World Series 2010 Rangers vs. Gaints

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!

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

... 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...

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!

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

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

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

"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.

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:

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

This is how you do it.

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.