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.