2009 in Photos

The year kicked off with a trip to Maryland to see this little munchkin!

And a quick detour to Boston for some fun March Madness with Lisa! In May I found myself watching my little brother graduate high school... and W & D turned the Big-30!

Summer came and it was time for a vacation...

Florida Keys welcomed us with open arms!

We celebrated the end of the summer with a weekend get-a-way trip to the wonderful Texas hill country.

And we can't forget that my parents celebrated 30 years of marriage this year!Not to mention, my best friend got engaged!

Football season rolled around and we were the proud ticket holders to a

Monday Night Football game!

This year also included trips to see some wonderful girl friends...a few trips to Dallas,

and one to the Big Easy!

October brought some chilly air to the Lone Star State, but we stayed warm at the Pat Green concert at Moody Gardens!

Last but definitely not least...we took an amazing trip to the city that never sleeps!

2009 has been quite a year but I'm more than ready to send it on its way! Here's to a wonderful and amazing 2010... I'll leave you with this thought...

"When I was five years old my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down "happy." They told me I didn't understand the assignment and I told them they didn't understand life." - unknown

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wordless Wednesday

Let your Light Shine!

The day after Christmas my family and I drove down to the old neighborhood I grew up in to check out all the wonderful Christmas light displays! Most everyone in the subdivision puts up Christmas lights so its always neat to drive down all the streets. Here are a few of my favorites from this year...

And my all-time favorite...

Don't you wonder what their light bill must be during the month of December!

Happy 100!

WoW! I just realized my last post was lucky # 100!

In honor of this momentous occasion, I decided to take a trip down blog-post memory lane and share with you my TOP TEN favorite

"Freeze Frame Time" moments! I hope you enjoy!

10. Nighttime in NYC

9. Baby Love

8. Pumpkin Frenzy!

7. Gruene, TX

6. Fighting for Autism

5. Love Birds

4. After the Rain...

3. Homer Hanky

2. The Big Easy!

1. Sweet Sunday

Here's to many, many more!

O Come, Let Us Adore Him!

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and he shall be called...
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

(Well maybe this mouse!)

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

I in my slippers,

And D in his hat,

Had just settled in for a long winter's nap.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas is...

Christmas is the happiness that lights our children's eyes.

Christmas is a song of bells ringing through the skies.

Christmas is a time of peace, of contentment deep within,

A time of love and silent hope that years will never dim.--Sherrill Thompson

Merry Christmas!

P.S. Aren't these sweet little girls so precious?

You've Got Mail!

Silent Night

Doesn't get any better than this...

I love this time of year!

Hot chocolate, last-minute Christmas cards and watching football by the light of the Christmas tree!

Roses

It's so easy to get caught up in the daily hustle and bustle of life, especially this time of year. Christmas parties, travels, shopping, cooking, you name it, the plate is full! It's times like these that we should really take time out of our days to take a step back, take a deep breath, and realize what really matters.

So while you're out and about trying to find that last-minute perfect gift and that car in front of you takes the last parking spot or when you are frantically trying to mail out all your Christmas cards in time and show up to the post office drop off box just to see millions of other cards overflowing out the top...here are a few things to keep in mind!

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your loved-ones and friends will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. "Agree to disagree".
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a "secret", you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take "no"for an answer.
20. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
21. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
22. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
23. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
24. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In five years,will this matter?".
25. Always choose life.
26. Forgive everyone everything.
27. What other people think of you is none of your business.
28. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
39. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
30. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
31. Believe in miracles.
32. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
33. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
34. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
35. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
36. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
37. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
38. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
39. The best is yet to come.
40. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
41. Yield.
42. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Always take time to stop and smell the roses!

Hope everyone has a joyful and relaxing Christmas!

Wordless Wednesday

*Kimball, SD- December 2005

Peace, Love & Joy

All three words pretty much sum up this past weekend!

We were in Dallas to help host a Couples Shower for this lovely couple!

We had such a great time visiting with all the friends we don't get to see very often! Thankfully Dallas got the rain out of its system just in time for the party.

Here are a few pictures from Saturday night's festivities!

The backyard ready for all the guests
Sign-in table with a few pictures you may recognize!

The drink table including the specialty mix drink made in honor of the couple.

The drink was called "Dulce Hajime"

Dulce is the Spanish word meaning "sweet" and Hajime (はじめ?) is the Japanese word meaning "beginning."

Yummy food! All the pasta dishes were a big hit!

The sweet couple enjoying a few sweets!

Present Time!

The two heaters in the backyard were a big hit too!

K & M

D #1 & D #2

Matron of Honor, Maid of Honor & the Bride-to-be!

All the Bridesmaids...

Such a fun night!!

Congrats again M & D!!