Oh Christmas Tree...

...I dont like it when it comes time to put you away.

I love the glow of your lights and how it makes me feel. 

We always wait until after the Epiphany to take down our tree, but it still feels too soon. 

That poor tree has been through heck this year. 

Maggie twirls it every time she passes by it.  She has knocked off several balls and the angel fell off, too. 

Jake lays under it and uses one of the poinsetta flowers to scratch his nose.  Sooooooo...

...I am taking it down tomorrow. Booooo

I had the best afternoon with my great-niece and great-nephew.

Baby Boy gave me a 3 leaf clover and asked if I was going to put it in my hair.

I did and he said, "Aunt Jenn, you look so beautiful." 

Ahhhh, be still my heart.

They are the sweetest little boogers.

Here's a cute conversation with Baby Girl.

When I dropped them off at home she pointed out a bright star.  

Baby Girl: "That looks like the brightest star ever!"  

Me: "That's probably the North Star." 

Baby Girl: "What's the North Star?" 

I explained that the wise men used the North star to find baby Jesus.

She was so cute when she said, "Ohhhh, I wish we could follow the North star to go see baby Jesus!"

Oh how they make me smile. 

Ronnie left to go hunting with Ronnie II.  I hope and pray he has a wonderful time.  I've promised myself I will not call him or text him.  I just want him to be able to enjoy his time.

And...I want to enjoy the time too. 

Mom's birthday is tomorrow.  She is spending the night tonight.  I'm going to get up and make her some breakfast and we will just have a great day.  The weather is supposed to be really pretty too.

Ordinary, Extraordinary Day

We went to El Campo last Friday.  I documented it. :)  

I don't know if this was a different day because Ronnie wears this shirt almost every day. :)  It's his favorite.  

Maggie loves her human.  Actually, she adores him.  It's sweet.

It has been rainy and muddy and cool.  Not cold, just cool.

I hate it when it comes time for me to say this, and it seems to be happening sooner and sooner every year, but I am SO ready for Spring!! 

This next pic is not the best, but had to get Maggies in one of her weird sleeping positions...half on the bed and half off.  Might be worth a try.

Happy New Year!!

The end of 2012 was a whirlwind.  

We had a few challenges. 

Our family even had a Christmas miracle.

It is all behind us now, thanks to God.

And I truly mean, THANKS TO GOD. 

As we embark on the year ahead I take comfort in looking back and seeing all the good God has done and how He is always with us.

We are now 6 days into 2013

and it's "Looooking goooood" (think Chico and the Man).

My dreams for this year: 

1. Win the HGTV Dream Home
2. Become financially independent (read as ridiculously rich)
3. Become so healthy and disciplined that we win every marathon we enter 
4. Host crazy, fun-filled family dinners with delicious. healthy, whole-food at least 5 days a week
5. Give Mother Teresa a run for her money as a helper

 Obviously, all of these are a little over stated, but hey, dream big and big things will happen.  Expect big things and big things you will receive.  You get the idea, though.

I've been feeling the need for a little change.  

The best way for me to scratch that itch is to just move some furniture around and clean.

The weather has been wet around here so it means mud  and dog hair.  

I started with the dining/bedroom area.  By the end of the day it felt sooooo much better.

See...now this is why I havent blogged in so long...

I took "after" pics, but I cant find them on the SD card.  

So, now I need to take after pics again, but dont have time right now, as I need to get ready so I can go turn in my resume at a couple of places.  

So....maybe the next post...maybe.

Sunday Song

We went to a healing Mass today.

We were blessed and touched by the healing hand of God.  It was beautiful.

Today's Sunday Song is one of Ronnie's favorites.

When he went on his men's weekend retreat several years ago this was the song of the weekend. It was so awesome to hear all those men singing this song.  He was truly touched by the Holy Spirit that weekend.  It was evident by the peace that surrounded him.

As we were approaching the alter tonight to be prayed over, the group of men singing sang this song.  Coincidence?  I think not.  Only difference was...they sang it in Spanish. 

As we left the alter the look on Ronnie's face and the tears he shed told me he was touched again.

When we sat down he could barely speak but he asked me if I recognized the song in Spanish, and of course I did.  He said he could not think of the words in English, but he felt like he could sing it with them in Spanish.  I smiled and just thanked God.

It was a beautiful evening

The priest spoke of love.  He reminded us to love God with all our heart and to love others as we love ourselves. 

He also reminded us that love is the only thing we take with us.

That is it.  We take the love we share and the love we receive.  Wow.

May God bless you with peace, love and joy as we enter this holiday season and may we always thank Him for all the gifts He gives us every minute of every day.

Positive Affirmations

Recently, I realized that thinking positively was not coming naturally.

That stinkin' thinkin' was just taking over.

Blech!

I had to do something.

First, I downloaded John Osteen's book Your Words Hold a Miracle:  The Power of Speaking God's Word to my Kindle.

Great book, lots of scriptures we can use to remind ourselves of God's promises.  The late Pastor Osteen reminds us that the more we proclaim God's word and His promises, the more His word can come to pass in our lives.  I concur.

Thing about it is...I cant remember all the scriptures.  So, when I get anxiety during the day or start to think of all the worst that could happen in any and all situations, I have to go get my Kindle.  Sometimes, that just isn't practical.  I find it helpful, though, to read those as I awake and as I retire for the evening.

But during the day I started turning to positive affirmations.  I found a ton on the web, although, I didn't note any of the sites I found them at.

One of the ones I love the most is,

"I watch with joy as God abundantly supplies me with more than I can even imagine." 

Love it!

Another one I love is,

"Life is a joy full of delightful surprises".  

I repeated that one as I awoke on Monday morning as I was feeling a little anxiety about Mom and Ron having doctor appointments that day.

And then I had this bright idea.  I decided I would take note of all the "delightful surprises" in my day.

It started soon after I got out of bed.

Ronnie had an early doctors appointment in Lake Jackson, about an hour from here, so we were up and moving at 6:30 a.m. 

As I stepped out of the bathroom after my shower I saw my first delightful surprise.  Jake, our black lab mix, was all curled up and sound asleep on Ronnie's side of the bed.

He does this all the time, but that morning it just melted my heart.  He was so content and looked like he felt so safe.  It was awesome.

Since we were going to be gone for a while I wanted Jake to go out again before we left and as I stood at the door with him I saw a squirrel in the tree. 

I see squirrels all the time, but I just saw it through new eyes Monday morning.

Then on the way to Lake Jackson, we crossed a creek. 

There was condensation rising from the water caused by cold air from the first real cold front blowing over the creek water that was warmer below.  It was an incredible sight.

Ronnie and I had the best time, even at the dr's office. 

I noticed that as I kept my eyes open for "delightful surprises" I wasnt worrying or thinking about the worst that could happen. 

Our thoughts create our future.  Thoughts of fear and lack get us no where.  God did no create us with a spirit of fear.  He created us with a spirit of joy, strength and hope.

It is a practice.  I have to concentrate on positive thinking, but it helps.  And I know one day it will be natural again. 

Sunday Song

There were two songs at Mass that spoke to me today, but I felt called to post this one of the two.

Two years ago when we started this blog I thought all of our memories would live here forever.  I thought I would post something from everyday for us to remember.  But, it hasnt been that way lately.  Maybe it will get better.  I just havent felt like taking the time.

Since I am here, though, I guess I will catch up. 

Let's see...the thing that stands out most is our visit yesterday to our house in Dickinson. 

We went there last week to check it out since our tenent moved out.  Which, by the way, he did a great job of keeping up the house.  It still looks brand new. 

That first visit was tough.  I love that house so much.  But not only that, I loved the life we lived in that house.  We have been blessed with goodness through out our marriage and I am extremely grateful for the incredible feeling of gratitude I get when I think of our life there.

Gosh, I can still remember the day we signed the papers.  December 18th 2008.

What a crazy day it was.  We hired movers and still it was a tough day.  It was so late when the movers finally got everything moved in.  I remember being so exhausted and hungry.  I had only been around the area once with the builder's salesman a month before, but somehow I found my way to Chick-Fil-A that night. 

Anyway....

Being there yesterday was even tougher than the first time. 

I opened that door and the moment I looked down that long entry hall the emotion rushed to the surface. 

Luckily, I kinda kept it together until the handy man and his wife, there doing some touch ups, left. 

Once they left, the tears flowed, basically until we got back to Bay City.  Ronnie took me to that same Chick-Fil-A thinking it would make the water works stop.  Generally, Chick-Fil-A makes everything better.  Not yesterday.

Part of it was definitly the gratitude for the memory of the moments in our life associated with that house.  But another part of it was closure. 

I guess in the deep recesses of my mind I hoped someday we would move back because here's the thing...I guess for me it was the ultimate home.  That home everybody strives for throughout their lives.  It was the home of which I always dreamed.

Yesterday, my hopes came face to face with reality.  And truly, something inside told me that this home will no longer be mine.  I truly think it is going to sell this time.  My heart was sad when I came to this realization. 

Then again, maybe it was just PMS.  You know everything gets blown out of proportion during that time of the month.  We will see when it goes back on the market.  Will it sell or will it lease?  Only time will tell.

The good news is...I have nothing to be sad about.  We have a wonderful life here in BC.  It is full of love and life.  Full of hope and promise.  It is a beautiful, simple life full of love and fun and peace.  And while I am having a difficult time letting go of what life was, I am counting my blessings for what life is and will be.

Sunday Song

We fell in love with this song tonight at Mass. 

May everyone out there have a blessed and peaceful week.

The Man In the Red Bandana

Oh gosh, how I adore this man.  

He is a God send.

He is my best friend.

He makes me laugh.

He comforts me.

He gives me strength.

He is my rock.

Those are just a few of the reasons I know he is sent from God.

Thank you, God.

Forecast: Sunny and Clear

A great day for golf, in other words.

Oh yes!  It was a gorgeous day so we went out to the driving range.  

I have never played golf or even driven a ball, but I have been wanting to learn for a couple of years, now.  

I even bought some clubs...a year ago.

Honestly, I had been having some "stinkin' thinkin'" the past couple of weeks.  I dont put that stuff on here because I like to keep things on a positive note on this here blog but I also want to keep it realistic.  

But, I also dont like to give words to things I think are ailments or stinkin' thoughts on this here blog. Oh believe me...I give them plenty of words as I obsessively discuss them with Ronnie and my mom here at the house.  It really isnt a good thing to do, though, so I try not to do it much here.

Anyway....

This past Thursday Ronnie said, "Let's go hit some golf balls."  Woo hoo! 

First, we went to see if Mom wanted to go for a ride.  If she did we were not going to hit balls, just drive out to the golf course.  

It turned out she did want to go, but Ronnie went to find out where the driving range was and found out that there was no rental fee for the golf carts!

Yee Haw!

We were practicing safety first, so Ronnie took us to the driving range one at a time.  He took me first then went and got Mom.  She just sat in the golf cart and watched.

Driving the golf ball down the range is fun, but it isn't easy.

Ronnie has played before but he was using my clubs, which are kids clubs, since I am so short.  So, he really was just messing around.

Oh, I really enjoyed watching him.  He could hit it pretty far considering he has not played in ages.

I was trying to be a pro.

Not that I know anything about being a pro other than what I see Tiger do on TV.

But, I was trying to keep my eye on the ball and swing just right.

And you know what???

I missed the ball entirely the first time.

Then I hit it about 2 ft.

Geez

Oh what fun!! 

Next time we are going to invite my "Comadre" (which is Spanish for really close friend or mother to your God-son/daughter- both in my case) and her family!

And then one day soon I am going to take my great niece and great nephew aka Baby Boy and Baby Girl.  Well, I am going to ask their Mama if we can.

Ronnie ended up hitting the ball about 250 yards or so.  I made it about 100 yards...once.  LOL

But it was fun and really a blessing to get out on that beautiful day!!

Awww, you can see their matching knee braces. Thanks to God they help a lot!!

What about you?  Did you do anything different this past week?  How 'bout golf?  Do you play or do you think watching paint dry is more fun?

Anyway, hope everyone has a blessed and wonderful week!!

Our Anniversary Weekend

We had a little get together this past Saturday, for two reasons.

Reason # 1:  Friday, September 14th 2012 was our 10 year Anniversary!

Yay us!!

It was a nice day.

Actually, I was sitting here in my little corner of the sofa having my morning coffee in my favorite house pants and a white t-shirt.

I had not brushed my hair or anything (read as "I hadn't brushed my teeth either!").

Then there was a knock on the door. 

"Oh crap!  Who could that be?"

Do you say that when you hear a knock on the door?

Usually, if I hear a knock on the door when I am not expecting anyone, I freeze or go hide in the bathroom.

This time, I froze.  Everything, but my eyes. 

I waited. 

They knocked again.

The dogs did a great job of barking out, "She cant come to the door!  She hasn't brushed her hair!  Or her teeth.  And believe us, you don't want to go there".

So, whoever was knocking left.

Now, all this time Ronnie was out on the riding mower cutting the empty lot next door.

Then to my surprise I hear his keys in the door. 

Even more surprising...he was carrying the vase of 12 roses the florist was trying to deliver. 

This picture was actually a reenactment of my surprise.

This is my favorite song about marriage this year:

After a massage for me we went to K-2 to eat dinner, too.  That was one of the places we used to eat all the time when we were dating.

But mostly, we were focused on getting ready for our little dinner we were going to host on Saturday. 

Oh yeah...

Reason # 2 for a little get together:  Ronnie's 69th birthday!

We wanted more of a dinner with the people we love than a party.  Even some of Ronnie's family was able to be here!  Wow, our exterior could really use some work.  These are Ron's kiddos.  Rae came from near San Antonio, TX and Ronnie II came from Corpus Christi, TX

Here he is with two of his grand children.  No matter how long they all stay, it's never long enough.  We were so happy they could make it, though! 

Gloria, my long time friend from childhood, and her husband made gumbo and roast and potato salad and green beans and rolls.  Oh my!!  It was so delicious. 

You know us...we are all about the food. :)

My sister in law, Pam, made the awesome german chocolate cake. 

Baby Girl did a much better job of singing this year than last year.  You can hear that here. 

At one point I just counted our blessings. 

Everyone was full and happy.  The children were safe and having fun.  We had love and peace and joy. 

Sweet!!

So, Sunday was Ronnie's birthday.

I drug my butt out of bed before 9 am and made it to breakfast with the kids and grandkids. 

I would be stretching it to say I was awake. 

We came home, watched the Texans kick some butt and then we just relaxed until time for Mass. 

How bout you?  Any anniversaries or birthday?  Got any cajun food lovers out there? 

What ever it is you love I hope you are happy blog friends!

Sunday Song

Have a blessed week blog friends!!

This and That

We have been doing a little of this:

Hopefully, we will be finishing this bunk bed soon.

I feel sure we will be receiving a visit from Homeland Security as Ronnie traded his trolling motor for yet another gun.  

Haha, naw, he really only has like 3 hunting rifles, but that seems like a lot when you live in only 1,000 sq. ft.

The reason that is important is this...

In order to do the trade he had to meet the guy he was trading with halfway between his hometown and ours. 

And...halfway just happens to be the city where my our favorite Italian restaurant resides.  We went there last year for Ronnie's birthday/our anniversary.

It is a delightful little place.

They serve awesome bread and a delightful salad, although, the salad has a little too much cheese for me.  Don't get me wrong...I still inhaled it like a vapor!

We don't eat out as much as we used to, but when we do, we make it our favorites.

My husband, the dove whisperer.

 

I look tough here, don't I?

It's been a busy day and these guys have the right idea

Nighty night, friends.  Love and peace to you all. 

Marriage Encounter Weekend

We went to a Worldwide Marriage Encounter a couple of weekends ago.

Msgr. Morgan, our priest in Corpus Christi, used to tell us the Engaged Encounter put a little reality into the romance, whereas, the Marriage Encounter puts a little romance into the reality. 

Although we have a little video that tells you all about our weekend, we are also including the written highlights of the weekend in this post.  

You know...just in case you can't watch the video because your boss/coworkers think you are being productive, or your husband/wife thinks you are paying the bills or....

1.  Lets all shout, "Yea for Pei Wei!!"

Is there a Pei Wei in your area?  Do you just love it???

My favorite, Mongolian Chicken with extra veggies.

Ronnie had the Thai Dynomite.  DY-NO-MITE!!

It is so cute because Ronnie has this little rountine which includes mixing up this concoction of all the hot sauces they offer.

Before:

After

2.  We went by our house in Dickinson which we are leasing out to someone right now.  Looked good except for the lawn.  My husband gets the husband of the year award because he found out a day before the encounter started that our tenant will be breaking his lease sometime in October (he is in the military) and did not tell me until after the Marriage Encounter.  He didn't want me to have that on my mind during the weekend. What a sweetie, huh?  It makes me sad, though, that he did not have the luxury of not having that on his mind on that weekend, too.

3.  We arrived at The Christian Renewal Center for the Marriage Encounter.

It is a gorgeous retreat center.

The Marriage Encounter was a wonderful experience for us. 

I intended to take more pictures and more videos, but we got pretty involved with the Encounter.

The Encounter concentrates on communication between a husband and a wife, but there is no sharing in front of others.  All sharing is in the privacy and comfort of your own little room. 

We learned a lot about ourselves as individuals and as a couple.  

Even though Ronnie and I don't have small children, work or other responsibilities pulling us in a hundred different directions we were still able to make a deeper connection and really enjoy each other.  

And even though we talk ALL the time, we were introduced to a different way to communicate in a kind and loving manner.  Not that we were mean to each other before, but it's just different now.  Cant explain it.

Visit the website link at the beginning of this post and find a weekend near you.  

Although I was exhausted when we returned home, I felt blessed to have taken part in the weekend.  I felt honored to have a husband that actually wanted to take part in the whole process and I was happy to see our pooches again. 

Anything special going on at your house for the holiday?? 

Here's hoping you have a wonderful extra day off!!

Guess What's for Dinner

Could it be a blog first?  

Have I gone where no other blogger has dared to go?  

Could it be this is the first ever blog post to begin with a photo of raw bacon wrapped around ground beef???

You really don't think so?  Darn.

The meatloaf was delish.

I used the Pioneer Woman's recipe.  

The only thing I changed was the amount of salt.  I doubled both the regular salt and the season salt.

I also used her recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese - no picture.

It's a very fine recipe, but I forgot to salt the macaroni.  One thing she advises throughout the recipe, "...don't under salt."  Note to the wise...don't under salt.

Now, I have to say, my family has a very discerning palate, myself included.  We like things the way we like them.

These recipes got high marks from everyone, especially the meatloaf.  My niece really liked the cheese sauce for the mac and cheese.  I set a little aside to drizzle over some broccoli.

I made this once before.  I cooked it for an hour like the recipe stated.  

Maybe it is our oven, maybe I made the loaf too thick...I don't know, but it was not done after an hour.  I had family here waiting with drool seeping through their lips.  They had to wait another 30 minutes or so.

I cooked two loafs this time and I cooked them for an hour and 45 minutes.  

The sauce that goes on top is soooo tasty.  My BROTHER even said he wanted to use it next time he makes brisket.  My BROTHER.  

Usually, when you ask him if he liked something he usually says, "It was alright".  I'm really glad he liked the sauce and the meatloaf.  It isn't often I get to do something for him.  He and my sister in law are always doing stuff for everyone around them, so it makes me happy when we do a little something that seems to make him happy.

Needless to say, it was a great evening.  We enjoyed having some of the family around, I really enjoyed cooking and now we are just kicking back, listening to the dogs snore.  

Life is good and I am grateful.  

So, have you tried any of the recipes from Ree, the Pioneer Woman or any other blogger?  Do your dogs snore???  :D

Have a wonderful, blessed day!

Walah

It's a bird...it's a plane...

No...it's just my week flying by me.

Yep, the week is at its end and time of rest and relaxation are at hand.  Yee-haw!

It was my first week home again.

Yep.  I resigned from my new job after only 2 months.  I actually resigned about three weeks ago.  

It wasn't a decision I took lightly, especially when I considered how hard it would be to explain on my resume.  But after careful consideration I finally accepted it just was not a good fit for me.  It's hard to explain.  

Strangely enough, I found myself a little sad on the last day.  All I thought about over that weekend were the faces of my favorite patients that I would no longer be seeing.  I went to get my paycheck and I almost felt homesick. 

It's uncomfortable when you want so badly for something to be right, but it just isn't.  I made the right decision, though, and I am so grateful they gave me the opportunity to be a part of their team.

So that's that.  Bah.

"What does a week without work look like?", you ask.  

Kinda like this....

Mom came and ate with us a couple of times early in the week.

Haha, she would spank me if she knew I put that picture of her out there on the world wide web.  I was trying to tell her I was taking her picture and she couldn't hear me.  She was like, "Hmm?".  

Haha, I just love her so much.

After we eat we watch my DVR's of Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn... 

or of the Pioneer Woman, or The Chew, or Martha Stewart...did I already mention the Pioneer Woman?  

Moving right along. 

Ronnie closed in the space in the fence where the gate will someday go so the dogs could go ahead and get out and run.  That was a blast to watch.  

No, this isn't them running, but aren't they so cute???  Maggie is always blurry because she is never still.

Please ignore the dirty floor.  Or don't.  I'm ok with it.

On Wednesday I had lunch with my longest childhood friend. 

Notice I did not say "oldest" :D  You're welcome, Glo, hehe. Instead of sounding old, she sounds tall.

It was a blast.  We always try to go to a resale shop and we had been wanting to go to a new one that had just opened up.  

I am so glad we did!  

Look what we found!

It has four drawers, all of which can be used for files or whatever.  It's all wood and it only cost $60!  

I always read about finds like this, but I never find anything for a steal.  Every time I find something I like it usually costs $200 - $300 bucks.  

Until today, that is!

I love it, even though it has already started collecting stuff on top.

We went to Mass on Wednesday, too.  

I gotta say, it seems almost every time we go to church lately, my gratitude just wants to flow out of my eyes in the form of tears.  I have just been so aware of the many blessings in this life.  And even still, I know there is even more to be grateful for.  

Something that never ceases to amaze me is that people gather to worship.  I don't know why that amazes me, but it does.

And the thing that really touches my soul is the lines of people going up to receive Communion.  It reminds me of Palm Sunday.  We want to be close to Him.  We want to give praise and glory and thanks.

We all gather so that we can receive Jesus.  We are all one Body.  Wow.  

Deep huh?  I feel like I should be asking someone to pass the doobie.  Juuuust kidding.

Seriously, though.  I am not especially prayerful.  I do pray but I often fall short of the mark.  But one day a few weeks ago I actually woke up repeating, "Oh Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be ever moment Thine".  What a beautiful way to wake up.

Anyhoo....

Our week culminated with a trip to Lowes.

We had some fence panels that we did not use on our newly built fence, so we took them back for a credit.

I love credits, don't you?

I love credit, too! But, thankfully, we don't use too much of that anymore.

I must admit, though, I would use it a lot if I was single and didnt have someone else's credit score to think about. (Insert a picture of me with a dream bubble above my head with stores like Lowes and Target and Home Goods in it).

Oh yeah, like I was saying...we went to Lowes in Lake Jackson, which meant lunch at Brian's! 

That is my favorite Bar-b-que ever!!  It is so mouth watering good.  The ribs are my favorite.

Well...they don't look so appetizing in the picture, but they really are.

I love the atmosphere.

"Howdy, Pardner"

 

There was a time when I wouldn't even look at a man if he didn't have a cowboy hat, Wranglers and cowboy boots. 

Lucky for me, that stuff didn't matter when I met this guy...

 

Not even the red bandana he usually wears can drive me away.

Smile, Boy!  I wish I knew why he doesn't smile.  There are pictures from his childhood of him and his sisters and his parents not one of them was smiling.  I just don't know. 

It's a mystery. 

So anyway...typical week at Casa Causpanic.  Nothing fancy, just good 'ol life. =) 

If anyone is out there I hope you have a great week full of love, hope and happiness!