Summer Nights

I beginning to absolutely love summer!!!  I know toward the end of July I'll start getting the back to school itch, but for now, it's all things summer!

This past weekend (yesterday actually) we sent Ashlynn to the sitter and had a night for just the 2 of us.  We are really trying to be careful about our spending because we have a trip coming up in August so we kept things very simple!!! We decided to hit up The Oasis.  It's a nice restaurant situated on Joe Pool Lake in Grand Prairie.  It's a good place to go if you are itching for fresh seafood and great drinks at a reasonable price. There was even live music.  It was great!

The weather was nice and there was even a breeze!! We sometimes take Ashlynn there because she likes to feed the fish. 

 I absolutely love time with my husband.  I think it's one of  the best ways to keep your marriage strong and healthy.  It's such a different experience when there isn't a kid to look after.  I really enjoyed our time together.

Here's to more fun filled summer nights!

Summer Project #1: The Pantry

So, it's finally summer and I feel like I can breathe!!!!   There are so many little projects s that I've been wanting to do around the house and I feel like I can actually tackle them!  My first major project was to reorganize our kitchen pantry. This task was actually given to me by my husband, LOL.  It wasn't a mess, but it was close!!!

I love the Dollar Tree!!!  It's one of my favorite places for quick and cheap finds!  I got all of these containers for a buck each! There are a few more blue containers on the other side of the pantry. I will definitely be going back to get more for other areas of the house.

This took longer than I thought!  I was confidently thinking I could knock that project out in about 30 minutes! NOPE!  More like an hour and a half!  Deciding how to organize it took the most time!!!

I'm excited I actually got a project done!!! On to the next one!

Ashlynn & Soccer

This spring, we signed Ashlynn up for soccer!   Her classmates--whom she's been with since she was 7 weeks-- all joined the team with a few new friends! We really are trying to see what Ashlynn will be interested in and we like keeping her active.  So her team--the Bonham Bees-- had season of about 6 -8 games.  I think she like the new soccer shoes more than she liked playing soccer.  Still, she did play and played well.  Well, when she felt like it!  I wasn't able to really ever capture the moments with my camera on my iPhone, but some other really sweet moms sent me pictures.   I wonder what we will sign her up for next.  Daddy says basketball--his passion.  Oh no....LOL

My Daughter Dances

So, a while back put Ashlynn in dance at Amanda's Dance Express.  I had always heard good things about dance from friends.  I couldn't wait for Ashlynn to be old enough to enroll.  She had to be 2 1/2 years old and at the time I took her in she was a little younger than that.  We tried it out that one Saturday in September of 2011 and haven't looked back since!  It's the one of the many things she's good at, but it also keeps her focused!!!  She's finishing up year 2 in dance and she's grown so much at it!  She makes us so proud.  Last year, her class did a tap routine called Cuddly Ducks.  It was by far the cutest thing I've ever seen.  We were so proud of her.  She did great and of course, being the mommy that I am, had to shed a tear.  This year, they've upped it and now her class is doing 2 numbers.  A ballet called the Garden Waltz and a tap number called Go For It!  I can't wait to see her on stage again.

A

Bowling

So, it's been over a year since my last blog....it's been a rough year.  I hate focusing on the negatives so I'll only talk about the good!!

If you knew me when I was younger and new my parents, then you know I GREW UP at the bowling alley! Back in the day, Forum Bowl had a nursery and I LIVED there!  My parents bowled on several leagues several nights a week.  I remember how much they loved it!  Right before Momma died we had talked about going bowling because she hadn't done it in about 10 years.  Fate would have it that I wouldn't ever get the chance to bowl with her. Sad, I know.  However, I picked up the sport anyway.  When I first started I was an absolute mess!!  It was funny!!!  That was back in September 2010...when we joined our first league (The ProShop Lackies-- a kinda beginners league)!  My average was about an 89....pitiful! My dad would come out and watch, but he too, had been out of the habit of bowling for about 10-15 years.  He came back to bowling too!

I am completely in love with the sport!  I'm halfway decent, but more importantly I'm having fun again.  I've never really had something that I was good at and I feel like this could be it.  But, it's more than just bowling.  It's my mom!  I think of her every time I'm on the approach.  I'm told all the time, that I look like my mom when I'm bowling.  We had the same form and everything!  Oh, how I wish I had the chance to do it with her. 

I've met some really nice people and formed some real friendships.  Friendships I wouldn't give up for anything.  I'm starting to feel like I have a life outside my home and work (which I so desperately needed).  My average has gone up a great deal.  Last night at Sweeper, I shot 189, 161, and 182....2 years ago that would've been 89, 61, and 82...LOL. We've moved up to another league (The Weekenders) and haven't looked back since.  If I could bowl 7 days a week  I definitely would...but goodness that would get expensive!!!

I joined the Dallas Women's TCBA this past February/March and I love it!  I bowl 1 league right now and I love bowling sweeper on Saturday nights!!! I'm even beginning to travel to tournaments in different cities.

This is Tina...she works Sweeper on Saturday nights!  I heart her!

So for me, it's more than just bowling....

Never been skinny!

Something happens when you leave high school! It becomes so much harder to maintain or lose weight. I took for granted how active I was and how fast my metabolism worked. I didn't realize how much free time I had. I was warned this would happen.

I've NEVER been skinny!! I've NEVER WANTED to be skinny! I always prided myself on being "thick". Not fat thick, but thick and not bony! :) My weight never really concerned me until 2007. I noticed I had a little more weight on me than I was comfortable with. I got a membership to the Y and dropped some weight. I was pleased! I began to LOVE working out. The classes made it more fun. Fast forward- 2008. I got married and life took off after that. We were married in March, closed on or house in May, and pregnant in September. That's a lot. I took my mind off of weight. Ashlynn was born in June of 2009 and I only gained a healthy 25 pounds. By August of 2009 I had lost ALL of my pregnancy weight. I was nursing so that really helped. I continued to lose weight without any effort! By May of 2009, I weighed less than I did before I got pregnant! I stopped nursing in July of 2010 and did good eating healthy b/c I knew my weight could creep back up!.

Tragedy struck in August when I unexpectedly lost my mom and of course food made me feel better. There were so many stressful times after I lost my mom it was crazy!! By May 2011 I had gained a whopping 30 pounds! That made me weigh as much as I did when I was 8 months pregnant. I felt horrible! To top it all off....the janitor at school asked me in her broken English if I was pregnant again! Embarrassed.....just a little but....but still. That's when I vowed to get it all off!

Fast forward to July 2011-- I've been watching what I eat and hitting the gym hard! The weight loss has been pretty good. I'm down almost 10 pounds since that comment 2 months prior. I'm really excited to see how much weight I can lose and keep off!

Check on me... I love and could use encouragement!

I love my husband!

No one ever said getting married would make all your problems go away or get easier. Actually, it could go either way. The difference is you have someone to work through the problems with you. I remember going to premarital counseling before we got married and the minister stressed you and your partners should have the same beliefs. Now that we are actually married and have a kid, I can't imagine marrying someone with completely different beliefs! It just wouldn't work.

In about a week, my husband I will be celebrating our 3 year anniversary, although in April it would officially be 9 years that we've been together! In that short 3 years, we've done a lot! We were married in March 2008, closed on our first home in May/June of 2008, found out we were expecting in October 2008, and had our first child in June of 2009! We've had our rough patches like everyone else, but I love knowing that at the end of the day, we love each other whether we're mad or not.

He who findeth a wife obtains favor from the Lord----Proverbs 18:22

An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,
but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

—Proverbs 12:4

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

—Colossians 3:18-19

These are just a few scriptures that I try to keep in my memory! I know my marriage is not perfect and that it is a work in progress, but I LOVE being married to him. He can make any bad day melt away. Ashlynn loves her "dat-ty" and he is crazy about her! He's not the kinda guy that's into PDA ( public display of affection ) and doesn't say " I love you" very often, but I've learned to see his love in other ways and I realize what a lucky girl I am!! A lot of women dream of the type of man I'm married to. He works hard and is a Christian man who respects the Church and fears God.

Trice, I love you! Always have...always will!