kittens and pitbulls

Daughter to Daughter

2013-08-16T10:02:00.000-05:00

When I was a young girl I remember playing make believe in my room for hours. I would run errands in my mini-van bed holding a cigarette in my first two fingers and steering the imaginary wheel with the rest. I would change my panda's diapers while skillfully holding an air cigarette to not burn the "baby". Now I have never seen my mom smoke a cigarette in her life, but I did see her friend Pam do it all the time. When you're little the only way to see how to act as an adult are by the people around you. Thankfully, I have never smoked a cigarette in my life and I believe that comes down to my Mom. Even though we never had a "talk" to not smoke, by seeing her life as my prime example it never seemed to fit in to my future.

Now expecting a child in a few months, I can't help to think about what I would be instilling on my girl without even knowing. What are some of my habits that I might not be aware of telling her what's important in life. I want my daughter to see me helping friends when they need a hand, not just when they're throwing a party. I don't want her to see a cell phone glued to my hand, but my ear glued to others in front of me. I want her to help others in need, and not spend our money in malls on ourselves. I want her to see me get ready in the morning, without hours in front of a mirror.

I remember being little like it was yesterday. I had the most amazing mom that I would compare to any living angel. I definitely won't be comparable to her, but I'm hoping what she instilled in me is exactly what my daughter needs to see for her to become the woman she's suppose to be. I can only pray and be intentional with my parenting everyday I'm granted.

No pressure. ;)

FAVORITE DAILY THINGS

2013-02-20T15:26:00.000-06:00

It's always awesome when you find things that can just brighten your day. Don't get me wrong - I think we only need about 10% of the things we own; but it's fun finding new things that help you daily.

Here's what I've been sharing with my friends:

I use to have a dry scalp, especially in my front hair line when I blow-dried my hair. I tried dozens of shampoos and never found one that helped ...until I tried Oribe. I've been using their shampoo and conditioners for over a year now and I've never had the issue come up again. I was reminded of this when my friend brought up the same problem. I let her try some of the shampoo and it fixed the issue for her too!

Now it's pretty dang pricey BUT the bottle lasts for a long time and you won't have to wonder if you're flaking all over the place again. I've found the best selection to be at Blanc Salon in Uptown Dallas. Neiman's can't even compare to their selection.

This little bad boy is a bad ass. It's made by OXO and it has really durable nylon bristles. I get weirded out by cleaning brushes, specifically for dishes. I never think they're clean again after the first use. I'm not scared to clean anything with this guy. The bristles are almost clear so you can easily see if it was dirty. I found him at Sur la Table and even bought another one for Costa Rica.

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook then you know that I just did the 24 Day Challenge through Advocare. I'm obsessed with the new amount of energy I have and how it helped me with my addiction to coffee and candy. I've been helping my friends out with their Challenges now. You can find everything you need on my Distributor page if you're interested - click here. This sounds corny - but it's a real life changer!

I've also been looking into floor steamers. Does anyone have one? Our large concrete floors are killer to mop, but the Shark Steamers look like they would get dirty so fast. There again is my weird mental problem with dirty cleaning tools. Ha

Does anyone have any suggestions on this?

Love, Sarah

Fighting Darkness

2013-01-29T18:33:00.001-06:00

Three weeks ago I told my friend that there are ups and downs in life and at this moment I am having the time of my life and I couldn't be happier. Fast forward to right now (20 days later) and I was just standing in a parking lot hugging both my parents and telling them that this might be the most challenging season of our lives yet. If we stick together and lean on Him we'll get through this.

The saying when it rains it pours came to my mind yesterday and today I heard a song about every storm cloud runs out of rain. Instead of looking down during the darkness, I'm going to keep looking up so I'll be able to see the light when it comes.

I wanted to share this for myself and to let you know that if you're having a hard time right now don't think you're unlucky - think about how strong you can become.

Love, Sarah

Shadow's Story

2013-01-27T13:43:00.002-06:00

Friday Shadow and Sergeant were in their kennels for most the day. When we got home from the Mavs game we even ran Shadow on the treadmill for a couple of minutes to get some of his pent up energy out. Paul then took the dogs out to go potty in our back alley in Deep Ellum. Shadow saw a guy on a bike and chased after him. Paul immediately called me while yelling for Shadow to come back and I ran outside. That's when I found Sergeant alone in the alley and Paul and Shadow no where to be found.

Randomly our friend Dave was near by and heard Paul's shouting. He pulled up in his car and Sergeant and I jumped in and went looking for Paul and Shadow. We found Paul near the highway to South Dallas still yelling for Shadow. Dave and I immediately drove around looking for Shadow. We came across a guy on a bike and we asked him about Shadow and it was him. He said that Shadow left him alone after he turned the corner but didn't see what direction he went.

We then decided to split up. Paul jumped on his scooter, I got on my bike, and Dave stayed near the house and back alley incase he came home. I even took Sergeant with me that night also to see if he smelt Shadow and so I could think more like a dog with him leading the way. After hours of searching every street in every direction for a huge circumference we knew he was now considered missing.

Dave suggested posting on Craigslist and so I did under lost and found and under pets. The next morning I posted in several different forums and through a suggestion Lost Dogs of Texas. Lost Dogs of Texas then created a flier for me for free and we posted and handed them out in Deep Ellum. I also went up to the Dallas Animal Services (which was an amazing facility and I'm so grateful for their encouragement and dedication to finding dogs their home again) and SPCA. The word spread quickly due to caring friends on Facebook. Shadow's picture on Lost Dogs of Texas got shared over 300 times.

We had several dear friends come over and search with us and Jamie held down the fort and helped us stay organized. Paul then hired Bonnie Hale a Lost Pet Specialist, who came out with her search dog and went on the hunt with Paul to find Shadow or at least know the direction he went. While they were doing that Nicole, Jamie and I made huge colorful signs and started posting them in the main intersections of Deep Ellum.

Here's where it get's interesting... As we were hanging a sign at Elm and Malcom X these birds were right next to us in a bush, chirping so loud. I joked that they were telling me they know where Shadow was. I then decided to check my email on my phone. At that moment (I checked the posted time) I received an email from a Trish responding to my Craigslist post and it reads:

A lady came into the Petco at Prestonwood today. Had found a dog matching the description of yours. The manager said he'd try to find a home for him. You might check to see if it's your dog. Good luck from a fellow dog lover!

I immediately called the Petco and asked to talk to the Manager. Sure enough through describing Shadow to a "T" it was confirmed that it was Shadow. I told them I was on the way and they called the lady who had Shadow to meet me up there. I completely lost it and broke down and went with Jamie and Nicole to get my baby.

When we got there we had a million questions on how Shadow ended up in Plano. The lady told us that she found him in their neighborhood dog park early in the morning with a blanket and a dog bowl full of food. She had a neighbor who was a vet check him out because the paws of his feet were completely raw. They then took him up to Petco and they weren't able to read Shadow's international microchip that Katy Trail Animal Hospital had placed in him and were going to wait until Monday to try another vet to see if they could read it.

Now here's where it get's even crazier. I emailed Trish back to thank her for being proactive in searching the internet for lost pet reports and contacting me. Without her who knows when or even if we would have ever found Shadow if they immediately found another home for him. Here's her response:

Sarah, thank you for the beautiful email -- just knowing you have your dog back is reward enough for me! A friend of mine was at Petco and texted me about the person in front of her with your dog. She knows how upset I get thinking of lost dogs. I have 10 dogs -- somehow they find me... I've found so many in my life -- some I am able to find the owners, but most of the time I'm not. (I guess they are dumped).

As soon as she texted me I did a Google search and found your Craigslist ad. I'm so happy that you have your baby back. I know that if I lost any of mine, I would spend the rest of my life searching for them. Dogs truly are one of God's greatest blessings.

Thank you for letting me know about your reunion!

Trish

Can you believe she wasn't even the one that overheard the conversation?! I absolutely believe she's my Angel. The answer to my tearful prayers. Who knows how Shadow ended up in Plano. At first I was upset that someone would take a dog so far away from where they found him, but maybe it was all meant for this women to receive a text from a friend that overheard a conversation about my boy.

We're so grateful to have our baby back home. Paul looked at me and said could you imagine if this was a child. Paul was a steady rock that never gave up and did everything in his power to get this boy home. We're so touched by the love and support we've received from you. Our friends and even strangers that took this to their heart and spread the word and helped in every way they could.

Love, Sarah

...I will be sharing tips that we received on what to do if you lost or found a pet soon. It's so important to move quickly and purposefully. It doesn't help having an angel named Trish either.

SUPER YOGA PALACE

2013-01-16T18:43:00.000-06:00

I think it's time I introduce you to Super Yoga Palace. I've been coming here with my friend Lesli and we just started a 24 day cleansing challenge ...you might have seen all are chit-chatting about it on Facebook. Well, this place is a life changer. In just the short time I've been coming here, I now can't imagine a day without this practice in it.

Let me show you why...

When you walk in the smell is clean and light.

The sun shines down on you through the large wall of windows.

The sounds of water bubbling and an awesome playlist surrounds you.

...and then Jessica's smiling face greets you and gives you a nice warning how challenging the class is about to be.

Oh and they're completely donation based. They of course accept cash but also take card and checks.

With mats, blocks, and water provided, all you really need to do is show up.

Lesli and I have been working on "flying" and she just nailed her headstand! So proud of her.

This looks cool, but I'm totally cheating. ...it'll come.

Every class is exciting and motivating. Jessica is an inspiration and a wonderful teacher about not only yoga but life.

Come join us in class!

For Super Yoga Palace's

WEBSITE (click here)

SCHEDULE (click here)

FACEBOOK (click here)

STAFF LIST (click here)

Love, Sarah

MY DAY IN THE JUNGLE

2013-01-11T12:55:00.002-06:00

It was a beautiful breezy day and I knew it was the perfect time to dive into our backyard in Costa Rica. Which happens to be hundreds of acres of untouched tropical jungle. You always take a risk going in but I have grown to be obsessed with insects. Where else is a better place to look than the jungle? Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day...

(Please click the images to see them larger.)

These are the tiniest of frogs you have ever seen.

This is the largest mosquito I have ever seen! I definitely kept my eye on him as I made my way past.

Not that far in there is a river where we pump our water from. The pump is contained my a concrete structure that has a door and three slim windows.

That is where I found Paul's bats. Paul watches these bats every night eat our bugs flying around our lights and always wondered how far their journey was. They didn't like me in their home one bit. When I first entered there were five or six. They fluttered about my head and then vanished out the window.

This guy is the only one that stayed to check me out the whole time.

Next to the water pump structure were a few extra cinder blocks where I found this HUGE guy. He took my breath away.

Then all of a sudden this whipper snapper of a spider came running across his back.

I think they were friends because neither of them acted surprised to see the other.

When you're so close to something and looking through a camera, it's sometimes hard to be aware of your surroundings. This crab started pinching at my boots while I was busy taking pictures of the spiders. He totally scared me and was completely random to see him in the jungle.

Look at the size of these grasshoppers. They were even smaller than the frogs. ...don't forget to click the pictures to see them larger.

Dragonflies buzzed around but never got too close.

Can you see the My Little Pony mystical glimmer in the tail of this bug?

Oh and of course I saw grasshoppers.

This is the same as I posted on my Instagram (sarahkingb). He's the size of my hand and can fly!

As the sun began to lower, I climbed my way back to the top to shower and tell Paul about his bats close-by home.

Love, Sarah

HIGHLAND PARK VILLAGE HOLIDAY STYLE BLOGGER PARTY

2012-12-18T23:33:00.000-06:00

Late last month I had the privilege to shoot for Highland Park Village during their first Holiday Style Blogger Party.

I have loved seeing what they have done with the pictures. There have been a few blog posts (click here and here), they added the pictures to their event page on their website (click here), post on their Facebook page (click here), and used the above image for their Christmas card.

Here are some of my favorite images from the night...

We all walked around Highland Park Village popping into the stores that were participating with the event.

Five and Ten

Trina Turk

Anne Fontaine

You know these girls had to bring out the beauties for this party.

...and this my friends is where I fell in love with Number One / Le Jus.

The juice, the coffee...

the wonderful women and treats.

Cafe Pacific

Diane Von Furstenberg

How precious is Amber Venz checking out DVF?

After also hitting Lela Rose, Robert Talbott, and Escada we headed back to The Community Lounge at Highland Park Villages for a cocktail reception.

Holiday Style Bloggers 2012 from left: Kristie Ramirez, Elizabeth Midgett, Bradley Agather, Kyle Knight, Merritt Beck, & Krystal Schlegel

Along with the selected six style bloggers a select few other bloggers were invited to the event as well.

DFW Style Daily

Highland Park Village Leasing/Managing Director Stephen Summers giving out the dish on fun changes.

Elisa Summers

D ShopTalk

It was such a beautiful and well put together event. Highland Park Village Senior Marketing Manager Rachel Michell and Highland Park Village Chief Marketing Officer Kersten Rettig did a fantastic job.

Don't forget to spend time at Highland Park Village during the holiday's - while walking under the sparkled lights, horse drawn carriages, movies, and dinner ...let alone some of the best shopping in America.

Merry Christmas.

Love, Sarah

PYLAND LOVE

2012-12-17T22:47:00.000-06:00

I took my friends family pictures yesterday real quick and gave Jack the RAW images for him to edit. I'm about to leave out of town and didn't know if I would have time to complete them. Nicole asked if I would go through them and pick my favorites and edit them whenever I had time to see our differences.

I just gave myself 30 minutes to play around and I actually had fun goofing around with the images. Aren't they the most adorable family ever?!

Love you Pylands!

Love, Sarah

BEECHER "MO" MOSHER

2012-12-15T16:13:00.000-06:00

This last Sunday we flew up to Boston to attend Paul's Uncle Mo's funeral in Hartford Connecticut. Paul looked up to Mo for many reasons and even created our game room after his. It was one of Paul's favorite places to go. I was lucky enough to meet Mo a few years ago when we traveled up to Boston.

I believe these are the moments in life that are priceless. Mo's passing brought the entire family back together. We traveled from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Texas, and Hawaii. Missing only Renee and Shawn from the group (Lynda was there the night before). With Aunt Mary in the middle who is 95.

The cousins haven't seen each other since they were kids. ...can you spot Paul in the white shorts?!

But it was as if no time had past. It did however show how fast life can go by.

Here's Paul's mom, Cindy and her siblings: Richard, Bev, and Tony.

Aren't they beautiful? Here they are on Bev's wedding day to Mo.

Just gorgeous.

Mo gave us all a gift during the holidays of a feeling of family. When it comes down to it, nothing is stronger.

To the family reading this post: to save any of these pictures please right click the photo and select "save image".

Love, Sarah

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO PAUL

2012-12-14T17:46:00.001-06:00

I'm a horrible gift giver to my poor sweet husband. I usually give him small practical gifts and never anything large and surprising. So this Christmas I got him something that I know he'll be so excited about. He hinted about this particular watch months ago and I just acted like I forgot all about it. Well tonight he gets to open it.

I have not even one Christmas decoration up in the house - so since I couldn't put it under the tree I made a wintery scenery around the present to make it seem more festive.

Did you decorate your house this year?

Love, Sarah

CLOSET UPGRADE

2012-12-13T23:02:00.000-06:00

BEFORE

Paul's closet before I took over

Paul made the biggest mistake a husband could do. He mentioned to a friend in front of me that the master closet was made for a past live-in girlfriend. The second the words left his mouth he knew it was his closet grave. I don't care about the past girlfriend - we all have previous relationships. BUT, I do care about taking over this closet and I knew it was my open opportunity to lay on some guilt for an ol switcheroo.

If you've been a long time reader of this blog you might remember this post (click here). It was a house tour of our bedroom and my closet. Which isn't bad but waiting on our home renovation is a little too long to wait for a better closet.

AFTER

I took everything out of both our closets and switched them all within 24 hours. I knew I had to do this quick before Paul realized what was about to hit him.

...remember the painting from the art show? Click here for post.

I've always saved my favorite shopping bags with no idea why. When I was about to throw them away while cleaning everything out - I thought why not frame a few for some added girly color.

With them all in one spot I didn't realize how many small purses I had. I put a solo earring through the box for some added shine. I never could toss it after Sergeant ate it's mate.

I'm crossing my fingers I'll wear a different pair of shoes besides my sneakers now that I can see them.

I couldn't be happier! It took me 3.5 years to snag THE closet but I finally did it! Yippee!!

Paul handmade this flower on the hooks for me on my birthday. Ohh wait! I should still have a picture of it somewhere. Hold on...

Here it is! How freaking sweet is that? It was on my birthday the month after we got married. I need to show him this to remind him of all the sweet things he does.

Hope you never give up on your dreams and pounce on open opportunities! ;)

Love, Sarah

LATE NIGHT KALE CHIPS

2012-12-08T14:35:00.003-06:00

I've been making these kale chips every night during our TV time. They're so good and salty and they crisp up and crumble in your mouth like air - click here for the recipe.

I found it on a blog called Eat Yourself Skinny, which I found through my friend Casey's blog. I have since tried several of Kelly's other recipes listed and they have all been really good.

Do you have late night snack cravings?

Love, Sarah

COFFEE DATE WITH YOU...

2012-12-07T18:03:00.003-06:00

My Friend Casey Wiegand has done this cute post of where she has coffee dates with her readers on her blog. I have always wanted to do it with you and since today is so beautiful, I thought why not today?!

*****

First, you would probably call me to say that you're lost in Deep Ellum and can't find my house. I would then reassure you that you're in the right place and tell you that I will prove it by opening my door and standing outside for you to u-turn and come back around.

You'll pop out of your car and laugh apologizing that you thought only warehouses were on this street and I'll hug you and say everyone does it.

When you come inside I'll immediately apologize for my two huge dogs smelling your crotch (they're so rude) and I'll hurry them to the garage and put them in their kennel/play pens.

When I get back to you, you'll be checking out Paul's office and say I didn't know anything like this was down here. I'll tell you all about the remodel and how Paul's lived here for 20 years now and how it was an engine repair warehouse back in the day.

When we walk into the main house I'll repeatedly ask for your forgiveness for the mess and lack of furniture since we've given everything away getting prepared for construction. Paul got antsy and cleared almost everything out of the living room area.

After I give you a full tour we'll head up on the roof to enjoy the view and our Starbucks Pike Place Keurig coffee with a splash of milk.

We would start with some small talk and probably end with a business we would create together. I would tell you how my friend Jennifer and I came up with an online pet prostitute website where you can order female dogs for your horny male dogs. Yes, I know... random and totally disturbing, but would be so helpful (remember I have rude dogs and they hump each other all day). We would come up with cute sassy names for the girls and have pretty pictures of them for hire. We would laugh for awhile and then move along.

I would then tell you about some of the work ventures I'm currently in... like shooting for a huge Dallas shopping center and family portaits and a new furniture restoration business with my friend Lesli called Two Arrows. Oh and a new blog called Dallas Behind the Scenes.

I would ask about your passions and if you're able to fulfill them. One of my greatest loves is to help people find the courage to go after what they want.

When we come back down into the house we would probably play a few games in the game room like foosball, pinball, arcade games and I'll turn on the new hydraulic moving chair action game. You'll get a little freaked out when it starts moving and shaking you around but will have fun winning the battle.

My cat Scooter-pie would introduce himself by demanding our attention and wanting to get petted and Lizzie-may would be watching us from the rafters.

Paul would come home by now and you would need to run off to finish some errands.

We would give each other a big hug and say let's do this again real soon.

Love, Sarah

A DAY WITH RYDER

2012-12-03T00:51:00.001-06:00

Today Paul had a "guys day" with his buddies watching all the football games and I decided to hang out with one of my friends and her son at the park. We took some pictures for a possible Christmas card shot and Ryder brought the cuteness.

He is a total rock star and at age 3 he can jam out to jingle bells or any other pop song on the radio.

He ran into one of his friends at the park and immediately pulled out his harmonica and played her a tune.

We then played on the swings...

Climbed trees...

...and threw leaves.

Could he be any cooler? ...I didn't think so.

Have a great Monday everybody!

Love, Sarah

Dallas Behind the Scenes

2012-11-25T13:24:00.001-06:00

Did you know I have a new blog? Dallas Behind the Scenes

I will continue to keep this one as my personal blog, but started craving a space to share my view of Dallas. I love learning about other Dallasites and what makes Dallas special.

Here are a few of my favorite posts so far...

JAMIE REED - BEHIND THE VOLUNTEER

CYNTHIA SMOOT - BEHIND THE SCENES

COURTNEY MILES - BEHIND THE ARTIST

Looks like the women are taking over, but don't worry guys ...I have some cool dudes coming up.

Love, Sarah

dallasbehindthescenes.com

WHO I AM

2012-11-14T12:45:00.000-06:00

It's funny, at lunch yesterday someone was describing me to someone I didn't know. He was saying how I have a home in Costa Rica, a wonderful husband, an adopted tiger, and how I'm living the life. I was thinking in my head, who is he talking about? I honestly hope I don't come off as someone having this perfect life. I do however think I'm in a really great and smooth time in my life, but that could go away in a flash. I have also been through some tough times and never take for granted what I currently have.

If you've followed this blog for awhile you know my story through a verbally abusive first marriage (click here for story), I moved back in with my parents and worked three jobs, I went through an accident that damaged my spine and have been through a struggling three years healing it, and finding my spot in my career.

All of those things seem like a piece of cake to fight for my happiness. I think happiness is all in your perspective. I enjoy tough times. It's kind of ridiculous whenever I'm in pain or going through something challenging I never pray for God to fix it. I ask him to help me endure it. I don't want to loose a second of what I'm suppose to go through. It all makes us who we are suppose to be.

So for now, I will keep soaking up this amazing time I have been granted. I will continue to push and challenge myself on where I can go. It helps to have like minded friends. There's nothing better to be surrounded by inspiration and goodness.

Hope that whatever time you're currently in you see the beauty in it.

Love, Sarah

Two Please!

2012-11-12T14:21:00.002-06:00

Friday afternoon I shot my friends maternity pictures. It was the most calm and tranquil shoot I've ever done. She gave off this deep hearted peaceful aura. It just felt right.

I can't wait to meet her two beautiful girls, Addison and Parker. I already know they're lucky girls to have Gina and Derek as their parents.

Charli has a tall duty to protect her growing family.

Love, Sarah

Lindsey + Andrew

2012-11-11T12:04:00.001-06:00

I had four dates for the wedding of my life time. It was for one of Paul's clients daughters, Lindsey. ...but go ahead and throw that whole sentence in the trash because it doesn't hold the value they hold in our hearts. And even though I've only hung around Lindsey a handful of times I have a great bond to her, like as if we come from the same tree.

...getting back to it, here are a few detail shots. She had a complete crew shooting her wedding so I just snagged some shots of the amazing decor.

The wedding was held at their family compound at Cedar Creek Lake. We sat surrounded by nature and circled the bride and groom as they took their vows.

We then made our way to the barn where we dined from four different restaurants with sushi, Italian, Mediterranean and Indian cuisine.

Isn't her centerpieces made of Pinterest dreams?

This is a picture of her parents, John and Linda's wedding day. Now don't get me started on her parents, especially her mom. I don't even have the words. She's definitely an inspiration to me and such a beautiful person, inside and out.

This is where I sat. I wanted to take home my "placemat" so bad, but Paul wouldn't let me. How freaking cute is this??

If you know Paul, then you know that he loves his Jager. He brought a couple bottles of Jager to the party beforehand and I think our table alone put a good dent in them.

The love that both their parents possess for each other has created this extremely special relationship between Lindsey and Andrew. It's as if the love and nurturing they both have received over their lifetime has all been for this moment where they can now share with each other. It's so beautiful to witness.

Congratulations.

Love, Sarah

Cane Rosso - Inside the Kitchen

2012-11-08T16:02:00.000-06:00

Most of DFW has been to Cane Rosso now, I've even done a blog post already about them (click here for link). ...but have you been in the kitchen? I just got a top secret look into their process of making some amazing pies. The owner Jay was out, but the Manager Britt gave me the scoop.

It all starts back here...

The prosciutto is sliced.

Mozzarella is hand made and diced.

Oh and each pizza dough ball is cut and weighed beforehand.

Now the hard part. Which one do you choose? And did you know that each of the names of the pizzas have a meaning to Jay? A few are his family, a couple pets, and even a housekeeper.

Could barely stand sitting right next to the prep counter. I could eat just the toppings and be satisfied.

Getting drizzled with olive oil

and topped with the good stuff. This pie was all mine.

The mark of Guy.

Oh and get this, I got to drive in their van to check out their newly wrapped trailer!

How cool is that?

Josh was telling me that it's a very old concept of back in the day they would cart around an oven carried by horses to cook bread. It's just now pulled by a different kind of horsepower.

Hope you can get into Cane Rosso this month. If you order the "OMB" a meatball, Jimmy's Sausage, onions and chiles pie, a percentage will go towards Movember. Don't forget to ask your server what "OMB" stands for.

Thank you Cane Rosso for making me feel like part of the CR family today!

Love, Sarah

Sunday Funday

2012-11-04T19:16:00.001-06:00

This Sunday was by far a million times better than last Sunday (click here for why). It started off with a family photoshoot for my BFF, Julie in Fort Worth. Both her boys didn't feel well, but I'm glad we got some smiles - all we needed was some photographer acrobats.

...and since I was already in Fort Worth, I had to keep on going to Bridgeport to say hi to my baby girl, Serena. She knocked back two packages of chicken legs and took a little siesta.

...and since I was coming back home from Bridgeport, I had to stop by and say hi to my grandparents in Euless. My grandma was showing me her sweet stuffed pink lamb that she named Sarah. It touched my heart so much that I had to take a picture.

...and since I was already in Euless, I had to say hi to my nephews and rest of the family. And why not go to Joseph's last soccer game!

What a lovely Sunday filled with love and family. Hope yours was just the same.

Love, Sarah

Klyde Warren Park

2012-10-30T17:31:00.002-05:00

My friend Lesli and I went to the Klyde Warren Park (click name for link) today with her dog Ozzie. It completely turned our day into an uplifting getaway. It's so fun and euphoric that you won't want to leave or at least not go home. It made us immediately think of what other treats Dallas has to offer.

Every space of the park had a reason and gift. Every Tuesday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm there will be knitting lessons for beginners in the knitting circle. Also a reading and games courtyard and lunch time piano playing on Wednesdays.

I want to utilize the free exercise classes including yoga, zumba, run club, boot camp, tai chi, and ballroom dancing.

The playground was adorable, with an extended area still being constructed.

There was even ping-pong, petanque, badminton, croquet, foosball, and a putting green. All the supplies are free to use with a valid drivers license.

Ozzie loved the dog park and though he doesn't need it, there's dog training lessons available on Saturday's from 1:00 - 2:00 pm.

You can check out the full schedule on klydewarrenpark.org

Love, Sarah

New Orleans Picture Diary

2012-10-29T13:19:00.004-05:00

I have so many pictures - especially for only being in NOLA for less than 48 hours.

I picked out some of my favorite moments...

Our hotel lobby at Bourbon Orleans.

My view from lunch at Muriel's.

Of course we had to enjoy Cafe Du Monde.

Jackson Square

Amanda and Justin - the newlyweds

Cathy bought her cd - she was amazing and full of soul.

Cathy, my beautiful hotel roomy. We have never spent more than a dinner or party together and knew that this would be the ultimate test to see how we get along - and I can speak for the two of us that we had a fantastic time. :)

My favorite meal of the trip - The Triple D at The Old Coffeepot.

Then it became night...

I fell in love with the charming city - music filled the air, people warmed the soul, and the food never stopped. Can't wait to go back.

Love, Sarah

My +16 Hours New Orleans to Dallas Story

2012-10-28T22:30:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had a day that everything you touched went wrong? That was me today.

I had an amazing time in New Orleans with some dear friends but trying to leave was a different story.

5:00 am - Left for the airport after three hours of sleep

5:30 am - checked in to be on stand-by for the 7:25 am flight

7:20 am - was allotted a ticket and boarded the plane

7:21 am - they took my bag to check it in so we could quickly fly out

7:22 am - texting Paul and my friends that I made it on - woohoo!

7:23 am - as I was buckling my seat belt I heard my name being called over the loud speaker that I must exit the plane. They mistakenly let someone through without scanning his ticket so there wasn't room for me since another passenger had just shown up for the flight

7:25 am - an employee telling me that my bag is already on the plane and I can get it whenever I reach Dallas

8:45 am - didn't make it on the second flight

8:50 am - blisters really wearing in from my "nice" stand-by attire

...and dang it, my flip flops are in my checked bag

9:30 am - didn't make it on the third flight

9:35 am - called to hitch a car ride from New Orleans to Shreveport with my friends

(thinking... one step closer to Dallas)

10:00 am - got up to meet them outside

10:05 am - realized I left my camera on the seat next to me in the airport

10:06 am - was not allowed back in the airport without going back through the security line

10:07 am - yelling for help for someone to go grab my bag before it was a goner

10:08 am - tearfully begging someone to just find it for me

10:09 am - making some extremely awful ugly cry faces while waiting for my camera

10:15 am - sobbing thank you and hanging on tightly to my bag as I go out to meet Amanda and Justin

3:30 pm - realized I was missing the Cowboys game that we had suite tickets to from Paul's client. Don't worry - Paul sent me some pictures of how fun it was (until they lost)

4:30 pm - Justin spotted a crocodile on the side of the road and we looped around to snag a picture :)

5:15 pm - got a car rental in Shreveport and said bye to Amanda and Justin

5:46 pm - returned the rental with a flat tire as I was trying to get back to the highway

5:50 pm - back on the road with a new rental

9:11 pm - returned my rental at the Dallas Love Field Airport

9:35 pm - found my bag in lost luggage

10:10 pm - came home to some sweet furry babies and a handsome hubby!

I honestly feel silly that I'm complaining but a lot of good happened today as well. I spent more time with my friends, saw a beautiful sunset, and any time you go through something challenging in your day - it immediately makes you grateful for the smoother days.

Hope your day was a blessing and send your prayers to everyone stuck without flights home in the Northeast due to the hurricane.

Love, Sarah

Gun Protection

2012-10-19T13:47:00.002-05:00

This morning I heard this story about the 12-year-old Oklahoma girl that shot an intruder that broke into her home while she was there alone. The intruder even had an abduction on his record and was opening the closet the girl was hiding in when she shot him. It gives me chills to think of what could have happened and the protection that gun gave that little girl.

I'm currently getting my CHL this weekend. We have guns in our home and I thought it would only be responsible to learn the laws, be prepared, and learn to shoot them all properly without hesitation. I believe ignorance is not bliss and we definitely don't live with a false sense of security living in downtown. We have had several occurrences that I don't believe needed a deadly way to stop the intruder but "to have it and not need it, than need and not have it" is always something that comes to my mind.

Going through the CHL course has taught me several important facts:

-You can never retract a bullet.

-It only takes a fraction of a second to put your finger on the trigger, so always have your finger off the trigger until ready to pull.

-Always treat every gun as loaded, even when not.

-If you have to shoot someone with deadly force - aim for the center of their chest to avoid most organs and it's the strongest part of their body to withstand a bullet. The goal is to stop and not kill.

I pray to the Lord I will never have to use my gun - but think of the little 12-year-old girl that has the ability to have a childhood because of their household protection.

Please educate yourself and others around firearms.

Love, Sarah

WINDOW VIEW

2012-10-18T12:56:00.001-05:00

I've been rearranging our art in the house today - with the addition from pieces from the show. I was almost done when I realized it was too quiet. I took a peek in the office and there they all were. Just watching cars pass by.

After calling Shadow and Sergeant awful names this morning - it's good to see them acting so sweet and innocent.

Hope your day is going smooth for you.

Love, Sarah