09.09.09

09.09.09-->You know that there are probably many math wizards are out there trying to figure out that something big is going to happen today because of the date. To me, it is just another day. All I know is that today is September 9, 2009. It's the 252nd day of the year and 252 adds up to 9. On top of that, 09.09.09 falls on a Wednesday in September and both the words Wednesday and September have 9 letters. This date is the last of the single digit dates for another 1001 years. That's all. It's just a date to me.

Fortune Cookies

Today I met up with my sweet husband for lunch at my favorite Chinese buffet, eStar. The hubs and I try to meet up for lunch at least 2 to 4 times a month. To me it is always a treat to have lunch with him because it is like a mini date; just me and him, no friends, no family, just us. Since being married and having lived together for over three years now, I did not want to get in the bad habit of not going to lunch together all because we were married now and we lived together...you know, like the attitude of what's the point, we see eachother at home all the time, you know what I am getting at.

Anyways, we had a very enjoyable lunch and great conversation. I enjoyed every bit of it and the hubs sent a sweet text later this afternoon saying how great lunch was too. The great part about our lunch was when we received our fortune cookies. Seeing that we are in the middle of pursing a side opportunity to make extra money, which has the potential to replace my income and more, these were exciting fortunes!!!

Amber's Said:
"You will have an exciting business adventure."

Scott's Said:
"You will make a name for yourself."

The Love Dare

The Love Dare. This is the book that goes along with the movie Fireproof. I bought this book about 2 months ago or so after I was inspired by another friend who did the 40 day challenge and then blogged about it. She is a strong Christian woman and has a strong Christian and church based marriage. After she did The Love Dare challenge, she was so touched in her own relationship with Christ, her husband and her life in general that it really inspired me to take the challenge as well. I believe that anyone can do this no matter if your marriage is great or is rocky. I have not done the challenge yet but I am thinking I will start it come August 1st. I look forward to everything I will get out of this book and am hopeful that my hubby will do it after I have.
"The Love Dare is a 40-day guided devotional designed to strengthen every marriage and the same powerful book that plays a pivotal role in the new movie Fireproof."

Well He Did It

My little brother Garrett (age 23 at the end of this month) enlisted himself in the Army today. My heart just about sunk and my stomach turned into knots when he confirmed to me that it was done. Then all I could think about were my mom and dad and the sadness, worry, pride, courage and fear they must be feeling. He is set to leave for boot camp in South Carolina on November 16, 2009. Then he will head to training in Ft.Sill, Oklahoma. I wish him the best of luck always. I know he has thought about this decision for a while now and has sought after advice from a good friend of ours in the Army doing the same job that he will be learning to do, so I trust in him that this decision is the best for his life. I love you lil man and will continue to pray for you daily!

Indulgence...

I completely indulged in a regular chocolate milkshake from Sonic today. It was my afternoon snack, lol! It was so yummy and I enjoyed every once of it! I really do not do this that often, but I have been craving one for a while now. And it has been such a hot week in Houston, with no rain in sight for several weeks, and it is just going to get hotter! Ok, now after this, I have really got to get serious about loosing this extra weight I have been carrying around...

So This Is What You Call A Sale???

I was at one of my favorite stores today, Tar Jay (Target) and did my usual browsing; I go to Target probably at least once a week during my lunch break to kill time, see what's new on the shelves and racks or when I have a small grocery list of items. This was actually my second trip to the store this week, I was making a return from something I bought on Tuesday (side note: Targets return policy, ohh no, that's a whole other story, don't get me started). Ok, so I made my return, then went to browse the other part of the store that I did not look at on Tuesday. I came across these really cute, short sleeve, light weight summer sweaters (I wanted to buy one in almost every color). The advertised sale price read SALE $17.99. I thought to myself, well damn, what is the regular price on this adorable, hardly even worth $17.99 dollars worth of fabric, sweater? I then looked at the tag and it reads $18.00. WTF!! That is not a sale by any means!!! Come on now, are you serious Tar Jay?. I put down the not so cute anymore sweater and walked on. I will wait for a real sale or clearance before I even think about buying that again! Ugh...

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!

The Simple Things In Life

Right now, I am enjoying the juiciest, most delicious and flavorful home grown tomatoes ever!!! Much thanks to my wonderful daddy and his delicate gardening talent and techniques, that I am still waiting to inherit by the way. I do love this time of year and the yummy home grown veggies and fruits it brings, along with wonderful past memories of helping my dad pick tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, okra, broccoli, and potatoes in his garden every spring and fall season. It is truly the simple things in life that I cherish most! And for the next couple of months, my dads home grown tomatoes are on the top of that list! Thanks daddy!

I also have to mention that we are having the most beautiful weather this week in Houston, TX. The highs are in the 80's, low's are in the 60's, very low humidity (which very seldom happens here), clear blue sky's and beautiful orange sunsets. I am taking major advantage of this amazing weather during the short amount of time that we have !

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!

Back to the Daily Grind

Ahhh, we are back from our little vacation, back to reality and life as we know it compared to being on a ship in the middle of the ocean and having no worries in the world. We had fantastic time on the cruise with our friends. The weather was absolutely beautiful and breezy, the water was the most turquoise blue I have ever seen and the sand in Cozumel was pure white!

We left the beautiful Carribean to come home to gross, overcast skys and an afternoon/night filled with lightening, severe thunderstorms, wind, flooding and over 10" of rain in one night. But, the hubs and I did both come home with lovely dark tans and a very relaxed body and mind, so the rain really wasn't too bad, in fact it was pretty relaxing until nightfall when the weather got really bad. If you live in Houston, you know that it floods very easily and I myself have been in my share of floods throughout my young life and let me tell you, they are no fun! I have been through three floods in only four years growing up from being a freshman in highschool to freshman in college; But that is another whole story...

So, when it rains for over 12 hours straight and it becomes daylight again, it leads to a morning of chaos, flooded streets, feeder roads, bayous and cars. We were fortunate and our house and vehicles are fine. But there are thousands who homes and cars did flood. I got to work at 8:45am and it was slow pretty much the whole day but great for me to play catch up from being gone. Ahhh, to be back sitting on the beautiful beaches of Mexico...

Pics from our trip will be posted soon!

Out with 25 and In with 26!

You read it right, today is my birthday. Out with 25 and in with 26! I love birthdays; Birthdays are the reason we get to celebrate individually the important family and friends in our lives and I feel it is a big deal to make people feel very special on their birthday!

I don't feel any older, mentally I mean, I never do. Physically, well that is another story. There are days that I have a hard time realizing that I am not 18 years old anymore. Crazy, I know. It still amazes me that I am an adult, out of college with a business degree, working for the same company for 7 years now, married to a wonderful man that I call my husband, living in a beautiful new home with a mortgage payment that makes it all worth it and the talk of having babies in the very, very near future. This is my life! Wow, I still get tickled sometimes to think this is where I am. I am so very happy of where I am and am truly blessed.

So, back to my birthday. I am working half a day, then heading to Galveston, TX with our best friends Mark and Jenny. The rest of our whole group of friends is meeting down there as well for dinner at the Fisherman's Wharf on the water. We are staying the night at the Harbor House Hotel and the next day we are all sailing off on a 5 day Cruise (Thurs-Mon) to Cozumel, Mexico for a our other friends wedding who are getting married on the ship! Fun times to come with all of our great friends! When we return, we will celebrate my birthday with my family that following weekend.

I will post pics when we return and also a pic of my birthday present from the hubs, my new Coach purse! Bon Voyage!

Easter Blessings

The hubs and I had a great Easter Sunday with my family at my parents house. Great food, great company and an adult Easter egg hunt that is funnier than watching the 'Charlie don't bite my finger' clip on you tube. Scott and I made out very well with money and giftcards and are very thankful to have such a giving family. We then headed to Blockbuster, our favorite place to buy movies, bought a couple on the great deals they always have, you know the buy four for $20 dollars, and then reneted two, 'Marley and Me' and 'Seven Pounds'. We got home, put up our leftovers, of course the hubs made another plate, he can eat for three people and I swear he has a tape worm in his belly, LOL, then got comfortable on the couch and watched/cried 'Marley and Me'. Wow, such a great movie and such a wonderful story!!! I can't wait to watch it over again. Hope everyone else had a wonderful and blessed Easter!

Can We Say...It's RODEO time again in Houston!?!

Wahoo! It is exactly that time of year again; where people from all over the state and country come to Houston, TX to celebrate the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo!

RODEOHOUSTON is ranked as the world’s largest rodeo and invites only the top cowboys and cowgirls in the sport to compete. Reliant Stadium, the home of RODEOHOUSTON, is the only stadium of its kind built specifically for rodeo and football. This event is HUGE in Houston and last approximately 3 weeks and contains something for everyone; Rodeo, Livestock animals, Petting Zoo, Calf Scramble, BBQ Cookoff, Carnival, Food, Shopping, Dancing, Scholarships, Fireworks, auctions, and much more. Each year, champion cowboys and cowgirls compete in the world’s richest regular-season PRCA rodeo. In 2008, contestants competed for a total purse of more than $1.3 million. The stakes get higher in 2009, where contestants will be riding and roping for more than $1.4 million in prize money. Winning a RODEOHOUSTON champion title is a big stride toward earning a paycheck that will lead a contestant to the NFR.

The Lone Star State hosts a colossal, Texas-sized picnic to launch the annual event; The World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest is three days of cooking, competition, eating and dancing. The judging is all business as teams vie for the coveted title of World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest Grand Champion. Trophies are awarded to teams preparing the best dish in each category (brisket, chicken and spare ribs) as well as an overall winner. 209,313 guests joined the feast in 2008 and it is always a party to remember!



The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo's educational program is a significant part of the Show's mission — benefiting youth, supporting education, and facilitating better agricultural practices through exhibitions and presentation. Since that first scholarship in 1957, the Show has committed more than $130 million in direct educational program support.

Shopping is also a big deal! In this gigantic, one-of-a-kind Western shopping mall (Reliant Center) show patrons can purchase everything from Western clothes, fashion clothes, furniture, horse trailers, hot-tub spa's, gourmet food, unique arts and crafts, custom monogramming and agricultural machinery. All types of food can be found as well, from traditional barbecue to fine cuisine.

The carnival is Texas sized as-well and has a ride for everyone. You won’t want to miss a ride on La Grande Wheel — the Western Hemisphere’s largest portable Ferris wheel! The views are beautiful when sitting at the top of this giant Ferris wheel.

Oh, and I can not forget the talented line-up of country entertainers that that perform each night after the rodeo! The concerts are like non-of it's kind with a round rotating stage in the middle of the rodeo arena. Talk about 73,000 screaming fans in the audience; the sound is incredible!

Sproost Sytle Quiz

I checked out this website, sproost.com found from Katie's blog at Bower Power and took the same quiz to see how accurate it was with my personal decorating style. I must admit, it was pretty accurate and neat to see the results it came up with. I even took the quiz a couple of more times for fun, because they do show a couple of different room choices to vote on. My results were pretty much the same give or take a couple of points on one style or the other.

My personal style is a mix of 3 specific styles, and I totally agree on them:

69% Wine Country Style
15% Classic Style
16% Classic Country Style

Wine Country Style
Tuscan sun, here we come! The Wine Country style reflects the feelings evoked by the seaside regions of Europe such as the South of France, Spain, Italy and Greece. The style manages to be both refined and casual, such that you can mix beautiful antiques with more rustic wrought iron or wood and the result is both sophisticated and cozy.

Furniture is large and comfortable, colors are bright and cheery, and regardless of the color palette the spaces almost always feel warm. You can easily translate the style into the perfect family environment but you can just as easily emphasize the more formal pieces and make your room the perfect adult getaway.

Classic
What's old is new again! The beauty of Classic style is how well it takes all of the beautiful forms, colors and textures of the past and reinvents them in a way that feels both fresh and inspired.

The style itself is a mix of European influences and French, English and Italian antiques and replicas are often used together. Furniture is well proportioned and comfortable and the rooms give off an air of sophistication and grace. Oil paintings depicting still-life or nature scenes and emphasizing symmetry of pairs helps maintain the traditional nature of the room. Windows are often covered with opulent fabric shades and/or drapery.

Traditional rooms give off an air of history that seems to say "I was here long before you, and will remain long after you've gone." And yet, even with this level of sophistication, the rooms are soft and inviting.

Traditional Country
Even if your backyard isn't acres of farmland and you don't actually have a cow out in the barn, your house sure brings you back to a time when that was the case for many.

You love spaces that feel casual and lived in. Furniture is practical and comfortable, and yet at the same time its very stylish. The best part of country style is how much it highlights collection and found objects. Antiques here, garage sale finds there and Aunt Milly's hand-me-downs throughout. Unique items that used to serve very practical purposes are now on display, and their history seems to permeate the home. Each space in the home seems to invite friends and family to come in and stay a while. There is a true sense of home felt throughout.

So take your personal style quiz and and share your results!

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.

My First Exciting Purchase of the Year

Introducing to you my proud new purchase from Target today and on sale might I add. I have been eying this buffet table for a long time now, probably around 6 or 7 months or so, and it finally went on sale for half off! I am so happy I decided to walk down that aisle. Words are beyond me on how excited I was to see it on sale. It sells for $249.00 on-line and $199.99 in store. Today I purchased it for $99.98!!! It will go so nicely in our breakfast room; I actually have two different spots where I can put it. I will post pictures as soon as I can get the hubs to put it together for me; that in itself is another task. I also plan to spray paint the hardware on it to a bronze or black color--the contemporary chrome is not too much my style.

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!

The Philosophy of Old Age

There are often times I read things and they really touch my heart. I read them over and over and just love the messages they send out. This is one of those readings that I want to live my life by and be able to look back when I am old and know that I lived my life to it's fullest! Enjoy!

Old Age, I decided is a Gift

I am now probably for the first time in my life the person I have always wanted to be..Oh, not my body! I sometime despair over my body, the wrinkles, the baggy eyes, and the sagging butt. And often I am taken back by that old person that lives in the mirror, but I don't agonize over those things for long.

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become more kind to myself and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.

I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon?

I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60&70's and if I at the same time wish to weep over a lost love ..... I will just do that!

I know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face. So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

So I am okay with getting old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever, but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day, if I feel like it!

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.