Sunday, January 31, 2010

In My Next Thirty Years..

Yep, that’s right, I’m 30. The Big 3-0!! My actual birthday was Thursday the 21st, and after work, Matt and I, along with my dad and Donna, and Melanie and Brennan left for Tyler to meet Cody, my mom, and Matt’s parents @ Bernard’s, one of my favorite local restaurants. We all enjoyed a yummy dinner, and finished it off with a cookie cake and marble slab’s cheesecake ice cream, my FAVORITE!! {thanks mom!}

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DSC03158 Brennan, trying to blow out some of my “trick” candles!!

DSC03156 Big Poppa!

Poppa paid for Matt and I’s dinner, after telling me, it was THE most expensive meal he had paid for in 55 years!! He’s 55, ha :)

The next night, Matt and I went over to Ginger and Seane’s to FINALLY spend some time with them and baby Reese!  Like previously mentioned, I had been SO sick, and I couldn’t go see Reese for weeks, so we took full advantage of  lost time while we were there! Here’s a few pics I was able to snag of this sweet, tiny, precious, baby girl!! :)

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While we were there, Seane mentioned how they hadn’t been out to eat, just them, since Reese was born, and that they’d like to go to Papacita’s the following night, and asked if we’d like to go too. Well of course we said yes, and I didn’t think much more about it, until we got in the car to leave that night. As we were driving home, I mentioned to Matt, “I’m surprised they want to go to Papacita’s, they usually go to Posado’s” .. little did I know then!  :)

The next day, Matt went to play golf, and I caught up on my Tivo. Once he got home, he kept continuously asking me about dinner with The Richardson’s. “Are we going, You need to go get ready. I told Seane we were going!” The whole thing didn’t seem much like Matt, so I began to wonder. Before I got in the the shower, I caught him sneaking on the phone.. and thought again, Hmmm.. Also, earlier in the week, on my actual birth day, while eating lunch with Mel, Ashley called Mel, to which Mel looked at her phone, and read the number aloud..and I said, that’s Ash. Hmmm.. So I played along, hopped in the shower, and we were on our way. We arrived to Papacita’s around 7ish, and I quickly began to scan the parking lot. And.. there it was, PawPaw’s Surburban..with SMU license plates! ;) We walked up stairs with Ginger and Seane, and arrived at my “Semi-Surprise” Party!! :)

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I was pretty surprised to find fifty of my nearest and dearest, there to celebrate ME!! :) I just want to take a second now, and tell everyone that worked SO hard putting this party together, how much it’s means, and how much I appreciate everything yall did for me!! I felt loved!

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IMG_0250 Chris, Donna, Bob & Nini

IMG_0251 Becky & Mike

IMG_0255 Me, Ash & Kendrah

59605681-ff02ac4ced36c0dd9fa6f4969d39da7c_4b5d23b8-scaled My Sweet LC even made the trip up, and it meant SO much to have her there!!

IMG_0256 Smalls & Lauren

IMG_0262 Mel & Gin

IMG_0265 The Funder 5, doing their “mean faces” ha! :)

DSC05688 Me, Holly, Lauren, & Ashley

My Cake!!IMG_0253

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IMG_0257 Who is he looking at??!!

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If you look close at this pic of Addi & I, you can see an old cheerleading pic of me on the table. Each table had various pics of me through the years, as well as “30 Reasons We love Candy”..here’s a couple of the pics, “through the years”..

scan0005_pdf - Adobe Readercc ss6 ss12 DSC05674 img203 Mattie & I.. WOW!

img202 Smalls & I

..and here’s the 30 List!!..

1. She's simply loveable -- a loyal friend whose love never seems to wear out.
2. She takes after her father so much.
3. Always gives us a reason for a good laugh when we're together, even if it's not on purpose.
4. She is a blessing to our family.
5. Because she is honest, trustworthy, and more often than not, speaks from her heart rather than just a quick-witted response.
6. She always makes all occasions special for us!
7. We are her babies because CaCa always tells us we are!
8. She can put up with Matt! AND she always wants to win when we play NAKED!!
9. She can even love the loser Cowgirls!
10. Because she gave me a chance at our friendship.
11. She can always either make me laugh, or send me into a state of disbelief at what just came out of her mouth -- "I mean seriously", "C'mon people", U love ME!"
12. Because she loves ME so much!
13. She makes me laugh without even trying.
14. She is my bestie!
15. Her facial expressions, especially the one where her bottom lip goes far left and down, teeth clenched, and eyes wide and looking down.
16. Because she is a 49ers fan!
17. She's been there, right by my side, for every monumental occasion in my life!
18. She is a great aunt!
19. Because if you are lucky enough to be a friend, it will be permanent.
20. CaCa plays with me and gives fun presents!
21. Always makes me laugh, usually without even trying.
22. She's fun to be around -- always funny and good-natured.
23. Because she is like a live action, reality tv show on ice all the time. Very entertaining and way too much drama.
24. She's like another granddaughter to us.
25. She kept her maiden name so law enforcement officials would know she was a sheriff's daughter.
26. There is no one else quite like her!
27. She is like an aunt to my babies.
28. No matter how long the time or how far the distance, it's always like we just talked yesterday.
29. I don't have to read trashy magazines to know what's going on with celebs -- just read her blog.
30. She is my baby girl.

How sweet is that??!! :) My BFF Holly,  also made me a Shutterfly book, and dedicated pages for family and friends to go on and make a special page of their own to me.. I LOVED the idea, and canNOT wait to receive it!! Thanks Again folks, you’re the best!! :)

So here’s to my next thirty years.. hope this set is just as good to me as the previous ones!

Until Next Time!! :)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

I’ll tell you my dirty little secret..

..and if you haven’t heard, it’s a juicy one!! ;) Fellow Bloggers, this post’s for you!! With a new year upon us, I felt it my duty, to let all of you in on a little secret, I’ve enjoyed for much of last year. It’s called Windows Live Writer, and it will change the way you blog FOREVER!! No more waiting FOREVER to upload photos, No more rearranging your text and photos, this program does it all! Upload pics in seconds, add neat borders, edit your pics, create photo albums, the possibilities are endless!

DON’T let your blog fall by the waste side this year, no more excuses!! Simplify your blogging life, and download Windows Live Writer Now!! Enjoy!!

Happy Blogging!

Until Next Time!! :)

Who Let the Dogs Out??!!

2010! Man, I’m still getting used to that! Matt and I had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year with family. After both of our days at work NYE, we packed up and headed to Matt’s parents house to spend the holiday weekend with them, the Funder5, and the Yankee Bobo’s!! Matt’s brother and his family only get to come down maybe once or twice a year, so we really have to take full advantage of the time we get to spend with them. We arrived around 8ish, and spent the remainder of the evening eating, playing games, and just spending some great quality family time with one another. Here’s a couple of pics from our NYE!

Jake, Luke, & Mac “playing” with Clara!! :)

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DSC03108           The boys: Luke, Christian, Jake, Cullen & Mac

DSC03083Case & Mik

DSC03085  Casey, Candy, Mikki

DSC03086       Mikey, Clay, Mattie

DSC03087 PawPaw & The Boys

DSC03094       MeeMaw & The Girls

DSC03100 MeeMaw & her babies.. I promise Matt is not groping his sister! What is wrong with that guy??!!

DSC03106   Jake, Case, & Mike

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DSC03111             Even Clara wonders, “What is wrong with this guy??!!”

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You see Cullen had to sport his Philly jersey, while everyone else supported The Boys.. Hey Cullen, “How did that Jersey work out for you last night??!! ;)

Once we all celebrated the ball drop, we quickly headed off to bed to get ready for the next day’s festivities. Bringing you all back to the headline of this post, Matt’s parent’s gave all of us Great Wolf Lodge tickets and rooms for Christmas, and we couldn’t wait to get there!! The entire family had gone for the first time, the weekend of Matt and I’s wedding, (minus Casey who had to get back North) and Matt and I had gone with MeeMaw and PawPaw and the Funder5 back in May, so this was everyone, but Case’s, second and third time. It still did not disappoint!

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DSC03122 It was just the weirdest thing, walking into a “waterpark” with sweatshirts and jackets on!!

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Once we got there, we all checked in, put our stuff in our rooms, and headed downstairs to have lunch with some of MeeMaw’s family, {that would be our family too, I suppose!} before the kids couldn’t take it anymore, and headed to the waterpark!

DSC03136Our Yankee Bobo Boys: Mac, Luke, & Jake

Sadly, I didn’t get many pictures because everyone ran in different directions.. and frankly, it’s not the easiest task, to carry a camera around a waterpark! :)

** I snagged this pic from Mik’s post, of the kids before they started, Matt and I hadn’t gotten there yet..what a GREAT pic!!

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After a full day, we retired back to our rooms, showered and changed, and headed back downstairs for the rest of the evening. Mikki and Clay had gotten all the boys the “MagicQuest” as their Christmas presents, so that occupied most of Mikki and the boys time. The remainder of us enjoyed dinner and ice cream, and peaking in on their game, before calling it a night.

I snagged this one too from Mik, a pic of Cullen’s Wolf Den that MeeMaw and PawPaw got him for his 10th birthday..a little add on to the Christmas present!!

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The next morning, bright and early, Mike, Case & the boys flew home, while we all enjoyed a couple more hours in the waterpark, before lunch at Saltgrass with MeeMaw and PawPaw {YUMMY} and heading home ourselves. We missed those Yankee Bobo’s that day, but LOVED every single second, we got to spend with them, while they were here.. Can’t wait for next time!!

Since that weekend, I have been..

S-I-C-K Sicky Sick SICK!!

Miserable awful sick. :( Hopefully I’m on the upswing. I had to miss out on friend time with Holly & Ainsley, Ginger & Reese, and Ashley Saturday afternoon, as well as Cowboys get together Saturday night at Cody & Mel’s!! {by the way, WAY TO GO COWBOYS!!! Winning their first Playoff Game since 1996!!  Now bring me home a SUPERBOWL!!!}

I hope everyone had just as lovely as a start to the New Year as we did! I won’t be making any resolutions this year, because we all know how well that worked our for me last year!!! I will say I look forward to many changes in 2010! I look forward to turning 30 {Ouch!} I look forward to moving and living for FREE! {YAY} I look forward to warmer weather {ha!} I look forward to paying off debt {because of said free rent} I look forward to VACATION {wherever that may be} I look forward to whatever God has in store for me {Perhaps……} :) So, I’m looking forward to 2010, hope you are too!!

Until Next Time!!