Christmas Dinner at the neighbors, everyone checking out the prime rib!
Ellie in her new tinkerbell costume!
I just thought this picture was really cool, Elle had a fairy net from her costume over her head, but it kind of looks like a veil!
Tiny tinketbell feet
My favorite niece reading the phone book!
Tiny toes...
Tinker bell melting into the floor....
I’m so sad it’s already over!!! Christmas was great this year, Dave and I had our Christmas together on Sunday morning the 21, since we would both be going home to our parents that week. Dave surprised me with the most amazing gift…. a Nikkor (Nikon) 70-300mm lens for my D60!!!! I had NO idea… I thought it would be a few YEARS before I could graduate/afford to a professional lens like that, but I LOVE IT and got a lot of use out of it over Christmas! (More pics to come soon).
I went home to Kingwood on Christmas Eve. It was a quiet Christmas day for our family again this year, as it was just my mom, Skip, and I on Christmas morning! That afternoon we shared a special Christmas lunch with our awesome neighbors Melissa and Erik (and Melissa's parents from Ohio). Melissa made an AMAZING spread, including tons of appetizers, personal shrimp cocktails in crystal glasses (I was so impressed!!!) and fabulous prime rib!!! Melissa planned the entire lunch out, even decorating the table with place cards, ornaments, presents… it was beautiful!
My brother, sister in law, and Ellie came to Kingwood on Friday to stay with us for the weekend, we had so much fun! Ellie is at such a fun age, she talks ALL the time, and can recite her Disney movies for you… its hilarious! Plus she allowed me to photograph her all weekend! Having my new lens, and learning a lot about my camera from my sister in law made me so excited about having my own photography business one day! I still have a lot to learn, but I am SO excited! I plan to start building my portfolio over the next year, and maybe acquiring a copy of Photoshop so I can become savvy with that as well!
Having a few days away from the office was so nice, it was very hard to get back into the swing of things today. (Hence, why I am blogging while I should be working : ) ) Especially since I have another mini vacay coming up. Dave and I fly out to Phoenix on Saturday morning for the Fiesta bowl! We will be gone until Tuesday, but I am so excited to get away for a few days! We may drive up to the Grand Canyon one day, or Sedona, we’re not sure yet. I’m a little apprehensive about the plane ride… so if you get around to it, say a little prayer for me on Saturday morning : )
Hope to get all my pics off the camera today! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!!!
I am guilty of sometimes forgetting what Christmas is all about. This is a pretty powerful reminder!
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Seriously, where has the time gone… Some updates from the past few weeks:
Texas beat A&M, the game was fun! I got heckled quite a bit by our friends who knew I went to A&M. I haven’t seen the Aggies play in person since I was in school! So it was kind of weird to see the band again, and hear the fight song, I proudly sang along! (While Dave grimaced) And then somehow OU jumped us in the BCS pole, so that led to Texas NOT going to the big 12 championship… Which everyone had to talk about for 1 week straight, and everyone had to give their opinion a dozen times… I was kind of over it, although I myself was a little upset at the outcome. And now Texas will be going to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in Glendale AZ, and Dave and I will be in attendance to cheer on the Horns! I’m excited to finally get a vacation!! Even if it involves football… We’re also planning to drive to the Grand Canyon one day while we are there which I am excited about!
Update on my Thanksgiving feast: My turkey turned out really well! I was kind of surprised how good it was!!! Dave took some before pictures, of me cleaning out the bird, but my face is just awful to say the least so I won’t be sharing those. And unfortunately I forgot to take any after pictures of my pretty bird! It ended up cooking for much longer then I expected, but many people told me the lower the temperature, the moister the turkey, and they were right! The only accident that was to be had during our feast was when our friend Gerald was getting out the chocolate pie, (which I made just for HIM) he dropped it on the floor!!! Before anyone had any, so that was pretty sad, thankfully we still had a whole pumpkin pie!
Dave and I went and got our Christmas tree the Saturday after thanksgiving, and thankfully this year so far (knock on wood) it hasn’t fallen over yet! Last year out 8 foot tree fell over twice!!! We bought a new stand, but I was shocked that they were still selling the crappy one we bought the previous year that didn’t hold out tree up! It is all decorated, the outside is also decked out with lights, a fake tree, little light up Christmas packages, and twinkling snowflakes! I actually have all of my Christmas shopping done, all present wrapped and under the tree. I am so excited about the present for my parents this year, I can’t wait for them to open it!! Christmas cards (including my home made spice packs) are in the mail as of today. I feel very on top of things this holiday season! Dave and I will make out way up to Dallas this coming weekend to have an early Christmas with my grandparents. I miss my g-parents very much, and don’t get up to Dallas to see them as often as I would like!
Thanks all for now folks!
I haven’t even finished this book yet, but The Shack is one of those books that I have to tell you about because it is so amazing! My mom read it a few months ago, and told me about it, suggesting that maybe I pick up a copy for myself. I’m really not a huge fan of fiction books, I tend to read non fiction such as Jon and Kate: Multiple Blessings (Which I read this past weekend, SO GOOD TOO). Back to The Shack though, its a deep book, it’s emotional and sad. But oh my gosh, I can’t put it down. I really don’t want to spoil the meat of the story, all I can say is that it is amazing. When I first started reading, I was a bit confused…but it drew me in, and I hope it does the same for you!
I picked my copy up at Borders and I think it was 10.99 (paper back). Go get yours and tell me what you think!
So, I’m not going home for Thanksgiving this year, due to the football game being moved back on Thanksgiving DAY again. So, I decided I would make Dave and I our own Thanksgiving dinner/lunch/tailgate meal! So I bought my first Butterball turkey. I apologize if I knocked you over in HEB while I was RUNNING down the isle, in fear that all of the 12lb Butterballs would be GONE!! Someone told me once that you had to buy your turkey pretty early, or the only kind left would be tiny ones and HUGE ones! Well, I remembered that… but they were wrong, there were plenty of medium size turkey’s to go around. I should apologize to the man trying to sample the fresh donuts while I starred him down saying ‘EXCUSE ME’. I’m sure he is over it by now though, and apparently I’m not…
With that said, my turkey is now in the refrigerator. thawing out. And now I realize I have to make this thing, and I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO MAKE A TURKEY WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!! I have spent roughly an hour a night on the phone with my mom asking questions regarding sticking my hand up the turkey, GROSS, and if I could just get some tongs to pull out the neck?? Apparently not. Also, did you know you have to wash a turkey before you cook it? And giblets??? GROSS again!!! Ah, anyways, I feel a little more prepared for this adventure, I'm sure Ill just keep my mom on the phone for 4 hours Thanksgiving morning, bouncing questions of her such as WHY IS THIS SO GROSS!!
Also, originally I planned on packing up our Thanksgiving feast and bringing it to the game with us to tailgate. Then someone asked me how I planned on keeping it hot. Good question…. I have no idea! Thoughts or suggestions??
I have been racking my brain for something small to make to send along with my Christmas cards this year to friends and family. One of my co-workers brought a little spiral notebook filled with dip recipes. You just mix the dry ingredients together, and then attach a cute little handmade tag including instructions on what to add, and how long to chill in the refrigerator before serving. I know this idea is super old, but it’s still a great one! Plus it is inexpensive, but still sweet because it is handmade! I decided on 3 different types (Ranch Dip, Onion and Chive Dip, and Herb Veggie Dip) Here is a picture of the labels I created to attach to the dips:
The top part is upside down because it will be folded over. On the back, I chose to include one of my favorite passages from Luke about the birth of Christ. (Luke 2:11-14) I just made the tags in Word, and arranged 4 to a page, and will just print them out on my home printer. I am super excited about making these!
This football season poses a dilemma for me. I am an Aggie at heart, I spent four great years at A&M. Since moving to Austin though, and meeting Dave, I have become a traitor…
I have attended every Texas Longhorn home game for the past two seasons. I have even traveled to Iowa to attend a game as well. You see, Dave is what the call a DIE HARD Longhorn football fan! He has had his season tickets for over 10 years, and the games are so much fun! I have also always had some Longhorn in my blood, since my mom, brother, dad, uncles, etc. all attended UT.
I still cheer for my Aggies, although I don’t watch every game. I still wear my maroon with pride, even in a city that snickers at it. I wear my Aggie ring to every Longhorn football game, and get asked at least once a game if I am indeed an Aggie (people spot my ring I guess). But, I also wear orange to every Longhorn football game…
That is why this year I have a decision to make. The Aggie v Longhorn game is here in Austin this year, which means I will be in attendance. What color will I wear?? Our friends who sit around us at the game have been asking me this all season.
I have been thinking that maybe I will wear both colors somehow? Both colors mean a lot to me! I guess I have 9 days to decide… Any one care to try and sway me one way or the other??
