Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts

Sunday, January 9, 2011

New Years Eve Pictures

So, I'm running about 2 week behind on posting pictures right now...

We spend New Years Eve on 6th Street in Austin. With fantastic friends. It was a GREAT time, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Here's proof...

Champagne Toast at Midnight. Happy 2011!

Pretty girls!

My most favorite lawyer and his gorgeous wife


Good times. Great friends. Yummy beer.


Happy New Years


You have to love the Madden Girl Glitter Heels. Love them!

Obviously, alcohol was involved :)


Love LoVE LOVE this girl.

I hope everyone had a great New Years Eve and an awesome kick off to 2011.
May this be your best year yet!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Christmas in Colorado

As a Colorado girl, I can not accept the idea of Christmas without snow.

Therefore, despite the fact that I am now a bonafide Texan, I still insist on returning to my mountain home for the holidays.

I spent 10 days home for Christmas with family and friends.

Saw old friends. Spent time with family. Had a great time with the boys. Saw the snow I've missed.

Oh, and I've implemented the new 72 hour rule. I'll explain later. But all I can say is my grandma is a GENIUS.

For now, here are the Christmas pictures!

The boys with the stockings


Awe. Sweet Brothers in their Christmas jammies.


The boys with their Great Grandma (my dad's mom)






Santa came!



So cute!


Silly Bandz. I don't get it. Oh well.



KK with his favorite present - a Nintendo DS
(Notice that he is wearing PJs and Cowboy Boots lol)

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Thanksgiving Appreciation... A Little Late...

So this is my official Thanksgiving post. And it's only 4 days late.

And really, I have no great excuse. I haven't been doing anything that important.

I've been cooking. And eating (So much for low-carb the last few days...Oops). And shopping. And relaxing. And having nice happy family time.

And I've been loving it!

Next week is my last week of classes, which include tons of papers and projects and tests, followed by 2 weeks of "make me want to KILL myself" finals. Ugh.

And I could have spent the last 5 days trying to get ahead and writing papers and working on projects. But I didn't. And I'm glad. Because now I can head into the next 3 weeks feeling relaxed and rested.

And thankful.

Despite how incredibly much I miss Colorado, and my friends, and my family, and my life there, I still have a lot to be thankful for.

I'm thankful that I'm able to complete school. I'm thankful that my babies are happy and healthy. I'm thankful that I got the chance to spend Thanksgiving with new friends. I'm thankful that I found some badass Black Friday deals that are going to make my boys super happy come Christmas morning. I'm thankful for beautiful Texas fall weather that allows for outdoor football playing in November. I'm thankful that both of my sisters have found and married the man that they want to spend their life with. I'm thankful that I'm going home for Christmas in 3 weeks. I'm thankful for the crazy, beautiful, wild ride that is my life.

And I'm thankful that people can change. Really really change.

There is a lot to be thankful for this year.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

A Shout Out to the Veterans...

Today is Veteran's Day.

This means that everyone is saying thanks to all those brave military men and women who have served or are serving. It's kinda like the 4th of July, when everyone becomes totally patriotic and flies the American Flag and wears red, white, and blue. I think that's great.

I also think our gratitude as a nation to our military shouldn't be limited to 1 or 2 days a year.

I get the military. I was a military wife. My sister is Navy, and her husband is currently serving as a medic attached to a Marine unit in Afghanistan.

These guys work their asses off in sometimes awful locations, with terrible hours, little pay, and even less respect. I can't even tell you how many times our plans as a family were placed on hold or scratched all together because the military's needs came first. It just is the way it is. They will call at any time of day or night, and our soldiers are just required to go.

These men and women work weekends, holidays, and their children's birthdays. They don't put in 8 hours and then head home. Oftentimes, they work days at a time. Or they get to spend weeks and months away from home for training or deployment.

And it's not like they are well-paid for their sacrifice. Almost half of military families E5 and below live at or below the poverty line. The military is certainly NOT a career for those who hope to make a lot of money. Sure, military families get separation pay and hazardous duty pay when they are deployed, but ask yourself - How much money would be worth it to me to have my loved one overseas for months or years at a time, in dangerous situations, with little to no communication? Trust me, it's waaay more than the US is paying.

But they don't do it for the money. Or the benefits. Or the respect. Or the prestige.

They do it for us. For our country. For our freedoms.

And we should be able to appreciate that. Everyday.

So today, thank a veteran. Buy them lunch. Cover their bar tab. Get their coffee. Let them know how much they are appreciated by the country they serve.

And then, do it tomorrow too. And next week. And next month.

Because they are sacrificing for us every day!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Life As I Know It...

I have spend a LOT of time recently considering what the next "step" in my life is going to be. Honestly, I have NO idea. I mean, I pretty much have the next 7 months or so figured out. I'm here until I graduate, and have a lease until June anyway, so really, that's pretty easy. I go to school, I do loads of schoolwork, and try to have a little fun now and then in between being a full time student and momma. Pretty simple. It's the "after" graduation that I'm worried about. Again, I have no clue what I am going to do with my life. Damn.

Do I want to move "home" to Colorado? After 3 years, is Colorado even home anymore? What about Houston? There are a lot of painful memories, but I also have some of the best friends I've ever made there. Or maybe somewhere else new? I like experiencing new things, new places, new people. And I've obviously proven that I have no problem just randomly up and moving on a moments notice. So why not do it again?Good questions. No answers.

The one thing I do know is that I have about 4 years before I need to settle. Until then, it's easy for the boys to move and acclimate, make new friends, and be in different places. Once junior high rolls around for JC, I need to be in the place that I'm willing to stay for the next decade or so. Mostly because I REFUSE to do to my children what my parents did to me. I will NOT rip them away from their friends and their life and their school and everything they know and love during the most difficult time of their life - their teenage years. They deserve the chance to belong, to be a part of sports or academics or whatever they choose, and to make lifelong friends that will get them through high school and beyond. I'll be damned if I take that away from them. So wherever I land at that point, that is where I will stay. Not for me. For them.
Speaking of them - The Boys.

JC is about to be 8. I will be flying to Denver the day before his birthday and surprising him. I'm so excited. I had to make a choice between flying out for his birthday or a dear friend's wedding. As much as I love her and want to be there, it is so important to me that I am with my son on his birthday. I know she would understand. She's that amazing. (Love you, Naomi!) Anyways, JC is a whiz at math and science (Where could he possibly get that? LOL) and seems to really be enjoying school. I'm so glad.

KK's birthday is next week - and he will be 6. He is going to be the death of me. I already know that he alone is my punishment for the way I was during my teenage years. He is SO.BAD. Sooooooo bad. Like dealing with the badness takes most of my time these days. He actually lost his birthday party this year kinda bad. (Side note - I KNOW that makes me sound like a horrible parent. But really, I gave him every chance in the world to keep it. He blatantly CHOSE not too. He will still get a cake and presents and made to feel incredibly special by me, he just doesn't get to invite friends to a party. I feel awful about it, but I have no choice but to follow through on this.) I just don't know what's going on with this little guy. He's struggling like you wouldn't believe, and I don't know why. The temper tantrums are coming hard and fast, and most of the time they aren't even logical. I just don't get it. I wonder what is going through his little 5 year old mind, and I want to help so badly, but I feel completely incapable. It sucks. I'm looking into a counselor for him, because I really don't want him to grow up as a juvenille delinquent. And that seems to be the track h's on. Which is scary considering he is 5. At least I was a teenager before I started with my crazy antics.

Halloween is around the corner. I love this holiday. Mostly because adults get to act like kids and girls can dress like total hookers without getting any crap about it. What can I say? It's fun! I think it's about time to pull out the pumpkin carving and Halloween cookie stuff. I'll even take some pictures. Well, I'll take cell phone pictures. My camera was stolen in Cancun, and I haven't gotten another one yet. (Christmas Wish List for those who love me )

Well, it's time to leave the blogging world and head to class. Yay. Always a great time :)

I'm getting better at blogging. I've missed it, so this is good.

XOXO

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Easter Weekend

I'm too tired for words... Forgive me Jillian Michaels for ditching you today. I just can't do it. But I promise I'll make it up tomorrow by doing Level 2. K?

For now - here are some pictures of this weekend... Enjoy...

Hanging out on the train at the park



JC enjoying the water park

About to do something he shouldn't...


What a way to spend an April Day in Houston!


Getting ready to decorate eggs



JC coloring the egg before dying it


The Boys


Our pretty creations


Easter Breakfast... SOOOO yummy

All dressed up for church



Easter Dinner - post nap!