In a Nut Shell

New Adventures...

2014-03-31T10:54:00.000-07:00

Approximately four years ago, about 6 months after Peter and I were married, we took that verse in the bible where it talks about leaving and cleaving literally and moved hours away from both of our families.

Over the years I look back and I am so thankful we chose to do what we did. It was such a great move because we only had each other to rely on and communicate with since we still had not established new friendships and were just getting on our feet in a completely new area where we only knew a handful of people.

We were challenged to grow in all areas of life. Our relationship grew stronger. The love and respect for each other grew deeper. We realized more and more every day what an awesome match we were for one another. We had to cling to each other through the difficult times and trust God to provide what we needed, when we needed it.

In 4 short years, we gained fabulous job opportunities, great friendships and a support system that was more than I had ever dreamed of. I knew we were going to be fine in a new area, but never expected it to be as good as it has been.

After two years of keeping our nose to the grind stone, we came up for air and started reevaluating, talking and praying about where we wanted to be in 5 years...10 years...

It had never been the plan to stay in East Tx long term, but everything was going so well.

Why shouldn't we stay? We thought maybe... we thought surely... we have everything we could possibly need. For some reason the idea, for the rest of our life, didn't sit well with us deep in our gut. I know this is hard for any true Texan to understand, but bear with me here...

Try living in the beautiful hills of middle TN, where you wake up in the morning to the sound of the whippoorwill and take a run in the fresh clean mountain air, as you watch the sun peak up over the hill and cast a light show through the trees.

Try camping by a natural gushing spring where all you need is a water bottle with a filter in it and you have the purest cold water you ever drank. A place where it gets cool in the evening and you need a campfire. A place where if you sit still for a few minutes, every wildlife creature you could imagine may come over for a drink.

Try taking your river kayaks out during the summer and all you have to do is steer around the next tree branch or log, because the water is pushing you quickly enough.

Try feeling the adrenaline rush of rappelling off the side of a cliff with only rocks to catch you if you fall, (...okay maybe that is not for everyone...)

Try taking a hike through the woods to find a deep hole in the rocks where a cave that hardly anyone knows about is waiting for you to explore.

Try driving 20 minutes to some of the most amazing hiking, where you hear the rushing water fall before you can even see it and the views are something you may have seen in vacation brochures and advertisements.

Try being surrounded with some of the most amazing varieties of authentic cuisines, concerts, shopping and any event you could dream up.

We both miss doing these things. It always puts a huge smile on our faces...

After praying that God would place the desires in our hearts on where we should establish deeper roots, raise a family and grow... we waited...

Anywhere you go there is opportunity for missions, so we believe you can be a servant for God wherever you are.

We also believe that we serve an amazing God, so we can prosper regardless of which area we live in. Granted, some areas are easier to live in than others.

Living in Tx where there is less regulation, more freedoms makes it easier to prosper.
Tn is very similar in that regard.

We knew God could bless us wherever we went with what we needed and the peace and strength to get through whatever we needed to, but we didn't want to pack up and move again because the weather was too miserable or the hurricanes too real, or our families too far away, once we have children. There were a lot of factors to consider, so we gave our choice some time.

We worked, we lived, we had fun and we waited. We didn't want to do anything rash.

We knew the things we enjoyed doing were not only in TN, so we evaluated other areas. We really do like Texas and Austin is a great place for adventure and fun. We discussed the west coast, the east coast, the beach, the mountains...

After discussing all of our options for the past two years or so, we finally concluded Nashville is one of our favorite cities, and we love what middle TN had to offer for the outdoor enthusiast. We believe God can be everywhere at once, so even if we moved to a remote island somewhere in the middle of nowhere we would have nothing to fear ...but would that even be logical? Ummm.. no. We need people, we need family and we need friends.

We need to establish a base, a support system in order to better contribute to a community and society.

Nashville is centrally located so it wouldn't be too far from either of our families. Closer to some of mine and some of Peter's.

We will be able to raise a family having the activities, the views and the adventures we enjoy within an hour radius...

We only have one life to live, we don't want to settle for good when we can have great.

We don't want to settle for comfortable when we can become better.

We closed on our cute little home in the outskirts of Nashville in February. I can't wait to paint and add some personal touches.

We are using the months of March and April to finalize real estate transactions with clients.

We are slowly packing and getting ready to be completely moved by the middle of April.

We are super excited about this new adventure and excited to throw ourselves into a our life in the Nashville area.

...but... it is a bittersweet move.

We are going to miss our friends, our church family, our jobs and the people we have had the amazing privilege to work with and learn from, but it would be more difficult to do what we are doing in 5 years, rather than now.

We are so thankful for a God who brings people into our lives to enrich, encourage, and inspire. There are so many of you. There are too many to list, but I know we will not be able to completely forget you.

(If you need our new address or contact info, message me on Facebook. Our phones numbers will most likely stay the same for a while... )

Fall Means Pumpkin Spice Lattes

2012-09-28T10:09:00.001-07:00

I LOVE FALL!

I love summer, but fall is the perfect end to summer. Perfect weather, perfect colors, perfect foods and beverages.

When fall comes around the corner, I think dark orange...golden yellows... and well…….

Pumpkin Spice Lattes.

These days, I am obsessed with pumpkin flavored everything.

September has been crunch month, due to my need of a new vehicle. That means I am making less trips to Starbucks and making my own Pumpkin Spice flavored beverages.

Here is one of the quick and easy recipes I recently created.

Pumpkin Spice Mocha

Pumpkin Spice Mocha

1/2 cup water
10 Cloves
Bring these two ingredients to a boil. To get the most flavor out of the cloves, let boil for 1 min.
Add:
1 and 1/2 cups Milk
1/8tsp. Pumpkin Spice powder
1/8tsp. Cinnamon powder
Dash Nutmeg (I double the dash.)
1 and 1/2 Tablespoons Raw Cacao powder
Continually stir and bring to almost boiling. You can strain the cloves out before serving or do as I do and leave them in.
Pour into 1 large mug or two small mugs. I top it with Ready-Whip, which makes it pretty and I like everything spicy so I add a generous sprinkle of Cayenne.
*Optional
Top with Ready-Whip
Dash of Cayenne pepper powder
(Many of these ingredients can be found at MoreThanAlive.com)

I love hot drinks on cool mornings, afternoons or evenings.
With this one, you can literally smell and taste fall in each sip.

Indulgences

2012-06-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

Okay…so sometimes I like to indulge. I see a really gooey delicious sugary recipe and everything in me says, "You know you want it!"

Well, it's true. I do want it.
I also want to stay alive and free from illness, too.
So... I decided to re-invent the last recipe I found.
To make it healthier. Better. Almost guilt-free.
Original recipe for Chess Squares, can be found @ Kevin and Amanda.
The re-invented version can be found right here!

Chocolate Chess Squares
1 box yellow cake mix (yes, I had this in my cupboard. ahh…)
3 eggs
8oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, melted
3 tablespoons raw Cacao powder
4 tablespoons Maple Syrup or brown sugar
3 tablespoons Arrowroot powder (for thickening)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Spray 9x13 pan with cooking spray. (I use Olive Oil spray)
Crust:
Mix cake mix, 1 stick melted butter and one egg to form a soft dough.
Press into the bottom of the pan. (I suggest making the edges thicker and middle of the pan thinner, so the crust will bake thoroughly.)

Topping:
Mix cream cheese, two eggs, cacao pwd, maple syrup and arrowroot powder until smooth.
Pour on top of crust.
Bake at 300 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

I need to come up with a better crust and this recipe would be perfect. It taste amazing, but who wants to think about the yellow cake mix and butter, their body is going to have to process.
Maybe it's just me, but I hate that thought.
The topping tasted like baked chocolate mousse, it was my favorite part.
I sprinkled a little cayenne pepper and cinnamon powder on top to finish it off. I sprinkle cayenne on everything, these days. I love the spicy kick and I tell myself it kills anything bad that could make me sick or affect my body negatively. Brilliant, huh...

Travel "Quotes"

2012-06-25T07:32:00.000-07:00

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy

I thought this one was funny:

“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.” – Mark Twain

My favorite:

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

My handsome hubby...

Galveston Island

2012-06-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Need a quick inexpensive weekend away?
My honey and I did and it was all of the above. Quick. Inexpensive. Weekend away.
Because of the convenience and lack of extra time, we chose Galveston Island, Texas.
It's only a 4 hour drive from Tyler, if you don't get stuck in the traffic of other Galveston bound travelers, in Houston.
Neither of us had been to Galveston before, so we were not sure what to expect. Online reviews can only prepare you so much.

This is what we found.
1. Plenty of spots on the beach to hang out for free.
(The water was a little brown, but it cooled you off and it was fun splashing in the waves.)

2. Delicious places to eat.

3. An inexpensive house to rent in the historical part of town. (We used Vacation Home Rentals to find the house we rented for the weekend.)

Playa De Rosa (Just a couple of blocks from the beach.)

4. Interesting Tours.

The Bishop's Palace (We did the audio tour. We don't like guided group tours.)
The Aquarium at Moody Gardens

5. Things we wanted to do, but didn't have time to:

Rent bikes and ride around the island.
Try out other coffee shops, as well.
Find a place to play some volleyball, which my husband is crazy about.

Cuties.

Peter and I always have fun getting one on one time, but we love going on vacation with friends, as well.
We met Jon and Kate in Houston and drove down to the island together. It was so much fun having them there to laugh at our lame jokes, tell us some of their own, join us in tossing the frisbee around, playing card games, and debating where to eat next. Since both Kate and I love making coffee stops, we talked the guys into stopping at least twice per day to pick up something. Jon used the YELP app to find reviews on different restaurants, so we didn't make any mistakes of stopping at the wrong place to eat and getting sick while we were there. I usually research things before hand, but sometimes I leave some stuff out as elements of surprise. I don't recommend leaving too many things up for surprise. You don't want to waste too much time or money.

MORE PHOTOS:

Outside Bishop's Palace

Sharks @ the Aquarium

Hanging out @ The Spot.

Capturing a visual of personalities.

Book Review...

2012-06-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

It looks like June is going to be just a month full of book reviews. Well, books are what is on my mind right now, so that is what I am going to blog about.
I do LOVE to read.

Occasionally, I will pause from reading, but when I get sucked into a book, oh my goodness I can't put it down.
It is all I will do, so actually, it is good when I do take a break from reading.
That way I will return to planet earth where the daily routine and projects to finish, is still waiting for me.
I also try to be careful what I allow myself to read, because what goes in your mind will affect how you think and react to life, people..etc…
I completely understand why people are negative and grumpy after I find out they watch the news first thing every morning. It's the perfect way to start your day off feeling negative and depressed.
If the book is too full of garbage, I skip it. I don't want to start thinking unrealistically and just react negatively to the people and situations around me, because of what I have been letting my mind process.
So, I try to stick with authors who are relatively realistic, inspiring and who will motivate me to be a better person, not worse.
I do like to read the Bible it is completely interesting, but it takes a lot more focus and energy, you have to pay close attention or you will miss the message.
It always feels more like studying than just effortlessly reading.
Sometimes devotionals will also take a lot of focus and it is hard to process all those little gems you get, in one day.
So every now and then, I will pick up an easy read for entertainment as well as inspiration.

One of my favorite authors is, Karen Kingsbury. She keeps it real, but puts in those warm and fuzzy happy moments that make me feel good about life and I let out a happy sigh after I am done reading.
The latest book I purchased on SALE, was Like Dandelion Dust.
I unashamedly finished it within a few hours.
Loved it!
It captured my complete attention.
It made me anxious, skeptical, happy, sad, frustrated, glad and in the end, justice was served! Oh.. I love it when things work out the way I think they should.
One of the only times I like having my emotions go all over the place, is when I am reading. Otherwise, keep it steady… haha…

After I finished this fabulous book, I sent it to my sister (who also loves to read) as a birthday gift.
I am also on Shelfari, where I keep my online bookshelf. Let me know if you are on there, so I can follow you. I love checking out book reviews before actually purchasing a book.

Sobering Monday...

2012-06-18T09:51:00.001-07:00

Monday is probably one of the most sobering days of the week. Literally for some. Figuratively speaking for me.
The wonderful weekend is over and its time to become that responsible adult again.
You can no longer:
Stay up into the wee hours of the morning, if you want to be worth anything the next day.
Sleep in until brunch time.
Have time to linger excessively over coffee.
Wonder around aimlessly.
Ignore the phone.
Love on your spouse all day.
Lavish yourself with extensive pampering.
Work on your tan…
(No, I do not have children at this time. *wink*)

You have to get back to work, which usually starts at 8a.m. and ends at 5p.m. Earlier and longer for some, like my real estate agent husband.
Ah… being responsible can be so boring, but it is all a part of life.
The fact of life that is becoming more and more of a reality to me is "Anything Worth Having Takes Hard Work."
If you want to succeed at a project, job or etc… it takes commitment and perseverance…
There is no magic wand to wave around, there is no fairy godmother to come to the rescue, there isn't a few easy steps to achieve your wildest dreams… (Well, unless you have a bottomless $$$$ reservoir.)
It simple takes hard work and perseverance! People who build something from nothing are not lucky, they just work harder than average. They literally hustle.

Need a little pep talk… would you like to get a better perspective on how you can achieve your dream job…? I know I sure need reminders, pep talks and...well… reminders….

One of the best books I have read on staying focused, being smart and narrowing the paths to your goals , is "Quitter", written by Jon Acuff. Now, that I have read it, I like having it around just as a reminder to "be smart" about achieving my goals.

"Quitter" is a fun, quick and easy read… not that pricey either.

Garden Isle Vacation

2012-05-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

If you have read some of my blog, you may already know I LOVE to travel. I travel as much as time, money and husband allows. We have only been married for 2 years, (going on 3) but we have made an effort to make our anniversary vacations as exciting as we can.
I am going to post some details on our First Anniversary vacation, October 2010, to Kauai, Hawaii.
If you want to visit an island in Hawaii, without spending a fortune, some of this information may be helpful. The prices I am quoting would be 2010 prices, but it may help you get ideas on where you could save.
Garden Isle:

We chose Kauai, the garden isle, because it was listed as less touristy, more outdoor hiking and adventure. Really, just a better variety of all the islands combined, as well as more romantic. It sounded perfect and it was everything it was supposed to be.
The best times to travel to HI, would be end of April-middle of June or September through the first of December. It was a little crowded for us in October, but they said the crowd that was there was nothing compared to the crowds that come during the busy season.

Transportation:
The complete trip came to an approximate total of $3000. This was for a 6 day, 5 night trip for two, to Kauai.
We purchased tickets through American Airlines for $600 a piece.
The best priced rental car, came from Thrifty Care Rental for a 6 day total of $173.
If we ever go again, I would love to rent bikes and bike all around the island.
Lodging:

Sunrise from our balcony.

We found room and board for $50 per night at, Kauai Sands hotel, $250 total for 5 nights. This hotel was clean, right by the beach and the service was friendly. It wasn't very far from Lihue airport, so we had no trouble finding it when we arrived, in the dark. It was also within walking distance of restaurants, shopping and the coffee shop in Kapaa town.
As a gift from Peter's parents, we spent a couple of nights at the Kapaa Shore Resort Condominium, which was awesome. Soft beds, so much space, jacuzzi and a spectacular view of the sunsets and sunrises from the balcony.
Amazing Food:
My favorite coffee shop was, Java Kai. This placed served delicious hot drinks.They also offered great variety.
Our favorite breakfast place was Eggberts. We absolutely loved the coconut syrup. The most delicious part about the pancakes, was the fact that when it said papaya pancakes, the pancake actually contained bits of fresh papaya. It wasn't just loaded with papaya syrup on top of fluffy flour, like many places like to do. This was the real deal.
The most delicious dinner we had, was at the Lemongrass Grill. Their service was not that great on the particular night we went, but the food was so delicious. I would go back, just because the food was that amazing. Just don't go if you are feeling super hungry. It takes a while to get your plate.

Shopping Village

We did some shopping, one morning in Kapaa town, at the Poipu Shopping Village. We bought Crazy Shirt t-shirts and some island jewelry, which I still wear and love. I usually buy clothes or jewelry as souvenirs, so I can actually use the stuff. (I hate clutter, so little trinkets all over the house, gets to be a little much.)
We stopped in for some indian and nepalese cuisine at Chutney, our last night on the island. It was delicious and they had really friendly service. A perfecting ending to our trip.

Fun Experiences:

Zipline with Backcountry

We booked a few activities in advance, Mountain Tubing and Ziplining through Backcountry Adventures for about $450.00 total. Both trips, for both of us. I would probably go with a different Zip line company next time. It was fun, it just wasn't the biggest or longest in all of Kauai. The mountain tubing was a blast, though. I wouldn't recommend booking too many activities before hand, if it isn't the busy season (Dec.-April) You get a better rate if you walk up and ask, or so I learned by overhearing what everyone else paid to take the same trip. It cost more, when reserving online, and they have plenty of room and tubes, so there really isn't a huge chance for them to get overbooked.

Smith Family Luau

We really wanted to experience a Luau dinner, so we chose the Smith Family Luau, because they offered the best price, $75 per person. We spent a total of $150 for dinner and the Hawaiian Luau experience. They had really beautiful gardens and a beautiful view of the mountains (cliffs) in the background. They put a lot of effort into the whole experience and dinner was delicious. They had a fun after dinner show, but next time I will go for a Luau on the beach.

So all of this brings me to a total of $2,223.00. The rest ($777.00) was spent on 6 days worth of food, drinks, souvenirs, snorkeling, and whatever we needed to get back home.

Free Activites:
The Kauai waterfalls website, list all the information you need regarding the different waterfalls on the island. We picked a few waterfalls we thought more spectacular and made sure to visit them.
Kauai has so many waterfalls. Our personal favorites, was the Hanakapiai Falls, which you had to hike to. It was 8 mile round trip. Once there, you could swim out underneath the falls, the water was ice cold, but it's not every day you get to swim out under a waterfall, so do it!
Another favorite, was Wailua Falls. This place was easy to get to. You just drive up, park, look and take pictures.

Waimea Canyon

One of the best hikes we did was by the Waimea Canyon. There was the drive up view overlooking the canyon, but hiking right by it was even more spectacular. We only had time to hike one trail, which took us right beside the Canyon. It was so awesome to capture the same photos I saw on all kinds of websites, before taking the trip.
The two particular hikes, we enjoyed the most, was the Hanakapiai trail and one of the Waimea Canyon trails.

Favorite Beaches:

Ke'e Beach

The best snorkeling experience was off of the Ke'e Beach. This beach was always crowded, but it took no time to realize why. It had the most coral and variety of beautiful fish, than any of the other beaches we had visited.
We explored as much as we could of the Na Pali beach and coastline, but the water was really rough and moving in, so we couldn't wander off the beach too much.
Anini Beach was supposed to offer more coral, but maybe the water was too choppy that day, it was hard to see and we voted Ke'e beach as the best.
We stopped in on a few of the other beaches, but ended up at our usual favorite spot.
We would have liked to look for the private beach, Kauapea, but again…we didn't have enough time.

I would love to go back to Hawaii and maybe some day we will.
I used Kauai Explorer to find a lot of the details on what Kauai had to offer. I also used Go Hawaii, to save all the different information I found and what I wanted to do there, but that was before Pinterest entered my life.

First morning walking the beach by Kauai Sands Hotel.

How DARE They...

2012-05-12T09:12:00.002-07:00

One thing that gets everyone into a huge huff, is bad customer service…
I can see their point and I would agree, customer service and people who actually care, is practically nonexistent, in some areas.
It gets me in a huff too and sometimes makes me down right angry. Yet, in reality it probably does not get to me as frequently as others… this is not because you can't ruffle my feathers…uhhh… you definitely can.
You see… I work in customer service. I get to see it from a customer service point of view. We get to interact with so many different kinds of people throughout the day. Nice people, cheerful people, grouchy people, impatient people, annoying people, pleasant people, unreasonable people, indecisive people…all kinds...

Believe me, when people come to you with an attitude of "serve me now", the last thing you want to do is serve them at all. It takes an extra amount of grace and mercy, to give them the time of day. It is a huge *sigh* of relief when you see them go. Oh, you are so glad to see them go with their petty little cash and demanding attitude.
There is no amount of money you can pay a customer service rep, that would make it any easier to deal with difficult people. If you paid them a million dollars one day to deal with it, my guess would be they would quit by the next day. You could live on a million for a relatively loooooooonnnnggg time and if you were smart about it, never have to work again...
I am going to share a few tips on getting what you want without being a royal pain in the a** or______. You fill in the blanks.

I get it. We live in a instantly gratifying kind of world and when we don't get what we want ASAP, it is irritating. Especially if we are busy. I can understand that.
But, if you get told "NO", don't cry about it… please… just move on...

Don't call or walk up, ready to pick a fight with people. Stay home and avoid the phone until you calm down are regain your sanity. (They do say when people get angry, they temporarily go insane.)
You don't have to be religious to extend common courtesy and respect to the people around you.
Okay, so about the tips in getting what you want.

Five Tips:
1. Be Confident. -in order to be a confident buyer, do a thorough research before purchasing something. Know what you want and what you are getting. Don't start researching after you buy it and it wasn't quite what you expected after looking at a picture.

2. Be Smart.-educate yourself about the product, service or company. The internet has made this as simple as click, click, click. You can be informed before you jump in. What is the companies service like? What is their return policy? What are people saying about the product/service/food…etc… ?

3. Be Polite. -if you don't want to research a product, but you want someone to tell you about it. Be respectful and patient. Don't treat them like they are wasting your time. Did they call you? No you called them, you are taking up their time because you don't feel like searching the web. All fine and good, just be nice about it. Chances are, if you are calling them now, you will want to call them again in the future. Do you want them to want to talk to you? Don't give them a reason to put you on their black list of, "AVOID _____________ AT ALL COST".

4. Be Gracious. -even if you are not thoroughly pleased with the service, be thankful for the good parts of it. Don't be quick to chew or cuss people out. You may be going off of your emotions and when you calm down you will think back and regret it.

5. Be Considerate. -when calling a company or walking into a business, you most likely are not going to be greeted by the owner and you probably wouldn't be willing to pay the cost of using up his/her valuable time, so shut it with the grumbling...
Remember, the person you are greeted by most likely does not manufacture the product, or come up with what is offered in the company, store, restaurant, or wherever you go… It is not always their fault if whatever you are getting displeases you. Get that customer service rep on your side, not against you. Best way to do this is BE NICE! Listen to their responses, don't just spout of puffs of black smoke, like an overheated steam engine.

I honestly research everything before I buy it. If I end up unhappy it really is my own fault, not the company's, not my dog's, not the customer service rep behind the counter. I get to control my experiences.
I pay extra and I am made happy because of that fact. If you don't want to pay extra for better service, then you really have no right to demand it. What makes you so much more special that you expect to get more than everyone else paying the same prices? You get what you pay for all around.
It's similar to hotels. You pay for a five star hotel, you get five star service. (If you don't get great service and you complain, understandable. But be polite in your complaining, everyone can hear you even if you don't raise your voice or yell explicits.)
You pay for budget inn, you get budget service. (If there is anyone even around to hear you complain, they will give you a blank look and with reason. It is budget inn, remember. Don't stay there if you like being served and you like hotel rooms that don't smell. )

If you are in a super good mood and you call a company and the service rep is grumpy, (I agree they shouldn't be), but….before getting irritated, …just think….for a little tiny bit…imagine….

Maybe someone died and they can't tell you about it, maybe they are getting kicked out of their apartment, maybe their boyfriend/girlfriend just broke up with them, maybe they don't like who they are... just maybe they need someone to say something nice and appreciative to them...

1. Would you be in a good mood if you had just gotten yelled at by three different people because they bought a product, they are now unhappy with and it is all because they didn't want to research the internet and figure out what it even does before they ever bought it? (People do this.)

2. Would you be in a good mood if you had to listen to five different peoples woes about life, their job, their children, their dog, their gardening, how sick they are…etc…and how not getting their order filled two days earlier was the last straw? (Some people do not have friends, but in order to have friends you have to be one. A lot of people do not want to take the time to be a friend, so therefor they have no friends. )

3. Would you be in a good mood if people called you up and expected you to treat them like royalty just because and give them a better price or discount, when the company or service is not even offering such things to anyone else? If you are wanting something like this, you must let honey drip from your words if you want to get it? Don't threaten to tell all your friends how horrible they are for not fulfilling your wishes. If your friends are the same way you are, chances are they don't want your friends around either.

4. Would you be in a good mood if you were trying to explain how something works and you were rudely interrupted throughout the complete conversation?

5. Would you be in a good mood if you knew what you had to say was the way it was, but if you actually said it, the person would explode?

6. Would you be cheerful, helpful and bright eyed if you knew that all you were going to hear most of the day was people complaining….complaining…complaining…

7. Would you be happy if you had to work on the weekends to make ends meet, because you were not very good with your money?

Did I give you enough scenarios there… if I left something out, please add it for me…

Do your part and make it easier for people to serve you.
Go to that happy place and rub your earlobes before you start screaming. It's called self-control…I know… the majority of people have really lost sight of that. It all starts with us, don't wait for other people to do their part, be the bigger person…

Kauai Island, HI

Being Thin Being Healthy or Both

2012-04-26T08:32:00.002-07:00

This made me laugh...

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in what "size" or "weight" I want to be, I forget the important part. My actual internal health. Being a certain weight, as good as it may feel, does not make me or anyone healthy. I can be thin, but if I am not eating right or drinking the right liquids, I could also be very unhealthy, internally.

I found this great article on pinterest , Loosing the Baby Weight! Loved it! It was a great reminder as well as motivator on what I should be doing. Making those healthy choices that will affect my internal health as well as physical appearance, positively. The easiest way to shed pounds quickly is to make healthy eating choices and stop eating when you are full. I know this. I just need to remember it. "Eat the strawberries, woman, not the milk chocolate bar, it doesn't matter how many miles you ran today." uhhh…. Got it.

There was a time in my life that I worked out and ran all the time so I could eat whatever I wanted and it wouldn't affect my weight. It worked like a dream, but what I failed to take into context was the fact that if the food that I ate and the liquids that I drank had the potential to add pounds of fat, what was it doing to my internal organs? What was it doing to my liver and my digestive system? If what I was drinking was loaded with sugar, additives or chemicals, then there was a really big chance that my liver might be overworked and needing a break. A break from making enough bile to help digest all the hard to break down foods I was eating or filtering the nasty drinks I may have been drinking.

I love reading articles like, Loosing the Baby Weight, because it is a great reminder of the power of food. I also sign up for e-mail newsletters from people like, Wholesome Homemaker and Dr. Josh Axe. They both have great ideas and recipes using healthier alternatives that actually taste good. My latest favorite from Dr. Axe, was the free e-book SUPERFOOD SUPER YOU, he is currently offering on his site. Both of these people have ideas that are very doable and good for your body.

I have been slowly transitioning healthy choices as a part of my lifestyle. My meals now consist of more fresh raw fruits and vegetables, especially strawberries, peaches, spinach and broccoli. I love those. Lots of nuts, seeds, coconut and dried fruit, which I make into a power bon bons, using almond butter and maple syrup. I drink at the minimum half of my body weight in ounces of water per day. I can feel the difference and see the difference, just by these small changes.

What I eat on a regular basis and what Peter eats is different, we have different body types and the guy needs, twice as much food as I do, more meat and good fats. Whatever he puts into his mouth seems to burn away before it even hits his belly. But, that's a whole different story….

If you need a healthy boost to keep you going all day, this recipe could work for you. I like to keep these little power bon bons around, for a snack. Super easy and super tasty. You can get as creative as your grocery list allows and put whatever you want in them. I never really measure anything. I kind of wing it, but this is the basic ratio to what I do.

Power Bon Bons
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (less processed)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup almond butter or peanut butter
2 tablespoon raw cacao powder
4 tablespoons maple syrup or more depending on how sweet you like things.
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp. of cayenne (optional) if you like spicy

Just mix all of this together. You may need to add more almond butter or peanut butter if it is not sticky enough. Make little balls out of the mix. As a great finish, to make them prettier and more chocolatey, roll them in some additional raw cacao powder.
Most of the ingredients to make this, can be found at More Than Alive, an online health food store that offers great products, as well as great prices.

Quotes….

2012-04-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

Wow! I won't talk about how busy we are, because I have talked about that in my last few posts. Old news…but I will share a little of what has been going through my mind these days…

Life is life and you have to live it, and Peter and I believe in doing that as much as we can while we can!
As I have mentioned before, I love quotes! My two recent favorites are:

"Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember- the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you." ~ Zig Ziglar

"KEEP YOUR STANDARDS, HEAD AND HEELS HIGH." ~unknown

…and my bible verse reminder:
Colossians 3:23-24…and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Have a great rest of the week...

Eat Your Granola

2012-03-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Nutrition has become more and more important to me over the years. I realize I need to take care of this body if I want it to last for another eighty years. So, I am always on the look out for healthier options that are still easy.
I found some great suggestions at Wholesome Homemaker. I try to implement them where I can and when I can. I usually like to get everything done as quickly as possible and want everything to happen in five seconds or less, but in reality it isn't the best option.
I really need to just slow down, calm down, and take care of myself as well as my husband. It does take a little longer to create things from scratch, but I believe we will be thanking ourselves, later in life.

I am so glad I got this granola recipe from Wholesome Homemaker. I am not particularly an early bird, so when it comes to making breakfast, I do it, but I don't leap for joy, at the thought. I grab the granola.
After working out, we are both usually hungry and it is quick, easy, nutritious and delicious.
I like to add extra coconut flakes, cinnamon and I like everything salty so I add a little more salt to the batch before baking.
It is so simple to grab my package of granola and add a little to a bowl of greek yogurt, and throw in some dried cranberries. Yum! ( It goes well with coffee too… well… everything does.)

March Madness

2012-03-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Life is flying by and the momentum seems to grow every year.
The phrase "March Madness" perfectly describes our March. It has been mad around here... in other words, busy!
We came up with a new schedule.
6:30a.m.
Wake up
Workout
7:30a.m.
Personal bible study, talk..etc...
8:30a.m.
Off to work.
( Me, I go off to work at home, after I have my coffee, pin a few pins on pinterest, so maybe I start work at 9:00a.m., yes, I know my life is hard. )
Peter, usually comes home for lunch 11a.m. or 12p.m., which is always awesome, it pleasantly breaks up my day.

Tuesday evening, I coach Upward Soccer for our church. 5th and 6th graders. (This will last until sometime around the end of May.)
I do this not only, because I love soccer and young people, but I like to stay busy and involved. I don't have children, so I have more time to do other things. I do these things, while I still can.
I believe it is important to be involved with community. I also think it is good to do what you can do where you can. What that is, will be different for everyone. Busy moms will have a completely different schedule than me and will probably be grateful if they have time to clean up the kitchen sometime within the day.
Sometimes people will have things figured out, things are good, so if they don't need you, find a place where you are needed. You are less likely to become a busybody or get caught in a place where you cause drama, due to boredom. (I personally hate drama and avoid it like a plague.)
There are plenty of people who do need you involved with what they are doing. If you have a willing heart, doors fly open all over the place. You can get overwhelmed with how much can be done and how little you have to offer.

I have been studying in Ephesians and one verse really jumped out at me.
Ephesians 5:16, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
I kept coming back to it and wondering to myself, how am I redeeming the time? What do I do with all my spare time, what do I do to help others?
I decided it was my job to do the most with my time and talents. And when I say time, I mean after I take care of, relationship with Christ, the needs of husband, work, and home. I believe it is vital to take care of what needs to be taken care of, before you get busy with other things. If you don't, you are more likely to get stressed out, frazzled and important relationships suffer. No need to go there, handle what you can and let go of the rest. God won't love you anymore or any less. I like to share the love that He has given to me, I'm don't try to gain more, that wouldn't be possible.

Wednesday morning after our usual ritual, I go to BSF, which is a great bible study. I need that accountability where people will ask me what did you learn from everything you read this week.

Friday night is the funnest night of the week. Date night with my best friend, my hubby. We usually keep this evening free and it helps to just unwind with nothing to do but enjoy each other.

What I have found out this month, having a schedule requires a lot of discipline, it is tough to keep. We have so many different things pop up at random, that the perfect schedule gets twisted up. Well, I decided it wasn't the end of the world. Yes, we do have a basic schedule, just so we can accomplish as much as possible during the day and then sleep well. If something messes it up, we pick up wherever we left off.
Redeem the time, do what you can, when you can and where you can.
Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;.

Here are all my excuses for not posting more on my blog. Blogging hasn't been added to my schedule of important things to do, and every weekend this month has been slammed. Today I decided to sit down and sum up my month.
I am busy, happy, content and fulfilled. I love the life that I have been given and I am beyond blessed.

Birthday flowers from my Mother-In-Law. (Inside of a tulip, taken with my iPhone.)

Sponsoring a Child...

2012-03-01T09:40:00.001-08:00

Back in Nov. 2011, we heard Pastor Emmy from Parental Care Ministries speak at our church, Green Acres Baptist. After hearing his story, Peter and I wanted to help where we could.
One of the easiest things you can do in life is work hard and give money to people who are in need, people who volunteer or are missionaries in other countries.
Peter and I both believe that everything we have been given, is from God (is Gods) and we don't see how God can intrust/bless us with more if we don't prove that we can handle what He gives us now. We believe giving back is a part of that.
Matthew 25:14-30.

Anytime I would like to get involved with something, I consult Peter. He is always really calculated and gives me insight on whether or not I am going off emotions or if someone is seriously in need. We usually watch, evaluate, pray, talk to other people who are involved and then decide, before contributing to a cause. It is bad enough, how little control we have on how our taxes are used, so when given a choice, we aspire to be wise in what we get involved in.
Right now we chose to sponsor a couple of little boys from Africa who are a part of Parental Care Ministries. We get e-mailed updates on what the group is doing and people from our area going to the villages and helping out.

After making the decision, I chose a super emotional day to pick which boys to sponsor. I cried the first time I scanned all the different faces they had posted on their site, showing children who no longer had living parents and didn't have enough money for school supplies. One thing I never lacked as a child is enough love, food, clothes, shoes or any new thing. I had a great childhood, good school and my family was able to travel quite a bit, thus my LOVE for travel began early on. We always had so much and I can't really imagine not having the simple things in life I take for granted everyday. Thinking about it all was too much.

Brian is going to Ibanda. (Excerpt from website.) Ibanda is our smallest site. These children meet in a tiny rented building with several classrooms located in a small village that serves as a day school/ boarding school. We have around 50 children there with six teachers. About 20 of the 50 board at the school. The needs here are great as well and through sponsorship we are providing a Christian education to so many children giving them clothing and now a food program.

Muddashir is going to Kyasenya. (Excerpt from website.) Kyasenya The people in the community of Kyasenya have been praying for an opportunity for their children to attend school for years. Some school buildings had begun being built but were abandoned. With no money to purchase the land the buildings sat on they continued to pray for provision. In May of 2011 that provision became a reality. Through some visiting PCM supporters we have purchased the land, rebuilt the school and started classes for 120 excited children!

Before we were married, both Peter and I realized both of us had more of a heart for orphans, than anything else concerning missions. There are lots of ways you can help different people in the world, but both of us decided if you wanted us to leak compassion from our logical minds, show us the parentless, abandoned, helpless children. Orphans. It gets to us every time.

We watch people around us who work with the Foster Care system in America and we are in awe by their dedication and hard work. You can't help but admire them. I realize there are also a lot of abuse, selfishness and corruption that goes on with some foster families, but thankfully I don't know of anyone personally using that system for harm.

As important as I think helping people in need all across the globe is, I also think it is equally important to contribute to your surrounding community. There is so much you can do for the people in need in your area, it can get overwhelming. Everyone should use their own God given common sense when deciding what they can and can't do. It would be easy to get yourself stressed out, overworked or neglect your relationship with your husband or children (if you have them), when you throw yourself into volunteer work. If you are single, I highly recommend doing as much a possible in your spare time. Everything should have balance.
I plan to talk more about helping out in your community, in my next post…
If you are interested in helping with Parental Care Ministries or sponsoring a child, click on this link: Parental Care Ministries
I decided to do the little I can, while I can.

Birthdays...

2012-02-21T03:00:00.001-08:00

Saturday, Feb. 18, was my birthday…

...I turned 27...

...Wow!

I usually can keep track of my age, by asking Peter how old he is. He is 3 months ahead of me. He turns whatever age in Nov. and then I follow him 3 months later in the next year.

This year, I kept thinking "I am turning 26, that sounds old." Then I would ask Peter, "I am going to be 26, right?" Peter says, "No baby, I am 27, so you are going to be 27."

Ahhh… what? ...27? Where did my life go?

My age does sound really old to me, but I feel it… I look it... I act it… so, I might as well own it, right?

Making my way up the hot pink 5.8.

Regardless if 27 is old or not, my birthday has been the best birthday yet.

Peter surprised me and took me to Dallas on Saturday. All he told me was to dress to be active.

First stop was at our favorite place to eat breakfast, Cracker Barrel.

Then the two hour drive to Dallas, where he took me indoor rock climbing at Dallas Rocks. They had a lot of variety, which was awesome! I am completely out of shape and only lasted 3 hours. It was so much fun and I would love to do it again after I build more muscle.

It was a rainy day, so we/I needed some Starbucks.

After getting our hot drinks, we went shopping and got all kinds of good deals on things we need for next winter.

Last stop was at Cafe Greek. It was our first time there and it was perfect. Great atmosphere, delicious food and friendly service. I just wish this place wasn't so far away from us. Sadly we haven't found one greek restaurant in Tyler, or close to Tyler. If it is there, it is hiding…

It was wonderful being able to do all of these fabulous things in one day, with my favorite fabulous person!

After the two hour drive back home, I found a box from Pro Flowers delivered for me. The surprises hadn't stopped! I was so excited. "Who would send me flowers ?"

I found the card and beautiful red tulips and purple irises, inside. It was from my family, in TN, MS and Canada. It was such a sweet ending to my day! Love them all!

Birthday Flowers

Valentine's Day!

2012-02-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know. I am a little behind, but February has been extremely busy for me and that is my excuse…
I had a few projects I was wanting to knock out and got behind on everything else. On a positive note, all of the projects I am working on, are almost executed.

Valentine's Day!

What an awesome fun day!
I am one of those people who get all wrapped up in the holiday. I love the chocolate, the flowers, all those little fun gifts, and how everything for "Valentine's" is covered in a shade of red.
I decided on our first year of marriage, (3 Valentine's ago) I didn't like going out to dinner on Valentine's Day.
I love going out to dinner, but on Valentine's Day everyone else has the same idea, so you have to fight traffic, crowded, noisy and busy restaurants. Once you are in the crowded noisy restaurant, it doesn't really feel like Valentine's Day, it just feels like no one wanted to stay home and cook on the same night.

Well, I like to create my own party atmosphere at home. I got this idea from a friend who does the same thing. I have always thought she was brilliant.
I cook something new for dinner, pull out the wine, candles, turn on the music and put on a cute new outfit. I love it. It is perfect. No distractions... just us… together.

Two people in love = One great party!

Flowers from Peter.
I love how he mixes it up and doesn't buy me the same kind every time.

Quotes...

2012-01-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

I love great "quotes". Some people are so smart and come up with the greatest things to say. This last quote my brother shared with me, was motivational…

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain

San Francisco, CA

Goals…Ambitions…It All Takes "Time"...

2012-01-23T07:43:00.000-08:00

One of the things I kept contemplating as the New Year approached was what do I want to do different. Should I make some changes... resolutions….
As you can see it took me awhile to figure out what I am going to do, because we are at the end of Jan. I say, better late than never. If creating a doable plan and strategizing takes time, so be it. Having a solid plan, may be the key to executing all of it.
I decided to make one change and keep adding to what I am already doing.
I came up with some goals I needed to reach. They can all be accomplished fairly easily with extra time, they just require one thing that is hard for me. "Waking up earlier" every day! So obviously the change I need to make is, the habit of waking up earlier with a focus.
I love to stay up late and wake up late. I have never been a morning person, unless forced. And by forced I mean, I was getting paid to get up early.

Accomplishing all of my goals without letting everything else fall through the cracks, is going to take a lot of time. I could stay up all night if I needed to, as long as I can crash all morning long. But… in all reality, morning is probably the most opportunistic time to get things done. Its quiet, I can't do something with Peter, he is at work, the phone isn't ringing, so no interruptions…no excuses.

The only downside to this whole change thing is that, I am just not an early bird. Everyone knows the early bird gets the worm. Some people may not care about the worm, but I do. I want to sleep in and get the worm all at the same time, but in all reality I don't think that is going to happen.

Since we don't have children interrupting my mornings, I am taking too much advantage of the whole uninterrupted sleep thing.
I see and talk to my friends who have to roll out of bed by 5a.m. because their little toddlers can't tell time. Well, that is not me right now, but then I rethought the whole thing and I am like…the day is coming... One day, I will not only have things I want to do, but maybe some children as well. With children it will be even harder to accomplish everything and I will have to get up earlier, anyway. I better get moving, now.
I don't think I will ever look back and think, "I should have slept more."
So #1 change for this year is to make a habit of waking up earlier. Because if I accomplish this, I will have the time to reach all of those other goals.
I want to be able to look back at 2012 and know I made a commitment to change... I had some goals to reach, and I did it all, without anyone paying me to do it.

Sunrise over the Caribbean Sea.

Disturbing...

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

This morning I read something extremely disturbing. It goes against God's commands to us and shows how selfish people can be and how cold people can be towards the needy…
You can read about it here… Brick Walls.
After reading this post, it got me thinking of all the helpless children in the world…I started thinking about abortion, all the children who are murdered before they even have a chance, all the abused children, neglected children, children who are used bought and sold, children who have no parents who love them, children that nobody wants, children who are helpless, children who should be loved and cherished… but are discarded…

God tells us in, Proverbs 31:8-10
"Open thy mouth for the dumb, in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously and plead the cause of the poor and needy. Who can find a virtuous woman?"

All of a sudden we have decided we have a right to say when babies can live or when they should die… All of a sudden we have decided we can perceive which children have the right to live and which we should let die…
Why are people so cold to people they perceive as less than themselves?
All children are gifts from God and every child deserves to be given a chance at life, despite our perception of their quality of life. I don't believe that what you do for a helpless needy child is wasted.

Luke 9:48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all the same shall be great.

Matthew 25:34 "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger and took thee in? or naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. "
Then it goes on to say what happens to those who don't do these things…
I realize not everyone knows God or believes in Him or lets Him rule their lives. Nevertheless, the consequences will be the same, whether you believe or not. Truth is truth. God is God.
But what has happened to just being humane, being compassionate and caring about those less fortunate than us…
People have become consumed with going green, hugging trees, saving the planet, and rescuing animals… all these "things" that have no souls, I don't see anything wrong with keeping our planet clean, and helping animals... but what about people, what about children…helpless children… children who will eventually become the future.
How do people miss the fact, that what we do today affects tomorrow…

My motivation for this week is… Galatians 6:10 "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, "
Sometimes I get so caught up with my own wonderful life and all the wonderful things I like to do, I forget I should be thinking about what I can do for others, as well. I forget the fact that I am put on earth for a purpose other than just doing what I enjoy doing. I forget that I should be looking for ways that I can help, things I can do.
I need to remember to do what I can when I can. I was not put on earth just to exist and then die, I must really learn to "LIVE"!

Great January Weekend...

2012-01-16T14:47:00.000-08:00

Sometimes jobs and whatever we need to catch up on around the house, can consume our lives. At least that is how it gets for Peter and I, but this past weekend we took the time to enjoy the beautiful weather. Peter took the weekend off. He only had two clients to help the whole weekend, so we had time to relax and have fun. I have never been accused of being a workaholic. It is very normal for me to relax basically every weekend, after cleaning. Need less to say, weekends are just so much more fun when my sweetie joins me…

Saturday, was a completely beautiful day. The sun was shining, it was relatively warm, so we went biking at Tyler State Park.

Then it was shooting on Sunday afternoon. One thing I need to work on is throwing skeet. (See video below.) It's one of those things I need to add to my list of "things to improve on in 2012".

Face of happiness...

Face of concentration...

Fun times. Can't get enough of them...

A NEW YEAR!

2012-01-12T07:08:00.000-08:00

I am a little behind on posting for 2012, and it doesn't look like I am going to catch up today.
I am super excited about this year, all the goals I have and everything I want to accomplish. But, then there is a matter of getting everything organized and actually DOING it. Doing it is the hard part. Anyone can dream, but I would love to become more than just a dreamer and make it all a REALITY.

I was thinking, I should get organized and do one post a week. Four post a month sounds like a good number. Maybe I could get inspired and pick a specific day, that I do that post. Less randomness. I am already one week behind, so who knows…

Today, I am posting a picture I captured while running last night. It was another beautiful cool TX evening. A little breezy, but I was running in a t-shirt. Love these warm East TX winters. They are fabulous.
I came running around a corner to behold...

Magnificent fiery skies.

It was a great night for a run. Remove all the wires from the scene and it would be perfect.

Surprise!!!

2011-12-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

Peter and I decided we wouldn't do much for Christmas, as far as gifts. I had to buy him a few things. I can't help myself, but I knew he always had a hard time figuring out what to get me. I like to be surprised so I didn't necessarily want him to ask me first and he knows this. Since we were doing so much traveling, I actually didn't expect anything. I figured all of the traveling was partially a huge gift for me that we could both enjoy! haha…
After the weekend trip up to MI for Christmas, we came home and I received a package in the mail. It was for ME! From Bloomingdales! I knew I never ordered anything from Bloomingdales! I look at Peter and I am getting so excited! What is it?! I tear open the box and it was this….

Versace the best smelling perfume in the whole world!

Of everything I could have gotten it was something I least expected! Peter doesn't like perfumes or strong scents in general, so I usually hold off on buying many. He knew I liked Versace and it was actually the only one of the many perfumes I have sampled that we both agreed smelled really really good. It was such an awesome surprise! Completely put a little cherry on top of my Christmas! I love my Peter!

Snowboarding in Aspen, CO

2011-12-29T18:31:00.000-08:00

Aspen, CO

December rolls around and...
Peter looks at me and he is like, "Do you want a tree and decorations and stuff?"
I shook my head, "No. Too much work. I really don't."
He gave a huge sigh of relief and said, "Oh good! Me either!"
I laughed…I knew he wouldn't really want to, but maybe we will make a huge deal over Christmas later after kids. I love doing Christmas stuff with kids, they love it so much.
As an adult, I prefer vacations.
Peter has been wanting to do something active and fun, so we decided to join some friends and take a trip to Aspen, CO and go snowboarding.
What a great decision! It was SO MUCH FUN! One thing I will mention before I forget, next time I will definitely try to find lift tickets for a better price months in advance. Other than the high price for lift tickets, everything else worked out fabulously!
Anyways, back on track…
Due to missing our flights different times in the past, because we never give ourselves enough time, we decided to be there 2 hours in advance like they tell you to do. It takes 2 hours to get to DFW so we had to leave early Wednesday morning (2:00a.m. early) for Dallas, TX. Once we flew into Denver we switched planes and tried to fly into Aspen, CO. It was only like a 30 minute flight and we were so excited we would get in so early. That meant a whole extra day to look around and come up with something fun to do. We were flying high above the clouds and everything seemed good until we hovered over Aspen. It was thick with clouds and the captain tells us there is not enough visibility to fly in, so we would hover for another 45 minutes and if it didn't clear up we would have to go back to Denver and refuel. Aspen was RIGHT THERE, underneath us! That was slightly frustrating, but I was okay with not flying into something the captain couldn't see.
We were so tired we both went back to sleep and woke up to the captain telling us, we wouldn't be able to fly in, just yet. It didn't clear up enough, so back to Denver we flew. We waited for them to refuel and then all got back on the same plane and tried again. The visibility was better but it was the bumpiest flight I had ever been on. The runway in Aspen is deep in a valley so on either side of the plane are these huge mountains. It was weird not seeing open sky but feeling like you were flying into a mountain. Weird feeling.
Aspen was/is as beautiful as it was supposed to be. The town is really cute and everything is right there. We went outdoor iceskating and I am not the best at iceskating. I remember being better as a teenager, but everything seemed more difficult. The outdoor rink was cut up and dug in by all the other skaters. The ice skates I rented didn't have much ankle support. I am older now and I hadn't ice skated in two years. Yep, not that good.
Snowboarding was the same. I personally had to take the first day to remember how to snowboard and by the end of the day my whole body hurt and my legs wouldn't listen to me anymore and I wondered how people call this "vacation". The second day was so much better and I remembered why I really like snowboarding. I definitely want to go more often!
The first day I didn't wear a helmet, fell and hit my head and had a headache for the rest of the day, so the second day I got a helmet. We both did. You only get one head, we have two of each of most of our other body parts, but not the head for some reason. We figured we might as well protect it and it seems so does everyone else snowboarding these days. Wearing a helmet is so much more common than it seemed to be 3 years ago. Maybe in some areas people are getting smarter.
Here are some shots of our Fun Trip!

Outdoor Iceskating

Funniness

Stud

Aspen at dusk...

Our Cool Friends

Riding the Gondola to the top.

Chilling…literally...

Our view in the morning...

2nd Morning Heading Out

On the shuttle...

Awesome view at the top.

PETER!

US!

Extra information on how we made this trip happen so inexpensively:
1. We purchased all of our stuff before Dec. 16. This made a huge difference in pricing.
2. We purchased lift tickets through Aspen and Snowmass Lift Tickets, 7 days in advance which gave us a discounted rate. They also gave us a $10 refund for returning our lift cards undamaged.
3. I researched the most inexpensive rental place and found Incline Ski and Board Shop. They had online purchase deals and I looked for additional coupons with the company and found a 25% off coupon. They have great customer service.
4. We found flights from Dallas, TX to Aspen, Co with one layover for a better price than flying into Denver, Co. Crazy huh? Found a great online deal through Kayak .
We found out, after Dec. 15 of 2011 they now have direct flights from Dallas, TX to Aspen, CO. No need to get hung up in Denver.
5. Once you are in Aspen, there is a city bus (free of charge) that will take you to different resorts and drop you off. Really awesome.
6. Because we went with friends, we got really great pricing for lodging and transportation. Sometimes it is just better all around to travel with friends.

Fall Photo Shoot 2011

2011-12-12T10:14:00.000-08:00

A few of the many reasons why we like to use Alicia Joy Photography to take our photos:

#1. She is fun to work with…

#2. She is a professional...

#3. She will roll with whatever you do...

#4. She really captures it...

#5. She catches your personality and it leaks out in the photos…

…see what I mean.

#6. After she is done, you have a million great photos to pick from...

We decided to put Alicia's skills to the test and she didn't let us down. It was a cold but beautiful day and as far as I can tell, you can hardly see that our hands were freezing and our nose were red. Alicia's hands were freezing too and she still mastered it. The photos above are only a few of my favorites. I have a gazillion saved on my computer. It was awesome having her available to do this for us and making it so much FUN! She is offering a holiday special of two photo sessions for the price of one on her blog.

Photo Card

2011-12-05T19:21:00.001-08:00

Charming Holly Wreath Christmas

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