Zoo Boo (part 2)

We had a fabulous time today at the zoo. On our third visit, we finally managed to get out without my 2 yr old having a temper tantrum. Yay!!!

We discovered that she'll finally eat ice-cream so we got her some Dippin' Dots on our way out and it worked like a charm. It was worth every penny of the $5 we spent on that little cup of heaven.

Having said that, the rest of our visit was just as great. We got there a little earlier than our last visit and got to do everything we set out to do and leave before noon. And it's a good thing because it was already 85 degrees at 11:45am when we drove out.

P wore her costume (fairy wings and a tutu) and had lots of fun. This time we met up with our playgroup, well for a few minutes anyway. P was antsy and waiting on a group can be hard for a toddler so we said our hello's and made our way through all our favorite attractions.

First we got our Zoo Boo tattoo and then colored for a couple minutes on the 'Monster Mural' and then headed to the elephants. After saying hi while they had their morning bath, off to the pumpkin decorating tent. Then we saw some big cats and some small cats and went to the Children's Zoo to play on the playground. While P was playing, S managed to fall asleep this visit. There was actually a nice breeze this morning so I think she was pretty comfortable.

After that we headed to Cypress Circle for an early lunch. This time I brought utensils and a plate for P's lunch. It made eating much easier that way. My husband managed to find himself some beer at $5 a glass. Ouch! And we split a shrimp po'boy since they are so large.

After some quick trick-or-treating for some tootsie rolls, we got P some Dippin' Dots and headed home.

It was a smooth and easy visit, partly because I planned a week in advance and packed the night before for everything we'd need and to make life with the kids easier. Now it's just after lunch and both girls are having a nice long nap. Now it's time for Mom to get herself a beer. Yum!

Pumpkin Patch Photos

One of the things I love each October is shooting pumpkin patch photos. We were very spoiled in Dallas with the Arboretum. They do it up right and have the best pumpkin patch and Halloween events I've ever seen.

In Houston, however, I'm having trouble finding something that even comes close. The search continues. I did find a church pumpkin patch in Pearland at St. Andrews Episcopal Church on Broadway. It was a bit more of a drive than I was prepared for, about 25 min from home, but it was cute.

The one thing I didn't like was how close it was to a busy street which made me, the over-protective mom, very nervous. After we move into Sienna Plantation we won't go back to this church mainly because it will be too far away but also because it's just too close to traffic, but I did manage to get some cute pumpkin photos of the girls.

The one thing it had going for it were the little photo areas they had scattered around the patch. There were different fall and Halloween backdrops where you could sit your kids down for photos.

For this year, seeing as how we're living in a transitional area in our apartment, St. Andrews served its purpose but I'm still hoping to find something like the Dallas Arboretum one of these days.

MerCheri Martini Bar and Grille

Another good date night with the hubby, this time at a Cajun restaurant called MerCheri Martini Bar and Grille. It was a week night so it was rather quiet and there were plenty of open tables. We chose to sit outside because it was freezing indoors. It felt like an ice-box.

My husband enjoyed some red wine and I sampled a couple drinks from their martini bar. I started with a dirty martini with Belvedere Vodka but it was a little dirty for my taste. Next I tried the Pearland Martini and it was fabulous. I highly recommend it.

For dinner we started with Boudin Balls and Lobster Bisque which were both awesome. For our entrees we both had the Seafood Etoufee' which was good but not great. I'm part Cajun so it wasn't up to my standards so next time I'll try another entree to see if I have a better dining experience.

Overall a nice quiet night out and perfect because it's only 5 minutes from home but the menu isn't that big for food. If you're looking for a great place for drinks and appetizer food, this will work out nicely for you.

Zoo Boo (part 1)

I'm really loving the zoo! If you haven't been yet, every weekend during October the Houston Zoo hosts a 'Zoo Boo' event for the kids. There are candy stations at which to trick-or-treat, 'tattoo parlors' where little goblins can get a Zoo Boo tattoo and a pumpkin craft tent. It's awesome!

Grandma came to visit for the weekend and we took the girls and had lots of fun. The only bummer was how hot it turned out to be. Yuck! But P enjoyed dancing at the 'Mashquerade' and painted her miniature pumpkin and of course loved the playground in the Children's Zoo.

We had our fill around lunch and stopped for a bite at Cypress Circle and again I was impressed by the food. I wasn't expecting to see Po-Boys and gumbo on the menu and it was really good. But of course, the wait was pretty long, about 15-20 min standing in line. And that's an eternity when you've got two little ones waiting for lunch in the heat with Grandma.

We made a quick stop at the gift shop before heading home. We managed to make our exit this time without a tantrum partly because P was already in the stroller but when we got past the main gate headed to the car she started crying when she figured out where we were going.

We'll be going again next weekend with our play group and this time we'll wear our costumes. I just hope the weather is a little more forgiving.
Some things I did differently this time around made life a bit easier. Near the elephants and across from the pumpkin craft tent there's an open grassy area. I used that as our diaper changing spot and didn't have to worry about the size of the double stroller hindering anyone's bathroom break. I also remembered to bring a sports cup with a built-in lid and straw so I could pour my soda into it. It made using the cup holder in the stroller much easier. For the hot weather I think I need to find some kind of battery operated fan for the baby though. It was so hot I think she had a hard time napping this visit.

One thing I was looking forward to that I didn't get to do was taking pumpkin patch photos. I thought there was going to be a pumpkin patch for Zoo Boo but they didn't have one. The reflecting pool near the Mashquerade however is a pretty backdrop. There are pumpkin buckets for trick-or-treating hanging from the trees.

Chick Fil A - Missouri City

We met some new friends at Chick Fil A last night for family night and P had a blast! I'm not usually a fan of play yards at fast food joints but I must admit this is really nice. Plus there was a lady doing balloon animals and face painting. P didn't sit still for long enough to even notice she was there and stayed in the play yard for most of our trip there but she really loved it.
The only thing that worries me is that she can open the door on her own and get out easily and if I'm not paying constant attention and I'm not with my husband, she could quickly disappear and I'd never know it. If I venture here alone with the girls I'll have to be diligent about watching her. And again, you know Piper enjoyed herself by the temper tantrum and this time was a solid F4.
And I was pleasantly surprised at how nice the staff was too. I got a drink refill without having to ask for it or get out of my seat. Later, when we got up to leave, someone took my tray from me to throw away our trash for us. I think I've found my hot weather play spot for the girls every summer.
It was quite a hike from Pearland but this will be much easier to get to once we move into the new house.
I'll post some photos the next time we visit.