Long Time, No Blog

Wow, I cannot believe I am so bad at blogging. I have seriously skipped out on the updates lately.

Since I last updated, so much has happened, but the most exciting is celebrating our FIRST anniversary together. We had a great time. On Friday night, we just stayed in Fort Worth, went out to dinner, and chilled at home. (I have a horrible memory, so I cannot remember where we ate... oops).

On Saturday morning, I got up and went shopping for a couple things while Mark slept in. Then we had lunch at home and headed to Dallas. We went to the Galleria to do a little shopping, then checked into the Magnolia Hotel downtown.

We had dinner at Coal Vines, our favorite pizza place in Uptown then went to the Mavs game. The Mavs game was no fun (since they lost and they played at the same time as the Cowboys), but it was fun going out.

We went back to the hotel and watched the remainder of the Cowboys game. The Magnolia has complimentary Cookies & Milk every night, which is such a fun amenity. On Sunday, we headed home and ate our year old cake from our wedding day.

Our anniversary was special, and I had a lot of fun. It was very "us".

We are DINKs!

I was told yesterday that Mark and I are now known as "DINKs" - stands for Double Income No Kids!

THAT'S RIGHT - Marky got a job! He works for Einstein's Eyes in Richardson, TX! He started last week, and he really likes it! Unfortinately for right now, he is having to commute, but that is a small sacrifice to make until we can move to the mid-cities.

We are loving life right now. For Thanksgiving, we are going to be in Waco. I am ready for a long weekend! I love Thanksgiving! Then we are going to see Baylor and TTU play at the Cowboy's Stadium, which I have been looking forward to for about a year!

Exciting stuff... I leave you with this yummy recipe for Tuxedo Pie!

Distractions are my enemy!!

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Isn't that a stupid question for most of us?

I have had so much to do lately at work. It is hard for me to feel accomplished when I leave work with lots of piles left on my desk. I leave with a headache and can't help but think about work while I am at home.

Thankfully, it hasn't been that bad lately, but since I will be out on Friday, I feel a little extra pressure to cover everything while I am out.

This weekend is Caitlin's wedding! I am so excited to be a bridesmaid. I haven't been a bridesmaid since Brandi's wedding a year and a half ago. We are going to Waco after I get off tomorrow so I can be available all day Friday to help her and to go to the Bridesmaid luncheon on Friday. Its also my first Catholic wedding to be in, although not fully traditional I don't think. It should be so fun!!

I always enjoy going home to Waco. I love spending time with my mom and dad -- and my puppy Riley!! I love Rie-Rie, and he loves me!! It is not practical for Mark and I to keep him in a small apartment when my parents have so much land for him to run around on. He is such a big dog, and my parents have definitely gotten attached to him. He is still my baby though.

Mark and I are currently watching a special on Air Force One on the History Channel. It is an incredible documentary on such an important part of our history. I enjoy being an American!!

Wow, it's November!

Halloween was great. I didn't take any pictures of us together, sorry! I am just really bad about documenting things that we have going on right now.

We spent Halloween night with Derek and Lindsay Pugh in Dallas. They dressed as Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson, and I was a tennis player and Mark was Billy Mays. We ate dinner at Mia's and went to a party at Lindsay's friends apartment in Uptown.

After making an appearance at the party, we went to Uptown Bar & Grill and people watched and saw some great karaoke. We saw 2 Jon&Kate, multiple Michael Jacksons, a box of wine (with a working spout), 2 Jehovah's Witnesses (traveling together), and multiple Slutty "Fill-in-the-blanks". All around, the BEST Halloween I have had in my adult years!!

Mark had a 2nd interview today with a company in Richardson. He is super excited about it, and we pray so hard that he gets this job! We could finally relocate, which I am definitely ready for!! I love Fort Worth, but I am just ready for a change of location and to move up in the world!

Wow, I cannot believe its November already! Honestly, can you? I cannot wait for Thanksgiving this year! My mom and I are cooking together for the first time. I plan on going on home this weekend for Caitlin's wedding and try to plan what we are going to have for our dinner for all the men in our life (Dad, Austin, and Mark). I love my mom, and I really get excited to think about cooking such a big dinner - just sounds exciting.

Lastly, I am ready for Tech vs Baylor at the Cowboys Stadium! Wreck em Tech... in the good and the bad!

Our Second Weekend Apart...

This weekend as our second weekend in a row to be apart. I went to Austin for Caitlin's Bachelorette party. It was so fun!! Out picture is Me, Ashley, Caitlin, MC, and Lara. (We are missing some of the girls in the picture.) We ate at ZTejas, saw the comedy show at Esther's Follies, and went out on 6th Street. It was so great meeting some of the girls because I had never met a couple of them.

Sunday, Adrienne and I drove back to Fort Worth together. Adrienne is Catie's older sister, and it was the most time we had ever spent together since I have known their family. She is so sweet, and really funny. She helped the time go by really quickly. THANKS MRS. LOMBARDI!!

This weekend, we have my parents coming in town for the Rangers vs. Red Sox game on Saturday. Then they are going to Las Vegas on Monday until Thursday. I love spending time with Mom and Dad, and finally they are coming to visit us!! These are things that I'm thinking will be on the agenda:

1. Papadeaux (pre-Rangers game tradition)
2. Rangers Game
3. Church @ Christ Chapel
4. Eat at Dutch's in Fort Worth and finally try Babe's in Burlison
5. Get our new car!!!!!

Yep, Mark and I traded my car for my parents' Honda Pilot! Here's our new ride!!!!

Our first weekend apart...

I love this picture of us. It was at a Rangers game a while back on dollar hot dog night - those are Marky's favorite nights!

Well, this weekend marks our FIRST ever weekend away from each other. Marky is going camping with his friends in New Mexico. I am not looking forward to it because I will be here all alone. I am actually going home on Friday, so I won't be totally alone. I just need to worry about Thursday night and possibly Sunday night. I am just not looking forward to being alone and totally out of contact from him. I'm sure you all think I'm being dumb, but it is affecting me. :(

We went to Lubbock this weekend to visit Emily at the new Overton Hotel, and it looks so great inside. Its simply amazing!! I wish I could have fully enjoyed my weekend away, but I had some stuff following me at work that just caused my mind to be in a different place.

There is a motto up at work that says, "You may have to fight a battle several times to win it." I really feel like this is what I need to live by lately. I feel like I have had a rough year so far with the stuff that Mark and I have gone through, but I have to keep fighting and keeping TRYING. I feel like I have a lot of pressure on me at work and at home. I feel like I do a lot of great things, then one setback causes me to revert back to letting that pressure consume me. BUT, I just have to power through and realize that God is in control. He is allowing this to happen to me for a reason, and NOT trusting Him is like NOT believing that He is in total control.

I hope I can remember that in the coming days. This is going to continue to be a hard week, then at the end of it, I get to spend some time with my amazing mom, dad and brother. Not to mention, I get to cuddle with my puppy, Riley. I miss him so much! (Mark won't let me keep him so he lives with Mom and Dad since they have so much land.) My family keeps me going. My God sustains me.

Summer Lovin'

I am a terrible blogger... I apologize for all of my many faithful followers out there!

Let me start by saying, Mark and I each have an unhealthy body image for ourselves and for each other. Each of us is feeling really overly self-conscious, so we've started working out and DIETING. I can regretfully say that Mark is doing a much better job than me. However, he doesn't eat during the day, and I cannot for the life of me skip lunch.

We have been doing a whole lot of nothing lately at home. I get home around 6 every day, cook dinner, and relax and study until bedtime. The weekends have been full of going to Waco, having Mark's parents visit, and house sitting for my boss and his family.

This coming weekend, Adam is coming to town, so we will probably hang out with him and his girlfriend and possibly go to Lake Lewisville. Summer is going great for us! I am so ready to visit Lubbock on the weekend of the 24th... hopefully we're still coming. I may be going alone, but we'll see!!

Shout out to my lovely Emily Hess. I know you like to read what's up with me, and I know I have failed. I will try - promise!