Wordless Wednesday-Houston Livestock Show 2016

To Brunch or Not to Brunch

Our Monday through Friday schedule is so full.  We are so go, go , go.  Early days and late nights.  But on the weekend, we get to sleep in and relax a little bit.  Most weekends we wake up late, way past Breakfast.  We have discovered the Brunch.  In case you are lost and never heard the word Brunch, it is the meal in between Breakfast and Lunch.  Where do you eat Brunch?  And what do you eat for Brunch?

Thanks to Grand Lux Cafe for inviting my family and I to come experience their Weekend Brunch.

My son loves French Toast.  He decided to order the Grand Lux Cafe French Toast which is extra thick slices of Brioche Bread served with maple-butter syrup.  You can add fresh strawberries which he did.  My daughter stole some of his plate while this picture was being taken.  The bread takes like you are biting into a piece of tres leches cake.  This serving was huge.    

I did not know what to order with so many delicious options and recommendations.  We have never been to Grand Lux Café for breakfast or lunch.  As I was undecided my husband pointed out they have chicken and waffles and he knows I have been craving some.  That is what I ordered.  When placing my order the waitress asked if I had any allergies to nuts, specifically pecans.  I normally am the one asking or checking all the ingredients.  My waffles came topped with crispy fried chicken strips and pecan honey-butter sauce.  I really liked the flavor of the crisp on the fried chicken.

 My husband ordered the Buttermilk Pancakes.  He actually ordered this thinking they would be small but they were huge!  The pancakes were very fluffy.  (We loved the syrups that were served with these dishes.) 

For his main dish, he ordered the Chorizo and Cheese Omelette.  It had ground beef, Spanish chorizo, peppers, onions, tomato, cilantro, pepper-jack cheese and red chile hollandaise.  It was delicious.   

For our daughter, we ordered her the Kids' Mini Hamburgers that come with fries.  Everything comes on the side including the baby lettuce and tomatoes.  The burgers were her perfect size.

We invited to try the Grand Lux Cafe’s Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich which is served every day.  (photo courtesy of Grand Lux Cafe)  It is slow roasted short rib, caramelized and pickled onions, arugula and melted cheese on grilled country bread.  It is served with a Mixed Green Salad or French Fries, you choose.  I have to tell you never, ever, would I have ordered this.  Grilled cheese sandwich with rib?  Who does that?  Grand Lux Café does that and they do it very well!  It is so flavorful.  The arugula and the caramelized and pickled onions were my favorite.  My husband was very skeptical but after just one bite, he gave this dish two thumbs up.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day is coming on April 12, Grand Lux Cafe invites you come in and try their amazing Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the brunch menu and have another  Short Rib Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Check out the rest of the menu at www.grandluxcafe.com.

Weekend Snapshots | 6

Hello April!  and Happy Monday!  How was your weekend?  I hope it was wonderful.  Thanks for stopping by today to read all about our Weekend Snapshots in collaboration with Arianna from 3twentysix.com and Jessica from The Reinvention of Jessica.

The kids and I started our weekend by picking up our packages for next weekend's race.  It will be our first official race of the year and we will be doing it together.  Then we headed to the park because it was such a beautiful day.  But the park I was trying to head to had no parking, so I went with plan B.  Plan B was to find another park near by and we did.

Arthur Storey Park is right of the Belt Way at 7114 West Sam Houston Pkwy S.  I have been to this park before, years ago.  It was not this big, or at least I do not remember it being this big.  I have noticed it as we pass by before but we never stopped.  My son, daughter, and I headed out on the trail not knowing what to expect.  We did see signs posted beware of the Alligators....ooooooo scary.  We did not see any.  We were looking for them.  We did see a fish flying out of the water swimming from one side to the other.  We found these concrete circles that were perfect for box jumps.

These stones go from one side of the park to the other, over 20 of them.  I did not count or even look back.  Once I started jumping there was no turning back. My daughter ran along side.  She even did a countdown once I was almost finished.  My kids are so awesome to encourage me and workout with me.  I started struggling halfway through and my son said he would do them with me.  He did.

We found this cool cable climbing triangle that of course we had to climb.  Yes, you read that right, WE climbed it.

My son made it seem so easy.  Once I started climbing it was not as easy as it seemed.  My son snap chatted my climb.  Oh yeah, did I forget to mention.  I am on snap chat.  I am new and still learning but if you wanna follow me, I am albamami.

And this is how I ended Saturday nite, I was having withdrawals from last weekend when we ate so much crawfish.  I stopped at a place down the street from my house just get this out of my system.

On Sunday, I attended a surprise bridal shower at Maggiano's Little Italy.  This was my first time eating at this restaurant. 

I ordered the Shrimp Scampi and it was delicious!  The bestie bought Crave Cupcakes for us to enjoy!

We had good conversations, catch up with one another, and had a good 'ole time.  The wedding is next weekend so be sure to come back next Monday for pictures of the race and the wedding.

March 2016 Health Check In

Oh March, I am so glad you are over!  I really had a hard time this month.  There was the week I took vacation, and Easter weekend.  Weekends are already hard for me as it is.  No excuses this month I had no self control.  It was hard to say no when there was so much yummy food around.

My challenges this month:

1)  Food-Road trips = junk food, travel = new foods to discover  I love food!  Good Food.  My husband and I did share a couple of meals.  I said no to all the fried food at the Rodeo. 

2)  Movement-No gym time.  I do not think I made it to the gym a day this month.  We did try to move wherever we were.  At the waterpark, we workout in the water.  We walked a lot. 

So if 80% was my diet and I was not on one, and 20% was my exercise and I did none, where do you think I stand.

After the week of Spring Break vacation, I weight myself and I had gained 4 lbs.  My husband had gained 6 lbs.  Then Easter came. 

My goals were:

1)  Measurements-We never got around to taking my measurements. 

2)  Steps-Oh my where do I start.  I tried to walk 10,000 steps everyday.  I forgot to wear my watch and most of the times, I did not have my phone on me. And well at the waterpark, I chilled.

3)  Running-I did not get to the park to run this month.  I hurt my toe on the last day of the month so I probably will be staying of my feet.  It hurts to walk.

What now?

Emerge (from Merriam-Webster) to rise or appear from a hidden or unknown place or condition : to come out into view

Remember this is a lifestyle change.  When we fall back into our old habits, we get those same results.  The above picture was taken on March 5th.  I was on track and feeling great.  I was seeing results.  But when I took time off, I fell back into my old ways.  We have all been there, right?  We yo-yo diet.  We gain the weight back.  Or we get comfortable where we are at with the progress we have had, and then stop. 

Where I stand today?

Like the above picture I am going to continue to EMERGE out. 

We will be participating in our first race this month.  I am so excited to get us back out there.  I am not trying to break records.  Baby steps...baby steps.

The goal this month is simple....stay on track everyday. 

***CLOSED***Giveaway-2016 Houston Children's Festival

The largest children's festival is back...Houston are you ready?

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 5 STAGES OF MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT

 11 FUN FAMILY ADVENTURE ZONES  

OVER 300 ACTIVITIES  

McDonald’s Dream Discovery Stage & Zone Plus Disney Star DOVE CAMERON Baker Hughes Circus Town & Stage * Child Advocates Into Outer Space Zone Children’s Memorial Hermann Official Cup Sponsor * Kroger Healthy Kids Zone * Wells Fargo Tile Painting NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care Diaper Derby * Green Mountain Energy Zone SABIC Super Stage & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles * Fiesta Sampling Site MetroPCS Minecraft Zone * Neighbors Emergency Center Teddy Bear Clinic * Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs

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