/"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJtj8rQahwpg8Zft4An_6trsQW-HggbLJlgJyErScOCf0HFWElxfuX3woXA3tTAJ3BXX0Yi79RnTVsQXbfdKja24QeelMzPlcpmSnFBthfq2i5Kbb4EAZPFy55gu6b8WoXj8RYyz54Cz0M/s640/lulingbbq.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">While it wasn't the legendary <a href="http://www.lulingcitymarket.com/">City Market</a> nearby (it was closed the day that we visited), this was a mighty good alternative. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> So much fun! I prettied up the Texas Monthly list a bit to record our adventure. We'll probably not hit every joint but this will be fun way to track it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-4521722934205097792011-09-06T21:36:00.000-05:002011-09-06T21:36:59.408-05:00Windy City Part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Here it is, the second installment to our trip to Chicago. We had a blast and can't wait to visit again! </div>
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<br />Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-67472063462476481382011-09-02T09:25:00.000-05:002011-09-02T09:25:52.863-05:00Giddy Friday<br />
Start the weekend off right - with a little laugh:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.aledlewis.com/">via Aled Lewis</a></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-45001835789158606542011-09-01T21:37:00.001-05:002011-09-02T12:37:03.498-05:00Windy City Part 1Happy September everyone! Excuse the absence - me and the boys decided that it was high time to escape this heat so we headed north to Chicago. And we had a real blast! We always try to visit the famous ballparks in the cities we visit so we started off the trip with a tour of <a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/chc/ballpark/tours/index.jsp">Wrigley Field</a>.<br />
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Do you love the <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/toms-classic-tiny-canvas-slip-on-baby-walker-toddler/3138555?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=228">Tom's</a> shoes? He's so stylin'. <br />
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We spent just about all of our time outdoors while we were there. I hear Chicago can get really humid and mucky but thankfully, it was just beautiful. Our favorite part might have been the time we spent at <a href="http://explorechicago.org/city/en/millennium.html">Millenium Park.</a> <br />
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<a href="http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/dca_tourism/MP_orinigal.html">Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate</a> was amazing and so interactive. </div>
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Yup, Little Mister is in his diaper in the middle of <a href="http://explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/dca_tourism/Crown_Fountain.html">Jaume Plensa'a Crown Fountain</a>. He got so excited to be in the water that we had stripped him down right there otherwise he'd be soaking wet. As you can see, he thought it was hilarious. </div>
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Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-84550044667067616062011-08-22T14:04:00.001-05:002011-08-22T21:09:01.147-05:00August Break - Day 22: FREEDOMWe were on a mini staycation this past weekend at the <a href="http://www.jwsanantonio.com/">JW Marriott in San Antonio</a>. We had a great time floating in the hotel's lazy river and Little Mister flirted with every female lifeguard that he came across - figures. He also enjoyed the wide open spaces with plenty of room to run. <br />
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If he could speak, I would guess he'd be shouting, "FREEDOM!"Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-16855507711795188242011-08-19T11:57:00.000-05:002011-08-19T11:57:36.473-05:00August Break - Day 19: SPIRIT<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lo6sfeIG7go/Tk6VuMxurUI/AAAAAAAAEFs/6e6Fei0fFQs/s1600/SPIRIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lo6sfeIG7go/Tk6VuMxurUI/AAAAAAAAEFs/6e6Fei0fFQs/s640/SPIRIT.jpg" width="516" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Friday, everyone! </div>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-23152569161902063632011-08-18T09:03:00.000-05:002011-08-18T09:03:42.194-05:00August Break - Day 18: SNOWThere has been a heatwave here in South Texas for so long, I forget what cold feels like. Today's photo might help to bring back that chilly feeling.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYKHiST37YaMC6JspuuRxBPajx6Sn7XB0V2seQGCqeMvAWGxmvwx9Chq7Pqr_jYfRq7BU-h-dcGmQg_uSM42dSooynhoGELZuitULvajhRDi8PROQ2foxyc7us88VFhNZHnTvgEknLQrI/s1600/SNOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYKHiST37YaMC6JspuuRxBPajx6Sn7XB0V2seQGCqeMvAWGxmvwx9Chq7Pqr_jYfRq7BU-h-dcGmQg_uSM42dSooynhoGELZuitULvajhRDi8PROQ2foxyc7us88VFhNZHnTvgEknLQrI/s640/SNOW.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/the-august-break-2011/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The August Break"><img border="0" src="http://www.susannahconway.com/buttons/augustbreak_gold.png" /></a></div>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-14659928458438550662011-08-16T09:19:00.000-05:002011-08-16T09:19:13.240-05:00August Break - Day 16: DRAGONFRUIT AND MANGOSTEEN<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WsoxQt5m4FQ/Tkp8GObPPQI/AAAAAAAAEFM/eEGAFXKVmf4/s1600/Mangosteen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WsoxQt5m4FQ/Tkp8GObPPQI/AAAAAAAAEFM/eEGAFXKVmf4/s640/Mangosteen.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DxX2I-IDJQ/Tkp8GavceoI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/NQ26awv-7n8/s1600/Dragonfruit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7DxX2I-IDJQ/Tkp8GavceoI/AAAAAAAAEFQ/NQ26awv-7n8/s640/Dragonfruit.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/the-august-break-2011/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The August Break"><img border="0" src="http://www.susannahconway.com/buttons/augustbreak_gold.png" /></a></div>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-66631702992584009282011-08-15T08:43:00.000-05:002011-08-15T08:43:26.755-05:00August Break - Day 15: ANOTHER SUNSETNot that I don't have thousands of photographs under my belt, but another sunset seemed worth sharing.<br />
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I missed posting on Friday (bad Michelle!) but I'm back in full force.<br />
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Happy Monday to you all!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TrU6vVpldLI/TkkiPs50ZhI/AAAAAAAAEFI/2qJiX6VQhEw/s1600/SUNSET+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TrU6vVpldLI/TkkiPs50ZhI/AAAAAAAAEFI/2qJiX6VQhEw/s640/SUNSET+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/the-august-break-2011/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The August Break"><img border="0" src="http://www.susannahconway.com/buttons/augustbreak_gold.png" /></a></div>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-81796299946533445532011-08-11T10:15:00.000-05:002011-08-11T10:15:14.260-05:00August Break - Day 11: LOTUS<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAEIHATGjfH889tm-_4O4rSbuHhnCUhUdn2r_x9215Y3S6d7r8a8c4VPdbyM6gKbOv66pfwxFl2NDIxvYrP0rj9J0bhyphenhyphenDxxzBBo_LmhxCJal7Bp4pTXweL8drmBNZN3Phxy3i80hUvH_-/s1600/LOTUS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAEIHATGjfH889tm-_4O4rSbuHhnCUhUdn2r_x9215Y3S6d7r8a8c4VPdbyM6gKbOv66pfwxFl2NDIxvYrP0rj9J0bhyphenhyphenDxxzBBo_LmhxCJal7Bp4pTXweL8drmBNZN3Phxy3i80hUvH_-/s640/LOTUS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Sea of Lotus</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/the-august-break-2011/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The August Break"><img border="0" src="http://www.susannahconway.com/buttons/augustbreak_gold.png" /></a></div>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-54541303733701728492011-08-10T10:56:00.001-05:002011-08-11T10:15:40.078-05:00August Break - Day 10: SUNSET<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S8uSEx3RmvURZ-ctnK_wYn0y6ni_8HXHBstrdpRmd4JCTub9_fj4ZBWn2Wbk4r2922OKMB9-FPzuNvo8vTwFPLBGDwpfVSFhQcwotl55w4S9mmzJWwyOwyD-P_4JtUO8HatPKlDHc4PO/s1600/SUNSET.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S8uSEx3RmvURZ-ctnK_wYn0y6ni_8HXHBstrdpRmd4JCTub9_fj4ZBWn2Wbk4r2922OKMB9-FPzuNvo8vTwFPLBGDwpfVSFhQcwotl55w4S9mmzJWwyOwyD-P_4JtUO8HatPKlDHc4PO/s640/SUNSET.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">big Texas sky</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S8uSEx3RmvURZ-ctnK_wYn0y6ni_8HXHBstrdpRmd4JCTub9_fj4ZBWn2Wbk4r2922OKMB9-FPzuNvo8vTwFPLBGDwpfVSFhQcwotl55w4S9mmzJWwyOwyD-P_4JtUO8HatPKlDHc4PO/s1600/SUNSET.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1S8uSEx3RmvURZ-ctnK_wYn0y6ni_8HXHBstrdpRmd4JCTub9_fj4ZBWn2Wbk4r2922OKMB9-FPzuNvo8vTwFPLBGDwpfVSFhQcwotl55w4S9mmzJWwyOwyD-P_4JtUO8HatPKlDHc4PO/s1600/SUNSET.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/the-august-break-2011/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="The August Break"><img border="0" src="http://www.susannahconway.com/buttons/augustbreak_gold.png" /></a></div><br />
Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355547980013668683.post-42477096334479120992011-08-09T08:30:00.000-05:002011-08-11T10:15:58.982-05:00August Break - Day 9: ROPE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HYIeYROZ_nU/TkAapHCd4pI/AAAAAAAAEE8/1BHfxjzA-6c/s1600/rope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HYIeYROZ_nU/TkAapHCd4pI/AAAAAAAAEE8/1BHfxjzA-6c/s640/rope.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><a href="http://www.susannahconway.com/the-august-break-2011/" title="The August Break"><img border="0" src="http://www.susannahconway.com/buttons/augustbreak_gold.png" /></a>Michelle Stedmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07200640448801530194noreply@blogger.com0