Labor Day Revisited

Better late than never right?! I FINALLY got some of my wedding photos finished and am now allowing myself some personal photo time.


Here are some highlights of our time at Lake Texoma with my Dad and Christie over Labor Day weekend!

 

When we got there camp had already been set up and Dad and Christie were chilling in the shade.

 

Since they have been trailer camping for a few years now they have quite the trailer decor to make their campsite extra homey, gotta love the Texas flag since we were on the Oklahoma side of the lake!

 

 

Dad is a great cook and while we all chilled with our drinks he got to work finishing the Brisket he had been smoking all day. He topped it off with homemade bbq sauce and cole slaw!

I woke up the next morning at what the clock said was 1 pm. I freaked out thinking I missed breakfast, cause Dad always did amazing breakfasts when we were camping out. Not to worry it was only 9 am (after I tried and couldn't go back to sleep cause that is WAY to early to awaken on a getaway weekend) I came outside to find Dad cooking breakfasts like an Eagle Boyscout.

After playing a couple rounds of poker, where I took all Drew's money :), Dad and Christie taught us how to play Tripoly. It is a combination of Hearts,  Poker, and Gin Rummy... SO MUCH FUN! We have been trying to play it ever since we got back but our friends are really gamers :(

Dad put Drew in charge of smoking the ribs for the night since he wasn't feeling that great... it was Drew's first time to smoke em out. I think he was a little nervous at first since Dad proved to be a master smoker with his Brisket the night before.

But Dad helped him out and they added a little secret ingredient.

Everyone was working on dinner except me, someone had to document these memories and I was busy gluing lima beans on a wreath every chance I got, maybe one of these days I will get my act together enough to finish that craft!! Anywho,  Christie had the baked potatoes under control while Dad was making homemade apple cobbler, yum to the freaking yum!

 Isn't he just the cutest ever?! He was SUPER excited and proud of how those ribs turned out, especially after Dad kept giving him a hard time about how often he was checking the coals ... they were falling off the bone delicious!

 

Dad has lots of pictures from my high school graduation up and I was hoping to get a good one to replace some of those but I absolutely hate the way I look in this... he is rocking the chili pants though!

The drive home was BRUTAL! 6 hours back and knowing all you have to go back to is work is the absolute worst (I know I know we should be thankful we even have jobs, we are it just sucks sometimes)

He kinda lost it somewhere between Childress and Amarillo.

We had an awesome weekend spending time with my Dad and Christie! Hoping to see them again soon!

Happy Birthday Drew

I just love birthdays, mine and other peoples! Today my sweet Love turns 27! He is not so very excited about it but I am and that is all that counts. Plus I hope he will love the rockin Harley Davidson decor I have chosen to decorate his little part with.

Drew came into my life at a time when I very much felt like I would never not be alone. When I needed someone to come in and help fight for me, love me, and stand beside me. He has done all this and so much more! I am constantly amazed by him.

He goes with the flow even when its not a direction he wants to go. He never complains about helping out. He is willing to give give give and not always take. He is constantly trying to work on himself to be the best man absolutely possible.

He motivates me to be better. He encourages me. He pushes me to stand up for myself.

He feeds my dog when I forget. He buys me craft materials. He handles my dramatic melt downs with ease.

I love you Drew and I hope that today and this year are the absolute best yet! My life has definitely been made better because of you!

quickie

Crazy busy week! It has been made all the better by being able to stop by Mom and Nana's house on my way home from work and eating lunch with them. They have of course been overwhelmingly showered with love and welcome from old friends here, therefore we have all had free dinner the past couple of nights. Very nice for this girl who just spent her money on a new MacBookPro :)

I am also prepping for Drew's bday party  on thursday night... think Harley Davidson/motorcycle decor. Flags with flames on them, vintage motorcycle decor, black and orange flower balls (not that they are male friendly they just make the patio look really festive). Going to get a staple gun to hang lights outside and lots of black and orange wrapping supplies! Have the ice cream cake ordered and all ready to go! Feeling very accomplished and prepared for it. Expect pictures soon!!

Embarking on the Future

As I look at the weekend ahead it seems somewhat surreal.

Soon Abilene will no longer be called home, it will no longer be the place to gather for Thanksgivings, for Graduations, for weekend getaways and I am conflicted in my emotions about it.

For the past 25 years I have always known Abilene to be home base. We tried moving other places several times but Abilene was always the place we defaulted back to. Even since moving to Amarillo it, Abilene has been home. It will always be where I grew up, where I made best friends for life, where I spent amazing time with my Grandy but it will no longer be home.

We are driving down tonight to pack up my Mom and Nana and move them to Amarillo. I am so excited to have them close to me (like 2 minutes close!!)

I cannot wait to call my mom up for a TJMAXX or Target run. I cannot wait to drop over for lunches with them. I cannot wait to spend the night and wake to one of Nana's amazing breakfasts. I look forward to long talks on the back patio, walking our dogs together, getting cozy for some movies, and lots of laughter!!

On another note... God is Good! I happened to drop my computer off at a retail store yesterday who was selling a used but only once used version of my computer for a VERY afforadble price... today after work I am taking over the money today to have all of my data transferred from one computer the the next. I may not be able to eat for a while but by golly I will have a computer!!

Labor Day

It is another week and more of my equipment keeps breaking down around me... this morning during my morning workout, my phone died.... DIED! I had just transferred all my music, photos, contacts, calenders onto it before my computer died and now my phone too. I am not liking Apple products very much right now!

We did however have an AWESOME weekend at the Lake with my Dad and Christie. I have a lot of special photos to share, but  no way to load them right now :( It was so good to spend time with my Dad. He has such an amazingly positive outlook on life and battling cancer. I am very very proud of him! He has been off of his medications for almost 30 days now, that is a requirement to get him placed in an experimental treatment program. Scientists are constantly coming up with amazing new treatments and drugs to cure things. I am praying that one of these trials will be able to cure him. He gets sick after eating and it is incredibly hard to watch him endure. To watch him walk away as to not let you in on his pain. I am in awe of his strength. In awe and so incredibly grateful for the woman who has stood beside him and held him and loved on him during this incredibly difficult and  unfair time in their lives.

 A weekend soaking up long lost moments of sitting quietly together and catching up. It is times like this weekend that put me in a place of realization that my computer, my phone is NOT what is important. It is important to make time for those you Love and make Memories!

Packing for Labor Day weekend

After much back and forth debate, I will be spending this weekend at Lake Texoma with my Dad, Christie and Drew. The Lake is  unfortunately under a blue-green algae warning, meaning contact with the water is prohibited :( But atleast we are going to get away for a weekend and I get to spend some long overdue time with my Dad.

I am notoriously known as a "heavy packer." Meeting 50lb limits on a airplane is a huge task for me. I remember going on a Mexico mission trip in high school and being the bud of everyones joke because it took two grown men to lift my bag into the bus. I just like my clothing options and the comfort of home ok!

I have recently discovered a way to keep my last minuted suitcase add-ins on the low down and therefore my luggage light as a feather (not really but atleast it is liftable by one grown man!)

I implemented this packing system about 2 months ago when I went to Abilene for the weekend. I make a list of the days I will be gone and write out my outfit piece by piece. I do this for every day and make a similar column for my nighttime clothes. This way I know exactly what I am going to wear and do not need to bring 5 outfits for backups for one day or night. It also helps keep my packing time down because I just work through my list.

Because we are staying in tents and a 5th wheel with not much space I have already made my list for my trip this weekend and packing will take me no time at all tonight!

Everyone have a very Lovely Labor Day and the end of Summer!! It felt like Fall this morning, crisp breeze and 80's next week! 

meltdown

Last night probably one of the scariest things in my life happened.... my computer crashed. and when I say crashed I mean no bringing that sucker back. I had wedding photos, family photos, videos of grandy, all my photography stuff on there. Needless to say I went into a major meltdown!

Drew came over, tried to console me but that was not happening. He kept saying "We will figure this out." To me that might just be the worst saying EVER created. I have been told that pretty much all my life and for one reason or another have ALWAYS had to figure it out alone. He was not grapsing the severity of my situation,"I have wedding photos to edit and send out and no way to finish them now!" I cried and cried in the dark of the night in a big empty house. Hopeless.

Somehow this morning I am still distraught but trying to feel better about the situation.Then I read this...

"when you encounter rough patches along your life journey, trust that My Light is still shining upon you. My reasons for allowing these adversities may be shrouded in mystery, but My continual presence with you is an absolute promise."

This will be playing on repeat in my head all day today!