Opening Day at the Races

Hot Springs holds a very special place in my heart. I used to go with my family on fun day trips; since dating EH we have spent several weekends every summer going out on the lake; horse races, Valentine's weekends, and easily greatest of all - we were married there!

So with warmed up weather, we headed to our favorite spot again for Opening Weekend at Oaklawn Gaming and Racing.

Lake Hamilton is beautiful no matter what time of year. 

The weather was perfect for Opening Day. Sunny, 65 and very little wind. 

"Orange Thing" in hand, we all headed off. Parking is usually found in neighboring home's driveways at $20 for the day. After a bit of walking, you enter through the unassuming North Entrance - where admission is free!

We make it a habit to arrive well before the first race takes off - this gives you time to check out your program to make your selections and hit up the new Beer Garden where the offerings are a bit better than your typical Bud or Miller Light. Though the prices are the same.

The Beer Garden is one of many smoking areas throughout the track, though the bathroom lines are usually nonexistent compared to other areas. But their beer selection (or mimosa, bloody mary and the like) makes up for it. Plus shorter lines all around.

We spent the next several hours pouring over our programs and eavesdropping from other racing enthusiasts around us. While my in-law's study and use actual reasoning when picking their horses, I tend to gravitate towards a name I connect with. Or a grey horse. Or sometimes just a feeling.

Which paid off on the 2nd race! I bet the #2 to WPS on a whim, had to be walked through placing my bet by strangers, and ended up he won! So thank you #YankeeDime for tripling my bet. Sorry I ended up wasting it all at the casino.

One thing you have to do while at the races is treat yourself to a Reuben sandwich. They are to die for.

Also, get yourself lost in the Bronx region of the track - some weird 2nd floor bar area that is ridiculously less crowded but also a mystery. None of our group had ever seen this area before and we weren't quite sure how we got there. Or out.

I thought I had taken a better picture but maybe that's just the mystique of this strange area. The beer was .50 cents cheaper. I swore mine had the faint taste of bananas.

After a trip to check out the new extended casino, we headed back to the lake house to cook dinner and hang out.

Onion and shrimp stuffed peppers wrapped in bacon.

Vegetable medley and salad.

Steak. Lots of steak.

Wine and Whiskey. Lots of that too.

I love these weekends - everyone over eats and over indulges and there is so much laughter and fun.

Moose enjoys the scenic views the most.

That was our weekend! And we've already conquered Monday so this week is off to a victorious start.

A Few New Favorite Things

Though I'm on a bit of a spending freeze now (just ignore that $20 receipt for sushi over there..), I thought I would share a few products I have tried over the past few months that I have really liked. Hopefully there is a little bit of something on here for everyone!

1 // Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer - I have long been a fan of Smashbox primers. I'm pretty lucky that for the most part I stay blemish free, but my skin gets really oily and shiny. I've normally used the clear color Photo Finish primer which has a super soft, silky feel. After a friend suggested this though I decided to try it out. It doesn't have near as nice a texture as some of the other variations, but I definitely notice a difference in how my makeup stands up throughout the day. Even after applying my makeup at 7 in the morning, it lasts well into the night - which is great when you need that work to after hours transition!

2 // Yeti Ramblers - I first heard of these through work and I balked at the idea of a $35 tumbler. $35! For a stainless steel tumbler! But let me tell you what - these things are awesome. The perfect gift for the person who has everything. EH and I both received one for Christmas and they are awesome. EH made a whiskey drink in his around 8pm one night and the next afternoon it still had perfectly formed ice cubes and was barely watered down. Insane!

3 // eos Honeysuckle Lip Balm - No matter how hydrated I keep myself, my lips are perpetually dry and chapped, to the point of pain in the winter. I usually stick with good ole' Vaseline but I'm a sucker for a honeysuckle scent. This lip balm is light enough that it doesn't feel greasy, and the smell is awesome.

4 // Yeti Hopper - At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Yeti really knows how to make their stuff. I got this for EH as a YAY You Passed the PE/Christmas gift and he's still bragging about this thing. A ton easier to carry around than their hard cooler and it still holds the same amount of beer beverages. A small investment, but it comes with a guarantee!

5 // Hide a Squirrel Squeak Toy - This one's for the Dogs. Santa Paws brought this for Moose and I think it's officially approved. Though I'm almost positive these are chipmunks. Amp up your dog's agility, or watch them frustrate themselves until they pick up the entire toy and just carry it around.

6 // Blanket Scarf - I know I'm a bagillion days behind the super cool bloggers, but man do I love this thing. I ordered mine from Brina Box (two actually!) and they're just so convenient and pretty. I use one as a literal blanket in the mornings until my car heats up. EH goes the budget route and uses the living room throw.

Any new products you've found? Let me live vicariously through you as my spending freeze continues.

Conquering Mondays

Oh, Mondays. They're difficult enough on their own but they are even worse when the entire day just doesn't go very well.

But it's almost over and the rest of the week always looks up from here. So I'll start and end with the one real sad thing weighing on my mind today. 

My Granny passed away late last Thursday. It was a long battle that we knew was drawing to a close but it doesn't really minimize the pain I think we all feel. Her Funeral was today and it's been hard to think of too much else. I wish I could have been there.

That's my MeMa (My Mom's Mom) on the left in the blue and Granny (My Dad's Mom) on the right, in her kitchen down in Glen Rose, Texas. This would have been 1987 I believe - right after my Mom and Dad's wedding. 

This picture has been on my fridge for years. I just love looking at it. Her kitchen never changed from this photo as far as my memory serves. And I now know where my love of mini cherry cheesecakes must have come from.

My Granny was so many wonderful things and there are so many fun memories I attribute to spending time on her land and in her company - watching hummingbirds from her front porch swing, seeing what felt like thousands of shooting stars from the pasture where no lights encumbered your view. Learning about leeches and catching toads with my brothers. Lots of hide and seek. Go cart rides out to see hay bales and checking for foxes. Cattle guards and collecting peacock feathers. Dinosaur footprints. (How funny, it appears they've fenced them in.)

She was my last Grandparent. My memories are so story book. It's been a sad day.