Lately…

I have a list of posts that I could have put in here, but instead I decided to do a little life lately check. I like doing these every so often…they’re just fun to me! Beware: this is a long post since I haven’t done one since November!!!

Lately, I have been getting to Church a little early on Wednesday nights to have some quiet time or school work time before my high schoolers start getting there.

With a mocha fit frappe of course. Honestly, I think any kind of iced/frozen drink (especially if it has coffee) is the way to my heart. See. These are two separate nights!

Lately, I have found Gilmore girls re-runs on TV so when i’m at home eating, I like to remember the good ol’ Gilmore girls watching days 🙂 Oh and you heard a couple episodes are coming to Netflix right? So much of my heart was caught up in this show as a middle schooler. Ahhhh!!

Shortly after the new year, we (as in Mom, Morgan, and I) went to some shops so Morgan could exchange her Lululemon leggings and on our way out, we were walking by Mi Cocina and we were all feeling Mexican food. #gimmealltheguac #andchips #andsalsa

Lately this is what my desk has been looking like. My planner, recipe books, my Bible, Pandora in the background…gettin’ work done, bein’ productive, one day at a time!

The first week back of the semester I tried out for my school’s volleyball team. I didn’t tell anyone I was doing it, but when I made the team I finally told the fam. I decided not to join the team due to my schedule this semester and other things, but I was still pretty proud that after not playing for 4 years I even made it! (This was before I told them I probably wasn’t going to do it.)

I told you that on the 11th, I turned 22 years old. That Friday night I had a birthday dinner and Valley, Maddie, Emily J., Me, Reeana, Emily S., Morgan were all there. I love these people. They are the absolute best!

A photographer at the restaurant came and took our picture and on our way out showed us the original, and one where they switched our face on someone else’s. So funny! I snapped a picture…and I wasn’t suppose to because they wanted me to buy it. #oops #buti’mnotsorry #ididn’tliketherestaurant

We went back to my house after dinner and pictures and these three stayed and hung out with me for a little bit. We decided to run up to the grocery store and buy a gluten free cake mix for them to try…and me to be able to eat. This was after going about 4 places for dessert and they were all closed! #rude

Emily took this picture and said “put this on the blog and tell them you forgot to add water to your cake mix”. Because I did. And then she was convinced my mom does all my baking and cooking that I post about on the blog. #bloggerfail #i’mreallyintohashtagstoday

And then this one saying we added water so it looks normal again. She cracks me up because she’s always like “are you taking this picture to put on the blog?”. Love that girl!

My personal photographer got me pouring the mix into the pan 🙂

And the (uncooked) finished product! Gluten free funfetti cake, y’all. They all tried it and said it was good! And I don’t think they’d lie to me…

Lately, i’ve been trying to spend my free time with my Bible, my journal, and my Jesus Calling. Quiet Times are the best and i’m really working on this becoming a priority and not a “free time” thing.

Lately, i’ve been drinking a lot of this. But is that really much of a surprise? Nope. My iced Starbucks of choice is an iced doppio espresso with soy milk. This day I got 1/2 a pump of mocha. I don’t like sweet coffee as it is (never thought i’d say that) and now that i’m doing the sugar detox, I don’t get it. And I don’t miss it! Tomorrow i’m talking about what you can/can’t eat on the detox since I got some questions about it 🙂 So come back!

The Monday after my birthday dinner, Valley and her husband invited her brother and I to a Dallas Mavs game with them. Uh, going to watch sports? I’m in!

We got a group picture with Valley’s little boy Clay. Couldn’t you just eat him up?! Oh yeah, and she’s due February 22nd with her second boy!!! I cannot wait!

Lately there has been A LOT of traffic around here. I think I read somewhere that the Dallas metroplex is the fastest growing metroplex in the nation. It’s true. And it’s kind of ridiculous that we can’t even get anywhere without it taking 25 turns of a light. Like, do you see it all the way up there??? Don’t drive with me, i’m not pleasant.

The other day at school I was fuhhhreeezzinnggg and tired. The only obvious remedy was hot coffee (I know, where is my iced coffee!) during my lecture for the night. Yes, coffee at 5:30PM. #becausecollege

Mom went to visit her dad the other week and she sent us a picture of her in the snow and considering it’s been between 50-70 degrees around here, i’ve just been taking a dip in the pool. I mean come on??? It’s February! Texas weather I tell ya.

Lately, i’ve been hitting the steam room after my workout classes. This was my first time in a sauna/steam room setting so I had to document it. It was always something I wanted to do, but didn’t know what to do so I never did. I was like, do I go with shoes? or a swimsuit? or what do I do?

The next time I was in there, homeboy decided to do pushups in the middle of the steam room. I’m sorry what??? Sit. Down.

The other day we got a ping pong table. WARNING: DON’T GET ONE IT WILL TAKE AT LEAST 2 DAYS TO SET IT UP. Ryan was obviously super helpful…

Whew! I think you’re caught up with the random happenings in my life. Did you make it? I hope so. Now I need to go tell my mom to read this post so she can learn to hashtag properly…

Now you deserve a second cup of coffee! Have a great Thursday!

September 11, 2014

First of all, I just want to say that I have a heavy heart today for those affected 13 years ago during the 9/11 terrorist attack.

I still remember this picture like I saw it for the first time yesterday. I was in second grade when this happened and our bus driver made an announcement that after school we shouldn’t play outside. In fact, my neighbor’s sister was on one of those planes. It’s just horrific and sad.

But, on a brighter note! G TURNS 94 TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Eeek! I love me some G-Paw!

This my mom’s dad. He owns his farm in Iowa. He is so succesful. I wrote about it a little this summer. He was in World War II and he always tells us the story about the time he got shot in the butt. So funny. He’s 94 years old and goes to coffee every morning, drives himself places, and still gets around on his own. He’s in such good spirits. This picture is him standing by a memorial for WWII veterans with his name on one of the plaques.

This is a picture of my grandpa and grandma. Aren’t they just CUTE???

Grandpa will be goofy with us whether he wants to or not 🙂

Grandpa always makes it hard to say goodbye at the end of summer.

This is our 3 generations picture 🙂 We look nothing alike!!!! Everyone tells me i’m a carbon copy of my dad.

Grandpa still likes to play cards with us. This time we were the winners! He’s so good at cards too.

Grandpa has the funniest sense of humor and he is always a blast to be around. I told you, we talk on the phone every week. It’s true, about 20 minutes every week we play catch-up.

He’s just an all-around genuine person. This is him and my dad shucking corn one summer.

Here’s grandpa and 2/6 of his kids. (My momma is so purdy isn’t she???)

This is grandpa and all of his grandkids at the oldest grandkids’ wedding.

  

Of course I had to get my own photo shoot with him that day.

Here we are comparing noses, because my mom has the worlds biggest nose and she definitely gets it from my gramps!

Gramps is the only living grandparent I have left so I try to cherish every moment we get together.Like eating frog legs, going to the fair, helping him pick out a bed, just some fun little things.

He’s testing out his new bed here, y’all. He stayed there for a looooong while.

Another sad goodbye 😦

 

Can’t wait to see him next summer. And i’m so jealous of my mom and sister for getting to spend his special day with him today. Next year we get to go to his birthday party in september because it’s the big 9-5!! Wahoo!

So here ya have it, a special day, for a special person. Love my grandfather.

August 5, 2014

 Rick turns 15!!

Holy poop. Oldie. It seems like just yesterday “baby broey” was the nerdiest brother with a squeaky little voice…

Okay well, he’s still nerdy. I’m totally getting mom-like sentimental because we were just dressing him up.

 

and now he’s sprouted like weed.

Rick is one of the most animated people ever, which is weird because he was always a shy kid. We were at the farm for his birthday and we don’t get the internet at my grandpas. Most nights my brothers stayed at my aunt and uncles house because they have wifi. 15 year old boy and his computer games? Duh. So I didn’t really see him on his birthday but I can tell you this: we got gramps a new bed for Rick’s birthday. Grandpa was really ready for a new bed because while we were running some errands (my mom and I) all of a sudden we got a call from my aunt saying that she was coming with grandpa’s pick-up to meet us at Costco for his new bed. And she did just that. About 3 hours later we had a new bed (which we think he loves). Within minutes of the bed being set up I walk into his room to see….

him really enjoying it. Isn’t he funny? This is hilarious. He stayed there for a good 30 minutes testing out his bed. And magically within three nights his back pain has gone away. Let me tell you, what he was sleeping on was harder than a wooden board. No wonder he was having back pains. After we got the bed set up it was about 9pm. We spent almost the entire day getting grandpas new bed. But I wanted to make Rick a cake. And so I did…a camo cake with orange frosting. His favorite color. And he hated it.

But it’s cute right?? He said it was too “eggy”…he has no tastebuds.

Today he is off to his first day of driver’s ed. Lord help us all! Actually, he drove on the highways in Iowa so he’s had a little experience.

 

Other than video games, playing with dogs on the farm, and getting grandpa’s new bed Rick got a cake for his birthday! I forgot to get pictures of his presents but he added a new Red Sox shirt to his wardrobe, A Univ. of Iowa pillow, some of his “riot points” for his computer game, and an Oakley Lanyard perfect for a newly driving 15 year old.

He didn’t complain so i’d say it was a 15 year-old success!