Amboise in Popsicle Sticks

This week saw the beginning of a masterpiece; Domonic began engineering a French castle out of popsicle sticks! This is a project for his French class and should be completed by next week. I can't wait to see the finished project!

Fred Claus at the Alamo

Pizza, cookies 'n cream ice cream and Vince Vaughn saving Christmas for millions of children around the world: What else could we possibly need to put us in the holiday spirit? We love the Alamo Drafthouse! Bring on the holiday cheer!

Oh So Good.

This week, Domonic and I decided to indulge in our love of ice cream. We did what we always do when the urge overcomes us: headed to our favorite, Amy's, for the finest ice cream in town. As usual, ice cream was flying through the air as the energetic crew engaged in delightful dairy acrobatics. Domonic had a Mexican vanilla root beer float and I tried the white chocolate macadamia nut with strawberries. I think I found a new favorite ice cream concoction!

Pizza, Baby!

This evening, Domonic and I decided to partake in one of our favorite activities: eating! It's practically a tradition now; we take a trip to Whole Foods for the finest ingredients and then cook up a fresh, hot pepperoni pizza. Tamika, Domonic's sister and always a welcome addition to our adventures, joined us for the feast. It may have been the best pizza we've ever made. Yum!

Check it out:

Domonic and I were featured on the cover of the BBBS Central Texas quarterly newsletter!

Rockin' and Rollin'

We just can't get enough of our favorite roller rink, Playland Skate Center! And with their newly resurfaced skating rink, the place is even better than ever. We had our usual: several gummy hamburgers and then commenced skating. Inspired by the speed skaters from the Texas Speed Club on the rink, we skated faster than ever before and even practiced skating backwards. We got skills! Domonic didn't fall down even once, although I fell twice. Ouch!

Merci de cette délicieuse soirée!

Tonight, Domonic and I embarked on a culinary adventure at Chez Nous, which offers some of Austin's finest French fare. Never one to be timid, Domonic decided we should start the evening with an appetiser of escargot. "Magnifique" was the verdict. Already hooked on the French language, Domonic may well become a lifelong aficionado of French cuisine! Thanks to the generosity and kindness of the staff at Chez Nous, it was truly a memorable experience.

Bowling Extravaganza, Part II

Today was a really awesome day! Domonic and I went to Highland Lanes to flex our bowling muscles again, but this time with his brother and sister D'Andre and Tameka and their Bigs, Paul and Megan. We were also joined by reporter Kaitlin who is writing a feature story on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas for Tribeza Magazine's December issue. The balls were rolling and the pins were dropping all over the place and we didn't even use the bumpers! Then the troop converged on Chuy's Restaurant for some absolutely Flan-tastic Tex-Mex. I can't wait until we all get together again!

Crown me!

This school year Domonic has opted to study the beautiful French language and in honor of his emerging interest in both the language and culture of France, we decided to partake in some of the offerings of French cuisine. La Madeleine was today's lunch destination. Domonic declared their potato soup the best he'd ever had and also enjoyed croissants and crêpes. It was quite the feast! Afterwards we made a trip to the Austin Children's Museum to see the newest exhibit entitled "The Big Game". This was one of my favorite exhibits ever! Domonic played (and won) a giant game of checkers and got some fancy origami paper to enjoy at home.

Sunday Morning Strikes

I just have to tell you, Highland Lanes is the place to be on a Sunday morning! Thanks to their bargain rates, this week was all about the strikes, spares and splits. We were knockin' 'em down and pickin' 'em up; those poor pins just never saw it coming. It was a lot fun and I am sure we'll be back soon, especially since we looked so good in those fashionable bowling shoes!

We Screamed for Ice Cream

The afternoon was hot but the first annual Austin Ice Cream Festival was so cool. There was an ice cream eating contest (Can you imagine the brain freeze?), a screaming for ice cream contest and piles of popsicle sticks for the artistically inclined. And of course, there was ice cream which we gobbled with abandon. Plus Domonic got a new hairdo and learned a few magic tricks. What do you think? Pretty cool, huh?

What a Weekend!

Domonic and I packed this weekend full of fun activities. First we went for some of Amy's delicious ice cream (Domonic: Mexican Vanilla with Oreos, Debby: Malted Vanilla with strawberries) and then to see the latest installment of the Harry Potter movies and finally we faced off on a pretty intense Connect Four battle followed by a fun game of Upwords. Next week is the BBBS annual Hobie Day and we are so excited -- I've already got the sunblock ready!

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

If you were at Playland Skate Center last night, you may have seen us. Then again, if you blinked, you may have missed us! That's right, we were pure speed on 16 wheels and it was a blast from answering Chubby Checker's eternal question: How low can you go? to the black lights and fog machine. So Jack be limbo, Jack be quick... We'll be back for the limbo stick!

Library Raid!!

This week Domonic and I decided to have a good look around Faulk Central Library exploring all three floors including the large kids' section, the magazine and newspaper area and the over-sized books section. We took full advantage of the lovely library admiring the great view from the third floor and checking out a whole mess of books and movies including my first choice, Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Domonic's pick, the 2006 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Circus is in Town!

For Domonic's birthday this year he said he wanted to go to the circus, so that's exactly what we did! It was hard to choose a favorite act, but the elephants and the motorcycles were real showstoppers... The acrobats and tigers were amazing too! It was a darn good time and Domonic is now twelve years old! Happy birthday!

A Soupie Excursion

Since Domonic and I both love cooking, I thought it might be fun to go check out a unique Austin operation called The Soup Peddler, my favorite local food delivery service. I thought perhaps we could get a tour of the facilities and learn a little about being an entrepreneur in Austin. Well, when I contacted them with the request, David Ansel, the soup magnate himself, offered to give us a tour and even invited Domonic to bring his bike and make deliveries with him! Very cool! Together they delivered soup to the Bouldin Creek neighborhood and even made a stop to see some beautiful peacocks and artwork. Afterwards Domonic and I cooled off with our favorite -- root beer floats from Sandy's. It was a well deserved treat!

Many thanks to everyone at The Soup Peddler!

Ratatouille

When was the last time a movie about rats made you hungry? Probably never. Well, get ready because Ratatouille is here! Domonic and I were lucky enough to catch a free sneak preview thanks to the Austin Film Festival. The movie was great and the animation was really cool. Overall it was a blast! Thank you AFF!

A Summer Dip

Deep Eddy swimming pool and bathhouse, Texas' very first outdoor pool constructed in 1916, had it's grand re-opening this weekend after a major renovation and restoration project. Domonic and I were among the first to take a dip in the cool waters. We practiced our swimming techniques, managed some wobbly underwater hand-stands and generally had a really lovely afternoon. It was a beautiful day and the improvements to the facilities were evident!

A Senator in the Making!

Today Domonic was an honorary page in the Texas Senate. Thanks to our senator, the Honorable Kirk Watson, who sponsored Domonic for the page program, and Ms. Judy Roach who helped get Domonic suited up for the occasion, he learned all about senatorial proceedings and was able to accompany a messenger on the floor to view the senators hard at work and conduct some official business (deliveries). Domonic even met Senator Watson and had his photo taken with him.

This was a very special day and I can't help but think Domonic might make a fine member of Congress one day. You have to admit, he's already got the look down. Next thing you know, he'll be shaking hands and kissing babies!

A Hole-in-One (or two)!

The weather was just lovely this weekend: perfect for a couple of rounds of putt-putt at Peter Pan Mini-Golf. Apparently we weren't the only ones with this idea as most of Austin joined us on the course! There were brightly colored golf balls flying everywhere including a green one we lost to the McDonald's parking lot... Fore!

I got off to a good start taking the first 18 holes while Domonic dominated the second (and more challenging) course. He scored two perfect holes-in-one, conquered a rather obstinate Blue Whale and eased past a fierce looking but mild mannered T-Rex. Then we topped our successes off with a root beer and called it day. Thank you Peter Pan for a wonderful afternoon (as always) and the great discount you give to Bigs!

A Lucky Visit

It was a truly memorable day. This weekend Domonic and I attended the annual "Open Farm Day" at Pure Luck Farm. We were given the opportunity to tour the gorgeous farm, sample their wonderful and varied hand-crafted cheeses, play with the baby goats, cavort with their mamas and even milk a real live (and incredibly patient) goat. Domonic became an old hand at the milking very quickly (perhaps there is a farm in his future!) and we both decided that goats are our favorite farm animals by far. I can't wait to go again next year!

We're Back for More!

We just had to check out the second installment of the Texas Rollergirls season this weekend! When Domonic's little brother D'Andre heard how much fun we had last time, he wanted to come along too. The more the merrier I say (especially since kids under 12 are free!) We sat in the very front row cheering as loud as we could and just iching to be rolled into or over by a rollergirl... There were some close calls, but in the end, we left with all our toes and fingers still attached. Oh, and I finally got that action shot that eluded me last time!

A Trip to the Museum

Going to a museum is generally a pretty good bet if you want to have an interesting afternoon. But going to the South Austin Museum of Popular Culture is a sure-fire way of having a very groovy afternoon! We checked out their fabulous poster collection and a lovely circa 1970's mural as well as the amazing car turned planter and shrines to various notables in popular culture. We even took a peak at some of the work in progress that real artists are making today. Cool, man.

Texas Rollergirls Rock!

The Texas Rollergirls have two new fans! Domonic and I went to check out a roller derby bout at the Playland Skate Center and it was so much fun. Thrills and spills abounded quite literally. Ever seen an athlete in a pair of skates crash full speed into a crowd of people holding extra large sodas, hot dogs and other refreshments? We have and we highly recommed it! We saw the Hell Marys versus the Hustlers and the Hotrod Honeys versus the Honky Tonk Heartbreakers. These gals are awesome. I wish I had gotten some better action shots for you but frankly, the girls were just too fast for my camera. I guess you'll just have to go and see them for yourself!

Two Incredible Kids

Yesterday was Absolute Incredible Kid Day at the Austin Children's Museum so I took two absolutely incredible kids over there for some fun activities and yummy cake. We also enjoyed some of the new and really neat displays. One cool one is a projection that can be manipulated by the viewer's shadow! The museum is always one of our favorite places to visit, but yesterday's festivities were extra special and it was great hanging out with Domonic and his sister too. And on the way back to the car we stopped for a photo-op with one of those crazy 10 foot guitars and gawked at all the SXSW'ers wandering around downtown Austin! Don't you just love living in the Live Music Capital of the World?

Beautiful Boggy Creek Farm

Domonic and I visited the delightful Boggy Creek Farm this weekend and boy was it a treat! We followed the chickens around, checked out the rows of flourishing vegetables as they were being harvested, bought some choice organic produce (which we ate shortly thereafter) from the on-site farm stand and had some delicious ice cream made from goat's milk (a big hit on a sunny and warm afternoon). It was a beautiful day and we'll be sure to return very soon. I can't wait to try some of that cauliflower!

Dragons Dragons Everywhere

This weekend, thanks to a very generous Big Brother, Domonic and I and a bunch of other Bigs and Littles went to see the movie Eragon, a story of courage and folly packed with dramatic action - from high flying fire breathing dragon rides to fierce battles fought with strength of will and magic. At the root of it all are the efforts of a young man destined to save his oppressed countrymen. It was a great event and it is always wonderful to see other Bigs and Littles having a good time as well!

Superbowl XLI

This weekend was Superbowl weekend and Domonic and I decided to see the big game on the big screen, well the silver screen actually. We went to the Alamo Downtown where they showed the game in the movie theater. Domonic was rooting for the Colts and I was all about the Bears. What an incredible game! We also loved the commercials and there was even a spot promoting Big Brothers Big Sisters so we had to cheer for that one!

A Winter Walk

Over the weekend, Domonic and I visited the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for their plant sale and winter walk with professional arborist Guy LeBlanc. We learned lots of things about native trees, made some arts and crafts, saw lots of beautiful plants and even bought a few to take home. And Domonic took lots of pictures of the lovely winter day.

Public Service? Nope. Pancakes!

So Domonic and I planned on doing our little bit to make the world a better place in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We were going to plant a garden at an East Austin elementary school. We got up really early on a Saturday morning to do so. But unfortunately the torrential rain doomed our intentions from the start. So what did we do instead? We went out for a big yummy breakfast at Star Seeds Cafe where Domonic got the biggest plate of pancakes I have ever seen in my life. Take a look; that's a stack of three pancakes, each bigger than Domonic's head. They were delicious!

The Catherdral of Junk

All we could say when we first saw the aptly named Cathedral of Junk was, "Wow!" It was mesmerizing, incomprehensible and oh so cool. Some may ask, "What's it made of?", but a better question would be, "What's it not made of?!"

Domonic and I climbed the three stories several times tried to take it all in. We identified some really neat stuff, a moss-covered Barbie lounging in a swampy fountain, the back end of a Yamaha motorcycle, several basketball hoops, a Darth Vader mask, lots of CD's, aluminum can tabs, hubcaps, a plastic pony, bicycle parts of every kind, a megaphone... While the whole may be greater than the sum of its parts, the parts are really really neat to look at. Bravo Vince!