Christmas Highlights

I have no photos; I'm sad we forgot our camera. I really am enormously grateful and blessed and the Christmas season affirms this for me. I think about people who don't enjoy going home or who don't have family and friends and it makes me reflect with a grateful spirit. I feel relaxed and rested and have had a wonderful Christmas. We went to Midland to celebrate with the Malouf's. We laughed and cried and laughed a little more. I love the tradition of playing games. And eating, goodnight, I have eaten too much! Take the hankies to Marley and Me...you'll need them! I'm still unpacking our suitcase and gifts...wow, such thoughtfulness...I'm excited to start using everything! Thanks Mitch and Sherry...we had a super time in the Tall City! I do, indeed, think we should make it to Midland more.

I'm excited to see Laci tomorrow and Katie on Wednesday! Then, I'll see the Kenners on Wednesday, too! I can't wait to see my sweet Reece in her adorable outfits that we got her! I'm trying to leave up my decorations just a little longer...I love lighting the tree up and lighting candles in the evening!

Much love,

I'm really spreading the joy...

I've been reading Where the Red Fern Grows to my students over the past month. We wrapped up the book today, and I just lost it. I'm just really spreading the joy! I heard sniffles from the children, too. I couldn't make the tears stop reading the last two chapters. I know I didn't cry this much when I read it in the sixth grade. My students offered to take over reading, but since it's above their level of reading, I knew I had to continue through the quivering voice and wiping my face. I love my dog Dodger Malouf so much. He really is such a bright spot in my life. I cannot imagine not having him, but I know the life span of a dog is much shorter than a humans. If I could make him live forever, I would.

To Dodger:
I love the way you smell like maple syrup to me and no one else.
I love the way you cuddle with me...making your pops jealous.
I love the way you know when we don't feel well or feel sad and mop up the tears.
I love how you like to be held when I get home.
I love the number of nicknames we have given you.
I love the voice we've also given you; I agree, Pops does the voice much better!
I love the way you spring like a bunny when you run.
I love your growl...I think it's funny, but I know you won't bite us!
I love how you hate your Pops and I in the bathroom in the same time. Why? You silly boy.

Aren't dogs a blessing? Aren't books a blessing, too? I love you Dodger Malouf, #1 dog in the whole wide world!

Much love,

Celebrate Christmas

As I reported in an earlier post, Micah and I were apart of the FBC Celebrate Christmas pageant. We had a performance last night and tonight, and we will hang up our dramatic hats for another year. I did get a few pictures before we went out on stage. I didn't send the camera into the crowd since there was a live choir, soloists, and orchestra performing...it was a beautiful show.

I was one of two angels on stage, then there was a 6'8 Gabriel that shone through a scrim in the baptistery wearing wings that shot up at a 45 degree angle. Big hair and lots of makeup for me!


Micah played Joseph. I am in my robe with the metal rods that poked out of the robe so my massive wings hooked onto with PVC pipe.


Joseph (Micah), Mary (Kim), and Jesus (or better known as Kate)


Front view of the heavy wings!


Back view of the wings...they went to my mid calf.


I had lots of fun looking over the manger stable while Micah cradled Kate in his arms. Can you imagine holding the Most Holy in your arms and being charged with the responsibility to be His earthly father? Thank you God for your gift of your Son.

Much love,

Can you have it all?

I want the world. I do. I don't know if I am the most selfish person or if I'm normal. I'm not necessarily talking about material things, but true contentment. My thoughts are so complex it's hard to type, but at the same token I just need to vent. I came home Friday exhausted. Absolutely exhausted. I couldn't fall asleep. I just cried. I was tired and frustrated with myself or school or both, maybe. I even dream about lesson plans and my kids. Saturday I spent the day shopping in Lubbock by myself which was a nice release. It cleared my mind temporarily. Sunday was church and such and then I was back to feeling tired and exhausted thinking about work the next day. I really think about teaching as a gift. It's not meant to be easy, but I don't think it's meant to suck everything you have out of you. I feel like a I give and give, and then I come home and think about my kids, worry about them. It's more than teaching them reading and writing, it's social skills and being kind. It's so different than anything I've ever, ever done. I don't know...can I keep this up? When do you become a quitter? When do you say, I can't give any more? Yes, I realize I've been doing this a whopping 5 months. How do you give everything at work, home, and church. I'm at the point where the desire of my heart is to have a family. Can I keep up working at this pace? I don't know. Right now, I really don't know...especially as I had a rude parent note coupled with vomit on the carpet today. This sounds like a Redbook article topic. Okay, enough.

Much love,

My mom called me Colby Deen this weekend!

I've been watching Paula Deen to appear to be fabulous at family gatherings. Now, don't think I'm doing this cooking business day-to-day, but my kitchen was hot last week. My pies were a hit at Thanksgiving due to Paula Deen. I went to her website, www.pauladeen.com, and found these great, easy recipes that made the great cooks in my family appreciate my baking abilities!

Here's the recipes I whipped up for Thanksgiving...I recommend:

Pumpkin Pie

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

Apple Pie

Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

I hope you are the star at your party, too! Add a stick of butter, baby and it can't help but be good y'all! I'm channeling Miss Paula...

Thanksgiving was good, too! We spent it with my family in Amarillo. Relaxing, lots of food, a little shopping, we put up our first Christmas tree, and went to the Baylor game.

Much love,

OK not okay

I was so excited earlier last week when Micah announced that he purchased tickets for the OU v. Tech game. I love a good weekend getaway with Micah...changes in latitude, changes in attitude. I begin to get this "tickle" in my throat last Thursday. Ugh. I was determined not to get sick. Friday the tickle turned to torment. I felt awful; I think it's some sort of sinus infection. After ruining our last weekend trip plans with supposed strep throat, I was "hell bent for Dixie" not to let this get me down. Off to Amarillo we went to drop off Dodger and see sweet Reece and my sister. I got medicine and kept trucking along. Off to Oklahoma City. Right before you get to Oklahoma City, do you know whose hometown you go through?

That's right, Yukon, Oklahoma is the hometown of Garth Brooks! I heart Garth Brooks. I used to be a secret lover of Garth Brooks, but I'm just going to shout it from the rooftops, or my blog...I love Garth! I'm a Garth-head!

Do you know what else is great about Yukon, Oklahoma?

Braum's. I love Braum's. We had to stop and eat. Not glamorous, unless you have been deprived for years. You see, Braum's was a great treat in Pampa that Granny or Daddy would take us to get. Then, we lived down the street from it in Amarillo. I recommend a twist in a waffle cone.

Our hotel was nice. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza. It was in the middle of renovations. The carpet still smelled new. I think that is a refreshing feeling in a hotel.

Off to the game. We parked at the basketball stadium and walked to the football stadium for the full effect of the gameday atmosphere. It was so crowded. I think it was the largest crowd in OU's history with around 88,000 people in attendance. The streets shut down around the campus and it's block party meets tailgating. We walked through aimlessly and wide eyed until we needed space. We met up with Scott and Kelley before the game for a few minutes prior to the game. They were tailgating next to Toby Keith's daughter who is a huge OU fan. Here's our pregame picture (then the camera died).

It was so cold. Shivering cold. Notice I stole Micah's hat...I forgot mine in my suitcase back at the hotel.We were in section 103 at the top of the stadium with wind blowing. We held down the section with our "guns up" and calm applause as respectful vistors, that is until OU scored off an interception. This man in front of us begins jumping up and down, first in his spot and then on top of his bleacher which is level with where we are standing. He hit Micah in the face with his forearm as enthusiasm clearly overtook his better judgement. I think the cold clouded my judgement, because I started screaming, "I hope your nachos get cold." Yea, real insulting, but it was the best I could do...my brain was frozen as was the other parts of my body, and I couldn't think except I just noticed he had just got nachos...it seemed rude at the time. Micah kept "shushing" me. I gave him ugly faces behind him the rest of the game, until we couldn't take it any longer. Left at the end of the 3rd quarter. Too cold. Too sad. Long walk back to the car. Stepped in vomit. Too tired and sick after breathing cold air. McDonald's. Back to hotel. PJ's. Ate in bed. Delicious. Trying to warm up. Sleep in. Travel back to Texas.

Would do it again in a heartbeat. OSU go kick OU's tail this weekend!

Much love,

I've been tagged!

I'll catch y'all up on the beating in Norman on another day...the camera is in the car and I'm in my pj's under a warm blanket right now...so instead I'm going to answer the tag from Mika, my sweet-down-the-hall-Evans teacher with an adorable baby boy with loooong eyelashes!

8 television shows I watch:
1) News Channel 11 with Karin and Abner
2) Jon and Kate + Eight (Micah told me to quit watching this if I ever want to have kids)
3) Oprah (in the summers...no tivo or dvr here)
4) Gray's Anatomy
5) Desperate Housewives
6) Army Wives
7) Nightly News with Brian Williams
8) The Hills

8 favorite restaurants:
1) McAllister's
2) Taco Villa
3) Abuelo's
4) Donut Stop
5) Little Mexico
6) Guerro's
7) Outback
8) Carino's

8 fun things that happened this week:
1) My niece, Reece, lifted her arms and said, "Colby, Colby hold me." My heart melts!
2) My husband surprised me with tickets to the OU game. Sad loss. Sweet husband.
3) One of my students was tested today by a program in our school and is reading 3x better than the beginning of the year based on comprehension and fluency! I could cry!
4) We purchased tickets for the Brad Paisley concert!
5) My mom found cute accents for the guest bathroom that coordinates with the new paint.
6) Mom had extra antibiotics for what I think is a sinus infection. Yea for quick fixes!
7) We have a short work week!
8) I received my fabric for my couch and the dye lot matched the existing fabric.

8 things I look forward to:
1) Thanksgiving deliciousness and family
2) Putting up our first Christmas tree together
3) Getting the fabric I picked out in and getting chairs recovered
4) Tomorrow at 3:45
5) Christmas
6) Finding out where we will go for a bowl game
7) Being debt free
8) Not being sick...yippee for antibiotics working!

8 things on my wish list:
1) Clearly not a thing, but I'd be over the moon with the sound of tiny baby cries!
2) New light fixtures for entry way
3) Entryway table
4) a television for Micah
5) a new master bath
6) a personal assistant to do all the things I don't want to do (I dream...I dream!)
7) miracle anti-aging/don't look so tired/washed out cream
8) jeans that fit a pancake shaped butt all while fitting the rest of me

I tag Mandal!

Much love,

Headed to OK

I didn't think we were going, but it appears that we will be Oklahoma bound this weekend! GOOOOOOOOOOOO Tech! I'm super excited! We are getting to see my family on Friday so that will be fun since we'll see them for Thanksgiving, too. I'm hoping little Reecey talks as much as she does on the phone...she loves to say, "Micah and Dodger", but "Colby" is still a little tough for her to pronounce. Oh, and Brad Paisley is coming to the LBK in January and we have our tickets to sing our hearts out! Yeeeeeeeee...so fun!

Much love,

Joseph and the angel...

Just call Micah Joseph until December 13. I shall be referenced as angel. Yes, we've been recruited to participate in the FBC Christmas pageant. I am quite excited about my full length specially made wings. Micah...not so thrilled with being on stage, at any time, for anything. Picture Micah with a beard and shaggy hair (he says he can't grow it out for work...I think when you are in the Christmas play, then you get a free pass on shaving--I can't believe I said that)...it doesn't hurt that he's part Lebanese thus helping the look. It also doesn't hurt that I'm super white with blond hair as the angel. His Mary is in our Sunday school and baby Jesus is being induced tomorrow. Baby Jesus is actually a little girl named Kate, and I'm excited to see her born this week. Micah, err, Joseph, is quite nervous about dropping baby Jesus as he has to hold Him up in admiration. Oh, and I get to have forty sweet children as little angels surround me. I'm going to be in hog heaven with those sweet babies...they're dressed in white...they have to act angelic, right? I think our debut as Plainview dramatic actors is not to be missed.

Much love,

I'm feeling so domestic!

I'm not exactly known for dazzling delights in the kitchen, but this morning as I was watching Paula Deen (hey y'all!) I felt my inspiration! We switch Thanksgiving and Christmas off every other year with each side of the family--we are so equitable! Thanksgiving before last (with mi familia) I volunteered to make the pies and fruit salad because I was so excited about my new fancy wedding presents. I accidently put too much salt in the pumpkin pie making it uneatable. I didn't want to taste test it since it looked pretty so the first bites were taken by my family with digust written all over their faces. Seeing it's my family and all, it didn't take them long to yell, "Oh my gosh, she messed up the pies." It gets better. My mom reaches into the back of the refrigerator and said, "I had a feeling, so I bought an extra...just in case." Really, true story. I'm that bad. Well, not this year. Not with Paula Deen on my side. So, I'm practicing tonight. The pie is in the oven. I've already screwed up the crust, but it's my practice one, right? Since Micah doesn't like pumpkin pie or anything with "warm fruit" (this means apple pie, which I looooove!), I made him some of Paula Deen's peanut butter fudge cupcake brownies. He ate two so they must not taste like dog food!

Speaking of cooking, yesterday while I zooted to get my oil changed in Lubbock, Micah helped with the family fun night at church. He was the "head chef" of pizzas. I went up to church after getting done and watched as he loaded and unloaded pizzas from a professional oven. He looked quite cute in the kitchen!


Aside from earning a gold star in the kitchen today, I went and turn in my order of fabrics. When I went into the store, it was decorated in the most magnificent glass mercury ornaments! I'm thinking the tree is going up early; I'm just too excited! I'm so ready for the holidays and family and good times. Then, being the shopper I was today, I decided to go the the local furniture store. I spotted a chest that I had really first saw at Dillards months back. It's on sale, and I really like it, too. I think it would go nicely with the yellow walls and red, too. Hmmm...but I still like the one from Pottery Barn. Oh, well, it's not like I'm buying it tomorrow or anything...just paid for the house to be painted and must get Christmas presents for people! Got to go check on my pie in the oven!




Much love,

Shhh, sicky is resting

Micah is resting his sick little head so I'm trying to be super quiet watching television and sitting. I'm basically bored. I don't know what he has, but it's pretty nasty. He went to work, but had to come home around 3 to crash. He needs to go the doctor, but no...he won't! A few thoughts going through my head from my quiet night:

Warren Sapp on Dancing with the Stars has some snappy moves!

I love reading to my students! It's my favorite part of the day. I love when I get to the end of a chapter or two or three, and they beg for more. I remember being like that, too!

Don't you think it would be awkward to be W. and having Obama over to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue???

I had a great hair day today.

And, with that I'm going to stop. Just rambling.

Much love,

Our Saturday and more...

Wow! Another win! Micah woke up Friday morning so pathetic and sick with some sort of flu-ish, coughing mess, but went to work since he had meetings. He was still sick and crashed on Friday after work. Sick again on Saturday, but of course, he drugged himself on over-the-counter medicine and made it through for another big win! Poor thing, he's now making up for yesterday...back in bed. Here's our Saturday recap:

Delicious Carinos. Good company of Micah's family. Mitch bought a car...don't call it "new," though! :) While Micah's dad was looking at a car, we took our turns looking hot in a little red sportscar that shouldn't be driven...only sat in!


Off to the game...big crowd, night game atmosphere, lots of screaming and cheering equaled big fun!


We are getting excited about the possibilities. We have our bowl tickets reserved, and wouldn't that be so fun as an after Christmas vacation?!? I really would love for it all to work out. I'm hoping it's somewhere warm...I do love wearing my flip-flops!

In other news, on Tuesday, my next door neighbor Evans' teacher friend, Amy, dropped in to see me and my classroom. She brought her love and Evans', too. It made me homesick for my old school. It was so good to see her and hear how everything was going. I feel so spoiled and pretty blessed to have crossed paths with truly caring, wonderful people. Thanks Amy, for making my day, no, week.

I've been thinking back a year ago this time. We were in Austin celebrating Micah's swearing in ceremony (I still am so proud of him) coupled with the UT v Tech game (we lost), driving back, we put in an offer on our house, and really felt like bonafide adults. Now, we are in that house, making some notable changes, and planning to add to our little family. What a difference a year makes! I'm still so excited about the upcoming holidays. I can't remember a year where I've ever felt such anticipation.

Much love,

Rural living

When you enter our neighborhood you see white fluffy cotton for a couple of months out of the year. It's planted in May and all throughout the summer is just looks like a plant, then in September, it begins turning to actually look like cotton. It makes the cool temperatures more bearable for me. I took the cotton pictures at the beginning of the week, and the farmers were stripping the last couple of days. In the evening, they had their lights on still going.

Before

After

Much love to the cash crop of Texas,

I heart personal days!

I love using a personal day for something fun! I have only taken one sick day for my unfortunate illness a couple of weeks ago, and I hadn't taken any personal days and I was really feeling like it was time for a day for myself! Since we had company and the excitement of the game, coupled with a baby shower yesterday and a debuante event, I decided Monday would be a rest day. I should mention, we were having our house painted Tuesday-Friday of last week. My mom called me this morning and told me she wanted to see the paint and get ready for a girls day. So fun! She came to town to check things out and we went to Bonnie Amies to finalize choices for the recovering of a chair/ottoman, a library chair, and we are tufting the top of my coffee table. Then, we went to a couple of antique stores. I have found my new shop--Old World Antiques. I can't believe there is store like this here...I would have never known. They just moved into a new space on 2nd and Baltimore...it's so great!

This color is in the living, breakfast nook, kitchen, and hallway. He also fixed my crown moulding and my door that needed some TLC. I love my painter!

He also painted the entryway.

Then, I got a inspired by Abel, the painter, to paint the bathroom...I stink...Abel is way better. I told him he was way better. I'm debating to paint the cabinets...I know this stained ones are coming back in, but I'm just not terribly fond of them...they remind me of the ones I grew up with from the houses built in the 1970's.

Fabrics I picked out to go with my couch!

Much love and feeling rested,

I love Texas Tech!

I love my school. I love that I feel at home there. Walking around the campus brings wonderful memories to mind. I'm so proud to be a Red Raider despite so many negative stereotypes that plague our reputation. Yesterday, the country got a glimpse of what I've felt for years as we shined hosting College Gameday and beating the number one team in the nation, Texas.

Here's the photo diary of our day!

Wake up time 6AM...not a complaint at Casa Malouf...only nervous energy!







We had to take a stroll around campus to get further fired up!

































As we walked back to our car (so excited to eat Rosa's), we discovered the bird we hit earlier--still in the car! People were literally stopping taking pictures of the bird. Disgusting.











Game time 7 PM. Tired, excited, nervous, crying, shaking, poking, high-fiving, hugging, hugging changed to embracing were all done the next four hours. What a great time to be a Red Raider!

Arrival @ 3 AM after eating dinner at Caboose...we were too excited to go home afterwards!

Much love,