she kicked my butt....

R and I work out every morning....and we've kind of plateaued....some of my friends had told me when that happens, switch it up. So we decided to get a trainer. I was thinking it was going to be like my favorite high school basketball coach, Judy Nelson, who used to ride my butt like never before. I remember being worn out, exhausted and not being able to go any further, puking every time I hit the line because my body couldn't take it anymore, and crying the entire time....and Coach Nelson just sitting there and "spurring" me on. It wasn't nice, but she rode my butt because she loved me and wanted me to be the best I could be. I probably didn't appreciate it as much then as I do now. Dang I miss that lady!!!

So now I have a new "Coach Nelson".....she is going to be tough. R and I are doing partner training 2 days a week, then I have one week just with her and me together. We just played with her for about 20 minutes and my legs are already jello.....this is going to be a love - hate relationship I can already tell!!!!

I'll let you know after a few months how it's going. I think my body will revolt at first and then it will be a very good thing....If she doesn't kill me first! ha!

Austin...

My sister moved to Austin officially at about 6 months ago and I hadn't ever been to visit yet....I know, I know, I am a totally bad sister. So I finally found a weekend and ran off to Austin to go and visit. I had such a fun time getting to hang out with her -- her sweet husband was out of town, so I missed him -- but  it was great to get to spend the day running errands, cooking dinner together and just being together. 

On Saturday we got up and went to Town Lake (or Lady Bird Johnson Lake) and walked 5 miles. It was ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. Nothing like being outside first thing in the morning, on a trail around a lake, seeing the skyline from the trail. It was awesome...and I'm still feeling it. Ha, ha. Afterwards we ran over to Magnolia Cafe and had brunch, and it was fabulous. We then walked over to Runtex and I ended up getting some new shoes. Its amazing how when you work out every day all of a sudden you need new shoes WAY more often! And this time I got lucky - the shoes they recommended came in PURPLE....I was so excited. Not because that was my favorite color forever, just that since my feet are so dang big (yes, big -- I wear a 13 in womens....and a 13 in mens running shoes. Sad, I know) that I have to wear mens shoes and I never get any fun colors!!! 

We spent the rest of the day just working on her house -- her outside and me inside just getting stuff organized and cleaning. I loved it - the weather was awesome and I had the music on and I just loved being there. Maybe not the sunburn I got while "resting" outside, um, in not so many clothes, waiting for L to finish in the yard.

Then we ran off to Z Tejas for "lunch"....that is where we took the picture above. I haven't eaten there in a while, but let me tell you....the corn bread is just plain dangerous. I had two pieces and made the waitress take it away from the table. It was SO GOOD. And I got a special pasta and that was fabulous too! Then we ran off to shop a bit and then I came home. After being out of town while in Napa, I just needed some time to get organized since it will be a busy week!!! 

So, Sissy, it was great to get to play with you and see the house. Now get my room ready for me to come and visit more often. (and yes, ironically, the room is purple too - just like my shoes!!!!)

Girls Night Out...

I listen to KSBJ every day in the car....its the one thing that keeps me sane driving around H-town....and was so excited when I heard the ads for Girls Night out. First of all, I have heard that Anita Renfro is so freaking funny...most people have heard the Mom Song, which is hilarious. And Mandisa....well, I just love her anyway. So a bunch of girls got together for a little Girls Night Out. 

My favorite biblestudy girls all got came...which was absolutely fabulous since we haven't seen each other in a while....this whole busy season thing has gotten our schedule off track, but I am HOPEFUL that we get to start back up again -- SOON! 

My friend AD came in....we have been friends since her freshman year in college, my sophmore year in college. I was one of her bridesmaids in her wedding, and am Auntie Karen to her sweet kiddos....and I don't get to see her as often as I would like, so it was a special treat to have her come in to hang out. And the best part was that she invited another one of her friends to come -- it was R's birthday, and she got to leave her 5 kiddos and husband at home and have a fun little outing for her birthday! WOO-HOO! She was really great and I loved getting to meet her and spend sometime with her!

And then there are the K girls -- well, that isn't their last name anymore, but VM, KJ and their friend also came. I loved getting to catch up with them and hear their laughter as they talked about being a mom and wife and hearing them chuckle and say, yep, that is totally it.

It was an amazing night -- I don't know how to truly describe it, but think of being surrounded by some of your best friends....having dinner, laughing, singing and dancing....and just praising God. It was the best of everything all wrapped up in one. And hearing Mandisa belt it out was just amazing....God truly has blessed her with an amazing voice! And to have her pray with all of us, and to hear her heart pour out to God and to have her speak so eloquently and admit her struggles which are very similar to all of ours, well, it was just plain wonderful. Thanks to all the girls that came...it was so great to hang out with you guys and to spend that time together. I know I AM TRULY BLESSED.

Midland....

I love Midland....I don't know what it is about that city. There are no trees, dirt storms, and I swear the girls actually wear bump-its. But I still like it anyway....I think it has to do with my wonderful staff that work in that office. They just make me smile. 

And it makes me smile when we fly into Mdiland and you see the above -- what is that you ask? You see each of those white lines and then a little square? Those are each oil wells (the pads they are built on are the squares.) Did you ever realize that there were so many and so close together?!? It is amazing.....especially to see it from the air. And realize that is where my bonus came from! 

As in every town, there are "institutions". In Midland, this is one of them:

The first time I drove by I laughed and texted a friend - something about only in Midland would they have a place like this. I mentioned it to one of my staff and they said it was great. So we stopped by one day and got burritos for everyone (yes, it is dark outside because my staff like to get to work at the crack of dawn!). I do admit they were REALLY good. 

But my other favorite thing about Midland (besides my staff) is the office...it is in this building that is owned by Clayton Williams (which, every Aggie has probably heard that name at least once!). The middle of the building is an atrium with lots of trees and plants....and animals. Some are made out of wood and some are real -- well, stuffed. Supposedly Clayton Williams kills them and brings them in to display. So we were walking in from lunch and I was telling my staff I wanted to take a picture with the giraffe's -- and she asked if I had seen the new animals. We went over to see this...

I know - you are saying : WHAT IN THE.....

The next thing you are saying is -- what is that driving the buggy...wait for it...

Yes, that is scary. I am not going to lie. I took pictures almost because I was in awe. I didn't know what to say but laugh nervously and say that I might have nightmares now. Ha, ha.

The other thing I was talking about was that in Houston we have cupcakes from Crave all the time. They felt left out that they didn't have cupcakes....and someone mentioned they had a new cupcake place....and WOW. I didn't think they would be that great....but look at these....

(yes, one of my staff had already stole one) -- but what you don't see is there is almost 3 inches (yes, I said 3) of icing. It was ridiculous....especially because the icing was SOOOOO GOOOD. But you couldn't eat that much of it because it was so rich!!!

And Midland was just on the first leg of my trip....I then got to fly to Dallas and see my SISTER!!! WOOT-WOOT! Well, actually I was there for a work meeting, but I got to take her to dinner too. She is enjoying her "sabbatical" from work....aka, she got laid off and is enjoying this time working out, doing her gala / non profit stuff (she is like the chair or on a committee of everything known to man) and looking for a J-O-B. It was so great to get to see her and to catch up...weird how we don't talk as much even though you would think it would be easier to track her down now!

And now I am back home...and just had the most amazing night. Which I will tell you about tomorrow!!!

what makes K happy?

For sure, this does.....without a doubt. My friend RH was having a going away party for one of her staff and she asked if I wouldn't mind helping out....um, is she kidding? Party for 25? yes, please! So we decided to do some kabobs (and when I say some...well, in that picture, only HALF were on the grill....no, not kidding!) and then I got to make some cobblers. All I can say is this...YUM! RH was so funny - she said "When I told them about the cobblers, I could have run around naked in the kitchen and they wouldn't have known - all they cared about was eating those....and saying how dang good they were." And they were good...if I do say so myself!

It was also a very good time getting to hang out with some old KPMG peeps that I haven't seen in a long time and it was great to get to catch up with them. And can I remind you again how much I loved getting to cook? especially in RH's outdoor kitchen on her amazing grill. Well, and seeing RH and her sweet hubby and her FABULOUS son WHH....just loved getting to play with him and give him LOTS of love! He is just so sweet - well, except when he decides to body slam your head, but even then he is still pretty cute!

San Fran and Napa with the girls....

A while back I took a trip to Greece and Rome with two of my favorite girls, TH and LM. We had a BLAST together. We were talking the other day and thought it would be GREAT FUN to repeat that trip, but to a different location. We were trying to decide where to go, and couldn't decide. We waited to make sure schedules were going to pan out and decided a girls weekend to San Francisco and Napa would be PERFECT. So we packed our bags and off we went. 

We arrived early and got to play all over San Fran....we walked, and we walked and we walked. I love these girls as they are just so easy and we can just roam FOREVER...we walked from our hotel to the Ferry Building where I introduced the girls to one of my favorite places in San Fran. Then we roamed over to Fishermans wharf, ghiradelli square, then started roaming back towards the hotel. We realized we were only three blocks from Lombard street - the curviest street ever. So we decided to walk there....too bad it was three blocks UPHILL. And if you have ever seen the hills in San Fran, well you understand what I mean. Let's just say I made it up, I made it down the steps on Lombard street and begged for a cab. And my calves hurt for the next three days!!!

Here is the top of Lombard street with all the people driving down. No, it isn't the steepest hill in San Fran, but it was made into a curve because it was so steep! The next day we went down to Crissy Field and walked with half of  San Francisco along the trail up to the bridge. It was GORGEOUS...the weather, the park and seeing the bridge. (that is where we took the first picture on the blog from). It was a great walk and a great way to spend the morning! I do think that between the two days we probably walked over 10 miles....and no, I am not kidding!

Then we hopped in the car and were off to Napa. We drove over the bridge and it was so great to see from that viewpoint, as you see above. We arrived in Napa and went to visit Oxbow market where we ate, and drank and had a good first day. We ended up laying around that evening - gaining our strength for what was to come! The next day we visited a few wineries --- first was Domaine Chandon - which is known for its sparkling wine (note - it is not called champagne - partly because we signed a treaty in france that we wouldn't call it that - unless the companies were grandfathered in during some year so VERY long ago!). The grounds were gorgeous, and it was great to just look around after we enjoyed our tasting. The next place was Jessup - which was one of our favorite wineries. Through a friend of a friend we got a private tasting and loved our friend from the winery that told us all about their history and the wine. Let's just say we came back with a few bottles of some really great wine! 

Then we were off to Del Dotto. They are known for their wine caves and doing barrel tasting...

Here is the entrance to the caves -- a lot of wineries have them - they stay at 65 degrees year round and it is the perfect temp to keep the wine. These caves were dug at the end of the 1800's by some chinese workers and have been used ever since. The barrels that are laying on their side are the ones that we tasted...they have a bung on the side (the hole in the barrel is called a bung hole....no, I am not kidding!) to be able to get a taste out. They use this contraption you see below....

It was pretty cool to be able to taste the wine straight out of the barrel. And we tasted a LOT out of the barrel. 

One of the other things I loved about being in Napa was you were surrounded by the vineyards...and fields of grapes everywhere. We were there when they are pruning and getting ready for the spring when the plants start to bud. It was cool to see all of the different types of vines - some were thick (and old!) and kinda creepy. Others were young and whispy. Some were close to the ground, some were tall. Some were stretched out perfectly along the vine. And the cool thing was - they were all different and all produced something very different that is all melded together to make some fabulous wines. 

This is one of my favorite statues at Peju -- it was a really cool winery we visited. I found some fabulous Sauvignon Blanc there.....and I don't even like that kind of wine. That was the coolest thing about this whole trip - I went in with "I like this" and came back saying "I like it all!". It was great to have someone teach you about wines, the way they make it and expose you to all sorts of new things!

And one of my other favorite things about Napa - the ability to picnic at various places. Here we were at V. Sattui. They had this great market where you can buy cheese, salami and crackers (among other things) and then crack open a bottle of wine for your own little picnic. It was awesome (as was the weather!)

And the food....just thinking about it again, I start to salivate. The food was absolutely amazing - no matter where we ate. The macaroni and cheese at the oxbow market was the best I have ever had. Then we ate here - the Rutherford grill. 

It reminds me of Houstons - in so many ways. But the food is even better. Someone had said "try the french dip". I doubted but I did anyway....and I was rewarded. OH MY GOODNESS. That is all I can say. It almost melted in your mouth - how I do not know. 

The last day we visited my absolutely favorite winery - Schramsberg. We had the most amazing tour where they told us about how they make their sparkling wine. It was so wonderful. They also have caves where they store their wine -- here is the entrance: 

Yes, those are walls of bottles. LOTS and LOTS of bottles. Here it is up close: 

There is almost something magical and beautiful about it to me. Notice the green dots in the middle - yep, that is another bottle. and don't think it is just one row deep....there are rows and rows deep! Here is LM and I posing in front of the bottles: 

They store all of these bottles while the sparkling wine "makes itself". As they sit the yeast eats the sugar in the wine and that is how the bubbly gets made. We learned one saying "big bubbles mean big trouble". We loved that -- basically, some places inject their bottles with CO2, which makes big bubbles. Proper "sparkling wine" is made with yeast....and is so much better! But as that yeast eats the sugar, the pressure in the bottle grows -- to almost 105 lbs per square inch. So when they want to move the bottles, well, they do so very carefully! See them below? 

They are moving the bottles two by two, wearing protective gear.  And see how far back the cave goes? yep, it used to all be filled with bottles. I mean, this place is really cool. Let's just say I will be buying a LOT of wine from them in the future! 

And we visited so many other wineries -- Sequoia Grove, Plumpjack, ZD,  Robert Sinsky (MY FAVORITE!!!), Rombauer, Frank Family....and I feel like there were so many more, I just can't remember them all! 

And it was just so fabulous - just like this view at Rombaurer....and the people we met, and all the fun we had. 

And what was also awesome? this place. (and the blue sky, and the perfect 65 degree weather) and the picnic tables in the back. And the HUGE chocolate chip cookies and 7 layer bars in side :) they have sandwiches too.....promise! 

All in all, it was a fabulous time. We had a blast....I am so glad I got to spend this time with these girls....and go to a really cool place...and drink a lot of wine....a LOT of wine....that prompted me to act like the statue....

thought you would enjoy that! ha, ha. If you ever go to Napa, I have some great suggestions....as does everyone that goes to Napa...but promise, whatever wineries you visit, whatever restaurants you eat at, whomever you meet -- you will love every single thing about that place. Its almost magical....and no, its not just about the wine! 

just what I needed.....

no time to blog....but I'll leave you with a little photo essay till I can come back....

sick...ugh...

I'm sick. I hate it.

its really just allergies, but as I learned from my doctor, that it will start out as allergies and then turn into a sinus infection. AWESOME. Especially since I am supposed to go on a little vacation soon and I definitely don't want to be sick on that vacation! I love that when I went to see my endo to check out the elusive thyroid (which, is out of whack....again. basically every 10 lbs I lose I need to adjust my medicine, and well, I've lost that quite a few times over so lets just say I should have adjusted my meds a few times but we just haven't done that.) she basically thought I was sick and gave me a regime of medicine to take to get better.

It was actually kind of funny - it was like "start with this pill and this nose spray. if you aren't better by the time to fly, use this other spray JUST before take off and landing to protect the ears. If you then get worse, here is medicine to take for an infection." And with that a "have a great vacation!" I heart her....she is so fabulous. And she changed my thyroid meds, so we are good to go.

I totally had to skip work one day and came in late another....hoping I'd get better faster....but that hasn't happened. And thank goodness today is a friday off. Its 9:30, I'm still in my PJ's, drinking coffee, and washing clothes, moving off the couch only to move laundry. LOVE days like this....and that I can go meet SM for lunch and catch up since I had to miss the rodeo last night....I mean, it was sad to give up time with friends drooling over Brad Paisley for laying on the couch miserable. But hopefully it will get better! Say a little prayer for health and for safe travels!!! I'll update after the vacation, with LOTS of pictures!

last weekend....

Sorry I've gotten behind. I can admit, its totally my fault. I have a problem with "over extending myself". Although I have been learning to say "No", which was previously not a word in my vocabulary, I still don't use it as often as I should. So of course, most of my weeknights are filled and then my weekends are just PACKED. Fun, definitely, but packed.

And this past weekend was just as packed as could be. I wish I would have pulled out my camera more, but I just totally got sidetracked. I spent Saturday morning in the kitchen at the JL....and can I say that I am not one bit sad that I don't have to spend another Saturday there. Okay, there might be a bit of me that is sad not to be in the presence of such FUN girls, but I guess that means I just have to plan other outings for us to play instead! That was almost 30 Saturdays in the kitchen....yeah, I said 30. It was a lot, but I learned SO much -- it was fun to work with the chef's and learn a few things. Most of which - never eat at a restaurant once you see how they "steam" the veggies then dip them in butter. Awesome.

Late that afternoon we were invited over to my old KPMG staff LH's house as her mother is in town from Morocco and wanted to cook for us. WOW. That is about all I can say. It was absolutely amazing. My favorite dish was like Baklava - with chicken and way more cinnamon. It kind of sounds weird, but I swear, it was so freaking good. I really could have eaten the whole thing. It was also good to hang out with my old engagement team -- and to see all the babies. I just LOVE being around them....especially when they go home with mom and dad! ha, ha. What I love even more was meeting LH's mom -- I lovingly call her the "baby whisperer". One of the babies would be fussy and she would get them in her arms and they would immediately stop. And she would kind of throw them up in the air (without them ever leaving her hands) - I wish I could describe it better, but it was awesome - and they would just laugh and it was great.

That night I went out to hang out with the H's -- RH just got back from Australia and we usually see every morning and we haven't seen each other in over 2 weeks. I got to play with WHH - he LOVES playing with balls...and throwing them in the pool. which is fun, till he throws them in the middle and you can't get them out of the pool! He was so much fun to get to run around with and play. Then R and S cooked dinner on their AWESOME new grill.....we totally ate outside in the awesome weather and it was just fabulous, as always.

They have a fire pit in the back yard and since my friend KV was in town hanging out with the O's, who live really close to the H's, we invited them over to hang out by the fire pit and make smores. It was fun to get to hang out with everyone -- especially since the H's don't know them very well - and they brought out all of their best stories. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. and the smores -- AWESOME.  and they now have these caramel vanilla flavored marshmallows...wow.

Then on Sunday, I had brunch with LM, TH (who went to Greece with LM and I) and her hubby, and their friend S and her boyfriend. It was so much fun - we went to Dante's on Montrose and they had a blues brunch. It was FABULOUS, totally not diet friendly, but whatever. I'll pay for that later. But it was worth it! And we had little HH with us at brunch....isn't he so stinking cute!