Ohh September, How I Love Thee

September is probably one of my favorite months! Why you may ask...for many reasons:

1. My Wedding Anniversary is on the 22nd of this month, so far the best day of my life; the day in which I married my best friend, lover and companion, 2 years ago. I had waited a long time to become Scott's wife (6 years) and this day is the beginning of our new life together as husband and wife.

2. The official start of the Autumn Season begins on the 22nd as well. I love the Fall Season! It does start to cool off a bit here in southeast Texas (thank goodness) and so far the first two days of September have brought low humidity and morning temperatures in the high 60's/low 70's with the highs around 90 degrees. The evenings have also been very enjoyable when the sun starts to set and cool things off. We have also got a little rain during this first week.

3. Craft shows, craft shows and more craft shows. I have already got a few marked on my calender to try to attend and I am super excited about them.

4. There are some leaves already falling to the ground. Not many, but at least it is a start and maybe a start to a little bit cooler weather (fingers crossed).

5. All of my favorite TV shows start back up for the new season; Greys Anatomy, Private Practice and Desperate Housewives are some of my favorites. I am planning to catch a new show coming this fall called Mercy, all the pre-views look really good.

6. Football Season begins! I really do enjoy watching this sport on TV and in person. I also enjoy getting a break from having baseball on all the time (thank goodness for the hubs having a TV in our garage). I love our Houston Texans and make it a point to watch just about every game. I also enjoy watching college football with my hubby. College football is much more intense compared to the NFL. Those boys are really playing with the heart and you can tell.

7. Fall scents of candles can acceptably be burned to get me and my home in the mood for the upcoming season.

Enjoy your September, I know I will.

7 Years Ago Yesterday!

I totally forgot to post about this yesterday! Anyways, as I was browsing through Facebook, something I do on a daily basis, I noticed one of my girlfriends from high school had updated her status to read: "I graduated from High School 7 years ago today, oh how time flies"!

With that statement, it really got me to thinking, because up until now, I have never really thought about the years past highschool up until the present, I was still living them; but WOW, we did graduate from High School 7 years ago.....What all have I done /accomplished these past 7 years? Am I happy? Am I at the point in my life where I thought I would be? Should I have done things differently? Who are my friends now? Could I have done more?...and so on. Here are my answers:

What all have I done/accomplished these past 7 years?
I was in the National Honor Society when I attended Cy-Fair junior college for two years before I went to U of H. I have graduated from the University of Houston with my business degree, majoring in Marketing, minoring in European International Studies. I also received an advanced certificate in Entrepreneurship. I have gotten married to my wonderful husband Scott, whom I have been with for almost 8 years. I am a mom, to our fur baby dog Dakota. I own my home in Cypress, TX, with my husband. I have worked for the same construction material supply company for the past 7 years and am pretty stable there doing inside sales, although unfortunately things have really slowed down. I have done some traveling with the hubs; to Las Vegas twice, Acapulco, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, the Riveria Maya, Alablama, and all over Texas. I have the best relationship with my womderful parents and am grateful everyday for them. Lastly and most importantly, I have a better relationship with the Lord; I talk to him and pray more now than I ever have and am learning to live each day for Him.

Am I happy?
Most definitely I am happy in all aspects of my personal life. I have my college degree, something to which I worked very hard for and something that I will always have. I am very happily married to my best friend, my partner in life, my other half, my Scott. The Scott that I started dating my senior year of high school who is three years older than me. Yes, it did work for us and we made it through those 5 tough college years of mine. We have a fur baby dog that we love dearly, our blue heeler Dakota. Scott and I are now at the point in our lives where we want to start a real family of our own and that is truly exciting! We have a beautiful new home together, that we purchased 3 months after we tied the knot and and then 3 months later moved in after it was built. I have a job...a job, not a career. A job is good, especially in this economy, it pays the bills, so that is what I am most thankful for. I want a career though and only time will tell when that will happen for me. I would be completely happy if I had a different job in which I called my career. A career in which I love waking up everyday to do and be at. One day, one day...

Am I at the point in my life where I thought I would be?
Yes, I am. All because of the reasons listed above. But, 7 years ago I did truly think that I would be at a different place in my work life. Starting a career and being more successful...but I am working on that.

What has surprised you?
Buying a brand new home has surprised me the most. A home that was built for us, where we had choices on what we wanted as far as upgrades on floors, cabinets, counter tops, brick color, outside paint color, cable outlets, outside lights, gutters, etc. Owning our home has truly been rewarding.

Should I have done things differently? If so, what would I change?
Personal life, No. Although I do sometimes wonder where I would be if I went off to college somewhere else in Texas? Would me and Scott have stayed together? Would I be with someone else and have been as just as happy? But, I am very happy with my life with Scott and know this is where I should be. Work life, Yes. I had a stable job all through college, they worked with my schedule and I was payed decently, received raises and bonuses. I learned a lot about the business world and how it all worked. I was able to do things that I might not have been able to if I did not work. But because of this, I feel there have been missed opportunities as well. Internships that I could have/should have applied for. Job fairs and Career fairs that I should have been more interested in and took more serious...but I have had a job since the summer after I graduated high school and that is a lot more than most of my friends had while in college.

Who are my friends now?
I am grateful to still have the same best girlfriends that I had in high school and was in Drill Team with. We are all still very close, have always stayed in touch through our college years, they all went off to Texas A&M and I stayed in Houston, and remain close as we all get married and find our way in life. We do monthly dinners every month and go on trips together. I have also made some of the most amazing friendships with my others girlfriends from 'Scotts side'. These are the girlfriends that have become wives now to all of Scotts guy friends from high school. He too has remained very close to about 8 guys that he went to high school with and they too are my very good friends!

Could I have done more?
Maybe, I don't know. I feel like I still can. I would love to go and get my Master's Degree (MBA) and my real estate license. I know for sure that I could have made better grades in college, not that they were bad, but an 'A' is always better than a 'B' and a 'B' is better than a 'C'. But I am proud of what I have done in the past 7 years and do not regret the decisions that have led me here.

It has been nice to take a backseat and reflect on the last 7 years of my life; some of the absolute best years of my life. I love everyone who has been there with me and a part of it! Thank you!

A Little More About Me

I came across this and thought it was neat!

A - Age: 26

B - Bed size: Queen

C - Chore you hate: Laundry

D - Dog's name: Dakota

E - Essential start your day item: Vitamin C tablet and a Diet Dr. Pepper

F - Favorite color: Chocolate Brown

G - Gold or Silver: Silver

H - Height: 5’2"

I - Instruments you play: I wish I could play the piano, does that count?...

J - Job title: Inside Sales for a Construction Company

K - Kid(s): none yet, but hoping to be preggo by the end of 2009!

L - Living arrangements: Our new home (4 bed, 2 bath, 2,250 SF) in Cypress, TX

M - Mom's name: Lynn

N - Nicknames: No nicknames, just the sweet names the hubs calls me

O - Overnight hospital stay: None for me, yet...

P - Pet Peeve: Messy houses, clutter, having no organization

Q - Quote from a movie: ....i'll get back to you on that...

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: 1 younger brother, Garrett

T - Time you wake up: 6:00am, too early for my liking!

U - Underwear: Thongs fromVS

V - Vegetable you dislike: Squash & green peas. Broccoli is my absolute favorite!

W - Ways/Reasons you run late: Love to sleep in or hungover

X - X-rays you've had: Teeth and my hands and wrist (I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at the age of 23)

Y - Yummy food you make: My family's Chicken Fried Steak and Chicken/Veal Parmigiana

Z - Zoo animals you like: Elephants and Giraffes

Now its your turn! Copy and paste to your blog so everyone gets to know a little bit more about you!

Happy Birthday King George!

Yes, King George, as in George Strait! Happy Birthday to the King of Country. Ever since I was a little girl I was completely infatuated with George Strait, just like my momma! I believe very strongly that it has something to do with the mere fact that my momma was 8 months preggo with me when George Strait and The Ace in the Hole Band was called to fill in for a sick Eddie Rabbit at the famous Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in the Astrodome in 1983. He was not a household name yet, has just signed with MCA Records in 1981 and was still in the beginning stages, playing in honky tonks, small bars, and dance halls. But that once in a lifetime show turned into more than even he could ever imagine! He is known for his unique style of western swing music, honky-tonk style, bar-room ballads and fresh yet traditional country western music. The number of concerts that I have been to is more than I can count with one more this year in August, floor seats in Reliant Stadium!

In George Strait's more than 25 years of recording, all of which have been spent with MCA Records, he has garnered 57 No. 1 songs on all country charts and has more #1 hits than anyone else in any genre of music. Strait has sold more than 73 million recordings and his certifications from the RIAA include 13 multi-platinum, 32 platinum and 35 gold albums. His overall certification numbers are third of all musicians, behind Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Since 1983, Strait has often appeared at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, recording his album For the Last Time: Live From the Astrodome during the final show at the Astrodome in 2002 (I was at that concert with my mom). The event set the record for paid attendance at the Astrodome with 68,266 people.

Here's to you King George! Happy Birthday!

25 Random Things

I was tagged on Facebook, so I thought I could also post this on here. Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 5 people to be tagged. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you. I am tagging these ladies: Karen, Katie, G&D, Courtney, Abby.

1. I truly believe that my husband has made me a better person; I love being his wife!
2. I still don't 100% feel like I am an adult in my mid 20's.....until I see the mortgage note every month.
3. I look forward and am so anxious about having kids and starting a family, but at the same time I am not in a huge rush to do so.
4. My mom and dad are the most wonderful and generous parents I have ever known; my life is so blessed because of them.
5. I have the best girlfriends in the whole world; my old girl besties and my new girl besties, I do not know how my life would be without them in it.
6. I am so happy and proud to say I am from Texas and live in this great state.
7. My brother and I are completely opposite but have so many things in common.
8. I am still completely in love with George Strait!
9. I love milk! I drink at least one glass every night.
10. I really want to learn how to play the piano someday.
11. My beer of choice is Bud Light Lime; best beer ever!
12. Fishing is one of my favorite past times and I wish I went more often.
13. I did not get my first dog, Dakota, until I was 20 and since then my life has just been that much better.
14. My husband broke his ankle playing softball 4 weeks after we got married; so glad it happened after the wedding!
15. Scott and I got engaged on the Kemah Boardwalk which is also where we took our first official 'Big Date' 5 years previous.
16. I love to clean and organize but I absolutely hate to fold and hang up laundry!
17. Decorating is one of my true passions in life; I am obsessed with it and would love to do it for a living someday.
18. I really enjoy entertaining and having friends and family over at our house! The more the merrier.
19. Kirklands, Hobby Lobby, Target and Bed Bath and Beyond are some of my absolute favorite stores to shop at.
20. My grandpa Myron is my hero. I miss him everyday and our family farm is not the same without him.
21. I can spend countless hours looking at houses on HAR.com even though I live in a new house; I love looking all the different floorplans and such.
22. I enjoy to cook but don't do it as often as I should; I am usually very hesitant to cooking new recipes because of the uncertainty of how it taste and I hate wasting food and money if it turns out 'not so great'.
23. I really don't like cold weather, brrrrr.
24. I love wearing high heels!
25. I hate riding in cars, especially 2 door cars--I get all claustrophobic. So glad we have an SUV and truck in our family.

Have a Little Bit of Respect, Please

I was not going to post about the recent election or inauguration of our new President but I feel I really want to since this is however a place for all of my thoughts, opinions, suggestions, concerns, etc...and I will try to be as brief as possible.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009, I was completely engrossed in watching all the Inauguration events that I could while still being at work and doing my job. I have enjoyed watching previous inaugurations for our former Presidents backing up to being in elementary school and all the way through college. I was fortunate to grow up in an outstanding school district that knew the importance of exposing and teaching us 'kids' about these historic events.

I am a proud American and feel very blessed to live in this wonderful country with all the freedoms we have from which many hundreds of thousands of men and women have lost their lives fighting for. I did not vote for Obama nor am I a Obama supporter, but I was anxious as he too took the oath of office to become our 44th President of America. With this said and yes I know we all have the freedom of speech, but I was appalled and saddened though at this Inauguration when Former President Bush was announced during the ceremony and when he went off in the helicopter at all the booing, negative and rude remarks that were made. Have a little respect please!!! Come on now, grow up and show some decency and have some class. Any and all people who live in this country should have respect for the President and any Former President no matter who they are. People do not have to like Bush or agree with his stance and policies, but have respect for the title in which he held. I would never boo or stoop that low to our President whether it be Obama or someone else. President Bush has had a rough past couple of years with all that is going on in this country and the world. He has been faced with a lot of very tough decisions to make especially with the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001 when our country was so viciously attacked. I believe to the best of my knowledge that everything Bush has done has been for the greater good of this country, our lives, safety and well being. I hope and pray too that Obama has the same, good intentions of keeping this Country on it's feet. Any person who becomes President and takes on the responsibilities and stress of that job should have their country's respect if anything. I respect President Obama because he is my President.

And being the Proud Texan that I am and always will be, a very heartfelt Welcome Back Home to Texas former President Bush.

Looking Back at 2008

Looking back at 2008
January

• Annual Old Girl Besties Christmas Party
• Baby Payton Williams is born
• I host Southern Living at Home party (and get lots of great loot for our new house)
• Crawfish Boil at Christie and Dustin's house

February

• Super Bowl Sunday with Old Girl Besties at Jessi and Wes's
• My father in-law's surprise 60th birthday party at Saltgrass Steakhouse
• My baby twin girl cousin's 1st birthday and party
• Walk through, close and move in our new house at the very end of the month

March

• Finish moving into our house
• Go to Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo four different times (it's a big deal here in Texas)
• Easter and egg hunting at my parents house with family
• Our very close friends Mark and Jenn close and move into their first house together

April

• Surprise 50th birthday party for my best friend Shelly's dad
• Hubs goes to Nascar Race at Texas Motor Speedway
• Turning 25
  
• My Company's 12th Annual Crawfish Boil

May

• Friends Kristy and Jason's engagement party
• Astro's baseball game
• Best friend Dayna, her husband Eric's coming home from Iraq party
• Frio River for a long Memorial Day weekend vacation

June

• Friends Nancy and Shaun's wedding couples shower
• My handsome hubby's 28th birthday and party

July

• 4th of July at close friends Jessica and Brett's house
  
• Hubs plays in the Buzz's washer fest tournament

August

• Astro's baseball game

September

• Friend Tracy's baby shower
• Astro's baseball game
• Hurricane Ike storms through Galveston and Houston
• My cousin Laurens bridal shower in San Antonio and dinner with my parents in Gruene, TX at the delicious Gristmill
  
• Our 1st wedding anniversary
  
• Grey's Anatomy 5th season premier

October

• Robinson annual Fish Fry (Yummy)
• Five day vacation in Las Vegas for my cousin Lauren's beautiful wedding at the Belligio

November

• Friends Brandy and Phillip's couples baby shower
• I present our Blog
  
• Our 7 year dating anniversary (Yes, this day does still count)
• The loss of my dear friend and co-worker
• Thanksgiving at my parents home with lots of family
• Our niece's 2nd birthday

December

• Friends Kristy and Jason's holiday party
• Tailgate and Texans football game
• Our First Annual Christmas Party
• Christmas, my favorite holiday
  
• Visit to our family farm in south Texas

We had such a fun, exciting and emotional 2008 where we made memories that will last a lifetime. As we rung in 2009 we both were so very grateful to be coming into the new year together happy and healthy and anxiously await what the oh-fine 2009 will bring. Here's a toast of champagne to oh-eight and a hearty welcome to 2009!

It's Snowing!!!

Yes, you heard me correctly, it is snowing here in Houston, Texas and at our house in Cypress! So this may not be a big deal to most people, who actually have four different seasons, but for us here in the Lone Star State and especially the southern part of the state it is a big deal. It doesn't snow here.....ever. The last time it snowed here in Houston was on Christmas Eve 2004 and the snow actually stuck to the ground, cars and rooftops for almost 14 hours. The snow today at work was falling and quickly melting once it landed but it is so exciting to see. This evening though at our house the snow is falling a lot harder and heavier than earlier in the day and it is sticking to the fence, the roof and our vehicles. It is so beautiful to see! We all know it wont last for long, so we are enjoying every bit of what we can get. Only in Texas will it be snowing at one moment and in 24 hours or less the temperature will be back up to almost 60 or 70 degrees. By midnight tonight what snow did stick will most likely be melted and gone...but it was so nice for the couple of hours that we did have it. Our Dakota even loved playing in it! Ahh...the simple things in life.

So is this what jumping from a plane feels like…?

So is this what jumping from a plane feels like…? Well, I mean, not so much that exhilarating, but…I guess what I am try to say is jumping into ‘The Blog World’! Letting it all out there; your personal life, your thoughts, your opinions, your comments and suggestions. If so, I am jumping! Here I am!

“It’s about time!” That is what I am thinking to myself. I have had this blog for some time now, over a year to be exact and am just now publishing my first post. To tell you the truth, I was not quit sure how to go about this whole blog thing. I love reading other peoples blogs and find it very, very entertaining. I wasn’t sure if MY blog would be entertaining in the least and if what I wanted to write about really mattered to other people. But what the hell, here goes nothing. I do feel myself personally connected to some of my favorite blogs and can’t wait to see what they post next. And of course I have not dared to comment on their pages… yet…well because I haven’t even posted until now, how boring, I know!

So, “Hi”, my name is Amber (the Mrs.) and I have a wonderfully, handsome hubby named Scott (the hubs) and we have a 5 year old blue heeler girl dog named Dakota. We live in the great state of TEXAS! This blog is going to be about us…OUR LIFE (our house, decorating, organizing, cleaning, shopping, cooking, entertaining and renovating). And although we are a team, I will be doing all of the posting. The hubs isn’t so much into the blogging world, yet. So welcome to OUR LIFE! I have officially jumped! J