The "Naked Chef"

Jenna decided that she needed to make a treat today. So I gave her a bowl and spoon and she went searching through the pantry for something yummy. She grabbed a bag of marshmellows and some raisins. Even with a chair, she couldn't reach the Cheerios but her lovely assistant, me, was tall enough to reach. After measuring out exact amounts, Jenna created a culinary treat! Soon after she divided it up into bags, one for Daddy (so "he can stay with us forever"---she doesn't like the fact that Daddy doesn't hang out with us all day long), one for Mama and Papa (she is still going through withdrawls), and one for us girls. I gave the treat 5 stars. I think that she is well on her way to becoming a culinary master...at least in my book.

First Grade

Well, it's that time of year again when we send our kids off to school. Reagan was not exactly excited about starting first grade. She is a very cautious kid and doesn't like change. So the thought of having a new class with a new teacher and new kids was a bit intimidating. A few tears were shed but luckily, a good friend and a very energetic and kind teacher made the morning a success.

Off to school!

"A Good Friend"

"Energetic and Kind Teacher"

Our Big Girl

You Know You're from Corpus Christi when....

Marcie (see reunion post) sent me a "You know you're from Corpus" forward which was hilarious for one who is from the area. It gave 44 examples of what someone from Corpus is like, which I know is way too long to share. So I am doing a condensed version.

You know you are from Corpus Christi when....

People call it "Corpus."

Flour Bluff is considered another town.

Calallen is considered "out of town".

A big concert for us is some dude or band from the 1980's playing at
Concrete Street and everyone goes.

We get excited if a new restaurant opens in town -- even if it's an IHOP.

You know by heart what a #1 or a #7 is at Whataburger.

You camp out with your family on Leopard Street for 4 days to get primo
seats for the Buc Days parade.

Landry's and Joe's Crab Shack are considered upscale restaurants.

You claim you want to leave, but you never do.

You have Whataburger and Jalisco's on speed dial.

"Meeting a celebrity" means standing in line at HEB next to the
weatherman.

The morning commute is aggravated by "heavy traffic" between 8:05
and 8:08 AM.

Your work or classes are canceled because of dangerous 30 degree
weather.

You see people wear tank tops at funerals.

When it snows, it's a regional disaster. (Snow?)

The local paper covers national and international headlines on one page,
but requires 6 pages for high school football.

You've had to switch from Heat to A/C in the same day.

You only own 3 spices: salt, pepper, and picante.

You find 98 degrees "a little warm," and 60 degree down right freezing.

You think the only seasons are hot, damn hot, and winter.

You've had several friends move away and move back within a couple of
months.

The Shrimporee, Bayfest, Buccaneer Days & the Livestock Show are the
major social events for the whole year.

Honeymoon means " San Antonio ".


Yes it is all so very true.  If you are from Corpus, this is just the way life is.
And even though it is a quirky little city, it's home to me.  :)

NOLA

Ian has been working a ton lately, so when we saw that he might actually be able to take a weekend trip, we jumped at the chance. My wonderful parents came up and spent some time with the girls so we could head out to New Orleans...

...where we joined these two people (Heidi and Jeff).

We stayed in the French Quarter. At times, I felt like I was in Panama, with all the different smells and architecture.

While there, we explored a lot.

We ate a crazy amount of wonderful food.

And we saw some beautiful sights.

Of course, there was the craziness of the nightlife. We heard some good music and explored even more. (Check out the old guy looking for some fun. I think the older people were wilder than the young ones.)


When we came back, the girls had had a wonderful time with their Mama and Papa. When they left the next morning, there were some unhappy little ladies at our house.

**Thanks Heidi and Jeff for the invite. And thanks Mom and Dad for taking care/spoiling our girls. **

Trip Home - Part 2

As I mentioned before, while on my trip home, I went to my High School Reunion---just 10 years people. Here are a few too many pictures, once again, of the event.

****I am doing a post on my reunion because I have several readers that know these crazy people shown and a few that were planning to attend but could not.******


Before the "dreaded" event, Heidi (who I am eternally greatful for coming down to Texas to be mine and Marcie's date) and I went over the Marcie's (my BFF from High School ---did you like the H.S. lingo) to be ultra high school-ish and make sure that we were properly dressed/coordinating in some way (j/k---once again, very high school-ish). Of course, we had to do the picture in front of the fire place just like before a dance back in the day. I'm telling you, were trying to keep it real.


No! Your eyes are not deceiving you, my reunion was in fact at a bar! Classy. I know. But of course the H.S. I attended includes the Island so everyone is ultra layed back.

(I put up this picture to not only make fun of the location but because those who know these people will be able to spot them out from the crowd.)


Not only was the reunion at at bar, but a bar with a big fish (O.K., it is a shark. Whatever)! Kudos on the extra classiness!

(Marcie was obviously pumped about the shark.)

Joe was one of the people I was most excited to see. He used to call me "Wife Number 2". And no, this is not a Mormon joke. Heidi and I hung out with Joe so much that we became "Wife Number 1" and "Wife Number 2". Wait...maybe it was a mormon joke! Hey! No but really, the guy was and still is one of the most hilarious people I have ever know.


Joseph was our valedictorian. We were in all the same classes. His mom who was our Junior English teacher came for an hour. It was fun to see them.


One of our soccer buddies (Amanda). We had this health class together where we made a work out video. I was the instructor and she was a back up girl. We worked out to Madonna's Lucky Star. I can hardly type this I am laughing so hard. On the cover of the video, we cut out pictures of Victoria Secret models in swimsuits and glued our heads to their bodies. I need to find that thing. So If ya'll come to my house I can show it to you. It really is ridiculously funny.

Here are the Panamanians with the Cubans. The four of us used to hang out all the time and get into too much trouble.


One of the wonderful examples of the, should I use the word again (I think that I have just about worn it out but I am going to have to do it), classiness of the whole event were the door prizes. Marcie won a H.S. Baseball T shirt. Niiiicccceee! Talk about some choice goodies. (Her cousin is giving the prize a thumbs up because not only did she help organize the event but she had come to realize that the door prizes sucked big time).

Here Heidi is modeling the front of the T shirt.

We were excited to hang out with Mario but were bummed that his sister, one of our best friends from h.s. didn't show up.

(If you didn't notice, Heidi was downing Red Bulls. I however was sticking to my H2O. By the end of the night she was ready to go to another gathering, where as, being the mommy that I am, I wanted to fall asleep in the parking lot.)

I told you she does her crazy eye thing all the time ---for pictures at least.

Here she is sporting the kick'n Whataburger give aways. You know you are in Texas if Whataburger is involved in an event.


The whole night we were doing some silly pictures where we would pose in some weird action. So here is the snob or the "OH MY GOSH! Can you believe what she is wearing!" pose. Ah! The odd things we do to entertain ourselves.


All in all, I had a surprisingly good time. It was fun to see old friends. Besides, anyone who knew me back then would have to agree, I look so much better now! And that is what High School reunions are really all about. :)

Trip Home - Part 1

Last Friday the girls and I returned from our trip down south. We had a very full week that was filled with so much fun. Here are a few (WARNING: There are a tremendous amount of pictures ahead. View at your own risk.) pictures from our trip.

My sister Heidi flew down from Nashvegas to spend the weekend with us lovely ladies and the folks. She was brave enough to accompany me to my H.S. Reunion.


We have a ton of pictures with Heidi doing this eye thing. This is the calmed down version. Either way, yes, this is my sister....


Heidi and my dad went down to the gun range (obviously, we are from the GREAT state of Texas). She is displaying her bullseye shot. We were all pretty excited for her.

Single men, beware!

Heidi and I went to get quick pedi's while Reg experienced her first manicure. She was sooo excited.



I hung out with my old (not in age of course) Visiting Teaching buddies. We ate too much, laughed too much, and cried too much. It was definitely one of the best parts of the trip.

As a side note: When anyone asks me to take a picture of them, I assume that they mean their faces and maybe a small part of there bust. Call me crazy, but I think that peoples faces should be in the central part of the picture. And I ask, what is in the middle of this picture? Yes! Our torsos! Anyway, enough of my complaints.

OH NO!! My family is about to be eaten by that huge shark!!

OK, enough cheese.

Of course, we had to head out to the Island! The girls have to go to the beach each time we visit Mama and Papa. This time we stopped at the little tourist shops to let the girls pick out a treat.

Check out Jenna's fierce look. NICE!

Reagan loves anything having to do with the beach. When she found a large shell at one of the shops, she had to try to see if she could hear the ocean.


Jenna in her favorite person's arms. (I don't exist when we visit Mama and Papa.)

Here's Papa reading a Celia Cruz biography.

Jennazilla on her way to destroy part of our castle.

Check out the line of brown near the water. It is seaweed. Because of Hurricane Dolly, there was a ton of seaweed on the shore. Jen was terrified of it. She wouldn't go near the water.


My parents took us to a new gourmet chocolatier. Reagan had the hardest time choosing some chocolate.


In the end, she was happy with what she (and everyone else) had chosen.


On our way back home, we stopped to visit more grandparents. Grandpa Steve, Grandma Lori, and Uncle Spencer entertained us a few hours. And they very nicely wore the girls out in their pool.

We had a great time with family, just like always. In a week, they'll be here so Jenna can sleep in peace once again.

Black Thumb This!

When Ian and I were first married, my mother gave me a cactus. She told me that it wouldn't be difficult to keep it alive because I hardly would have to water it. So I put the cactus in our kitchen window and watered it. After a few weeks, I decided to water it again. ....OK, maybe a month or so. Needless to say, I killed the cactus.

My family has continued to tease me, because really, who kills a cactus?!

When I announced in the spring time that I was determined to have a vegetable garden, I was teased once again. As family has come to visit, they have all been shocked to see that I had not killed my plants (at least the ones that are within the sprinklers' reach). :)

***The plants that are on the deck are almost all dead. Somehow, the rosemary plants' desire to live, has allowed it to do so.***

Anyway, I am pleased to announce that we ate tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers from our garden yesterday! And we have a bunch of tiny green beans growing! So ha! I don't kill everything (thanks to the sprinkler system)! Maybe my thumb isn't so black! Oh yeah, I'm a gardener....