Family Photos

Though I've lived in College Station for about half my life (really?!?), home is still on the ranch near Boerne where my parents still live. They have a beautiful place that is somehow kind of magical. It is comforting to see things from my childhood still around, though mom and dad have done some amazing renovations! I love the place. I love the trees and the house and the creek (where dad thinks kayaking would be great, even though the largest span of water would mean turning around every 3 minutes!). I love my parents and my whole family--and I can't wait to get back there for the holidays in just a few days. We love to sit outside, have a beer, watch football, sit on the counters in the kitchen and talk, watch the kids play, and just be together as a family.

When I was home at Thanksgiving, I got a chance to take some family photos. Really because they needed them for Christmas cards. But I loved it. I love taking pictures and capturing those little times in their lives right now. Looking back at the photo album my mom put together for me growing up, I see those moments, those little glimpses into how we were, what was "cool" at the time, the fashion, the furniture, the way people wore their hair. My favorite pictures are the ones that show "how we were" -not just the ones where everyone is looking at the camera, though those are good, too. The candid ones: those are the ones that really give you an idea of how crazy or fun or serious something was.

I put a few pics from Thanksgiving here--and they are ones that I love (there were many, but I don't know if everyone else cares to see them all! ) I hope to get a bunch more at Christmastime, because my family is by far the most important part of my life. I hope you all get to spend some great time with family this holiday as well. Merry Christmas!

halloween!!!

Success!

Our little Super Girl!

Ry had such a great time this year for Halloween! She could reach the doorbells for the first time, so could head to the doors by herself while we hung back a little. She LOVED it! She cracked us up because every house she would give us a big thumbs up on the way and a big smile, then after getting the candy and hollering "thank you!" over her shoulder, she would pull out whatever she got and say, "Mom, Dad--look what I got!! (very excitedly) and then "What is it?" : )

The Loot (which she is very good about sharing with mom and dad!) : )

S'Mores

They do work (if you read the last post)--we did 10 seconds--just about the time the marshmallow started to puff up big. S'mores are good (mine was delicious) but sometimes, 4 year olds just want the marshmallows more. : )

Are you still there.....?

I know you may be wondering if we are, so this is an update. We are still alive. For some reason, there hasn't been too much excitement lately. Well, I take that back--I did have a great birthday spent with friends. I guess I haven't written about it , not because it wasn't a nice evening with friends, but because for some reason, 33 just doesn't seem noteworthy. It just means another year older.

I think too, the weather has been playing a part in my lackadaisical attitude. Rain, Rain, Rain everyday. While I usually love a rainy day, as our friend Matt said: When did College Station become Seattle? Yeesh! Yesterday we picked up Ry and then went to Cotton Patch for dinner--all was well until in the middle of dinner, it started pouring. And I don't mean it was raining hard, I mean it was torrential. It was monsoon-like. We had parked about 10 feet from the door and just to run and get in the car, we were completely soaked. Urgh. Then driving home was a real treat...25 miles per hour on the highway. That was literally all you could go. The dumb rain has even kept our house from being painted. Each day it rains it pushes it back which is kinda stinky as we are ready to have it done!

I do have something exciting coming up in a couple of weeks though. I'm taking a couple of photography classes from a gal in Bryan, Shauna Maness. Her website is http://www.shaunamaness.com/ and I heard about her from one of Chris's mom's friends. Her stuff is super artsy and the kind of stuff I really like, so I'm hoping to come away with some good info. and a great time (plus one of the classes is on a school day, so I'm playing hooky--how great is that?!). I'm hoping it will give me a little jump start to take a little time off for me to do something I really like to do. : )

So that's about it--we are still here. The cross country team hasn't been doing that great so Chris is gone every Saturday all day and it isn't even fun for him (or me). Ryan is doing great--she's into math (today) asking how much 8+10 is and so on. We are going to attempt s'mores tonight in the microwave (another friend of ours said she has done it and they are great)--we'll see how that goes!! : ) Hope all of you out there are still doing fine too! (below is a quick pic from my b-day--before the shenanigans and bowling!) : )

A Terrible Morning

So you guys with kids over 4 know this, but this is a lesson for those of you who have young kids or who may not have kids yet but will. Here are a few take away tidbits in case you don't have time to read this whole story. Kind of like on CNN where in the upper right hand corner, they give you the summary. Here goes:
1. Always schedule "yearly checkups" at the end of the day or in the afternoon where you can go home afterwards.
2. Bring extra bandaids--preferably Hannah Montana....even if your child has never seen the show.
3. Allow for at least one and a half hours for the "check up". It will be at least that long, probably longer.


Back to the action:

So yesterday morning was Ryan's 4 year checkup. They had relatively few openings (probably because every kid in College Station has a sinus infection, and most of their parents I might add) so when they finally said 8:20 on Tuesday? I gave in and said that would be fine. I figured, I should be able to be at school by 9:10 (2nd period). Ryan also has dance class at 9am at her school. I figured it would be no problem getting her there at least close to on time.

I figured wrong! The first part of the appt. was great--vision, hearing, develpmental, height, weight--the usual. No problem. We meet with Dr. Saenz. Great--no issues. We are doing good on time--8:40. He does say in the appt. that Ryan needs 5 shots. (what?!?!) Okay....I haven't prepped Ry for that on purpose, thinking she would freak out and also, I wasn't sure how many. (Five?!?! Are you sure Dr. Saenz??) So we start to wait, and wait, and wait. 9:15 finally brings the nurses (2 one to give these gifts of pain and one to hold her legs). Mom, you get to hold the arms. Be ready for this. It sucks.

So the five (yeesh--really!?!?) shots finally are done, and Ry has completely LOST it. (who wouldn't?) She's bawling, hollering "it hurts!" (no kidding!) and it is time to go. But her legs hurt. She doesn't want to walk. She doesn't want to be held-everything hurts. Eventually, with much crying, we get outside. Where it is raining and we need an umbrella. And patience for me. Ry's still going crazy. I finally tell her that I'll have to take away her lollipop if she can't stop crying (I am or at least felt like, a terrible mom). So we eventually make it to the car where the shots are bleeding through her pants. (DRAMA!! Ryan calls it "bleeting"--like a sheep?) Anyway....

We have to stop for more bandaids--thank God in that moment for Hannah Montana. She's never seen the show, but it made her happy to buy them. We get in the car. We get to school. Ry's doing okay now. Still legs hurt, but otherwise, not bawling. We talk about her new stamp kit (thanks again to Walgreens where we got the bandaids). The stamp kit we had to buy because Ry was so upset because (double whammy) she missed dance class.

We get to school. And here it comes again. Ry loses it all over again because I have to go to work. I get there at 10am. The worst morning. : (

So just a quick review: appts end of day, extra bandaids, and allow for lots of time. So all of you out there with older kiddos, keep passing on those tidbits of information to us newbies--we need all the help we can get! : ) p.s. Ry is feeling just fine today! Sore legs, but just fine! Thank heavens!

Superheroes!!!

Ry had a great birthday party this past weekend with her best buddy Cade--as you frequent readers know, it was a super hero themed party--and the kiddos were so cute!!! Nearly all of the kids came dressed up and it was ADORABLE!! The kids had a great time (so did the parents I think!--the husbands found out that it was super fun to throw a nerf football so that a running dive into the foam blocks was necessary--actually, that was mostly Chris now that I think about it!!) : )

Ry and Cade

"Listening" to the Rules of PowersportsThe super cute cake made by our friend Lindsay

My mom is coming in for Ryan's birthday weekend (the real bday is Saturday) so Ryan's special "day" just keeps on going and going! What a dream for a 4 year old!! A fun, dress up party with all of her friends from school and family friends PLUS a second party with the fam--can I do this when it's my birthday? : )

Birthday Bonanza!

So today is Ryan's 4th birthday party (I know, can you believe it?). She is having a hard time understanding why she isn't 4 today--her actual birthday is the 19th. We decided to have a joint party with one of Ryan's best friends, Cade (also turning 4). So we figured out the best weekend between their birthdays (Cade's is the 29th of Aug), factoring in when Chris has cross country meets and when there is a home Aggie game, etc. So, today's the day--of the party that is! She has been very excited as it is a superhero party. Check out the invitations our friend Patrick made:

Then of course, we had to make great party favors--thanks again to Patrick for the nametags (each kid's name is on the back) and then I made the masks. There are a few little things inside too.

If I were a kid, this would be the party to be going to! They are all dressing up as superheroes, and on top of that it is at Powersports, which is a completely fun time for the kids and parents! Ry's costume is too cute and she keeps asking when she can put it on (super girl!)!

Can't wait to get the cake too--our friend Lindsey is making it for Ry and Cade. I'll have to blog the party later--right now, I've got to get to the store for more elastic for the masks! : ) Calling all Superheroes--we are having an elastic shortage at the Kovacs House!

G for Great Day

Ry and I were looking at blogs and Ry said that she wanted to write on ours. So she said, "Hey, let's write about a great day. G for great day."

This is Ryan's story about great days: "Great days are so much fun and um I play with Ashley because she's my best friend and she plays with me so much even Cade plays with me all day and we play so much together everyday and I play with them everyday even mornings." (all in one sentence).

And now she says she's done. So that's it. A typical Ryan story just in time for bedtime.

Hope you all are having a great day too! : )

Italy

We were fortunate this summer that Chris and I were able to get away for our 5th anniversary to Italy. We had such a great time enjoying the history, scenery, people and each other. Check out some of these great pics:

At the Michelangelo Piazza overlooking the city of Florence

One evening at the Colosseum

During our tour inside the Colosseum

In St. Peter's square just before our Vatican tour

It truly was a great trip--tough to be gone from Ryan for so long, but thankfully my mom and Chris's mom could watch her for the week while we were there!

We had such great meals while we were there and the people were so friendly (one reason why we didn't go to France)! There is so much to see and do in Rome--the churches alone could take a week! The metro (subway) is easy to navigate and seemed safe (so far as we knew!) and overall, it was a perfect trip--aside from our sore feet and legs from wanting to see and do everything in just a few short days!! : ) Yay for Italy!

Disney!

I realize that it has been since March since I've posted! Yeesh! It has been a very busy 6 months for us to say the least! Here are a few pics from our recent trip to Disney--Ryan had a GREAT time, as did we as a family. We went with Chris's dad and step mom, and Chris's sister and their family. It was fantastic and we were so glad to get away for a while to a truly magical place!

Interview with Ryan

As some of you may have seen, my friend and fellow Blogger, Stormy, interviewed her kids with the idea that she'd ask those questions of them in the future also to see how their answers change as they get older. So here is our version. Chris and I came up with the questions, and we interviewed Ry as we ate breakfast yesterday morning. Here is how it went:

Chris: What's your name?
Ryan: Ryan

Chris: How old are you?
Ryan: 3 (holds up three fingers too)

Chris: Who are your friends?
Ryan: Ashley, Cade, Max, Mimi, Faith, Daniel....that's it...that's the end of my friends.

Chris: Ryan, what's your favorite snack?
Ryan: Gummies and juice...grape juice, grape juicy

Chris: What's your favorite game?
Ryan: Chutes and Ladders

Chris: What else do you like to do?
Ryan: Hmmmm...play in my room, play, read books, go to bed

Chris: What is your favorite animal?
Ryan: Mmmmmm....horsey!

Chris: Why do you love mom?
Ryan: Because she loves to play with me all the times....ok, Dad?

Chris: Why do you love dad?
Ryan: Because you love to play with me and for me to.....(Chris: What? What's for me to? Ryan: For me to!! Chris: ....okay....)

Chris: What's your favorite show?
Ryan: Kung Fu Panda; a brand new Kung Fu Panda (there was a little show on one time on Thursday night about Kung Fu Panda....she saw it once...for 30 minutes! She really loves SuperWhy, Dora, and Toot and Puddle)

Chris: Why do you love Grammy? (she was over at our house for breakfast)
Ryan: Because she has spots on her belly. (Not sure where this came from!! Grammy had surgery the day before though, so she had some bruising on her belly...maybe that is what she was talking about???)

Chris: Tell me about Duncan.
Ryan: Because he is my pet, he likes to go outside and play with me. He's not annoying; he is a puppy! And he's also a pet and goes in his cage and gets food.

Chris: Do you have any chores?
Ryan: Yes. Getting pencils and pennies all by myself and put them in my pink piggy bank for doing such a good job. (Notice: she doesn't tell what her chores are...apparently the work is not much of a chore, since all she remembers is the getting coins part. I have no idea where the pencils thing came from....her real chores are to clean her room, help with putting up Duncan and letting him out when we get home. She also puts away the silverware when we unload the dishwasher).

Chris: What do you like about our house?
Ryan: I liked it when you painted it up in the sky and on the walls and I love the way you put the ornaments on that tree (our little Easter tree) and I liked the way you put water in that plant because it is growing. I like the letters by Duncan's food. (we have the letters EAT by Duncan's food bowls....again, not sure where painting up in the sky came from...we haven't painted any ceilings!!)

Chris: What is your favorite book?
Ryan: Ummmmm...Dora--all of the Dora books and the princess ones, and Deigo ones, and Max and Ruby

Chris: We're almost done...What do you want to be when you grow up?
Ryan: Ummmm...open my candy all by myself and rollerskate and biking really really fast. Play soccer. Watch this guys....(drinks milk)...I have a mustache!!

Chris: Ryan, what's your favorite stuffed animal?
Ryan: Hello Kitty and Sherlock and Ellie Belly and Tip Top.....(runs off into the living room)....(calls back)...I'm DONE!

And she was done. We couldn't help to keep asking questions. It was cute to watch because we could see that she felt really important while we were asking her all of these things about her. : )

Jason Mraz-I'm Yours

If you listen to the music on this blog, you'll notice we changed the first song to Jason Mraz-I'm Yours. Ryan LOVES this song and is learning the words, much like she still loves to sing "Had a Bad Day"--I think the cutest part is that she doesn't really know the words. It is adorable the little words she makes up so that she can sing along.

Ryan is also into using the computer. We put it on just a blank page of Word, and let her go to town. She loves to find the letters to type her name and really thinks she is a big girl because she gets to use the computer. As I type, she is saying, "Mom. Are you done? Are you done yet, Mom?" She is impatient (as most 3 year olds are I suppose!) and wants what she wants right away. Today she wanted some cheese on the way home and couldn't understand why we had to wait until we got home to get it. Chris tried to explain, "Honey, I don't have the refrigerator with the cheese in my car." Ryan: "Why?" ---ahhh....the why stage at its best! : )

On another note two of our friends had babies this week. Chris's high school friend, Shaun and his wife Samandra, welcomed a little boy, Micah. And another of Chris's high school friends, Jeff and his wife Alma had their baby today. So it is a week of new beginnings and happy thoughts! We're keeping them all in our thoughts and prayers as they adjust to parenthood. We wish them the best! (and start gearing up for those babies to grow into cute little kiddos who sing songs and ask "is it going to take a long long time til it's my turn on the computer!)

Daytona 500

I'm completely stealing a story from my mom here. She and my dad were at the Daytona 500 this past weekend. Mom was telling me a story about a couple they were with where the wife was clearly irritating the husband because she would not stop talking and talking and talking. He tried to be subtle by putting his finger up to his mouth to "shush" her. This apparently went on and on until finally, the last day, he says, "For the love of God, will you shut up?!"

You see stuff like this all the time on shows, but not in real life! She said they got a real kick out of this couple over the weekend. I'm sure they did, since it happened to another couple and not them! : )

Something I think is very cool about my dad's job is that occasionally, he gets to go on some pretty interesting trips--like this one to Daytona (though it is old hat for them--they were there last year to support Tony Stewart--they have a new driver now for the Home Depot car in case you aren't "up" on the NASCAR circuit!...we wouldn't be except Dad keeps us in the know!) He also got to go to the Superbowl this year. He went to Cuba last year for business, too. Of course he has to work during these weekends, too and I know he would really probably rather be home since he travels 5-6 days a week every week, but I guess it is a perk of sorts! I'm also grateful that my mom gets to go sometimes. I know she enjoys that time with Dad and has fun being entertained by ladies who can't keep their mouths shut! : )

I guess with our jobs in education, we won't be going on trips like that for work....maybe to Brenham for a soccer tournament, or to Austin for a principal's convention.....that's not exactly the same thing. I guess our perks come from working with great people and with kids who we get to teach and guide and become a positive part of their lives. That's just about as good as the Superbowl.

Tough Biker Chick

When we got home today, Ryan decided she wanted to get geared up to ride her bike. Since it was a GORGEOUS day, I was happy for the chance to get out there and enjoy it, too. But, before we went out, she says, "Mom, take my picture!" Of course, I never turn down that chance, so I got my camera. As she posed, she said, "Look at my mean face!" I said, "You don't want a picture like that do you? You want to make a happy face, right?" "No!" she says, "Take it with my mean face!" So, here you go: Our Tough Biker Chick (princess elbow pads and all)!

Quick Ear Update

Ry's surgery on Friday went well. She got the new tubes and adenoids out in about 25 minutes. They had to do an IV and breathing tube during the procedure this time...she was a little nauseated right after, but then was just tired and slept when we got home. The afternoon was okay--she seemed to be feeling fine and we had a pretty good day. Then about 6pm Ry started to be very nauseated. At 7:30pm she started throwing up and didn't stop until 2am. It was a long night to say the least. She was up again at 7am and seemed to be feeling fine. We ran a couple of errands, and while out she said that she was feeling sick again. It has been another day of nausea....not fun, but I suppose it could be much worse so we should be thankful!

Tonight is Sadie Hawkins dance for our school out at a large expo center in Bryan. It goes from 8-midnight and would be fine save for our short night last night! Hopefully it will be problem free! I also promised to post a picture of Ryan since there hasn't been one in a while. To all of you reading this who will also get a Valentine from Ry, sorry you are seeing this early! We had the fastest photo shoot ever today while Ry was feeling up to it!! : )

Tired

Do you ever get those weeks where you just don't sleep worth a flip? I've been having one for about a week now. I keep having bad dreams that wake me up and I don't seem to get to that deep restful sleep. I think, "am I not tired enough?" and "am I too tired?" "do I need to be working out more?" "what the heck is the problem?" Why can't I get a good night's sleep? YUCK!

I know some of it is that I am worried about Ryan's surgery on Friday. She's got to get tubes again in her ears and will have her adenoids taken out. I'm nervous about seeing her under anesthesia. Chris did that last time with the tubes, so I didn't see it. He calls it the single worst moment he's had since she was born because it was so traumatic for him. How can that not make my stomach turn at the thought?

I think that some of it is also work. It is a busy job. It's stressful and as my former principal Chrissy always says, "it is rich and full". Tonight for example we were leaving the basketball game (yay, you guys know how much I love the bball games) at Reed Arena, and bam! Fight! Police, mayhem and foolishness! I wanted to hide, leave, or maybe both. Instead, I stayed around, trying to get other students to leave (yes it was our students fighting), freezing outside without a coat (my fault), and wishing our kids would find a better way to deal with issues they have with each other. Additionally, I wonder if it is really over, or if tomorrow morning will just erupt the same fight in a new location (like the cafeteria where I'm going to be on duty).

So there it is....two posts in a row about work....not a good sign! How many days until Spring Break again?

Also, I'll try to post some pictures of Ryan soon--this blog is getting a little wordy! : )

Soccer Season

So soccer fans--I hope you are geared up 'cause it is officially soccer season. I am signed up as an administrator on duty for all of Chris's home games, which is a good deal for both of us, as I get to see him and watch the games AND I don't have duty for things like basketball (hate it) or baseball (yawn). I do have a prime seat this year. The pressbox! It is not only warm and cozy up here, but there is freaking INTERNET! So, I'm here, with my laptop, watching the game. I worked on school work for the JV game and now have time for, you guessed it--BLOGGING! Ahh...the joys of technology.

Additionally, my mother in law Megan has been so great and is watching Ryan during all of these games, which is truly a great help--thanks, Megan!

On another note, one of Megan's good friends who owns Jim-n-i in downtown Bryan (get down there girls, it's good stuff at good prices!) told me about this photographer who takes AMAZING photos and gives classes so you can too! I'm going tomorrow for a class in art. I'll let you guys know how it goes! It is supposed to be an overnight deal, but with the game, I'm missing half of it (bummer). Oh, hey.....awww...nearly a goal for the Tigers! So anyway, let me tell you a little about my day:

1. checked my calendar, saw just one meeting at 3pm and the soccer games tonight. Hooray!
2. made a list of about 12 things I really needed to get done today since I should have time for them.
3. went out to duty before school
4. came back to my office to make passes for students for 2nd period, did 1st thing on my list (getting together Sat. d-hall list for tomorrow), answered emails for school, sighed happily because I just knew it was going to be a great day.
5. Go out to duty for 2nd period--student spits from 2nd floor to first, walk him to office, start to look up the footage since girls said it hit them
6. Day starts to fall apart: teacher comes in very upset at another teacher, I see a few students, folders start to pile up for phone calls home, I get pulled into a surprise meeting, etc.
7. I see a few kids 3rd period and hope I can get back on track.
8. Lunch--my day is shot. I spend the rest of the day with searching for drugs, sending students to alternative campus, scarfing down half a sandwich and chips while tugging a trash can around the lunch room to be sure kids don't leave things a mess, counseling students crying in the bathroom and students refusing to go to class because they don't like their teacher.
9. 3pm: I have my meeting. The only thing on my calendar. It is a good meeting, and one of just two things I got accomplished from my list that I needed to get done.
10. Come back to campus for after school duty--great weather outside and pleasant, until the fight that is....
11. Get the heck outta the office and over to the game! (thank heavens!)

Now here I am, soccer still going on, and it seems so long ago already that my day crashed. Amazing what this sport will do for ya! Go Tigers! : ) (and Yay--we just scored too!)

The Cough

So Ryan has been dealing with a runny nose, dried boogie face, and persistent little cough for about two weeks off and on. I'm sure it doesn't help that we go from 80 degrees one day to 50 degrees the next then back to 80, then 50 again....not ideal. So last night was Chris's last night away for a soccer tournament over night (thank heavens!), and Ryan and I had an evening spent arguing over little things (like which cookies she wanted, the one with the frosting or to make ones from Nestle Tollhouse which she couldn't decide on and threw a fit over--ahhh, three year olds). Then I gave her some Benedryl before bed as the Dr. suggested and as we've done the past couple of nights to help her get to sleep.

This was followed by 6 full hours of the most terrible, lose your breath, think it might make you throw up, not sleeping with this cough you've seen. She was miserable. I was miserable. At one point (around midnight), we got up and turned on the computer to make sure we didn't need to be considering a trip to the ER in the middle of the night. (thank God we didn't). So after a few more puffs from the inhaler, some motrin (the girl's gonna be super sore from all the coughing), and another couple hours (I think it was nearly 2am) of sleeplessness and praying for God to help us, Ry finally fell asleep (me too I think...) from 2am until, you guessed it, her usual-6:15am!!! Her internal clock seriously needs adjusting! Surely she was tired, but she still got up, came in the living room (I slept on the couch so I couldhear her better if she was struggling to breathe--we tried my bed, but she doesn't sleep well in there anyway since it's unfamiliar) and announces, "Mom? I'm hungry."

So with half open eyes I fix up the Captain Crunch Berries (I know, they aren't real berries and so aren't really healthy, but whatever!) and attempt to lay back down on the couch. "Mom? Can I watch somethin?" (Tigger and Pooh miraculously appears). "Mom? I thought we were going to eat Crunch Berries together." (maybe in a little bit) "Mom? I need to go potty. Can you turn on two lights?" Who am I kidding I'm up--and might as well have some Crunch Berries too.

Some things I have learned about Dallas

Currently at this conference, you can see there is some down time in the afternoons that I struggle to fill.

So I have decided to share a few things about Dallas:

1. I-45 becomes I-75 after you pass downtown. This is new information to me which I learned as we left the hotel for our first dinner out...good information to know considering that we needed to get on to 45 then 75 to get to Campisi's.

2. Campisi's is a little Italian restaurant off of 75 and Mockingbird. It is a cool old place with great cheese bread and pizza where the mob used to meet in a back room and where famous Dallas people like the Mavs players go eat all the time. There were no Mavs there the night we went. They had a game in Sacramento. Interestingly, though it is an Italian restaurant, it says Egyptian restaurant outside (supposedly there is an Egyptian room)....not sure where that came from. Nothing in there looks remotely Egyptian!

The outside of Campisi's

3. The Adolphus Hotel where we are staying is supposedly haunted. A couple of teachers who are here from our district swear they must be on the floor with a ghost (the 5th floor in case you are wondering). Each morning at 4:30am sharp they start to hear what sounds like a cart of plates (like a catering cart) go by their room many many times, but there is no one there when they look out the peep hole. The staff here say that there are ghosts and some won't go into certain parts of the building if it is dark or late at night.

The Adolphus Hotel in Dallas



4. A GPS is a good tool to have in Dallas. Though we have been travelling the same route the last few nights for dinner, it is still not a totally clear picture with exits and such. Probably doesn't help that somewhere on I-45 it magically becomes I-75! I often think that a GPS would be a waste of money for us in College Station, but for the few times we drive out of town, I think it may be worth thinking about at least--it is so reassuring and helpful. Highly recommended.


5. A GPS will have a hard time finding you when you are downtown in Dallas. The skyscrapers throw the thing off, so be prepared for a few minutes of "driving blind." But no worries-keep going and it will "recalculate" and help you figure out where you were a nicompoop.

So there you go--you might as well have been here too as I have revealed all there is to know about Dallas (or at least all I know after being here a few days).

Sorry for the wait

I know I know--why is it that I take so long between posts you ask? Well I've always had this little voice that says that we're not that interesting...I'm not a great storyteller (usually because I have such a forgetful mind that I don't remember things until someone says "remember that time"...and then I'm off and running). So here I am at a conference in Dallas and I see now how people become blog followers for the first time. It's quiet here. I have the laptop and I'm comfy in the bed (this place is amazing! The Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas). I have 10 minutes until we meet downstairs to eat at one of my favorite places--The Blue Goose (delicious margaritas)--and it has been so nice to check my friends' blogs and post comments too. I wish I knew more of my friends' blog addresses because I know they are out there.

But all that makes me ask what some of you may think is a very silly question.........more people do Facebook than blogging. Why is that? What is it about Facebook that makes it so great? Is it because people can find you from long ago? Here's why I ask: I'm very thankful for my friends and family right now. Did I have friends before moving to College Station? Sure, but not that many that I necessarily "miss" now that I am at this point in my life. So guide me if I'm crazy...why is Facebook so popular? Can I ignore people I don't care to talk to? Is that terrible to even say?

Anyway, thank you to those of you who still check back occasionally and read. I always vow to do better about posting more often and then have a hard time following through (I like the down time spent with my husband and Ryan so much it is hard to justify time on a computer sometimes). Maybe you guys can convince me of this Facebook phenomenon, but (epiphany) maybe I blog because I can talk about my family--Facebook is just about me and I don't think I am interesting enough to support a site just about me! : P