Random Day Adventures: Meow Wolf - Houston, TX - January 2025

I just spent some time reflecting on the trends of my blog writing. Over the past 5 years. One of the goals I've set for the last 5 years, is to go on more adventures with my family. Another goal that I've added over the last 5 years is to travel more. I noticed a dip in my blog writing over the past 5 years, but MAN! Have we been on some adventures. 

I've decided that I should really share some of our experiences, for others that may consider buckin' up and going on some adventures. 

This summer we took a road trip to Colorado from Texas & back. I'll share some of those adventures as time permits. On that trip, we had planned to hit two other Meow Wolf exhibits. One was in Denver and one was in Santa Fe. Needless to say, in all of our adventures, we couldn't find the time or energy to get there. However, this fall a Meow Wolf exhibit opened up in Houston. If at all possible, I like to take the kids somewhere they've never been, before school starts. This year, I took: my three kids, my niece, my Mom, and met my brother at Meow Wolf: RadioTave - Houston, TX. 

My kids ages are 15, 12, & 6. My niece is 10. I'll share our favorites, not so favorites, and a perspective a s a Mom/Aunt venturing through the exhibit with the above-mentioned crew. 

Kylee's Favorites (15 y/o): There was a sound room where you could ask questions, through a mic, to......the universe, lol. Right beside that room was, what I call a music room that had a sound board, piano, bongo drums.....I may be missing something, but they did like this. She also liked the radio show room.

Your answers are in your questions, grasshopper. 

- 

The News Room

Heath's Favorites (12 y/o - athletic type): The sound room was probably his favorite. He enjoyed things he could physically crawl through, jump and touch, etc. In comparison to some other exhibits we've been too; this one was somewhat limited. When I asked his favorite thing - he said Olive Garden after we left, lol. He did enjoy himself, but was not really physically engaging enough to hold his attention. 

Heath's voice picked up a little better, through the mic. 

Ida's Favorites (10 y/o): She LOVED it. She loved the weirdness of things. She loved the colorful things. She loved the artistic views of some of the artists. She really liked the room of recycled material. She talked about it A LOT on the way home. She noticed things that others did not. The sound room was also a hit for her. 

You should look for things....LITERALLY everywhere.

Recycled things

More recycled things. 

There is a whole 'nother world, under that hood.....and even in the headlights.

Hunter's Favorites (6 y/o): There was an Underwater Themed room. Think....black light and neon colors. The boys were able to crawl through the coral and there were little discoveries, like: worlds within things. He also liked some of the animal artwork like: the alligator, alligator gar, and fish mural. he also REALLY liked the gift shop. We brought home a coloring book that the 15, 10, and 6 year old all colored in. 

Hunter's favorite mural. 

Hunter takes his turn. They even had a chair in there for the littles. 

Music room fun

The coral crawl

Hunter's gift shop find. Believe me....all but Heath found something. 

Another world in an object. You can't tell, but there is little people in there. 

My Mom's Favorites: She liked the Underwater Themed room also. 

This was probably my favorite room too! SUPER cool. 

If I were to guess, my brother's favorite was probably the sound/music room. 

Also in the music room

The things I liked most about it, was the Texas twist the artists put into the exhibits and artwork. I also liked how it REALLY was other-worldy. It was different than any other exhibit I've taken the kids to, AND....I believe each location will be very different. I liked the safe parking lot and I LOVED all the photo ops.....loved them. I love color, so I really enjoyed it. 

This is hard to see, but Heath is sitting on an aerial view of what Texas....sort of looks like, with a spin of other-worldly oil derricks. 

The gift shop ranged from reasonable to unreasonable, but everyone in our party found something to take home.

It is not an exhibit that we will go back to in Houston, BUT - if we make it to an area where Meow Wolf has another exhibit; we will definitely make an effort to stop. 

It took us about 3.5 hours to make it through and our entire party was really ready to go after that. I think it could be a jammin' place at night, and maybe an interesting date night place. Our tour entry time ran ahead of schedule, which was nice.

Their least favorite things....collectively were that some of the characters were a little "out there" for all of them. Heath, wished he could have climbed or physically done more. We considered eating in the pub, but it was a little dark and small and seemed busy with people going in and out. It is pretty neat. With my husband or with my girlfriends, we probably would have had a drink, but a lot going on for that many kiddos with me. 

The little angel armadillo was okay, but the giant armadillo bar maid, was NOT their favorite. 

The kids were eh....about this. 

Not the best pic, but IF you eat there, you would probably be sitting with different characters. The kids thought they were odd. 

My least favorite thing was the idolistic approach of some of the pieces, but it was not a common theme throughout the entire exhibit. Even with the approach I could appreciate the artistic ability of the artist. There was also quite a bit of people, which made it a little harder to enjoy some of it. 

Buck Up Baby & take your people where you can explore and think and see things more creatively.

All in all....we are glad we went. We enjoyed ourselves. I can say with almost 100% certainty that WE MISSED SOMETHING. There were little hidden worlds, and communication, radio, and sound things that we didn't see or weren't patient enough to experience. I think the pricing was comparable to exhibits like it. Maybe slightly on the higher end, but I don't regret paying it. It is a memory they will remember. 

 

Training Ground

 This blog will be about getting where I'm going. The lessons have to take place somewhere and people must witness our imperfections. Lately, I've been reflecting on what has gotten me here. 

I think about one of my other titles....Mom.  Kyle and I just had a conversation with our 3 kids. They like to ask questions about each other like...."What was Kylee like as a baby?" "Was Hunter as chunky as Heath was?" Somehow we got on the subject of Kylee being the oldest and she asked why we did something and Kyle said...LOL "You were the first one. We didn't know what we were doing." 

As we enter different stages of our lives we NEED a training ground. As I make an attempt at relating the two and try to truly capture how GRATEFUL I am for my training grounds, hang with me. I hope this allows you all to have some nostalgic moments FULL of gratefulness for YOUR journey. 

I remember when I was teetering on the idea of building my own business, having the flexibility to buILD the life I envisioned for myself and my family, knocking some barriers down - that were in my way and weighing every. single. thing. I mean....EVERYTHING. 

One of the things that hung me up for awhile was that, up until that point, I had prided myself on my quality of work and I KNEW I would not have the background support....you know, like an accounting department, production department, HR department, like I was used to. I also had never done, what I was getting ready to do so.....I was going in with as much education as I could gather, before beginning the journey blind...and taking others with me. What I mean by that is minimal experience. I had my life experiences on the periphreal of the actual nuts and bolts of the business, but no REAL boots on the ground experience. I had experience within departments of PART of the business. Because I am a person that puts the work in, I had to make damn sure - this JOURNEY I was getting ready to take everyone on was a long-term plan and that I was up for a long adventure. I feel like that again, but that's all that seems familiar. I feel like the next leg of the journey could go several different ways. I also know that it could go different directions than what I'm even aware of, because well....our God is BIG. 

All the feels of this space are so familiar. Imagine.....uncertainty...excitement....motivation...fear of acting....holding onto what I know - instead of just acting.... I know God is always right on time and I can't mess it up, but I always find myself thinking I am missing some sort of CLEAR message and I am getting in my own way. 

I digress....

As parents, we are to "raise our children in the way they should go, so they do not stray from it." Each one of our children have very unique traits and characteristics and God took into account Kyle and I being first time parents, when he blessed us with Kylee. He knew we had what it took to have a second child, change careers, and move home & form an LLC....all at the same time. He also knew that another human needed all of what all four of us could give him. As I reflect on the environments we were in with each three....I'm in awe of Him. 

God KNOWS how I think....and think....and overthink. He provided an opportunity for me to EXPLORE. When I talked to Kyle about it, he was open to it.......and ALL the things had to happen in our lives for him to be open to it. What a wonderful training ground He took us to in Rockport. Three and a half hours from home. He removed distractions and allowed us to focus on us and become who He was calling us to. 

As I sit here typing, and being more aware of the things The Good Lord is calling me to do. I see the last 12 or so years of my life as yet, another training ground. One where people had to witness my growth, the growth of my family, the growth of my faith, the successes, the perceived failures, the way in which I move in between them. Just like I was thankful for my Rockport training ground. I am thankful for this one. This one had a few more dips and curves and peaks and valleys. Now, He is calling US to more. We don't know PRECISELY what it is, but He is and we will find out along the way. 

We all have our training ground, and I have come to believe that God may have multiple purposes for us. OBEDIENCE....EXPLORATION....TRUST....FAITH....COURAGE....PERSEVERANCE... When you BUCK UP BABY & RIDE WITH JESUS it takes all of those things. You best, put them in your saddle bags. 

One of the missions God has for me is simply, sharing my story and sharing my faith, with the hope and intention that it will ENCOURAGE someone else to get to know Jesus. This blog itself, is yet another training ground, where I get to use all the tools in bold above. When you make the choice and saddle up...you will experience it ALL. Your life will be FULL....abundant even. There will be cold, exhausting nights, where you are too broke (in a variety of ways) to do anything but rest....in the cold. Then....He will pick you up out of it and you will be stronger and smarter and better prepared for the next part of the journey.....and it will be an ADVENTURE you would never, ever trade. 

Yes....people will come and go, in and out of your life....and it will HURT. It will bring you grief and sadness and turmoil, but only for a short while. You see, God loves them too. He is teaching them something, just as He's teaching you something. He WILL reward your obedience....small acts, large acts, and continual acts. 

I encourage anyone reading to just sit with Him, even for a few brief moments. Let HIM speak to you, however He chooses and be receptive to hearing Him. Then....in His perfect timing, Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!

Buck Up - It's a Call to Action

Hey Everyone! Over the last year the fact that my blogging has been ALMOST non-existent has been nagging at me. I still have topics to write about come to mind, but it is finding the time to write them! Well I have decided to dedicate time each week towards blogging & a few other things, that I can't wait to put into place!

"Buck Up" is a call to action and has several different meanings in several different dictionaries, but TODAY to me...it means It's time to take action! Share our AUCTION journeys & LIFE journeys & really get back at it!

A month ago Tuesday, we were blessed with our 3rd child! Mr. Hunter Wayne Kaspar has joined our little family & he fits right in! I have been reflecting so much, the last several weeks in particular, & I just feel extremely blessed that we are surrounded by ALL the people we are surrounded by.

While I was pregnant with Little Man, I had several people ask "What are you going to do now?" or "Man, things were really moving with your business. I guess it will have to slow down now..." & a handful of other comments along those lines. The way I see it is...he just fits right on in, to life how we're living it. All this reflecting has given me a VERY clear direction of where I want to go & a more realistic viewpoint on the time it will take to get there & that PEOPLE in your life are what you live and work for & are your safe place and they are worth protecting, honoring, & enjoying. Life doesn't just stop or abruptly change. It's a constant flow of people coming in & out & one thing evolving into the next. I have an incredible team behind me, a supportive family all around me.

Our little family is just livin' it & lovin' it & trucking right along! Hunter has already been on several AUCTION ADVENTURES with Me & My Mom & crew members & we've got many more up ahead!

Day 1 with Hunter :)

The whole fam: Kyle, Me, Kylee Jo (8), Heath (5), & Hunter. 

Here is a link to a vido of Hunter & I on his first Flip N Move Trip! If you have trouble viewing LIKE the Texas Flip N Move Facebook Page!

https://www.facebook.com/TEXASFLIPNMOVE/videos/1920135228299495/?hc_ref=ARSq1y2WaOJd4SHbkwzG0jz2z2gTgY4P7gXqi88I7FYSj05o4RSS0bG2t1zT7sCZp_I

Everyday we have the opportunity to Buck Up & enjoy new adventures, make new friends, & take those we love along with us on the ride! Stay tuned for MORE adventures & don't forget to BUCK UP BABY!

Flying With the Angels

We have the pleasure of liquidating the real and personal property assets of the Robert F. Barton estate.

I know I've said this before, but it never ceases to amaze me how incredibly interesting and different people are that were the estate holders of many of the auctions we conduct. The people I am highlighting today are Robert and Anita Barton of Schulenburg, TX.

Both Robert and Anita have passed away. We have been working closely with their daughters and have really enjoyed hearing stories about their parents. 

Many times, we will start setting up an auction & we are able to identify nuggets of passions and interests they had, which leads us to ask more. 

Here is a snapshot of these two wonderful people:

Robert and Anita were high school sweethearts, meeting in Pasadena, TX. THEY WERE MARRIED FOR 71 YEARS!!! According to the daughters, they loved each other SO very much. 

Their 50th Wedding Anniversary

I had asked for pictures and milestones of Robert and Anita's lives & there is so much meat to their lives. So much so, that I KNOW we will not capture all of the amazing experiences these two shared. Heck, we didn't even know that he played point guard on the Texas A&M basketball team until we found his jersey & asked whose it was!

From what I hear, Anita was completely enamored with Robert. Looking at what he experienced and accomplished in his life & his sense of adventure, I can see why. On that same note, meeting their daughters & looking at pictures of Anita, there is no doubt in my mind that she held a strength and.....meekness that I think is just very special. She was capable, smart, educated, and driven with her own interests, but seemed to also know that Robert was the perfect compliment for her and leaned into him. 

Robert served as a midshipman in the U.S. Navy Flight Training Command in WWII, as an Armorer/Gunner in the U.S. Army Air Corps, & as a Reservist in the U.S. Air Force. This is where Robert found his passion for planes and flying. He & Anita bought 13 classic airplanes, restored them together, and then sold them. Robert had a career in engineering. He attended Texas A&M University, joined the service after Pearl Harbor and returned to college afterwards, graduating from the University of Houston. It is reported that he was a HUGE Aggie supporter. 

Anita - lovingly nicknamed "Pug," by her father & "PJ" for Pug Johnson (her maiden name) by Robert, had a 36 year long career in education with the Pasadena ISD. She was a 3rd grade teacher and elementary school librarian. She graduated from Sam Houston State Teacher's College. 

I don't know that I can really find the words to explain the positive energy surrounding these people and this estate. It is like there is this sense of wild adventure, that is grounded in the stability of this incredible foundation of love. Like.....things don't really matter. It is the life that they brought to it that did & the new life that someone else will. Like there is this appreciation for someone that brings life to something. For example....it's not the jersey itself that matters. It is the person that wore it & the person or people that appreciate it. Their lives were incredibly full & their appreciation for people has completely bled into their daughters.

These blogs are humbling. We didn't have to know anything about these people, but this profession that God has led me to has taken me there & has shared His glory to everyone involved. It's mysterious. After writing this & learning more about them, I can only imagine the appreciation they would have for the, what some may call "unconventional," decisions their daughters made in settling the estate.  

Two online auctions for the personal property are open for bidding now. Two more will open on Thursday. You can find the auctions at this link or download the "Buck Up Auctions" app from your app store for free. Here is the link: https://buckupauctions.bidwrangler.com/

 

(Above is a sample of items in the two online personal property auctions currently open for bidding.)

The estate is accepting offers on the real estate as well. Here is a link to the listing, as well as a link to the Property Information Packet with lots of useful knowledge for any prospective buyer. Online bidding for the real estate will open on September 1st and will close at 5PM on September 5th. Once open, you will also be able to access, with this link: https://buckupauctions.bidwrangler.com/

You can call or text me, Heather Kaspar, at 979.421.0325 for more information or email me at heather@buckupauctions.com. 

Be sure to like our Buck Up Auctions & Buck Up Realty Facebook Pages for the latest updates!!