Beckett's First Valentine's Day

I will admit that Valentine's Day is not my favorite holiday.  Gift-giving is my love language, although I wish it was something cheaper, and I think any time is the right time for gifts.  Isn't Daniel so lucky?  

Something about Valentine's Day just rubs me the wrong way.  Maybe it's the fact that every year I get flowers from one of the florists in town and they usually are dead the next day.  Plus they have glitter on them.  You read that right.  Glitter.  The herpes of craft products.  It is tacky and I don't need glitter all over my dining room table but thank you for adding to my list of chores.  

I got worked up just typing that.

Anyway, I decided that I don't need to pass my glittery flower-hating attitude on to Beckett so for his sake I embraced the day.  We didn't do anything extravagant.  He got a couple gifts from me and Daniel and some money for his college fund from his Grammie and Pop Pop.  I would like to go on record that money for  college fund may be the best gift ever.  Beckett's sweet friend Emma also brought him a goodie basket.  Her mom and I decided that next year we should do a small party since our kids are too young for pre-school and aren't in daycare.

I think Beckett definitely felt the love.

One of the only pictures that isn't a blurry mess

Beckett's very practical gifts from his parents

I am a T-H-E-T-A!

There aren't many things that could get me to leave my almost four-month old.  There aren't many things that could give me the desire to pump every morning at 4am for a month and half so I can leave my almost four-month old.

However, there is one thing.

My sorority is celebrating 60  years on Texas Tech's campus!

I am beyond excited.  I got a letter in the mail months ago letting me know that this celebration of all things Theta was going to happen and I knew I had to go.  At the time I thought that Beckett was going to be a whole month younger than he is and I didn't know if it was possible.  Thanks to God's sense of humor and an amazingly gracious husband, I get to go!

I am looking forward to seeing friends that I have not seen in years, singing Theta songs with people who get the appeal of Theta songs, shopping, laughing, and margaritas.  Hello Chimy's!

I know that I will miss Beckett like crazy but I am only a few hours away.  I can't wait to Boom Boom with all my Gamma Phis!

so long twenty-seven

Today I celebrated my day of birth.  My parents came to visit which was the best birthday gift I could have asked for.  They helped landscape our front yard (because I have a thumb that is nowhere close to green) and removed a gigantic stump from our back yard (I took pictures of both events for future blogs).  We also hung out and spent some quality time together.   I swear I am not a slave driver.

All in all, it was a good birthday.  I got to watch Wimbledon, which is one of my favorite sporting events of the year.  An Andy Murray victory would have been great but it wasn't in the cards.  We ate lunch with friends and family and then had to say good-bye to my parents.  The good news is we have a layover in Houston next week, so we get to see them again.  Then I started a baby registry and was very thankful that my sister-in-law went to help.  She had tons of great advice.

Most importantly, Daniel finally felt the baby kick (he has been moving a ton today) and we picked a name!  We had a first name picked out already but we chose a middle name and made it official.  Things are definitely starting to feel more real.

I am hopeful that my twenty-eighth year will be my best yet.  Looking back, 27 was pretty good to me. We went to Miami, New York, and Spain, celebrated three years of marriage, I discovered that I love cooking classes, met Miles Austin, spent lots of time with family and friends, tried lots of new things, developed a love for photography, and were blessed with a baby.  I am looking forward to this next year and can't wait to see what happens even if it means I am getting closer and closer to 30.
 

The only person missing was my sister

My husband gets me

Pictures from my iPhone

My nephew loves phones and he especially loves looking at your pictures. I was looking through some of the pictures I have taken and thought it would make for a fun but random blog. So here are some of the pictures I have taken over the past few months.

Jack has the largest dog behind ever

My vet had me give him too much medicine.  Dog CPR was brought up.

Just shooting guns and getting ready for the apocalypse

Occupy Lubbock

Chimys <3

Just like in college

Elvis is alive and in Amarillo!

The big cross in Groom

A precious giraffe at the OKC zoo

My new ride.

My husband gets me.  Sometimes I want fancy.  Sometimes I want as seen on TV pillows for my heavy head.

A belated Christmas craft (#27)

I started this project two months ago but you cannot rush greatness. I saw this idea on Pinterest, shocker I know, and I thought that it was the perfect way to make a keepsake out of all the Christmas cards we get. I always feel awful throwing away Christmas cards because I know how much money people spend on them. This is a perfect and super easy solution.

Begin by punching two holes in all of the cards. I did horizontal cards first and then the vertical cards, but it doesn't really matter. I am super OCD but even I didn't get too crazy about punching the holes symmetrically. Honestly, you can't really tell if they are perfectly straight so calm down.



After you get holes punched in all of your cards, stack them so that the holes line up. I didn't place my cards in any real order but you can. You could do family and then friends. You could even do favorite to least favorite friends but I guess that wouldn't be keeping with the holiday spirit.

So after you've finished ranking your friends, place a binder ring through each hole. It is seriously that easy. I made a cover for our little book with the year on it and then laminated it so it wouldn't tear. The plan is to the set the books out every year at the holidays. This is such a fun way to look back on how your friends and family have changed over the years and save some trees in the process.


The finished product


Ta da!

Santa Fe

Last month we decided to take a weekend trip to Santa Fe with some of our friends. We decided to leave early so we could have our date night in there.



Santa Fe is about a five hour drive from where we live, but seems like it is in a whole different country. I'm not going to say New Mexico is my favorite state, but I love Santa Fe. They have the best restaurants and it is always nice to get away.

I would post the pictures I took of our date night, but I got a new phone and all my pictures were on my old one. Fail. We ate dinner at the Galisteo Bistro & Wine Bar. It was super cozy and you could see in the kitchen, which was interesting. My one take away was that the chef didn't really do much. My kind of job. Just kidding. I had the seafood pasta romesco. It was okay. Sometimes I am very disappointed in my food choices, but I get easily overwhelmed.

After dinner we went to the Marble Brewery on the plaza. I once again made poor choices and ordered a supper hoppy beer. This wouldn't have been a big deal, but in Santa Fe there is apparently a new three drink limit. I'm not saying I wanted to get bombed, but if I am walking everywhere, let me drink (especially if a Tech game is on).

Our friends met up with once they got to town and of course we had to foray out to the casino on the rez. I do not like to gamble. I would rather shop, but our friends really really like to gamble and I am a supportive friend.

Meghan and I at the hotel

The next day we shopped and watched the Tech game, which was a beating. For dinner we decided to go to Rio Chama, which is where Meghan and Jake got married. We got quarantined to our own room, which was probably a good thing. The food was fab, as always, and they have the neatest cigar room, or VIP Lounge, if you are me.

Dinner at the restaurant where Meghan and Jake had their reception

The Browns (I look a little sketch but I blame lighting)

We had some much fun and were very thankful that it wasn't snowing. That happened to us last year and it was the pits. I think we have decided that next time we go to Santa Fe, it will be in the summer.

Happy Halloween!

We celebrated Halloween with two of our most favorite people, Meghan and Jake Burns. We have gone to a local Halloween party together for the past three years. Last year we were the Kardashians and the year before that Daniel and I were Harry Potter, Jake was Chris Farley, and Meghan was an omlette.

This year, we definitely raised the stakes. We went as... Toddlers and Tiaras! I personally thought that our costumes were fabulous and very original. Meghan and I were the toddlers and Daniel and Jake were the stage dads.



We had so much fun and are already thinking about what we'll be next year!

Happy fall, ya'll!

It is finally starting to feel like fall in the Panhandle! As much as I love summer, it has been nice to get a break from the heat. In order to celebrate the beginning of fall, a friend and I went to a local pumpkin patch and bought a truckload of pumpkins to decorate with. I have to admit, I felt a little crazy having pumpkins out when it was 90 degrees.

My biggest take-away from the pumpkin patch is that pumpkin picking is hard work. My past experiences with patches involved a hay ride to a field where pumpkins were pre-cut and just waiting to be loaded into your wagon. There was also apple cider and petting zoos. This pumpkin patch had none of those things.

It was really a working farm with tons of pumpkins planted in between corn fields. When we got there we were given a Gator, shears and gloves. I didn't realize how much manual labor I would be doing. We had to cut the pumpkins off the vine and load them into the Gator and my friend had her baby in a carrier strapped to her chest. I now get how field workers feel and perhaps why farmers drink so much. And let me tell you, those pumpkins aren't light.

The pumpkin patch

There was every type of pumpkin imaginable

Some of our haul

Back-breaking labor aside, it was a fun day and I am planning on going back next year. Plus, I think that our front porch looks super cute and I am very proud of my pumpkin-arranging skills.

The finished product!

The best birthday card ever

First of all, I want to apologize for my lack of blogging. It seems like every month has its fair share to do and we haven't had much time to catch up. We went to Miami for my birthday and got to spend five days with my family. I can't tell you the last birthday I got to actually spend with my parents and sister and it was such a nice treat!

So, before I blog all of our Miami comings and goings, I want to take time out to blog about the best card I have ever received. Let me give you a little background first. I hate the Chicken Dance. I seriously hate it. When Daniel and I got married I had a very short "DO NOT PLAY" list. It included the Chicken Dance and any song that involves a choreographed line dance..."Cupid Shuffle", I'm looking at you. I think it is tacky defined and I want no part of it. I will even go as far as to say if you play the Chicken Dance at your wedding, I would reconsider our friendship. Point made?

That being said, last Saturday we went on a double date with my best friend Meghan and her husband, Jake. Meghan informed me that she had a gift for me. Me being me accidentally opened the gift first, but I think the card may have been the real gift. This my friends, is a picture of the card.



It is a chicken dancing and when you open the card it plays the Chicken Dance song. I feel like Emma Stone in "Easy A" when she gets that card that plays "Pocket Full of Sunshine" and listens to it on repeat. This song is now haunting me in my dreams and I can't help but laugh. Thank you, Meghan. You are a true friend.

Wedding crashers

June was a very busy month! We got to see three of our good friends get married and I do love a wedding.

Our first wedding was in Dalhart. Our friend Mandy got married on the 11th and had a beautiful reception. It was my first time to ever be in a Church of Christ and I will be crossing that off my to-do list. Her bridesmaids and family decorated the church and reception venue and did a fabulous job.

The Henrys

At the reception

Sister Act

Their wedding was next!

The next wedding we went to was in Amarillo. Our friends Emily and Britt got married on the 18th and Daniel was a groomsman. Their wedding was out in the country, but so pretty. Emily did a peacock theme for her wedding colors and it turned out so cute.

The Krahns

Daniel enjoying the fire pit

I'm trying to get better about taking pictures and it is a constant struggle. Next week we leave for Miami and I will be taking lots and lots of pictures of what we do and eat. Is Miami really the city where the heat is on? All night on the beach til the break of dawn? We're about to find out.