I Heart Faces - Pet Photo Challenge

This week's photo challenge at I Heart Faces is all about pets, so how could I not post a picture of my sweet Tess? This is one of our favorites of her, from a hot day in Houston, as she "cools off" chasing the water hose.

Best Friends, Birthdays, and Baseball

The trip to DFW was a good {hot} one, but we had so much fun. We got in late on Friday night, but that didn't stop Rach and I from uncorking some vino and chatting until the wee hours of the night while the guys crashed out on the couches!

Saturday was a whirlwind. I met up with my friend Kim for lunch while Troy lounged at Casa de Rachel. I grew up with Kim and have known her since kindergarten. We were the best of friends and grew apart a bit when I moved to the 'big city' for high school. I haven't seen her in almost five years, so you can only imagine how long we sat there catching up. I brought my trusty camera, but we didn't take a breath to snap a photo :( Next time!

I had to rush out of lunch to pick up Troy because we were meeting my whole family at the Rangers' game that afternoon to celebrate a late Father's Day, my mom's birthday, and my sis Shannon's birthday. It was great to be with the whole family, but oh.my.gosh. it was so stinkin hot! Thank the good Lord mom bought tickets in the shaded section because full-on sun would have sent me over the edge! We did get sweet relief in the form of yummy food and drinks in an air-conditioned buffet area full of the ballpark staples: hot dogs, popcorn, lemonade, and peanuts! It was a good thing everything was included with our tickets because I think we both drank about a gallon of cold beverages to keep from passing out of heatstroke!

Saturday night was Cliff's pre-birthday celebration at Rachel's house. That girl knows how to throw a party! They made venison burgers, had about five different desserts (including a funfetti cake!), and the drink I always look forward to when visiting my bff - SANGRIA! We got to relax and joke around with some good friends, old and new, and like always, we drove home on Sunday with full hearts (and tummies!).

It was but another busy weekend, of the dozens that have taken over our schedule for the next few months, but it was really good to see everyone (you gotta love getting face time with 11 people in 24 hours!).

I will end by wishing my mom a very happy birthday today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MADRE!! We could not imagine our crazy life without you to bring us back to 'center'. We love you lots and hope you have a wonderful birthday week in Mexico :)

"¡Arriba! ¡Arriba! ¡Andale! ¡Andale!"

Just a quick update on things, which by the way are C-R-A-Z-Y loco. We moved my sis here last weekend -- ya, that's right, my nature-loving, kayaking, music-loving, South Congress-frequenting social butterfly of an Austinite has officially become a traffic-hating, fast-paced, lives-thirty-minutes-away-though-we-live-in-the-same-city grade A Houstonian with the best of us ;) It was a good, quick move and I am very proud of my little sis for being so organized and ready to go when Troy and I showed up with the truck on Friday for a suicide trip there and back. I am also proud of her for taking a leap of faith. Being an older sister usually means that you worry more than you're 'supposed' to, can never quite let loose because you are the 'responsible' one, and can usually be expected to throw out a lecture or two when things get sticky. So I would naturally wonder why in the world would Linds willingly move closer to me?! But, I think it was a great move and that it will be great for both of us. And let's be realistic - I feel so much better knowing that she is close and that Troy and I can be there in a second if we need to. Ya, I know...mama bird syndrome.

Anyways, we are gearing up for yet another fast-paced, busy weekend, this time to DFW to celebrate (get ready) my mom's birthday, father's day, my step-sister's birthday, and Troy's BFF's birthday. Whew! I am exhausted (and broke) just thinking about it! I am particularly excited because I am going to meet up with two of my oldest friends, Kim and Jenna. We went to kindergarten together, played softball together, and grew up together in Commerce until I moved to Keller my freshman year of high school. I haven't seen them in way too long (Jenna has a 15 month old and another on the way!) and am very excited to meet them for lunch on Saturday. Troy and I will hightail it out to the Ballpark at Arlington for the 2:15 (heat of the day) Ranger's game with the fam after my 'girls' lunch. Mom did good too, we are in the all-you-can-eat/drink, air-conditioning provided section (thank God). That's grass fed beef in those hot dogs, right Mom? ;)

We will finish up our Saturday with a bday celebration for Mr. Cliff Higgs, then rush back to Houston for a client meeting about invitations. Tired yet? We stay that way.

Speaking of invitations, I have posted some recent works on my blog and have some more coming soon. Spread the word if anyone needs custom paper products - I am really trying to better my business and am working super hard to offer even better designs and high quality products. I am very excited about a service/style new to CDD - letterpress! Affordable Letterpress! Very exciting, I must say :) I am also working on a number of thermographers for future orders as well, so I guess you can say 'business is booming!'. Never a dull moment...

Last little tidbit: Thanks to those of you who have donated shoes. We seriously have about 70 pairs and WANT MORE, so clean out your closet (you know you need to), and give me your shoes people :) Incentive to be announced soon...

Have a great rest of the week -- oh, and GO SPAIN! OLE!!

Show Us Your Life - The Proposal

Today at Kelly's Korner, Show Us Your Life is all about proposal stories, so I thought I would share ours!

And an added tidbit of info: according to our old wedding website, we have been married 580 days today. How does that make ya feel, hunny? Haha.

It was our two-year anniversary and Troy had made reservations for dinner. After work, I rushed home to get ready, and Troy arrived soon after. He immediately suggested that we exchange anniversary gifts (I was still in front of the mirror getting ready!). So, I closed my eyes as Troy instructed, and he put a necklace around my neck (keep in mind that I had politely hinted at a certain necklace for our anniversary). I opened my eyes and saw a simple silver chain. Confused as I was, I followed Troy's further instruction to close my eyes again. I felt his hands start to shake and a small object fell onto the chain. I immediately thought that it was the necklace I requested, but when I opened my eyes to face the mirror, I was shocked to find a beautiful ring hanging from the chain.

Troy took the ring and got down on one knee, and after a quite convincing speech, asked me to be his wife. With tears in my eyes, I most definitely said YES!

I am happier today than 580 days ago and can't believe that I am married to such a wonderful, loving, patient husband. We don't have a photo of our engagement, but have many many more since then. I guess it will be a memory I always keep in my heart.

XOXO

LaLaLa Leakey!

Last weekend, we piled in the ‘burb (thanks, Rick) and headed out to Leakey with some of our closest friends – Linds, James, Allison, and Louise, and Tess of course! Patrick and Erin and Lori and Whit met us out there that night.



See, Troy and I have been together almost FIVE years and I had yet to see this place they call ‘the river’, so I was thrilled when Troy suggested that we go. I was even more thrilled when Troy’s cousin Jove offered their “cabin” to us for the weekend! It is beautiful and spacious, with so many balconies and places to hang out. We loved it there! Friday night was a chill night; we ate in town with Uncle Mark and got in some good Miller time just sittin’ around being silly. We went out to the river crossing Saturday morning and spend the entire day out there! Aunt Sherry and her sister even stopped by for a bit.


Tess LOVED the water. She ran up and down and up and down the river, from person to person, sniffing and licking and splashing around. She was seriously in heaven; we all were. The weather was perfect, and I bet that was declared about two dozen times between the ten of us – overcast enough to not be scorching, but sunny enough to get some sun and enjoy being outside. We lounged in the water all day; I was surprised that we didn’t end up wrinkly! Thankful for Troy’s Sirius boom box and a cooler full of adult beverages, we did absolutely nothing for hours upon hours, and it was just what we needed.

Troy and I took Tess to stroll around the property (really, I just wanted to take pics). It is so interesting out there; the prettiest ‘flowers’ are really weeds, and allow for the best pictures. I am seriously considering letting our lawn go for a few months just for a photo opportunity like that again …Ok, moment gone. Troy – mow the yard!

That night, we grilled out, ate potato salad, baked beans, corn on the cob and fruit salad for dinner out on the porch. Mmmm, I love BBQ :) We played cards and a half game of Balderdash before we got an itch for something sweet and decided to break for s’mores, which anyone would love! Gooey chocolatey messiness!

That night was a semi-early night for us all (most of us called it a night by midnight); a day in the sun (with a few cold ones) will do that to ya. I really see why my husband likes it out there, and why he has so many fond memories at that place. He even brought me under the dining room table in Uncle Mark’s cabin to show me where he, Matt, and his Dad carved their names in it after building that thing board by board. I’m not kidding – I was laying on the floor with my camera! Look closely for the 'Rick, TC and Matt' markings! :)

We look forward to visiting soon, and are so grateful for Uncle Mark’s hospitality, the beautiful accommodations (best beds EVER, by the way), good food (thanks, Troy), and time with friends.



Good times…

I Heart Faces Photography - All About Babies

I usually peruse all of the great photos in the I Heart Faces photo challenge each week, but thought I would participate this go around, since the theme is 'All About Babies' and I have such a cute little guy in my life to photograph...

This is one of my absolute favorites (all together now...AAAAAWWWWWW) :

Sole Searching

(image via weheartit)

Growing up, we didn't have a lot. My mom was a single parent and times weren't always great. But I never knew that. My mom did so much to make sure we had everything we needed (and often, what we wanted), that we always had something fun to do (making homemade dinners, riding bikes around the neighborhood, doing crafts), and that we could always look back on our childhood with a smile, and a boatload of happy memories. Some of my favorite memories were times where my mom would take us to volunteer. I remember donating our old clothes several times a year, making Christmas cookies for needy neighbors, and working at many a soup kitchen. As we got older, my family volunteered for Meals on Wheels, hosted Christmases for families in need, and we have been avid supporters and volunteers for Special Olympics for years. I was always filled with such joy, such humility in helping others. Because we could relate to people in tough times, and because many times we were the ones on the receiving end of others' acts of kindness, I think it really stuck with me.

When I started college, I knew 'greek life' wasn't for me. It just seemed too " " for me. I had no intention of joining a sorority, not because I thought negatively about them, but because it just wasn't me. Or so I thought... 5 months after starting my first semester at Tech, I rushed Miller Girls, one of the only service organizations at Tech. Ya, it was pretty much a sorority, without the greek ties. But you know what I loved the most about it? The service. I built playgrounds for Habitat for Humanity, I cooked dinners for families at the Ronald McDonald House, I cleaned highways, volunteered at pet shelters, read to children, called bingo for senior citizens... the list goes on and on. And I loved it. Of course, on an early Saturday morning after a night out, hammering nails or cleaning up trash wasn't my idea of fun, but I got so much out of serving--service to the community, and to others. And I didn't think I would say this after my college days were over, but I miss it terribly.

I have been talking with Troy for quite a while now, about how to get involved and give back again. We do the usual - pick an angel or two off of the Angel tree at Christmas, donate our clothes, participate in charity events at work, etc. I even contacted Habitat for Humanity a while back, but sadly, with no response. But I guess I have just been going through the days, hoping something will really jump out at me, something I can be passionate about. Today, it happened.

I was reading a photography blog that I love -- i heart faces -- and they were featuring an organization called Soles4Souls. Once I read more, it hit me that this is not only the perfect charity for me to get involved with (shoes!), but it is one that touches so many people, every single day.

Soles4Souls is a Nashville-based nonprofit that distributes shoes to people in need throughout the world. Soles4Souls has given away over 5.5 million pairs of shoes since 2005—that’s one pair every nine seconds! The idea for Soles4Souls was formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when Wayne Elsey, a footwear executive at the time, collaborated with his friends and colleagues in the industry to send over 1 million pairs of shoes to victims of the disaster. He admits that he did not expect such an immediate and successful turnout, and the response left him wondering, “Why not start a non-profit and do this all the time?” One year later, Soles4Souls was formally created. "I'm happy to be able to help people with such a simple mission," Elsey said. "The growth of this organization has been rapid and I am excited to get involved on a daily basis so that I can devote more time to a cause that makes a difference in people's lives.”

So, how am I going to get involved? Well that is something that I am very excited about! Soles4Souls accepts all types of shoes: athletic, running, dress, sandals, pumps, heels, work boots, cleats, dance, flip flops, just as long as they are new or gently worn (and donations, of course!), and then distributes shoes to people who are very much in need of them. My tiny part in this amazing initiative comes in the form of a shoe drive. I will be volunteering to collect as many shoes as possible over the next eight weeks, and will ship them to the Soles4Souls warehouse once the shoe drive is complete. I am also asking for $1 per pair to help with shipping costs, if you can. If not, I will gladly take care of that part. I would rather have your help sole searching!

I know that we have dozens of shoes we do not wear, or have barely worn, and that will serve a better purpose on the feet of a teenager in Haiti, a mother in Zambia, or a man here in Texas in trying to find work. That's the great thing about Soles4Souls - they send shoes to people all over the world.

We are on a mission! I am going to start soliciting at work, in my circle of friends and family, at Troy's work, through our community, my blog, facebook, local shoe stores -- whatever we can do to collect as many shoes as possible, and get them to people who need them. I hope that you will too!! We will also host a 'drop-off' party at the end of the drive, to collect all of the shoes, box them up, and hopefully celebrate our contribution to such a great organization. Get ready for the Evites, fliers, and texts! I am very excited about this, and if all goes well, we may even host another shoe drive toward the end of the year. So please, if you are reading this and want to start donating, I will gladly start collecting. Talk to your friends, neighbors, family members, or co-workers and let's do something amazing. I will post progress here on our blog, and maybe even a few incentives to get the ball rolling :)

Thanks!!!

Puerto Vallarta - Dia Tres, Quatro, y Cinco

Puerto Vallarta just kept getting better as the days went on. Sunday, we did our P90X workout then headed to the infinity pool to reserve some chairs, then it was off to breakfast. I don't know where it came from, but I LOVE salmon for breakfast - smoked salmon with cream cheese on some sort of carb. I sure as heck wasn't raised on the stuff (closest I got was a can of vienna sausages!) but I absolutely love it. And I ate it...a lot...like every morning. Okay, I may have refrained on the last day, but seriously, I couldn't get enough. I should have snapped a pic of that goodness... Anyways, we spent the day lounging at the pool and getting some sun, breaking only for a tequila tasting by the pool ;) We were planning on going into town to check out the cathedral and the market, but Troy got sick, so we opted to stay in. Everyone went for a nap and I snuck away to the secluded pool to finish my Chelsea Handler book, Are You There ,Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea. Which is freaking hilarious, might I add. Not for the weak of heart, or proper of mouths, or proper of anything really. Just dang funny. I plan to read Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang next :)

That night, we went to dinner off of the resort, to a place called El Set. Troy's dad and Carolyn recommended it, saying that they ate there on their honeymoon and it was the best food and best view around. They weren't lyin'!

The view was beyond breathtaking and the food was delish, especially the margaritas. We celebrated Amy's birthday while we were there too, which was too fun. We had a blast, and believe it or not, we were the only customers in the entire restaurant...the entire night!! I know, that doesn't speak too highly of the place, but we got there super early, and there weren't a lot of tourists on Sunday anyways, and well, I don't know why they weren't busy...maybe this has something to do with my stomach bug/parasite/virus...interesting...

That night, Troy got sick again (bad) so he went to bed early and Blake, Amy, and I went down to the beach for a bonfire and concert. We sang along to Brown-eyed Girl, Sweet Caroline, and a few ACDC songs before calling it a night. We were ziplining in the morning, and we wanted to be very well-rested :)

7:30 bright and early, we cabbed over to the local Quickie Mart (okay, it was an OXXO, but you get the point) and waited for our transportation to the mountains. We waited for freaking ever, but they finally came and we loaded into a crowded military-style bus for a 45-minute ride from hell. Oh, I'm sorry; do you sense my frustration? Ya...I was frustrated, and I am just getting started! :) We got to the top of the mountain, changed into appropriate gear, said farewell to our belongings, much to my fury; you know me - I wanted to take pics, yes while zipling, yes while repelling down a waterfall, yes while riding donkeys with 30 lbs of gear on. I am hard core with my photography madness. But the dudes made us leave all of our stuff behind, so I angrily mounted my donkey and rode up the trail to the first platform. Ya, that's right - I rode a donkey, named Pimienta. There are no photos of that...

We completed about 13 zip lines, some at 45 degree angles, some over completely treacherous valleys, others down waterfalls, into springs, and even one completely crazy vertical repel. On the last line, Troy and I got to go together and race...he was ahead for the majority of the race but I decided to not break until the last possible moment (remember, hard core.) and so I beat him in the end :) We had a good time and it was crazy watching everyone fling their bodies over cliffs, down rocks, and into open nothingness.

I noted a few very important things for our next zipline and hence, the reason we did not purchase but one photo out of the 100+ that they took of us:

1. Do not wear shorts. Unless you are anorexic. Frist - the girls have cameltoes and the boys look like they are seriously in pain. I don't think the guys can avoid the awkwardness that comes with a harness around their noonads though. Plus, the harness shoves your shorts up the entire time, and you sit into the harness while ziplining in manner that smashes your thighs down into flat pancake-ness. Not flattering...at all...regardless of your size. Next time, I will be wearing Nike pants in blackest black, regardless of the heat index.


2. Do not wear a t-shirt, especially a white one. Ya, I was wearing a swimsuit (see #3), but t-shirts just stretch out when wet and white doesn't look good wet on anyone, unless you are Brooklyn Decker or something.


3. Do not wear swimsuit bottoms. Ow. Reason one - stradling a donkey. Reason two - harness. Reason three - wet swimsuit + rock climbing = bad situation. Just sayin'


4. Consider wearing a sports bra, or you will constantly be making sure your tatas do not jump out of your top and reveal themselves through your wet white t-shirt, especially on the ride back on the monster truck sans shocks.

Okay, I know, I am complaining, but it was pretty fun :) Next time, massage! On the way back, the driver must have sensed my angst. He stopped at a family-owned tequila farm (?) and we all sampled tequila straight from agave. Yummm. We bought a chocolatey coffee version of the sinful stuff, which was amazing. I plan to make cheesecake with that bad boy very soon.

We enjoyed a nice lunch when we got back, then lounged on the beach for a bit. I got bored and wanted to snap some pics of 'real Mexico' so Troy and I went off to the market while Blake and Amy sat poolside. It was interesting, and not exactly what I thought it would be, but we got to do some walking around and mingling with the locals, which we love (more 'local' pics soon).

We headed to dinner that night for a final hoo-rah, at a nice little place Troy had been eyeing since we got to the resort (they were only open for dinner). We walked in and immediately took tequila shots. That was a sign of the night we had in store...The waitor made us all wear sombreros, kept bringing us tequila shots, served us the strongest margarita I have had in a while, and we indulged on the best authentic Mexican food we'd had in a while. A few hours later, and a lot less people around us (hehe), we left the restaurant and headed to our little hangout spot for drinks. After a few rounds of 'would you rather' and quite a few more drinks, we called it a night.

We left that next afternoon, after a walk on the beach, more photo-taking, and one last mixed drink. It was a great trip (minus the illnesses) and we really want to go back again. Kudos to the Dreams Resort PV - beautiful, fun, and a great place to relax!

Puerto Vallarta - Dia Uno y Dos

Llegamos a Mexico a las once por la manana y el hotel era muy linda - las vistas son magnificos y los cuartos - grandes y muy limpios. Nuestra vista - perfecto!

The View from our room:

Despues de llegamos al hotel, nosotros fuimos a la playa, y despues, a la piscina para bebidos. Nos encontramos dos personas de Chicago - Mercedes y Ed, y charlamos y bebimos a la piscina.

Por la noche, fuimos a un festival de Mexico al hotel, con musica, bailes, y comida de Mexico. Habia mucho tequila tambien! Era muy divertido - una que gran manera de pasar la primera noche en Mexico.

(Okay, back to English!) On Saturday morning, we woke up and had a wonderful breakfast overlooking the beach and kicked the day off with mimosas. Afterward, we headed straight to the beach to lay under these little tiki-type huts and occasionally get some sun. We swam in the ocean, jumped on a water trampoline, and then went to a secluded pool for some shade, all the while sipping on a mango tango, Mexican flag, or Jack and Sprite (the guys).

Dinner that night was pretty awesome; we ate at a seafood restaurant called Oceana, with menus that were carved into large wooden pieces. The food was to die for, and we had such a fun time laughing and joking around. Later, we went to bar Rendezvous to have some cocktails and listen to music, and the guys smoked authentic hand-rolled cigars.

As you can see, the first few days in Puerto Vallarta were amazing, and there are many more photos to post. I decided to spare you (a little) this go-around but will follow up with another set within the next day or so. We are still recovering from the trip, well, I am still recovering...let me just say that there is truth in not drinking the water in Mexico...or the ice...or anything frozen...(boo).