It's Texas Bluebonnet season!

There are a tremendous numbers of wildflowers blooming right now - so pretty! I guess because the drought was so bad last year, nature is trying to make up for it this year by dumping as much pollen as possible into the atmosphere.  The plan is working!  Everything is making us sneeze.  :)

A few weeks ago,  I helped as a dresser & emergency seamstress at the Ms. Pasadena Senior pageant.  It was awesomely fun!  There were 11 contestants, and I helped them by sewing hems, fixing sleeves, and actually sewing one lady into her evening gown, a la Marilyn Monroe.  :)  They were so sweet - it was really fun. 

Here are our winners:

They competed in a talent competition, life philosophy, and evening gown competition. 

Previous winners came as well.  The lady standing here is last year's winner. 

So it was a great experience!  I hope to help again next year.

What else is going on in our lives?  Noel is working in Trinidad and will be there for the next 6 months.

April Fools!  :)

He's here!  He got back from his job in NYC on Wednesday of last week, and we've been busy driving all over Houston looking at the house we're in the process of buying!

No April Fools!  We really are in the process of buying a house!  I don't want to say much more about it because I'm afraid of jinxing the process, but it's an AWESOME house and Noel got to see it today for the first time and loves it!  We're so excited to be moving into our very own house, and while we might miss the farm some (and little Winston), we will NOT miss the commute, nor the flies, nor the 45 minute drive to the vet, nor the cow pooty so graciously plopped next to the car doors. 

Obviously we will keep everyone posted as we go through the process!!

Noel's Brief Visit Home!

Guess what?  Noel actually got to come home for a few weeks!  We decided to celebrate his return (and all the major holidays we didn't get to spend together) by going on a long weekend to San Antonio.  We really enjoyed the trip and took tons of pictures!  So without further ado, here is our trip!

First off, a coworker told me that there are caves in them thar hills (about 20 minutes outside of San Antonio).  Who knew?  Neither of us had ever been into an underground cavern system, and it was awesome - really, one of the most impressive and awe-inspiring things I've ever seen.

Even the entrance was neat!

Underground, we saw a tiny little bat (couldn't get a picture without scaring the little guy) and lots of weird formations, including a set of pools of water: 

Some places in the caves looked like something out of Lord of the Rings.  So incredible.

I had a hard time telling if my pictures were turning out well.  So I took a bunch - this is one using a flash:

And this is the same location without a flash (slightly blurrier but really impressive):

So yeah, a foray deep into the earth.  Also, we expected it to be cold, but it was actually 70 degrees inside and 99% humidity.  Needless to say, sweaty.

Since my discovery of enchiladas with mole sauce, I've been diligently seeking another restaurant that serves it.  Found one in San Antonio, within walking distance of our hotel.  The food was good, but we were more impressed with the Christmas Tree that was the ceiling of this place:

Fiesta!!

We also paid a visit to the San Antonio zoo!  It was neat - heavy on birds, but they had some big animals too:

A gorgeous snow leopard that was eyeballing us:

A HIPPO!!  Swimming!!! 

I love him.

Hee hee.  Did you know that Hippopotamus is Latin for River Horse?   They aren't exactly....as graceful as a horse.  Also, a female hippo is one of the most dangerous animals on earth.  But still - so cute!!  :)

Ok, those of you who are scared of snakes?  Look away now.  Those of you who aren't afraid of snakes?  You will be...

The fattest reticulated python ever.  Its body is at least 20-25 inches around.  Seriously - did they just feed this thing a walrus? 

Next up is a picture that cracked us up:

Please note that the pirahnas are all staring directly at us.  Not moving, just staring.  It was...unnerving.  I think they were sizing us up.  Really.  Would we taste good with mole sauce?  Why yes.  Because everything is better with mole sauce. 

There was a pedestrian shopping area in San Antonio that was neat too - live mariachi bands and check out the flags:

We ate basically everything in San Antonio.  YUM.

What else did we see while Noel was in Texas?  Why the rodeo, of course!  And not just any rodeo.  The Houston Rodeo & Livestock Show is in town, and it kind of a big deal.  As in, it's HUGE.  World BBQ cookoff competition, major bands playing (Miranda Lambert, Alabama, etc.)  And of course a rodeo!  This was Noel's first ever rodeo in person, and I told him that we were doing it in the wrong order.  It's better to see the little local rodeos first, THEN move up to the big time.  But we went against tradition and saw the PBR rodeo!

Ok, so admission: I thought that PBR rodeo was named for the beer, PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon).  Actually it stands for Professional Bull Riders.  But it's also sponsored by the beer.  Cuts down on confusion I guess.

We were sitting at the end of the field, so we could see the bulls being herded into the chutes to be ridden.  These guys really have this down to a science, how to separate the bulls into different pens, shift them into others, coax them into the chutes, and catch them once they've been ridden.  It was impressive!

(p.s.  Aunt Betty?  There are some cowboys for you in that picture - enjoy!)

Also impressive?  The size of these bulls.  Mom?  We'll have to try to go to this if you're in town during the next Houston Rodeo.  You'd like it.

They even had a fancy light show at the beginning, and PBR lit up in fire!! 

So Noel was very impressed with the rodeo, and now is committed to going to county fairs when they come through so we can see the rodeos again. 

However.  That ends the time that Noel was here.  Only 2 weeks, and he's off to his next job, this time in New York City.  (Being a new Texan, I can't help but say "New York City!?!" like the Pace picante sauce commercials).  He flew there a few days ago and will be there for probably 5-6 weeks.  City slicker!  He won't know what to do when he leaves NYC (population density: 67,000 people per sq. mi.) and gets back here to the land of There's Nobody For Miles. 

Speaking of the farm, I got motivated yesterday to get out in the gorgeous sunshine and did some landscaping.  First, the before picture:

And the after picture!  I made a small retaining wall out of some leftover bricks, planted some petunias, lavender, and 3 red azalea bushes around the front of the house.

 

Now we just have to keep it watered so it'll all thicken up and grow pretty.  Fortunately we've been having rain lately, so that'll help.

So that's the update from the farm for now!  Hope you enjoyed it!  

Hither and Thither (and Now Older!)

Much has happened since the last post, although there is one constant - Noel is still not home from Florida, but at least he's on his way back now!  He should be back sometime tomorrow!  So yes, the Elvis Christmas Tree is still up.  But not for long!

Since Noel was going to be in Florida for such a long time, we decided it was time for a visit.  And seeing as I am doing really well with getting over my flying fear, we got tickets for me to go out to West Palm Beach for a weekend trip!

It was slightly chilly for a dip in the ocean, but we got to take a nice leisurely walk. 

Also. manatees!!

We even saw two of them!  But this was the only picture I could get.  National Geographic should be calling any day now.

Ok, so you know Vanilla Ice, right?  Doofy white rapper guy with parachute pants?  Popular in the 90s?

Take a look at this:

Everybody now:  A1A, Beachfront Avenue!  (That'll be stuck in your head for days.  You're welcome.)

Noel did some research and found us an Irish Pub to go to - Shindig, in Port St. Lucie.  They had fantastic reubens!  And great ambiance - these neat whisky casks in the walls were only part of the cool decor. 

(Isn't he handsome?)

Can't wait to see you soon, honey!  Drive safely!!

So one unfortunate thing about Noel being gone for so long is that he missed my birthday last week.  Yes, I am a year older and am almost in my (gasp!) late 30s.  But if 40 is the new 30, that puts me solidly in my mid-twenties, right?  Anyway, I took matters into my own hands and made myself a cake.  It was pink!  Yum.

I also got a pretty bouquet of flowers from some of my coworkers in Tennessee.  Wasn't that sweet?

I had them on my desk for several days, but then my allergies started acting up so I had to move them.

Then last week, I got on another plane in the other direction, and went for a work trip to the West Texas Town of El Paso!  (No worries - I didn't meet Fellina nor get shot by a wandering angry cowboy).

The airport had these neat copper yucca plants on the roof.  Pretty!  Also, Thing In Sky!

El Paso is the boot capital of the world!  The airport had displays of some really gorgeous ones - these are truly works of art.  I LOVED these black & turquoise ones:

I'd be afraid to wear them anywhere!

So when I got off the plane it was nighttime, and I thought "Wow!  El Paso is really big!"  Look at all these lights!

Then it dawned on me - those lights aren't El Paso, they're Juarez, Mexico!  El Paso is a border town, after all.  Now, before everyone panics, let me say that El Paso is very safe.  I never felt nervous or worried while there.  And my coworkers who are stationed in that office also said that while Juarez itself is going through some really horrible times, the violence hasn't come over to El Paso.  They said that they get frustrated when they hear about the media making it sound like El Paso is the OK Corral.  It seems like a really neat city, and very pretty!  Another misconception I had was that it would be flat desert.  It is desert, but it's high desert.  The mountains around it are very pretty and sparse looking!

So my coworkers there also took me out to eat, and of course we went for Mexican food!  We went to a place called Barriga's, which is apparently actually a restaurant from Juarez that came to El Paso years ago.  I decided to be adventurous and try mole (not the little gray underground critters - gross).  This is pronounced MOH-lay.  It's a spicy sauce that you put over enchiladas and such, but it's different from anything I've ever eaten.  The nice spices are mixed in with chocolate.  Yes, chocolate!  I hadn't tried it before because...well, chicken enchiladas in chocolate sauce sounds more like a dare than dinner. 

BUT.  This stuff has changed my life.  I now want spiced chocolate sauce on everything.  Seriously.  If you ever get the chance to try this stuff, DO IT.

Just looking at that picture is making me drool again.  One of my new coworkers taught me how to make it as well, and I might have to try it at some point.  It didn't sound hard. Of course, it's also not as easy as just going out to eat somewhere and getting it.  I know for sure, next time I'm in El Paso, I'm going there again!

So in non-travel related news, I came home from work one evening and found 5 cows in the back yard.  Sometimes they rub up against the fence and accidentally (?) open the gate so they can come in and chow down on the virgin delicious grass by the house.  (I smell a conspiracy).  I took my flashlight and went out (still wearing my work dress & shoes) to try to herd them out again.  In the dark.  Sigh.  Alas, it was not going to work.  They split ranks and went separate directions, and I just couldn't get them to go the way I wanted.  Cows are not known for their directional abilities. 

Know what they are known for?

Their pooping abilities.  Which they proceeded to demonstrate repeatedly in the front yard.  Yes, I took a picture of cow poop.  Please note that they aim for areas where we are most likely to walk, ie. directly by the gate or next to the sidewalk.  Tell me this is not coincidental.  By the time I went to work the next day, the yard looked like a cow patty minefield, and there were no cows in sight.  Guess they knew when to get out of Dodge.  Thanks, cows!

Look!  Synchronized napping!

Do You Know What This Means?

And by this, I mean this picture:

This means that Noel is STILL not back from his job in Florida!  I've left the Christmas tree up and all his presents wrapped and waiting for him.  It looks like might be February before he gets back - we're still waiting to find out!  It's a good problem to have though, right?  Too much work instead of too little?

I've been busy too!  I just finished up my DDI certification last week (DDI is a world-wide training and development program).  It was an intense workshop with lots of rounds of feedback and practice, but it was great.  I learned a LOT. 

This weekend, after getting back from DDI (it was in Dallas) I got to work on January chores.  This includes: 

Yes, planting the spring garden!  Can you believe it?  The sugar snap peas were already there - they had managed to survive through the depth of "winter" here.  They look a little sparse, but they're still kicking!  Awesome. 

A few weeks ago, I went ahead and planted the seeds for the spring garden, and was shocked when they popped up WAY ahead of schedule and got really leggy.  So I had to go ahead and plant them, and just hope that there isn't going to be another frost!  What's in the garden now:

1.  Sugar snap peas (duh)

2.  Summer squash

3.  Okra

4.  Cucumbers

5.  Lavender

There will be some tomatoes at some point too.  I'm excited about the lavender.  It smells so nice!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, Kitty Cuteness!

Happy 2012!! (and also belated Happy Holidays)

So no, we didn't fall off the face of the planet.  Noel's been busy working in Florida since the beginning of December, and I've been busy working all over Texas! 

I've been dividing my time this past month between these spots:

And it doesn't end there - I get to go back to Dallas twice this month too!  Cool thing - I'm learning to get over my fear of flying, what with all the work travel!  Work is busy but very good.

Speaking of good, doesn't Noel look great in this picture?

This is from my company's annual holiday shindig.  (I made my dress and wrap, by the way).  We had a great time and danced the night away.  I think it would be really fun to take a ballroom dancing class, don't you?  Noel and I can salsa well, but I'd love to learn tango, waltz, etc.  Fun fun!  Maybe for next year's party.  :)

So Noel had to spend Christmas and New Year's in Florida - sucks, but he's making a lot of money and we can celebrate when he gets back.  Also, we have the miracle of Skype, so we were able to talk face to face (kinda) through the miracles of the innernets!

I went to North Carolina for Christmas with the family.  Mom took us to see the Biltmore House all decorated for the holidays, and it was just beautiful!  It still amazes me that a small family actually lived in that house.  How did they not lose each other all the time in that gargantuan house? 

http://www.biltmore.com/

We also did a wine tasting there.  Woo hoo!  And it snowed!  Not much at all, but some tiny little flakes that didn't stick to anything.  Anyway, it was exciting.  :)

Also, for the first time in memory, I actually finished all my Christmas presents ON TIME.  Will miracles never cease?

Our landlord kindly looked after the kitties, who have been extremely cuddly since I got back.  And also spoiled. 

So some of my New Year's Resolutions for 2011 included these:

1.  Get a permanent job.
2.  Move to the midwest.
3.  Learn 1 new skill per month.
4.  Do 1 charity action per month.
5.  Smile every day!

I'm proud to say that I accomplished all of these!  Go team!!!

There was one in particular that I didn't finish in 2011, so I've moved it to my 2012 list.  Some of the ones I did accomplish I moved over too - the last 3 work well for any time, right? 

So this year's list includes:

1.  Finish my first book (this was the 2011 one that I didn't complete YET).
2.  Slim down into my cowgirl boots (the fab turquoise ones Noel bought me a few years ago?  I can't fit in them right now.  I'm already working on this one - thank you Wii Zumba!).
3.  Finish another quilt.
4.  Save up a nest egg for home downpayment.  Woo hoo!

So that's about it for now - I have to get to bed because tomorrow is the first day back to work since December 22nd.  I might need to set several alarms for the morning!

Happy January!! 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving day.  May everyone find lots of things to be thankful for.

What are we thankful for, you ask?  Here's a top 5 list!

1.  My job, which I'm really enjoying (and which has kept me extremely busy lately).
2.  Noel's work, which he also enjoys.
3.  Our sweet little farmhouse.
4.  That we rescued little Samson and he's fitting in with the family just great.
5.  Our garden, which is still producing!
6.  My new toy!

As some of you may know, I tend to drive my cars for a while.  I've only owned 2 cars in my life, and both of them ended up with a LOT of miles on them.  The one I have now currently has over 262,000 miles on it.  That's quite a bit of road!

So last weekend, Noel and I went out to test drive a few vehicles, to see if I liked any of the new cars out on the market.  And well, we all know what happens when you "just go out to test drive a car"...

I'd like to introduce you to my new ride!

It's a 2012 Chevy Sonic!  How cute is this car!?  It looks tough in the front, right?  Like a little rally car!

But in the back it's just cuteness!! 

I've never owned a new car.  It's scary but exciting - I'm terrified I'll get a scratch on it, but I love to drive it.  it drives like a dream!  I'm so excited!

It's especially awesome since (as I mentioned) my job is keeping me very busy.  I was in Dallas 2 weeks ago, Harlingen last week, and will be going to Austin next week (for a training certification) and Dallas during the following 2 weeks.  Very busy times!  So it's fantastic to have a reliable, fun-to-drive little car for my trips.  Although I grimace when I look at the odometer.  But cars are meant to be driven, right? 

We're going to keep the little black car though - it's got so many miles on it, but still drives fine, so Noel said he could use it for local jobs to commute in.  It gets better gas mileage than his truck (but not as good as the ~40 mpg that the new car gets!). 

Other than that, things are very good.  Noel was in Corpus Christi for work for about a month, but he's back now.  We had a nice Thanksgiving dinner today and will be working on leftovers for a while!

Oh, and Loki decided this year that he LOVES turkey.  We gave him a little pinch and next thing we know, he's sniffing all over the kitchen for more.   Poe also tried a bite, but Samson just licked at a little piece.  We cleaned the kitchen up, and Loki was prowling around looking for more turkey.  This is particularly ironic since last Thanksgiving we tried giving them some turkey and they didn't want any!!

We had roasted turkey breast, dressing (with apple, onion, and cranberries), lots of gravy, cranberry sauce, mashed sweet potatoes, fried okra, and pumpkin pie.  Noel wanted blackberry cobbler too, but decided to hold off on making that til the pumpkin pie is all gone. 

It's strange having such a small Thanksgiving this year after the big event we had last year. 

Well, that's about it for us right now.  I need to go cut out a dress for our company holiday party next week!

Knitting Pictures!!

 I've been very busy crafting stuff lately, especially knitting.  After all, it's about to be that time of year.  Speaking of, it's supposed to get down to 36 tonight!!  I had to cover the garden plants in case it frosts.  Wow!  Of course, it'll probably be back up to 80 by Saturday, but for now I'll pretend to be curled up in front of a fireplace in a cabin in the snowy mountains of New Hampshire.

So...knitting.  Apparently something is in the water here in Texas, because I've been knitting for multiple expectant mothers and corresponding babies-yet-to-be-born. 

There have been baby bibs, baby bibs, and more baby bibs.....

The official Weirdest Shaped (And Biggest) Baby Blanket Of All Time:

With little pink flowers and a green vine!

So I didn't finish these socks very lately, but I had never worn them before a few days ago.  Honestly, I wasn't sure if I'd ever wear them because the colors seemed...a bit much.  But frankly, every time I looked down at my feet that day, I smiled. 

How could you not?  These socks are pure wooly sunshine!

Speaking of knitting, time to finish Bib #385.  Enjoy the cold weather!!