May 28

The little ducks from the pond decided to take a vacation from the pond today and wonder down the street. They were being brave, going past parking dogs and weed eaters.

May 27

Happy Birthday to Chris! He is now 24 and can start freaking out about turning 25, like me.  He decided that he wanted a new suit for his birthday, so we went to look at some. The flip flops complete the outfit, don't they?

May 26

Chris's parents own a tow and body shop. A car they towed from a DWI on Tuesday had a dog in it. Normally, they would call animal control, but Glenda felt sorry for the poor thing. She called the tags and found out her name. Zoe was a pretty good dog, but she is not really a dog. She is just a big rodent. I will never have a tiny dog like this. I would kill it, on accident of course.

May 25

Our Wicked tickets came today. We only have 2 months until we can go see it. I am so excited. We are gong to have completely different seats then the last time we say it, so it will be cool to see it from a different place.

May 24

Today was the end of the 2 week fast from sweets. And we didn't waste anytime getting some ice cream.  Blue Bell ice cream, another reason why Texas is better.

May 23

Charleah has been here for the last month and it has been fun. In that time, we haven't taken a picture together. That's because one of us is always behind the camera, unless we specifically ask someone to take our photo.

May 22

Today was the adult session of stake conference. It was my first time for a non-student stake. Afterwards we went to Lupe Tortilla with some friends. I think their fajitas are really good, but a bit expensive.

Also, my hair is curly. When I went to get it cut a few weeks ago, the lady told me that my hair wouldn't curl like I wanted it to. She even tried to do it and it turned out horrible. Obviously she just doesn't know how to do curly hair. Because I and definitely not the best person when it comes to doing my hair, and I got it to curl. With product from the grocery store!

May 21

Chris's parents are going on vacation soon and I am going to cover for Glenda at their shop manning the front desk. I went up there today to learn how to do payroll. I am little scared. I know that I won't have any problem doing the job, I just need to get more familiar with all the guys that work there.

May 20

Charleah and I spent the day with Mom shopping and eating. We went to Sweet Tomatoes, which is so good. Not too good when I am trying to eat better. But who can resist it? (Chris can)

Charleah and Mom did not really find much shopping. I found some good stuff on clearance. Like a cashmere sweater from Gap for $11. (It is 8% cashmere.) It was a fun day.

May 19

One reason I like living in Magnolia is because the name is pretty. And there is a Magnolia tree and they are planted all over Magnolia. Coincidence? They are in bloom all over town. One day I want a Magnolia tree in my yard.

May 18

I got all this material for Christmas and I finally got around to washing it so I can make stuff with it. Chris has picked out most of my fabric; he has such good taste. The pictures of the projects are coming.

May 17

Charleah and I are one week into our 2 week fast from all sweets. And Chris decides that he needs to have some TCBY and that he is going to eat it in front of me. I hope it was worth it.

May 16

This is the tree in Chris's parent's front yard that got struck my lightening from the storms. It looks pretty cool.

May 15

We had another day of thunderstorms. It took me forever to take this picture and it was a complete accident. I didn't think about getting a picture until when the lightening was almost finished. And I tried tons of different settings on my camera to get the streak of lightening instead of just a bright sky. And then I was trying something else and the lightening came and I hurried and clicked the button and here you go. An awesome picture that I cannot replicate. It should be noted that it was like 10pm when I took the picture and completely dark outside.

May 14

Who doesn't love thunderstorms? The thing I missed most about Texas was the thunderstorms. You don't get anything like this at all in Utah. We just sat on the porch watching the rain and the thunder and lightening. And then Chris got the brilliant idea to wash the car in the rain. So we did. And then we decided to wash Kali, who is terrified of the rain. 

May 13

We went to Outback with Charleah today and then we went to see Iron Man 2. When we lived in Utah, we went to Outback all the time. Now we are at least 30 minutes from one, so we don't get to go as often.

Iron Man 2 was okay. To me it was the same as the first. When Chris and I first started dating we were movie people and we would go to the movies all the time. Now, we hardly go. We have only been to the movies like 5 times this year, and I don't see that changing any time soon. There are just no good movies anymore. TV is so much better.

May 12

And we have squash! And that's it. My first garden has finally produced some real food. We have lots of yellow squash now, but that is about it. I have definitely realized that I should have done some things different when I planted the garden, but I'll know for next time.

May 11

Once you get the insulation, then you have to put it into the wall. Dad showed us how to do it. Sammie hardly did any of it, she had to get up and leave Texas. And then Charleah did some, but not as much as me. I did it all by myself for a few hours.

Also, insulation is way too itchy. But as long as you don't touch or rub your skin, it shouldn't itch too much, says Dad. Just another check off my list of building a house: insulating walls.

May 10

We went to Home Depot tonight to get some insulation for the addition of my parent's house. And this is exactly like a throne thingy. The one that people have to carry. So Charleah and Chris got to push the insulation with me on it. It was pretty fun. And we managed it without any Home Depot employees noticing us.

May 9

For Mother's Day we made our Moms dinner. My mom wanted Spaghetti and meatballs. Here I am teaching Sammie how to make a meatball. It is surprising that she is touching the meat, because she just doesn't like touching stuff. Later, Adison called and we got to talk to him. I am still so proud of him and everything that he is learning and he is changing into a better person.

We went over to Chris's house later and I made Glenda some chili and we played a game with them.

May 8

We went crabbing today in Sargent, Texas, which is on the Gulf. We went with Chris's MeMaw, his Mom and sister Jesica. I've never been before, but it is something that Chris and his family did often when he was growing up.

Basically, you tie a drumstick on a string with a weight and throw it in the water. Then you wait a bit and pull the string up very slowly with a net nearby. When it gets closer to the surface, you put the net under the chicken and hopefully you've caught yourself a crab.

It wasn't hot enough for the crabs on Saturday, so we didn't catch so many. We still got 10 of them. But we accidently killed them on the way home so we didn't get to eat them. Not that Chris would anyways. I've had crabs before when we visit my Grandma in Maryland. I love them!

I want to go again this summer and we'll make sure we get to eat them.

May 7

We went to Hobby Lobby to pick out some Mother's Day presents and this is what Sammie found. Who in the world would need a huge knife and fork. I know that it is just decoration, but I don't think I could work that into anything. Of course, I am not an interior designer.

May 6

We all know that Flashback day is code for "I didn't take a picture." I think I was about 8 in this picture and Charleah was 6. Jennifer had bought us matching outfits and then we went to the movies with her. I don't remember much else, but I do remember being excited to hang out with my big sister. I always have fun when we get to spend time together. Now that we live in Texas, we'll get to see her more often when she visits Mom.

May 5

Cinco de Mayo! We didn't do anything to celebrate. But this is Dad. He is obsessed with these popsicles.

May 4

Sammie is a Skinny Minnie. But she is trying to keep from getting fat. I was hoping she would come running with me, but she just does the shred and runs on the treadmill. How boring.

May 3

Today we played some of the games they have on Minute to Win it for Family Home Evening. In the games we had to stack three golf balls on top of each other and have them stand on their own. Nobody successfully completed that task. We had to get pennies out of pantyhose in a weird way, stack index cards and blow cards off the top of the bottle. Charlie and Dad were successful at the last one. It was fun, if we had more of the stuff we could play more. But most of the stuff needed for the games is household items.

May 2

Today we made Mom's birthday dinner. We had Chinese takeout, homemade. Orange chicken, lettuce wraps, crab wontons and fried rice. It was pretty good and took us about 2 hours to make. It was fun with my three sous-chefs and directing all that was happening in the kitchen. The highlight of it was Kali getting sick in the middle of cooking.

For Mother's Day next week we are going to stick with something easy. Just spaghetti and meatballs.

May 1

Today, we went 4 wheeling with Chris's parents. It is my first accomplished thing off my 25 before 25 list. It was way fun. Chris drove for most of the day. Whenever I drove I was too anxious about it and my heart just got work up. I think I have decided that if I die, it will probably be because my heart overreacted to something. (If because I am not going to die.)

Glenda told us to expected to get really muddy. So we got some rubber boots and old clothes and headed out. The river we went to wasn't as high as it normally is so the mud wasn't all over the place but Chris's dad found a good hole and drove through it while I rode in the passenger seat. And yes, I got muddy. Then I drove with Chris in the passenger seat trying to get him as muddy as I was.

Later in the day I drove and went though a mud pit and got stuck pretty good. And then Chris's parents needed to wash some of the mud out of there Razor and went in the river. Glenda drove it out a bit far and flooded the engine. That is when Chris and I left.

It was a fun day. Glenda says we'll go again when it is colder and wetter outside. I guess that is supposed to be better.

April 30

Today is Chris's graduation day. We had planned to go to Utah, but the decided not to and use the money to take a trip someone more exciting within the next year. Well, I didn't want him to miss the graduation experience, so I threw him a surprise graduation party/dinner with our families with the help of his stepmom and Megan.

It was fun and hot. Everyone was sweating. Everyone did so good keeping a secret. But on Friday I wanted the car to do some last minute shopping for the party. I had already told him I would help him do some real estate stuff so I used that as an excuse to leave without him. But my mistake was just saying I had some errands to run. He started to get suspicious and had himself convinced that I was throwing him a party. But then I came back home and Megan came to get get him to distract him while I decorated.

Megan and I started making plans about what we would do later that night (after I was done making dinner for someone, wink wink.) Then he got depressed when he realized that he wasn't really getting a party so he goes "I thought you were throwing me a party" with the saddest face ever. To which I smiled and Megan says "You are such a bad liar." I think I would have been able to recover. But I did convince him that we were throwing him a party but it wasn't until next week.

I thought for sure he saw through it, but I guess not. It was a fun party and his family was glad to be a part of his graduation. We even had him put on a cap and gown (from high school) and walk across the garage to get his diploma.

April 29

Sammie came today. She did not cooperate with me for this picture but it is her own problem she got an unflattering shot. At least she was a lot faster getting off the plane although it was 2 hours late.

We went to Rancho Grande. Because that is where we go when we want Mexican food. Because their Queso is like liquid crack.

Now that she is here I am going to get her to run with me. Because she is going to have to if she wants Kali to follow her around again.

April 28

Today is Mom's birthday. We took her to Chili's to eat. Apparently we really like that place. My face looks tanner in this picture. I haven't really noticed it until now and of course the tan stops at my neck.

In honor of Mom's birthday, this is what she has taught me.

1. "Save some for you father."
2. Have charity and compassion
3. Serve, Serve, Serve
4. Do your visiting teaching
5. I get my worrying from her
6. Picture what you want and go for it
7. Stay busy and in a hurry
8. Stand up Straight
9. Don't wear more than 1 necklace at a time.
10. Be early
11. Always answer the phone in the middle of the night
12. Sometimes, there are more important things than chores.
13. Don't tell anyone her age
14. Would you want someone else problems?
15. It's not too late to start a new hobby or learn something
16. Pick up kids on time
17. Alka-Seltzar cures everything

April 27

Charleah is here and with her my fake engagement ring. Mine was a bit too big and once at work before we got married I snagged it on a box and it kind of bent. So that night Chris and I got a fake on at Walmart while we got mine fixed. Which ended up being the week of the wedding, but we are procrastinators like that. The day of our wedding I switched rings again and gave the pink one to Charleah who wears it now and then. You can't wear it too often or it turns your finger green.

April 26

In an effort to use food storage and learn how to make yeast-less bread, we did that for Family Home Evening. We ground the wheat ourselves using a hand grinder and then an electric one (which was very messy as you can see by the flour in the air).

We made two types of bread. One was very moist and the other very hard. And the verdict: it was the nastiest bread in the world. It tasted so bad and I had to force the little bit I had down. Maybe if we add something like chocolate chips or applesauce or fruit to it it'll taste better.

April 25

This is a picture reenactment. Chris made some mac and cheese today. I told him to make sure that he put in some extra cheese because that is the best way to make it. Well he did and that was all the cheese he put. I walked up and I was like "Are you forgetting something?" And he says "I know, it looks weird." That is because he forgot the cheese packets. Hopefully when he cooks for our future kids he doesn't make them eat cheese-less mac and cheese when I'm not there.

April 24

Today was our ward's chili cook-off. I made some chili and Dad made his famous chili which has won before. This year his won most different chili. I should have stuck with my normal chili, but I tried on that I have only cooked once before almost 3 years ago. Next year.

There was a category for the hottest chili and there were some hot ones. The worst didn't seem hot when you first put it in your mouth and them BAM! it hit you as you were swallowing. Chris's face is after tasting that one. It was a fun night.

April 23

Look who decided to show up. Not only was she a day late, but we had to drive around the airport for 25 minutes waiting for her to come out. But she is here finally. We went running and did a core workout, ate at Rancho Grande and Chili's all in one day. And took a long nap that made us sick. But we still went running. It is kind of annoying running with Kali and Charleah because Kali has to prove that she is faster than everyone so she pulls on the leash a lot.

April 22

Flashback day. Charleah was supposed to come into town this day but she didn't. So my planned picture didn't happen.

This picture was taken when Sammie came to visit us in 2006 when Charleah and I lived together. We went to the photo booth in the mall and snapped away. In the second picture we are doing our gangsta faces. We are hard core.

April 21

Picture soon to come, but my phone is not cooperating.

This is a gift basket I made for Secretary's at Chris's real estate office. Chris has decided that my new business adventure should be making gift baskets. I found this awesome site for cheap cheap cricut vinyl in lots of colors. It is fun; it is just the marketing of myself that is not so good.

April 20

A long time ago, Glenda got me a subscription to this magazine for my birthday. It has been over a year but it is still coming. Glenda said she didn't renew the subscription. But it is still coming and they got my address change which I didn't send them. So creepy. I am being stalked by a magazine, but at least it is a good one.

April 19

I got business cards for my seemingly fake business. But it isn't fake because it has a name and a website and business cards and an etsy shop. Just not any sales since last Christmas. But that's okay. We'll see where time takes it. I know I have some good ideas and products, I just am not one to step out and sell myself or my products. That is why I have Chris.