a year in review

I decided to take a look through our photo album to reminisce about the past year. you see, i like to take lots of pictures. i feel that pictures are the best way to document memories. when i am old and grey i want to a bookshelf full of photo albums with nothing but all the sweet memories i made in my life.

so here we go...

New Years Eve- Bill and I didn't make any plans. We just finished our 1st Christmas as a married couple, and it was a busy one. Working in retail, that is our busiest time of year, not to mention that football season is still going. Also, we had family in town visiting, so NYE was really just a time to relax and enjoy each others company. We went to a restaurant near our apartment called Maguires. We didn't have reservations so we sat in the bar. It was fun. Then we just watched the countdown in our pj's. I don't think we stayed awake much longer...

Valentines Day- Another 1st in our marriage. Our 1st married V-Day. I bough Bill tickets to go see the Dallas Stars play. The NHL hockey team for Dallas. It was WAY more fun than i had imagined. I would never sit and watch hockey at home on tv, but being at the game was pretty intense. They play at the American Airlines Center which is in Victory Square downtown. This is also where one of the local news stations has their studios. So after the game we went and stood by the windows, like many do after hockey and basketball games. We waved at the camera and had our 3 seconds of local fame. :)

Deer Accident- On a trip to LR to visit friends and family we were driving home one night after being out with friends and we were hit by a deer. I know this sounds opposite of what you would imagine, but i'm being serious. For those of you that know Rahling Road in LR, AR, you know what I'm talking about. We were in my car, Lil Red. It all happened so fast, that it was sorta a blur. All I know is I saw the deer out of the corner of my eye, I ducked my head, and BOOOM! Ran straight into the back passenger side of my car. Thank goodness Bill was driving, because I was freaked out after all of it. So... $1000 deductible later, my car is shiny and new.

One Year Anniversary- We celebrated our 1st anniversary on April 19th. We had just purchased our 1st home (i'll get to that in a sec.) so we didn't really want to make a huge deal and purchase each other big gifts. But, Bill surprised me and decided to get granite countertops installed in our new kitchen! Happy Anniversary to me! We celebrated by eating at one of our favs, Cantina Laredo, then attempted to eat some of our wedding cake. Not so good, but loved seeing our cake and remembering our wedding day. I got Bill a framed copy of my bridal portrait. I think it might have been a little more for me, than him, but whatev.

New House- Thats right, Bill and I are homeowners! After a long search we finally found the house we loved. We closed on the house one month before we had to be out of our apartment. This gave us plenty of time to get whatever painting and other work done at the house before we had to move in. Boy it was a lot of work! We spent every night after work, every day off, basically every waking minute that we weren't at our day jobs, working on the house. We mostly did a lot of painting. And the big project, the kitchen! So to save money on the counter tops we did all the demo of the old ones ourselves. And, if you're gonna have shiny new counter tops you can't have Formica back splashes and dinosaur age appliances. In goes a new back splash and thanks fam for helping out on the new stove top! We are really enjoying our new home, and loving fixing it up.

Girls visit- My BFF's finally came to visit me in Big D. They all made the trip because we were going to a friends wedding. Its always fun when we all get together. Bill says I get about 50 decibels louder when we're all together. That just means we are having a good time. The wedding was fun too. Its time to come back friends!

Lucy- We have a new member in the family. Lucy Dog! We adopted her from the humane society. We're not totally sure what breed she is, but its definitely some sort of Australian Shepard mix. She is our child. She needs lots of attention and she gets it. She will be 1 in February. We love having her around!

Cowboys- wow, i've gotten to do a lot of amazing things this year with the cowboys. I was able to take many tours of the construction of the new stadium. I was invited to the years of service luncheon and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new stadium. We got season tickets again this year. This has been too fun. Getting to be a part of history is amazing. Working for the Cowboys has provided many perks, and Bill and I both are so grateful for all of it. I also moved to a new store. At the end of August I moved from Firewheel in Garland to Stonebriar Mall in Frisco. This is good for many reasons. Its a bigger store with more inventory. Its a higher traffic mall, not to mention nicer. And, its closer to home. Its been a lot of fun working at the new store.

Destin Vacation- Bill and I took a trip to Destin, FL in July with his family. It was so nice to get away and relax. The beach is my favorite place. We had great weather throughout the entire trip, enjoyed some shopping, and of course, the great company.

Southwest Classic- I am a sucker for traditions, and here a new one starts. The Texas A&M Aggies and the Arkansas Razorbacks are playing in a 10 year match up called the Southwest Classic. It is played at Cowboys Stadium every year. This year was the 1st match up. This tradition is especially meaningful because my cousin is an Aggie, and my family are Hogs. Such a fun family rivalry. We hosted a tailgate this year, and for the next 9 years too. Tons of food, fun, and friends. The only downfall this year was the rain. But that didn't stop us. We hope that it gets bigger and better every year. I can't wait. Oh yeah, and the Razorbacks stomped the Aggies. Sorry cuz!

Halloween- This year Bill dressed up as Billy Ray Cyrus and I was Miley Cyrus. This was totally last minute, so our costumes weren't quite the effort as last year, but still fun. We went out with a couple we met at one of the Razorback watch parties. Lots of fun!

Thanksgiving- Holidays seem to come and go a lot quicker these days. This one is no different. I am so concentrated on the day after Thanksgiving that it is hard to enjoy the holiday itself. I planned the managers tailgate again for the Thanksgiving day game for the Cowboys. It wasn't quite the effort as last year either, but still a fun time. Cowboys won, so all is good. We had thanksgiving dinner the night before with my dad, step mom, aunt, uncle, and cousin. Black Friday was a success as well. We opened at 6am and it was steady all day long.

Christmas- We just enjoyed a lovely Christmas with family. I won't go into much detail because I just wrote about it in the previous post. I can't believe this was our 2nd Christmas as married couple. Soon enough it will be 20 and we wont know where all the time went.

Shew... what a year! 2009 was a good one, but I am looking forward to all that Twenty-Ten has to offer. Thanks to all that made 2009 great, and here's to a happy 2010 to you all!

a very merry christmas

This was me and Bill's second Christmas as a married couple, and it was nothing short of wonderful. We enjoyed spending time with my Dad, step-mom, and her family on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Then, Bills family on Christmas day. They made the trip from Little Rock and spent a couple days with us.

Believe it or not, we actually had a white Christmas here. They said on the news that Dallas has not had a white Christmas since 1926! It was amazing. It was no blizzard or anything, just an inch or so. But, definitely enough to make everything look pretty, and of course, the roads dicey.

Bill and I are so blessed. We got WAY more than we could have ever asked for or wanted. If you will remember a previous post of mine on October 12, I made my Christmas list. I was lucky enough to receive a lot of those things. One of those things, which I think is my favorite gift this year, is a gift certificate to the Viking Cooking School. Bill got this for me. I can't wait to pick out my class and for us to go together! Bill also did a little clothes shopping for me, and got me 2 things from Anthropologie. I was amazed at what he picked! One thing was too small, but hey, that gave me an excuse to go to Anthro! Which we did Saturday night, and of course, I found more things that I wanted, and went ahead cashed out the gift card I got there as well. :)

I also got my Reebok Easy Tone shoes. Boy am I pumped about these. I sure hope they work, because any excuse to not have to work out is an A+ in my book! I also got a really good start to my Christmas dish collection. My dad and step mom got me the Pottery Barn 12 Days of Christmas Dishes. They are SOOOO beautiful! And, Bills family got me some of the plates and mugs from the Pottery Barn Reindeer collection. I LOVE them!

We still haven't had Christmas with my mom and step-dad! I love dragging out the holiday as long as possible. hehe! They will be coming to visit in a couple weeks and we will celebrate Christmas AND the New Year. Can you believe its almost 2010? Where does the time go?

Anyways, thanks to everyone that made this Christmas special. I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas with friends and family, and I hope 2010 brings you lots of blessings!

Me, Bill, and Lucy dog on Christmas

Lucy in the snow on Christmas morning

our house Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

a cowboys christmas: 2

Bill and I got to enjoy our second Dallas Cowboys Christmas party last week. This event is could possibly be what a majority of the Cowboys employees look forward to most. Yeah, getting season tickets is major privilege, and super fun, but its not like I'm down on the field chatting it up and shootin' the bull with the players and personnel during the game. This is an intimate event, well as intimate as it can get with around 500 people. Its not out of the ordinary to bump shoulders with Tony Romo, or do a conga line with Wade Phillips here. Actually its probably going to happen, as you will see from some of my pictures below. This year was no different than the last, Jerry sure knows how to throw a party. Of course, this year we had it at the brand new, amazing, beautiful stadium. Tons of food, sushi bar, dessert bar including mini gingerbread ice cream cones, and or course, open bar. Nothing short of GRAND!

Me and Lori (manager @ Galleria) with head coach Wade Phillips

Me and Lori again

Me and Bill with Jerry Jones

Lori, Bill, and Me with Terrance Newman & Demarcus Ware

Tons of fun, as usual! Can't wait for next year!

collections

usually around Christmas time, birthdays, or any time you need to purchase a gift for someone, you try to come up with a gift that they will truly like. something meaningful. something maybe that they collect or that is a hobby of theirs. so, i always start to wonder... what do people think of when they want to purchase me gifts?

thinking.... thinking... uhhhh... oh yea! no.... hmmm... thats right nothing comes to mind.

i've decided that i need a collection. everyone needs something they collect for Christmas time, right? well, i really love unique ornaments. i've tried (and haven't been too successful) at purchasing ornaments when bill and i go places together. it does help if you actually go places. we'll work on that later. i want to collect ornaments for different phases of our lives together. ya know, to tell our story. right there on our Christmas tree. good idea! if you need ideas, i really like the Merck Family's Old World ornaments. Beautiful.

ok, here's another idea... Salt and Pepper shakers. i actually have a pretty good collection going already. i think they are so fun! you don't even have to use them, just set em out on different occasions to look cute. i always though it would be cool to have one of those hutches with the glass doors with a collection of something in. another good idea. check out the Salt and Pepper Shaker museum.

one more. pigs. i think they are so cute. maybe it has something to do with my obsession with my razorbacks? now, i don't necessarily want pig or pig-like things all around my house, but ya know some unique thing that makes you think, "allison would love this," that would be nice.

now, if you really want to go all out, i would love a true collection of cowboy boots. everyone needs at least one good, nice, true pair of cboots in their closet. but in my case, i mean you could have a pair for every day of the week. LOVE these Arkansas boots.

so now you know what to get me, if your every in a bind and you know i will love it! gosh, i feel like i'm always telling people what gifts then need to get me... i promise i'm not greedy.

tomorrow is Christmas eve, yall! can you believe it? i made it through the holiday season, with only a few minor breakdowns, and hardly any angry customers. yeah! here's to a very Merry Christmas to you all!

Love you mean it!

tis the season

i want to apologize to all my blog followers, all 7 of you, for the lack of posts lately. just haven't been in the blogging mood much. to tell the truth, i've been pretty busy. busy at work, busy christmas shopping, busy trying to rest/take a breath when possible. i am very thankful, though, that i have felt more of the christmas spirit this season, than last. thank goodness, because it gets really tough the closer we get to the big day. i solely blame this on the fact that i work in retail. i digress...

what is it about christmas decorations that make your home feel so cozy? all the little twinkly lights, and shiny ornaments. bill also surprised me last saturday by hanging lights on our trees outside while i was at work. its so happy! i'm pretty satisfied with our tree this year, other than the fact that we now have 10 foot ceilings in our home and our 6 1/2 foot christmas tree looks a little dwarf-like. still love it though. here is a pic of our little tree.

don't worry... there are plenty of presents under there now. none with my name on it yet. (bill you better get on that)

we've got a lot to look forward to in the next couple weeks. the boys are back in town this sunday. they play the chargers. we've got a tough december ahead of us, and our track record has never been the best for december. right now we're tied for first in the NFC east with Philly. we (i say "we" like I'm on the team or something) have to win this one if we want a sure shot at the playoffs. on the 21st we'll be attending our second Cowboys Christmas party. this is the event that everyone waits for. can't wait! hopefully i can get some great pics to share with everyone. then its christmas! we'll spend christmas eve and christmas morning with my dad and step mom. then, bills family will be coming in christmas day afternoon and we'll have christmas dinner with them at our house.

i hope everyone enjoys this Christmas season. Don't get wrapped up in the shopping and stress, and remember, as cliche as it sounds, the reason for the season. Happy Holidays Yall!

where i left off...

i survived! i made it through another Black Friday, or as I like to call it, "DoomsDay." i wont lie, my week was pretty crazy, like i told ya it would be. but, the actual black friday, wasn't as bad as i expected. we were very busy, which was good, but i was never overwhelmed. i guess i'm just adjusting to it. i'm glad its in the past though...




i was a little dissapointed in our thanksgiving tailgate. it seemed unorganized and like no one was really into it. i always have such high expectations, especially when i go out of my way to plan it. i guess i just need to relax a little. it was fun, don't get me wrong, but it wasn't what i had hoped for.

the group at our thanksgiving tailgate (i look goofball)

what else is going on?

-this morning it snowed in dallas. thats right, SNOWED! it was crazy. it wasn't just flurries either, it was straight snow! that was a fun surprise to wake up to.

-i got to open my first christmas present yesterday. this is the one that has been sitting so pretty in my house for about a month now. it was from my inlaws, aka Santa. its something i've been wanting, and am so excited about using this holiday. the reindeer plates and napkins from Pottery Barn. See this post for more details and a picture!

-Tiger Woods is not as clean cut as we all thought. I, personally, am secretly happy about this. I'm not really a Tiger fan, and I knew there had to be some skeletons hiding in his closet. Boy were they! 3 affairs at once...DANG! Boy's been B-U-S-Y! I hate if for his wife and children, and that cute little labradoodle, but i could have called this one.

-Whats with these people that were/were not invited to the State Dinner at the White House? Why are they getting so much publicity? Why is this "ruining their lives?" Is there not more important news in the world? Someone didn't do their job correctly, fire them, and lets get over it! :)

-tomorrow is my first "real" day off in about 10 days. i am super excited! although, i have a list of things to do, it will be nice to be away for a minute. probably gonna pull out some of the christmas stuff, and thats happy! plus i'm gonna try and finish my christmas shopping!

see ya soon!

thanksgiving is really this week?

hi all. well, i wanted to go ahead and get my blog post in for the week, because its gonna be a crazy one! Black Friday is looming over our heads. It really stinks, because I want to enjoy the holidays, but its so hard because all I can think about is the chaos and stress that comes with working in retail. But, I keep a smile on my face and push through it, and try to enjoy it as much as I can. I know... sounds so depressing.

here's what this week is shaping up to... work (consisting of making schedules, payroll, making "gift item" sections, replenishing everything, making up contests, going to the bank, so on) meeting with my employees to get them mentally prepared for whats to come. i've committed myself to making the cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie for our family get together wednesday night. not sure why i do this, maybe because i really do enjoy cooking, and i want to help out, but pumpkin pie? really? i'm not even sure i can make pumpkin pie. i'm not much of a baker. so then, i've also committed myself to being the organizer for the tailgate on thanksgiving day for the cowboys game. i'm not getting my feedback from people that are wanting to attend, or not able to attend, so i really have no clue how that will turn out. but bill and i will be there, so hopefully we'll have company. then its doomsday. thats right, Black Friday. Lord. Have. Mercy. we open at 6am. so, bright and early, i'll be there ready for those crazy shoppers who think they can get an amazing deal because they've been waiting in line since midnight. i never in my life have been shopping on the day after thanksgiving. this is a day i spent with family, isn't that the whole reason for the holiday? people need to get their priorities straight...but by all means, bring it on! then its work all weekend.

so, there ya have my week ahead. i am not asking for pity, mostly just a prayer. i've had one minor breakdown already, and i can pretty much foresee another one come thursday around noon. ha! i've also been feeling a little homesick lately. it just kills me that we can't spend more time with family around the holidays. plus, the BFF was in Dallas this weekend with her hubby b/c they got last minute tickets to the Cowboys game today. when we left the parking lot, i had a sobfest because I really, really miss them. Its hard to spend time with friends and family, and get used to the feeling of being around them like old times, and how it would be if we were all in the same town, and then, poof, there gone again. ugh. maybe i'm just a little emotional this week. i should probably get over myself. :)

well, this was kind of a boring post, but wanted to keep everyone (as in all 5 people that read this blog) updated. I feel sorta bad, because this blog a lot of times turns into whats happening with Allison. maybe i should fill you in on the hubby. Bill is busy with work, as always. However, he has gotten to go on several hunting trips lately. Most recently he went to Kansas for the annual family and friends pheasant (or was it quail?) hunt. they had a good ole time. its mostly my dads cousins, and some of their friends and kids. i think it might have been a little cold for them this year. it actually snowed one night, which made for a quite miserable hunt the next day. He also has made the trip back to LR to help get the farm ready for pecan harvesting. the pecans are a big deal, and the job starts this week. i think this is one of bills favorite things to do. he loves spending time with his dad working out at the farm. i wish there were more days for things like that. he will be going home the Friday after thanksgiving to work and do some duck hunting. well, theres a little update on my good man for ya. :)

hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving! love.

Anne

I know this is something that has been on the hearts of many, not only in Arkansas, but around the country. Anne Pressly was a news anchor in Little Rock, AR and a little over a year ago she was brutally attacked and raped in her own home. She fought a good fight, but passed away a couple weeks later, never waking up. For anyone that knew Anne, or didn't know Anne, just watched her on TV, they knew her sweet spirit, her beautiful smile, and her glowing personality. Her death rocked the community, and even made waves across the country. Her story made headlines all around America, from Good Morning America to Fox News. It put fear in many, really because it was so unbelievable. How could this happen in a good neighborhood, in a small town, to such a wonderful person? Questions that will probably never be answered.

The past 2 weeks they have been holding trial for the man that allegedly killed her. Curtis Lavelle Vance. With a track record of raping another woman in another city, they found his DNA on Anne's body. Pretty good evidence there. He was found guilty on all 3 counts: Burglary, Rape, Murder. Tonight he was sentenced to 2 life sentences without parole. For her close friends and family, this brings justice, but it will never bring their sweet Anne back.

We are all thankful that God has His hand in this. This man will be judged one day, not here on earth, but by His maker. And that judgement will far outweigh any punishment he receives here. Everyone knows Anne is in a better place, and that she is probably singing some crazy song and acting goofy, because that's who Anne was.

Here you can follow Anne's trial and read articles dating back to her attack. But, be sure and check out the pictures and videos they did as a tribute to her life. Those are the times we should remember of Anne Pressly.

Everyone misses you Anne. We're glad to see justice was served today, and we'll continue to remember the good times we had the short time you were here.

These are a few of my favorite things

My lunch today consisted of 3 of my all time favs... Regular Coke, and
a big one at that, classic lays (can't eat just one), and a reeses
cup! I know, so unhealthy, but so yummy.

party in the USA!

Happy Halloween, all! Halloween really sorta snuck up on us this year. We waited, and waited to see if the Cowboys would have their costume party, but no such luck. Boo! It was so much fun last year. If you haven't seen the pics from last year you should definitely check 'em out on my Facebook. So, we decided we would go out with some friends we met at a Razorback watch party, and we decided to go as Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus. I really wanted to be Hannah Montana instead, but the last minute decision to dress up, and not wanting to spend money on a costume, I went with what I had. Bill really looked the part with his mullet wig, cut off shirt, and necklaces. (This is more of the "Don't break my heart" Billy Ray) He put this bandanna around his head and started looking more like Brett Michaels, but oh well. We had a good time with our new friends, including the 2am trip to Ihop. Here are some pics from the weekend...

Miley & Billy Ray

Edward & Billy Ray

"Don't break my heart... my achy breaky heart!"

Hermione & Miley

With Halloween in the books, naturally its time to start thinking about Thanksgiving. Well, not the malls! All the Christmas decorations are up in our mall, including Santa's chair, where pictures with Santa will begin this Saturday! Do you think we might be jumpin' the gun a little? I refuse to put Christmas up in my store until at least mid November, and not in my house until AFTER Thanksgiving!

Speaking of Christmas... I got my first gift this week. Its from my in-laws, but the catch is, I'm not allowed to open it until December 1st. Your thinking, "you still get to open it waaay before Christmas." All true. But, the present is just sitting there, all pretty with red paper and a white bow. Technically speaking, there are 2 presents in one. The special kind where the bigger one is on the bottom and tied to it is the smaller one on top. I might have to put it in a closet somewhere, so it doesn't tempt me... Don't worry Lynne, Bill keeps a close eye on me!

the best part of waking up...

so, i don't really drink coffee, that is, unless it has tons of flavored creamer and sugar in it. and then, is it really considered coffee? for Christmas last year, my mom got bill and i a Keurig one cup coffee maker. its probably the coolest thing since sliced bread. bill loves coffee, and i don't, so we don't waste a whole pot of coffee on one person. you put these little single serving cups, called K-cups, into the machine and it makes a single cup of coffee for ya. the best part is, these k-kups come in many flavors and types. coffee, tea, iced tea, espresso, latte, whatever your little coffee loving heart desires.

today, while browsing the aisles at Bed, Bath, and Beyond (B3), i found the display of these wonderful k-cups. NEW FLAVORS!!! i hit the jackpot! there is something about the season changing and just really craving pumpkiny, spiced, flavors. and of course hot chocolate. nothing like a hot cup of liquidy goodness to warm your goozle (family word meaning soul, belly, or the like). so, today i found pumpkin spice, DARK hot chocolate, and chai latte k-cups!

as soon as i got home i made me a nice hot cup of the chai latte. heaven. i might have to go back to B3 and stock up. actually, i think i'm gonna go make some hot chocolate...

aren't my coffee cups cute!? there are 6 different colors. they make me happy.

Brittany's Wedding

This weekend I had a successful 24 hour trip to Little Rock. Working in retail, and for a football team, doesn't allow for much time off during season. Luckily, and thankfully, my boss let me go on one condition... that I fly out after work Friday, and am back in the store Sunday. It was a quick, and by quick I mean lightning speed, but it was fun. I got to see one of my oldest friends get married, and it was such a sweet wedding. Britt's husband, Josh, is a firefighter in Hot Springs, so he and all his groomsmen, who are also firefighters, wore their firefighter suits with the patches and gold buttons. They all looked so handsome! This made every mom cry! No lie, when they walked into the church during the ceremony, I looked back at my mom and all her friends sitting together and every single one had Kleenex! LOL! My mom cried more at this wedding than she did at mine! What the heck? Anyways... It was a great wedding, and I am so happy for Britt!

I also got to see my besties, which made me happy. We hung out until 3am Friday night. I could have stayed up all night! I hate that I don't get to see them all the time, but it makes what little time we do get to see each other that much sweeter. Here are some pics from the weekend.

All the girls with the bride at the reception.

Me and the beautiful bride!

Britt and Josh at the rehearsal dinner.

Bridal Party at the rehearsal dinner.

Bill didn't make the trip with me to LR, because he was in Vegas for the Jan-Pro National yearly meeting. I'm sorta jealous because I have never been to Vegas and really want to go. Everyone needs to go to Vegas at least once, right? They (my dad and Bill) had a good time. The DFW master franchise won the Bronze award for (I'll probably get this wrong) growth in sales. Something like that. This is the second year they have won the award, so that is great!

The Boys won today! That is happy. We didn't go to the game, since I had to work, but man we missed a good one. We've got another home game next week, then its NOVEMBER!!! Can you believe it? Its only 4 weeks until Thanksgiving, and then its Holiday season for us, and that means craziness! Bring it on...

happy fall

Well, tomorrow Bill and I will celebrate a year and a half of marital bliss. We have never been the couple that celebrates every month anniversary, but I do like to acknowledge half anniversaries. So instead of spending lots of money going out for a fancy dinner and a movie, or the like, we decided to explore this wonderful town of ours, and took a trip to the Dallas Arboretum. It was a beautiful day. Before this week, we had only one day of sun the whole month of October, so it was nice to get out and enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

Lots of others had the same idea as us today, it was pretty packed. Lots of people taking professional pictures and such. It kinda distorted its beauty, but all in all, we had a wonderful time together. Next time, I want to go on a weekday and bring a picnic lunch, and just sit and enjoy my surroundings. I'll keep that on my list of things to do when I'm not super busy...

Well, here are some pics we took today of our fun, fall outing.

Happy Fall, Yall!

I'm getting good at this

So, strolling thru target right now. I spotted this cute little
cupcake stand. Don't I need this?

in addition to...

so, i thought of a couple more things that i could add to my Christmas list. This list is really mostly a reminder to myself of things I could ask for for Christmas or birthday. Because, most of the time when people ask me I can't ever think of anything, when really there are things that I would enjoy. So here it goes...


Anthropologie is another one of my favorite stores for several reasons. If you are wanting something different, maybe a little eclectic, this is your store. You know when you purchase something there, not everyone in North Texas will be wearing it. They have the cutest things for your home. You can get the best gifts there. One of the biggest reasons I love Anthropologie is there window displays and visual merchandising. It would be so fun to work there! Anyways, there things are a little pricey, so you definiately can't go in come out with a new fall wardrobe. But I could spend hours in there just looking at it all.

Funny story and side note. When Bill asked me what I wanted for Christmas I told him several things, one of which was a gift card to Anthro. Well, Bill being Bill, and just a man in general, didn't know where to find the Anthro store. I even gave him specific instructions, because he isn't very sneeky when it comes to buying gifts. Well, I never got the GC and he just gave me cash to go buy whatever I wanted there. Ha! Boys...

Alright, so I've been waiting for us to get settled in a home before I went and purchased one of these. My mom has one, that my step sister got for her, and I love them. Its a personalized return address stamp. I like the ones that are round and have either one initial or monogram in the middle with the address circling around the outside. Lots of websites have them and I've seen them at stationary or invitation stores.

k. thats it for now.

christmas list

what? it's only 11 weeks away...

here are a few things that have been on my mind lately:

J.Crew has always been a favorite of mine. I am lucky enough to own a few pieces, but mostly its a little expensive so I just covet most things. My day gets brighter whenever a catalog comes in the mail. I love their styling. What a dream job that would be? To style the J.Crew catalog. Now that I live in a city where there are actual J.Crew stores to shop in, its even more tempting to just drop in and browse all the lovely things. There style is classic and timeless, and that is exactly what I love. So, really anything from J.Crew is awesome! Ok. Here's a fun one. I've heard from a few people that have done these Viking cooking classes at the Viking Cooking School. Well, I did some research and there is one here in Dallas. I think this would be so much fun for Bill and I to do together. They have all sorts of classes from cocktails, to cookie decorating, to the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. I'm always up for learning new techniques, and what a fun way to do it. Here's there website. Check it out. http://www.vikingcookingschool.com/hc-cgi-bin/hc?templ=new_vcs/home.html&nocl=1

I've decided no southern lady should be without the "Southern Bible." Therefore I must have a subscription, right? Subscription link: https://subs.timeinc.net/SL/sl_2rf13for16cntrl0609.jhtml?experience_id=239741&source_id=4&_requestid=431713&_requestid=431713

As long as I have loved Pottery Barn, I have loved these dishes. Who doesn't love reindeer. And who doesn't need Christmas plates? No one! Its not something I need all at once, its more of something I could collect over the years. That is, unless, someone wants to be very generous and buy it all at one time for me... No really, they are so adorable, and a fun way to celebrate my favorite holiday. Available at http://www.potterybarn.com/.

As I was browsing through my Pottery Barn catalog that I got today I saw these lovely little things. I do love the reindeer dishes, but how beautiful are these? Each plate represents the 12 days of Christmas. The catalog describes them as a first course or dessert plate. Very lovely. Also available at http://www.potterybarn.com/.

A magazine ad for these shoes caught my eye several months ago. They are called Reebok Easy Tone. They have these special ball like pads on the bottom of them so that when you walk it works your leg and butt muscles. Uh, hello? Who wouldn't want that? As someone who doesn't enjoy working out and really has no desire to do so, is this not the perfect thing? I tried them on at Dick's Sporting Goods about a month ago, and they are actually pretty darn comfortable. But, the sales guy warned me that it will, in fact, burn my buns. I'm all for trying them out! You can read more about them on Reebok's website. They're available at pretty much any sporting goods store.

Best. Idea. Ever. Have yall heard of this? This was created by Kim Kardashian. Basically you sign up for $40 a month. They send you a pair of shoes every month, and then you send them back for a new pair the next month. You can skip months if you don't want one during a particular month. What girl doesn't want a awesome new pair of shoes every month? Check it out. http://www.shoedazzle.com/

So, that's my "practical list" of Christmas ideas. Now, for my "wishful thinking" list...

*Louis Vuitton purse
*David Yurman ring or bracelet

*a trip to Italy

*Razorback season tickets

*hardwood floors

*Christian Louboutin shoes

All this Christmas wishin' has got me thinking I need to get started shopping! It'll be here before you know it! Merry Christmas everyone!

yeah yeah

hey all. sorry, i havn't felt like blogging much lately. just mostly stalking other peoples blogs. its what i do. anyways, i've been so busy, hard to find time to think these days. work has been crazy. got a ton of shipment and had to find a way to get it all on the sales floor. that was a challenge. didn't have a full day off last week due to inventory and the 50 boxes on top of the 30 boxes the day before.

so, let me fill you in on the best weekend ever. RAZORBACK FOOTBALL IN DALLAS TEXAS! we had tons of fun. the tailgate was a success. the only upset was that is rained. all. day. long. the family got there around 9 and fired up the grill and got set up. i came in around 1:30 and jordan (my cousin) and his friends showed up around 2. everyone was having a good time despite the rain, until my car wouldn't start. go figure. the game was awesome. the band, the fight songs, the cheers, SEC football, the victory. i was pretty much beside myself. woo pig!

so, had to get the car towed. that was interesting. but lori and trev were there, so i didn't really much mind standing in the dark, cold, rain for 2 hours waiting on a tow truck. sure was good to see them, even though it was short.

me and my cousin at the game.

my favorite people ever!

well, glad that this week is over. but wait, its sunday, and that means another week is upon us! bout to watch the cowboys beat the cheifs! go boys!

seems that football is my life

it feel like all i blog about is football, but football is literally my life right now. i live my life one football game at a time. time goes by so quickly during season. the last 2 weeks have been go, go, go and i'm sorta thankful that October will be a little slower. we have 2 away games and a bye week. By then, we're almost halfway through the season, and gunning for the playoffs. anyways, i want to talk a little about the Monday Night Football game this week.


we finally got to do a little tailgating. tailgating at cowboys stadium is a little different than texas stadium. it seems a little more refined. i personally like the rowdiness (if thats a word) of texas stadium. but i'm sure once the luster wears off of cowboys stadium, it will be just as fun. this is kinda silly, but i have to talk about what i wore to the game. i was really excited because i just bought some new skinny jeans to wear boots with, so i wanted to wear my vintage cowboy boots that i got for V-day last year. so skinny's, boots, and my Peace, Love, & Dallas Cowboys tee shirt.

so, if you remember in a past blog post i wrote about the PINK line that Victoria Secret created for the DC. its so stinkin' cute! well they have come out with more over the past month, and it just keeps getting better. we get into the stadium and Lori, the manager at Galleria comes running up to me showing me what she just bought at the pro shop. what else? new PINK merchandise. i made a bee line to the store to get me one, no questions asked. what was i going for? none other than the shirt that says, "I only kiss Cowboy Fans!" its soooo cute! there were like 3 other ones i wanted, but had to show a little self control. i digress...

so after the purchase i head to the bathroom and change into my new shirt. duh! not 3 seconds after walking out this old man comes up to me and says, "I'm a big cowboys fan!" and give me a smack right on the cheek! LOL! i got some looks that night. no worries, i only kissed the hubs! :)

fun game. we won, so all around good night. go boys!

now lets talk some Hogs! we are now 2 days away from the big game. Southwest Classic! i went to wally world today to get all the supplies. this is going to be razorback tailgating at its finest! i also found out that LORI&TREVOR are coming. eek! i'm so excited although a little bummed because lori can't find anyone to work for her saturday morning, so they wont make it down until right before the game. oh well, still excited to see them. I'M SO EXCITED! this will be, believe it or not, my second game to actually be in attendance for, since i graduated. loooooong overdue. WOO PIG SOOIE!

ok, enough football talk for now. peace!

the boys are back in town

What a weekend! It was soooo busy at my store this weekend. You would have thought the Cowboys were going out of style the way people were buying up merchandise. Saturday was CRAZY! Totally different than Firewheel. There was not a point when there wasn't a person in the store. I got to work at 11:30am and didn't sit, stop moving, take a drink, eat a bite, until I got home at 9:45 pm. Whew! It was a long day. Then Sunday, another big day. People grabbing their last minute items before heading out to tailgate. Without disclosing how much we made, I'll just say I was one of the top stores for sales for the weekend. I got the honorable mention on our director of merchandising's email for sales Month to Date. Yeah! It really makes ya feel good, when you've worked really hard, and you've been nervous about all the change.

Now for the payoff... Cowboys home opener, inaugural game at Cowboys Stadium! Lots of pomp and circumstance. Record breaking crowds, revealing of the Ring of Honor and famous blue Star on the field, giant American flags, Jordin Sparks, a good game against a conference rival, macaroni and cheese bar in the cowboys club, $8 beers, loss of voice, yelling at someone on the escalator, & so on. All that was missing was the cherry on top, the victory. Bummer. 4 turnovers, with 3 of them being interceptions by Tony. Ugh! Big mistake. Life goes on, but it shure would have been nice to have a (W) for the inaugural game.

Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman, & Michael Irvin before the Ring of Honor Ceremony

George & Laura Bush doing the coin toss before the game.

Cowboys vs. Giants

This explains it all. Tons of people. 30,000+ alone in the "Party Pass" area.

It was fun to be a part of this. Thanks again Jerry! Lets hope we have better luck against the Panthers on Monday night.

copy cat

i love how my husband always makes fun of me for having Facebook/MySpace/Blog, then all of a sudden, he's got one of his own! It started with MySpace, then finally, he gave in and got a Facebook account. The tables turned on him, and I gave him grief about all the times he made comments about how Facebook is stupid. Well, ladies and gents, my wonderful hubby now has a blog of his own. You can follow him at... Mr.Bill.

So, if you're interested in reading about all his hobbies and manly activeties, be my guest. But, I know it will not compete with my wonderful blog about our happily married lives! :)

is it too soon to say this?

so sometimes i have really strong opinions, and sometimes i like to share them. I am going to go ahead and appologize for anything i might say that offends anyone, but i am almost 100% positive that no one will dissagree with me on this...

Tonight, like many others, I watched the MTV VMA's. What does MTV think they are doing? Who do they think they are? What happened to MTV circa 1998 when they showed videos, and had somewhat PG shows? I know MTV is not geared towards family tv, or anyone under the age of 14, but for goodness sakes, I am 24 and things they show and talk about now make me uncomfortable! Number one of the night...Russel Brand. Who the heck is this guy anyways? He is not attractive in any shape, form, or fashion. He is quite possibly one of the most crude people on the planet.

Number 2... how long has MTV been around and how long have they been doing the VMA's? I would think long enough to get a live show right. The production was awful! If you can't get it right, maybe you should just tape it first, then show it. This could be a reason the ratings have fallen off the cliff the past few years.

Number 3...It never fails that some crazy person finds their way up on stage to ruin a performance. Security anyone? How do these people get up there anyways? Ugh.

Number 4...My final point about the night. Kanye West. Why, WHY, do they keep inviting this person back to award shows. Or any shows for that matter? He seems to ruin any perfect moment of the show. I can't remember exactly every thing that he has done, but I recall him ranting about how he should have won an award over others. I think one of the most memorable for all is when he said "George Bush doesn't care about black people," on a charity show for hurricane Katrina. It just keeps happening, and tonight it happened again! Not even 30 minutes into the show he ruined a wonderful moment for Taylor Swift. Here's a link to an article I found about the incident.

Kanye West Has Truly Lost It...

I can probably go out on a limb and go ahead and say I hate Kanye West. You are kinda right up on the shelf with Chris Brown. Loose the ego. You're mother would not be proud of you tonight.

Alright, so thats it. I am done for the night.

because i have nothing else to write about...

i haven't done one of these in a while. so here it goes...

Right now I Am:

watching NFL football on tv. thank you Lord! football season is here. football is the one thing that gives me a competative spirit. i love that i know the rules, and how it works. i love that i can, for the most part, name players and positions. i love that i can tell people news about different teams. of course, this come with the fact that i work for the most recognized football team in America, or world for that matter. Go Hogs & Go Cowboys!

Music I'm listening to on repeat:

ok, i'll admit it... i love miley cyrus! can't get enough of Party in the USA!

I also have jumped on the Kings of Leon train. i just downloaded there CD on my iphone. love that song, Use Somebody.

I'm glad:

tomorrow is friday, and my mom and step dad are coming to visit this weekend. they haven't been to Dallas since April. They have not seen the house since we have gotten it a little more decorated, and done some more updates. I have to work Saturday, but I hope we have a good time seeing each other and hanging out. Friday night Bill and I are going to grill hamburgers on our new grill that mom and Mark got Bill for his bday. I'm goint to make baked beans and watermelon and feta salad to go with the burgers. Saturday when i get off work i think we are going to try and take a tour of Cowboys Stadium. They both want to see it. It is amazing! We will probably go to church sunday morning then they will head back to Little Rock. There is a chance of rain all weekend, so hopefully that doesn't dampen (no pun intended) the fun!

I'm missing:

my best friends. growing up and moving is wonderful, but quite bittersweet. after graduation we all moved in different directions. the biggest one of all being, that i got married and moved to dallas, tx. it has been difficult for us being apart from family, friends, and everything we have ever known. but, it has also been great to get away from what we knew and to learn new things. there isn't a day that i don't think about my besties, my family, and my Little Rock. love you all!

I'm relieved:

i am not in politics. i try to keep up. i try to understand. but its a lost cause. i do know that i don't drink the Obama kool-aid. not to say that i will always disagree with everything he says or does, but for the most part i'm not riding that train. i'm a conservative and i use my faith and my beliefs as my stand on politics. thats all i have to say about that.

I'm currently reading:

ummmm...nothing. i'm not much of a reader. i sometimes wish i was and i try and look cool at Barnes and Noble browsing through the aisles. i usually end up around the magazine stands reading a People or Glamour.

I'm ready to:

get back to Fayetteville for a visit. I have only been back once since i graduated! that is entirely too long. i have only been to one football game too. most importantly i havn't seen my name on the senior walk!

list of things i would do if i made a trip to the 'Ville:

-see my name on the senior walk

-$1 slice night at Gino's Pizza

-Dickson St. (On the Rocks, Z330, Grubs, etc)

-see the house i lived in. or lack there of...they tore it down :(

-drive up and down maple. just to make sure it all looks the same.

-tailgate in the Pit

-check in on my BFF natalie at Foghorns, and eat some chicken quesadillas

-La Huerta!

-and so much more!!!

I am looking forward to:

Arkansas vs. Texas A&M game! October 3rd the Southwest Classic comes to Cowboys Stadium. This is a big deal for several reasons:

-Dad and I are Arkansas alumni

-my cousin is a senior at A&M

-Its at Cowboys Stadium

-a ten year tradition!

I'm excited about:

my new chandelier in my dining room. it definitely tops the previous 1982 stained glass looking one. bill and i actually installed a new fan in our living room and the new chandelier this weekend. the house is coming together, slowly but surely.

another thing i'm excited about is my lighted pumpkin i bought today at pier 1 for fall! i've been wanting it since last year, so i splurged and got it today. can't wait to put it out. i can't find a picture of it on the website or otherwise i would show you. its super cute.

Recent television addiction:

BIG BROTHER! Thanks to my step mother, i am addicted to this show. Its a great summer show because it comes on 3 nights a week. so, since there aren't many summer shows that i enjoy, this makes up for it. next tuesday is the 2 hour finale and i can not wait! i'm a little sad its about to be over, but that means my favorite fall shows are about to premier! can't wait for some Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives!

I want to bake:

i'm not much of a baker, so i would choose Strawberry Pie instead. It is my all time favorite dessert and its so easy to make! It was my grandmother's (mom's mom) receipe, and my mom makes it every summer, and now i do. i've made it twice this summer so far. its the best summer dessert. if anyone wants the receipe just ask, because i promise you will fall in love with it!

Last thought:

I can't believe tomorrow marks the 8th anniversary of 9/11. That day will never be forgotten. Bill and I were talking about it the other day, and just how the country has never been the same. It was my junior year of high school and i was in my first class of the day. a friend of mine came in late and whispered to me that a plane flew into the World Trade Center. it all went downhill from there. the next thing that happened was the scariest. i was in spanish class and we were all trying to go about our normal business, because the school wouldn't let us watch tv or anything. the school secretary came in and gave our teacher a note, she walked over to my desk and gave it to me. she said you can step outside if you would like. the note read, "your mom called, said your dad is ok." WHAT! HOLY CRAP! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? yeah, so my dad had told me the week before that he was going to be going to NY for business. i guess, luckily i forgot or i would have been a basket case! that note totally freaked me out because it was just so vague. what it meant was that he was in chicago, and his plane never took off because of what happened, and that he was safe. for me, my family member was safe. for others, not so lucky. the images of that day, the burning buildings, the planes driving thru them, the people jumping to safety, the city covered in ash. it haunts me still. as this day approaches, lets never forget the people that sacrifice for our country, and lets never forget the ones who have lost so that we may have freedom.

well, this was fun. it only took me like an hour to finish! i'm not very good at adding the pictures and stuff. oh well. hope yall like it!

disclaimer

the hubby informed me today that several major law suits are in progress involving "free speech" of employees vs. large corporations. i believe one of the biggest is one involving Bank of America. it might even make it to the supreme court. basically large corporations are filing against their own employees for commenting on their Facebook, myspace, or blogs about work related things.

i definitely never want this to happen to me. so as a disclaimer i am stating right now that i in fact love my job. i may not love it everyday, but i definitely enjoy it. its spontanious, its different, its fun, its the cowboys. i don't want anyone to get the wrong idea when i post things about my job, b/c i in no way want to jeopardize me relationship with the company. so whoever may run across this wonderful blog... "love you job, mean it."

anyways... i can hardly stand the wait until razorback football. its less than 12 hours away, but i can't wait! i'm ready to hear the hog calls, to see those rowdy fans screaming with their hog tattoos on their cheeks. the red and white. the fight song, that big arkansas flag! thank you Lord for the SEC, and thank you Lord for Arkansas Razorback football! hit that line!

same job, new store

today was my first day at my new store. for those that may not have heard, i was asked to move to the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop at Stonebriar Mall in Frisco, TX. This is a wonderful opportunity for me. More inventory, more employees, more responsibility, and bigger expectations of me from the company. i am a little overwhelmed right now, mostly because i just don't deal well with change. i was pretty happy at Firewheel, but i am awfully happy and greatful that they though of me for this position.

i have to say, my last day at firewheel was pretty bittersweet. It was a big stepping stone in my life. The Cowboys had faith in my skills and offered me my first manager position, and it was a huge learning opportunity for me. I will mostly miss the fact that it was an outdoor mall, and at any moment i could step outside for some fresh air. it was awfully nice being able to see outdoors. it made if feel more like a "boutique" and not so much a mall. i will also miss my friend Pam, the owner of the Bath Junkie, next door. Pam was like a mom to me. We really connected and became good friends. I sure hope that we can stay in touch. I will also miss John, an employee who has been with me for a year. he was a good employee. trustworthy, responsible, knew his stuff. i hope that things work with him and the new manager of the store. anyways...

my first day at the new store really just consisted of organizing, straightening, and learning my way around. the store was really a mess, in my opinion. i was also left with a bunch of shipment to complete. that really frustrated me, but i will just have to put in some hours to get caught up. i really hope i can please the company, and go beyond there expectations of me in this store. i am excited, so i hope it all works out. be praying for me!

side note... college football is on tv right now!!! i am so ready for some Razorback Football this weekend! WOOO PIG SOOIE!!!

i heart PINK

its probably safe to say most girls/women ages, approximately age 13-30, own a piece of Victoria Secret's PINK collection. personally, i have been always been a fan. its definitely geared toward younger women, with its fun colors, and cute little pink dog logo. over the years they have expanded and created lines for collegiate teams, and now have branched out to MLB teams. but, let me tell you how excited i am about the new line of Dallas Cowboys PINK merchandise! this merchandise is exclusive to the pro shop insided the stadium and 10 DFW area VS locations.

so, saturday night dad and i made it into the main pro shop at the stadium. i found the PINK merchandise and, holy cow it is so stinkin' cute! there were a million people in the pro shop that night, literally could harly move around. plus, we don't get our discount on game days so i decided to wait on my purchase. buuuuuut, if you don't know me, i don't have that much patience so i made my way over the VS at Willow Bend mall this morning to see if they had it. SCORE! they do! i would have bought every single piece they had, which included 2 pairs of pants, a sweatshirt, tank top, 2 tee shirts, yoga pants and shorts, and a hoodie. if i didn't think bill would kill me, and i had that much money to blow on cowboys merchandise, i would have been the proud owner! i restrained...i came home with the hoodie and two tshirts.

so, this is probably all really silly to yall, but i can't get over how excited i am about it! :) they don't sell it on the website (yet at least) or i would put up some pics of it. for now here is the link to the article about it on the DCC website.

http://www.dallascowboyscheerleaders.com/news/editorials.cfm?id=53C61244-BCAA-6DFF-43A64148652304C0&type=6

peace, love, and dallas cowboys yall!

we're sorta a big deal

so, last week bill and i got to enjoy the first football game at the new cowboys stadium. technically, the "inaugural game" is the first regular season game is the game against NY in a couple of weeks. but who's counting? we are really lucky we are even getting to enjoy such a privledge. thanks jerry! our seats are pretty amazing. here are some pics i took at the game. my camera doesn't have this great of a zoom, i took most of them from the video board. its gigantic, ya know?

demarcus ware

felix jones

jason witten

about to walk onto the field

bill and i from our seats

another exciting thing that has been going on is that i got a promotion. they have asked me to move to the store at Stonebriar mall. its a bigger store, with more inventory. i am a little nervous, but i'm sure it will be fun. they have really big expectations for me, so hopefully i can give them what they want. the change is supposed to happen next thursday, so be praying that things go smoothly.