Where did the last eight years go?!?

I didn't get to catch much of the inaugural festivities today due to work, but I had a flashback today of watching George W's inaugural events in 2001. I vividly remember Dad and I helping Todd move into his Austin apartment during that January 2001 weekend. I watched George W's Inaugural Parade from a blow-up mattress in Todd's new apartment. I began to think of how many major things have occurred in my life during the eight years that George W. was in office.

Here are the highlights (I hope I can remember everything!):

• Todd and Candace got married
• Graduated from Texas A&M
• Moved back to Amarillo to start pharmacy school
• My Grandma passed away
• Brennan was born
• Graduated from pharmacy school
• Moved to San Antonio
• My Grammie passed away
• Completed a pharmacy practice with emphasis in geriatrics residency (praise Jesus!)...this should almost count for 5 years...I think it knocked 5 years off of my life!
• Took job at Harris Methodist and moved to Fort Worth
• Ella was born
• Many weddings (including a cousin, many friends, and both of my college roomies!)
• Several trips (Columbus, New York City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Indianapolis, Anaheim, Playa del Carmen, Boone, Minneapolis, New Orleans)

It is amazing how fast eight years can go by, but a lot of wonderful things can happen in this quick time!

Thanks President Bush for all of the leadership and service you gave to our country. I pray that President Obama seeks wisdom from the Lord as you did.

The Whiskey Dent

So Saturday night turned out to be a little weird for me! Jessica and I headed downtown in my car to meet some other friends at Mi Cocina and then to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. We chose to park in the parking garage close to Bass Hall and Barnes & Noble. As I was heading up the first ramp in the garage, I had to stop to let a Civic pull out. All of a sudden, Jessica and I felt a large bump and rock to the back of my NEW car!! Argh! A truck that was also backing up decided to hit the right rear and bumper of my NEW car!! The guy got out of his large truck and called the damage to my car a "whiskey dent." Anyone else heard of this phrase?!? I decided to Google this phrase because I wasn't sure if it is a dent caused by someone who had been drinking whiskey or if it is a dent caused by someone throwing a whiskey bottle at a car. It turns out that the phrase "whiskey dent" is actually in the Toby Keith song "You Already Love Me." Who would have ever known? There also is a folk band named the Whiskey Dents who play Irish and Americana music. Thanks Google!

I have included a picture for you! It isn't horrible, but the first boo-boo sure does hurt! I've only paid one car payment...what a bummer!!

Bring out another box of Kleenex...

I know I totally need to be in bed, but I usually can't go to sleep right away after working the evening shift. Anyway, I decided to watch yesterday's episode of The Biggest Loser. WOW...I needed a whole box of Kleenex for this episode. Did anyone else feel the same?!? The scene that got me the most was when 19 year old Daniel (heaviest contestant EVER on the show) struggled to climb up the mountain and all of his teammates came to help him. It was like I was watching the hospital scene in Terms of Endearment or the cemetery scene in Steel Magnolias. Please tell me that someone else out there feels the same way!!

I'm trying to figure out who I want to won this season. I'm definitely going with Daniel and Tara. Hopefully they won't backstab anyone so that I have to remove my allegiance to them!!

Move it or Lose the Yogurt....

Does anyone else have trouble getting their yogurt at the grocery store? It never fails that by the time I make it to the yogurt section there is some slow poke trying to gingerly pick out their yogurt selection. I usually get everything else I need around this section and then head back to the vast yogurt wonderland. There is then usually ANOTHER slow poke trying to decide his/her yogurt flavors like it was as important as picking out a diamond ring or something! I eventually push my way through and grab all of my favorite yogurt flavors that I can get my paws on!!

My current faves (all Yoplait Light--yeah, yeah I'm supporting a French company, but I love the flavors!!):

-Strawberry (Thick and Creamy)
-Key Lime Pie (Thick and Creamy)
-Boston Cream Pie
-Lemon Cream Pie (do you see a theme?)
-Apple Turnover
-Orange Creme

I haven't seen any of the new flavors that have been recently advertised! That will just make more flavor choices for all of the yogurt slow pokes out there!

O Christmas Tree (yeah I know it's kinda late!)

I realize that Christmas is over, but I really wanted to talk about the special ornaments in my life. I got inspired as I was taking my Christmas tree ornaments off the tree this year! My family always put every Christmas ornament my brother and I ever made on the tree. My mom never felt the need to be selective and have a theme for our Christmas tree. I am very grateful for this as I have several special ornaments that I always had to place on the tree. It would infuriate me if anyone else took the duty of placing these ornaments on the tree.

Here is a list of my special ornaments:

• The pink elephant with sugar coated all over it! I now have inherited this ornament! It makes me think of my grandma, and that's why I love it! It really is quite ugly, but I LOVE it! Why does an elephant have sugar all over it?...because it CAN!
• The 1980 "First Christmas" ornament with a cute little baby on it! The ornament has now frayed a little bit since it is 28 years old!
• The mouse thumbprint wooden ornament from 1982. My thumbprint makes the head of the mouse. I am always amazed by how small my thumb was at the age of 2! Todd has an ornament just like it too!
• The glass ornaments my grandpa brought back from Europe after World War II. My mom always tells me about them, but I can't tell you exactly what country they came from! Tells you how well I am listening...but I still love them!
• The fan angel made out of purple ribbon. No exciting story behind this one...I just like it!!
• The Peanuts ball ornament from the late 1980s. I always make sure that it is on an ornament spinner so that you can see all characters!!

I must also talk about the ornaments I hated placing on the tree:

• All the crazy apple ornaments I received at church that had my name painted on with a paint pin as "Alicia." I have enough misspelled ornaments like this to start my own personal "Alicia" Christmas tree.
• All the Star Trek ornaments that lit up and made noise. I hated having to take out the light bulb from the strand of lights and making sure that it worked properly!
• Any Winnie the Pooh ornament. For some reason I am not digging Pooh on a Christmas tree.

So all of the special ornaments in my life prompted me to purchase engraved ornaments for my babies this year. Hopefully Brennan will look at his engraved manger scene ornament, and Ella will look at her engraved angel ornament, and make sure that Aunt Shishy is placed in a good nursing home!

I don't even know where to begin.....

So my sweet, faithful readers keep requesting an update on my blog, and I have finally complied. I apologize to everyone, but I just felt SO much pressure on having to blog about all of my recent adventures! I will hit the high points and those events that my special readers have requested!

Let's first start with the fun event of me buying a new car! The Saturn finally frustrated me into buying a new car. I went shopping by myself and then later took Dad back with me to seal the deal! I purchased a "Polished Metal Metallic" 2009 Honda Accord from Frank Kent Honda. Bob was a great salesman! I am a real life grown-up now!

Let's now move on to the great date I had with my sweet Kelsey. We promised each other last December that we would do everything possible to attend Michael W. Smith's Christmas concert, and we pulled it off lovely!! Kelsey and I both admit that we have a little crush on MWS even though he is a grandfather of two!! The Meyerson Symphony Center was just gorgeous, and we had such a lovely time. Excuse the fact that I look like a linebacker in my green jacket!!





Let's now move on to the fun I have experienced with my Travis friends. I don't even know where to begin... My social calendar has exploded due to these friends, and everyone can truly blame them for my lack of blogging!! We all had great fun at Bufkin's birthday party that ended at Simply Fondue and Sundance Square. It was then on to more great fun celebrating Julie's birthday at Campisi's, looking at Christmas lights in ritzy Highland Park, and eating my FIRST Sprinkles cupcake. The girls also had a dainty Christmas Tea at the Parson's Table in Aledo. Great fun!!


Let's now move on down to Christmas. I was SO happy to get to go home for Christmas this year. We had great fun with our Brennan and Ella! They are at such fun ages! Todd and Candace got a Wii from Mom and Dad, so we got great practice perfecting our bowling and tennis skills. I have included a picture of all of our Wii characters. My sweet family decided to give me "Sally Jessy Raphael" red glasses in honor of the glasses that I wore in the third grade. I got a new Rowenta iron (Professional grade), sewing machine, camera, and many great Fiesta pieces for Christmas! And why am I not married everyone asks?!? My family was WAY too generous to me this year! I'm open to suggestions on what I should sew first!




Let's now move on to me going to bed...this blog isn't that most exciting...but it is getting the ball rolling for me to document on more fun...I PROMISE!!