Three Wishes

Texas Sunset

2012-02-06T13:38:00.002-06:00

Kitty

2012-01-13T18:12:00.000-06:00

a little of our Christmas

2012-01-01T12:46:00.000-06:00

my sister and brother in law joined us for Christmas this year

they helped me cook a full meal

while Kitty and Brad watched football

it was a very fun day and a nice Christmas!!

52/52 Project

2011-12-30T11:49:00.000-06:00

my last post for my 52 Week Project of 2011

Kitty

19 years old

face turned toward the sun, sound asleep, soaking up the sun

guest rooms

2011-12-24T09:13:00.000-06:00

we've pretty much completed our guest rooms so I wanted to show you how they turned out once we finished them.

I'm still working on the bookshelves in the room with the daybed because they aren't quite right and I need to tweak some things in the other guest room.....

but other than that they are ready for guests!

I apologize for the lighting in these photos. It looks awful. I need to learn how to adjust that on my camera as well it seems. If anyone knows how to fix that or can tell me what I did wrong to make everything so yellow looking can you let me know?? Thank you!

all these things to do and learn........

51/52 Project

2011-12-23T08:56:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas to us here in Frisco!!

cheapest it's been in awhile

a best friend visit

2011-12-21T16:08:00.000-06:00

one of my very best friends flew out to see me Saturday and I was SO happy to see her!!

I love that she came out here to spend some time with me.

Brooke and I have been friends for over 30 years now and even though we talk almost every day on the phone it's not the same as having her there in person.

We did lots of shopping and taking in the sights so we didn't have much time for photos but I did catch this one of her above when we did the obligatory JFK/Dealey Plaza tour.

She got one of me too

it was only fair!

HAD to take this one at dinner one night

you just can't pass up a picture with a stuffed bear at a restaurant

La Hacienda Ranch is one bizarre restaurant!!

We also took her on the JCPenney Corporate tour and it was all dressed up and looking pretty for Christmas

it was a FUN visit and I'm so glad I got to see her....

Thank you for coming out to see me Brooke.... I really had a lot of fun showing you my world out here in Texas!!

49/52 Project

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

looks a lot like Christmas at our house now

family "stuff"

2011-12-11T11:46:00.000-06:00

I flew back home to California for a quick 72 hour trip on the 2nd and I mean a quick trip.

Those 3 days flew by!

I wanted to come home to help out a family member who needed some support. It did me good and I'm hoping it did them some good too!

While I was there I saw......

my mom and step dad

I saw my dad

and my grandma too

this is a 4 generation picture

I love it

spent time with my cousins

and of course little miss Jaylin

saw my aunt and Norm as well

and even got to drive through Christmas Tree Lane

a long standing childhood Christmas tradition of mine

I'm happy to got to see everyone... I had missed them all so much!

Deegan

2011-12-10T11:10:00.000-06:00

I just barely missed seeing my cousin Jason's son being born

3 days earlier and I could have been there waiting at the hospital with everyone for the newest member of our family to arrive......

but my cousin Tiffany kept me up to date with what was going on so I felt like I was there....

and the photos she sent when he arrived last night were precious!

Deegan Edward Hogan

Jason and his son

tired momma with her new baby

new daddy, Nana, and Auntie

48/52 Project

2011-12-09T11:05:00.000-06:00

quick trip

47/52 Project

2011-12-02T08:00:00.002-06:00

Corona

buying horses

2011-11-30T14:20:00.000-06:00

My sister in law Jamie and her mom Carrie were in town for the fastest business trip ever... a little over 24 hours....

the flew in to tour a few farms here and check out Dallas horse stock &

see if they found any they just had to have.

I learned a lot about the process of buying a horse and just about horses in general.

It was fun to take photos, have Carrie teach me some tricks of the trade, and watch Jamie ride.

They were looking at babies.....

and adults......

for Jamie's business.....

and I can't wait to see which horses they end up having shipped out to them

these two couldn't stop jostling each other for their perfect cover model shot

the end of a looong day of riding for Jamie

Cowboys Stadium

2011-11-27T10:40:00.000-06:00

Brad and I went with our friends Diane and Russell to Cowboys Stadium last night to watch the Texas Tech/Baylor college game they played there.

It was seriously SO much fun!! Diane and Russell crack us up.... they are truly cool people... we laughed and joked around all night.

The Stadium is amazing! Gigantic and pristine.... such a cool experience

(not to mention we had GREAT seats.... thanks Russell!!)

I'm so happy to have met the two of them.... they really are good friends! I haven't laughed for hours and hours like that in a long time.

Good times!

46/52 Project

2011-11-25T09:50:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving Day at our friends' house

watching the game in their media room after dinner

..... test run ......

2011-11-24T09:47:00.000-06:00

I am so grateful that Diane lets me practice my photography with her family.

I learn by doing and so these little photo shoots with her family really help me to figure out my camera and also build confidence in myself and my photography.

With my friends and family pushing me on I have decided I'm going to find a class or workshop around here so I can really know what I'm doing.

~~ Instead of just winging it like I do now ~~

Yesterday I went out with Diane's family to give their Christmas card photo shoot a dry run and here are some of my fave shots......

Kinley helping me test the lighting with Sadie

Colson

Bailey

Sisters

So cute with the hats!

Father/Daughter moment

The Marlow's

Kinley

Mother/Son moment

Bailey

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

45/52 Week Project

2011-11-19T10:53:00.002-06:00

Fall

Diane's Kids

2011-11-15T11:01:00.000-06:00

I had so much fun with Diane and her 3 kids at the Arboretum!

They are always willing models for my impromptu photo shoots and just fun to hang out with....

easygoing, funny, and sweet people.

Kinley, Bailey, and Colson

Bailey picking flowers

Kinley

Diane and her kids in the Fairy Godmother's Coach

Kinley and I

Colson watching the fish swim in the cold

Bailey

Dallas Arboretum in the Fall

2011-11-12T09:46:00.000-06:00

my friend Diane and I took her kids to the Arboretum the other day and although it was a rare freezing cold day here in Dallas we had a great time!

~~some of my favorite scenery shots~~

the Arboretum is dressed for Fall with 50,000 pumpkins and other gourds right now

even our trees are starting to finally believe it's Fall

I loved the chrysanthemums

these little flowers were so cute

crepe myrtle pathway

an enchanting walkway

44/52 Week Project

2011-11-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

waiting to burst forth

43/52 Week

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Bailey, Kinley, & Colson

Halloween 2011

(my friend Diane's kids)

surprise gift

2011-11-03T10:19:00.000-05:00

I met Jill back in 1994

while working at a car dealership she worked at too

right away we became fast friends
and she's been one of my best friends for a LONG time.

we've never lost touch with each other in all of these years and even though our lives are busy and much different than how they used to be in 1994

we always find time for each other

a package arrived on my doorstep from Jill this week and in it were the two cutest gifts ever!

she had collected recipes from my family and friends

as many as she could.....

and put them together in a fun binder for me!

stuffed FULL of recipes from people I love

she also sent this apron that she decorated for me

how seriously cute is THAT?!

I love it!!

thank you so much Jill

I really appreciated you doing this for me!!

and thank you as well to everyone who contributed their favorite recipes

I really got some good ones!

2011-10-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

I am so addicted to this website

it seems confusing at first but really, once you get started, it's FUN!

I'm a visual person so I love that I can put the things I see online in a spot where I can look at them again and again

new hairstyles?

I put them here

dream homes?

those go here

houses I could "stand" to live in?

they have a place too right here

Do any of you Pinterest?

If you need an invite let me know....

you can even learn how to do your hair and makeup on this thing (here's that board)

I'm obsessed.

42 of the 52 Week Project

2011-10-28T17:01:00.000-05:00

sunrise

camera fun

2011-10-22T09:41:00.000-05:00

My friend Diane and I took her son Colson to Frisco Heritage Park the other day and I got to do a little photo shoot of the two of them! It's not often that I get the chance to take pictures of people (other than Brad) and so this was a fun day for me. I was able to play with different settings on my camera and learn more about the things I want to do with it. We have another photo adventure planned that's coming up soon and I can't wait for that. Until then, here are some of my favorite shots from that day with her and Colson.........

Week 41 of the 52 Week Project

2011-10-20T16:33:00.000-05:00

Kitty

a Florida sunset

2011-10-18T10:41:00.000-05:00

florida

2011-10-15T10:05:00.002-05:00

while in Florida we took lots of walks on the beach

and while the Gulf of Mexico can't compare for me to the Pacific Ocean

it was still nice (and warm! 85 degrees...can't beat that....)

what I love the most is the pure white sand

and the palm trees

they look different in Florida compared to California palm trees

more fuzzy

Brad enjoying the sunset

me on a walk on our last night there

39 & 40 of the 52 Week Project

2011-10-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

Kitty

train tracks

Clearwater Beach, FL

2011-10-13T11:50:00.001-05:00

Brad and I flew to Florida

to stay at the Sandpearl Resort in Clearwater Beach

for our honeymoon

it was our second time at the resort and it was still just as beautiful as we remembered

........ Lots of .......

pool time

beach time

and getting ready for dinners out on the patios of restaurants in the area

we had a very nice time!

(I'll post scenic and dolphin shots in my next post)

spontaneity

2011-10-03T16:45:00.000-05:00

Brad and I sorta kinda eloped in a way on Sept 23rd

I got ready at The Style House

Brad met me there

the ladies at my salon brought cupcakes & champagne

for all of us.... they really made me feel special that day....

after that Haley took some photos of us near the salon

(click here for a sneak peek of those)

http://haleybphotography.com/blog/?p=1422

and then Brad and I took off for the courthouse

for a perfect 5 minute ceremony

a quick courthouse wedding with Judge DePiazza

and dinner out at a fancy restaurant

Perfect Wedding Day!!

our neighbor snapped these of us before dinner

38/52 Project

2011-10-01T09:54:00.000-05:00

sunset in Clearwater Beach, Florida

Cherry Hill Farm (37/52 Project)

2011-09-25T09:31:00.000-05:00

While I was visiting my family last month I took a walk out the front door and down a hill from the house to my sister in law's place of business......

Cherry Hill Farm

I looked around with her and my nephew and took pictures and I wanted to share them for my 52 Week Project this week.

She has done quite a lot to build up her business and it's looking fantastic!! The horses are happy and gorgeous and the arenas and barns are all in tip top shape. She works hard every day in this new career venture in her life and she's doing a damn good job!

sunrise

2011-09-20T07:00:00.001-05:00

barely coming up

on it's way

Good Morning Sun!

sunset storm

2011-09-18T19:52:00.000-05:00

the thunderstorm rolling over the front yard

while the sun was setting

in the back yard

created blood red magic tonight

36/52 Project

2011-09-16T08:00:00.001-05:00

on the prowl

my people

2011-09-10T10:59:00.000-05:00

I've got favorite people...

people who "get me"

and that have helped make me who I am today.

Here are three of my extra special favorites

taken when I was in San Diego last month

I love these people..... I wouldn't be where I am today in life without them

my brother is one of my very best friends

we have always been thisclose

and I love that

we've always taken care of each other through all of our ups and downs in our lives

I trust him completely and I know he will never let me down....

he's a very important person in my life

my sister in law is one special special person

we knew each other before she married my brother and she's always been amazing and cool

she's smart, funny, adventurous and the best part about her?

she totally gets my brother and I... she's always fit right in with us.... there's never been awkward times or jealousy with the 3 of us.....

she's been perfect in that respect.

she's stepped up to help me many times in all these years without ever having to be asked

and for that I'll be eternally grateful to her.

She was the perfect person for my brother...

he picked a good one!!

and then there's my nephew

my oh so cool nephew

my goofy, silly nephew

my growing up too fast nephew

my forever cutiekid

he's the perfect mixture of my brother, my sister in law, and even me.....

he and I have always had a special bond that I think we'll have our whole lives.

At 10 years old he's got sarcasm down to a T, a vocabulary that rivals an adult vocabulary, common sense, a heart that has room for every living thing in it.....

he has always been able to be open and honest with us and he's never afraid to tell us how much he loves us.

he is one special kid that I treasure immensely

35/52 Project

2011-09-09T11:16:00.000-05:00

we've been in the 80's this week and Kitty has loved it

back to the 90-100's next week though.

my brother

2011-09-08T16:45:00.001-05:00

it really amazes me that my little brother can build a house. A whole house. Who just knows how to do that without any training or anything?? It's crazy! My skateboarding, remote control hogging, cassette tape stealing brother can build houses, fix cars, take apart computers and put them back together programmed and ready to go...... all of this with no school or training or anything. He can build fences, repair heavy machinery, do just about anything you need him to do...... and none of those are his actual "job". His 9-5 job is a beef broker.

Just amazes me.

While I was at his house this last trip I took pictures of the things he's done to improve the house they live in on the ranch.... my sister in law's great-grandparent's home.... he's slowly making improvements and doing things to make it more up to date and modern.

He took a wall of windows and made them into French doors

he built a sky light into his living room ceiling

he created this cool media mecca for my nephew in his room with the built in metal desk and metal on this wall (I love this!!)

and right now he's in the process of building a huge laundry/mudroom onto the side of the house

he's so handy to have around!

You're doing a great job Spence... I really liked everything you have done in the house..... what you and Jamie have both done....

34/52 Project

2011-09-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

my nephew Gage

california sunshine

2011-09-01T10:55:00.000-05:00

I just got back from San Diego and seeing my family

I always feel right again after time spent with my brother, sister in law, and nephew

we all just fit together nicely.

here's some California scenery for you until I can get the other pictures up

(the actual people pictures)

down by the docks

Mission Beach

me soaking up the sun

my feet were beach happy too

Coronado Beach

happy palm trees

the Hotel del Coronado

one of my fave spots

family

2011-08-31T18:37:00.000-05:00

My sister and brother in law are all settled in now... they live in an apartment about 7 minutes from my house which has been great. My sister and I have been running errands together and going out to lunch... it's been a lot of fun to have her here! My brother in law is hard at work at the Fire Academy and likes it alot. They are really enjoying it here in Texas and already have family coming in the next couple of months to visit.

Here are some pictures from my dad's visit when he drove out with my sister and brother in law to help them move here. We did some exploring and found so many historical downtowns around us... it was a lot of fun and he has more he wants to see the next time he comes back. We had to eat at Gloria's and Baker Bros (he loves those places) and I think he really liked Pei Wei too!

My dad, sister, and brother in law at Gloria's

always gotta check out the big bronze cattle drive near my house

family shots

33/52 Project

2011-08-26T09:25:00.000-05:00

looking out my brother's back door

Gage doing his reading homework

my views this morning

taken with my iphone

32/50 Project

2011-08-19T17:47:00.000-05:00

my dad and my sister in front of the old "calaboose" (jail)

Grapevine, TX

(a little history from the Red River Historian website)

Along with the courthouse, the county jail is the one building in town that was generally meant to last. Its large stone walls and iron bars made sure that those inside couldn't get out, and those on the outside wouldn't want to come in. Not every crime was conveniently perpetrated in the county seat, however. So what could a small town law enforcement officer do when he had to arrest a person for some nefarious act, but could not transport the accused until the next day?

He'd rely on the calaboose to hold those who strayed from the law. A calaboose is a free standing, one room concrete block usually situated behind the town center (and in close proximity to the sheriff's office). The word "calaboose" stems from the Spanish word for "dungeon," calabozo, but in the vernacular, they are referred to as the "hoosegow."

I found this interesting also (from the same website):

The calaboose in Kemp, Texas (about an hour and 15 minutes from where I live) has some interesting history hiding behind its brick walls. The first time Bonnie Parker accompanied Clyde Barrow on a robbery; she, Clyde, and accomplice Ralph Fults found themselves in a shoot-out from which only Clyde escaped. Captured by local police and townsmen, Bonnie and Ralph, who was injured, were locked up in the Kemp calaboose until they could be transported to Kaufman, the county seat, in the morning. Most citizens of the town peered into the calaboose to get a good look at the two bandits, who were rumored to be Pretty Boy Floyd and his moll (since no one had heard of the Barrow Gang at that time yet). Eyewitnesses recall Bonnie hissing at their prying eyes and yelling out for a doctor for poor Ralph. This was the only time Bonnie Parker ever spent in jail.

31/52 Project

2011-08-12T13:58:00.000-05:00

my dad, sister, and brother in law

at the bronze cows

Frisco, TX

~Bonus shot~

my sister and I

Gloria's Mexican Restaurant

best Mexican food we've found in Frisco so far

30/52 Project

2011-08-05T09:10:00.000-05:00

pool time this week

19 years

2011-08-01T09:45:00.000-05:00

Today is Kitty's 19th birthday

she and I have been best friends since Day 1 of her life

and over the years it's been good to know she would always be waiting at home for me

no matter where I went or how long I was gone......

(taken in 1996)

she's slower now at 19 and isn't really interested in running wild anymore

she spends her time sleeping and eating and talking.....

she does still like to talk.

she enjoys her morning walks around the backyard

and she loves to lay down on the couch between Brad and I and watch TV at night

she keeps a close eye out for rabbits each morning

here she is on rabbit watch as I sit here typing this

For now she seems to be maintaining at Stage 2 kidney failure. She hasn't had bloodwork done since May though so that may be different now. I do see a change in her each day. A very slow decline.

but she's still a really good girl

Happy Birthday Kitty!!

29/52 week project

2011-07-29T09:31:00.000-05:00

Brad and I out with friends

unfortunately, this is the only picture I have for the week and I didn't even take it

I seriously need to upgrade to an iPhone 4

this camera on the 3G is embarrassing

28/52 Project

2011-07-22T10:11:00.000-05:00

Kitty waiting to be let back inside

27/52 Project

2011-07-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

good morning sun........

taken with cell phone

edited with Instagram app

shopping

2011-07-10T09:35:00.000-05:00

Brad and I went to Crate and Barrel (one of our favorite stores) just to look. We like to walk around and gather ideas, see what's out there, check everything out....... I now need to have this couch. I love the whole room really.........

I found this too that's really cute

and Brad loved this office furniture

after all that looking I ended up getting two new striped dishtowels that are in blues and greens and cream and plant stands for our flower pots on the back patio. The plant stands are really cute but on sale so I couldn't find them online anymore to show you. Same for the dishtowels. Right now my kitchen is in burnt orange, and green, and red, and fall type colors like that. I'm switching things up in there.... I want it lighter and brighter......

what accessories do all of you change in your home frequently? For some it's bedding and others bathroom accessories..... I like to change kitchen colors and couch pillows and towels a lot.

26/52 Project

2011-07-08T09:42:00.000-05:00

i really love black and white photos

a cupcake kind of day

2011-07-03T09:02:00.001-05:00

nothing says birthday like cupcakes from The Cupcakery right?

Yesterday was my friend Diane's birthday so Friday I invited her and her 3 kids out for cupcakes to celebrate early. I really had a great time.... I don't get to be around kids very often anymore and so it was nice for me. Kids are fun! They crack me up with what they say, I love watching them trying to figure out what they're going to do next...... they are just so unexpected in how they think and it's really refreshing to be around. I had a blast and I hope they all did too!

Kinley ready to dig in

Bailey already starting

Sisters sharing

Diane and her kids....gorgeous family!

future model material

Kinley and Colson

such a sweet moment

these kids are awesome!!

25/52 Project

2011-07-01T08:25:00.001-05:00

the perfect spot for a special question

taken with my crappy cell phone camera

(i really need to upgrade to an iphone 4)

24/52 Project

2011-06-24T10:55:00.000-05:00

hibiscus from Diane's backyard

so much fun

2011-06-23T16:18:00.000-05:00

I went over to my friend Diane's house today to swim and eat lunch

(I've never tried corned beef and I did today and you know what? It's GOOD)

We talked and laughed about all kinds of stuff

I love going over there........

I decided to bring my camera on this visit and her daughter Bailey became my reluctant subject today.

She's so dang cute and I wanted to bottle some of that up in a picture and capture it forever....

she wasn't havin' it though

I surprised her with this one

Bailey and her baby brother Colson

how sweet is this moment?

finally she let me take one.

Love that smile!!

23/52 Project

2011-06-17T10:04:00.000-05:00

crepe myrtle in the front yard

house stuff

2011-06-13T14:25:00.000-05:00

we started working on putting together our other guest bedroom yesterday and this is as far as we've come. We have other plans for it but at least we got the bed in there completed. It still needs more throw pillows but this is our color scheme.

22/52 Week Project

2011-06-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

this seems so narcissistic posting this photo but it sincerely is the only picture I took this week

I decided to stop high-lighting my hair after 18 years and go back to a brunette. I wasn't quite this dark when I started bleaching my hair blonde when I was 19.... I was more a light brown in the winter/dirty blonde color in the summer shade of brown. Over the years, under all that blonde, my hair was getting darker and darker and now this shade is just a tad bit darker than my real hair color now. It took a few days to get used to it but now I like it......

sorry for the totally snobby "hey, look at me" post!!

no place like it..........

2011-06-08T10:24:00.000-05:00

it was so worth the wait. Brad thought I was crazy for taking pictures of a place we've both been eating at our whole lives but I couldn't help it. In N Out is here. in Texas.

Who in California would have ever expected THAT to happen?!

we had to wait in the parking lot next door to In N Out to go through the drive thru. We sat there with other cars and after 5 minutes they let the row of 6 stalls in front of us go through and we pulled into their spots. We waited another 5 minutes and then it was our turn.

Good system they have going so that the drive thru line doesn't clog up everything around In N Out.

ordering in line so the line moves faster

crowd eating outside at the tables

the line out the door for inside

finally up to the drive thru after 25 minutes

30 minutes from start to finish

Lunch time perfection

22/52 Project

2011-06-03T10:46:00.000-05:00

morning dew

holiday weekend

2011-05-28T08:23:00.000-05:00

Summer has arrived here in Dallas just in time for Memorial Day weekend

it's supposed to be like this all weekend which is fine by me! Kitty and I went out there this morning at about 7:30am and it was already 75 degrees with 81% humidity.

she loves summertime too!

Brad and I are planning on seeing a movie this weekend (hopefully Hangover 2) and using the BBQ every night for dinner. We're going to stay inside where it's cool but I'm sure we'll end up at the pool at some point.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend!!

What are your Memorial Day Plans?

21/52 Week Project

2011-05-27T08:33:00.000-05:00

backyard rose

outside

2011-05-20T16:40:00.000-05:00

it's storming like crazy again outside my doors right now

thunder & lightning, crazy rain

the pansy from earlier is now soaked

20/52 Project

2011-05-20T13:38:00.000-05:00

backyard pansy

Kitty

2011-05-16T17:27:00.000-05:00

I took Kitty in for full bloodwork and an exam last week which didn't go so well. Kitty refused to let them draw her blood so I had to bring her back 2 days later for them to do it again. It was awful. I hate hearing her cry and scream...... it's just no fun for either of us. Her vet said that her heart, ears, eyes, and lungs are all great but that her arthritis in her hind legs is getting worse. He recommended a supplement that I'm going to get for her to see how that makes her feel. She's been getting subcutaneous fluids still on a regular basis and those always perk her right up. She doesn't mind getting poked for those and I'm glad because they seem to make her happy. She has good days and bad days still. Days where she won't hardly eat and she hides under the bed most of the day and days where she eats all her food and wants outside to walk around all day. It just depends. Her bloodwork results came back this afternoon and I haven't seen the full report yet (I'll get them when I take her in this week for her fluids) but her vet said she's maintaining at the same levels she has been since last August. She's still at Stage 2 which is a good thing. She'll be 19 years old in 3 months and her vet is amazed at how well she looks for her age. She's not gaining or losing any weight and she still loves to be held and petted and let outside to scratch her tree.

She's a good girl.

paint

2011-05-16T16:12:00.000-05:00

Friday and Saturday we had painters here from 8am-5pm working away on touching up a lot of our trim in the house, painting doors, and the best part of all........ all the walls that needed color! We think it looks great in here and we're really happy with the results. Here are some before and afters:

Before in the laundry room

and after

the front door before

and after

we painted the inside of the front door white

the office before

and after

the last guest room to be painted - before

and after

the master bedroom before

and after

the master bathroom before

and after

19th Week-52 week Project

2011-05-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

my magnolia bush is in bloom

edited with Instagram app

spring storm

2011-05-11T14:56:00.000-05:00

there's a good 'ol thunder and lightning storm raging outside right now

it's so dark in my house I had to turn the lights on to see in here

the satellite signal is out because the rain is coming down in buckets

the thunder is shaking the roof as it crackles and booms

can't see the lightning strikes really well but I can hear the thunder roll across the sky

the winds are around 60 mph the news is telling me

but no tornadoes spotted.... not yet anyways.....

it's hot and humid out there so they said it's possible for later on today

I hate tornadoes.

thunderstorms are ok though

18th week--52 Weeks Project

2011-05-06T11:07:00.000-05:00

morning relaxin' on the couch

stormy day

2011-05-01T11:07:00.000-05:00

dark and gloomy out today

16&17/52 Project

2011-04-29T15:25:00.000-05:00

I forgot to post a picture last Friday for my challenge so here's two

i'm cheating with this one

since I didn't take it AND it's old

this is one of my favorite photos of Brad and I

June 23rd 2007 in Carmel, CA

at the beach wedding rehearsal of my good friends

Sean and Kim

and.........

the rose bushes Brad planted in the front yard are blooming nicely

Cherry Hill Farm

2011-04-26T14:57:00.001-05:00

My sister in law Jamie runs a business called Cherry Hill Farm and because she just launched her website for it designed by my friend Thauna ( whose work is shown here at Design By Thauna) I wanted to talk about it today. Jamie is someone who is magical with horses.... I guess you could call her a horse whisperer.... she loves them and they love her so what better business would there be for her to run than a horse business? She takes in horses at her barn on the ranch her and my brother have and she boards them, rehabs them, exercises them..... basically gives them rest and relaxation.... a horse's version of vacation!

To quote from her website:

"At Cherry Hill Farm, there’s no pressure. It’s quiet, with the loudest noises being children playing at a distance, dogs barking and the occasional tractor. Owner Jamie Lund ensures that the horses have exactly what they need every day to be happy and healthy. Jamie treats each horse as an individual and provides care as such, so that each horse, with its unique needs, gets everything that it requires while in her care. Horses that need a little extra help or less pressure in their lives thrive at Cherry Hill Farm. Whether a horse needs a couple of months off from the hustle and bustle of the show ring, a long-term lay-up, rehabilitation from an injury, or if it’s mares foaling out, Cherry Hill Farm has a lot to offer. Jamie works closely with her clients to provide both owner and horse with any and all their needs."

On her website here at this link what we provide it goes into detail about the services she provides and what a horse gets to do when they come up to Cherry Hill Farm. What horse wouldn't want to do all of that stuff?!

I'm really proud of her for building up this business and doing so well with it. She maintains a news feed from her website to update owners on how their horses are doing while they are boarding there and their daily activities at the barn. I've been checking it constantly for awhile now waiting for her horse Sabrina to have her baby. I couldn't wait to see a picture of the new little one! Sabrina finally had her baby (who is called Divinity) on April 16th...... it was well worth the wait!

How cute is this??

If you are in the San Diego area and need her services I highly recommend Jamie and Cherry Hill Farm. She's great at giving lessons in horseback riding and anything else you might need that's horse related. Even if you aren't in San Diego take a look at her website.... It's fun to follow along with the horse news of the day.... and I guarantee you will fall in love with the horses in the photos along with Cherry Hill Farm!

photo challenge

2011-04-22T11:14:00.001-05:00

I read a blog called lifebesprinkled and they have a once a week photo challenge that I thought I would try this week. This longhorn photo I took at the Ft. Worth Stockyards just makes me smile every time I look at it. He (or she....not sure) just looks so mean it's cute.

if you'd like to try this challenge too you can link up here

yard work

2011-04-20T13:54:00.000-05:00

My sister and brother in law were here again this weekend and I convinced them to help us out with new mulch in the front yard and planting two rosebushes. We had a good time! This trip was a laid back just hang out and do fun stuff kind of trip and it was cool to spend time with Lindsey and Eric that wasn't rushed. We saw Scream 4, hung out on the back patio, and just talked. It was nice!! They flew here again so that Eric could take his agility test for the firefighter job he's pursuing in a city near Dallas. He passed it with flying colors and now he's just waiting to hear what happens next. He's #14 on the list out of 493 people and now it's up to them on how many they want to hire. We are keeping our fingers crossed for him!

working away

Lindsey got a little messy

discussing their work

finished product

thanks for the help you two!!

15/52 Project

2011-04-15T16:46:00.000-05:00

I love this time of night

Ft. Worth

2011-04-11T12:04:00.000-05:00

Brad's mom and step dad hopped in their RV this morning and they are back on the road again (you're singing Willie Nelson now aren't you?) to California. We had a nice time with them and I'm really happy they were able to come out and see what Brad's life is like in Dallas. It's important for parents to know how their kids are... even as adults.... so I hope they enjoyed their time here. Friday we drove over to Ft. Worth to the Stockyards to show them the "cowboy" side of our area here near Dallas.

a Texas Longhorn starin' me down

the main street

an old saloon with a great history

"On February 8th, 1887, at about 8:00pm, Courtright called Luke Short out of the White Elephant. When Short walked outside, both men walked up the street one block, until they were in front of bar and brothel owner Ella Blackwell's Shooting Gallery. According to reports, few words had been spoken, and the two men moved apart facing one another. Words were passed, and evidently Courtright, who had been drinking considerably, had made some indication about Short having a gun. Short assured Courtright he was not armed, although he was, of course. Short moved slowly toward Courtright, saying that he could have a look himself, at which point he pulled open his vest. Probably mostly for the sake of bystanders and justification, Courtright said loudly "Don't you pull a gun on me." With that statement, Courtright drew his pistol, but according to reports it hung for just a second on his watch-chain, and in that second Short produced his pistol and fired one shot, which took off Courtright's thumb on his shooting hand. As Courtright attempted to shift his pistol to his other hand, Short fired four more shots in quick succession. Courtright fell backward, and died shortly thereafter."

registration desk at the Stockyards Hotel (built in 1907)

and yes, that's a guest of the hotel. It's still in business

The infamous bank robbers, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker, stayed in room 305, a suite bearing their name located on the third floor at the Main and Exchange corner of the hotel.

part of the lobby

the lobby

the saloon in the hotel

Brad and I

the Ft Worth rodeo Coliseum

14/52 Project

2011-04-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

happy flowers

Texas Rangers game

2011-04-07T12:25:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we spent the day down in Arlington watching the Texas Rangers play the Seattle Mariners. Brad and I really like seeing pro sports games so this was something we had been wanting to do since we moved here. Texas won 7-3 -- it was a great game!

We stopped outside of Dallas Cowboys stadium first to take pics

then off to Rangers Stadium

Brad tried some of the games near the entrance

the field

up in our seats finally

the game

Brad's Turn

2011-04-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

Brad's mom and step dad arrived in their RV late Friday night. They drove across California, Arizona, and New Mexico and then all of west Texas in about a week's time. They stopped here and there to stay the night and sight-see and now they are here with us for a visit. Yesterday we took them out to lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant (Mi Chula's) and then over to Brad's work for the grand tour. We had to get home in time to see the Final Four NCAA games and while Bert and Brad were watching those Margaret and I drove over to Lowe's and came back with a BBQ! I've been wanting one for awhile now and so she got us that as a housewarming gift. I can't wait to try it out tonight!!

Good ol JCPenney's Corporate

Brad giving the tour

outside with his mom

Brad and I

the new BBQ!!

Texas Bluebonnets

2011-04-03T09:14:00.000-05:00

these are blooming everywhere right now.... SOOO pretty!!

13/52 Project

2011-04-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

tulips for the house

tonight

2011-03-31T20:13:00.000-05:00

it looks pretty pretty out there.......

quick trip

2011-03-31T13:23:00.000-05:00

My sister Lindsey and my brother in law Eric flew in for a quick trip with a specific purpose in mind...... Eric tested for a city firefighter job here! If he gets the job they'll be moving here which would be super cool in my book...... it would be nice to have family nearby. We took Eric around town a bit, showed him Brad's work, had dinners at Lochrann's Irish Pub and Kobe and Palio's, lunches at Rudy's and Sonny Bryan's BBQ joints, and of course we did the JFK tour. No trip to Dallas is complete without that. We had a good time! Next time though... we gotta hit the horse races..... and maybe a visit to Six Flags!

Lunch downtown

Looking up Elm St.

at the JFK memorial

on the grassy knoll

The USS Midway

2011-03-28T15:01:00.000-05:00

This aircraft carrier has been retired and is now docked in San Diego Bay

I'll let the pictures tell the story

inside a pilot briefing room

trying out the ejection seats

side of the carrier

about to "take off" in the flight simulator

cool older plane on the flight deck

boys and their guns

inside a helicopter

Spencer telling Gage what it was like when he flew in those helicopters

the flight deck

San Diego Bay

Lots of sailboats out that day on the water

Coronado Bridge heading over to Coronado Island

the back lake

2011-03-25T11:29:00.000-05:00

My brother and I took my nephew out to the back lake on their ranch to drive around and check stuff out..... shoot guns...... you know, boy stuff. I like to do boy stuff. I miss doing those things with my brother.....running around and getting in trouble..... fun times! The ranch they live on is gorgeous in March. Everything is turning green.... the turkeys are running wild like they own the place..... the roads are rutted and muddy so we can do a little 4-wheelin'...... it was great!

passing Jamie's horse arenas on our way out

Look closely.. can you see the wild turkeys?

The back lake

giving me his best "ready to shoot targets cause I'm a boy" look

getting tips from his dad

Hangin' out

12/52 Project

2011-03-25T11:06:00.000-05:00

on Sunday we planted a double knockout rosebush

today there was an open bloom finally

glad it survived the planting and is doing well

10 years

2011-03-23T17:22:00.000-05:00

The reason why I always go to San Diego in March is because my birthday is March 2nd and my nephew's birthday is March 12th and we celebrate our days together. I've only missed one birthday in the 10 years since he's been born.....I think. Jamie and I figured this out one time...... we think it's only been once and that's because I was still within driving distance to San Diego but the mountain pass I had to cross was closed for snow that year. So I missed that year. I've been every other year though and the trip has kinda morphed into "what do Holli and Gage want to do this year for their birthdays?" kind of trips. Gage is always very good about picking things to do and places to see that I'm capable of doing.... he's a good kid like that. Always lookin' out for Aunt Holli! This year we decided to tour the USS Midway that's docked in San Diego but I'll leave that for a post all unto itself. It was a fun thing to do. Instead.... today I'm posting about Gage and his 10th birthday.

Seems like only yesterday he was talking on my cell phone.....

or riding in the backseat with me in Grandma Marilyn's convertible

and now he's 10 years old. Wow! Time flies....

we went to TGI Friday's for his birthday lunch and we had them sing to him

he invited a friend of his from school to share his birthday trip

Gage and I

I like this picture of my brother and I so I'm sharing it with you :)

So glad Jamie and Spencer let me be such a big part of Gage's life...

thank you to you both!!

I had so much fun Gage! Great birthday celebration huh?

work

2011-03-22T16:28:00.000-05:00

The second part of my beach day was spent watching my sister in law work. She's one of those lucky ones that gets to do what she loves to do every day and call it "work"....... wouldn't that be fun if everyone could do that? Jamie teaches people how to ride horses in every aspect of the words "ride horses." She teaches them how to ride properly, jump over things, and how to care for the horses they own. I know what she does probably has "real" terms but that's my non-horsey way of describing her job. Her love of horses and of helping people really shines through when she's out in that arena and I was proud of her and what she does for the kids she teaches. She's awesome at her job and I really learned a lot about it while I was there.....

Jamie doing her thing....

this explains what she teaches!

how cool is this barn cat??

the beach

2011-03-21T15:41:00.000-05:00

The first thing I did when I got to San Diego was head to In N Out with my brother and nephew. I'd been dying for it.......so with craving number one out of the way it was time for the next craving.... the beach!

The next day I headed down to work with my sister in law Jamie. She didn't have to work until the afternoon and had reserved the morning for my beach time. I was thrilled---thanks Jamie, for taking me down there---it meant so much!!

I'm definitely a lover of all things ocean related. Dolphins jumping around, sand between my toes, the ocean air smell, the warm breeze...... I even like checking out seaweed piles that drift onshore. I've missed living within driving distance of the beach and it's weird when I go a year without seeing it. That never happens when you live in California. There are always beach trips planned....especially when you only live an hour or so away from it like I used to do....... so when I visit my family in San Diego I like to have some time there.

Tamarack Beach in Carlsbad, CA

other people enjoying Thursday morning beach time too

the surfers are always out no matter what day

the wildflowers are in full bloom in Southern CA right now

sorry.... back to the ocean.

by now, I know you must want to make a beach trip like tomorrow right??

always love to see palm trees.

its weird to me to live in places now where they aren't everywhere in the landscape

this bird was following us I think

one last look......

11/52 Project

2011-03-18T09:25:00.000-05:00

Spring has arrived here in Dallas

love love love...........

2011-03-16T11:30:00.000-05:00

the ocean.

i definitely miss it.

(A little preview of my San Diego trip... I'll post more later....)

10/52 Project

2011-03-11T20:22:00.000-06:00

Gage at kung-fu class

weekend project

2011-03-06T16:13:00.000-06:00

a new headboard for the guest room

just in time for my sister and brother in law's visit

at the end of the month

9/52 Project

2011-03-04T10:35:00.000-06:00

taken with my cell phone one afternoon this week

edited using the Instagram App

winnings

2011-03-01T18:01:00.000-06:00

I've been entering giveaways like crazy on the blogs I follow and once again my efforts paid off. I won Laura Trevey's giveaway on her blog Bright Bold Beautiful and I got to shop on CSN's website again... this time with $70!! I couldn't believe it........ I was thrilled! Today I made my purchase and it's something I've been wanting for awhile now. I travel back and forth to California quite a bit every year and my suitcase shows it. It has a broken wheel, a partly broken zipper, and it's just all around nasty looking. I told Brad on my last trip out to California that I was done with it.... I needed a new suitcase. So today I picked out the brightest one I could find on CSN's website because I want to make sure I can spot my suitcase on that suitcase carousel a mile away............

isn't it great?!

it should be here just in time for my next trip too......

house changes

2011-02-28T10:10:00.000-06:00

Brad has really been doing a lot of stuff around our house on the weekends..... I think the warm weather has put him in Spring cleaning mode. He's been washing windows and screens, patching nail holes, and sprucing everything up in here. This weekend he did a little light installation and along with new fixtures in our bathroom and the laundry room he hung up these............

he replaced this builder installed fan in our office

with this new and more modern fan

and this entry way lantern type hanging thing that all the builders install

was removed to put this up in it's place

(sorry for my poor lighting picture)

I was happy with the results! I think painting is next on the list..... I can't wait to lighten up those blue office walls.....

Joss & Main

2011-02-25T10:58:00.000-06:00

When we built the house in Ohio Brad and I got to pick out every single detail in the house at a design center for the builder. I didn't think it would be easy or that I would be able to envision any of it in a house but once we got there and started picking paint colors and carpet and granite countertops I found that I really really loved doing it. It was so much fun to see everything we chose come together perfectly. Now that we're in a house here in Texas that was built in 2001 we're doing a different kind of picking stuff out and instead of light fixtures it's wall art and furniture and pillows that we're having to find. I love doing this part of it all too and so when I found the Joss & Main website I was so excited! Each day I receive in my email the hot deal of the day in housewares or home decor and I'm able to get in on a really good price for something that I've been wanting but didn't think I could afford.

Joss & Main is an exclusive private sale site that CSN Stores recently launched. I found out about it through the representative that helps me with my CSN Stores giveaways and I decided to try it out. I really think it's cool so I wanted to share it with all of you. It offers exclusive sales on top brands and designers for the home at up to 70% off retail. The sales only last 72 hours but new ones are launched daily and all are backed by CSN's customer service and quality.

If you would like to join here is my personal invitation to you:

http://www.jossandmain.com/store/myinvite/9R0

It's completely free to join and if you love quality home decor it's perfect for you!

8/52 Project

2011-02-25T08:50:00.000-06:00

Kitty eating lunch in one of her favorite spots

Winner!

2011-02-21T15:41:00.000-06:00

the names went into the bowl

I mixed them up really really well

and out came this..........

My momma won! I swear it wasn't rigged....

(Mom, I'll email you the information on the gift certificate as soon as I have it.)

Three Wishes

Texas Sunset

Kitty

a little of our Christmas

52/52 Project

guest rooms

51/52 Project

a best friend visit

49/52 Project

family "stuff"

Deegan

48/52 Project

47/52 Project

buying horses

Cowboys Stadium

46/52 Project

..... test run ......

45/52 Week Project

Diane's Kids

Dallas Arboretum in the Fall

44/52 Week Project

43/52 Week

surprise gift

pinterest

42 of the 52 Week Project

camera fun

Week 41 of the 52 Week Project

a Florida sunset

florida

39 & 40 of the 52 Week Project

Clearwater Beach, FL

spontaneity

38/52 Project

Cherry Hill Farm (37/52 Project)

sunrise

sunset storm

36/52 Project

my people

35/52 Project

my brother

34/52 Project

california sunshine

family

33/52 Project

32/50 Project

31/52 Project

30/52 Project

19 years

29/52 week project

28/52 Project

27/52 Project

shopping

26/52 Project

a cupcake kind of day

25/52 Project

24/52 Project

so much fun

23/52 Project

house stuff

22/52 Week Project

no place like it..........

22/52 Project

holiday weekend

21/52 Week Project

outside

20/52 Project

Kitty

paint

19th Week-52 week Project

spring storm

18th week--52 Weeks Project

stormy day

16&17/52 Project

Cherry Hill Farm

photo challenge

yard work

15/52 Project

Ft. Worth

14/52 Project

Texas Rangers game