This morning we headed about 20 miles west to Dripping Springs for their Wild West Fest. They had kids’ activities, rodeo events, booths and food cook-offs for chili, salsa and pie. This is not a huge event, just enough to keep our little family entertained for just the right amount of time.

And lunch! My Frito pie had homemade chili and queso, and Brett’s BBQ sandwich had been smoked right next to the concession booth.

My lunch - Coke and Frito pie, soooo good!

Brett had a BBQ sandwich and Hannah had a hot dog. We watched horse events while eating.

She got to "help" take the donkey on an obstacle course.

Time to brush the donkeys.

All the donkeys were so gentle and laid-back.

These little boots got some Texas dust on them today.

This was a really fun family activity. Hannah loved seeing all the animals, and all the teenage girls who helped with everything (probably 4Hers) were so sweet with her. It was very affordable, too – parking, activities and lunch all totaled $20. I think we’ll put it on the calendar for next year, too.

Hannah is two! Planning a party this year was much different than last year. One-year-olds just like to eat and play, so last year they were thoroughly entertained by lunch and balloons. This year, I sprang for a theme.

Since we were planning to get Hannah a play kitchen, I decided to work it into a cooking themed-party. Some of our invited guests were sidelined at the last minute with sickness in the family, so Hannah’s buddy Cody ended up being the only kid guest for the official party. My sister Kristen flew in from Kansas, and my sister-in-law Melody drove down from Dallas. Awesome aunts!

To start the party, the kids put on their aprons. My mom sewed little aprons for them, and they are really cute. Cody and Hannah wore them the whole time.

Kids usually open presents at the end of parties, but I knew there were some gifts with items for the play kitchen, so we opened presents first.

With the great new cooking toys, Hannah and Cody headed off to check out the new kitchen.

It was a hit! Kristen also entertained herself with the play dishes by making towers, but Hannah tended to interfere.

Time for real cooking – pizza! I had pre-made crusts, and everyone made their own pizzas. It was fun and easy, though the kids didn’t really understand that we were going to bake the pizzas and tried to eat the toppings a little early.

I forgot to get a photo of all the finished pizzas, but they were yummy. While the pizzas were baking, the kids played in a sensory table I’d set up with dried beans and cooking utensils. This was an activity we’d used frequently when I was teaching preschool. It got a little crazy with toddlers. There were a lot of beans on the floor.

To finish the evening, we decorated cupcakes.

It was a really fun party, and I am so thankful for the friends and family who could come celebrate with us. We are planning a Party Part Two for our friends who had to miss, so stay tuned for extended birthday fun.

We spent a long weekend with Brett’s family in southern Oklahoma (or “Homa” as Hannah says). We “met in the middle” near the Turner Falls area for a couple days of fun family time. Hannah was very excited to see her cousin Addie again, and we all had fun seeing the sights, cooking together, and playing games in the evening.

Just a few pics to sum up the trip.

Cousin time! Playing in puddles - so happy.

Visiting Turner Falls

Aunt Mindy gives Hannah her first hair cut

Enjoying Grandpa Buck's homemade ice cream

Here, Addie, have some more!

When it comes to watching movies, Brett is a good sport with my preferences. I am very sensitive to any kind of suspense, violence, and disturbing images. I get scary dreams and freak out about little things. Basically, I don’t enjoy watching much other than “chick flicks.” Since we only have one TV and enjoy watching things together, Brett is subjected to female-dominated fluff on a regular basis.

Here are a few we’ve watched recently:

From Prada to Nada – Modern Jane Austen adaptations can be cheesy, but I definitely believe her plots are timeless. This is a spin-off of “Sense and Sensibility” that takes place in modern LA. Orphaned Hispanic sisters Nora and Mary are left penniless and forced to live in more humble surroundings with their extended family. I liked their adaptations of the “Sense and Sensibility” plot, and there were lots of funny situations as the girls were adjusting to their new lifestyle. Brett’s take: It’s a cute date movie and the plot works well from a cultural standpoint.

Wild Target – This is not exactly a chick flick, but I was the one who suggested we watch it. Really funny and has Emily Blunt, that guy from Harry Potter and a famous British actor who I’m not familiar with. A professional killer falls in love with his next “job.” Everything goes awry, all with straight-faced British comedy. There was a little bit of blood and suspense, but I did okay with it. Brett’s take: Hilarious! It’s like The Professional meets Get Smart, but with British humour. Great acting from Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint and Bill Nighy. As a side note, Rupert and Bill acted together in Harry Potter.

Drop Dead Diva – This is a series on Lifetime that I came across accidentally. We don’t have cable, but I watched Season 1 on streaming Netflix, Season 2 on DVDs from Netflix, and now we’re in Season 3 through mylifetime.com. Deb, a model, dies and is put in the body of Jane, a smart lawyer who does not exactly have the same body type. This falls somewhere between a drama and comedy. There are court cases in each episode as well as the ongoing storyline of Jane/Deb adjusting to her new life. Brett’s take: I like it. For those who don’t care to watch the gore in the “other” legal shows, Drop Dead Diva is a great alternative. A fun dramedy for everyone.

Arranged – On my list of all-time favorites. It’s an independent movie about girls in New York going through the process of an arranged marriage. One is from a traditional Muslim family, the other from an Orthodox Jewish family. They become friends and realize they have much in common when it comes to wanting love. It is a peek into different cultures and has a light tone with many funny moments. Brett’s take: It’s documentary-like, so it’s interesting without being overly chick flicky.

Tangled – I guess this isn’t a chick flick as much as it is a family movie, but we both thought this one was a lot of fun. It will be a couple years before we actually watch it as a family, but I think this is just as enjoyable for adults to watch as kids. The evil witch lady is flat out emotionally abusive, but she is not as scary as many other Disney villains. We laughed all the way through this one. Brett’s take: Ditto.

Twilight – I do not usually follow hype, but a few months ago I was convinced to read the “Twilight” books and watch the movies. Fluff and cheese, but quite entertaining. I’m a little too excited about the next one coming out in November. Brett’s take: Total cheese. Stephanie Meyer has an interesting take on fairy tales, but if I’m watching vampires, I want action.