Time

This past weekend Chad and I were off together and had no plans, no commitments, no worries...just us :) Thanks to cedar setting a record high, the city of Austin quickly transformed into one itchy, stuffed up nose. No stopping us! We had a whole weekend to get out and enjoy our city!

Country Strong came out and we caught the matinee on Friday. We both agreed it's been the best country movie to premiere since Pure Country...cast no judgement on George's acting skills...he makes up for it with his serenade of "I Cross My Heart" in the final scene :) Anyhow, Country Strong was filled with great music, decent actors and a nice message of love. We also decided our "first dance" song would be "Give Into Me" ...you know...when we have our second marriage to one another ha! We love it.

Every time we are downtown we say, "sometime we need to try that Texas Chili Parlor place on Lavaca," and so we did just that! I had the sampler and got to choose three different chilis. Started it off with their White Chili and moved onto Black Bean & Elgin Sausage Chili (Dee-lish) and last, (but certainly not our last visit) was the Original Mild Chili. It was a down home delight! We walked around a bit and then headed for some skillet apple pie at Moonshine Grill. Again, another home run for the evening!

I grew up going to garage sales with my grandpa, or as I like to reference it, garage "sailing." I continued to go throughout college and still do like to catch the occasional sale on my day off. Several times a year, Austin holds a City Wide Garage Sale downtown, so we woke up (slept in) and went "sailing!" Although I did not find the perfect antique TV stand with Hulk-like abilities to sustain our new 60 inch, we still didn't come home empty handed! I found Chad a Houston Oilers glass while he found me an Empire State Building figurine dated 1974 with a special message written on the box, "From Daddy, on his trip to New York." I Love it! We also snatched up some Superman comics to frame for the office and of course a couple of iron nic-nacs for myself, a Fleur De Lei and Flying Pig! With all that excitement a nap was certainly called for. That evening we met Robert for salads and wings at Fowler's, called it a night to go home and watch The Last Exorcism...awful...and Catfish...interesting.

Sunday was our "do nothing" day.

Now that the week has started, it's back to preparing for our annual inventory at the store and Chad is back to "babysitting." We are off Thursday and thinking the midnight showing of The Dilemma is necessary.

I've got an angry little pig begging me to go to bed. Goodnight. Sleeptight.

E & W

Lately...

OK, ok...so I've been a bit of a slacker, I'll admit. I will also be the first to say, "I can't stand when writers start a blog and don't continue!" I promise to be more diligent...

Now that I got that out of the way I'm going to attempt briefing you while playing tug-o-war with Winston and typing with the other hand. I don't know where to start, but I can be honest and tell you that had you asked me a year ago where I'd be in life at this very moment...it definitely would not have be an image of me sitting in our house, typing on our computer, in our office, while skimming the Internet for that perfect vintage piece to complete the living room feng shui. Though it seems, that is just the picture we have been blessed to paint.

When we first realized a house was possible, we couldn't believe it.

When we "signed our lives away," we really had to blink twice.

Now that we're here, we love it! HGTV (Mom and Terri) practically swooped in and had the place in tip-top shape within days. Now, we are adding things here and there. I think my favorite room is the guest bedroom, which Chad likes to call, "Meme's Room." It's very nostalgic, complete with my grandfather's Bear Bryant hat, a reconditioned photo of him and my Meme hanging on the wall and an "antique" bed frame that was my mother's when she was a teenager. It also has a porch balcony that just makes the room a treasure! Life seems very content and it's nice to have something to "own" and literally, a foundation to build onto.

The other major change we've made is Chad's schedule being shifted to graveyards. I'm such the night owl anyhow (great use of time to blog), but it has been an adjustment. He leaves for work at 4:30 pm and arrives home the next morning at 7:00 am. We both know it won't last forever and we just make the most of our days off. It also helps that I make my own work schedule :) so we, of course, have more days off together.

Our big goal this year is to travel to our favorite city, New York, in the fall. Originally, we had set plans to go last October, but we kind of bought a house and decided it took dibs. However, this year we want to go with a couple friend of ours, whom we love, Heather and Jeff! An exciting year ahead, most definitely. The holidays were wonderful here in Austin and then mom came up to visit for my birthday, which has become a growing tradition she and I both look forward to each year! These next few months capture Valentine's, Chad's Birthday, Houston Rodeo our 2nd Wedding Anniversary and a dear friend's wedding.

Oh yeah, Winston is just fine...as I'm sure you were worried :)

I WILL post pictures of the house soon!

E&W