Out of the Loop

You've been out of the loop for a while, so I will briefly bring you back in the loop.

1. Jaclyn got married on Dec 13 and it was a beautiful wedding, had lots of wonderful desserts, great dancing, and Santa Claus even came! She looked amazing.











2. Last week for work, I traveled to 3 cities in 4 days and was on 5 different flights. We had a video shoot in Chicago, Sioux Falls, SD and Des Moines. The best parts of the trip were that I got to have dinner with Leah on Monday and got to see lots and lots of snow.

3. We had a little party at Liz's house on Saturday so I got to see lots of good old friends. Thanks to Liz for hosting a great Mexican Christmas party.

4. Josh and I have been sick for over a week now with bronchitis, but fortunately we will feel better for Christmas!

5. Today starts our Christmas festivities. We will be with Josh's family tonight and tomorrow, and with my family this weekend. Noah has been a very good boy so he is excited to see what Santa brings him.

6. Here is a picture we did not include on our Christmas card this year. Thanks to Mimi for the Christmas vest!

Christmas Questions

I've been tagged to fill out this survey and I can't let Mindy down, so here it goes:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper 85% of the time, gift bags 15%

2. Real tree or Artificial? We have really been trying to go "green" as much as we can...this year we are getting a living Christmas tree so we can plant it in our yard at the end of the season instead of throwing it away. (Really I think it is just an excuse for Josh to plant another tree.)

3. When do you put up the tree? Tonight

4. When do you take the tree down? New Year's Day

5. Do you like eggnog? I don't think so, but can't remember the last time I tried it

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Nintendo(?) - I have a bad memory, no offense mom and dad

7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad for sure, but just like Rachel Green, he can always get store credit

8. Easiest person to buy for? My sister

9. Do you have a nativity scene? No

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail - speaking of we need to get on that

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I'd have to say the Brighton-esque wallet I received a few years ago from my parents. I think they forgot my style.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Christmas Vacation

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually the 2nd week of December

14. Have you ever re-gifted a Christmas present? Again, bad memory

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? I can't really say I eat anything different at Christmas time

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, white

17. Favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph! (I can't say I deleted and rewrote this answer)

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both b/c of the 2 families

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? It always sneaks up on me and goes by way too fast! (Ditto Womack)

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I have a little obsession with white, so I like the 12 or so white ornaments we have

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Mom's spaghetti and meatballs

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? To spend lots of time with Noah and to win big in Vegas!

4th Annual Turkey Trot

It has become tradition to run the YMCA Turkey Trot with my good ol friend Leah and her sister Kara. We started in 2004 and have run the 8 mile race each year since then. Josh has made it a tradition to be our photographer; here is a post race pic from this year's trot - Leah (in the middle) looks like she just got finished with her glamour shots. It is a really fun race, and I highly recommend it to everyone, b/c whether you run/walk the 3 mile or run the 8 mile, you won't feel very guilty eating the pie.

More Noah

When we first met Noah









"Hi Mama!"









Auntie Jamie









Bibi









Mama and Daddy

Uncle Josh and Auntie Jamie

We officially became Uncle Josh and Aunt Jamie today, 12/1/08. Noah Jack Pettett was born at 11:42am weighing in at 7lbs 7oz and 19.5" long. Case had a c-section, but is doing really well, and Noah is very healthy and of course the cutest baby ever!

The Half

To all of my sponsors, supporters, and fans:

I feel it necessary to share a little piece of information that I found out today. As you all know, I have been training for the White Rock Half Marathon on Dec. 14th; and by training, I mean following a schedule religiously since Sept. 22nd. I have been counting down the days until the race and it finally hit 3 weeks yesterday - it then became a reality that the race was just around the corner. Well, in preparation for the race, I am continuing the tradition of running the Turkey Trot with Leah this year...so, I made my way to Luke's Locker today to pick up my packet. I know a girl from A&M who works there and we were catching up since I hadn't seen her since this same time last year. She said so-and-so is pregnant; I said wow; she said what has been going on with you; I said well just running The Trot again and running in the White Rock Half; she said oh I heard that was sold out; I said I hope I've signed up for it.

Then I really started thinking about it, and in my stomach I knew something wasn't right. I immediately called Josh to ask him if he remembered seeing a receipt for the half on our CC statement - he didn't recall. I always keep confirmation emails, receipts, etc. in my hotmail account until they are past-due, so I went back to work and found no confirmation email and no receipt. I went to the White Rock Half/Marathon web site and clearly on the center of the home page it said "Half Marathon Registration is Sold Out."

To get straight to the point: I didn't sign up for the half, and after a day of frustration mixed with some laughter, I have come to the conclusion that God doesn't want me to run on that day. Now I can relax the night before at Jaclyn's wedding and eat the desserts that I otherwise would have foregone. My next decision I have to make is: Do I find another half marathon in the near future or do I skip over a half and keep training for a full?

Your dedicated runner,
Jamie

Noah's Room

Here are pictures of Noah's (our soon-to-be nephew) room. Pray that Casey has a healthy delivery and a healthy baby!

Updates

1. Casey is about to pop and we can't be more excited to meet Noah this month! We are going to see her and Jason this weekend so I'll try to post some pictures of Noah's room since it is all finished.

2. Josh and I have shared Mavs season tickets with his parents for 3 seasons now. This season we were lucky enough to get a half season on the 1st deck as opposed to the nose bleeds. (I think that's a bad sign b/c that means people are not hopeful that the Mavs will make it to the playoffs this year, and I don't blame them). Well when Josh and I went to the game this past Monday to see LeBron James play, we were so excited to sit on the 1st deck, until..........we realized our seats are directly in front of the drum line. So although we can be on the jumbotron every time we are in those seats, we are going to have to purchase ear plugs b/c the drums and symbols are extremely loud. It was a good thing I didn't have a headache that night.

3. We are finally going to Vegas in January! A good friend of ours, Jeff, is turning 30 so we are going with him and his wife to celebrate. We've never been and have been wanting to go for several years now. Luckily, Jeff knows Vegas like the back of his hand, so we won't have to map out our trip like we usually do.

4. I've been training for the White Rock Half on December 14th - it has been a lot of fun and has gone really well so far. I decided to train by myself, and I have been following a schedule that was recommended to me by my marathoner friend, Leah. It's been fun to keep up with running and take new and different classes at the Y, like Zumba for instance. It is a fun dancing/movement class with about 40 women and 2 men, and I encourage you to try it. My next class to try: hip hop.

5. Josh has started back up with building the fence for the other side of our house. It will be nice to have it all finished and know that my little workhorse did it all himself (with a little digging help from his dad).

Happy Birthdays

Since I won't remember to do this tomorrow, I figured I'd go ahead and give my birthday shout outs to 2 of my favorite people who share a birthday tomorrow:

1. my sweet and loving husband of 4 years, 4 months, and 26 days, who turns the big 29 and










2. one of my bffs in the whole wide world, Gretchen Leigh Leifeste, of 8 years, 2 months, and 10 days who is finally going to be 26











And I owe a belated happy birthday blog post to my mom who turned an age that she doesn't look on Wednesday, 10/22.











Happy Birthday to you all!

Blonde Joke

I've been struggling with what to write about recently, so I've decided to share a blonde joke (sorry mom) because we've been telling blonde jokes at work this afternoon...

There was a blonde who found herself sitting next to a lawyer on an airplane. The lawyer just kept bugging the blonde wanting her to play a game of intelligence. Finally, the lawyer offered her 10 to 1 odds and said every time the blonde could not answer one of his questions, she owed him $5, but every time he could not answer hers, he'd give her $50. The lawyer figured he could not lose, and the blonde reluctantly accepted.

The lawyer first asked, "What is the distance between the Earth and the nearest star?"

Without saying a word the blonde handed him $5. then the blonde asked, "What goes up a hill with 3 legs and comes back down the hill with 4 legs?"

Well, the lawyer looked puzzled. He took several hours, looking up everything he could on his laptop and even placing numerous air-to-ground phone calls trying to find the answer. Finally, angry and frustrated, he gave up and paid the blonde $50.
The blonde put the $50 into her purse without comment, but the lawyer insisted, "What is the answer to your question?"

Without saying a word, the blonde handed him $5.

I can touch my toes!

I owe a "thank you" to yoga, pilates, and stretching. Last night at the Y, I discovered I can sit down with my legs straight out in front of me and touch my toes for more than 5 seconds. This is a big achievement! Case was the only one blessed with flexibility in our family, but currently, I am the only one who can touch my toes (only b/c Noah is getting in the way and Case can't bend over). Now, I am not sure that means I can touch my toes while standing up?

Pilates and Muffins

I have now only been to Pilates twice in my life, but last night was a better workout than the first time I went. The instructor was a 65 year old woman - a very cute and spunky little thing, and like my friend Leah always says, I wanted to put her in a bottle and poke holes in the top and put her on my shelf. I went with a good friend, Ashley, and anytime I take a workout class with a friend, I always get giggly. So I am constantly looking over at Ashley to see if she is laughing at the ridiculous positions and things we had to do. There are several positions we did to work out our stomachs (most not flattering), and at one point the lady next to me let out a little toot and about 10 minutes later, the man in front of us let out a much louder toot, maybe even a double toot. I couldn't resist the laugh and neither could Ashley, so we rudely laughed out loud. To top it off, at the very end of the class, we were supposed to stand up, shake out our arms and legs, and stick out our tongues; needless to say, I did not participate in the tongue-sticking-out-exercise.

Liz wanted me to write about her today, but instead I am dedicating this recipe below to her which I found on the Runners World web site - and this is what the recipe was called. If you know Liz, this should be funny. Liz, I want you to make these for me, please.

Liz's Muffin Mix

The surest way to know you're eating a healthy muffin is to bake it yourself. Start with this basic low-fat recipe and add your favorite ingredients for a nutritional boost.

2 cups whole-grain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs or 1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1 cup skim milk, soy milk, or kefir
1/2 cup applesauce, regular or flavored, such as blueberry or pomegranate
1/2 cup chopped nuts, or dried, fresh, or frozen fruit

Preheat oven to 425° F. Fill a muffin tin with 12 paper muffin cups. Mix the first five dry ingredients in a large bowl. Slightly beat the eggs. Mix in the milk and applesauce. Add wet ingredients to the dry mix. Stir until just combined, sprinkling in the nuts or fruit. Spoon into muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until muffin tops are golden brown.

Calories per muffin: 230
Carbs: 46 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 3 g

Belated Weekend Wrapup

This past weekend was fun-filled, but very busy. Friday night we went to the Dallas Symphony with a good friend of ours, who is a professional piano player, to see a Beethoven piece - we sat in the fourth row so we could see the pianist playing each key. After that we enjoyed a great dinner at Nine Steakhouse by the AAC.

Saturday, we woke up, went on a bike ride, packed, and drove to San Antonio for a wedding for one of Josh's HS friends, Chance Litton. Once we got to San Antonio, we only had time to go up to our room and change clothes, then it was time to leave for the wedding. The wedding was at Mission Concepcion, the oldest unrestored stone church in America. The reception was conveniently located in the hotel we were staying at, the Hilton Palacio del Rio. Josh, Kyle and Spence were standing by our table and I had to take a picture b/c it looked like they were modeling (Josh looked incredibly handsome that night).











Photo courtesy of the Cooks.








Chance is an avid hunter, so check out the cake.











Danielle had one of the most beautiful wedding portraits I had ever seen - it was taken in front of the church they got married in.











Sunday morning, I got up and ran in the hotel's fitness center, then we got ready and started the drive back to Dallas. But, we couldn't go through Austin without seeing Gretch and Aaron, so we went to their house for some lunch and a little football. Their puppies are growing and growing.









We finally left their house around 3:30pm, so unfortunately we had to listen to the Cowboys game on the radio - sounds like it wasn't very pretty.

Dixie pics

It was time to share some pictures of Dixie, our 9.5 year old Chocolate Lab. We love her so!

Here's to you, Stacey

Here's an update on how the Victory Party went on September 5th:

1. We were picked up at our house by my bosses in a limo. It was spacious and our limo driver was very cordial. Our conversation on the way to the Paladium included: the 80s music we were listening to and fantasy football - that's what you get when 3 of the 3 guys are obsessed with the game.

2. One of the Jeffs said it wouldn't be a big deal if we went in a limo b/c no one will see us get out and it will be so crowded anyway. BUT, we pulled up to the place right at the start of the party, 8:30pm, and the doors were not open yet. So, what did all of the people do who were waiting to go inside? They stared just like I would. We felt pretty darn embarrassed and felt like we were "somebody." Well, one of us was, the actor Jeff, but only we knew that.

3. After the doors opened and we got our VIP passes, we proceeded into the ballroom. It was more like a Billy Bob's set-up: huge dance floor, lots of tables, comfy couches, bar, stage, etc. We were directed to go check out the VIP room. This room had several TVs on a table where you could play the newly-released video games, Brothers-In-Arms: Hell's Highway and Samba de Amigo. So we did that for a while then noticed in the corner of the room there was a chaise lounge all by itself. It was kinda of strange, but when we were told that somebody was going to be painting a nudist on a canvas, it got even stranger. We left the room soon after, but think we saw the woman who was going to be painted...don't worry, she was fully clothed in something black leather, with long fake red hair.

4. We walked around for a bit then went to grab some food. On the way to get food, Josh and I think we saw Jazzy Jeff (who we saw on Fresh Prince on Saturday night), but we're not 100% sure.

5. Although the party seemed like it would be fun, my sweet husband had a headache, so we decided that the loud music and crowded ballroom might not make him feel any better. So we had the limo driver take us home.

Yoga

I have now done yoga twice in my life - once on Monday of this week and once on Wednesday of this week. I decided to join a friend of mine at this new place called Twist Yoga by our house, and I think I have found a new favorite exercise. Flexibility is something I have never been good at, but I need to get better, and I hear it is really good for you and can improve your running. So after 2 days of it, here is where I am sore: shoulders, shoulder blades, sides, stomach, hips, buttocks, and triceps. (Josh have I complained about anything else?) If you haven't tried it, whatever age you are, I highly recommend it.

Here are a few stretches you can do at your house and why:

Balance Pose:
Pyramid (promotes stability, stretches hamstrings)
-Stand with your left leg front. Hinge forward from the hips, tilting the pelvis forward and keeping the back straight, knees slightly bent. Interlace your fingers behind your back and stretch them up.

Power Pose:
Lunge with Twist (stretches hips)
-Step your left foot back; lower down so your knee and toes rest on the ground. Put your palms together. Twist and rest your left triceps on your right quad. Look over your shoulder.

Core Pose:
Reverse Table (strengthens abs and back)
-Sit with your knees bent, feet on the floor, hands directly under your shoulders with fingers spread wide. Push up through your hands and feet until your torso and thighs are parallel to the floor.

The In-Laws

Last night, my in-laws (or in-loves), Keith and Tami, came over to our house to celebrate my birthday. We had a delicious pot roast for dinner and Keith made his special birthday cake he makes for each of us. He left it in the car until we were ready to eat it (it was cool outside!), but when the lid was lifted, it was all smeared and the icing had run off the cake.

It said Happy Birthday and a bunch of other cute things I won't share, but what was left was the "J" and the number "1." He even drew a little Jamie running on some grass made with green sprinkles. It's the thought that counts, right?!


Then it was time to open my gift. Tami, the gifted and talented writer, read me the poem she wrote after I opened my card. It was titled "The Twelfth of September."

The 12th of September came and went
And Keith and I were almost spent.
We had driven and walked and searched high and low
For a birthday present worthy of our Jamie Jo.

We first looked for a puppy with big brown eyes
But none were found, not the right color or size.
We then decided to buy her a car,
But the ones we could afford were all quite bizarre!

We were running out of options and the day was closing fast
And at $4 a gallon, we were running out of gas!
We decided to drive to one last store
But just as we got there they were closing the door!

We begged and we pleaded and told them our plight
And they flung open the doors with all of their might!
They had the perfect suggestion with one little snag,
It had to be ordered, it wouldn't fit in a bag.

Just turn the card over and a picture you'll see
Of a present you'll like...At least we hope you agree!
It's due to arrive in three or four days;
We'll deliver it promptly without further delay!

Now if you know my birthday, you may be asking yourself, "But, Jamie I thought your birthday was on the 13th?" Well it is, and that was the highlight of the night. When Tami read the title of the poem, The Twelfth of September, I thought maybe the poem will end with something about midnight, the actual day of my birthday. But after she read the first line, Josh and I looked at each other and busted out in laughter. And Tami's response was, "Oh no, that's your birthday, right? No, that's not your birthday! Oh gosh!" It's the thought that counts, right?!

The picture that was on the back of the card was the coverlet from Crate and Barrel that I wanted for our bed. I'm so excited about it and thanks in-loves for such a great birthday celebration last night! Love you!

JJJJJJJJJaclyn

For some reason when Jaclyn Cleveland started her AOL IM name (I'm assuming Jaclyn was taken), she decided to put a ton of J's in front of her name, hence JJJJJJJJJaclyn. That's what I love about Jalcyn: she is fun, spontaneous, and doesn't care what people think about her. Here are some things I have learned from her:

1. It's fun to rent a movie at 11:00pm - before a work day.
2. It's cool to go to bed after 10:30pm.
3. Costumes are fun even if you're the only one wearing one.











4. It's ok to wear your bike helmet in your car on the way to go on a bike ride.
5. Singing "Hips Don't Lie" at the top of your lungs with the windows down is the only way to go.
6. Doing aerobics before the Turkey Trot is the best way to warm up.









7. A fun game of Jax is to put them in your mouth and see who can spit them out the farthest.
8. Wearing your hat sideways might not be cool.
9. Cooking brownies after midnight (just for the batter) is always a good idea.

The true meaning of this post is to congratulate her on her recent engagement to Nate Edwards! They met at Kanakuk last summer and will be getting married on December 13, 2008. We've been aniticapting this moment since freshman year of college. It is going to be a beautiful wedding and boy does Jaclyn look gorgeous in her dress! Josh and I are anxious for her to experience the wonders of a marriage and hope she learned some tips from living with us. :)

Victory Party

Tonight Josh and I are doing something out of the ordinary and out of our comfort zone. We are joining my bosses (the Jeffs) and their wives for a victory party celebrating the launch of Brothers In Arms: Hell's Highway and Samba de Amigo, 2 video games produced/created by a client of ours, Gearbox Software.

Where we come in: one of the Jeffs is an actor and does a lot of voiceover work. He is the voice of one of the characters in Hell's Highway. We also helped produce the other voiceover talent in these games; we held auditions and recorded them in a studio. Also, if you happen to see a Bridgestone Tire commercial with a helmet on an Escalade, that is Jeff.

The atmosphere: the party is at the Palladium Ballroom in Dallas. Although I have heard of it, I've never been there. There are several bands/groups featured but one that you may have heard of is DJ Jazzy Jeff. Jazzy Jeff played a recurring character on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air named "Jazz," Will Smith's best friend on the show. I believe he will be spinning tonight.

VIP: for some reason, we are going to be in the VIP section. Not sure what we get out of that, but it sounds cool. I know it is open bar for VIPs, so Josh can get an endless amount of cokes and I can have all the water I want. And since we're VIP, my bosses thought it would be fun if we rolled up in a limo.

Needless to say, we are anxious to see how tonight goes. I think it will be fun - something that is not on our usual "to-do" list for the weekend.

Chicago cont'd.

Here are some pictures from my visit to Chicago this past weekend. What a great city!

Leah took me to her favorite spots in Lincoln Park - this was a secluded lily pond.


We ran along the lake, went to the zoo, and went paddle boating. We loved how these gorillas were sleeping.




I took her to dinner for her bday then we walked around the city and went to the new Trump Tower.



We continued the bday celebration on Saturday in golf style. Had a little high school reunion to end the night.

CHICAGO

Happy Birthday to my Turkey Trot partner! Today is Leah's birthday, and tomorrow thru Sunday I will be celebrating it with her in Chicago. We've got a lot planned including a trip to the zoo, riding in paddle boats, sushi, shopping, chatting, air and water show, and pizza (hopefully). Can't wait, Leah!

Goodbye Jamie's Desk

As of tomorrow, I am losing my current desk for a new one. I am going to miss it; it even has cup holders.

Baby Pettett

We got word this morning that we're going to have a little nephew! We are very excited and anxious for the arrival of baby boy Pettett. Case really thought she was having a girl, so she was very shocked and surprised; Jason is excited to teach his little one how to landscape and mountain bike. There is no name yet, but many to choose from.

Fuel Fact

There is only 1 magazine that I subscribe to (Josh subscribes to about 6), and I read it front to back - Runner's World. I love reading about ways to make my runs better, more effective, faster, etc. It is inspiring to read about people's personal triumphs through running. I've tried to think of a way I can share with you all of the interesting facts I learn - from calories burned, good foods to eat, training tips, and more. So, I've decided to start a new element to the side bar called "Fuel Fact" (as in fuel for your body). I believe in being healthy through exercise and eating right. So today is Day 1 of Fuel Fact.

Easterday

I am finally posting some pictures from our family's visit to TX (my mom's side of the family - her maiden name is Easterday). Some pictures were too embarrassing to share, but we definitely got some good laughs/tears after looking at them. The only normal ones are of Josh and I at the Arboretum.

One of those stupid survey tag forward things...

Jamie "tagged" me to fill this thing out...translation Jamie is making me fill out this thing which I consider equal to a forwarded email...and which I do not like to partake in...but it is for my little sweetheart, so here goes:

1. What I was doing 10 years ago:
I was probably life-guarding, as my summer job after high school and getting as tan as this guy will ever get...and planning what kind of cool date I was going to take my little Princess on that evening. I was also preparing to be awesome at Texas A&M.

2. 5 things on my to-do list today:
a) Figure out how I am going to start my real estate empire.
b) Get a hole dug for the Savannah Holly in the backyard.
c) Get my fantasy football draft sheet ready for this weekend...yes it is beginning!
d) Get ready for bed.
e) Finish this thing.

3. Snacks I enjoy:
Peaches and milk, smoothies, pecans, brownies, Panera Choc Chip and Nut cookies (the best!), Sonic Cherry Coke (yes, it is a snack), Blue Bell Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream.

4. Things I would do if I was a billionaire (wow...let's skip over millionaire and get right to it):
Start a bunch of different non-profits that would keep on giving to various people, groups, and causes; purchase a large plot of land near downtown Dallas and build a mid/small size really cool modern house that is powered by solar and wind energy; ditto for somewhere in the Austin area (as the second home); and ditto for the summer home somewhere in northern CA; buy a small airplane and get my pilot's license; several freakishly fast exotic cars and modified classic cars would be in order too; sweet landscaping that included roof-top landscaping on the houses...this could go on for quite a while, and I am getting embarrassed by this list which is getting ridiculous, so I am stopping.

5. Jobs I've had:
Owner/President of JW's Lawn Service
Cashier at Bass Pro (this gig lasted 2 days, but the employee discount lasted years)
Mechanic Assistant/Porter at a Chevrolet Dealership (just to be around some Vettes basically)
Lifeguard
Nanny/Manny (seriously, and Tanner and McKenna are awesome!)
Commercial Real Estate Broker
Auditor/Consultant

6. Bloggers I'm tagging:
None, b/c I don't want to put anyone else through this pain.

Our new baby

It is an exciting time at the Womack household b/c we have added a new couch to our furniture collection - something that makes me very happy, like new trees make Josh happy. Isn't she a beaut?!



Also, I've been toying with the idea of joining facebook for about a month now. I didn't even want to join myspace, but after Liz created my page for me, I had no choice. Everyone tells me I should join; even Case is on it! Is it that good?

MIA

We've been MIA b/c we have family in town from the NC - we're finding ways to make Dallas fun. Here's just 1 example and it's a long story, but doesn't it look like we're on a rollercoaster? Except I am not sure what my partly shaved-headed cousin is doing (now there's a sentence I thought I'd never say).

Goodbye Ducky #3

My daddy and I were playing tug-of-war with ducky and as a result, I won, but ducky lost (her head). She's still quackin away though, but it is not the same without her head.

She's Free!

This blog is dedicated to our mother Billie, who is now enjoying the life of the retired folks. After 31 years of teaching, she has finally called it quits! Her last day of work was June 5th with the 4th grade kiddos. We threw her a retirement party a few Saturdays ago at their new house, which was a lot of fun and good to see old friends! My pregnant sister and I forgot to take pics early on, so Case took some toward the end. Needless to say, she didn't do the professional job that she normally does, so I'll post what I took.




Typical finger pointing at the younger sister.






Case and Rach always trying to look pretty. Julia Gulia looking pretty.

I Wanna Talk About Me...Me, Me

I've been tagged to fill out this survey about myself (thanks, Bvindi!), so here it goes:

1. What I was doing 10 years ago:
Well if I really knew what I was doing on June 25, 1998, that would be strange...but I had been dating Josh for 5 months and 24 days so I am sure we were going to the movies with our friends (b/c Josh was scared to take me somewhere alone), probably doing a lot of swimming, and driving around Coppell with the girls looking for something to do.

2. 5 things on my to-do list today:
continue to watch Wimbledon
finish a video at work
buy deodarant for Josh
take Dixie on a walk
eat dinner with Josh and my parents

3. Snacks I enjoy:
cherries
granola bars
cheese and crackers
peanuts

4. Things I would do if I was a billionaire (wow...let's skip over millionaire and get right to it):
I'd love to really support an animal shelter or foundation, give some money to an organization that feeds hungry children/families, give some to Central Baptist in College Station, help out our family and friends, buy my future niece/nephew lots of toys, buy a new house that Josh and I get to design, buy a brand-spankin new Corvette Z06 and Range Rover, and take a few months to travel the world with Josh. Oh and put some in savings (I had to say that to support my significant other).

5. Jobs I've had:
Cotton Patch Cafe, to-go counter
Fellowship Church Preschool
Pierce Private Day School
Central Baptist Church Preschool
TAMU Business Fellows, Office Coordinator
K-Life Ministries, admin
AvreaFoster, advertising
Infinitude Creative Group, producer, current

6. Bloggers I'm tagging:
Joshy!
Suki Jane

I'm the Mother Flippin'

Josh learned his rapper skillz from these guys...please welcome, Flight of the Conchords.

Who Knew AZ Was So Much Fun?

Every year for our anniversary, we go somewhere. There are no rules or regulations as to how far or where, the only rule is that we have to get out of our great city of Dallas for a little bit. This year our little trip was to Scottsdale, AZ. We were fortunate enough to be able to have free accommodations (thank you Marchell and Darrell!!) thanks to Jamie's cousin and her husband who gave us the gift of staying in their guest house. This is no run of the mill second room or anything, but a full detached house that is normally rented out to people that come from all over the world.

Pic that we took while at Frank Lloyd Wright's place (Taliesin) in Scottsdale:

To make things even better, Marchell and Darrell have some absolutely beautiful horses on the property that we both fell in love with. Nakai and Virtuoso were their names, and they were both rather large (over 17 hands, for you horse people out there), but very, very well trained. Marchell rides them in competitions and they are really part of their family.

What made the trip so very cool was a little thing called a Rhino. A Rhino is a Yamaha product that is kind of like a large ATV that can hold up to four people. Well, to make a long story not quite as long, Darrell has one of these great little things, and his neighbor (happens to be a professional Nascar driver) builds various accessories for these things that make them handle better (suspension kits), safer (roll cages and five point harnesses), and faster (clutch work).

Well, they (Darrell, neighbor, and friends of both that also own Rhinos) all decided to go on a 200 mile run through the desert (convoy of five Rhinos all connected by headset radios...mine also had satellite radio and GPS!). It was unbelievably awesome. We were gone for about 12 hours, crossed desert, small mountains, creeks, broke and repaired axles, hit a cow, ate lunch in a small town, and got to swim in a natural lagoon in the mountains. It was pretty freakin' awesome.

Below you can see a small video clip of the action (does not do the ride justice, but you can get an idea).

Circle Bar P

Coy and Sarah Polk take wedding 4 of 4. They got married on 6/7/08 at Circle Bar P Ranch; P as in "Polk." It was a really nice outdoor wedding and Sarah looked stunning. I've known of Coy since about 1987 when we lived on the same street in Kingwood, TX but didn't even know each other until about 5th grade. Josh and I went with the newlyweds, Liz and Lance, and got to reunite with some old high school friends. We had a great time and will be inviting ourselves back to the ranch so Josh and Lance can admire it some more.

Now for some fun: Try saying Coy Polk as fast as you can. Coy Polk Coy Polk Coy Polk Coy Polk Coy Polk Coy Polk...that was a fun middle school game we used to play.