Kevin Costner and Modern West

For months, we've been planning to meet up with my cousin, Matt Allen, at the State Fair of Texas, when Kevin Costner & Modern West were going to be in town for a concert. Matt tours with the band. We joked about the things that could go wrong--the West Nile outbreak, the triple-digit temperatures still happening in Dallas during the fall, etc. We didn't joke about rain, because it never rains here, so it didn't cross our mind. But the day they got into town, Dallas had a one-day monsoon. The concert wasn't until 8:30, but it rained ALL. DAY. without stopping once. For the record, it didn't stop until about 9:30 this morning.

Monsoon season in Dallas, Sept. 29, 2012

We got to the state fair at about 6:15, said hello to Big Tex, and texted Matt. 

Howdy, folks. Welcome to the State Fair of Texas.

Matt met up with us and we chatted for awhile about whether or not the concert was going to take place. The stage was so wet that it wasn't safe for equipment. Josh, Supriya and I went off to eat and Matt said he'd keep us posted. Not 10  minutes later, we got the news that the concert was cancelled. Matt said that they might play a four or five song acoustic set in a tent behind the stage before leaving. We wolfed down some Fletcher's Corny Dogs and some fried pumpkin pie (ahhh-mazing), and headed back to the stage. Matt came to get us and took us to a tent. 

In the tent, feeling like VIPs.

It was nice to sit down and rest my feet, which are now the size of Honey Boo Boo's mom's thighs...

Excited for the show and to be resting our umbrella arms.

Kevin Costner, ladies and gentlemen! He said sorry about the rain, and they'd try to come back next year. He said they'd play a few songs, and then he was going out for sushi. :)

Supriya got some great pics. This is probably the best one! We were only about six feet away from KC.

They sang A Long Way from Home, modified from the Hatfields & McCoys album, Famous for Killing Each Other.

This is KC's daughter, who sang a song.

Cousin Matt. Thank you so much for the passes! We had an awesome time.

I think we're all still excited today about what a neat experience this was. Can't wait for them to come back next year!

Josh's 32nd Birthday

Josh had one of those mid-week birthdays this year that are never quite as fun as a Friday or Saturday birthday, so we celebrated the Saturday before in traditional Josh's birthday style--dinner at Texas Roadhouse with Supriya and cake. Lots of cake.

We tried a new bakery near Supriya, and it was probably the most delicious cake we've ever had. Buttercream frosting being the key.

Something strange happens to your face when you turn 32.

One of us in this photo is only 31.

Partners in crime.

Name that smell

Josh works with the nicest girls, and they threw us a baby shower at work today. We played a funny game where you had to identify what was in the baby diaper. We were really good at IDing melted candy--Milky Way, Snickers, Payday...but when it came to green beans, we put peas, and for pears, we put apple sauce. I guess we've got a way to go on the fruits and veggies. Prunes and peas were by far the grossest diaper samples, in case you were wondering. Here are some shots from the shower.

Josh is really excited about this dirty diaper.

Adorable cupcakes and table decorations

Delicious cake, and they sent us home with plenty to eat all weekend long. Yum!

Lisa worked really hard on the punch, because the recipe came from Pinterest, and apparently blueberries are out of season.

The cute clothesline decoration with baby clothes they gave us

Nugget's super cool parents

Well, one of us is cool.

An amazing amount of baby supplies, from washcloths and towels to diapers and wipes, and everything in between.

They are super generous. Please note that the sleeper says "I love mommy." We did not receive an "I love daddy." hmmm 

It was such a nice shower, and we had a lot of fun! He is lucky to have such a great team at work--they are so sweet!

Halloween candy just got even better

One of the happiest times of the year at our house is when Cadbury Creme Eggs come out at Easter. The past few years, they've come out earlier and earlier, like January, much to our delight. Because we seriously love them.

Today, my friend Mallory made a life-changing discovery. THEY NOW HAVE CADBURY SCREAM EGGS, you guys. For Halloween! The wrappers are black and green and the yolk is green. So awesome and clever. Cadbury, you've done it again. Might I suggest we continue this trend for other holidays?

Cadbury Evergreen Eggs for Christmas
Cadbury American Dream Eggs for 4th of July, Presidents' Day or Election Day
Cadbury Team Eggs for the Super Bowl or opening day of baseball season

You get the picture. I want year-round access to these little pieces of heaven.