The past few weeks in pictures

About 2 weeks ago, our buddy Ray and his friend Denver drove down here from Colorado. It was so good to see them! The puppies were happy too!!!








We all went out to eat at a chicken wings place, where Matt and Denver entered and won the right to be on the "Wall of Flame". I have never seen anyone sweat that much! They had to eat 25 hot hot hot chicken wings, and keep it down. They both did it, but they felt reeeeeeealy sick afterwards! Matt speued in the parking lot, (where two unfortunate men stepped in it as we were driving away,) and Denver passed out on our wooden floor. Ouch!



They were all gone 'n goofy that night!



My family has been so great! They send me little things to let me know they're thinking of me. Stamps, return lables, pictures, postcards, and other fun things! The other week, my little sis made me some earings! They are red, for work, so I can be "stylish". :)



Ive been really into reading fairy tales lately. They are just a great way to unwind and reminds you of when you are a kid. Here I checked out fairy tales from across the world, and many of the traditional ones that we know, (snow white, cinderella, beauty and the beast,) came from european countries, such as Germany and France. However, they are told a bit more grotesquely. (Cinderella's sisters saw off parts of their feet to get the slipper to fit!



And just yesterday, Matt and I went to the "fancy" part of austin. There were mansion-type houses, and they were all around 700,00. A house like that in Colorado would be alteast 1.5 or so. They were so pretty! And even with a lake view. woo hoo!
We hiked around the lake for a bit, then we went home. It was under 100 degrees, so we counted our blessings!




Last but not least, I got a hair cut. Nothing drastic, but I added a few more layers around my face, and cut about an inch off. Its a bit more curly now. Not much, but it made me happy! :)

Ran out

Ok, for those of you who know me, I like to run. I have jogged every day since we got here. Even in the blistering heat, when I cant see because Im sweating so much, I have ran.
Until a few days ago.
I don't know what happened!
One morning, i just didn't feel like running, and the next day, I didn't feel like it either!
This morning, I was like, "Ok, you HAVE to go today." So I went, but when I hit the 1/4th mile marker, I was like, "I want to go back! I want to go back! Im tiered! My legs arn't up for this! Im not even AWAKE yet!!!" But I plunged on. (Mostly because I had my dogs, and if I would have turned back, they would have killed me.) I only ran 1 mile, opposed to my 3, but it was all that I could do.
Mabye Im burnt out, but I didn't think that could happen with running! I was doing so good! Hummm . . . mabye its fatiuge. . . who knows.

Arn't these cool?

I was in Barns and Noble yesterday, and was looking through some craft magazines, and these artists had blog pages! I am alrelady in the mood for Halloween! Hope you enjoy!
The names of the artists are on the bottom of every corner, so if you want to check out more of their stuff, just go to their blog!

This one reminded me of my little sis. Everyone calls her "Rabbit".



A pair of ghouls!



These two are my favorite. A little witch . . .



And Marie Antonite!



Hope you have enjoyed them as much as I did! They inspire me to be crafty and holiday themed!

What's love got to do with it?

Turns out, a lot.
I just witnessed the most beautiful sunset.
It had just rained this afternoon, and the clouds were still overhead, some scattered and skinny, but most of them were so puffy, they seemed to take up the entire sky. Its like when you microwave marshmallows and they get really big but still have those soft formations of their outer perimeter.
Because of the clouds, there was no direct sunlight, just what little light streamed through the clouds, and reflected off neighboring ones. The sky was such a deep blue, it looked like the ocean had decided to go to the sky instead of the earth.
Then, sunset.
Pinks and purples, blues, and when you looked at the sun, it was a magnificent orb of orange fire. The earth seemed illuminated. I looked up at the brilliance of the sky and its oray of colors, and then looked back down to survay the earth around me.
It was like when you are in bed and only have a lamp on for reading. It was that soft glow that you could still see everything, but everything seemed softer some how.
I wish I had my camera, but I know I wouldn't have been able to capture it anyway. There was just too much.
In the end walking home, Matt and I held hands and said how beautiful it was.
The thing is, it is so much more beautiful if you have someone to share it with.

For all girls!

Texas State History Museum

Branched out today, and went on an adventure!
I really have been wanting to go to the Texas Museum since we have been here, but Matt isn't really a big history buff, so I had to take a day and go on my own. Much more difficult than it seems though, because to get there, you have to drive downtown, which is full of one way streets, weird parking, and pedestrians everywhere.
I finally felt comfortable enough to go there today. Hurray for me!
Finding a place to park was a nightmare, but after I did, I was on my way in.

There is this HUGE star right infront of it. Its kind of intimidating, actually. I guess everything is bigger in Texas.
Looked around for a bit, ok, a 2 hour bit, and by that time I was freezing. People here keep their air conditioners up too high! My lips were blue!
The history started out with the native americans that were inhabiting Texas until all the Spanish came and took it over. Then the mexicans took it over. Then the anglos took it over. Then the germans took it over. Finally, it merged with the United states, and they were right back to being seperated again because they sided with the south in the civil war, who were "seperate" from the union of the U.S. It went through the Alamo (we lost) and the capture of Sana Anna, (the guy who won the alamo, hah!) to women who participated during the women's rights movement, and finally, to the cowboy.
This was the most interesting part, because it is what captured people's attention. As much as it is romanacized in Hollywood, the cowboy's (also known as vacaros) life was a hard one. However, with the publication and advertizement of open range, endless acers, and the cowboy, people flocked here.



I was having a great time until I went back through to take pictures for my bolg. Then this old, shrivled lady came and said I wasn't alowed to take pictures. You old prune, I still got some - HAH!

To all that I've accomplished, I give thanks to God

More times than not, I look at what I DON'T have in life instead of what I do have. Tonight, After some dinner with neighbors, the father and his 4 year old daughter took Matt and I to go downtown and watch the bats come out.
There is a bridge downtown that the engineer accedenilly made into a perfect habitat for bats. You see, the crevices that are used for the bridge design are perfect for bat habitats. So at dusk, you see thousands and millions of bats fly out. It really is a sight to behold.
After we got back, and got ready for bed, I started thinking about how great everything is.
I have done everything that I had set out to do.
I have gone to England with my sister the year
I graduated college. That was a fantastic trip. I saw everything I have ever wanted to see and more. Plus, who better to understand me and my travel woes than a sister?
I got married.
I remember stressing out so bad when I was 16 because so many girls were dating, and I wasn't, and I was so afraid that I would end up an old maid and no one would ever marry me. (That I wanted at least!) Now, I am about to celebrate my 2 year aniversery this September!
I moved down to Texas
It was one of those goals that you want to do, but really don't think you ever will. My cousin's wife is from down here, and quite a few celebrities, and all you ever hear is good things about Texas, so for a while, I wanted to live down here. I know that God was really helping me out on this one, because we wouldn't have moved down here if it wern't the only place that offered Matt a job. And out of the 5 interviews that he had, (one of which he worked for the previous Summer,) this is the one he got. We HAD to move. I know I wouldn't have gotten Matt down here any other way, so I know this was God working his magic, helping me fulfill one of my dreams. Now, Texas hasn't been how I have imagined it, but I have never done so much in my life. Because we know we are only going to be here for a year, we are snatching up everything that Texas has to offer. We have hiked in 100 degree weather while it is humid, (mabye 50 percent?) went to some GREAT mexican resturants, watched bats come out in the middle of downtown, and swam in the river with my puppies. Last night, we even went to a place called "The Alamo". It is a movie theatre where you can order food and drinks while you watch a 3-d movie. It was so cool.
Something to try when down here: fried pickles. Delicious.
We are truely "Carpe Diem" or "Seizing the day" while we are here. Tomarrow, I am going to a museum, and then in a couple weeks, we are going tubing.
God has truely blessed me with many wonderful things in my life, and has now given me the blessing of being able to see them.