November always brings so many festivities into our lives. I guess if we had to chose "Our month" this would be it! For us, this month is the gateway into the most beautiful time of year. So, where have The Castro's been for a whole month? Hmmm, well let's see.....
We've celebrated our 28th birthdays! Adolfo and I are only 3 days apart so our birthday celebrations really do tend to last a good week!
He always has to start a little early, and I get to drag mine out with him, lol!
On my actual birthday, my family came into town and treated us both to lunch at a new Mexican restaurant we've been wanting to try FOREVER, haha! They spoiled us way too much, and my Aunt even made me my own personal birthday cake!
The Castro's, Cheers to another year of growing old together!
My sweet little sister and cousin joined in on the celebration!
We've also been preparing for hunting season! For Adolfo that means a great deal of work, for me it means beautiful drives to the hill country, quality time with family, and playing at the ranch! Adolfo actually took me out with him one night to just watch the feeders and I saw a nice buck! It was the quietest, most still I had to be! I love spending that time with him, it's so peaceful, my heart just raced! I don't know how someone can get that excited, and still focus! Side note: He's already got his first buck of the season, and I am patiently waiting for dried sausage, YUM, my favorite! I love my hunter man!
Our firm helped sponsor the Capital Area Food Bank, Empty Bowl Project again this year! Since it is November, Adolfo get's to skip out and Tay has always been my date to the preview party! We had a great time getting to try new gourmet soups and pick out our own special bowls, then she and I enjoyed a fun little sister bonding date night!
My special bowl, 2010, I just love it! It's so tiny, perfect for any type of spice!
We celebrated Thanksgiving in Austin this year. Adolfo always has to work on Thanksgiving, so I just spent the AM sleeping in, talking with family on the phone, and then preparing dessert for an evening Thanksgiving dinner with Adolfo's family. We had a very low key, super relaxing Thanksgiving full of great food, family and football. I definitely fell asleep during the Cowboys game! To me, that's how you measure a successful Thanksgiving!
I hit the recliner, and I was out, haha! It's been a very busy and trying year for the Castro family, so it was special that we all could just slow down and be together.
For the past couple of years, my mother and I, have started our Christmas Shopping on Black Friday! More just to jump into the Christmas spirit and see if we spot any great deals. This year Claudia and Tay joined us, and it will definitely be an experience full of memories we will never forget! There is nothing Tay's little red hot can't handle!
The most special tradition on Thanksgiving weekend for my family, and probably every family from JC, is Light's Spectacular. I always feel like I grew up in a Hallmark movie this special weekend, every year! It's full of fireworks, funnel cakes, tamales, hot cider, parades....you name it, it's probably there! It's when Santa comes to town, and our city turns into blocks of LIGHTS! Nothing more special than Christmas, Hill Country Style!
This year Adolfo and I ran in the 2nd annual Lights Spectacular 5K. I am so proud of us because we did it! I beat my goal time by one minute, and Adolfo got 3rd in his age group! It was way more challenging than anticipated. I am so glad we did this together, love you babe!
After the race, hanging with the family, waiting for the parade to start! Our legs hurt, I couldn't stand, and he couldn't sit, haha.....
Our weekend ended relaxing at our cousin's house! I am so grateful they now live in Texas.
They spoiled us with hot cocoa at their new outside kitchen....
And s'mores and a bunch of other goodies at his new fire pit!
Chica is our s'mores queen!
And after a November like ours, at the end of the night all we wanted to do was sit by the fire, with our feet up and just be with our family, doing absolutely nothing but catching up and sharing stories, it was perfect! Oh, but note to self, don't keep your shoes by the fire too long, or the glue on your soul will begin to melt! 
November never let's us down. It is always full abundantly full of all the things we love! I am so thankful for my family, and the gift of time. Time to just slow down, and surround ourselves with the most important things and people in our lives. We are so excited for what December is going to bring! So now, here we are, I am currently enjoying 3 days off of work to just re-energize, get caught up, and get things in order for all things Christmas!
Next blog: Christmas festivities, be EXCITED!
~ The Castros
In all honesty, October was a complete blur, ha! I don't know what we spent our time doing now that I look back on it! So, I think I will just share pictures.....
We carved pumpkins at Heather's. I can't remember the last time I did that, and I don't ever remember it being that challenging, but I loved the end result so completely worth it! Tay, with such focus!
Gerald doing the dirty work, Heather getting the seeds!
The finished results! H&G's mummy, my Trick or Treat, and Tay's monster....
We all got together for one of our cousin's 15th birthday celebration....it was fun to all be together, FAMILY PHOTO OP!
So there you have it, October was a blur. I am making it a point to enjoy November and just SLOW down! I am counting down the days till our birthdays, a little time off for Thanksgiving, our first 5K, Lights Spectacular in the hill country, and BLACK FRIDAY. That's right it's Christmas Shopping Time....budget made/shopping list prepared.....SWEET NOVEMBER! 
5. Attended my cousin's baby shower, Eliana should be here within the next 2 weeks. Babies everywhere these days!
6. And last but not least, I finally got to go see the progress on my Grandparent's new house. My Grandparent's home has always been our little hill country retreat, and I couldn't believe that it burned down, but God is faithful, and with their continued hard work.... sit back and enjoy the tour!
Standing in the breakfast nook, looking into the living room...LOVE the ceiling!
Breakfast nook!
Kitchen, and entry way... I LOVE the arcs everywhere! See those 2 little windows in the back?
Formal Dinning! Those 2 little windows will be access to this dining room where my Grandma will have a buffet, so she can push food out of the kitchen! Can you tell she owns a restaurant, lol?
This is kind of blurry, but this is the hall form the nook to the formal dinning room, 1st door is where we will have storage, wine cellar, and ice machine....then it is a wet bar, and then a pretty snazzy washroom!
The Castro's room! Claudia and Jaime's is exactly the same but on the other side!
My Grandparent's suite.....
View from the patio, this is why I love this place...so peaceful! That pile will be moved!
So there you have it, that's life in a nutshell, haha! I am so grateful for these moments, I hope yall all have a beautiful week! And I hope to be back sooner, rather than later :)! 
I couldn't wait to see our little cabin, The Pecos!
Adolfo was in love with a turn of the key! Isn't it adorable?
Adolfo said he wouldn't mind sitting in that chair looking out the window for the rest of his life, after spending the whole weekend there, it doesn't sound like a bad idea at all! See the little basket in the back....we got fresh pastries every day, wrapped up, so it was like a present!
This is what sold me, I LOVE the fire place, but more importantly the big table in front, perfect for dominoes!
The landscape had a beautiful patio area with waterfalls, tables, and fish....so of course Adolfo had to feed the fish, right?
There is a little view, my hubby in action.....the sound was so pretty at night. Friday night we just relaxed, enjoyed a great Hamburger and music under the stars at Hondos, my favorite!
So Saturday, we acted as tourists, it's the best part! And, because I married a History buff we played around in the museum....I hadn't been there in a really long time, and Adolfo loved it!
The Japanese Garden was so pretty!
Sharing a little bit of the beauty....
Our most favorite part of the museum, so cool!
I asked Adolfo how much he liked it, and he said, "It was the bomb!" Haha, so cute since he was standing in front of a lifesize bomb! 
After we were done learning, we strolled mainstreet, enjoyed some new wines (well, I did) & chocolates, and of course we had ice cream before we headed back for the Longhorns and Dinner!
All dressed up and in a great mood! The Longhorns won, and now it was dinner time!
We were not let down, the food was amazing! I had a steak, YUM, and Adolfo was blown away by the quail, he loved it, and was already planning our next trip back. It was really good, and I'd never turn down a romantic dinner date, with my one and only!
Since the night was still young, we heard there was a PBR rodeo going on across the street, and there was going to be a dance later in the evening, and if you know the Castros, we LOVE to dance....so we went! And as we entered they were having there 9/11 Ceremony, it was so touching, and just made me really grateful, and proud to be an American! I mean, we were in a beautiful little town, doing what we loved, with the one we loved, just enjoying our moment....
We danced, and danced some more, I love it when we can just look up and just see stars, it made my night! Sunday, time for us to head back to ATX, but not until we defeated the rock!
It just kept going, and going, and just when you thought you were there, nope, keep going, lol! Adolfo looks like he's walking into the clouds.....
We did it! The Castros on top of the world, lol, 2 years down a 100 to go!
This trip turned out better than I could have imagined! We had such a wonderful time, and we really just got to check out of our city lives, and just relax together. 
