Day 23: BFFs, Christmas Presents, and Catching Up

From 365 Project: 2013

You know those people in your life that due to whatever circumstances you don't get to see them as much as you wish? But get together for 5 minutes and suddenly you're caught back up with life? Well maybe not 5 minutes, maybe it's more like 3 hours, but you definitely fall back into your groove. So was the case tonight! I enjoyed a fancy and delicious dinner with my bff of almost TWENTY YEARS (yes, Jenna, I just totally did that math. Can you believe it?!?!) and it was FANTASTIC! Something I love about Jenna is that we are able to share everything - the good news all the way to the heartbreaks and everything in between...even food. As you see, we had a flight of beer, that we shared. We also had a cheese plated, that we shared, a soup, that we shared, and then steak and cauliflower, which we shared. I think that's the word for us: sharing. It's been that way ever since we met. We've always been able to share EVERYthing about ourselves which each other and I think it takes a lot of trust to be able to completely share yourself with someone else. Jenna Grubbs...I'm glad you're my girl! :)

From 365 Project: 2013

Day 22: High Island Bridge Sunset.

From 365 Project: 2013

This seriously might be in the running for the best sunset picture I've taken at Bolivar Peninsula ever. HOLY.COW. I can't even begin to explain how much I love being down there at dusk and even into night. The beach becomes an entirely different place. The visitors and ruckus fades and all that's left is the sound of the waves crashing onto shore. That's something that can't be beat.

Day 21: Job Perks.

From 365 Project: 2013

I've picked up a new job, or hobby, of sorts. I've become an official food writer for a local publication called Maroon Weekly (yaaaaaaaay!). I've been at it for about three weeks and today was my 4th restaurant to review. It just so happened to be a burger and fry place. But not your standard burger and fry place. No. Fries with FRIGGIN Captain Crunch on them! WHAT?! De.li.cious! Lucky me, I got to eat them. And fries with bourbon sauce. And fries with blue cheese, bacon, and mushrooms. And fries covered in twelve cheeses and bbq pork. It was a good thing I ran 3 miles that morning. :) 

Day 20: Brunch with Clint and Gruene at Dusk.

From 365 Project: 2013

Breakfast tacos and Starbucks while sitting at Starbucks for three hours. How else would I roll my brother-cousin?

From 365 Project: 2013

Gruene at Dusk. One of my favorite places.

Day 19: Granny.

From 365 Project: 2013

My great grandmother's furniture.

Day 18: What a Friday!

From 365 Project: 2013

My planned restaurant to review for Maroon Weekly had an issue and was closed, so last minute I had to switch and what a blessing it was!

AJ turned THIRTEEN today!

I saw Roger Creager tonight!

Day 17: Field Trip to DFW.

From 365 Project: 2013

I saw West Side Story for the first time tonight at Bass Hall. Bass Hall was beautiful, WSS was not. :(

From 365 Project: 2013

From 365 Project: 2013

One of my favorite places to go in Ft. Worth.

Day 16: Field Trip to Conroe.

From 365 Project: 2013

Food Show in Conroe! SOOOOOOOO much food!

From 365 Project: 2013

Since we were in Conroe for work, we figured we might as well stop in Souther Star, which is a brewery that the Village Cafe sells. We got our own personalized tour and tasting! Best day of work ever!

Day 15: Five Years.

From 365 Project: 2013

I've purchased a five year journal and plan to keep up with it! I've lost track of regular journaling, so I figured that writing a short amount each day would be much easier to keep up with. I'm excited to do this to see where I've come five years from now.

Day 14: Revs at Night.

From 365 Project: 2013

Last fall I started partaking in a weekly activity called Trivia Night at a local bar. It's a super fun block of three hours that exercises my brain muscles. This week it was waaaaaaaay too cold to sit outside but I did go outside for a brief moment and enjoyed these lights on the fence.

Day 13: To-Do List.

From 365 Project: 2013

This is my plans for the evening. Copy my new Kyle Park CD to my computer, pin some recipes that I have bookmarked, and copy some addresses from envelopes...all the while, while catching up on my DVR.  Yay for being at home.

Day 12: Horsing Around.

From 365 Project: 2013

These are two of my students that I teach for indoor drumline. I don't know how, but they always have energy after an 8 hour rehearsal to go and run up and down the basketball court and shoot a few hoops. Ah, to be young again. :)

Day 11: Chocolate Queen.

From 365 Project: 2013

Tonight was the "second" First Friday. Last Friday was technically First Friday, but it was the Cotton Bowl AND it was rainy, so I don't think hardly anyone left their house. In an attempt encourage people to come out, they have Friday Friday, Part 2. It was one of the few times that I've been able to get out and enjoy First Friday and it was SOO nice! Alicia and I went to the Frame Gallery, the Chocolate Gallery (seen here!) and Cafe Capri. We then finished the night at the Village Cafe, ran into some friends and laughed for about two hours. It was the best Second First Friday ever!

Day 10: Late Night Painting.

From 365 Project: 2013

The only way to paint at midnight...with a glass of wine. :)

Day 9: Neighborhood Sunset.

From 365 Project: 2013

I decided to go running tonight after a 4 month hiatus. I also decided that it would be best to restart my running by completing 4 miles in an hour. I almost died. Probably not the best life decision I've ever made. As I was walking so I wouldn't die to catch my breath, I noticed this glorious sunset through the trees. It always makes me think about how thankful I should be to be on this earth and appreciate the things I usually don't. Like the fact that I can run. That definitely was the boost I needed to keep going. I'm supposed to run again on Friday...we'll see how that goes. Wish me luck! :)

Day 8: Yoga Pants Do Not Equal Productivity.

From 365 Project: 2013

I've realized today that putting on yoga pants significantly decreases your productivity. In fact, it decreases your productivity by 57%. AND if you put on fuzzy socks, well, you just might as well put your to do list away because all you're gonna do is lay around and catch up on past issues of the Voice. Hypothetically. :)

Day 7: H is for Cookie!

From 365 Project: 2013

See this lovely picture? My friend Mark Nguyen brought these to me after I told him how much I missed hojarascas from the Valley. We also got into a debate about the price of churros so he brought me some as well. Two of these churros had a vanilla filling in it! I've never experienced anything like it! It wasn't as creamy as a donut filling, but not hard. It was very interesting. Anyways, I LOVE MARK NGUYEN  for bring me hojarascas! I'm going to try and not eat them all by tomorrow!

Day 6: Topwater Grill.

From 365 Project: 2013

From 365 Project: 2013

The weather had been so nice we planned to go enjoy it on a patio on the water. However, we waited a little too long and the sunset as we were driving to San Leon BUT it didn't stop us from enjoying a delicious seafood dinner. There's something that's beautiful about lights reflecting in the water. Luckily, the restaurant had gone heavy on their outside lighting and providing this beautiful photo op. Then we stumbled across this palapas (Did you know that's what it's called? Cause I sure didn't!) and I love the way the Texas City skyline was shimmering right through the opening.

Day 5: Can't Stop the Music.

From 365 Project: 2013

Sometimes you just can't get enough music and you practice for an hour after rehearsal ends.

Day 4: Skip-Bo.

From 365 Project: 2013

Nothing beats eating chili, drinking beer, and watching the Aggies win the Cotton Bowl. To celebrate, we got ROWDY and played a mean game of skip-bo!

Day 3: NEW HAIR!

From 365 Project: 2013

NEW HAIR!!! I think it's self explanatory! I LOOOOOOOOVE IT! :)

Day 2: As We Journey Hand in Hand, My Friend.

From 365 Project: 2013

This is a bass drum head signed by all the drummers when in marched Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2003. That summer was ROUGH. Both mentally and physically. To date, I don't think I've ever done anything so challenging. Being ten years removed from the experience and also having taught drum corps along the way, I've come to realize that my time and experience there was invaluable. I learned so much, both about the activity AND myself. I am truly grateful for my time there as well as the long lasting friendships I have made.

Today, the Glassmen announced that they would not be fielding a corps this summer. Financial reasons are to blame. It's been a VERY long time since a top 12 corps has dropped out for a summer, so it's quite shocking to the drum corps world. I am saddened by the news because there's always the possibility that they might not recover. However, I am also proud to be a part of an organization that knows when it's time to quit and not endanger the well being of the members and staff. (Because I have been on that side of the activity as well, and let me tell you, it sucks.) So, to the Glassmen, maybe your break be short, the lessons learned valuable, and may you come back in 2014 rocking it out!

Day 1: Reflection.

From 2013 365

It's a New Year. The time when you look back at the last 365 days and reflect and analyze your life. Big events, good times, bad times, where you thought you'd be, where you want to be this time next year. I spent New Year's Eve with some very good friends, including my bff Anne. This was our post NYE morning breakfast at Whataburger. The reflection of Brian's sunglasses caught my eye and I made him stop in his tracks so I could capture it. Anne and I have spent so many NYE togethers, I can't even begin to count. This might be 4 or 5...maybe even 6 or 7. Who knows?! Regardless of the count, we had an amazing time. Nothing in this world beats good friends. I am so blessed and lucky to have someone like her in my life. In fact, I've just been truly blessed all around in 2012 and I hope 2013 goes just as well. So, I raise this Whataburger cup to you and toast to you and 2013, here's to an amazing new year!