Memories.....

Activities of a fairly festive nature....

A huge thank you to LeAnn, Ralph, Ilene and Phyllis for the beautiful flowers.


We've been doing our best to be festive here in Central Texas and have even had some cooler weather to help us in our endeavors! (We're definitely in the 'cold weather loving' minority here and have been taking advantage by pulling out our winter attire!)
Last week we headed to Gruene to check out the lights and later that night watched "It's a Wonderful Life" which I decided I had never really seen and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. Very sad, but also very uplifting, meaningful and hopeful.



Earlier this week we joined YSB for some caroling which I LOVED because hey- I LOVE caroling. The kids were a bit on the anti side at first, but when they saw the smiles on everyone's faces they warmed up to it pretty quickly.
Later that night a few of us went to the Junior High Christmas dance recital to support our girl Destiny - SO CUTE.



On Wednesday we got all fancy and went to San Antonio to see "The Lion King". AWESOME. So fun. We stopped in New Braunfels for a fun little dinner and then hit up the show. The costumes were amazing and we had a great time.


We welcome you Christmas season! Thank you for your lights, treats, music, opportunity to wear winter attire, opportunities to reflect and serve and overall great feeling....and it's only just begun!

A birthday tribute....

When I decided to do a little birthday post for my dear friend Amy I figured I'd pick a favorite picture or two and count it good. Here I am an hour or two of reminiscing later. Picking a favorite picture of my friendship with Amy is straight up impossible. Luckily, she's as big of a fan of pictures as I am. Thinking back over the past 10 years of friendship with Amy today on her birthday has made me all the more grateful for so many wonderful memories and such a great friend.

Our friendship started at Ricks College with these ladies. Our friendship started in the "semi-friend we hang out with the same people" kind of way, but grew as we planned social events together, learned a duet on the guitar for an end-of-the-year event and planned our move to Utah State.

The friendships have continued and even strengthened over time and Amy's loyalty, sacrifices and amazing planning skills have been a huge part of it all.



Amy is a key part of this trio that has proven to be fiercely important in my life. Roommates. Best friends. I have been blessed.


Amy and I have some things in common. We are both obsessive planners and appreciate punctuality. We love acoustic guitar, beautiful harmony and a good solid hug. Hot chocolate and Italian sodas are a favorite and a must. We think friendships can and SHOULD last forever. Together we've shared many laughs and tears, made important decisions and made sacrifices to keep in touch.
Amy is one of the hardest working and organized people I know. If you've never seen one of her to-do lists put doing so on YOUR to-do list! I guarantee you'll be inspired. I've always been impressed with her thoughtful care of those around her and her dedication to doing what is right. She's one of only a handful of people who will tell me if an outfit "looks bad!"....and somehow I never hate her for it. Sometimes "an avoider" back in the day when it came to spilling her guts she has a huge heart and is incredibly passionate about the things that matter most to her in her life. She's over-the-top talented, smart and kind and I am grateful to call her my friend.

Happy Birthday Ames and much love!

Thanksgiving- beach style.....

Wanting a simple - yet awesome - getaway for Thanksgiving we headed south to Port Aransas with our dear friends Steve and Najeda. Thanksgiving on the beach? Yes please. Najeda found us a great little beach house and off we went.
We had such a great time walking around town, strolling the beach, playing on the beach, taking pictures on the beach - you get the idea. Other highlights included playing games at night, jamming and yes we even cooked a full Thanksgiving meal in our tiny kitchen. Epic.



On our way home C and I opted for the scenic route that took us through some bay towns (one of which had us particularly excited) as well as put us within striking distance of the Aransas Wildlife Refuge where I am proud to say I saw my first live armadillo! (We also spotted havalinas, alligators and whooping cranes which are apparently pretty rare.) We treated ourselves to some crab and shrimp at the Boiling Pot which, for foodies like us, solidified our trip's success.

Remembering.....

What a blessing it was to see Grandpa Ingoldsby a few weeks before he passed away. And what a blessing to be at his funeral with our family.....renewing our relationships and paying homage to a man who has affected all of our lives in a positive way. How grateful I am for Grandpa and for eternal families. Grandpa Ingoldsby will be dearly missed, but I do like to think of him reunited with his parents, Grandma and my Dad.
All of the cousins - except for Bron who is on a mission in New Zealand - were together which was a definite HIGHLIGHT. Some of my favorite memories with my cousins are when we are preparing a musical number for a family event. The "practice" is full of laughs and sharing stories and memories in the "Ingoldsby shout" voice and a little music. Absolutely classic.


Madeline and Trent were super accomodating and threw their wedding together a few days after the funeral so many members of the family could be there and not have to travel again. The wedding was great and I'm so happy for them. Congratulations Lindsey bunch!

It's great to be at Curves....

A few weeks ago mom and I kept up with tradition and met up at the annual Curves convention. We always have a great time turning the convention into a vacation as well as learning all the new Curves info....and this year even celebrated Mom's birthday! This year the convention was in Nashville, TN which we were particularly excited about and I must say it did NOT disappoint. The downtown was full of historical/musical sights, great shopping and great food. What more could you ask for?

I even busted out a little tune on the Grand Ole Opry stage.



The hotel was gorgeous and got me so excited for the holiday season.Nashville is a great city. Live music, neat history, beautiful (a lot like Austin when you put it that way). We just loved it.



Thanks for another great convention Mom! Can't wait for next year!

My Birthday and How Marty Won All the Points....

As the first visitor to San Marcos from the Whitesides clan Marty officially won all the points that go along with "first visitor"....his points were then TRIPLED for being in town for my birthday. It was a short visit (coupled with a school event for Marty in Waco), but so wonderful. Can't wait for Spring Break!





The night Marty got into town we hit up some delicious Texas bbq and then showed him the sights of San Marcos the next day. We ended the night in cute Gruene for my birthday dinner at a restaurant (The Gristmill) I've been anxious to try....and it didn't disappoint. We've decided it's a must ambiance-wise when people come to visit. All that combined with lots of phone/email/mail love made it a great 29th!

Catching Up....

It's been a busy few weeks so let's back the time train on up......
Halloween.....more importantly - C's birthday!
October 31 found us celebrating in style at Wurstfest in New Braunfels and eating our fair share of meat on a stick and deep fried pickles.

Then we were off to help out at the ward trunk-or-treat. No costumes? Never fear....we quickly transformed into Brazilian soccer players. We may not have had the most creative costumes at the party, but it always feels good to harness our inner Brasileiros!

We ended the night with a little Pad Thai, cupcakes and a movie. As C would put it....GOOD TIMES.

Our Day....

Being a twin is the BEST. Happy Birthday Sis!

Photography of the Night Persuasion....

I attended a Night Photography workshop Monday night and had a fantastic time. Here are a few of my faves: