Turbo LIfe

Eleven Months!

2012-01-25T09:10:00.002-06:00

Our one-year anniversary is in a few weeks and I can hardly believe that time has flown by so very fast. We have had the opportunity to do so many fun things this first year and I cannot wait to see what our second year holds in store... God has been so good to us and we are feeling so blessed to have a healthy, happy family!

Having fun with Collin Cougar!!

Pure JOY!!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T22:45:00.001-06:00

What a beautiful time of life this is!! I am so incredibly blessed to have had a year like no other. I married my best friend in February, had a grandson in May, a beautiful granddaughter in October and my son graduated from college in December. What a year!! Here are a few pics of our momentous year. Hope to post more soon!

Aunt Julie and Jaxon

Grandpa Steve and Jaxon

Aunt Donna and Molly

Grammy and Molly

Jaxon and his mom, Jamie

My dad... Papa

Sweet little Miss Molly

Grandpa Steve and Jaxon

Sweet Molly

Jamie and Jaxon reading a Christmas book.

Molly looks ready to play!!

Steve and Kim at the Cowboy Stadium

Kim and Jonathan in Detroit and his college graduation

Miss Molly and Uncle Jon

2011 Stockings... Such a great family!!

Jaxon is ready for Santa Claus!!

Nite, nite little Molly!

Catching up... and counting my blessings...

2011-11-12T16:00:00.000-06:00

Wow... Life is sure different now that I am married. It seems like I used to have plenty of time to blog but now, I hardly even think about it. I will try to do better in 2012. It's been such an incredible year. Falling in love and getting married, being blessed with two adorable grandchildren, having my son get a cool internship with BMW in Germany for five months and then graduating from college in a few weeks. God has been so good to our family. It's hard to fathom how life could become any more grand. Pictures to follow soon!

The Constitution

2011-09-07T09:23:00.000-05:00

Saw this quote this morning and thought it was worth sharing...

"We the people are the rightful masters of both the Congress and the Courts - not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow men who pervert the Constitution."

~Abraham Lincoln

Fun Day... Skydiving!

2011-09-03T22:06:00.001-05:00

Today was an awesome day... Jon, Christen, Brandon and Brad went skydiving. Papa and I went with everyone to watch and we had such a fun time. Below are some pics from the afternoon...

It's a little bittersweet, though, since Jon leaves to go back to Detroit early tomorrow morning. I'm gonna miss that boy!! I can't believe he graduates from college in December. I'm such a proud mom. :)

Anxiously awaiting for their names to be called...

Getting all psyched up!!

There they go!!!!

Here he comes!!

Christen and Jon floating down...

Papa is watching all the action...

Success is sweet!!!!

Parental Pride...

2011-08-11T11:27:00.000-05:00

There is something amazing about being a parent and seeing your children find success in their lives. Jon recently returned from a great experience in Germany where he worked for a fabulous company as a design intern. He's now pumped and ready to hit the books (and drawing pad) for one more semester to finish up his degree. Wish I could share some of his work from his experience, but it's all proprietary. :(

Then, today, Jen got an award at work recognizing her contributions to JCP's marketing efforts for custom decorating. Pictures below...

I'm bursting with pride (and so very happy for both of my kiddos)!!

Blog Update...

2011-08-04T17:59:00.000-05:00

Well, my regular blog postings have been terribly sporadic lately! I guess being married has created a little less time for frequent updates. But... that's a really good thing. I'm having an absolute blast being married to Steve. We have the best time together, just doing little everyday things. In addition, it's been a very busy summer!! Most recently, we had a fun shower at one of my sweet sister-in-law's house and little Molly got some adorable things. Below is a picture of the grandmoms-to-be. Dawn, Kim and Gail. Don't we all look great in pink?!! It was such a nice event.

Before that, we spent Father's Day with my dad in White Deer. We bought him a weather station and Steve installed it for him. He is loving it. He can check the wind, rain and temperature right from his easy chair!

Steve also had surgery on his shoulder this summer. He is recuperating but is having to do stretching exercises to keep it loose. At least he's not in as much pain as he was before.

Below is a picture of little Miss Molly's closet BEFORE the shower. I cannot imagine what it looks like now. That little girl will have enough clothes to have a new outfit every day for several months!! They are all adorable, too!!

I also attended a College Business Management Institute in Lexington, KY at the end of July for an entire week. Even though this is a picture of a goofy hat and glasses from the one social event we had, it was a week of classes, including Accounting, Plant Operations, HR, Business Operations, etc. It was a good week and I will get to participate in this conference for a week for each of the next two summers. Interesting tidbit... this program has been in existence for 59 years at the University of Kentucky.

Below is another picture from the baby shower. Our niece and great niece were able to come and Bailey was such a great little helper during the shower. She brought presents to Jennifer and also helped her open a few. She's such a cutie pie!!

Below is a sweet pic of Jaxon and Julie. I was so glad Julie, Jamie and Jaxon were able to come to the shower!!

I think this is one of our first pictures of three generations! Kim, Jen and Molly!!

And then, we have JB... Cute as a button and such a joy in our lives. Here she is hiding in our shopping bags.

Our First Vacation...

2011-07-01T10:53:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, Steve and I enjoyed our first vacation together... We had so much fun. We flew to Washington D.C. and arrived in time for Steve's great Uncle and his wife to pick us up from the airport. Cecil and Nancy were so much fun. (I can't believe that I didn't get a single picture of them, but they reminded me so much of Roger and Sandy... so light-hearted and happy.) We first stopped by their cute carriage house in DC proper and took a short walk to the Eastern Market, which is a combination indoor and outdoor market with food, crafts, etc. The combination of music, delicious smells and ambiance was so fun! (But it was so HOT and HUMID!) Nothing like a little sweat to help make a nice first impression!! Oh, well. :) Cecil mentioned that his favorite restaurant in all of DC was at the American Indian Museum. Steve and I were fascinated to see why... so we took the subway/train a few blocks and then had a delicious lunch there. I could see why he loves it. It was so interesting. They had several cooking stations with a variety of native American foods. I had a chipotle chicken fry bread meal while others had buffalo burgers, etc. Such an interesting way to begin our visit.

After lunch, we received a call from Steve's brother, Gary, who is a church organist (in addition to being an internationally-known composer and performer). He had been called to a funeral for a dignitary and was finished sooner than he expected, so Cecil and Nancy drove us to the church to meet him. We then drove to Gary and Julie's home and I had a chance to freshen up. It felt so good to get into fresh, cool clothes! Much better!! Julie was out of town, so Gary, Steve and I hung out and visited. Below are some pics from various points in our visit:

Gary (brother 3) and Steve (brother 2)

The rushing waters of the Potomac.

Steve and Gary battling it out over the stove. (It was a contest all week to see who was the "the Chef" vs. "the Cook!")

Toward the end of the week, we drove to California, MD to stay the night with Paul (brother 1) and his wife, Donna. Their yard was a sanctuary... literally. I think it was 1/3 of an acre and fully planned and beautifully designed. Lush greenery, flowers and specially appointed trees, with bird baths and bird feeders everywhere! It was gorgeous!!

Paul and Donna, on their porch, as we were leaving. Such a sweet couple and a perfect, beautiful home... (Plus, I got some delicious recipes!!)

One afternoon, Steve's dad and his girlfriend, Christine, Steve and I went to the new Air and Space Museum Annex near the airport. Oh, my! What a treat!! I got to see a Concorde, a Stealth fighter, and the Enterprise Space Shuttle. It was such a cool thing to do.

Christine and David (Steve's cute dad)

My sweetie... Steve, at the Orchards. We went to get some fresh corn, but it wasn't ready yet, so we left with only a few cherries. :(

Fun at the Irish Inn... On Monday evening, we picked Julie up from the airport and after a quick change, met everyone at the Irish Inn. It was a small restaurant that was packed with fun. Because they are frequent guests, we got "THE" prime table in the restaurant, which was right beside the musicians who jammed with Irish music all evening. We had a very traditional Irish menu (Steve had some sort of Irish sausage and I had fish and chips) YUM! It was such lively fun music and at one point, Julie (who is a professional singer) joined the group and sang a couple of Irish ballads. It was great!! And she's another great talent!!!

This is the front door to the place. Fun memories!!

This is the pic of Gary's church on Sunday morning before the services began. All of those pipes are connected to his organ, which he plays magnificently!! What a talent!!!

It was a wonderful trip, filled with relaxing moments, a little exercise with some beautiful walks through the tree-lined neighborhoods, a little bit of touring, and fun getting to know Steve's family. Just have one more brother and sister-in-law to go, but they are on the other side of the country in Washington State. So... likely a stop for an upcoming vacation.

Memorial Day...

2011-05-30T09:23:00.000-05:00

Not quite a typical Memorial Day, since Steve has to work today, but I'm enjoying a quiet pleasant day with JB and Max. I'm also going to meet "the girls" for lunch at Mi Concina, so that should be fun!

Hope everyone has a great holiday!!

How Big is a Yottabyte?

2011-05-20T16:52:00.000-05:00

How Big is a Yottabyte?

It's BIG!!

Terabyte
Petabyte
Exabyte
Zettabyte
Yottabyte

I love learning new things!

Happy Days... Little Miss Molly

2011-05-20T10:28:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, I had the joy of having my first personal glimpse of Little Miss Molly. She was absolutely precious, just moving around and dancing. While these sonogram pictures are cute, you could tell from just watching her move around while the doctor was checking her out that she is going to be a joy. I can hardly believe how active and real she already is. AMAZING... God is so GOOD and I am SO BLESSED!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-15T15:34:00.000-05:00

What a very special day it was to celebrate Mother's Day with Jen, Ryan and the McCrady's this year. We had delicious pizza and yummy cupcakes, but the most special event was learning that our sweet grandchild is a "SHE!!" Her name is Molly Noelle and she's going to be such a loved little girl.

See Jen's blog for the details... (She has such a special way with words and she has more pics!!) I love my new Brighton necklace that has family, grandmother and M charms. I've worn it nearly every day and love getting to share my good news with all our family and my work friends. So excited for this precious addition to our family...!!

May 12, 2011

2011-05-14T22:43:00.000-05:00

Little Jaxon made his grand entrance at about 6:50 pm on May 12, 2011, making it a very special day!! He weighed 9 lbs 1 oz and measured 21.75 inches long. Yes, a big boy!! He's so precious. :)

Kim, Steve and Baby Jaxon

Baby Jaxon on 5/13/2011

The moon the night he was born. So pretty!

Aunt Julie (AJ), Jaxon and Grandpa Steve... SOOO proud!!

2 Months!

2011-04-24T16:27:00.000-05:00

We have been married for two months and I am feeling so very blessed. We missed getting to spend Easter together, since Steve had to work, but I got two of the sweetest Easter cards from my sweetie... and CHOCOLATES! Yum. :)

I enjoyed another really nice lunch with the McCrady's and their family. Such a sweet group! Maybe next year Steve can join us.

Catching Up!

2011-03-28T11:42:00.000-05:00

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted anything and I feel like I am getting behind! Steve was on vacation all week and he worked like a crazy man instead of relaxing and having fun. He planted so many beautiful flowers, he pulled weeds, fixed sprinkler heads, patched a few pieces of grass, fixed our back gate with a new lock, started the process of refinishing our bench, and so much more. On Friday, we got our passport pics taken and sent the application in so we can get them back in time for our trip to Mexico. We are looking forward to this trip!!

We also had our 30 minute private dance lesson on Saturday afternoon and then had Louie and Maria over for dinner Saturday evening. We had a wonderful time visiting and getting to know them better. Steve cooked burgers on the grill and we enjoyed the fire pit for a little while, but it got cool a little too quickly for our comfort, so we came inside to enjoy the pool view. We'll have to do that again soon!!

Back to work for a new week. Hope you all have an awesome day!!

Baby Shower!!

2011-03-13T20:37:00.000-05:00

We had so much fun yesterday... Beautiful Jamie (one of my two new step-daughters) is expecting her first baby in May. Julie (her sister), the other two grandmothers and I helped host a baby shower for her. She had several of her good friends from high school and college as well as old friends and family members to join in the fun. She received so many wonderful gifts and it was clear that this sweet baby --Jaxon Matthew-- will be sooooo loved!!

Julie had a wonderful plan for decorations and food and it all came together beautifully. Such a fun party... A fun success!!

The mom-to-be.... Jamie.

Lena (grandmother), Jamie and Joanne (the great-grandmother)

Julie's decorative creation

Fun Sprinkles cupcakes...

Diaper cake decked in the party's theme...

Welcoming baby Jaxon...

Jamie, Julie and Jen...

A.J. (Aunt Julie) and Jamie...

Cute baseball bank that was signed by all of the party guests...

Pre-party...

Table decor...

Cute favor boxes with yummy chocolates...

Jen and me...

First Glimpses of Spring!

2011-03-06T21:31:00.000-06:00

A beautiful Bradford Pear tree across the street from my house... it's blooming and so gorgeous!!

The first daffodils started blooming a couple of days ago. The irises are coming up and the rose bushes have amazing dark red leafs budding out all over. It's shaping up to be an incredible spring!!!!

2/22/2011 - Our Wedding Day!

2011-03-03T09:08:00.000-06:00

Jen pinned on Steve's boutonniere before the ceremony...

Our wedding program...

Making our entrance...

"Repeat after me..."

"Amazing Grace"

The kiss!

Loving every minute of this!

Signing the marriage license!

After the "I Do's"...

My dad, Jen and Jon...

Julie, Steve and Jamie...

Steve's daughters, Julie and Jamie...

The formal family pose...

Having a little fun...

A quick kiss before fajitas...

My sweet brother and sister-in-law...

Our rings in my bouquet...

Our rings and program...

Our guest "book"

Our pretty bundt cakes... White chocolate raspberry and chocolate chocolate chip. Delish!!

A bite of yummy cake...

My son-in-law, Ryan, and my niece Christen...

Steve and his good friend and hunting buddy, Louis...

A last kiss before we headed off to our hotel...

Our car was artfully decorated by my brother and son...

Jon's artwork on our "get away" car...

WE DID IT!! :)

Five Days!

2011-02-27T20:28:00.000-06:00

The wedding was beautiful, it's been a wonderful week, and we go back to work tomorrow... Steve has finished moving and we are enjoying a fun time just doing real life things and continuing to get to know each other.

Love being in love! :)

I'm so excited!

2011-02-21T21:33:00.001-06:00

Our big day is TOMORROW! I can hardly believe that these two months have gone so quickly but we have everything ready (I THINK!!) and we are so looking forward to starting our lives as a couple. Less than 24 hours!!!!

Side note:

Just had to laugh... my dad was heading to bed just now and told Steve that he had less than 24 hours to back out. I said, "Hey, whose side are you on?!!" Of course, he was teasing and I think he is just as excited as I am to have Steve join our family.

Fun Lunch!

2011-02-21T21:22:00.000-06:00

My sweet daughter planned a fun luncheon at Grand Luxe at the Galleria on Saturday with Jeri, Christen, Debbie, Stephanie, Jamie and Julie. What a fun time we had!! It was wonderful visiting with everyone and everyone getting to know Steve's daughters a little better. I am so blessed with wonderful friends and a growing sweet family.

Christen, Debbie, Stephanie, Jen, me, and Julie. Jamie got stuck at work so was a little late for the pics. :(

Christen and Jeri

Stephanie and Jen (best friends forever!)

Jen and me :)

Debbie and Stephanie (we missed you Mak!)

4 more days...

2011-02-18T19:59:00.000-06:00

Our wedding day is just around the corner and I'm so excited! We are both on vacation now, so we are in full-fledged preparation mode!!

FUN!!

2/11/11...

2011-02-11T06:16:00.000-06:00

11 days until our wedding! We are getting our marriage license today!!!

Back to Work...

2011-02-07T07:01:00.000-06:00

It's been a cold but wonderful week! Back to work now and ever so grateful for my job, my college and a wonderful place to work! Hope everyone has a terrific day today!!

15 days... Yay!

And a 4th Snow Day!

2011-02-03T18:38:00.001-06:00

Wow... I'm getting so much done!! Thanks "Mother Nature" and "Global Warming" for this fabulous respite. (I'm so sorry for those who have had accidents, but it's been wonderful for me, personally!)

Snow Days!

2011-02-03T13:07:00.001-06:00

For the first time in 25 years with the college, we have been closed for three straight days due to icy roads. It's been so unexpected but wonderful. I feel like I have really gotten caught up on life... destressed... rested... relaxed! Wonderful!!

I'm getting ready to work on taxes this afternoon and if I can get those finished, I will feel like I have truly accomplished something great during these three days!

What a wonderful gift to have three whole days!!!!

Blessings...

2011-01-26T07:30:00.000-06:00

Oh, my goodness... How can I express how grateful I am for the many blessings in my life? Maybe a simple "Thank you, Lord!" is good enough for this morning.

Wow...

The Dress...

2011-01-23T11:44:00.000-06:00

Jen and I went shopping yesterday and found "the dress!" I'm so excited and can't believe the wedding is in 30 days!! I'm going to be Mrs. Steven Jay Davison... Kim Davison... wow... :)

41 Days and Counting!

2011-01-12T09:14:00.000-06:00

41 days until we say "I Do!" We are making progress on our plans for our special day. Invitations were mailed yesterday. Yay!!

Beautiful snow!

2011-01-10T21:04:00.000-06:00

We have had a beautiful snow this weekend. The snowflakes were huge and fell so softly, creating gorgeous changes to the landscaping. Then, we had a snow day, which meant I got a day to just chill at home with my dad. It was awesome!

On Sunday, Steve braved the cold weather and created a cute little snowman. Jonathan said that the leaves Steve used for arms made the snowman look like he had flames coming out of his shoulders and the hat made him look Moroccan. Such fun!!

Back to work tomorrow!!

Challenge for 2011

2011-01-03T18:04:00.000-06:00

I'm joining a challenge for 2011 that was initiated here. It looks like fun and should be "do-able." YAY for being kind in 2011!!

Prayer to start the new year...

2011-01-01T08:50:00.000-06:00

"Dear God, It is a new year on this earth. I want to begin the year with praise and thankfulness to you. I want to recommit myself to you; to do your good will; to follow your word and the guidance of your Holy Spirit. I want to draw closer to you in word, thought, and deed. I want to have an attitude of gratitude, a smile on my face and in my voice, and energy to do whatever task or ministry you want me to do. Please continue to provide my every need, as only you can do. Please bless me that I may be a blessing to others. Please give me wisdom, knowledge, desire, and power to go forth and live for you to make a difference in the lives of those around me and to glorify you. Please bless my coming and my going and open my mouth to speak words of truth and love. Thank you, God. In Jesus' name I pray, amen."

(From today's edition of Os Hillman's Prime Time with God)

P.S. Happy New Year!!

53 Days!

2010-12-31T08:02:00.001-06:00

Christmas pics...

2010-12-30T22:42:00.000-06:00

It was a wonderful weekend with our great family (and soon-to-be additions!) Thanks, Jen, for taking these wonderful pics to remind us of this fun morning. :)

Bath Reno - Day 4

2010-12-30T22:29:00.000-06:00

Well, Day 4 of the bath/shower conversion project went really well. They finished the basic tiling and grouting and now will come back tomorrow to install the hardware (the shower head and controls) and then re-install the toilet. We'll seal the grout and then be ready for my dad to use the new shower on Sunday!! Woo hoo! We are going to use a shower curtain for a few days and then talk with a glass guy to create a glass wall to enclose half of the shower. I think it's going to be great!

Dear 2010...

2010-12-30T07:43:00.000-06:00

Wow, you have been an amazing and wonderful year! I have SO much for which to be grateful... a wonderful family and children (who all love each other and get along!); an incredible fiance' who loves me for who I am; a safe, warm and beautiful home; three sweet pets (Indy, Max and JB); a great job with a great organization and a visionary leader for a boss; a host of super friends (including great Facebook friends); a reliable, fun car; and so much more than I can hardly describe. I look across the world and see pain and hunger and anger and loss on the faces of so many people... I don't want to ever forget to count my blessings and do what I can to help in my corner of the world.

To 2010, it's about time to say "So long..." but please know I'll never forget you. You have been a spectacular year!

Love and always,

Kim :)

Guest Bath Remodel

2010-12-29T22:37:00.000-06:00

One of the projects on my "to do" list when I moved in last February was to take out the tub and replace it with a walk-in shower similar to what I had in my old house. However, I delayed just a little too long on the project and my sweet 85 year old dad slipped and fell when he was here for Christmas. So... the day after Christmas, I contacted the contractor who had done projects at my other house and asked for a quote on the shower conversion project. He gave me a good price and he was available to start right away, so the project is now underway. The first two pics below are the "before" pics. Basic white tile and white tub....

By the end of day 1, the demolition had been completed, the minor plumbing shifts had been completed, the supports for the handrails had been built and installed and the corner bench framing was complete. Yay for progress!!

On Day 2, all of the Hardiebacker cement board had been installed around all the framing, the drywall texture repair from the demolition had been made around the edges of the new tile area, and the shower pan was installed.

On day three, you can begin to see how the new shower will look. The tile on the walls are essentially complete, including the pretty trim pieces. The corner shelves will be installed on day four, as well as the flooring (which is the same as the mosaic seat.) I cannot wait to see the finished project and I know my dad is sooooo excited to have a shower more like the one he is used to. I think it will be much safer for him and I think it will look awesome! (I think Jon will like it, too!!)

The Day After Christmas!

2010-12-26T22:35:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed visiting Cottonwood Creek Baptist again this morning and had a really good service with great music. We need to make a decision soon about the church that we will become a part of. It will be wonderful to be a part of a couples class again!!

Then, Steve and I enjoyed a quick bite to eat (good ol' Whataburger chicken strips with gravy for all of us!) with Dad and Jon. As always, it was delicious but I know it's not too healthy for us. (Bob and Jillian would probably cringe!) Oh, well! Jon then took a few pics of us that we can use for our invitation and wedding announcements.

We also picked out and purchased all of the tile that will be needed for the remodeling of the second full bath (that Dad and Jon use). I really love the tiles and the design we are planning!! I'm excited about having this area be much more accessible for my dad. Luis comes tomorrow to get started on the project. YAY!

Another great day with Steve!

Merry Christmas...

2010-12-26T22:32:00.000-06:00

What a wonderful day we had yesterday... Steve came over early and we cooked breakfast for Jon, Jen, Ryan, and Julie. (Dad ate early, so he just relaxed while we ate and visited). We made beignets, our traditional sausage rolls and a delicious egg casserole (thanks to Miriam Lynch for the great recipe!) Unfortunately, we forgot the yummy fruit salad until after breakfast was totally over, so we enjoyed salad with our lunch and dinner later. It all worked out ok. :)

Then, we gathered our stockings and opened presents. It was a wonderful time, experiencing this special holiday together. We're not quite a formal family as yet, but it was fun to get a preview of how it will be next year!

As I think about the day, I cannot forget how totally blessed we are to have good health, wonderful relationships within our families, a loving Father above, a warm place to sleep and healthy food to eat. Wow... I hope we will never take these blessings for granted!

Now... ready for the new year!

We're Engaged!

2010-12-23T23:35:00.001-06:00

I feel totally blessed to have found such an awesome guy to spend the rest of my life with!! He is kind, considerate, affectionate, fun, makes me laugh and loves me for exactly who I am... (even the "Mount Kim" mail pile that needs to be filed and a little backseat driving doesn't seem to bother him). It's just awesome!!

The proposal was perfect! He invited me to lunch and he re-created the occasion of our first meeting. It was at McAlister's in McKinney near my new house. He brought me a rose like he did on that very first lunch date and we enjoyed a very similar meal, with chicken tortilla soup and a delicious sandwich (which we shared this time!) Right before we ate, he gave me a precious crystal memento that expressed his love and then after we finished eating, he held my hands so sweetly and spoke from his heart telling me how much he loves me. It was beautiful and a perfect capstone for taking the next step in our relationship.

He then presented me with a cute stocking that had an amazingly beautiful pearl and diamond engagement ring. No one else will have one like it... It was breathtaking! I'm still on cloud 9...

Let our wonderful life begin! The date is set... 2/22/2011!!

Jingle Bella (JB)

2010-12-16T11:07:00.000-06:00

We are so excited to share pics of our precious little kitten, Jingle Bella (JB). We rescued her from a shelter and have had soooo much fun getting to know her. She is adorable, laid back and has just fit into my household like she has always been there. Even Max is coming around and getting used to her.

Prayer for the morning...

2010-12-14T05:38:00.000-06:00

This was my devotional prayer this morning from Os Hillman and I wanted to share it...

"Dear God, I pray for all those who are reading this devotional e-mail, that You will touch their lives in great and mighty ways. Please draw them closer to You and provide: Comfort on difficult days, Smiles when sadness intrudes, Rainbows to follow the clouds, Laughter to kiss their lips, Sunsets to warm their hearts, Gentle hugs when spirits sag, Friendships to brighten their being, Beauty for their eyes to see, Confidence for when they doubt, Faith so that they can believe, Courage to know themselves, Patience to accept the truth, And love to complete their lives. Thank You God for Your blessings. In Jesus' name I pray, amen."

Inspiration...

2010-12-10T09:50:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine who has had several life-threatening health issues over the last two years posted this on FB a few minutes ago. Her faith and hope are unbelievable and so inspirational, especially during this beautiful Christmas season...

"Just over a year ago I found out what is left when all hope is gone. God is and was there all along. He saved me not just once but multiple times. I do not ask why or why me; I ask Him to help me know what to do with what I have learned. It is good to be used by Him!"

Amazing!

Whatever is...

2010-12-06T15:00:00.000-06:00

Whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable--
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--
think about such things.
~Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

I just received a beautiful Christmas card with this verse and thought it was so perfect... so many blessings of the season!

Have a great day...

Thanksgiving Weekend... FUN!

2010-11-28T22:33:00.001-06:00

What a wonderful Thanksgiving we had... We were blessed with delicious food and great time with family and friends! It was especially fun for Steve and me to spend our first Thanksgiving together. After everyone left, we put the tree up on Thursday evening and finished decorating it on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, we worked outside and got the porch garland and wreath put up. It was so much fun working on it together. Today, we went to church and then I did a little more shopping. When I got home, I made us dinner and then made a batch of strawberry bread. It was SOOOO yummy. :)

I have a day of vacation tomorrow, so am planning on finishing up my Christmas cards and getting them in the mail before starting my workweek. Whew! What a fun few days... This is the beauty of life. Enjoying every moment!! I feel so blessed! :)

Thanksgiving and Christmas Prep...

2010-11-21T23:15:00.000-06:00

Fun times are continuing in our world! Steve and I spent Saturday having such a good time. We both downloaded a program for our iPhones called "Lose It!" and we have spent quite a bit of time starting the process of tracking our calories and nutrition information on the food we are eating. It's an awesome little program and we have had some eye-opening revelations related to the amount of calories in the foods we have been eating. I think this is truly going to be a healthy move for us to really be aware of what we are eating and how we are exercising!!!!

After a quick healthy bite of lunch, we proceeded to the grocery store to start shopping for Thanksgiving goodies. As soon as we got home, we got busy cooking and made Graham Cracker Praline Squares, then Cherry Coconut Cheeseballs, then Butterscotch Haystacks and finally Peanut Patties and Fresh Apple Cookies. The house smelled wonderful!! I'm mailing a bit of everything to Dad tomorrow so he can have a little taste of home even though he won't be with us for Thanksgiving.

We topped it all off with a delicious Lasagna and fruit salad dinner (within our calorie count for the day) and started working on a Christmas project. We are making the garland that will go around the front door entrance to my house. It's looking so pretty.

This morning was church at Cottonwood Creek, taking care of Julie's kitties while she is out of town, then a little more cooking with my guy. Another awesome weekend. :)

P.S. Steve took the day off on Friday and went bow hunting with his buddy, Louie. They didn't get anything, but I think they had a good time. Here is a pic of "my hunter." :)

Have you ever heard of a Petaflop??

2010-10-28T10:03:00.000-05:00

I read a new term today and just had to Google it... Peta-Flop

Weird name, huh?

Well it is "a measure of a computer's processing speed and can be expressed as a thousand trillion floating point operations per second."

Now I totally understand...

2010-10-18T06:51:00.000-05:00

I was so inspired by Dr. Jack Graham's devotional this morning, I wanted to share it and remember it...

"Obedience is difficult sometimes, isn’t it? Though Christians are called to live a life characterized by joy, a fruit of the Spirit, our circumstances have a way of determining the amount of joy that is shining through us.

Yet in my life, I’ve learned that being thankful to God should never be dependent on my circumstances.

Now, the world is going to tell you that your joy should be determined by your circumstances… that if you’ve had a bad day, it’s okay to mope around and feel sorry for yourself. But God calls you to a higher standard.

One of the shortest verses in the Bible says, “Rejoice always.” So you and I are prohibited from allowing our daily circumstances to have so much control over us that they steal our joy.

Instead, find your joy in the Lord. He loves you so much that he sent Jesus to die so you could be rescued from the kingdom of darkness. This doesn’t just translate into eternal life. It also means you have the power of God in you today. What a wonderful thing to be joyful about!

So when the bank account is low and you’re behind on your bills, when you feel alone, or when you’ve had a rough day, rejoice because you are loved.

FIND YOUR JOY IN GOD’S BLESSINGS, NOT YOUR IMMEDIATE CIRCUMSTANCES."

Tyler Rose Festival

2010-10-17T23:46:00.000-05:00

Saturday was the 77th Annual Tyler Rose Festival. We left really early on Saturday morning and headed to Tyler to enjoy the show. Neither of us had any idea what to expect and when we arrived, we realized that our tickets only had the label for the place that sold the tickets... NOT the location of the event. So... we stopped at McDonald's to ask the local patrons if they knew where we were supposed to go. No luck. On our way around the corner, we saw a police officer (who looked like he was actually just about ready to take care of some likely petty crime) and we pulled over to ask him where we should go. Fortunately, he pointed us in the right direction...

Traffic was moving very slowly, so we found an empty church parking lot to park the car and then started walking with a few other folks who appeared to be heading toward the event. We arrived at the stadium just in time to watch the parade. It was kind of fun to see the small-town pride and the LONG tradition that the parade and festival brought to the community.

Below are some of the gorgeous roses and flowers that we saw after the parade. It was amazing to see the number of gorgeous roses in bloom over several acres. What a fun day!

10-10-10

2010-10-11T13:34:00.000-05:00

Once in a lifetime... 10-10-10. We had such a fun time on this unique day. We decided to go to early church and wound up being an HOUR early (thanks to my great memory!) I had just looked it up the day before and determined that Cottonwood Creek's early service is at 9:00 a.m. Well, as the evening was ending on Saturday night, I somehow got my wires crossed and I suggested that Steve come over at 7:30 a.m., which would give us plenty of time to get to church by 8 a.m. (I don't know how my brain shifted gears from 9 to 8 a.m.) UGH... So, we rolled into the parking lot about 10 minutes 'til 8 and there were hardly any cars there. No sooner had the words come out of my mouth about "how they can justify having an 8 a.m. service for this few people...?" when we saw the sign that "reminded" us that the first church service was at 9. So... we turned around and went to get our fair tickets and bus passes at Kroger's. It wound up all working fine, and we got a good laugh at my FANTASTIC memory! :)

We then went to the Parker Road station and road the DART light rail on a direct route to the fair. It was a gorgeous day and we had fun walking around UNTIL... we made a crucial error in judgment. We decided that the line to Fletcher's Corny Dogs was too long and we stood in a much shorter line to get a variety of fried foods. We tried fried peaches and cream and a fried grilled cheese sandwich. Both tasted good, but they were TOOOOO rich. Then, on top of that, we had a funnel cake and a small slider. Well, I should have known better and I paid the price. I got really icky sick and we had to leave before we were ready. Oh, well, it was an "experience" and a good lesson to stick with the tried and true.

Oh, Fletcher's... I missed you and I'll be back next time.

Hope everyone has a great week!

:)

Good friends...

2010-09-26T22:12:00.000-05:00

What a fun weekend this was... having my best friends from high school come to visit for the weekend, having lunch with my college roommate (see pic below), spending the weekend with my sweet daughter and having a few hours with "my guy." Then, on top of that... absolutely beautiful weather.

Wow... what more could I ask for? :)

Friends!!

2010-09-24T12:39:00.000-05:00

It's a great week for old wonderful friends...

First, I found my childhood "bestest" friend on Facebook! It was wonderful to see how much she looks the same. I heart FB for just this reason!!!

Then, on Saturday, my college roommate is coming to town to see my house and to share lunch with Jen and me. Right after that, my best friend from high school and her husband (who was also my very first date) are coming to visit for the weekend and to meet Steve.

Yay for old and wonderful friends!!!!!

Birthday... Roses and MORE...

2010-09-20T23:24:00.001-05:00

Today I was blessed with a humongous bouquet of long stemmed red roses and lilies. It was absolutely stunning... What a lucky girl I am!!

Then, on the way to dinner, we were blessed with this gorgeous sunset. Such a special weekend and birthday. Thanks to all my very special friends and family for helping make it such an awesome day.

Grand Old Tree

2010-09-20T05:31:00.000-05:00

I just loved how majestic this tree is...

Saturday Fun...!!!

2010-09-19T13:36:00.001-05:00

I think today was one of the best days I have had in a LONG time and it was all orchestrated by my sweet boyfriend!! :) I woke up early and Steve came over about 7:30 a.m. to pick me up to go to Julie's (his daughter) first volleyball tournament as a 7th grade coach. Before we left the house, he gave me a beautiful birthday card (from a favorite store, Papyrus) with a wonderful birthday note and a gift certificate for a spa experience, which was to start at 10 a.m. that morning!

Well, we watched the first round of the tournament, which her girls won (YAY!). Then, we scooted out about 9:30 to go back to McKinney and he took me to the salon. I walked in and the royal treatment began. I was given a spa wrap and robe and led to the sauna. Mmmm... it was so relaxing to sit and read a magazine, sip on iced lemon water and just simply chill for about 10 minutes. Then, the massage therapist led me to her table and an hour-long massage began. It was heavenly. It was my first massage ever and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't realize I hung on to stress in my shoulders and lower back, but could really feel it as she was working on me. After that amazing experience was complete, she guided me to the next room where I had a relaxing facial. She wrapped me up in a thick goose down comforter (the room was really chilly) and proceeded to apply layer upon layer of soft relaxing treatments on my face, neck and arms while soft music was playing. I even found myself falling asleep during parts of it. Wow... so relaxing. Steve was waiting on me to finish and then we went back to my house so I could re-apply make up and re-fix my hair. We were going to go back to the volleyball tournament, but got a call that her team was out, so we proceeded to McAllister's to celebrate our 3-month anniversary. It had been exactly 12 weeks since our first lunch date there and we sat at our same table. :) So sweet!

We went to run a couple of brief errands and then headed back to the house so Steve could start his preparations for the evening. He and Jennifer had invited some of the family over for dinner and it was wonderful. Steve knows how much I love (LOVE) coconut shrimp, so he had researched and found a recipe for baked (instead of fried) coconut shrimp. He made some with and some without coconut and it was absolutely yummy. We also had ordered pizza, so we also enjoyed that along with the appetizers that Jen and Ryan had brought. We all enjoyed visiting and watching the Texas vs. Tech football game. The pièce de résistance was the chocolate cake he baked with the fluffy white icing with coconut. It was amazing. How on earth did I luck out to get such a great guy?? He's been described as being Emeril, Martha Stewart and Mary Poppins, rolled up into one!! :)

Here's a picture of us with the wonderful cake.

He drove all the way to Plano in the middle of the Plano Balloon Festival traffic to pick up these fun balloons for the party. Aren't they great??

We tried 3-4 times to get a picture of me actually blowing out the candles.

I got so many fun presents. I can't wait to start using/wearing them all.

The most priceless comment was made while I was opening a gift card from Jeri... when Christen remarked that "it's the gift that keeps on giving." Ok, I'll just say that you had to be there to appreciate how funny/awkward that was. (Just wanted to include a little tidbit here so I'll remember it!!) The women below in this picture are priceless to me!!!!!!

My precious daughter! (Wish Jon had been here, too!)

Sweet SIL and daughter... Ryan and Jen. :)

Steve and me :)

Can't believe Jen captured this pic. Such a funny shot. :)

Wow... what a great day Saturday was!!!

Friday Night Glow...

2010-09-19T12:39:00.000-05:00

On Friday night, the birthday festivities began... Steve and I went to the Plano Balloon Festival for the "glow" and it was so much fun to see the huge balloons being lit up. I think I got a few good pictures... (but it was a bit of a challenge to capture the photos on my little iPhone)

It all started with a really gorgeous sunset...

Then, came the balloons...

As we were walking out of the park area, they had a countdown for a "full glow" where all the balloons were lit up. It was so much prettier in person, but I think you can get an idea.

Then, we headed to the NYLO to join in an engagement party for Steve's daughter and her fiance', Jamie and Jason, that was given by his other daughter Julie and their colleagues at Enterprise (where Jamie and Jason work). It was really fun and I am sooo glad we went. It was a great Friday night!! Below is a cute picture of Julie and Jamie. :)

Catching up!!

2010-09-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

Everything in my yard that Steve touches begins to look beautiful! Aren't these gorgeous??

And then, I had this cute little bumblebee just full of pollen visiting my Texas Sage. When his wings were out, his entire body was covered in yellow pollen. Since the sage was blooming, you can tell it was going to rain soon. (Learned this from my favorite horticulturist!)

And... this cute little frog has adopted my front porch. I think there must be a ton of insects that make for a nice meal for him every evening!! I've named him "Frogger" (creative, huh?).

Back to Normal...

2010-09-19T12:31:00.000-05:00

So glad the pool guy was able to get my pool back to normal!!

What Hurricane Rains Did to My Pool...

2010-09-10T11:44:00.000-05:00

I know it's NOTHING compared to the damage done in parts of the Gulf Coast region, but thought you might like to see the effects of Hurricane Hermine's rains on my pretty pool... ICK!! (So glad the pool guy comes today!)

September Update

2010-09-08T04:31:00.000-05:00

Wow... it's been a busy couple of weeks. I can't believe I haven't updated the blog since mid-August. So here goes...

We had our big back-to-school event and welcomed a large group of new faculty to help us kick off the new year. It was a great day and have over 2,000 new students this fall semester. It's busy but so much fun. Our Welcome Week theme was "Peace Love Cougars" and we had some great tshirts to help celebrate the new year...

Steve has also been busy on the yard, making some beautiful changes. He removed the old bushes that were along the south edge of the pool and moved some other plants. As soon as the pansies are available, we'll buy some to add some pretty color to the beds. It all looks soooo much better. He's definitely got an "eye" for making things look good and a definite "green" thumb. My plants have never looked more lush and beautiful.

We also celebrated Jen's and Christen's birthdays over the last couple of weeks. Great times with our family. We went to a fun restaurant in downtown McKinney called Sauce for Jen's b-day. Almost everyone in the family was there and we had a wonderful time catching up and introducing Steve to everyone. One of the fun highlights of Christen's b-day party at Jeri and Chris' house is when Mike offered Christen $200 to cannonball into the pool with all her clothes on. The picture below is of the family that gathered around after she jumped in. They came out to see what all the commotion was about. It was such a fun moment in time and a great memory for all of us who were there and egging Christen on. Awesome evening. :)

On a little different note, it was six years ago today that my precious mom passed away. She's in my heart forever... Below is a picture of Mom and Dad... one of dad's favorite pictures of them together on a really good and happy day.

Relaxing!

2010-08-18T23:44:00.000-05:00

It's the quintessential way to relax... Sharing a meal... Taking a walk on a lovely evening... Discussing beautiful plants... Coming home for a moonlight swim... Wonderful!!!

Fun evening...

2010-08-12T23:14:00.000-05:00

It was a special date night and Steve and I attended the college's scholarship awards event. Over 300 students received scholarships tonight and it was great to see so many students having an opportunity to take a step toward their future. Also, this was our first work event to attend together. :)

These are the roses he brought me tonight... (He's soooo sweet!!)

Bachelor Pad... really?

2010-08-09T20:34:00.000-05:00

Wow ... I watched the premiere of Bachelor Pad tonight and found it to be so stilted and awkward. Don't think this will be a "must watch" show. Goodness! What were they thinking??? If it gets better, I hope someone will let me know!!!

So sweet!!

2010-08-05T20:44:00.000-05:00

Oh, my goodness... I am dating such an incredibly thoughtful person. Here is a list of just a few things he has done for me in the last couple of weeks:

* Cleaned my gutters.
* Re-potted my outdoor plants
* Cooked me a delicious dinner
* Trimmed my outdoor rose bushes
* Adjusted all of my sprinkler heads
* Made homemade salsa and queso for our party
* Replaced an outdoor light fixture
* Hung a picture that was too tall for me to reach
* Replaced my a/c filters
* Repaired my kitchen faucet
* Replaced my outdoor stereo system by the pool

These are just a few of the things he has done for me. Isn't that just amazing??

An awesome guy!

Party!!

2010-07-31T19:47:00.001-05:00

I can't believe we didn't take a single picture last night, but the party with my Prestonwood friends was a blast! Tom, Sonia, Bill, Dan, Mickey, Pam, DL, Natalie, Roger and Susie all came and it was wonderful seeing everyone. It had been toooooo long since we had gotten together.

Steve's homemade salsa and queso were a big hit and I think everyone enjoyed the evening. We spent time out by the pool (it was a beautiful night) and we even lit the pinion wood fire pit briefly. It was a gorgeous night.

After everyone went home, Steve and I did a quick basic clean up and then hit the pool. It was a late night, but so much fun. Another first with Steve... our first party together. :)

P.S. These are the gorgeous flowers that Steve brought that set the perfect touch for our party!! :)

Update on My Life

2010-07-29T22:43:00.001-05:00

Well, it's been a busy month for me... but soooooo much fun!! Steve and I are quite an item now and we have been seeing each other almost every day (when he doesn't have to work in the evenings). He is such a hard working guy!

We have done regular dates and just run errands together. Always so compatible and having such a good time together. We are planning a party for Friday evening after work with old friends from Prestonwood so they can see my new house. Steve made homemade salsa last night and we are planning a fun evening with everyone. I can't wait for them to meet him. :)

I had a fun trip to San Francisco for a work-related conference. I'll try to post pictures this weekend when I have a minute.

More to come after the party!! :)

Looking forward...

2010-07-20T00:43:00.000-05:00

... to date night tomorrow!!

We're going to go to dinner and then to Adventure Landing in Richardson for miniature golf. Should be a fun evening. :)

Really Nice Day!

2010-07-18T20:32:00.000-05:00

We had a great day today! I visited Custer Road United Methodist Church in Plano this morning and then Steve and I went to lunch afterwards. We were in southwest Plano, so I took him on a tour of my old 'hood. It was fun looking at everything through fresh eyes. LOTS of changes. (I can't believe I didn't take pictures.) Oh, well.

Then, we headed to the mall just to walk around before Steve had to go to work this afternoon. We were still dressed up from church, so we decided to take our "first" pictures. :)

Like the title of this post says... It was a really nice day!

Dove Chocolate Quote for the Day

2010-07-15T12:38:00.001-05:00

"There are 86,400 seconds in a day. Have you used one of them to say 'thank you?'"

Love that!

:)

Date Night!

2010-07-14T00:36:00.000-05:00

Had so much fun tonight. Steve picked me up about 7 and we stopped for Dickey's BBQ and then went for a long walk at McKinney Town Lake Park. It was a beautiful evening and we watched a little local community baseball, laughed at the cute kiddos being cheerleaders and cheering for their dads, and then finished walking all around the lake. It was really humid outside and so we decided to go back to my house and jump in the pool. It was a gorgeous night. Such fun. (And... we decided to change our FB status) :)

What a Fabulous Day!

2010-07-12T18:59:00.000-05:00

It was my last vacation day for a while and I had such a nice relaxing, lazy day and lunch with SJD. Wwwwwonderful!

Great Weekend!

2010-07-12T08:04:00.000-05:00

I had such a fun weekend... I took a couple of days off and went to White Deer again, but this time for a baby shower for the daughter of some really precious friends. She's having identical twin girls, Raegan, and Ryleigh. It was a sea of pinkness and jungle animals. Everything was sooooo cute (in duplicate!) Here are some pics of the shower.

Mommy-to-be Jessica and Grandmom-to-be, Miriam

Jessica and Great-grandmom Cora

Sweet table centerpieces

Four generations of wonderful women!!

I also got to spend some quality time with Dad. Here are a few pics from life at the farm. :)

When I got home, Steve stopped by and we had a great time just hanging out. Now, I have one more day of vacation today. I'm just gonna kick back and enjoy the day

It was a very HAPPY, fun weekend! :)

Sweetness...

2010-07-09T05:32:00.001-05:00

I received the sweetest surprise in my mailbox this morning... From a special person named Steve... Puts a smile on my face!

Vacation day!!

2010-07-08T12:32:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited to have a couple of vacation days this week. Today has started off great with sleeping in... Swimming and getting a little sun... Now I'm getting ready to go do a little shopping.... New clothes, smaller size. Taking old clothes to The Samaritan Inn shelter. What's better than that?

Yay for vacation days!

Falling asleep...

2010-07-08T05:18:00.000-05:00

I fell sound asleep last night with the lights on, tv blaring, and Max (my puppy) in my room instead of his. When I woke up at 4:30 a.m., Max was whining and some goofy infomercial was trying to convince the audience that their special face cream would change their lives. So... I got up and brushed my teeth, put Max to bed, read a sweet email from SJD, set the tv sleep timer... Now already for bed... And I'm WIDE awake!!! ON MY VACATION DAY! Bummer... :(

Grown Ups...

2010-07-08T00:25:00.000-05:00

Steve and I went to see "Grown Ups" tonight and it was pretty funny. Just a great, light-hearted kind of movie to laugh at and enjoy. Adam Sandler movies tend to be right up my alley. Good times! Great date night. More pretty roses. :)

Fun evening...

2010-07-07T00:27:00.000-05:00

I had a little surprise this evening when Steve came by to pick up some of my left-over moving boxes for his daughter's move this weekend. We had Sonic soft drinks, watched a little tv and had a good time hanging out for a couple of hours. Such a nice surprise for a regular ol' week night. :)

Fun weekend...

2010-07-05T21:42:00.000-05:00

Went to see fireworks yesterday at Craig Ranch. We walked around the park that afternoon and looked at cars on display at the Pat Lobb car show. Really, there was only one truly cool car. It was a 1928 Chevy Coupe in original condition. It had never been restored. The only thing new on it was a set of spark plugs and a replaced set of old white-walled tires. It was this interesting green color with the original gold stripes on all the surfaces that needed detailing. The original upholstery was in place and the original wooden steering wheel. The windshield was about 10 inches tall with a single tiny windshield wiper. Also, there was a jump seat in the back. And... it was a convertible with its original canvas roof. If you can't tell, I really enjoyed hearing about this car. :)

Today was restful and fun. I just hung out at the house this morning. Then met Steve for lunch and he was so sweet to install my license plate on the front of my car so I won't get another warning or ticket when I go to White Deer next weekend. He saw the house and then came back later to swim and then we went to dinner at Brooklyn's.

Yay for long weekends!! :)

Loving the Rain

2010-06-30T18:36:00.000-05:00

I'm loving the great thunderclouds and the much-needed rain! But I've missed getting to swim the last couple of days. Come on sunshine!! Come back to me. :)

BTW... I did have one of my favorite meals tonight, though!! Chicken La Madeleine with wild rice and broccoli! YUM!!

Swimming in the Rain...

2010-06-29T06:39:00.000-05:00

I couldn't decide whether to name this post "Swimming in the Rain" or "Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head!" :)

Someone at my house stayed up all night and decided to take a shower at 4:30 this MORNING! I tried to go back to sleep for a while, but it kind of woke me up, so I decided to take advantage of the time and went for a swim. The fun thing was that it was raining ever so gently. It was incredibly peaceful. Daylight was just breaking, the birds were chirping and the sound of the rain hitting the pool was so soft. What a great way to start the day!

Hope everyone has an awesome Tuesday. :)

Good day!

2010-06-26T16:28:00.000-05:00

Had a great lunch date getting to meet someone new today. Enjoyed a dip in the pool and a little sun. Now off to bake brownies for tomorrow. Yay for Saturdays. :)

Just got home...

2010-06-20T19:49:00.000-05:00

Made it home safe and sound and had a wonderful quick visit with Dad. We did a mini shopping marathon at Lowes and picked out some nice things to upgrade Dad's kitchen, den and utility room area. So, over the next few weeks, things should be looking sooo nice! :)

Majestic Clouds in the Texas Panhandle

2010-06-19T09:46:00.001-05:00

Words are too shallow to describe the majesty of the clouds we saw last night...

Swimming in the dark...

2010-06-16T23:45:00.001-05:00

It's absolutely beautiful out tonight and I thoroughly enjoyed taking a late night dip a little while ago.

The sky was clear and the stars were bright (sounds a little like a country western song!!) but it was so nice.

The water was the perfect temperature and there was only a very slight breeze. All perfect! I wish I could have captured it in a photo, but it's just too dark. Oh, well... you get the idea!

:)

Reality Shows...

2010-06-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

Love: "So You Think You Can Dance" "American Idol" "Biggest Loser" "Extreme Home Makeover" and "Project Runway"

Like (sort of): "America's Got Talent" and "The Apprentice"

Love: almost anything on HGTV like Design Star, House Hunters, HH International, Property Virgins, Designed to Sell, Cash in the Attic and Selling New York

Guilty Pleasure (and I really don't know why because they are so cheesy): Bachelor and Bachelorette

Of course, the best way to watch ALL of these is with a DVR so you can speed through the goofy parts! :)

Shoe Confession...

2010-06-15T21:46:00.000-05:00

You know, I don't know what has gotten into me, but I have gotten the craziest shoe obsession lately. I have been searching for the elusive cute, stylish, yet comfortable summer shoes. This is compared to last fall when I think I wore the same pair of flat loafers almost every day. Latest purchases from today...

Ok.. the turquoise shoes are the fun ones (but they aren't appropriate for work) and the bronze ones are more pant shoes for work. Maybe not quite so stylish, but definitely are comfortable! Oh, well, the search continues!

It's been a while!

2010-06-14T21:54:00.000-05:00

Wow... i can't believe it's been so long since I've posted an update, but it's been a busy (fun) month! I'm loving having Jon home for the summer. Even though it would have been cool for him to have an internship, I'm secretly (or not so secretly) glad he's finishing up these two basic classes that he needs to get out of the way.

Had a fun weekend and I'm looking forward to visiting dad on Father's Day.

Have a great week everyone! :)

P.S. Happy Birthday to my wonderful big brother! Love you!!

Enjoying the Glow!

2010-05-21T21:14:00.000-05:00

The landscape lighting contractor finished the backyard lighting today! Here are the first pictures.
(Have I mentioned how much I am enjoying my new house??)

:)

2010-05-21T07:02:00.000-05:00

Dr. Graham quoted this in his devotional today. I don't know the author, but thought it was a great way to start off a beautiful Friday morning!!!!

“What will matter most is…
not what you bought, but what you built.
not what you got, but what you gave.
not your success, but your significance.
not that you learned, but that you taught.
not your competence, but your character.
not your memories, but the memories that live on in those who love you.
Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
Life's not a matter of circumstance, but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters.”

Have a great day! :)

Fun evening...

2010-05-16T00:40:00.000-05:00

Jon got home last night and it's so great to have him back home!! Tonight, Jeri and Chris invited us all over for a fajita dinner. Chris is a wonderful cook and dinner was delicious. We had a wonderful time catching up! I'm so blessed to have such a fab extended family!

Twins...!

2010-05-13T21:36:00.000-05:00

I found out that my long-time best friend's daughter is having identical twin girls!! They are going to be ADORABLE! Even their sonogram profiles were precious. Check out her blog at "Two Peas in a Pod" at: http://yeatmanfamily.wordpress.com

More good news... Jon is about half-way home. He'll drive from Kentucky to Texas tomorrow. YAY!!

Hope everyone is having an awesome day!

Dove Thoughts for the Day

2010-04-27T10:58:00.000-05:00

And...

"Be the silver lining in another's cloud." Janet from Streetsboro, OH

Honoring Volunteers

2010-04-22T19:59:00.000-05:00

Today was a great day. We had the Lone Star Salute honoring volunteers serving non-profit agencies and organizations in Collin County. There were about 400 people present for the event honoring about 50 volunteers and volunteer groups. It was such a heart-warming experience to see all the lovely people who have been contributing their time and resources for the benefit of the dozens of organizations in our communities.

The tables were so pretty with red roses, white daisies and blue vases, with red napkins as accessories. Again, it was a really nice event and a great highlight to my week!

My Back Yard is BLOOMING!

2010-04-11T21:58:00.000-05:00

Fun times!!

2010-04-06T21:45:00.000-05:00

I had such a fun night last night... I had invited the Keno girls over for a fun evening to see the house and to catch up with each other. It had been too long since we had gotten together. Well, was I ever surprised!! Everyone brought presents, but instead of being for the game, they were housewarming presents. I've got the sweetest friends in the WORLD!!

Random shift in train of thought... I am also tracking the progress on Highway 121, which I can see from my window. Yesterday and today, there are huge cranes out there looking like they are going to start piecing the big sections together that go over US 75. Should be exciting to see it come together!!

Easter Blessings...

2010-04-04T08:32:00.000-05:00

My prayer for today... Lord, I am humbled by the opportunities and privileges I have and I thank you. I pray for your love, peace, joy, kindness, patience, and blessings for everyone, especially those who are hurting in some way today. May your hand touch our hearts and encourage us... knowing that you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to die so that we could live in eternity with you in heaven... And that He LIVES!! What an incredible sacrifice and an amazing tribute to your love for all if us. Thank you, Father. In your Son's name I pray.

Spring busy-ness...

2010-03-29T21:40:00.000-05:00

At work, it's that time of the year filled with graduations, pinning ceremonies, induction ceremonies, awards banquets and many other exciting events. It's one of the things that makes my job so cool! Many of the events are recognizing the good efforts of so many people. Gotta love it!! :)

Spring Snow...

2010-03-21T14:12:00.000-05:00

It was beautiful (but not quite how I expected Spring to kick off!!) :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

2010-03-17T09:26:00.000-05:00

A little touch of green...

AN IRISH FRIENDSHIP WISH

May there always be work for your hands to do;

May your purse always hold a coin or two;

May the sun always shine on your windowpane;

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;

May the hand of a friend always be near you;

May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

(from an email forward... Author unknown but appreciated!)

Have an awesome day!!

Catching Up with Friends...

2010-03-16T20:41:00.000-05:00

The last few days have been so fun! Two of my long-time friends from my home town of White Deer came to visit me and we had a great time catching up with them. We cooked out on the grill and ate dinner by the pool. The weather was PERFECT and so was the conversation! The burgers were delicious, too!! We just chilled for the entire weekend (except for them helping me unpack boxes and throw away stuff on Sunday afternoon.) You know they have to be really good friends to help me go through all those nasty boxes that had been stored in my attic!!

They left to head to OKC this morning and then tonight, my good long-time Dallas friends came to see my house and we all went out to dinner. It had been too long since we had seen each other, so it was great catching up with them.

Really fun few days...

:)