The Big 25!

I turned 25...It sounds strange just to say it.

(Sorry for the lack of pictures - we were running on low battery)

Pat took me into the city and we got to preview How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

I highly recomend this to anyone!! It is one of my favorites!!

We walked around and people watched in Times Square. We played around in Toy's R Us. We ate dinner at Chipolte and snuggled in and watched a movie!

It was the perfect birthday weekend!

Quilt Project

So I bought all this fabric while visiting my sister in Lake Village.

I started to cut up the fabric into lots and lots of strips.

Oh, I can't wait for my sewing machine to get here so I can get crafty!!



Valentine's

Valentines Day is just not our holiday.

Last year we were on the side of the road with a broken down car.

This year - I was super sick. Actually I still am.

No kisses or hugs.

I guess we will have to try again next year.

(On the plus side - my house looked super cute. )

Lake Village, Arkansas

My Mom, Angie, Grandma Bonnie and I went to visit Katy and Clayton. They are living in Lake Village, Arkansas teaching school. They are apart of a program called Teach for America . TFA takes teachers into under  privileged areas to teach for 2 years. After 2 years they can go on to their chosen career or continue on to be a teacher. Katy graduated from BYU in Finance while Clayton is pre-med. The things they are doing each day will forever change the lives of these young students.

Anyways, let me start from the beginning. Angie, Grandma, Mom, and I all met in Chicago for our flight to Little Rock.



Mom brought my wedding album - after 2 1/2 years it is finally finished!!



Of course we get there when it is late but we had to stay up and chat.



Katy and Clayton's cute house

One of the best things about visiting Katy is that she lives right by Paul Michael. No, not a hair place, but an incredible home decoration store. Of course we had to go and spend some time browsing around!


We all found something of course!


Katy and had to go to some training thing in Cleveland, Mississippi. We tagged along and went shopping.

I happened upon the cutest fabric store called Ella Rose and just had to indulge.



Hopefully we will have a new blanket by the next winter but I am not making any promises.





We got to visit Katy and Clayton while they taught. We visited Clayton's 2nd Period and Katy during her 5th Grade Math Section. They are such great teachers and all of the kids love them!

I didn't get a picture of Katy in her classroom - we helped teach math instead! It was so much fun!!

Mom, Grandma and I went to Vicksburg while Angie stayed with Katy for the rest of the day.
Vicksburg is a cool battle field of the Civil War. We hired a guide to drive us around and tell us all about it.



Here is the guide with Mom and Grandma at one of the monuments



There are so many monuments here. Each state has one for each of the divisions and troops that were stationed here. There are also markers to show you the lines of the troops for the Union and the Confederate States units.

Katy and Clayton live Lake Chicot. One night we took a drive with them around town to see the sights - there are not much, we are in rural Arkansas here! - and got to see the most beautiful sunset.

It was so fun to finally get to see Katy and Clayton's part of the world that they have been enjoying. It really is a beautiful place.

Thanks Katy and Clayton for letting us come and take over your house!!

Snowed In

It snowed a few weeks ago. And again, and again.

Storms have come and gone. They have collided with each other. They have looked bigger than they were. They have been bigger than they looked. The only constant is the white stuff that falls from the sky.

The best things about snow are

1. We look onto the inner courtyard and the snow has stayed white and pretty.
2. Patrick has been able to stay home at least once a week because the roads are to crazy.

Love Winter

2011

Patrick and I traveled home safely. The red eye is never a joy to fly on but we did it again. I am always amazed that we somehow made it off the plane, collected our bags (and there were many), got everything into a taxi, transferred everything onto a train, and in to another taxi before we could walk through the door and collapse into bed.

I have been hesitant to clean up Christmas from around the house. It is just so festive. Maybe it is because I haven't spent weeks around it as usual. For now everything stays.

I can't believe the changes that have taken place last year. It makes me even more excited for this year. Who knows what can happen.

Happy New Year

Christmas 2010

We are so lucky to have family in the same city for the holidays. It has been great to see all of our extended family and friends over the past few weeks. We have been nothing but busy - sorry for the lack of posting. We have either been coming or going it seems. The holidays never seem to slow down. In fact time seems to speed up.

(Side note - halfway through Christmas I realized while I had been taking pictures there was not actually a SD card in the camera and I don't actually have pictures - to those who are not featured - sorry! Please know that it was not because we don't care but that we don't have pictures!)

Patrick, Griffin, Clayton, and Angie all were shooting Santa into the chimny between cities being built and Facebook being checked.

Grandma and the girls

A puzzle is a MUST during the holidays.

Sophie playing with some of her new toys.

Dirk and Judy

Dave and Jeanette

Like all good things Christmas must come to and end. Dave and Patrick decided one afternoon towards the end of the week to clean up the Christmas tree.

Goodbye holidays. See you next year when it will all go by so fast again.