Texas trip/updates

I'm a bit late on updating my blog, but things have been so busy lately! I'll start with Texas: words can't suffice, but it was amazing! SO much fun...we did so many things...It was really great to be able to hug and kiss Austin every day and spend a lot of time together as well as getting to know the rest of the family more! We started off by making stockings...Zoe sewed mittens for the girls and stockings for the boys...then we went to Joann's and all got our own decorating supplies and decorated our stockings...everybody had such good ideas and were super creative. Christmas eve we opened stocking stuffers with a fire going...it was so cozy! Then on Christmas we had a fabulous dinner and opened Christmas gifts...for gifts we exchanged names which made it simpler and a little more financially friendly. In the days following we we did a lot of really fun activities...we played wii, guitar hero, played quite a bit of sports at the park - tennis, baseball, football, ultimate Frisbee etc., went ice-skating, went bowling, made quite a few starbucks trips in between everything, went shopping a few different times, went paint balling, went to six flags, ate LOTS of yummy food, and went to the Stockyards in Fort worth...the stockyards had some really neat shops and bars and different activities and historical type stuff...it was also very country-ish. Those were some of the main things we did and I could go into great detail about each experience, but that would take a realllly long while...everything we did though was so much fun - and of course the people you do it with makes it even better =) Overall I had an amazing and wonderful time...I felt very spoiled and lucky! As for my weight and being on vacation I didn't do too bad...YES we had a lot of really good, heavy food, but we were super active which made up for it...being back home has been hard to be good because I've been so busy and don't have a regular good routine going yet...I'm working at it...and I think once things get settled down more I'll be able to do better. My grandparents are here and our old neighbors - Randy, Evie and Mickey Hansen are here, plus i'm doing regular school and online school and I've had a nasty cold...thankfully I think it's getting better! I have lots to do though on my to do list...One of these days maybe things will slow down and I'll make some progress...maybe even get a good nights sleep! Austin and I made some new years resolutions also and one of the deals we made was to both exercise everyday...I did start doing that when we got back but then I got a bad cold which kept me from hitting the gym...soon though! And Austin has been sticking to everything he said he was going to do some I'm really proud of him! Anyways given that updating my blog was on my to do list, it probably isn't as productive as some other things I could be doing so I should stop...but thats pretty much whats going on with me right now!

Holidays/Texas trip pictures

So I figured I would do one entry of photos and one entry of writing about my trip...but i'm going to have to do the writing one tomorrow because it is really late and I have to get up early...I haven't gotten a good nights sleep in a long time...thats on my list of things to do =) Anyways here are some photos...I tried to not put tons on here but its hard to pick and choose

This neat little bar we went into that had cowboy hats all over the walls and ceilings

These were alan jacksons huge handprints! We went to this place called Billy bobs at the stockyards in fortworth...it is a big bar/club/restaurant/performance hall/entertainment place...I don't know how to describe it but it was very western like...a very famous spot for famous country singers to perform...and they had tons of famous handprints...

Hootie and The blow fish

Dance floor at Billy bobs

New years

hilarious moment when Austin started laughing uncontrollably until he was crying

we all had lovely matching crowns

at six flags

so awesome! I'm a thrill ride fanatic!

We went paintballing!!! Soooo it was fun to experience and an adrenaline rush, but i'm pretty positive the guys enjoyed it more thoroughly, ha! Personally though, I wouldn't pay that kind of money to be left with a bunch of welts =] It was a first time thing...probably a last time thing too

We all went ice skating which was great! Austin and Evan skated backwards circles around us, but thats ok =) Above is Bruce and Zoe skating

Brianna and I

Family picture at the rink

Evan playing guitar hero...quite the rocker

This was us playing wii...which we all played quite a bit of...it was a lot of fun...very entertaining.

Austin being silly :)

opening gifts

All of our stockings hanging up...from left to right: Bruce, Zoe, Evan, Brianna, Austin, me, and Narque

Zoe sewed all of our stockings...stockings for the guys, mittens for the girls. Then we all decorated ours which was lots of fun...I was blown away by the creativity and ideas everybody had.

The limes needed some softening so the guys gladly obliged...by using them as juggling utensils, hackey sacks, baseballs etc.

Squeezing limes

For awhile I asked Austin if I could cut his hair and he always said yes pretty easily...well I never thought he would actually let me but that wasn't the case so with the experience of cutting my dogs hair a time or two I went at it...and after a very long time and a little guidance I was pretty impressed with myself =)