Santa Barbara

In July we managed to sneak away from the insanity of what we call life and jump over to Santa Barbara. Aside from youth camp last year this is my first trip to California. Let me say this trip was a lot smoother than the last one I took there, and well so were the accommodations!!

If I would have known how perfect the weather was out west I wouldnt have spent so much time holding to the truth that God lives in Texas, because well if he does I guarantee He would go to Cali for vacation!!!

Please notice in the middle photo that I am indeed wearing Jeggings!! HUGE FAN!! Just sayin :)!!

The BIG 25

So on the 18th I turned a quarter of a century, yup thats right, the BIG 25. I am not complaining that I am getting old by any means, but this is the first year where I thought wow thats sounds old. 23, 24...no didnt sound old at all, but 25, holy moly. I remember when I was in high school and we had teachers and youth ministers that were 25, and now thats me. I mean can you believe that the freshman in high school now will graduate the same year as I have my 10 year high school reunion?

Anyway, enough about that...my sweet wonderful husband manages to top himself every year even when it doesn't seem possible. For my birthday he took me to eat at the Cheesecake Factory which is the greatest place on the planet...bought me some new clothes...and a new....LEXUS!! Yeah, here is her first debut on the web. We call her Pearl!!

Anyway Happy Birthday to me, and here goes 25, I feel like its going to be a good year!!

DNOW

Since all of you reading this live inside the Bible belt, I am quite certain that you know what a disciple now is. Unfortunately we do not have those out here in Tucson, but thankfully I was asked to come help out with the one at my home church.




I flew in the last week of January to see my old friend Alissa Kruse get married. I haven't seen her in probably three years, but it was really great to be there for her special day. I know how much it means to have all your friends there with you to celebrate, so heres to her wishing her all the best!


Anyway, but in Dallas I got to also see my sista, and some of my best friends. Its amazing how just getting to have dinner with my girls can make my whole day. I miss having you guys around. Sorry no pictures from dinner :*( but here is most of my girls from an old dinner.




Ok then on to the dnow in htown. I had ninth grade girls, and it was just such a good weekend of being real together. They were the most pure, open, and honest group of girls I have ever met. To bad after ninth grade we grow up, and quit being so much like them. But more than them, it was just good to be home and see how beautiful a church is when it functions as one body. Christ is truly at work at First Highlands, and I am excited to see what he does as these ninth graders grow into beautiful Godly women.



There we are on the right for the "amazing race". We may not have one but we sure looked the best playing!!

Valentines Day

Ok, so unfortunately my husband didnt remember that Valentines Day fell on a Sunday and therefore we would be spending all morning in church so he had a whole day planned out for us. Oh well, we just moved it to a Monday celebration. He bought me a new tennis racket (pink and white!!) and for those of you who know us, you know that the new racket came with a challenge. So we celebrated by a morning tennis game. It did not go well for him, haha. yeah right. Then he took me shopping, and of course out to eat. Could a girl ask for more?

Here is our table, and chocolate fondue set we used to bring in the holiday. And of course we couldn't celebrate without me baking something for Aaron, so here are my homemade cookies!! I was so proud of myself. That was the first time I have ever made sugar cookies from scratch, and what can I say...they were quite a success!!

San Antonio

So, after seeing everyone I ever knew in life, and attending a wedding of Aarons cousin Rich, we finally made it to our anniversary celebration down in San Antonio. Now I am a sold out Texan, but honestly I had never been to the Alamo or the Riverwalk and according to my husband youre just not Texan until you have. So to celebrate our first year of marriage and solidify my Texanness we went Southbound 35 down to San Antone!!

The Menger Bar was the place Roosevelt actually recruited some of the ruff riders!!

Here are Aaron and I in front of the same cannon, how our different pictures represent our personalities :)!! Hes always so composed!! Me...well not so much! So glad opposites attract. And the middle is us posing on our Riverwalk Boat Tour!! I think this is a potential career for me. All you have to do is entertain folks for a half hour and ask for tips, please I am made for that!!

And of course last but not least the traditional in front of the Alamo pose!!! I love Texas!!

One Year

Aaron and I recently celebrated our one year anniversary. To celebrate we went back to the restaurant we ate at the night he proposed. His parents asked to see a reenactment, but Aaron said he was nervous enough the first time he was not doing that again. Im still not sure why, anyone who knows me knew I was ready to marry that man since the day I met him.

These pictures are of us following through on the year tradition of eating the top of the wedding cake. If I was going to give any newlyweds advice it would be to pass up this tradition. I dont love white cake that much anyway, and after a year in the freezer, I am for sure not a fan!!

Alma Mater

So I spent the last few weeks in Texas, and although it was so good to see everyone, I honestly for the first time couldnt wait to be home, Tucson, AZ home!! Since I have moved out here, I have just been counting on the fact that one day we would move back to the state where God resides, but the truth is I am starting to think maybe He moved with us here to Arizona. While we were there it was 40 degrees and raining the entire time, but here, its 80 degrees and wonderfully sunny!! Oh home sweet home!!

But one thing that Arizona will never have on Texas is the great town of Belton, Texas. You know I couldnt road trip it from Dallas to San Antonio with out a stop at the old Alma Mater. Here is Aaron and I on our first trip to UMHB since our wedding. My goal is for him to one day become an honorary crusader!! GO CRU!!

We didnt bring a digital camera with a timer so we had to take turns in front of the sign :)!!




Here we are repin the cru with our "C"!! And here were are sad cuz we're leaving. Aarons face makes me laugh...looks like we need a lil practice on our sad faces :*(!!

Oh and for all fellow alumni, check out the website to download free UMHB ringers! With every text I know proudly here "Up with the Purple"