Tourist in our town - Barton Greenbelt, Laguna Gloria

I'm going to combine parks for this post.  It sure was fun getting out and seeing Austin - so many lovely, shady places.  I'm biased - I think Austin is such a beautiful place to live!

Laguna Gloria, in NW Austin is a lovely place.  Once owned by Clara Driscoll, and built in the early 1900's.

It sits on Lake Austin.  Scout is standing at the bottom of an amphitheater of sorts.  I remember accompanying The Girl's kindergarten class for a field trip here...oh, about 17 years ago...we ate on the steps leading down to this area.

Tours are free on Tuesday, but seeing how we weren't there on a Tuesday, we just walked the grounds.  It was hot as blazes.  So, there weren't many other people there.

Lots of scenic views.

 

And lots of old giant trees, which I LOVE.  

 ******

Barton Greenbelt was a little less exciting - after walking awhile along very treacherous root studded trail, we turned back.  We saw all kinds of walkers heading back towards us, so I know there's a cleared trail in there somewhere...

 Looks like you are in the middle of nowhere, but you can hear the roar of Mopac.

Watch your step!

According to the website it's a lush area and 809 acres.  However, there's still a drought happening here, technically...so...

 The middle of Austin - seriously.

 

 It was really pretty, what we did see of it.  We decided to come back in the Fall when the foliage turns colors and it's not 40% humidity....

And since we are running out of summer here - Fall is not that far away!

It's the little things sometimes...

World's Most Fascinating Blog Photo coming up!

The teensy tiny bathroom that four kids have shared for all these years.  Nothing can stay dirty in here because it would be truly terrible with it being so teensy tiny.  So, it's clean, but needs some stuff changed out.  Last week I changed out the toilet seat.  All by my lonesome.  And I thought, Why am I putting off doing these simple things around the house that would make it more comfortable and nice for us?  And I have no answer for that...just seems like all of it together is overwhelming.

I scrubbed the entire shower area down and added a brushed nickel rod and clear rings.  And that made a nice difference, too.  I think I get caught up in seeing the many projects I need to do here and there, and procrastinate so to get them done.  But when I get these little ones done, it makes a difference in how I see my house.

And I need to just get busy on doing things around here one small step at a time.

Meaplan Monday #73 and the start of something new...

My "little friends" go back to school today, and while I am happy that they are all healthy and happy and growing and all, I feel a little sorry for myself.  It's lonely without them...I miss The Girl so much already.  It even seems like forever since Firstborn has been here.  I blink and they grow up!

 (Scenic Overlook - Loop 360, Austin)

Scout and I had a lot of nice time together to take pics and explore our town.  It's his senior year, so I feel like there's this giant clock somewhere, ticking down the time I have him with me.  A little depressing.

****** 

Monday - Pulled pork sammies (leftover from freezer), tots
Tuesday - Grilled chicken (leftover from freezer), carrots, BBQ beans
Wednesday - Beef and rice-a-roni meatballs, masheds, salad
Thursday - Salmon patties, ranch style green beans, mac and cheese
Friday - Mole chicken thighs, rice, yellow squash
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Stouffer's Lasagna, salad

*****

It's also taken some getting used to , this new schedule of mine.  Wednesdays are now my grocery days, and Fridays are my house cleaning and laundry days.  Monday and Tuesday are going to be super simple dinner days - prob a lot of leftovers and crock pot meals.  

It's gonna be OK.

At least that I what I have to keep repeating.  Positive affirmations and some good planning will help get me through this changing time...

Frugal and creative Steak and Pasta Skillet

Sometimes I find a recipe I want to try, then I can't help but change it up to make use of what I already have.  Case in point was the Ranch Pesto Pasta from a couple weeks ago.

Turns out I had leftover steak in the freezer from grill night the week before.  And since my family balks at meatless pasta meals, I thought I would be frugal and creative at the same time!

 I sauteed some onion and garlic, added the sliced thin steak and some chopped de-seeded fresh tomatoes that were going too soft for salad.

 Boiled up some penne rigate, al dente.

 Shredded a half a block of mozzarella I found in the fridge.

 Stirred up a package of Knorr pesto sauce mix.

 

Tossed it all together and topped with parmesan to serve alongside zucchini.  It was gone in a flash, and was a great way to use the leftover steak.

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Home Stories A-Z

Tourist in our town - Tanglewood

Scout and I have had a few afternoons to ourselves when we could visit the area parks and other pretty places.

This one is in northwest Austin at Tanglewood Park.  I brought the kids  here a few times years ago when I had all four to take exploring.  There is a playscape here and basketball court, as well as a pavillion with restrooms, but we mostly walked the trails.

 

There are these sidewalks that wind around the park on the inside.  When the kids were back in school, I would return here and walk the trails while I listened to my ipod.  It was great exercise and a lot of the path is shaded.

 

 

 

 Feels like you are out in the country for a stroll, but you can still hear the sounds of traffic and suburbia.  It was lunchtime, and we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

 Though the drought has hit all Austin parks hard, there are still places of beauty to visit.

 

 Don't let the shade fool you, though.  It was over 100 degrees that day.  Scout and I packed an ice water jug and are pretty acclimated to the heat by now.

 It was pretty secluded but apparently we weren't the only ones there...

Mealplan Monday #72 and Rustown Art

Rustown Art

Last week things started kicking into high gear at Camp Rustown - the Summer is winding down and the school year is cranking up and that always leaves me a little breathless.  Between band camp, orientation at the high school, getting the backpacks ready, ordering shoes, paying bills, getting the Girl moved back to college, and working to a 40 hour schedule, I feel a little stressed...and that's just this coming week.

******

Monday - Curry Chicken crock pot, rice, broccoli
Tuesday - Ham and Cheese Party Rolls, doritos
Wednesday - Mexican Tinga Tostadas, pintos
Thursday - Healthier Smothered Fries, salad
Friday - Eat out after band performance
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Stouffer's meal (they were buy two get one free at HEB), corn

******

My new schedule is Saturday through Tuesday.  Which means grocery shopping and housework will wait until Wednesday of each week.  I still have to get Bubbie to camp in the evenings this week, but it's the last week of camp.  Thank goodness we have already bought all the back to school clothes and such - the supplies will be a breeze in comparison.  I've got scrubs washed and ironed, freezer meals ready to go, items stocked in my pantry for school lunches, and have my checkbook ready for the inevitable onslaught of teacher/school/PTA requests.  And I have my tennies on so I can hit the ground running!

Tourist in our town - Emma Long Park

Scout and I wanted to go someplace pretty to take pics last week.  We've never been to Emma Long Metropolitan Park for some reason.  It's only a 10-15 minute drive away.

It's the oldest city park in Austin and truly beautiful.  There is over a mile of shoreline and the park itself sits on 1,000 acres.  They normally charge $5 a car to park, but the lady let us in free cause we didn't know...

We were only there to eat lunch and take pics anyway.  There were lots of picnic tables in shade - Scout and I took sammies and frozen grapes and had a feast!

 And enjoyed some sweet breezes on a hot August day.

I should have worn my swimsuit - there were sandy shallow areas to swim in and tons of little shells.  So refreshing on the toes!  Lots of families there, and doggies enjoying the lake, too.

 Plus, there were meadows covered in tiny yellow flowers...

 

 So sunny and pretty!

 And there were beautiful GIANT trees.  Oh, how I love big trees...they might have been on these shores when it was an Indian campground long ago...

 

 Love them.

 

 

 I think my photographer got some good shots...

 

 Goodbye, Emma Long, we'll see you again sometime...