NO!

Check out the new billboard on I-35 near Ennis.

Veggies Oh How I Missed You!

Megan without veggies = not good.  So I was really sad to discover that that is exactly what the first trimester didn't allow me to eat.  Morning Perpetual sickness set in several months ago, and is just starting to let up now.  Not only was I completely repulsed by the thought of eating a salad, but my body couldn't digest it.  Really.  The few times I forced myself I had to run to my Shiny White Friend. 

No, to all my meat-lovers friends' disappointment, I did NOT crave red meat or poultry.  Bleh, fat chance.  When my mom was pregnant with me, she had an Orange Julius and chili dog every day, so I think I got my fill in utero. 

It's amazing how you can listen to your body to understand what you need nutritionally.  The one thing I did seem to crave every day over the past three months was dairy - yogurt and pudding.  Which makes so much sense because baby's bones were being formed. 

Today I had a huge slab of green beans with my lunch, and not only did I want them, the actually tasted good!   The old me is back!

Riding the Rails

I got to work at the Convention Center this week, so I finally got to try out MetroRail as a commuter.  I was very pleased.  It didn't hurt that it saved me over an hour of commute time every day.  The only thing that would have made the journey even better would have been if I could have biked to the station, but this klutz is not allowed on a bike until baby is safely out of my body.

I'll just try to throw out a few practical tips in case any of you want to try it too.

• The ticket machines take credit/debit cards and cash (except $20s).  Be careful though if you use cash - the machine may give you a Electronic Change Card (to use on rather trips) rather than change.  The rather annoying catch in small print on the back is that ECCs expire 15 days after issue and can only be used at ticket vending machines (not on bus travel).  Crock.  I'd be okay with that if the machine warned me, but it didn't.
• The trains are very punctual, unlike CapMetro buses!  One morning it even came 3 minutes early.  Don't press your luck cause it's 30 minutes to the next train.
• Each time I rode the train it was probably about 80-90% full, and surprisingly people get on and get off at all of the stops (rather than a majority getting off downtown).  Bike racks were always full, but people had plenty of room to stand with their bikes near the doors.
• EVERYONE reads on the train.  It's like you've stepped in some beautiful alternate universe. 
• The train is really fast and quiet.  HOWEVER, the train's horn is pesky and loud.  Don't sit in the front of the first car if you want a quiet ride. 
• The route may not be perfect and all-inclusive yet, but it is a step in the right direction.  Try it out and support our new transportation option!  It's one of the best ways to support expanded service in the future.

Viva le lego!

It will soon be socially acceptable for me to play with Legos again.  And Lincoln Logs too - whoohoo!

Babies on the Brain * Babies on the Brain * Babies on the Brain

I guess I haven't officially said this on my blog, but Chris and I have begun a new adventure.  I'm pregnant!  Our little one will be here right around Christmas. 

In honor of the best thing in the whole world (and because pregnancy brain is in full effect and I can't concentrate on work for longer than 8 minutes), here are a few cute babies!

And They Didn't Even Invite Us to the Party.

Yesterday the walking sticks had a rendezvous on the door to my office.  Today, a spontaneous party of daddy long legs. 

I guess I know what I'll be dreaming about tonight...

It Must All Work Out Because They Aren't Going Extinct...

The animal kingdom is keeping me alert on this difficult Monday.  Check out these walking sticks.

Yes, there are two.  Look carefully.  One is on the window and the other is on the frame.  What's so cool about that?  The FEMALE is on the window and the MALE is on the frame.  I had no ideas that female walking sticks were SO HUGE in comparison to the males!

Here's a photo for size reference.

My 11-year-old buddy took this photo with my camera.  I love how it is obviously taken from a child's perspective - looking up at the big sky, demoting the skyscrapers and promoting the clouds. 

I also love this photo because that's My Town.  Even though the great majority of those buildings went up in recent years.  And those trees in front are in Zilker, one of the best parks that we are all fortunate to have equal access to. 

Last night my husband and doggies and I were walking around Lady Bird Lake, and we couldn't help but discuss how great it is to live in Austin and how great it is to be able to see it from that perspective.  And hundreds of tourists were seated all around, anxiously awaiting the bats' emergence from Congress Bridge.  As we walked our dogs across the bridge on a Thursday night, we felt like a two-person parade, with everyone seemingly enamored with our dogs and our way of life here in Austin.  It made me think back to my first real visit here in high school to check out UT with my family.  We did the exact same thing - sat out and waited for the bats - and I remember being very jealous of young people out on trail with their dogs, obvious Austin residents.  The culture here probably had more influence in my moving here than UT did, which is why I'm still so happy to be here. 

Make a Lonely Glove Happy Again

This is so adorable, and it looks easy enough that even I could make it.

Instructions are here (12M pdf file).

Yeehaw Be to the Lord

"Even the rugged seek the cross..."

Either I've been living under a rock, or y'all will be surprised by this too, pardners. 

Any of you belong to a Cowboy Church?  Or have a friend who is?

Didn't think so.  I passed Bar None Cowboy Church yesterday on a small state highway in East Texas and had to google it to understand just what it is. 

In their own words:

"There are no steeples, no stained glass and no padded pews, just a group of ordinary folks that care enough to get to know you and help encourage you in your walk with the Lord. The only finger pointing is at Jesus on the cross.  Cowboys, cowgirls, or anyone who enjoys the western culture in any way, even if you just like good old western movies or country music, will enjoy Bar None Cowboy Church. Simply put, Bar None Cowboy Church is a come-as-you-are, relaxed church atmosphere with faith-based ministry straight from the Bible.  We are committed to reaching the cowboy/western culture and those who love it for Jesus Christ." 

Turns out there are Cowboy Churches all over Texas and beyond!  There's a Texas Fellowship of Cowboy Churches.  And wouldn't you know, there is a Cowboy Church in Austin.  The Cowboy Church of the Hill Country's mission is to "round up and train people in our cowboy heritage community to be in the possie for Christ to make sure they are on that eternal trail ride in heaven."  This church held a bluegrass festival and fish fry last month that gave away free fish to the first 100 people "unless Jesus returned early and fed 5,000." 

I'm not religious, but this tickles me pink.  I guess it really all comes down to marketing, and in rural Texas this seems to do the trick.   Cowboy Churches also hold such festivities as chuck wagon races, bull riding competitions, roping, and barel racing.  Next time my Aussie friends come to visit, this will definitely make the list of crazy Texas stuff to see :)