Ba Ba Ba Benny & the Brit

Love note

2012-02-14T00:02:00.003-06:00

Excuse me for a moment; i'm going to interrupt the "Holidays in Central America" blog series. Which by the way, is taking me longer than ever to record, but it is finally almost done, thank heavens!

I normally try not to put too much of the gushy, romantic, love stuff on the blog but there are DEFINITELY exceptions on certain days. And today is just one of those days...

Dear Ben,

Remember this picture? I sent it to you via text message after I received the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers from you after our first date, which technically wasn't a date. But somehow you tricked me and it OBVIOUSLY worked. (Hello, i'm your wife now.) It was the flowers after the fact that really sealed the deal. Your little cousin, Sophie asked me what my favorite flower was, I answered, "all of them!" The next day flowers, of every kind, showed up at my door... I know you deny it but you had to have put her up to that!

This picture represents the start of something remarkably wonderful. Us. Three years and eight months later, here we are celebrating Valentines Day as a happily wed couple. Thinking back, it seems like so long ago and yet somehow it seems like just yesterday. It must be because you still make me giddy, you still make me laugh, you still get the door for me, you're still full of surprises, you still treat me so special... I couldn't ask for more, I couldn't be more blessed, I couldn't imagine life any other way. Nobody has it better than us. ;) Thank you and I love you.

Love,

Brit

Holidays in Central America

2012-02-12T20:29:00.004-06:00

Copan, Honduras

Copan, Honduras, a quaint town near the border of Guatemela, with narrow, hilly cobblestone streets and home of the ancient Copan Ruins.

On our way to the Copan Ruins we saw about 15 parrots flying through the lush, tall jungle surrounding the ruins. We were lucky to catch them during feeding time so we could take close up pictures. The little kid in Ben came out when saw the parrots swoop down from the trees and perch themselves down right by him. He couldn't get close enough, he was so excited, so much he didn't' want to leave.

Copan is one of the most spectacular city's of the ancient Mayas civilization. It is said that Copan formed part of the three largest and most lavish cultural centers of the world. We could see that this is clearly true because of the amazing architecture and hieroglyphics there. We explored the ruins for hours; it is a huge complex with several plazas and temples. There was so much to see! We were taken back in time to another world and culture, so very different than our own...

After spending the morning at the ruins we walked back to the town where we were pleasantly surprised to run into the LDS missionaries! We called out to them from across the street. Of course, we just HAD to take them to lunch and make sure that they were well fed! It was a fun time visiting with them. They then showed us the way to catch a bus to our next stop on our journey, Guatemala. Stay tuned!

Holidays in Central America

2012-02-06T21:40:00.004-06:00

Siguatepeque, Honduras

Hello Honduras.

It was quite the trek to get here... we woke up before the sun to catch the first bus out of Nicaragua so we could get an early start on our 8 hour journey. The next bus we caught was more like a chicken bus than a people bus; I sat on a bag of rice with a child on my lap most of the way. Just when we thought not one more soul could fit on this overcrowded bus, we picked up more, and more, and more passengers! We thought the chicken bus was bad but the next was even worse- for hours we sat on buckets in between the last seat on the bus and the window-usually the storage area. We were car sick and squished. What a ride.

After our long, uncomfortable day of traveling we finally arrived at the Honduras border. There, we met a family from Houston, Texas who were renewing their Visas since they are living in Honduras for business. They turned out to be the good Samaritans on our travels! They let us hop in their car and travel the 2 hour drive to Tegucigalpa. It was the most comfortable drive and the most fun conversation we had all trip since I could finally speak English and not just listen as Ben speaks Spanish all day long.

Ben and Mauricio

Brit and Angelique

Their cute, little boy, Max, is zonked out in the car.

The drive was gorgeous and we stopped at this fruit stand along the way to grab some fresh and delicious snacks!

Our "good Samaritans" took us to the central bus station where we later headed to Siguatepeque. They also called ahead to a family member who lives in Siguatepeque, telling them that we would be arriving later that evening and that we needed a place to eat and stay. Suprisingly, their uncle owned an Italian restaurant in town and also had connections at a local hotel!

The food and lodging was the BEST we had all trip. Top Notch.

We couldn't have ran into a better couple at a better time.

Here we are at Pulhapanzak, the largest waterfall in Central America, dropping about 140 feet (only 30 feet less than Niagara Falls). The waterfall is hidden away in the jungle; only a handful of tourists make the trek there, but once there it is a beautiful sight, and well worth it! Pictures just don't do justice.

A tour guide took us to explore the falls and the caves behind them. To reach the caves we walked along a trail that starts at a wooden platform, then jumped into some pools in the river under the falls and climbed over boulders while being pelted by the water from above. It was quite intense! Once inside one of the caves I sat and literally shed a few tears (it was easy to hide, considering I was drenched with water). I was afraid to leave the cave and brave the falls again, pounding down on me, blinding my vision and altering my steps. But the tears quickly went as I realized the amazing and surreal scene I was in. The natural beauty and power of the waterfall was amazing to be surrounded by. Ben was able to calm me down and help me to take it all in.

At a certain point, about 30 feet high, we jumped into the waterfall. It was a thrill and adrenaline rush, scary but fun and I may have hesitated quite a bit but I'm glad I went through with it! Too bad our pictures and video turned out so unclear-- we were so close to the waterfall and the mist was so thick.

Pulhapanzak was the most exciting and adventurous stop along our travels through Central America and we look forward to coming back again one day.

Holidays in Central America

2012-02-02T20:31:00.000-06:00

And our journey continued...

San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

We made our way to the Pacific shores, where we were greeted by the ocean waves and the pitcturesque scenery, such as this, surrounded us. San Juan del Sur, a laid back surfing community full of life and charm, and a little taco stand we couldn't get enough of. We stayed in a hostal just up the road from the shore, the open air showers were bamboo and cobblestone and most refreshing after a day in the sun and sand.

We met a gentleman named Norway along the road, owner of "Red Beard Rentals," (hence his red beard). Unafraid of adventure, he left his home and family behind in Oregon to start up a moped rental business here, in Nicaragua. We rented one of his bikes for the day to cruise around town and to the beaches.

Delicious chicken curry in a melon bowl. Fresh watermelon juice-our absolute favorite thing.

It was so nice having the moped to scoot around on because we were able to reach some of the more secluded beaches in the area.

And on that note, we'll leave you for now.

Up next, we hit the road for the border!

Holidays in Central America

2012-01-25T00:45:00.004-06:00

We're not your typical travelers.

We try to avoid the crowded locations.

We prefer to choose the road less traveled.

This Christmas and New Years was no different.

This philosophy however tends to put us in situations that are either

breathtakingly remarkable, refreshingly educational,

unnervingly frustrating or somewhat scary.

. . . . . .

This particular go-around we decided to venture south to explore the

history and culture of some of our Central American neighbors.

(the warm weather and beaches may also have been another reason)

So begins our journey...

Granada, Nicaragua

Catching a few hours of sleep in the Managua Airport.

Hotel Alhambra off Central Park, Granada.

The courtyard inside our hotel.

Central Park

Outside the hotel

Main Cathedral across the way.

Markets abound and Christmas spirit is in the air.

View from roof of hotel.

Feeding the ducks at the pool.

Renting bikes for afternoon.

Christmas Eve dinner at Hotel Dario.

One of many cathedral we visited on bike.

The archetecture is amazing for how old these churchs are.

Amazing.

Relaxing in oversized hammock...Nicaragua style.

Look close...a DJ wearing a BYU-I t-shirt.

We HAD to get a shot of that.

Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve Mass.

Nativity Re-Enactment

Mary and Joseph

Angel

Wiseman

Inside our room.

Laguna de Apoyo

Atop the mountain looking down towards the lagoon.

Horseback riding near the lagoon.

Exploring the bat inhabited caves formed by

volcanic eruptions.

This cave was swarming with bats. creepy/thrilling

Dozens of bats were entering/exiting every min.

It took a few shoots to capture one in the frame but

if you look closely (near the center) you can see one.

Volcanic fumes billowing from vents along the volcanic chain.

The grass has a red tint due to the minerals in the soil. Can you see the wild horses!?

Large crater atop the volcano. We didnt get too close to edge

because it was quite windy. You can see the lights of Granada in the background.

There you have it.

Granada, Nicaragua

....in a nutshell.

Stay tuned for many more installments of...

"Holidays in Central America"

Other stops in Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala to come.

Tis the Season...

2011-12-22T01:28:00.001-06:00

for ugly Christmas sweaters...

for peppermint sticks...

for decking the halls...

and festive treats...

We picked over 50 lbs of pecans from our yard and made the yummiest pecan brittle. We packaged it up along with the peppermint dipped oreos and gave it to friends for Christmas this year.
With so many pecans on our hands, our friends should all be looking forward to some pecan pie, candied pecans, pecan brittle, pecan cookies, pecan crusted salmon,spiced pecans etc. from the Ben and Brit home!

for admiring the Christmas lights...

We bundled up and took the cub scouts downtown to enjoy the Christmas lights and some yummy hot chocolate. It was a fun and festive outing for everyone.

for getting crafty...

After painting a few tree branches white and adding some glitter we placed them in a large vase in our living room and hung our Christmas cards for display. Now we and all our visitors get to admire the creative cards of our friends and fam.

This Christmas card takes the cake. Lee & Syd had each family take an ugly Christmas sweater picture. The result: the inner nerdiness of the Snarr fam on display for everyone to see. Haha!

and of course...

Tis the Season for remembering our Savior's birth.

The world seems to be taking Christ out of Christmas by commercializing this Holiday. It is easy to get caught up in all the shopping, decorating, money, parties and treats and forget CHRIST. This year Ben and I asked ourselves this question: "What can we give for Christ this Christmas?" We are finding simple ways to give this year but the gift we are most excited to give is to do Temple work for our ancestors. We will have a Merry Christmas knowing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is being spread and our family is united eternally.

We hope you have a Merry Christmas too.

3 is the magic number

2011-12-18T23:08:00.001-06:00

"ya it is."

(love that song when Ben sings it in such a high voice, imitating Blind Melon)

For our 3 year Anniversary we bought a super nice camera. We both said that we wouldn't do anything else for each other but I had to. I'm still trying to make up for all the outrageously wonderful gifts Ben gives me all the time. So I decided to be sentimental and I printed off our old email messages from back in the day when we were dating. We read a few pages together which consisted of us asking each other random questions back and forth, like "stung by a bee or ten mosquito bites?" or "if you could invent anything what would it be?" When we reached certain points in the reading of our messages I would stop and have Ben open a gift that went along with what was just read. I gave him a total of 3 gifts (of course):
1. bubble bath
2. The office season 7 DVDs
3. Pottery classes for the two of us in 2012! In our messages I asked Ben the question "What is something you want to learn how to do?" and he answered "...I want to get a little better at pottery. We should take a class in the fall?!? I loved pottery in High School and I've always wanted to brush-up on my pottery knowledge." Now, over 3 years later, we are actually taking a pottery class together and we both CAN'T WAIT!

Fun Night Out

2011-12-18T21:01:00.000-06:00

We had such a fun night out with friends from my work this past weekend. We went to the improv comedy show, "Four Day Weekend." I seriously laughed so hard my cheeks hurt. Afterwards we walked around downtown and took some fun pictures by the Christmas tree. We ate dinner at the cajun restaurant, Razoo's, then called it a night.

New toy!

2011-12-08T23:08:00.001-06:00

Ben and I bought ourselves an early Anniversary present.

Absolutely in love with it.

First timers

2011-12-07T00:09:00.001-06:00

Dining out for Thanksgiving dinner was definitely a FIRST for me.

At first I was against this idea, but it turned out to be a pretty special day for the two of us. We ate at Texas de Brazil-- of course we ate turkey and cranberry sauce but we also enjoyed filet mignon, smoked salmon, lobster bisque and much more deliciousness!

Ben and I went camping together for the FIRST time. We bought our tent a long time ago but it was just recently that we finally got around to it! We made tin foil dinners, roasted marshmallow and stayed up late into the night talking and cuddling by the fire.

I can't wait to go again.

Vacation with Dad and Mom Snarr

2011-12-02T23:16:00.004-06:00

Lee and Syd landed in "Cowtown" a.k.a. Fort Worth and spent two fun-filled weeks with us. We thoroughly enjoyed entertaining them and showing them our world here in Texas. Off the plane, first stop was Rangers Ballpark... of course Ben had to show them where he has lived (literally and through the television) for the past months. Second stop: our favorite, Yucatan Taco Stand for lunch. During the next week we spent our time site-seeing, restaurant dining, antique mall shopping, Wits and Wagers playing and Ranger game watching. We attended the BYU fireside the night before the BYU vs. TCU game, and our plans to attend the football game at Dallas Cowboy stadium were terminated due to the fact that the Rangers were playing that same night in game 7 of the World Series. Sadly both Rangers and BYU lost. But we had guests and there was definitely more fun to be had so we got over our sadness pretty quickly.

The famous and delicious Tillmans barbque.

Tableside s'mores.

Syd and I attended craft night at my neighbor Dawn's together. We screenprinted reusable grocery bags. Dawn is a graphic designer and designed and built all of the screen prints herself! She amazes me!

Our final products!

After a week of fun in Fort Worth we were off to the coast where we hopped on the Carnival Triumph and spent 5 days traveling to Merida and Cozumel, Mexico. The cruise was a much needed time to put our feet up, eat great food, site-see and get some zzzz's. I love and seriously miss the king size bed, the pitch black rooms and the boat softly rocking me to sleep. As much as I enjoyed catching up on sleep, that was the least of our trip, we had such a blast and have stories to tell...

Lee won the sports trivia!

Ben played "60 seconds or less" against 5 competitors...

He passed a total of 4 missions: balancing a soda can on it's edge, stacking and taking down cups, eating a cookie off of his face and keeping a feather in the air by blowing on it. Ben was the last man standing and won an ego boost. I was definitley a proud wife, cheering him on loudly in the audience. We are going to have to apply to the REAL Minute to Win it!

The first stop on the cruise was Merida, Mexico. We saw a few sites in the town and then split off from Lee and Syd. They stayed in Merida and saw the LDS Temple, we headed off to see ancient ruins and swim in a cenote (a natural pool of clear water formed underground and often times are found in caves).

View from the top of the ruins.

We took a 30 minute taxi ride to the ruins and cenote and when the taxi left us there, in the middle of nowhere, I asked Ben how we would get home? No answer. Oh well. We were quickly distracted by the beautiful ruins and the refreshing cenote. We spoke with some other tourists and they suggested that we catch a ride on their tour bus. Great idea, but we spent too long at the ruins and as we realized it was getting late we sprinted to the parking lot. All the buses were gone and I panicked. Ben started talking to a man that worked on site and before I knew it Ben and I were sitting in the back of his truck, driving down the country bumpy road with the wind blowing in our faces. He dropped us off at the nearest town where we caught a local bus. I swear this bus was taking every child home from school because it stopped every other minute but I was just happy to be headed back towards the cruise ship. Just as I was getting comfortable on the bus, Ben motioned me to get off, right in the middle of a highway. We stood with our thumbs up between two busy roads, one headed back to Merida and the other back to Progresso, our cruise ship port. I was thinking how crazy my husband is to have us hitchiking in such a place under such a time crunch. We started to realize that no one was headed in the direction we were headed so we started walking. Finally, a couple on a motorcycle pulled up next to us and asked us if we needed a ride. Four of us on a motorcycle? Ben hesitated and I said "heck yes, we need a ride!" I wasn't going to miss my boat. They were on the same cruise as us and rented the bike for the day (maybe we'll think of that idea next time). So here we are, all four of us on this bike, it was quite an uncomfortable ride, especially for Ben. What an adventurous day.

We spent halloween on the cruise ship and ate yummy festive desserts:

The cruise also stopped in Cozumel where we shopped and relaxed on the beach with Lee and Syd.

Adam and Eve? Maybe? (This was Syds idea, clever.)

We collected a farm of animals in our room. This cruise I took a disco class but next cruise, i'm seriously going to take the class to learn how to make these little guys. All my house guests will think i'm awesome.

We enjoyed every minute of our trip, especially since it was spent with Ben's parents. We seriously want to start planning our next trip with them ASAP.

Along our drive home we saw the Sam Houston statue and of course we stopped at Buc-cee's for some jerky, popcorn and sparkly clean bathrooms.

"The top two reasons to stop at Buc-cee's: #1 and #2"

Our Texas, Our Rangers

2011-11-15T22:52:00.006-06:00

Its been yet another exciting year of baseball here in Texas. Our Rangers kept us on our feet cheering all season with high-powered offense, efficient defense and lights-out pitching. Like all teams we had our share of losses, but with even more wins than last season, this squad was sure to land us in the postseason. We had the pleasure of securing a number of games in the corporate Luxury Suite this year and we were able to treat many friends and family to a truly unique baseball experience.

The Rangers won nearly every game we went to, so we decided to extend our luck to an away game as well so Ben attended a game versus the Astros of Houston. The Rangers won! We have met many of the players and feel like they have become "our" team. We still enjoy collecting autographs and souvenirs and actually have quite the collection of memorabilia piling up:)

JOSH HAMILTON and ELVIS ANDRUS

POSTSEASON

As predicted, the Rangers returned to the Postseason! We pulled out all the stops and it was quite the production and experience. We attended games of both the ALDS and ALCS with the Rangers winning all games we attended!

The Rangers beat the Tampa Rays and Detroit Tigers respectively to advance to the World Series.

Although the team was unable to seal a final victory against the St. Louis Cardinals, we are so very proud to call the Rangers "our" team and we look forward to feeling the electric atmosphere of Rangers Ballpark for years to come.

We're excited to attend another installment of Spring Training in Arizona this coming March and be assured we'll be rooting for our hometown team!

Date Night (better than the movie)

2011-10-23T17:51:00.001-05:00

If you've seen the movie "Date Night" starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey you would know exactly what I mean. Date Night is a blend of action and comedy that doesn't quite live up to the talents of its two leads. Rotten Tomatoes rated it a mere 6.1 out of 10! Ben and I, on the other hand shined through our roles on our date night, just the other night. Plus, we didn't run into the horrible disasters that Steve and Tina ran into on theirs. It was a smooth sailing night for the two of us.

Every week we take turns planning a date for each other and this week was extra special. We were celebrating the anniversary of our engagement. Yes, we celebrate that.

Ben surprised me with a three part date...

PART ONE: The Circus!

Just steps away from our home the Circus was taking place at the Will Rogers Center. We felt like kids again as we enjoyed all the different circus acts, from the Tigers, to the trapeze, to my favorite part of the elephants doing tricks. There were parts that had us in awe and parts that had us gut laughing.

PART TWO: Concert on Crocket Street

From the circus we walked downtown and stopped at Crocket Street, that was closed to traffic for a concert. The band, the Hooligans, from Austin played as we sat on the curb to watch. This concert happens monthly, so we will definitely have to make sure we catch it in November.

PART THREE: Dinner at Tillmans Roadhouse

We then ate dinner at Tillmans Roadhouse, on Crocket street. This restaurant was featured on Sugar High, a TV show on the food network, for it's homemade s'mores. They make their own marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate and you roast the marshmallows right at your table. After seeing the restaurant on TV and realizing it was just down the street from us we just had to try it out. The restaurant is so pretty and so Texas with a fancy and rustic style. When you sit down you are given a little bowl of truffle butter and pepper popcorn--delicious, I could make my meal of it!

Deliciousness...

As we walked home from our fun date night we stopped along the way and set the camera timer up to take a picture, or four, of the shining and happy couple on their date night.

Along the walk home we found humongous acorns, so we stuffed our pockets and at home we got crafty and painted them white to display.

The reviews for "Date Night" starring Ben and Brit were a whopping 10 out of 10!

Would definitely see this one again in a heartbeat.

Another Year Older

2011-10-02T09:40:00.001-05:00

Here's to another year of...

happy

"i love you's"

work

daily foot rubs

yoga & running

blog posts

church callings

crafts

vacations

etc.!

Every year gets better and better.

Benjamin, outdid himself again.

On my birthday he took my car while I was at work and cleaned and waxed it. He also gave me permission to decorate my bathroom (stay tuned for pictures). I thought this was such a sweet birthday gift but of course, there was more...

As I walked in the front door of our home a beautiful painting hung on the wall above our bench. A space that had been bare and boring was now filled with a stunning piece of art. Back in June of this year we enjoyed the Arts Festival in dowtown Fort Worth and we were both blown away by this painting of a white flower standing out against a black background, very vibrant, intriguing and bold. I didn't think we could or ever would be able to own it.

Little did I know, Ben contacted the artist, Michael Kuseske, in Florida, and over the course of the next few months made payments for a piece of art of our own, painted specially for me and to fit the wall in our living room. How romantic of him to work so hard and sacrifice so much to do something so special and meaningful to me.

I love him.

http://www.michaelkuseskepaintings.com/

That night, I chose to stay home and watch my favorite show, Project Runway. Our friends, the Ellsworths are regulars at our house on Project Runway nights but this time they brought yummy cake. Our neighbor Dawn came over too. I was excited when a thunderstorm broke out, until the power went out right before the finale of the show! Of course! It was fun sitting around and chatting in the candelight though. A definite birthday to remember!

To top it all off, my work threw me a party, took me out to lunch and gave me gifts and flowers.

I received many cards and gifts in the mail and sweet notes from friends on facebook. I'm so thankful for good friends, family, and a husband who cares and celebrates each new year with me.

Victory Chateau

2011-08-13T17:49:00.002-05:00

This is where we call "Home Sweet Home."

Victory Chateau are vintage apartments in the heart of the Cultural District of Fort Worth. Settled in a charming neighborhood within walking distance of boutiques, antique stores, dry cleaners, yoga and dance studios, bakeries and even downtown.

Our place is cozy and quaint and we are so happy here! We want to take you on a tour as we promised we would...

Our home is on the first floor, on the very right, with the big white windows.

Come on in...

The front entrance leads you into the family room, full of light with big windows, and enticing comfy couches recently piled high with throw pillows we made ourselves. Notice the white lamp in the corner... it is the one Ben surprised me with for our Anniversary.

The picture below does not do it justice but we've featured our brother in-law Bryce's art that he gave us as a wedding gift. His art is contemporary and unique and we love it.

This area of the room deserves more attention and in time will get it. We do love our panther that is also a vintage lamp that we discovered at Montgomery Antique store.

Our living room leads into our dining room. The mirror on the wall and the rod iron radio bench that we re-upholstered were once Grandma Snarr's.

We love the vintage features of our home... the six panel doors, glass door knobs, built-in shelving, vintage stove and hardwood floors. Our dining room has become a place to display all of our travel souvenirs and pretty things. The Rooster painting is one that we found on our trip to the Dominican Republic; we put a gaudy silver frame on it and now it is a bold piece of art that stands out.

Ben grew up with this candy machine in his bedroom. We've filled it with skittles and it has become a big hit with our guests! I'm not sure why there are baseballs in the bowls but I guess that is what you should expect when you have a husband absolutely obsessed with baseball!

This closet off the dining room stores anything and everything... Thank goodness for some closet space!

From the dining room you enter the kitchen, my favorite place in the house. The old stove adds so much charm to this space!

The side door leads to a little walkway along the house and there is some room for us to one day plant some flowers and maybe even some vegetables. The map on the wall has been backed by a cork board so that we can put pins in all the places we've traveled to and Temples we've attended. We hope to fill this map with more and more pins! The sign above the door: "happy: delighted over a particular thing; cheerful & willing." Of all the words in the dictionary, "happy" is the one I want to describe my home.

Grandma Snarr's handmade rug. What a talented woman! We love it so much we want to use it, even if it that means wearing it out... so it sits under our sink, much better than having it boxed up where we can't admire it.

As you can see, we use every inch of the counter we can! The thermos dates back to before I was born; my father used to take it to work with him. The picture dates back to Ben and I on a date, eating sushi, before we were married. The juicer is used for pretty decoration and of course, fresh squeezed orange juice-- it is the only way to go!

Yes, that is a voodoo doll toothpick holder... we like quirky, silly stuff like that.

Remember my birthday gift last year? The metal bird we discovered at an antique store has found its perfect place, hanging above our stove.

We collect magnets from places we've visited or lived, thus the reason our fridge is covered with them!

The hallway from our kitchen leads to a bathroom and our bedroom. We love our bathroom, especially the purple tiled floor! We are in the process of decorating this room and hope to make our own shower curtain. Stay tuned for the "after" pictures.

Our bedroom is full of windows and a back door, which we have blocked since we don't need to use it. We have two closets, one for him and one for her. We've hung our Zebra from Africa that we inherited from Ben's late Uncle on the wall behind our TV. Since we can't paint the walls it is a great addition to the room.

Now that you've had a virtual tour of our place, you are more than welcome to come see our place and more importanly us in person!

Getting to our "To Do's"

2011-08-07T23:49:00.001-05:00

PROJECT ONE:

We inherited beautiful silver serving spoons from Ben's late Grandmother Snarr. With a little elbow grease we were able to remove the tarnish and revive the silver (some even dating back to the early 1900's) to their original luster. Now, we can serve our guests using such dainty silverware--thanks Annabelle.

PROJECT TWO:

We've been wanting to brighten up our couches with some comfy throw pillows. After searching the store aisles and Internet sites we realized that the only way to get exactly what we wanted, for a reasonable price, was to do it ourselves. Once we found fabrics we fell in love with, we couldn't wait to begin the project. Once we started, we couldn't stop. We literally stayed up until 6am to make 8 pillows. Completely worth it.

Ben and I took turns measuring, re-measuring, cutting, sewing, and stuffing. We made multiple shaped pillows, even a round pillow, with pretty little buttons. Not to brag or anything, but seriously the pillows turned out pretty darn awesome. You would never guess they are handmade by us!

Drum roll please...

PROJECT THREE:

This is the antique highchair Ben grew up in. His parents have a great appreciation for antiques and they have many in their home, but this particular piece meant a lot to Ben. Of course his other siblings used this highchair as well, but once everyone was grown, his parents passed it on to us. This chair has endured five children worth of mac & cheese, cereals, juice spills and birthday cakes. We've taken it upon ourselves to clean, sand, stain and re-cane this old chair so that it will be perfectly refurbished for a whole new generation of hungry lil' Snarrs:)

NOTE: This particular project is quite the undertaking and is still in progress. Stay tuned for pics of the "After" product.

I Love Lucy

2011-08-06T23:16:00.000-05:00

I love Lucy. I do, I really do.

I have such good memories from my youth, staying up late, watching reruns of her show during sleepovers at my friend Kristins house. I've been watching clip after clip of her shows tonight and can't get enough. She truly is a legend-- one of the very best actresses of all time.

Happy 100th Birthday Lucille.

July Fourth Festivities

2011-08-06T22:03:00.001-05:00

Best part of our Fourth of July celebration:

Most definitely the box sledding with our neices and nephew!

I've been snow sledding, ice blocking, and now i've expereinced the Texas (or anywhere that lacks snow) version of sledding: box sledding. Just find the steepest hill and grab yourself a box and you are bound to have a good time and maybe even a few grass stains.

After the sledding we watched the most amazing fireworks show put on by UNT. My brother in-law taught art at UNT but he now has a job at a University in Alabama. I'm DEVASTATED! They moved away last week and now we are lonely without family in Texas. I guess it is time to start planning some family reunions!

We also celebrated the Fourth by enjoying the Fort Worth Symphony at the Botanic Gardens. We picknicked as we listend to the Symphony play and it ended with a big fireworks display choreographed to patriotic music by the Symphony. Oh, and we tried fried oreos for the first time...quite yum.

Hope ya'll had fun on the Fourth too.

2 and a 1/2sy

2011-08-06T21:59:00.002-05:00

Already?

And since when do we celebrate halves?

Seriously, Ben? Stop making me look bad.

But. THANK YOU. Love you. You're the best.

On June 17, 2011 I came home from work to see this big display of balloons and a lamp in my bedroom. Oh stink. I forgot it was the day that marked 2 1/2 years of marriage. How could I forget? But, how impressive that my husband didn't forget, and even better that he celebrated it! He surprised me with a lamp I saw months ago at Anthropologie. I text him the picture from the store saying that I wanted to buy it-- it was the last lamp and it was on sale, but of course I didn't make the purchase. A couple days later I showed up at Anthropologie, not planning on buying the lamp, yet I was still disappointed it was gone!

Little did I know that my hubby was the one that bought it and that it was sitting in my storage unit until that special day when he would spoil me rotten and make me the happiest girl.

I want to remember and I want Ben to remember and never ever forget his sweet and clever message that day-so i've posted the note here. I "light up" his world. Yup. He loves me.

And I love him. Happy Anniversary hunny.

Let's Play Catch Up

2011-07-27T20:56:00.002-05:00

Boy, does time fly! We have been in Fort Worth, Texas for ONE whole year now. Ben and I have never lived in one place for this long before and we don't plan on leaving anytime soon! We've really made ourselves at home here. Ben has a good thing going as a sub dealer for ADT and I work as the Practice Manager of the ER at JPS Hospital. Our work keeps us both busy but we both really enjoy it!

Church keeps us busy too; we are part of a wonderful ward and are given so many opportunities to serve. Ben serves as the Scout Master (a darn good one). He loves working with the youth and he just got back from an awesome scout trip that he will blog all about soon. I serve as Primary President and have so much fun working with the little ones, teaching them values that they will carry with them through their lives. I am so lucky to be able to spend Sundays with the children, playing games, and hearing them sing!

Of course, amidst the busyness we make time for our friends, we like to think that they are pretty awesome. There's lots of game nights, pool parties, dinners, double dates, girls nights etc. Ben and I savor every minute we have together too. We really make the best of the little time we seem to have and take turns each week planning creative dates for each other-- it's a great motivation to get out on the town and see and do more.

Some of the things we've been up to...

Ben coached little league baseball this Spring.

Ben caught one.

I didn't.

We will definitely go fishing again soon since I've seriously never caught a fish before!

We painted faces at our Church Carnival! Ben showed me up by painting dragons and unicorns while I painted the easy stuff- stars and flowers. The kids loved it.

Ben took me on a surprise date to the Texas Motor Speedway, to watch Formula 1 Races. We had so much fun, especially once we put the ear plugs in... yeesh! It was loud.

Of course we saw Danika Patrick and cheered her on!

We loved having Abby, Tony & the kids come to visit.

We went to the stockyards to watch the daily cattle drive and we had a fun picnic at the Botanic Gardens.

Sure do miss having these kids around!

Family, Isn't it About Time.

2011-05-27T14:54:00.002-05:00

The trip to Utah for Ali & Eric's wedding was a great time to reunite with the family. Lee and Syd planned a Snarr reunion with the theme: "Family, Isn't it About Time." Of course everything we did was centered around the theme and so clever! We played minute to win it games, played in the pool and slides at the Bountiful Rec Center, did yard work together, and Lee and Syd topped it off by giving each of us a clock for our home so we can remember to make time for family.

It was definitely about TIME that we saw my sister Shara's family who just moved from NY to Blackfoot. My sister Heather, who lives in Provo, drove with us to Blackfoot to spend Easter all together. When we arrived we all gathered around a bonfire and roasted marshmallows! We then got all Easter ready by coloring Easter Eggs- my favorite. We stayed up late into the night playing cards and catching up. In the morning the kids woke up to a grand Easter egg hunt in the backyard and presents from the Easter bunny. The Easter bunny even gave Ben, Heather, and I treats! The kids own their very own Easter bunny-- just days earlier the family bought a bunny rabbit and the kids are in love!

The youngest little guy loved his tie that his Grandma made for him for his Easter basket, and we just loved him! The first words we heard out of his mouth when we arrived were "what heck!" Turns out it is his favorite line and it tends to make very good sense in most all of our conversations. Haha! The pretty little girl, with the big smile, drew us pictures and let us stay in her pretty pink room. The older boys have grown up so much, are so smart and they do a great job taking care of their rabbit.

We miss everyone and can't wait to take another trip to good ol' Utah and Idaho!

We love our family!

Wedding of the Year

2011-05-19T22:55:00.002-05:00

You may think I'm speaking of the ROYAL Wedding of Prince William and Kate. Yes, it was a beautiful wedding, millions of people tuned in to watch them exchange their vows, everyone seemed to be enthralled in what they were wearing and every move that they made. I have to admit I tuned in too and I lived vicariously through them as I dreamt about marrying a Prince and having a lavish wedding!

Wait. I did marry my Prince, I did have a lavish wedding! OK, I'm not so jealous anymore.

Anyhow... Will and Kate's wedding is NOT the wedding of the year, at least not in my book!

The Wedding of the Year was undoubtedly Alexandra and Eric Wright.

Wed on April 21, 2011 in the Bountiful, Utah Temple.

This lovely bride, Ben's youngest sister, Ali, found her Prince, Eric. Their wedding was a royal affair. Ali was stunning, Eric was handsome, and so many of their loved ones attended. I was enthralled in what they were wearing, and every move they made. If it were on TV I'd be watching the reruns. Ha!

Ben gave a sweet toast at the luncheon that made he and I and I'm sure others teary eyed. He said Alexandra has a lot of nicknames and he named an extensive list but one that is used by many is "Al Pal" and that is because it is true, she is a true friend to so many, she is the one everyone in the family confides in, she is someone we all want to be around.

Eric is a lucky man, and a great match for Al pal. We all quickly fell in love with his outgoing, fun-loving and friendly personality. What a perfect match!

Congratulations Ali & E!

Could this be a glimpse into the future!?

Whatever the future holds, we wish Ali & E the very best.

Boys Trip 2011: AZ Spring Training

2011-05-08T22:28:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again! The annual "Snarr Boys Baseball Trip!" Lee put together another exciting itinerary for him and the boys and Ben counted down the days for the excitement to begin. This has been a family tradition for over 20 years and it was exciting to have our new brother-in-law Eric attend his first. As an added bonus Uncle Chad and cousins Corbin and Brock joined in on the fun too!

The trip got off to a great start when Ben was lucky enough to be seated right next to the 1986 Home Run King, Jessie Barfield! He spent the entire flight talking baseball and Jessie even signed a few autographs.

The trip itinerary was set up so that they would visit as many stadiums and see as many different teams as possible. The weather was perfect, the location was perfect, the company was perfect-- it was a good week for baseball!

Since our cousins are from Colorado they wanted to see their hometown Rockies play. After a few days of HOT day games it was nice to attend a cool evening game. They got to the stadium and found some prime real estate just behind center field. With the Rockies trailing midway throught the game, they decided to string together a few great innings filled with extra base hits and even a few home runs to come back and win! Ben was in the right place at the right time to snag a Jason Giambi home run as well! Nice Catch!

The following day they saw the Indians play the Reds. It was St. Patricks Day and all players wore green ball caps. Aroldis Chapman pitched for the Reds (highest mph pitcher in baseball today--103 mph!). The Reds and the Indians share the facility and in centerfield Ben was so sad to see a banner in memory of Hall of Fame Pitcher, Bob Feller. Ben was able to meet him two years ago at the same field.

Pizzeria Bianco

Another Spring Training means another savory stop at the World Famous Pizzeria Bianco! Always worth the 2-4 hour wait-- and once inside they ordered 8 pizzas and many mouthwatering appetizers!

All in all it was another enjoyable Spring Training for the boys. Ben came home with baseballs, autographs, souveniers, a full stomach, a tan, and best of all... great memories shared with the boys! Thanks again to Lee for showing my hubby such a great time!

Girls Trip 2011: Las Vegas

2011-05-01T20:01:00.004-05:00

Girls just wanna have fun... such a TRUE statement! And sometimes fun means all girls, no boys, no kids, sunshine, frozen yogurt, spa treatments, shopping, broadway, and Las Vegas baby! The Snarr girls(except for Abby-- we missed you!) spent another fun trip in Vegas this past March.

Our trip began with a night at the CasaBlanca resort in Mesquite, where we woke up to spa treatments, a sauna, and the yummiest breakfast.

We then hit the road to Vegas... There we celebrated Ali's 22nd birthday and threw her a fun and a bit crazy bachelorrette/bridal shower party! We let Syd get some rest while we went out on the town and rode the stratsphere... a ride i've always wanted to go on, and I was all about it, that is until I was on it. I wanted off the second I got on and saw how high up we were! Despite my fears I made it through the ride-- nearly peed my pants, lost my voice, but it was worth it for the thrill and the laughs!

We all got a little crazy with the camera and the self-timer and ended up with lots of silly candid shots...

We saw the Phantom of the Opera-- a show I've always wanted to see and now that I've seen it I want to see it over and over again! What a beautiful performance; I could feel the music and emotions of the show. Thanks to Dawny I now how the sountrack and listen to it constantly. Thanks to Syd I now have a Phantom magnet to add to my collection of magnets, and lets not forget the whole experience she provided for me!

Such a beautiful bunch.

Here we are eating the yummiest frozen yogurt. We ate this yogurt AT LEAST once a day! Mmm.

A trip to Vegas MUST include the Bellagio Gardens and the Bellagio water shows...

As the Titanic played we could not resist doing this...

This trip was such a sweet opportunity to spend time with family, to be silly, relax, and create memories. Thanks Mamma Syd for spoiling us girls and making this trip so much fun.

We suuuure LOVE ya!

Birthday Bashes

2011-04-10T15:27:00.003-05:00

We've celebrated many birthdays recently with friends and fam. Our niece turned 3 and we had a picnic at the Botanic Gardens to celebrate! We gave her a butterfly costume that she floated around in all day!

Our brother in-law came to Fort Worth on buisness and the lucky guy got to celebrate his 40th with us! We had taco night, funny/yummy cake that Laurel made, and fun playing with the kids!

We surprised Tiff, my co-worker and neighbor (lives right up stairs) with a birthday dinner at our place. We invited neighbors and church friends (medical students she and I know through the hospital where we work) and we had a good time watching clips of Nacho Libre, and eathing tacos and cupcakes.

Cookie Monsters

2011-04-07T22:35:00.000-05:00

Ben and I had fun babysitting these little cookie monsters...

We let their parents go out on the town for Valentines Day while we played with frosting and sprinkles decoriting sugar cookies. It was definitely worth these big smiles, giggles, and yumminess!

Such a lil' cheese!

I Want to Ride My Bicycle

2011-04-02T22:21:00.000-05:00

Ok, so maybe I don't have a bicycle, but I definitely want one and if I had one I'd want to go for a nice, long bike ride.

Spring is here and the fresh, warm air, combined with the cool breeze as I coast through beautiful Texas countryside is calling my name.

Like old times... when I was little I would ride on the chair attached to my fathers bicycle and those bike rides continued as I grew up and could ride along side of him. Sunday bicycle rides were something I looked forward to and I miss it.

It's time to buy bicycles for Ben and I and fulfill the urge I have to ride... One of these days we'll strap a tent to my bike and ride somewhere far far away, crazy but I've always wanted to do that.

Home

2011-03-16T23:46:00.002-05:00

LOVE this happy love song that reminds me of us...

We've moved around quite a bit in the past two years.
But no matter where we've been, where we are, or where we're going:

"HOME IS WHENEVER I'M WITH YOU"

Ben is away at MLB Spring Training in Arizona right now.

Miss him.

So hurry HOME babe.

NY and New Years

2011-03-15T22:26:00.000-05:00

No, we did not spend New Years in NY.

Been there.

Done that.

Too crowded.

However we did spend a night in NY a few days after Christmas. It was my surprise Christmas gift to Ben. We stayed at a cute bed and breakfast in Chelsea, went to the NYC Temple, shopped and site-see'd lots.

On New Years Eve we went to downtown Hartford and watched the fireworks display and rode the carousel. with the kids. Afterward we spent an evening of food, games, movies, and fun with the family at home before we flew back to Texas the next day.

Christmas in CT

2011-03-04T22:24:00.000-06:00

This is how it's done...

Christmas this year was spent in CT with my side of the family. First thing first: we cut down a Christmas tree and trimmed it! We were so glad my parents decided to wait for us so that we could be included. It just might be my favorite part of Christmas.

Ben and Heather found these hats in my parents winter closet. We've collected so many over the years and they get weirder than this. Ben, a cowboy? Well we do live in good ol' Texas.

Laina shared hot cocoa with us Christmas Eve. (I ate most of the marshmallows- i'm crazy about them)

Ben and I trotted downstairs on Christmas Eve wearing onsie pjs... hoping to get a good laugh out of everyone. We may have gotten a bigger laugh than we expected... Ben's was too small. HA!

Our Christmas gift was nice, white, fluffy, snow, and lots of it! We went sledding with the kids in the backyard! This is what Ben chose to wear. Is that my mom's hat, my dad's gloves, and a onesie from Ben's youth? Yep.

We spent time at my brothers house with all 7 of his kids. What a full and fun house!

My oldest neice and I. I can't believe how fast they are all growing up.

Laina always does the best gift wrapping job.

These little gals got a guitar and a grocery cart from Santa!

My present- best ever. Ben remembered that I loved this painting by James Christensen at an art gallery a year ago. The one we saw was sold but he worked hard to find one and to have it reframed to be exactly like the one I fell in love with. It is such an intriging piece that invokes peace. (pictures of pictures don't do justice).

For Ben, I gave him a surprise overnight trip to NYC during our trip to CT. Details to be continued in the next blog post...

TWO Be Continued...

2011-02-23T22:10:00.000-06:00

Remember these two love birds?

We celebrated two years of marriage December 17th and yes, we are still crazy in love!

One thing I never ever get tired of: hearing the words "I love you," all throughout the day, everyday, from my hunny (sigh).

Here is how our romantic evening went...

We sat down for dinner at Ellerby's Fine Foods, a quaint and fancy restaurant on Magnolia Avenue.

Then we took a stroll hand in hand around beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

We gazed at the Christmas Tree glistening with lights. (We tried to catch photos of us but the lighting was wrong and our camera didn't cooperate.)

We finally had the chance to step inside the Bass Hall. This building is just so pretty, pictures do not do justice!

We saw the Canadian Tenors, accompanied by the Forth Worth Symphony Orchestra--AMAZING show! I was on the edge of my seat gawking and singing along. I would see it again in a heartbeat.

All in all... it was such a lovely evening. Two years flew by and I am already losing count. But I look forward to next year, and the year after, and the year after that...

Close But No Cigar

2011-02-16T22:13:00.000-06:00

Last July, we moved to Fort Worth, Texas. We found the cutest 1920's bungalow, in one of the quaintest neighborhoods. It was quite the fixer upper but we looked forward to the challenge. We decided to rent the home until we were able to make the purchase. Meanwhile, we had fun sprucing up the yard and making minor upgrades on the property (see photos on the blog we created). We held back from doing anything major (central air, plumbing, porch, structural etc.) but dreamed about it all day long. We had a vision.

After countless discussions with banks, lenders and mortgage brokers we were DENIED. We were so close to our dream of fixing up an old house but since we have 3 other homes, I have no credit (I guess in America we have to be in debt to get into more debt) and we had just started new jobs no one wanted to assume the risk.
As if we are risky folks?

Anyhow, it has been a learning experience and quite the adventure. No regrets, only experiences gained, and memories to look back at. We've now moved into a cute apartment, Victory Chateau, built in the 1930's in the cultural district close to downtown Fort Worth. We are comfortable; having central air and heat is a HUGE plus, especially considering the unusually cold winter we experienced here in Fort Worth this year. How did we survive without it!? Best of all... Ben brought all of our furnishings from our house in Idaho to our home here! We hadn't seen our belongings since April 2009. It was like Christmas unpacking! We will post pictures soon.

Hello blog. Miss me?

2011-02-16T19:41:00.000-06:00

I do have a fairly good excuse...

No internet= No connection to blogger= Lack of blog posts

I've missed updating the blog and now I have tons of catching up to do. So be prepared for blog entry overload from the Benny and the Brit.

World Series 2010 Rangers vs. Gaints

2010-11-14T18:48:00.000-06:00

It was a dream come true...

1. to have the team we've been rooting for all season make it to the World Series.

2. to be living 15mins from where the World Series was being played.

3. to have tickets to a World Series game!

I grew up a Red Sox fan, Ben, a Dodgers fan... but since moving to Texas we have adopted the Texas Rangers as a team we could both root for. We were so proud that they made it to the play offs and even prouder that they made it to the World Series for the first time in history!

Ben and I have some great connections and we are so lucky to have gotten tickets! We can now check "Go to the World Series" off our bucket list.

Benjamin was like a little kid... it really has been a dream of his since he was a boy to go to the World Series. I'm glad we could go together and I could see him so giddy and excited. He took pictures of everything that said "World Series." I think he wanted to make sure there were pictures to prove it wasn't just a dream when he woke up the next morning.

One of the highlights of our experience was seeing Nomar Garciapara and having him sign my jersey, Ben's mit, and our program.

Sadly, the Rangers lost but we had the time of our life and we are happy that we and the Rangers even made it to the World Series.

yay.

What am I doing and where am I looking?... Hope this makes you laugh!

Fall Festivities!

2010-11-02T21:56:00.000-05:00

I love the smell, the colors, the cool, crisp air, and the crackling leaves of Fall. I even love the taste of Fall... I had lunch the other day at a little Italian cafe, Nona Tatas on Magnolia Ave., and chose their pasta with pumpkin, sage, and rosemary. I wish I could give you a bite, you'll feel like fall inside and out.

It is wonderful having family around because pumpkin picking is just not quite as fun unless there are little ones all excited to play in the hay and run through the pumpkin patch!

Laurel invited us to join their fun at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch. From wagon rides, to corn mazes there was plenty of festive fun.

The lil' punkin with her pumkin.

After our fun at the pumkin patch Laurel surprised me with a birthday celebration at Fuzzy's Taco Shop. It is all it is hyped up to be... sooo good! Of course it isn't MY birthday without icecream too so the party ended with ice cream at Laurels house!

The Fall festivies continue...

Laurel brought the kiddos to enjoy our ward Halloween party with us. The party started with a taco dinner and ended with trick or treating and games in different rooms of the church building. Ben was in charge of decorating and providing a game in one of the rooms; he did a great job playing "Don't Eat Pete!" with the kids.

Green Power Ranger and a Kitty Cat.

We rummaged through our next door neighbors halloween costume collection just before the party. We came up with a dead rapper, and a butterfly/ fairy? I wanted to be a roller derby girl or a bowl of candy... stay tuned for next year.

Me and one of my cub scouts, Brandon, as a doctor.

Our creative friends as a sunflower, gardener, and lady bug, and below as an earth, an astronaut, and an elephant.

Baby Mr. T says, "I pity the foo who didn't have a happy halloween!"

My baby's got sauce

2010-11-02T21:02:00.000-05:00

... in case you are wondering it is a favorite line of a song by G Love from back in the day and it still sticks with me.

I'm not quite sure of the meaning of "sauce," it is open to interpretation, but all I know is that my baby has it. The song continues... "you're baby ain't sweet like mine."

Benjamin has been working hard and deserves a BIG thank you from me. Working in the sales industry he recieves many incentives and he continually reaches above and beyond his goals and the company goals. Recently he has earned... a big screen TV., a watch (which he gave to me), a bonus for the most sales in a week, a cruise (which I can't go on because of my job), a Motorcyle (which we owned for a whole hour... we don't ride motorcylces and so we sold it), and more. I am so proud of him and couldn't be more grateful to have a hardworking hubby who still makes time for his wifey.

Benjamin works extremely hard at his job with ADT, and when he isn't knocking doors he is knocking down trees, pruning shrubs, installing new door frames etc. on our house! He is also 2nd counselor in the Elders Quorum Presidency, and Scout Master. I am the Practice Manager of the ER at JPS Hospital, and still work a few nights at Pappadeaux seafood kitchen, while fulfilling a calling as cub master at church. I love my job at the hospital, am not sure how much longer I will stay at the restaurant, and have so many little cub scout buddies at church who make me proud.

Life is busy. Life is good. Life is worth it.

Nice shades Ben... he totally fits the part of the "tough," "cool" motorcyclist. Only thing that is missing is the leather jacket, spikey boots, and few tattoos on his arms. ha! It is a beautiful motorcycle and the owner of it now is a lucky man who will enjoy it more than we would.

Triumph over your fears and doubts, and exceed your expectations.

Shorty, it's your birthday...

2010-10-10T17:30:00.000-05:00

I turned 25. Wow. 1/4 of my life has been spent (since I like to think that i'll live to be 100.)
Where did it go? And will the next 25 years go by just as fast?

Birthdays are a good time to reflect on time past and look forward to times to come.
As I reflect on the past I am happy to say that I am proud of the things I have accomplished, and grateful to my Father in Heaven for guiding me to be who I am and where I am today.
As I look forward to the future I am excited for the life my sweet husband and I are creating for ourselves, for the future family we will have together(no, I am not prego), and for the continued guidance we receive from our Father in Heaven.

I know the road ahead is just as beautiful as the road behind me.

I arrived home from work on the 29th so happy to see my husband home from work and awaiting my arrival! He gave me a big smooch and a hug, beautiful roses, a cake, and a sweet card expressing his love... sigh.

Yes, that is Cinderella on my cake. Haha... I guess that means he sees me as his princess, making him my prince charming. Either that or just a big fan of Disney Cinderella... but i'll assume it's the first reason.

We ate dinner just down the street at Lili's on Magnolia Avenue. Delicious! We ate there again less than a week later. It is a quiant little restaurant that is actually top rated in Fort Worth.
ps. order the key lime pie for dessert. You will taste heaven.

I picked out this piece of art for my birthday gift. We found it at an Antique Mall and I fell in love. It is 3 feet in diameter, metal, and just simply stunning to me. Definitely my style. Not sure that it is Bens but his bird is the Rooster painting we bought in the Dominican Republic and this will be my bird in the house. :)

Family Fun!

2010-09-26T19:33:00.000-05:00

Laurel and I had super fun playing at the park together...

Oh, and the kids i'm sure had fun too. :)

We had a little gathering at the park to celebrate Laurels birthday! We grilled, had cupcakes, and had fun on the play ground. We love having family around, and nieces and nephews to play with!

Our First Guest

2010-08-22T18:06:00.000-05:00

Al pal came for a visit, and was our first guest at our house here in Fort Worth. She saw first hand how we are roughing it a bit here, and how the progress on the house is coming. Ali was the "designated photographer" on all our outings so each of these pictures are ones she took, and are on her blog too.

Her visit gave us a chance to relax from work on the house and to actually get out and have some fun on the town! We went to the Fort Worth Stock Yards which was like stumbling onto a set of a western movie. I have to admit, it was a bit like what I pictured Texas to be like as a whole! We saw true cowboys, an exciting rodeo, and later ate like cowboys at H3 Restaurant.

We spent a relaxing day on the water, sailing, swimming, and getting a bit of sun. Later, we saw "Dinner for Schmucks," which was a pretty good laugh. Then sadly the visit was over before we knew it! Al pal... come back again SOON!

Make Love, Not War

2010-08-14T22:10:00.000-05:00

The Kiss

August 14, 1945

65 years ago today, this picture of an American Sailor kissing a young nurse in white was snapped in Times Square celebrating the END of World War II.

I'd like to think the two are completely in love by the way he is charmingly dipping her and how tightly their lips are locked... BUT apparently these two are strangers! Looking closer at the picture, the kiss is a bit awkward, and maybe a bit forced?

Just goes to show how we should...

"make love, not war."

Now, go kiss your hubby, your boyfriend, your babies, your dog... even if it's random and forced, and celebrate something. :)

"I saw a sailor running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight. Whether she was a grandmother, stout, thin, old, didn't make a difference. I was running ahead of him with my Leicia looking back over my shoulder but none of the pictures that were possible pleased me. Then suddenly, in a flash, I saw something white being grabbed. I turned around and clicked the moment the sailor kissed the nurse."

-Eisenstaedt

The Yogi in Me

2010-07-27T22:04:00.000-05:00

"Yoga is invigoration in relaxation.

Freedom in routine.

Confidence through self control.

Energy within and energy without."

- Ymber Delecto

"If I'm losing balance in a pose, I stretch higher and God reaches down to steady me. It works every time, and not just in yoga."

- Terri Guillemet

"For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth."

- Sanskrit Proverb

Portland Oregon 2009...

I stepped into a class of 30 half naked hippis, old fogies, prego women, and everyday joes, laid down my mat, looked in the wall of mirrors at my long pants and thought "hmm I'm gonna be in for it." I listened to every word the instructor said and awkwardly followed along with each asana. 110 degrees was hotter than I'd imagined. It takes more than every muscle of my body, it takes focus and strength of mind to succeed. Sweat dripped from every bit of me...and that I mean literally! Imagine the little devil on my shoulder who kept saying to me, "nope, no bueno, this is your limit, you can't reach any higher" or "Um ya it's time to lay down and guzzle water or you will die!" As hard as it was to do, I shoved those thoughts aside, convinced myself I can, and will, and pushed my body beyond its limits. As the class ended and I lay on the floor in the dimlit room... breathing... I knew why I would be back again tomorrow and the day after, and the day after that.

The word "yoga" comes from the Sanskrit word meaning "union."

For me it is about uniting my body, mind, and soul. I know, cheesy. But maybe you understand since everyone can have a hobby, a love, that brings them peace and a sense of wholeness. Yoga, just happens to be mine.

Ben and I were planning on a backpacking trip to India this fall, where we would stay in an ashram for a week or two and do yoga all day...sigh...what a dream! However that dream will be put on the backburner for now since we've purchased a house that we are restoring. As for now I'll stick to doing bikram yoga at the place just up the street from me, imaging i'm doing it on a hilltop or by the beach at sunrise. Or maybe I'll even try it in the yard since it is seriously hot here and let the neighbors think i'm cooky.

Namaste.

Yum.

2010-07-16T22:56:00.000-05:00

How adorably edible are these cupcakes!
I'm anxiously/pathetically looking for the right occassion to bake 'em.

Thank you Martha Stewart...you are my hero. :)

Visit our new additional blog:

2010-07-12T21:57:00.000-05:00

http://www.ourhouseonhurleyave.blogspot.com/

This is how you do it.

2010-07-12T21:05:00.001-05:00

We celebrated the Fourth in a good ol' American way....Baseball! July 2nd we went to a Rangers game with Ben's partners from work. But this time we watched it from box seats...how will I ever go back to spitting peanut shells in the stadium seating!?

The box seats had a balcony to sit and watch the game from high up, or comfy seating inside to watch it on the big screen. Oh and all you can eat hot dogs and nachos are such a nice perk! Then after the game there was one of the longests and most exciting fireworks display i've seen.

Thank you Steve and family!

He is the man with the connections who got us these great seats.

"Don't squat with yer spurs on..."

2010-06-18T09:29:00.000-05:00

Life is always so full of surprises...especially, it seems, for Ben and I. Our circumstances have made it hard to plan too far ahead, so we've had to live in the moment and I must say we have enjoyed it thoroughly! For the past year and a half we have moved around and seen so many parts of this beautiful country. We have made wonderful friends, seen so many sites, and made amazing memories.

Life has once again surprised us and we are finally settling down and ready to call Fort Worth, Texas "home." TEXAS? Of all the places in the whole wide world I would have never ever guessed I'd call Texas "home." Seriously!?

I must admit I did not always have the greatest impression of Texas. I had never been here, so I didn't have much evidence to back me up and yet I still felt it was a hick place to live, with too much pride, and not my kind of style. Since moving here and living in 3 of the biggest cities in Texas I can honestly say it is not like I imagined. I have come to love Texas, the people are friendly, not everyone is a cowboy, there is more style than just wranglers and cabins, the weather is hot (I love the heat), and there are trees and hills.

Since I have moved so much i've learned that as long as I have Ben, the church, and friends I can call any place home. The best part about settling in Fort Worth, Texas is that we already have friends here...John Stacey and his family, and we already have family here...my sister Laurel and her family. We feel the decision to make this place our home was directed by God and that there are only wonderful things to come. It was a leap of faith to take on this new venture but "Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained" is true.

We've discovered a love for sailing.

Our friends, the Stacy family took us on their sail boat for the 2nd time.

Moving to the Dallas area means we get to see these cool 'lil kiddos much more often!

We stopped in Austin, Texas and snuck out on the empty baseball field. Cartwheels and handstands through the field...exhilerating!

2010-06-17T09:00:00.000-05:00

happy.

happy then and still happy now.

silly.

silly then and still silly now.

passionate.

passionate then and still passionate now.

Celebrating everyday of our marriage but especially today...

Happy 1.5 years of marital bliss with my baby hunny!

2010-06-16T10:23:00.001-05:00

So long San Antonio

2010-06-15T08:35:00.000-05:00

7. San Antonio, Texas Temple

So long, farewell San Antonio. In the short time we lived there we grew to love this city. The sites, the symphony, the Riverwalk, the yoga studio, my job at the Alamo Cafe, the gorgeous Temple sitting on top of the hill, our ward, and more.

Our last day in San Antonio was our friend Jimmy's birthday, so we celebrated with him and his date, Steph! We ate on the riverwalk at a fancy restaurant, Pesca, and had dessert first at a little gelato shop. :) It was a sweet evening with friends and a nice way to say, "see ya later." We will certainly be back for a visit!

(Coming soon...an update on our move to Dallas, Texas!)

No place like home

2010-06-08T13:00:00.000-05:00

We made a trip to Utah recently for our 1st Annual Snarr Reunion 2010! Lee and Syd planned a wonderful gathering for us all in the beautiful mountains of Park City. We stayed in a cabin fit for all 15 of us.

Our reunion was themed around the Wizard of Oz and how "There is no place like home." We were all happy to be "home." Home...not merely a place but rather a gathering of family and friends, where good times and fond memories are shared. Here are a few highlights of our trip:

Home run derby, kite flying, and the playground at the park.

We met our new nephew, Oliver Marshall Snarr. What a cute and happy 'lil boy!

We celebrated Dawns birthday by spending the day on the alpine slide, roller coaster, and zip line in Park city. I had heard all about this popular attraction but had never been...now I know what all the talk is about and it is definitely worth it! I can't wait to go back...the rollercoaster is the best since you can control your speed. Just don't put Ben in charge of the speed...he'll slow it down on the corners. :) haha.

We celebrated Annie's 2nd birthday by going on a Thomas the Train ride in Heber city. Thomas is her favorite thing right now. It was so cute to see how excited she was to see and ride Thomas!

Grandma and Grandpa bought super cute train hats for the kids to wear.

The whole family attended the wedding of our friend Sara Hall, to Zachary Almeida on May 29th. Sara was roommates with Abby at BYU-I and would spend many weekends and holidays at the Snarr house. They love her like a sister. I was friends with Sara also at BYU-I before I even met the Snarr family. I wonder how Abby and I didn't meet, even when I visited Sara at the apartment they shared. What a small world! The two had a beautiful ceremony in the Salt Lake City Temple and a gorgeaus reception at Thanksgiving point. They make such a darling couple, we are so happy for them!

Ali took this adorable picture of Jackson and Kensington. Abby definitely makes sure these two are so stylish. I want to frame this on my wall!

How handsome are they?! Gap and Baby Gap Models. ;)

Check out the necklaces Syd and Kenz are wearing...Abby, miss crafty, made those!

We ended the reunion with a bang! Literally. We had train pinata that the kids had a fun time with. We had such a wonderful time with our family and can't wait for another reunion. Thanks Lee and Syd for putting it on, and making us feeling "at home!"

Before the reunion began we had a get-together with Ben's best friends from high school. We had such a great time reconnecting, reminicsing, seeing how all the kids have grown, and meeting the newest addition, baby Tucker Moosman. We enjoyed great company and great food, everyone brought a delicious dish to share...by the way thanks ladies for sharing the recipes!

While in Utah, Ben and I were able to meet up with Heather for dinner at Olive Garden to celebrate her birthday! It was so good to see and catch up with her since she recently returned from a semester in New Zealand....lucky girl! We love you Heather, happy birthday!

Awkward!

2010-05-22T10:27:00.000-05:00

We went to a San Antonio Missions baseball game the other night...I thought this picture was awkward. The Jalepeno really bonded with Ben but elbowed me out of the picture. I was trying to join the picture but I guess he knows Ben likes spicy food, and baseball better than me, or maybe it's a girl under that get-up.

Speaking of awkward photos. Check out http://www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com It is hilarious and you will definitely laugh 'til you cry or pee your pants...whichever comes first. :)

Here are a couple prime examples...

"Mom will always find a way to make herself known."

Day in the life of the Lagow's family. "Mom wanted to give her son some space."

"Deep in the Heart of Texas!"

2010-05-19T09:30:00.000-05:00

After four months in Houston, Ben and I made another move...this time to San Antonio, Texas. Yes, we've moved again! I am actually really enjoying seeing so many different places, and meeting so many different people. In case you aren't aware of just how much we've moved, I'll give you a recap. Since being married 1 year and 5 months ago we have lived in 6 places: Rexburg, Idaho, Portland, Oregon, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, North Salt Lake, Utah, Houston, Texas, and San Antonio, Texas. It is almost like we are taking a long vacation in each of the places we live because we really try to see the sites and make sure we get to know the city well.

We have found that San Antonio is a beautiful city, with hills, lots of greenery, and lots of fun things to do. We went to the Poteet Strawberry Fair where I saw my first rodeo and ate my first big turkey leg. Then for a date night Ben took me to the famous Riverwalk for dinner. We ate at Boudro's and definitely recommend it to everyone...you must order the guacamole as an appetizer. They make it right in front of you and it is fresh and delish! I am in love with the Riverwalk and all its character and charm. After dining outside, we enjoyed the San Antonio Symphony! It was a wonderful show in such an old, and beautiful theater. It did make me miss playing the violin a bit and wish I never quit!

This past weekend we drove to Dallas, Texas and spent Sunday with Laurel, Bryce, and the kids! It is so nice to have family pretty close by, and good to see our nieces and nephews, who are growing up so fast! I couldn't believe Snack is riding a 2 wheeler, O is running faster than her feet can keep up, and baby A is rolling over!

On Monday I met Ben's good friend John, and his sweet family. They took us sailing on their boat on Lake Ray Hubbard. They are such a fun family, and we are definitely looking forward to visiting them again! L-R: Brooke, Britnee, Hunter, Brandee, John Christian, and John.

Of course while we were in town we couln't miss the Texas Rangers game against the Angels! Rangers won 4-3! It was intense considering Guerrero, a former Angel is now a Ranger...the Rangers definitely rubbed it in!

We drove through Austin, Texas and couldn't help but stop and check it out. We walked around the Capitol grounds and took a few pictures. One day we'll take a day trip there and see really what Austin has to offer, but for now I can say that I know capitol is quite pretty. :)

Howdy from Houston Texas

2010-04-19T19:27:00.000-05:00

Let us count the many ways Houston has been so darn good to us...

1. Home of the Houston Astros! Minute Maid park is a beautiful park, with a retractable roof, a view of the Houston skyline, and a choo choo train that goes at every homerun. We went to our first baseball game of this season...of course the Astros didn't win but part of us were secretly rooting for the Sanfransico Giants anyway. I wore a cowgirl hat to a baseball game...you can only get away with that in Texas. :)

The infamous Jimmy...remember him from a post a year ago in Portland when he and Ben wore mullet wigs to a Portland Beavers game and danced on the baseball field? Oh the memories! If you missed that post you gotta check it out, there is video that will surely make you laugh. We went to the game with Jimmy and his cute girlfriend Julienne!

2. The people in Houston are super friendly! I made so many friends, had lots of girls nights, participated in a Bunco group, served as a YW Miamade leader, and loved the RS activities. These pictures are from the EMMA AWARDS...a night for the RS where we walked the red carpet and each recieved an award and a cookie shaped like an Emmy. It was such a fun and clever activity...I will never forget how absolutley awesome this ward is.

Me, Ashley, Angie, and Talease. Ashley lives permanently in Houston and let us salesmen wives wear her old prom dresses! Love Ash and miss her too much!

3. Ben took me to Joe's Crab Shack for my first time. I got real messy, and ate lots of crab! Those bibs definitely come in handy. Our second time to the restaurant I tried crawfish...ummm not my favorite especially when you crack it open and see poo.

4. Ben went to a Houston Rockets game with some buddies. He definitely had a good time, but made sure I had a good time without him too...when I came home from work he had already left for the game and there were roses and my favorite candy (Rafaello's...try them if you can find them!) there waiting for me.

5. The Houston Temple is gorgeous! Ben and I had a sweet time visiting the Temple...we even ran into Brother and Sister Hamilton there! The Hamilton family used to live in CT and are good friends with my family.

8. Houston, Texas Temple

A few of my favorite things...

2010-04-01T11:03:00.000-05:00

White Kitchen
Refreshing, clean, bright, and airy...(sigh) that is my dream kitchen.

New Shoes...unique and irresistable!
These shoes just scream "I am woman" in every way. They wouldn't let me leave the store without them. I was at DSW making a return and decided that i'd browse the aisles for fun...I came upon these shoes, held them in my hands, examined how dainty and sweet they were, put them back on the shelf and continued my trip down the aisle. A trip that was meant to be for browsing, not buying. I couldn't resist, I had to return to the shoes and just try them on, you know, just to pretend for a moment they were mine. Of course the more I strutted my stuff in them and posed in the mirror, the more I had to have them. But I put them back on the shelf and made my way to the exit. I couldn't leave...I sat in the car, continuing to contemplate buying the shoes. They are one of a kind, the type you don't just find anywhere. Yes I bought them...my favorite buy in years. A bit pathetic...maybe I'm just a little obsessed with shoes?

i-phone
It is my mini computer, my i-pod, my calendar, my notes, my alarm clock, my gps, my weather man, my camera, my telephone. It goes everywhere with me, attatched to my hand or my ear. I love love love it. Poor Ben just had his stolen and I realized how devastated I would be without mine.

Baseball Season
I love this time of year...the time when we throw on our baseball caps, see the lit up baseball diamond and the fan filled stadium, "root root root for the home team", eat hot dogs, chew bubble gum, and feel all American!

COMING SUMMER 2010

2010-03-30T10:51:00.000-05:00

Remember my post months ago about the book, "Eat, Pray, Love." Well the movie is coming out soon and Julia Roberts is playing the part...can't wait!

2010-03-18T21:23:00.000-05:00

If you cannot see God in everything, you cannot see God at all.

But when you can see God, you can see that everything beautiful bears His fingerprints.

Viva La Vida...Live Life

2010-03-15T17:13:00.000-05:00

March 11, 2010...Ben and I took a road trip to the beautiful, big city of Monterrey Mexico to see Coldplay in concert on this day. It was a Valentines gift from Ben and Coldplay is my favorite so it was the sweetest gift and the most amazing trip! We were lucky to be living in Texas with only an 8 hour drive away from Monterrey where Coldplay was playing the last concert of their Viva La Vida tour! We planned on a 3 day trip...just enough time to attend the concert...but fell in love with the city and sites and decided to stay much longer. It was worth it!

We had tickets for "standing room only," and they turned out to be the best tickets ever. Seriously. We arrived a few hours early to assure we got a good spot. We ended up right up against the fence that blocked off the cat walk stage. We were super close! I could practically touch, get eye contact, smell, even wink at Chris Martin as he danced and sang on the stage. ;)

Super close...not even zoomed in.

Yes, there was fireworks!

Big Yellow balloons were thrown out into the crowd during the song "Yellow."

The band, Bat For Lashes, opened up for Coldplay...they were great, and 70's in every way.

We made friends with locals, Natalie and Carlos, while we waited for the concert to begin.

My favorite part of the concert was when tons of paper butterflies filled the air. It was absolutely A-Mazing, especially with the music, and Chris Martin dancing around with an umbrella. I saved a few of the butterflies for my scrapbook. This really was an amazing experience I won't forget. Thank you Benjamin! :)

We toured downtown Monterrey. It is a busy, big, clean, and pretty city. We took a boat ride at the riverwalk which traveled through the city stopping at musuems and a really nice park.

We saw two movies at the theater...it was the best theater I've ever been to, with comfy reclining seats, and waiters serving food, even sushi!

We got a little crazy and adverturous this trip and went...

BUNGEE JUMPING!

I brought home one of this birds long and beautiful peacock feathers.

We attended the Monterrey Mexico Temple, one of the ten temples we'll attend in 2010.

9. Monterrey, Mexico Temple

Love is...

2010-02-15T11:02:00.000-06:00

My husband taking care of me while I was sick.
(On Valentines Day, of all the days to be sick)

Doing something that you love with someone that you love.
(Of course that would be playing Rummikub late into the night on Valentines Day)

Forgiving and forgetting.
(Ben destroyed me in Rummikub and i'm a sore loser, yet I still love him...and I seem to forget because I play him again and lose...again)

Spending time together.
(We went out for sushi and saw "Valentines Day" in the theatre on Saturday night)

Being sappy and cheesy with eachother.
(As part of Bens gift I gave him this cool wooden bowl and wrote a note that said, "WOOD you be my Valentine!?")

Putting lots of thought, and effort into something for the one you love.
(I created a wedding album online and printed it in book form, called "First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage." It is our story from dating to our honeymoon.)

Cooking together.
(On Valentines Day we made heart shaped crab cakes, asparagus sauteed in garlic and onion, and added some color to the plate with some fresh strawberries, then we enjoyed white chocolate raspberry gelato for dessert. It was an absolutely delicious dinner!)

Keeping your promises to one another, and being extra thoughtful.
(Ben completely surprised me with his Valentines Day gift. He asked me if there was ever something he promised me he'd do that he didn't. Well of course I couldn't think of anything. He said that there had been one thing bugging him. Last year when we lived in Portland he bought me Coldplay concert tickets and we ended up moving so I had to sell the tickets and miss the show. Well he bought me tickets again...this time it is the last show of their tour and it is in Mexico! I cried...for a combination of reasons...because I LOVE Coldplay, but mainly because Ben is so thoughtful.)

The Crab Cake dinner we made together on V-Day.

My gift to ben: wood bowl, our wedding album book, and a bouquet of beef jerky.

This is one of the prettiest versions of one of the prettiest songs.

"A few of my favorite things..."

2010-02-06T23:00:00.000-06:00

Pretty water bottles.
Why? It gives me MORE reason to drink H2O.
Love love love it. I can't live without my VOSS. Literally.

Origins Ginger Essence Roll-on.
The scent: Spicy Ginger balanced by a citrusy twist of Lemon, Lime and Bergamot. It is to die for, I love it, and best of all so does the hubby. It comes in this compact, and handy roll-on that fits perfect in my purse, scripture case etc. Perfect.

Orange peeler from pampered chef.
I grew up using one. I recieved one for my wedding shower, and now, to my ultimate dismay, i've lost it! What a bummer! Oranges are my staple food! I eat one just about everyday. For now, Ben peels my oranges...one of the many things husbands are good for. :)

*This is just the first to my many random blogs about "my favorite things."
Afterall, I do have ALOT of favorite things. I'll keep you posted!

"Houston, we have a problem..."

2010-01-13T22:54:00.000-06:00

Ben and Brit moved in. :)

We love it here in Houston and have made it "Home Sweet Home" already. We look forward to the new adventures to come!

Celebrate good times

2010-01-09T15:01:00.000-06:00

Recently we have had so many reasons to Celebrate:

CELEBRATING...Christmas!
This year we spent Christmas at home in the brrr cold as oppossed to last year when we spent Christmas in sunny Aruba during our honeymoon. Despite the cold weather and lack of the beach I was happy to be in a toasty warm home surrounded by family, and the spirit of Christmas.

We spent Christmas in Utah at the Snarr home. On Christmas Eve we had an "Elephant Gift Exchange" where we exchanged "As Seen on TV" gifts...which definitely created a lot of laughs! We also visited our good friends, Andy and Tiff to wish them a Merry Christmas and express our excitement for baby 3 to be born. On Christmas day it was so sweet to watch as our nieces and nephew opened up their gifts with such anticipation and excitiment. We even took them to the Church gym that day to play with all the toys they got! Then, that afternoon we had a delicious lunch at Uncle Randy's house.

CELEBRATING...The New Year!
We spent New Years Eve at my sister Laurel's home in Dallas, Texas. My sister Heather was also there visiting. We had so much fun catching up with one another, playing games 'til late at night, seeing the movie "Where the Wild Things Are," babysitting Laurel's 3 little ones, playing in the fort Ben built, eating Bryce's yummy pasta creation, and all of Heathers candy...

CELEBRATING...the Birth and Blessing of our niece!
Laurel and Bryce had a cute little baby girl at the end of November. We were so excited to meet her for the first time and be present for her blessing. Ben felt privileged to be a part of the blessing circle. What a sweet way to ring in the New Year!

CELEBRATING...Ben's 30th Birthday!
Believe it or not the young, the funny, the handsome Benjamin turned the BIG, the bad, the dreaded 30 on Jan 2nd. He may be 30, and I may be 24 but he makes me feel young and alive and I love him for that. :) We covered an ice cream cake with 30 candles which created quite the flame. We attended the Dallas Temple and ate dinner at Salt Grass Steakhouse that evening. Ben sure does love his steak.

A New Years Resolution:
Ben set a New Years Resolution to attend 10 different Temples in 2010. So, just a day into 2010, for Ben's birthday, we went to the Dallas Temple. I'll keep a countdown of the Temples here on our blog. :)

10. DALLAS, TEXAS TEMPLE

ONE year with the ONE I love

2009-12-25T19:53:00.000-06:00

It is hard to believe that we've been married for ONE YEAR already. The time has flown by super fast! This year has been so full of love, laughter, travel, adventure, and growth. I have the happiest, healthiest, sweetest marriage. I couldn't be more blessed!

I gave Ben a sear for grilling with our initials "BS." The initials represent us and it is something that will last forever...like our marriage. I wrapped it in paper that I wrote words about our year on. I made the funniest card for him...just imagine a picture of Ben when he was about 3 years old, squating with two feet on the toilet seat, holding his wee wee to aim in the toilet, a smile wide across his face. Inside I wrote: "You've got mad skills! That's why I married you." Clever. I know. :)

Ben totally showed me up on the whole gift thing and planned a backpacking trip to the Dominican Republic! We got off the boat from the family cruise in Florida and hopped on a plane to the DR where we spent 12 spectacular days.

Doing something that you love with someone that you love = happiness

Ok ok we finally did realize we were crazy once we were lying in a bed with Winnie the Pooh sheets, dying of heat, in a strangers home whom we had known for an hour, in the middle of a foreign country, in one of the most dangerous parts of town...

We met this sweet little lady, Ada, on the airplane. When she learned that we were going to get off the plane and find a place to stay the night, she insisted that we stay with her. She wouldn't take any payment and kept saying the Lord would bless her. She even served us breakfast in the morning and drove us to the bus station. Thankfully it worked out to be safe and sweet.

So that is where our adventure ONLY began...

After a 3 hour bus ride, seated like sardines, we arrived in a little town, El Cedro, located on the northern shores, where we then took a 20 minute motorcycle ride to a bed and breakfast on Playa Limon (Lemon Beach). We were the only tourists staying there, we had miles of beach to ourselves!

Our daily walk to the beach consisted of palm trees and wild horses:

Man's best friend, "Tigre," lived at the house we stayed at and he was our guard dog. He would take us to the beach and stay with us, chasing away any strangers or animals, and guarding our things from the local fisherman that were sometimes around while we swam in the ocean.

One day we climbed a nearby mountain...from the top we could see rolling hills, and endless ocean. It was just us, the swings, the breeze, and the open blue sky.

Another day, we rode a paddle boat through a lagoon which lead to the ocean:

After 5 nights at Playa Limon, we packed our backpacks and made our way south to a little fisherman village, Boca De Yuma. We stayed in such a pretty Italian owned villa.

On the day of our ANNIVERSARY we went horseback riding to a secluded cave with a natural spring of clear water which we enjoyed swiming in:

Afterwards, we were still feeling a little adventurous and we SWAM to a little island we could see from the shore:

We had a romantic ANNIVERSARY DINNER at a little restaurant overlooking the Caribbean Sea. We shared the Dominican Republics national fish, the Butu, for dinner...absolutely delicious!

After a few days in the southeastern coast we headed to the capitol city, Santo Domingo to finish out our adventure! We made previous arrangements to meet up with close family friends of the Snarrs, Kay and Cheryl Briggs, who have been living there for the last three years serving the church. We met at the LDS Temple, in the heart of the city. There we were able to witness a beautiful sealing ceremony of a family from French Guyana, and Kay was the officiator.

Kay and Cheryl were generous and kind to let us stay with them in their beautiful home right next door to the Temple. There we were close to the city and sites.

We visited the Christopher Columbus home:

Modelo Market:

Old Town Square:

The first Christian Cathedral in the New World:

Columbus Park:

Downtown Market:

All in all, it was an adventure, with my adventuresome husband. A great way to wrap up 2009.