Turning 21...again and again!

We recently celebrated my birthday. This year, I turned 21...again! (Don't ask how many times I have turned 21. That really is none of your business!) The day started with presents. For as long as I can remember my birthday presents have always gone under the Christmas tree. It is like Christmas all over again, except all the focus is on me! This year, Husband scored major points with the presents. He got me an authentic Russian Nesting Doll! I have always wanted one and must have mentioned this to him once upon a time, and for some reason, he remembered! We have a friend who went to Russia this summer and Husband arranged for her to purchase a doll, and ship it to him. So, he has had this present in the works since August! I was so excited when I opened the doll! I love it! I even named it Ella in honour of my friend who picked it out.

Little did I know that this box held my beautiful nesting dolls!

My dolls!

Usually I go to a movie on my birthday, but this year there wasn't anything that I wanted to see. Yes I know that Avatar is really, really good, but there is no way I could sit through a movie that is over 3 hours long without peeing my pants! Instead of a movie, we decided to visit a town nearby called Gruene (It's pronounced Green, in case you were wondering). Gruene is a little town with cute shops and great restaurants. We at lunch at an old gristmill. The weather was so nice that we were able to enjoy our meal outside while overlooking the Guadalupe River.

The Guadalupe River

Gruene water tower

This cat wandered from table to table looking for food.

The view from our table

Happy birthday to me!

Christmas 2009

We hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! Husband and I had a great Christmas. We started our celebration on Christmas Eve making pizzas. Then we went to look at Christmas lights. After getting lost, and spending almost an hour trying to figure out how to get back to a main road (note to self: Never go looking at Christmas light without taking the GPS!), we got some sleep so Santa could come. Christmas day was full of presents, stockings (I finally found husband's stocking stuffers!), food and spending time together. A nice quiet Christmas with just the two of us. That's the way we like it. (Although an inch or two of snow would have been nice too.)

Husband is getting pretty good at making the pizza dough.

Look at those Army Strong hands kneading that dough into submission!

Yummy pizza!

No need for smaller pieces here...just eat the thing whole!

One of presents, wrapped by Husband. Does this remind anyone else of a sweater from the 1980s?

Everyone wants a hippopotamus for Christmas! Husband got four!



I really need to remember to put lipstick on before pictures! Sheesh!


Our Christmas dinner. Yes it is just for the two of us. And yes, I do need serving dishes! Stop judging me!

One Solitary Life

A few years ago, I attended the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The show was fun to watch. How those women are able to kick so high is beyond me! At the end of the show, they had a manger scene, and then a voice read a poem. A person sitting near me incredulously stated "What does Jesus have to do with Christmas?" I was shocked. I wish I knew who said it and I wish that I would have had the courage to tell her what Jesus had to do with Christmas. What does Jesus have to do with Christmas? Ummm...how about everything? Without the birth of Jesus Christ, there would have been no death of Jesus Christ. Without His death, there would be no way for us to be forgiven for our sins. If we can't be forgiven for our sins, we cannot return to the presence of our Father in Heaven. Jesus is the Christ, the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind. It is through His sacrifice that we are made clean so that we can stand spotless before God and enter into his presence. Not only does Jesus have everything to do with Christmas, He has everything to do with our daily life. Instead of just keeping Christ in Christmas, let's keep Christ in life.

Here is the poem that was read that day:

One Solitary Life
(by Dr. Jame Allan Francis, the date on the poem says 1926)

He was born in an obscure village
The child of a peasant woman
He grew up in another obscure village
Where he worked in a carpenter shop
Until he was thirty

He never wrote a book
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never visited a big city
He never travelled more than two hundred miles
From the place where he was born
He did none of the things
Usually associated with greatness
He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty three
His friends ran away
One of them denied him
He was turned over to his enemies
And went through the mockery of a trial
He was nailed to a cross between two thieves
While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing
The only property he had on earth

When he was dead
He was laid in a borrowed grave
Through the pity of a friend

Nineteen centuries have come and gone
And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race
And the leader of mankind's progress
All the armies that have ever marched
All the navies that have ever sailed
All the parliaments that have ever sat
All the kings that ever reigned put together
Have not affected the life of mankind on earth
As powerfully as that one solitary life

Sometimes I am too smart

I have just spent over an hour searching the house for Husband's stocking stuffers. I bought them last week, and hid them somewhere until I had time to wrap them. I had to hide them in a good spot because Husband is what I call a "seeker and a shaker". He's like a kid when it comes to presents. I pride myself on finding good hiding places, but this time I have out done myself. I hid the stocking stuffers so well that I can't even find them! I know I can go out and buy more stuff so he doesn't have an empty stocking on Christmas, so an empty stocking isn't my main concern. My main concern is the chocolate that is now hidden somewhere in my apartment, just waiting for all sorts of creepy creatures to consume it! If I can't find everything by tonight, I think I will send Husband on a search mission. I don't think he will mind.

Christmas tree of memories

Husband and I put up the Christmas tree last night. We got the tree in July from someone who was giving it away on freecycle. Last night was the first time we had opened the box. I was a bit worried that the tree would look horrible, but to my surprise, it wasn't that bad. For the price we paid, I am happy with our tree. After all, you can't beat getting something for free!

As you can see, I still need a star or something to put on the top. I spent hours last year looking for one, and this year has been no different. I just can't seem to find something that is satisfactory.

Decorating the tree is like taking a walk down memory lane. Over the past few years, I have collected ornaments from various places I have travelled to. As I unwrap each ornament, the memories of that place wash over me. I think of the people I was with and the things we did there. Here are just a few of the ornaments and the memories behind them. This tradition started on my first visit to New York City. It was New Year's Eve, so all the shops still had Christmas stuff up. (Just a side note, I do NOT recommend NYC on New Year's Eve! It is so not worth it. Stay home, nice and warm with a bathroom nearby and watch the ball drop on your TV.) I bought this Statue of Liberty ornament to remember the day. Every time I pull it out, I not only think of that New Year's Eve, but I also think of the proceeding trips to NYC. Until I lived just outside the city, I only went once or twice a year. I would always go at Christmastime. There is something special about Christmas in NYC: seeing the tree in Rockefeller Center, the Macy's window displays, watching the Rockettes Christmas show, seeing people dragging Christmas trees down the busy sidewalks, eating roasted nuts from a street vendor. All the sights, sounds and smells of New York City come back to me as I place the Statue of Liberty on my tree.

A couple of years ago, when Husband and I were dating we wanted to go hiking in the Adirondacks. Due to poor planning on our part, we never did find an good hiking trail. Rather than turn around and head home, we decided to drive up to Lake Placid. What a great idea that turned out to be. The town was home to the 1980 Winter Olympics, and even in the summer it feels like a skiing town. We spent the day wandering the streets, popping in and out of shops, and visiting the various Olympic event sites (right in front of the high school is the speeding skating track!). This spontaneous trip to Lake Placid is one of our favourite memories, and we reference it all the time. Who knew that poor planning could end with such a great day?


Perhaps my favourite place to visit in Boston is the Habour right next to the Aquarium. I could sit for hours at the Harbour and watch the ships as I listen to the water. Anytime anyone came to visit me, I would make sure I took them to the Harbour. This ornament brings back more than memories of the Harbour, though. It reminds me of my years spent in Massachusetts. It reminds me of the trees, the ocean, the beach, the crazy drivers, and the wonderful people who I met there.

This New Hampshire outhouse ornament is one of my most cherished and favourite ornaments. It reminds me off my dear friends, The Willard's. You would be hard pressed to find better people than Alicia and Jon. They are two of the kindest, most caring people I have ever met. They would literally give you the shirts off their backs if you needed it. They are always there if you need anything, ready and willing to help. Jon's family has a small rustic cabin (complete with an outhouse) in New Hampshire. Alicia and Jon would invite me to go to the cabin a few times a year. Those weekends at the cabin were fantastic. There is no TV, no radio and very spotty cell phone reception. The weekend would be spent hiking, relaxing, shopping in the cute little towns nearby, swimming in the lake, skiing, and driving through the White Mountains. The cabin was where I found peace and solace. It was where time stopped for a couple days, where life became clear and centered again. It was wonderful to get away for a weekend, especially when life was bit stressful. I was at the cabin just a few weeks after my father died (and I might add, it was also about 5 weeks after Alicia and Jon got married. That's the type of people they are. They knew I was going through a rough time and they knew a weekend at the cabin would do me a world of good, so they invited me to go with them, even though they had been married less than 2 months!) It was at the cabin that I decided that I wanted to marry Husband. I miss the cabin more than I miss anything else about New England. That cabin was my sanctuary

When we went on our cruise last year, I wanted to find a nativity set to bring back. We searched every island we stopped at but had no luck. I was starting to give up hope. Finally, on the last day at the last island, we found one! Not only was it a nativity, but it was an ornament too! When I see this ornament I think about the cruise and about search for the nativity. Then I laugh a bit because I think of the craft market I went to here in Central Texas a couple of months ago where there was an long table full of these exact same ornaments! All that searching in the Caribbean for something that could be bought in a town just an hour down the road!

Although it wasn't always easy to find ornaments on my travels and I am missing a few (you try finding a ornament in Kentucky in July!), I love my tradition! It makes decorating the tree more fun. I am able to share stories with Husband of my life before him, and then we reminisce about the places we've been together. We laugh as we share memories then we hang those memories on our tree.

Let it snow!

This is what Central Texas snow looks like. I think I prefer this snow over the snow we got last year in New York. (By the way, this snow melted before it even hit the ground.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving [ and if any of my Canadian readers comment that it's not Thanksgiving, I will block you from this blog! :-) ]

"Ok, here's the Thanksgiving menu so far: apple pie, pumpkin pie, blueberry tart, and ice cream roll. What am I missing? Cake! We need cake!"

Debra Messing as Grace Adler on Will & Grace

The heating war

When Husband got back from Iraq last year, winter had already settled in on our corner of Northern New York. Going from the desert to the frozen tundra of the north was quite an adjustment for my strong "I've been to war twice" ranger qualified soldier. The heat in our apartment was always turned up to the high 70s and even the low 80s. As I melted away, Husband went about his business as though we were not living in a sauna (Thankfully, heat was included in our rent. I still feel bad for our landlord!). I didn't say anything though, because he had just gotten back from a 15 month deployment and we were told by the Garrison Commander to be nice to our soldiers. This year, however, is a completely different ball game. We live in Texas. The coldest temperature we have seen so far this winter has been 36F (2C). I have yet to pull out my winter jacket, or any jacket for that matter. Mittens and toques (winter hats for all you Americans!) are still packed away. I am still wearing T-shirts, although my shorts have been replaced by jeans. Once in awhile I will wear a sweater. Husband, on the other hand, acts as if we are still in New York. I have lost count of how many times he has turned the furnace on. I come home from work to our very own greenhouse effect, all courtesy of Husband. We have now established a little tradition when it comes to heating our apartment. Husband turns on heat and when he's not looking, I turn it off. He gets "cold", wonders why, looks at thermostat and turns heat back on. Then he watches me to make sure I don't turn it off. So while he sits with the heat on, I turn on a ceiling fan and wait for him to get distracted so I can turn it off again. And don't even get me started on sleeping, because I sleep practically naked and still sweat like crazy! How can anyone be this cold? It's not normal! And here's the best part, he sits around the apartment in shorts and a t-shirt most of the time. Would it kill him to put on some pants so I can turn down the heat?

A message to my local Wal-Mart

Dear local Wal-Mart,

If I can read an entire People magazine while waiting in the check-out line it's time to open up a couple of the 20 or so registers you have closed. Thank you.

Sincerely,
A girl who should have gone somewhere else to buy milk

Horoscopes never lie

This is my horoscope for today (I kid you not!):

If you broke it down, you would see why you are so popular. But you have the wisdom to leave such mysteries alone. After all, "why" isn't important. It's enough to know you are.

Popular and wise...yep. That's me. Horoscopes never lie!

What is a Veteran

As I was driving to work, I was listening to the radio. The station I was listening to did a little tribute to veterans. The DJ read something that was written by a Marine. It was very moving. The DJ could barely make it through the reading, and by the end of it, I was crying (of course). A couple hours later I was back in the car, and listening to a different station. The DJ on this station read the same thing, but he did not read it all the way to end. He stopped before the final paragraph. I was first annoyed, then angry. I don't know why he didn't read the last paragraph. It is somewhat political and maybe he didn't want to offend anyone. Maybe his copy didn't have that last paragraph (although every website I found that had it, had the last paragraph). If I had had the station's phone number I would have called them up and given that DJ a piece of my mind. Anyway. Enough with my rant. Here is what was read this morning, complete, with the last paragraph:


What is a Veteran?

Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye.

Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity.

Except in parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem.

You can't tell a vet just by looking.

He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.

She - or he - is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.

He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.

He is the Quantico drill instructor who has never seen combat - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.

He is the parade - riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.

He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.

He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.

He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.

He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.

So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.Two little words that mean a lot, "THANK YOU"."

It is the soldier, not the reporter, Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, Who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protestor to burn the flag."

Father Denis Edward O'Brien/USMC

Lest we forget

I don't want to repeat what I wrote last year, but I do feel that I need to write something today. Remembrance Day is very near and dear to my heart. For this post, I want to echo the words Pres. Obama spoke at the memorial service for the victims of the Fort Hood, Texas shooting:

"For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that's been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers. But here is what you must also know: Your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life's work is our security, and the freedom that we all too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- that is their legacy. (emphasis added)

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It's a chance to pause, and to pay tribute -- for students to learn the struggles that preceded them; for families to honor the service of parents and grandparents; for citizens to reflect upon the sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of a more perfect union. For history is filled with heroes. You may remember the stories of a grandfather who marched across Europe; an uncle who fought in Vietnam; a sister who served in the Gulf. But as we honor the many generations who have served, all of us -- every single American -- must acknowledge that this generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who've come before. "

Please take the time to think about those who have given their lives for the cause of peace. Take time to thank a veteran. Take time to pray for those still serving. May we always remember. May we never forget.

Halloween 2009

We didn't have any trick-or-treaters stop by, and we didn't dress up, but we carved pumpkins:

My pumpkin: The itsy-bisty spider



A close up of the spider (this is the good one. The other two have a missing leg or two)

Husband's monster pumpkin

Why I got married

They say you should marry someone who makes you laugh everyday. Well, I think I chose very well. Husband makes me laugh often and sometimes even lets me document his antics. He's such a good sport!

In search of Autumn

Autumn is my favourite time of year, and it is one of the main reasons I lived in New England for as long as I did. The winters there may be snowy and brutal; the springtime rainy and miserable; the summers hot and humid; but Autumn is New England's season. It can't be beat. It is what New Englanders live for. Since moving to Central Texas, I have been trying to accept the different weather patterns, but I knew that I would miss Autumn. Thankfully and fortunately, there is a State Park that for some unknown reason is full of Maple Trees. Each Autumn, the trees turn magnificent colours of red and orange. It is a very popular place to visit in October, and I was determined to see it! We made a camping reservation in July, and I counted the days until I could see the beautiful fall colours. Well, because this year has been so unusual weather-wise, the trees, which are normally ablaze with colour at this time, were still pretty green. We did get to see some pretty colours, but not as much as I was hoping for. I guess that's how it goes right? We still enjoyed being out in nature and went on a lovely hike. Maybe next year, the weather will cooperate.

I should have known the trip would not live up to my expectations when we were greeted by a tarantula as we pulled into the campground.

He's looking for the red leaves, honest. He's not a creepy stalker...

Yippee! Colour!



Look at all that green. It was a nice contrast to the trees that had turned.

Super Saturday

This past Saturday, the women of my church congregation got together and spent the morning crafting. I made a chalk/flannel board. I am pretty proud of myself. Now I need to make some pieces to go on the flannel board.

Let's talk turkey

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. Being Canadian myself, I cooked Thanksgiving dinner, even though we aren't in Canada (To all my American readers: Yes, we have Thanksgiving in Canada. No, it has nothing to do with the Pilgrims. No, we don't have a cool story about the first Thanksgiving. No, we didn't steal it from you. You didn't invent being thankful!). Because it's just the two of us, I bought a small 2 pound turkey breast. The instructions said to cook it for 2 hours. Well, 2 hours later, when I stuck my meat thermometer in to check the temperature, the gage moved backwards! Ummm...pretty sure that is not supposed to happen. So I cut into the turkey a bit; still ice cold. This presented a bit of a problem because everything else (potatoes, vegetables, stuffing, etc) was minutes away from being done! So, I cranked up the oven a bit, and found ways to keep the other dishes warm until the turkey finally decided to be done (thank goodness for multiple crockpots with a "warm" setting!). Total turkey cooking time: 3 hours, 10 minutes. Now I am no expert on cooking turkeys (my experience is limited to the one I cooked last Christmas), but I am pretty sure a 2 pound turkey breast is not supposed to take 3 hours to cook. Does that sound too long to anyone else?

Who needs Martha?

We don't have a lot of space in our apartment so I had to get creative with decorating. I had to decide what decorations to put out and what ones would have to wait another year or two to be put on display. I guess the theme is "less is more" this year (And I have to admit I am already worrying about how to decorate for Christmas!).

Some of my long-time and loyal readers (Stop laughing! A blogger can dream, can't she?) may remember that jar from my Halloween decoration post last year. After everything I had to do to secure that jar, you better believe I will be using it for many years to come.

There's no place like home

I made a short trip home last week. I don't want this to be a travel-log because those can be boring. So, instead, here's some pictures: (which I admit can also be boring, but I added my own witty comments for your entertainment!)

Oh how I miss the beautiful fields!


We attended my brother's football game (He's #50). Is there anything better than a football game on a warm autumn night?

One of the local greenhouses had a pumpkin festival. This was the largest pumpkin I have ever seen! How in the world does someone grow something this big?

With my 8 month old nephew on the big pumpkin. We took a million pictures and he wasn't looking up in any of them. He has a mind of his own, that's for sure!

Pretty, pretty pumpkins

Goose on the lake with autumn leaves behind him (or her).



A maple dipped doughnut from Tim Horton's. These are definitely the reason I gained 700 pounds in 5 days. I guess 3 or 4 doughnuts a day will do that to a girl!

My nephew, Kaleb. How cute is he? (By the way, in case you were wondering, he really enjoys cookies!)




My other nephew, enjoying his hot dog.

We like to start them young on the whole hockey thing up in the Great White North.




This kids cracks me up! I kept trying to figure out how to bring him back with me. Unfortunately his parents actually love him and wouldn't let me take him. Maybe next time...



One of the emergency vehicles waiting for our plane on the runway after our emergency landing 15 minutes after take off! There was a problem with the landing gear not retracting. Apparently that's not a good thing. I guess it is standard procedure for emergency vehicles to meet planes during emergency landings. I did not know that. They say you learn something new everyday. I would have liked it if this new piece of information came to me in a different way!

So, so close

All of my loyal readers (and I know there are hundreds of you, eagerly awaiting my new posts) may recall a post last month about the heat here in Central Texas. We were five days away from breaking a record set in the 1920s. I am sad to report that we did not get the record. We needed 70 days of over 100F temperatures. The final tally here: 68 days. I am so sad because now I cannot claim to have lived in Central Texas during the hottest summer known to man. However, I can claim to have endured the hottest summer known to me. Although fall is my favourite season, it is always with a bit of sadness that I say goodbye to summer. All that changed this year. To summer I say "Good riddance!" and I welcome fall with open arms (and a pair of jeans!).

The girl in the closet

Due to poor planning on our part, our apartment is next to a major road. Most nights this isn't a real problem. The sound of the traffic lulls us to sleep. But lately the major road has become a major problem. Because people travel this road at all hours of the day, it is next to impossible to shut down the lanes to do construction and repairs. Because the traffic is lighter at night, they work on the road at night, which they have been doing the past couple of nights. I get up at 5:30 every morning to go to work, therefore I like need to sleep, and this night construction has presented a slight problem. Last night, I had had enough. It was after midnight and I all I could hear was the constant "beep" "beep" "beep" of the construction vehicles. Husband kindly suggested I set up camp in our walk-in closet. I was willing to give it a try (I was also willing to drag my butt to a hotel, but Husband did not think that would be a practical solution). So there I was, at o'dark thirty, settling in to my temporary bed in our closet, hoping to get at least a couple of hours of sleep. Much to my surprise I had the best sleep I've had in weeks! I may start sleeping in the closet all the time. I could totally fit a cot in there...if I move all of Husband's stuff out! I'm sure he won't mind.

Weekend Adventure

Husband and I were invited by some friends to go to a grape stomping festival at a vineyard nearby. We decided to make a day of it and visit the Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch near the vineyard. Pres. Johnson was born and raised in Central Texas and the ranch he owned is now a National Park. We enjoyed driving through the ranch and touring the house that Pres. and Mrs. Johnson lived in and raised their family in. The ranch is nestled in a beautiful part of the Hill Country. The ranch is still a working ranch, so we encountered some livestock along the road. The cows have the right of way on the ranch and they know it! I am convinced that cows move slower when they know people are waiting on them.

LBJ's grave in the family cemetery

The Texas White House.

Hello cow! If you look closely you can see the LBJ brand on the horn. The cattle on the ranch are show cattle, so they are not branded on their hide.

Windmill on the ranch



A barrel of grapes


Into the barrel I go! It was cold, squishy and smelly, but super fun!



Husband gives it a try.

Husband proudly displays the fork he found at the vineyard. He was talking about taking it back to the barrel of grapes and tasting the grapes. We were able to talk him out of it though!


Part of the vineyard

After stomping the grapes, we took a tour of the winery. It was interesting to learn about the wine making process. This steel drum holds 10 tonnes of grapes!


Barrels stored in the barrel room. The room held over 2000 barrels.



Don't ask!

The vineyard's logo.



Us with Joshua and Alaina