Today, Darby and I went to open a new checking account, since Champaign-Urbana has no Banks of America (weird, huh?) The very nice woman who was helping us out asked for my occupation. And that's where the fun began.
Me: "Well, um, I'm looking for a job."
Woman: "Okay, but I still need to put something down."
Me: "Should I give the title of my last job?"
Woman: "Well, is there a general field that you'll be looking in?"
Me (racking my brain for a word that describes a job suitable for an English major who doesn't have a teaching certificate): Uhhhhhh...
Woman: "Why don't I just put homemaker?"
Me (laughing nervously to disguise my complete humiliation): "Sure."
I really never dreamed I'd be a homemaker before I had children, but I guess that does describe my occupation for now. I have put some applications in for some pretty promising jobs, so hopefully this will be a very temporary occupation. But, hey, so far homemaker involves watching a lot of Olympics and reading, so maybe it's not so bad. :)
Monday, August 11, 2008
Friday, August 08, 2008
Olympics!
I am watching the Opening Ceremonies as I type this. Wow! Those drummers were amazing. I love the Olympics. And the timing couldn't have worked out better. Since I'm still looking for a job, I'm home all day to watch the events. My favorites are gymnastics, volleyball, and diving. But I'm going to try to branch out this year and watch some different events. Maybe badminton? :)
We had a great time in Chicago with Darby's parents. I'll post more about our trip when I get pictures from Darby's mom. Naturally, I didn't take many. (That seems to be quite a theme with me).
Monday, August 04, 2008
First Impressions of Urbana/Champaign
Pros:
Green everywhere!
Beautiful parks
Sidewalks
Panera
Cons:
Humidity!
No Blue Bell ice cream :(
No parking around campus (where a lot of the good restaurants are)
Darby and I went up to UI today. Whoa! It is huge. I thought, "I'll just go up with Darby to the Science Building; then I'll wander over to the library." Ummm...no way was I going to be able to find the library. As far as the eye could see were science buildings. And of course I hadn't printed out a map beforehand. I could have wandered around for a while, but it was too hot. Luckily, I spotted a Starbucks :) We did get to go in the Engineering library, which was about as big as the ACU Library, which serves the whole campus, not just one department. We're not in Kansas anymore!
It's a very beautiful campus, though. I wanted to take some pictures, but seriously the humidity made me not have the energy to lift my camera (well, that and maybe the fact that I was inexplicably alert from 4:30-6 a.m. today.) Plus, I didn't want to be the country bumpkin taking pictures of the big college!
We're going to Chicago with Darby's parents tomorrow. Woo-hoo!
Green everywhere!
Beautiful parks
Sidewalks
Panera
Cons:
Humidity!
No Blue Bell ice cream :(
No parking around campus (where a lot of the good restaurants are)
Darby and I went up to UI today. Whoa! It is huge. I thought, "I'll just go up with Darby to the Science Building; then I'll wander over to the library." Ummm...no way was I going to be able to find the library. As far as the eye could see were science buildings. And of course I hadn't printed out a map beforehand. I could have wandered around for a while, but it was too hot. Luckily, I spotted a Starbucks :) We did get to go in the Engineering library, which was about as big as the ACU Library, which serves the whole campus, not just one department. We're not in Kansas anymore!
It's a very beautiful campus, though. I wanted to take some pictures, but seriously the humidity made me not have the energy to lift my camera (well, that and maybe the fact that I was inexplicably alert from 4:30-6 a.m. today.) Plus, I didn't want to be the country bumpkin taking pictures of the big college!
We're going to Chicago with Darby's parents tomorrow. Woo-hoo!
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Hello from Illinois!
Well, we made it, thanks to a lot of help from our parents. We learned an important lesson: whatever size U-Haul you think you'll need, get one size bigger. We had the U-Haul totally stuffed, and the back of my car was piled so high that I couldn't see out the back. Plus, we had to put a few things in the back of my Dad's truck. It all worked out, though, and amazingly nothing got damaged. I am so grateful that our dads were able to go with us to help us load and unload. The move would have been so much harder, if not impossible without them.
We are settling into our new house in Urbana, which we love!! The house is only two years old, and it's just so cute. Plus, it's so much bigger than our apartment, and there's plenty of storage space. I just keep walking around saying, "I can't believe we live here!" I'll definitely post pictures once we have everything set up. We've made a lot of progress, but we still have a lot of work to do. Luckily, we live about 1/2 a mile from Wal-Mart, so our frequent trips don't take up too much time :)
We went out to eat last night at a really good pizza place near campus. They have Chicago-style stuffed pizza. It was huge! I could only eat one slice, which is very strange for me. Right now we're at the Urbana Public Library using the Internet. Our Internet is going to be hooked up on Wednesday. Urbana is a cute little town. There's some really pretty old houses downtown and lots of parks. Illinois is much, much greener than Texas. And everyone was right: there's A LOT of corn. There's a huge cornfield right by our house. It reminds me of when I was little because there was a cornfield by our house in Hewitt, too.
Well, I better get back to work. We miss all our friends and family in Texas! I'll post more on Monday when we have Internet.
We are settling into our new house in Urbana, which we love!! The house is only two years old, and it's just so cute. Plus, it's so much bigger than our apartment, and there's plenty of storage space. I just keep walking around saying, "I can't believe we live here!" I'll definitely post pictures once we have everything set up. We've made a lot of progress, but we still have a lot of work to do. Luckily, we live about 1/2 a mile from Wal-Mart, so our frequent trips don't take up too much time :)
We went out to eat last night at a really good pizza place near campus. They have Chicago-style stuffed pizza. It was huge! I could only eat one slice, which is very strange for me. Right now we're at the Urbana Public Library using the Internet. Our Internet is going to be hooked up on Wednesday. Urbana is a cute little town. There's some really pretty old houses downtown and lots of parks. Illinois is much, much greener than Texas. And everyone was right: there's A LOT of corn. There's a huge cornfield right by our house. It reminds me of when I was little because there was a cornfield by our house in Hewitt, too.
Well, I better get back to work. We miss all our friends and family in Texas! I'll post more on Monday when we have Internet.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Well, tomorrow's our last day in Abilene. This week has been bittersweet. We're very excited about moving to Urbana and settling into our new house, but it's hard to say goodbye to everyone in Abilene. I'm not particularly attached to the town itself, but I sure have made a lot of good friends here. I had my last Book Club meeting on Thursday; went out to eat with my aunt and uncle Saturday; Darby and I went over to our friend Aaron and Laura's house to play a game on Sunday; I hung out with Erin and Em last night; and I went out to lunch with my Student Life ladies today. That's a lot of goodbyes! Plus, tomorrow night is our last night at Westgate. That's going to be hard. We love all the people at Westgate, and we've just recently started to get close to a lot of the young married couples. I know we'll find another good church in Illinois, and I'm sure we'll make new friends, but it's hard to say goodbye to all of the great friends we have here.
My mom came in today to help us finish packing and cleaning. It's so nice to have her here. She and I watched 27 Dresses tonight while Darby was hanging out with a friend. A chick flick and pints of Blue Bell ice cream with my mom...pretty fun night! Both of our dads are coming in tomorrow night. It's really happening!
My mom came in today to help us finish packing and cleaning. It's so nice to have her here. She and I watched 27 Dresses tonight while Darby was hanging out with a friend. A chick flick and pints of Blue Bell ice cream with my mom...pretty fun night! Both of our dads are coming in tomorrow night. It's really happening!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
T Minus 7 Days
In exactly one week, we will be on our way to Illinois. It's so crazy! The last month has gone by so quickly. We're both busy packing, finishing stuff up for work, and squeezing in last-minute visits with friends.
Here's a couple pictures of the mess that is our apartment. (I took these pictures several days ago, so it is MUCH worse now).
The holding area. We now have about 25 boxes stacked in that tiny area of our living room.
The Goodwill pile. It has also grown considerably. I just want to make one trip, so I'm waiting until the day before to make a Goodwill run. (If you see something that you gave us in this pile, please do not be offended; we are pretty brutal in our paring down!)
The mess is kind of stressing me out, but I know it's only temporary. We're actually doing really well on our packing. We packed up almost the whole kitchen last night. That's always the most difficult room, so I feel good about our progress.
Here's a couple pictures of the mess that is our apartment. (I took these pictures several days ago, so it is MUCH worse now).
The holding area. We now have about 25 boxes stacked in that tiny area of our living room.
The Goodwill pile. It has also grown considerably. I just want to make one trip, so I'm waiting until the day before to make a Goodwill run. (If you see something that you gave us in this pile, please do not be offended; we are pretty brutal in our paring down!)
The mess is kind of stressing me out, but I know it's only temporary. We're actually doing really well on our packing. We packed up almost the whole kitchen last night. That's always the most difficult room, so I feel good about our progress.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Fat Tuesday Reunion!
All of my Fat Tuesday gals got together at Lake Travis this weekend to spend some time together before Kalyn and I make our big moves to the Midwest. We stayed in a condo on The Island on Lake Travis, which was so nice. We spent a lot of time talking, swimming, and, of course, eating. On Friday, we went to downtown Austin and walked around. Then we headed over to The Oasis for dinner. If you ever are in Austin, definitely eat at The Oasis. It was such a beautiful restaurant; the view of the sunset was amazing, and the food was really good, too. It was a great relaxing weekend, and it was so much fun to spend time with all the girls. We're definitely going to make the reunion a yearly thing.
Google Maps definitely failed me on this trip, though. Erin, Em, and I were riding down together, and I looked up the directions for us. I thought some of the roads looked kind of small, but I figured it would be fine. Well, we ended up on this tiny country road for about 25 miles. Erin was driving, and she has a big fear of getting stranded on a country road, so she was really nervous. It was getting dark, so that added to the tension. But, we made it out, finally. The map was correct, but we looked up another route for the way home. It was a much better road, and MUCH faster. So, lesson learned...if the road looks tiny on the map, it is tiny.
Em, Kalyn, Carolyn, and Erin
Carolyn at the Austin Museum of Art. They had a little family room where kids could make their own art projects. So naturally, we had to participate.
Me, Erin, and Carolyn being dumb at the State Capitol.
Me, Erin, and Brittany at The Oais.
Google Maps definitely failed me on this trip, though. Erin, Em, and I were riding down together, and I looked up the directions for us. I thought some of the roads looked kind of small, but I figured it would be fine. Well, we ended up on this tiny country road for about 25 miles. Erin was driving, and she has a big fear of getting stranded on a country road, so she was really nervous. It was getting dark, so that added to the tension. But, we made it out, finally. The map was correct, but we looked up another route for the way home. It was a much better road, and MUCH faster. So, lesson learned...if the road looks tiny on the map, it is tiny.
Em, Kalyn, Carolyn, and Erin
Carolyn at the Austin Museum of Art. They had a little family room where kids could make their own art projects. So naturally, we had to participate.
Me, Erin, and Carolyn being dumb at the State Capitol.
Me, Erin, and Brittany at The Oais.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Penny Pinching
I'm finding it kind of funny all of the news segments and magazine articles that are being written about saving money now that the economy is not so hot. These are the most popular tips I hear/read:
1. Buy generic brands at the grocery store.
2. Walk/carpool as much as you can.
3. Eat at home rather than eating out.
Seriously? Can people not think of these things themselves? Also, what if you have been doing those things for a long time? Is there no way for you to cut back on your expenses?
I've found a couple of more creative ways to save money. One of these is making my own cards for birthdays, weddings, etc. At $3-4 a pop, store-bought cards can really set you back. I enjoy crafty things, so I've started making my own cards. It takes a little more time, but since it's something I enjoy doing, I don't mind. I buy boxes of 50 blank colored cards at Michael's for about $7. I use scraps of paper and stickers leftover from my scrapbooking, so the cost is very minimal. I'm estimating that I save on average $8-10/month. It might not be a whole lot, but it adds up. Plus, I get the satisfaction of creating something myself and personalizing every card.
What about you? Do you have any creative tips for saving money?
1. Buy generic brands at the grocery store.
2. Walk/carpool as much as you can.
3. Eat at home rather than eating out.
Seriously? Can people not think of these things themselves? Also, what if you have been doing those things for a long time? Is there no way for you to cut back on your expenses?
I've found a couple of more creative ways to save money. One of these is making my own cards for birthdays, weddings, etc. At $3-4 a pop, store-bought cards can really set you back. I enjoy crafty things, so I've started making my own cards. It takes a little more time, but since it's something I enjoy doing, I don't mind. I buy boxes of 50 blank colored cards at Michael's for about $7. I use scraps of paper and stickers leftover from my scrapbooking, so the cost is very minimal. I'm estimating that I save on average $8-10/month. It might not be a whole lot, but it adds up. Plus, I get the satisfaction of creating something myself and personalizing every card.
What about you? Do you have any creative tips for saving money?
Monday, July 07, 2008
One Year
It's hard to believe it's already been one year since Darby and I got married. The past year has gone so quickly. In other ways, though, it feels like we've been married much longer. It's hard to remember what life was like before we were married. The past year has been the best of my life. I love being married to Darby, and although our wedding day was so much fun, I am so glad we are through with that phase and into our actual marriage.
Below is a picture of the mini-scrapbook I made Darby for our anniversary. Each page highlights a different season of the past year. I had a lot of fun putting it together and thinking about all of the fun memories we've had.
(Am I a dork for taking a picture of my own scrapbook? Probably so. What can I say? I was proud of myself.)
We were going to go to Cypress Street Station (a nice restaurant in Abilene) on Saturday night, but they were closed for the holiday weekend. So we ended up going to Olive Garden, our old standard, instead. I was kind of disappointed about Cypress Street, but Olive Garden was still a great meal, and we're going to try to go to Cypress St. right before we move. We're not doing anything too fancy tonight since our weekend in Dallas was part of our anniversary celebration. We'll go to Starbucks after dinner because we have a free coupon. And we'll eat the pieces of wedding cake my mom saved for us. I don't have high hopes for cake that's been in the freezer for a year, but we'll see! Whatever Darby and I do, we always have fun. I am so thankful for this past year and look forward to many, many more.
Below is a picture of the mini-scrapbook I made Darby for our anniversary. Each page highlights a different season of the past year. I had a lot of fun putting it together and thinking about all of the fun memories we've had.
(Am I a dork for taking a picture of my own scrapbook? Probably so. What can I say? I was proud of myself.)
We were going to go to Cypress Street Station (a nice restaurant in Abilene) on Saturday night, but they were closed for the holiday weekend. So we ended up going to Olive Garden, our old standard, instead. I was kind of disappointed about Cypress Street, but Olive Garden was still a great meal, and we're going to try to go to Cypress St. right before we move. We're not doing anything too fancy tonight since our weekend in Dallas was part of our anniversary celebration. We'll go to Starbucks after dinner because we have a free coupon. And we'll eat the pieces of wedding cake my mom saved for us. I don't have high hopes for cake that's been in the freezer for a year, but we'll see! Whatever Darby and I do, we always have fun. I am so thankful for this past year and look forward to many, many more.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Happy Birthday, Darby!
The love of my life was born 23 years ago today. We've known each other almost half of our lives and been together more than a quarter of our lives. We've had so many fun memories over the years, and it's incredible to me that our journey is just beginning. I could go on and on about how great he is, but I'll spare you readers the mush, and just say that I'm so blessed to have him in my life.
We technically already celebrated our birthdays together, but, of course, I still wanted him to have a few special things on the actual day. We went to Sharky's for lunch and had red velvet cake with peppermint cream cheese frosting (his choice...I cooked the cake a little too long. Grrrr... But he assured me it still tasted good). Tonight, we're having one of his favorite meals (cheesy stuffed shells), and there's a homemade ice cream night after church. Perfect timing, huh? I'm making dulce de leche ice cream. I hope it turns out! It stinks that Darby has to work today, but we're both looking forward to the long weekend!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Why spellcheck will never replace editors...
A sign spotted on the door to my apartment complex workout room:
We apologize for the incontinence; our office will be closed Saturday, June 28, 2008.
We apologize for the incontinence; our office will be closed Saturday, June 28, 2008.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Yummy Cake and Mexico
Good choice, readers! The cake was delicious. However, after I chose it, I heard from several readers who said they liked the chocolate one but just didn't vote. I think you all learned an important lesson: make your voice heard! :)
I was gone June 12-18 on a mission trip to Mexico with my church in Waco. It was a really great trip. We divided into two groups and went to two churches each. While the adults attended seminars, we entertained the kids. All of the kids are always so sweet, and they were so excited to get their bubbles and boxes of crayons. One day, we got to take the kids from Casa Sonrisa (a children's home) to the park. That is always one of my favorite activities. Even though most of the kids I had gotten to know in previous years were no longer there, I made friends with some new ones.
My Spanish wasn't too bad, but I could definitely tell I hadn't used it in a while. By the end of the week, it was getting much easier. I really need to try harder to practice regularly.
I really love the Mexico trip. I hadn't gone on the trip in four years, although I did spend six weeks in Torreon three years ago. I decided to make it a priority to go in the future. It is so fun to see the same people at the churches year after year, and I love being able to talk to the kids in Spanish. Also, it was great to spend time with my mom and brother. (My dad was supposed to go, but he ended up having to go on a business trip instead).
Here are a few pictures from the week. I couldn't find my camera charger, so I don't have that many, but that seems to be the story of my life.
Me sliding with a girl from Casa Sonrisa. I fell at the bottom!
My mom, brother, and I with Juan and Marta Meza (the preacher and his wife). My mom and Marta are so alike. They love each other so much, even though mom doesn't speak Spanish, and Marta doesn't speak much English. It's really sweet.
My brother painting a room in the preschool Marta is about to open. I could not show the picture of me painting because I looked so gross! Painting in a non-airconditioned building in 100-degree heat does NOT agree with me.
All in all, it was a great trip, but I was sure ready to see Darby when I got back! It was hard being apart for a week. I think he had the worst of it since he was stuck in Abilene all alone working. I appreciate him for being so supportive of me pursuing my interests. He really encouraged me to go, even when I got nervous about being apart for so long. I am a lucky girl! I got to spend a week in Mexico and was able to come home to my wonderful husband, 2 more days off work, and birthday presents!
I was gone June 12-18 on a mission trip to Mexico with my church in Waco. It was a really great trip. We divided into two groups and went to two churches each. While the adults attended seminars, we entertained the kids. All of the kids are always so sweet, and they were so excited to get their bubbles and boxes of crayons. One day, we got to take the kids from Casa Sonrisa (a children's home) to the park. That is always one of my favorite activities. Even though most of the kids I had gotten to know in previous years were no longer there, I made friends with some new ones.
My Spanish wasn't too bad, but I could definitely tell I hadn't used it in a while. By the end of the week, it was getting much easier. I really need to try harder to practice regularly.
I really love the Mexico trip. I hadn't gone on the trip in four years, although I did spend six weeks in Torreon three years ago. I decided to make it a priority to go in the future. It is so fun to see the same people at the churches year after year, and I love being able to talk to the kids in Spanish. Also, it was great to spend time with my mom and brother. (My dad was supposed to go, but he ended up having to go on a business trip instead).
Here are a few pictures from the week. I couldn't find my camera charger, so I don't have that many, but that seems to be the story of my life.
Me sliding with a girl from Casa Sonrisa. I fell at the bottom!
My mom, brother, and I with Juan and Marta Meza (the preacher and his wife). My mom and Marta are so alike. They love each other so much, even though mom doesn't speak Spanish, and Marta doesn't speak much English. It's really sweet.
My brother painting a room in the preschool Marta is about to open. I could not show the picture of me painting because I looked so gross! Painting in a non-airconditioned building in 100-degree heat does NOT agree with me.
All in all, it was a great trip, but I was sure ready to see Darby when I got back! It was hard being apart for a week. I think he had the worst of it since he was stuck in Abilene all alone working. I appreciate him for being so supportive of me pursuing my interests. He really encouraged me to go, even when I got nervous about being apart for so long. I am a lucky girl! I got to spend a week in Mexico and was able to come home to my wonderful husband, 2 more days off work, and birthday presents!
Friday, June 20, 2008
And the winner is...
Raspberry White Chocolate Cake! Thanks for your votes. They helped a lot. I will be eating the cake in just a few hours, so I'll report back. I'll also blog about my trip to Mexico. But there's no time now. I've got celebrating to do!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Decision 2008
Okay, all you blog readers (all 2 of you!), I need your help. I have a very important decision to make, and I can't do it alone.
I need to decide what cake I want my mom to make me for my birthday. I know, I know, it sounds kind of silly, but believe me, I have thought about this a lot. I LOVE dessert , so this is a big decision. There are so many cakes that sound good to me, but I don't make cake very often because I don't want to end up eating the whole thing by myself. So my birthday is an opportunity to enjoy really good cake without guilt. Here are the ones I'm thinking about. Leave me a comment letting me know what you would pick.
1. Raspberry White Chocolate Cake
2. Chocolate Banana Cream Cake
3. Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Thanks for your help! :)
I need to decide what cake I want my mom to make me for my birthday. I know, I know, it sounds kind of silly, but believe me, I have thought about this a lot. I LOVE dessert , so this is a big decision. There are so many cakes that sound good to me, but I don't make cake very often because I don't want to end up eating the whole thing by myself. So my birthday is an opportunity to enjoy really good cake without guilt. Here are the ones I'm thinking about. Leave me a comment letting me know what you would pick.
1. Raspberry White Chocolate Cake
2. Chocolate Banana Cream Cake
3. Caramel Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Thanks for your help! :)
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Happy "Birthiversary" to Me and Darby
This weekend, Darby and I celebrated our birthdays and one-year anniversary all at once. It's a little early for all those things, but Darby was in a wedding in Dallas, so we wanted to take advantage of the fact that we were already there. We stayed at the DFW Hyatt Regency, which is where we stayed on our wedding night. It's a great hotel, but we did have one complaint. Their cable doesn't include TLC!! (Somehow, we didn't notice that on our wedding night; I guess that's a good thing!) But, now that we're an old married couple (haha), watching "Flip That House" is one of the things Darby and I look forward to most on vacations. From now on, we're going to have to get a cable listing from any hotel before we make reservations!
On Saturday night, we went to Medieval Times (Darby's birthday pick). Darby had been a couple of times when he was a kid, but I had never been at all. It was a lot of fun. The show was pretty cheesy, but the food was good, and we had fun cheering for our knight. The funny thing was that our guy must have been new because he kept losing all the contests. It was hilarious! Darby commented that Medieval Times wasn't quite as fun as he remembered it being when he was 10. :) Gee! Who'd have guessed?
On Sunday, Darby took me shopping at Grapevine Mills mall. What a sweetheart! He waited patiently while I tried on the whole Ann Taylor Factory Store. I got several cute shirts, including some button-down shirts. (If you know me, you know that is a huge victory). Darby also got some nice-looking polos at Old Navy. I love how when guys need a new wardrobe, they can just go out and buy six of the same shirts in different colors. Perhaps I'll get there soon. (See this post). That night we went to The Melting Pot fondue restaurant (my pick). If you ever get a chance to go, you should. It's pretty pricey, but such a fun atmosphere, and the food is great! We were both so full when we got out of there.
The whole weekend was absolutely wonderful. Darby and I had so much fun reminiscing about our wedding day and thinking about all of the great memories we've shared since then. I am constantly reminded what a blessing it is to be married to my best friend. I enjoy all the time I spend with him, even when we're just hanging around the house, but it sure is nice to be able to get out and enjoy the "high life" for a weekend.
On Saturday night, we went to Medieval Times (Darby's birthday pick). Darby had been a couple of times when he was a kid, but I had never been at all. It was a lot of fun. The show was pretty cheesy, but the food was good, and we had fun cheering for our knight. The funny thing was that our guy must have been new because he kept losing all the contests. It was hilarious! Darby commented that Medieval Times wasn't quite as fun as he remembered it being when he was 10. :) Gee! Who'd have guessed?
On Sunday, Darby took me shopping at Grapevine Mills mall. What a sweetheart! He waited patiently while I tried on the whole Ann Taylor Factory Store. I got several cute shirts, including some button-down shirts. (If you know me, you know that is a huge victory). Darby also got some nice-looking polos at Old Navy. I love how when guys need a new wardrobe, they can just go out and buy six of the same shirts in different colors. Perhaps I'll get there soon. (See this post). That night we went to The Melting Pot fondue restaurant (my pick). If you ever get a chance to go, you should. It's pretty pricey, but such a fun atmosphere, and the food is great! We were both so full when we got out of there.
The whole weekend was absolutely wonderful. Darby and I had so much fun reminiscing about our wedding day and thinking about all of the great memories we've shared since then. I am constantly reminded what a blessing it is to be married to my best friend. I enjoy all the time I spend with him, even when we're just hanging around the house, but it sure is nice to be able to get out and enjoy the "high life" for a weekend.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Summertime!!
Well, summer has officially begun. We've had two days of 100-degree heat. I always forget how hot it can get! But that's okay, because I LOVE SUMMER!! Here are just a few of my favorite things about the season:
1. Swimming - Darby and I love going to our apartment pool, when we can manage to find a time that it's not swamped with kids. I think I am the only young woman who actually likes to swim, though. Anytime I see girls my age out there, they are just laying out. Don't even get me started on how dumb that is. I even see people using tanning oil, which is crazy with all we know about skin cancer. Ladies, pale is pretty! Repeat that 10 times. (Unless you are dark-skinned naturally; that's pretty, too).
2. Long days. I love that it's still light at 9 p.m. It helps this old lady stay up until a reasonable hour.
3. Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks - After three long years, it's finally back! However, I don't like that they put chocolate whipped cream on it now. Whipped cream should be white! Just like my skin :)
4. Cajun Cones! When Darby and I go walking, we stop and get a sno cone and then keep walking. We burn the calories as we consume them; that's how we keep our trim figures. It's all about equilibrium.
5. Weddings. For the past three years, every summer has been dominated by wedding stuff. 2 years ago, I was in Whitney's and Kalyn's weddings. Last year was my wedding, of course, and this year is Darby's turn to be in 3 weddings. I have always loved going to weddings, and it's even more special to me now that I've made that commitment myself. Plus, it's a great chance to see friends who have scattered for the summer.
1. Swimming - Darby and I love going to our apartment pool, when we can manage to find a time that it's not swamped with kids. I think I am the only young woman who actually likes to swim, though. Anytime I see girls my age out there, they are just laying out. Don't even get me started on how dumb that is. I even see people using tanning oil, which is crazy with all we know about skin cancer. Ladies, pale is pretty! Repeat that 10 times. (Unless you are dark-skinned naturally; that's pretty, too).
2. Long days. I love that it's still light at 9 p.m. It helps this old lady stay up until a reasonable hour.
3. Mint Mocha Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks - After three long years, it's finally back! However, I don't like that they put chocolate whipped cream on it now. Whipped cream should be white! Just like my skin :)
4. Cajun Cones! When Darby and I go walking, we stop and get a sno cone and then keep walking. We burn the calories as we consume them; that's how we keep our trim figures. It's all about equilibrium.
5. Weddings. For the past three years, every summer has been dominated by wedding stuff. 2 years ago, I was in Whitney's and Kalyn's weddings. Last year was my wedding, of course, and this year is Darby's turn to be in 3 weddings. I have always loved going to weddings, and it's even more special to me now that I've made that commitment myself. Plus, it's a great chance to see friends who have scattered for the summer.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Freedom!
I am wearing the same shirt today that I wore to work on Monday. This is a big step for me. Normally, I try to space out my clothes-wearing, especially if I'm wearing it to the same place. But this morning, nothing in my closet appealed to me except this shirt. I put it on and then realized, "Oh no, I wore this on Monday." But then I thought, "So? Who cares?" It's not like anyone is really going to notice, and if they do notice, what does it matter? Of course, I've known for a long time that it doesn't really matter what you wear, but I've never been able to let go of that self-consciousness before. Now I have so many more possibilities! I love not caring!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Congratulations, Darby!
Darby graduated from ACU last Saturday. His parents, brother and sister-in-law, grandpa, aunt, and my parents came in for the ceremony. It was a pretty long ceremony because the president of Madagascar was there (kind of crazy!) Afterwards, we went to Lytle Land and Cattle for dinner, which was a lot of fun. On Sunday, Hannah, Darby, and I took our parents to Copper Creek to celebrate Mother's Day. It was so fun to get to spend time with both of our families. I just wish Matt could have been there (I guess Senior prom is a good enough excuse). I have a couple of pictures below. I need to get some more from my mom and Debby.
Darby and his parents. His dad hooded him.
Me and Darby. I am so proud of him and can't wait to see how well he does in grad. school!
Darby and his parents. His dad hooded him.
Me and Darby. I am so proud of him and can't wait to see how well he does in grad. school!
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Princess Peach is Back!
Darby's graduating tomorrow! Woo-hoo! I am so proud of him. He has done so well in college (with a super-hard major), and I know he has great things ahead of him in grad. school. I'm excited to start the next chapter of our lives.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
I still love radio
Today when I was going home for lunch, the song "Shimmer" by Fuel came on the radio. I've had that CD for about seven years, and when I got my iPod I transferred that song to it. So I hear the song every few weeks or so. But I got so excited when it came on. There's something more fun when you just happen to hear one of your favorite songs instead of knowing that you caused it to happen. I'm the same way with movies. When I was younger, we owned Sound of Music. But whenever it came on TV, I would get so happy, even though I could watch it any time I wanted.
I know that entertainment is moving towards total customization, so you can always watch or listen to whatever you want whenever you want. And often that's a really good thing. But I don't want to lose the joy of turning on the radio and just happening to hear a favorite song.
I know that entertainment is moving towards total customization, so you can always watch or listen to whatever you want whenever you want. And often that's a really good thing. But I don't want to lose the joy of turning on the radio and just happening to hear a favorite song.
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