Thursday, August 17, 2017

#69 Snap Back View

This is the view heading to see the chiropractor. I think Mister will need extra adjustments after I made him snap around to get this unbelievable picture. Do you believe I get to live here? 
Oh SoCal I miss you but you sure didn't have views like this. 


#68 Thirty-One Reasons why

I have told Mister for as long as I've known him. If you want to profess your love for me. Don't send me silly valentine cards or candy. Flowers, eh not really either.

If you really. And I mean REALLY want to show me how much you love me. Do it in August! When I am cranky, hot and am at my wits end with summer. He knows my struggle well.

so today I have decided to flip the script and profess my love for him.

Thirty-One summers with me...This man deserves a medal.



1.  His sense of Humor. He has a sharp quick wit and it keeps me on my toes.
2.  He thinks I'm smart
3.  He is steady. Most people would think that is boring. For me that is about the best things ever.
4.  He really only speaks if he has something to say. He dislikes mindless chatter for the sake of noise.
5. He is honorable.
6. He's giving. If he has something then everyone has something.
7. When he drinks enough he will dance with me.
8.  He doesn't take himself too serious.
9.  He loves his job. It truly is his bliss.
10. He cares about my happiness.
11. He's loyal. Almost to a fault
12. He loves our children but isn't afraid to hurt their feelings.
13. Our grandchildren will refer to him as grumps instead of gramps. It's endearing to me in some way.
14. He admits when he's wrong.
15. He talks to his mama often.
16. He's a great handyman. He can fix almost anything
17. He has a best friend from Kindergarten. I'm oddly jealous of this one. It's hard to believe he has history before me or that I don't know about.
18. He embraces my crazy
19. He loves my family like his own.
20. He doesn't worry. At.  All. That drives me nuts.
21. His passions run deep and don't waiver. Faith, family, country, trucks and football
22. He doesn't shy away from hard situations. "Look them in the eye and tell them the truth" he says. It will work out every time.
23. He loves our dogs. Maybe even more than cats now. That is an amazing feat.
24. He tells me when I'm wrong. He doesn't go along with things for the sake of convenience.
25. He cares deeply
26. He loves my mama. Will usually be the first to help her with the heavy lifting.
27. He's stoic. Never dramatic in any way.
28. He's a great leader though he will never admit it.
29. He holds my hand when I'm nervous.
30. His internal GPS. I'm never lost when were together.
31. He loves me like nothing I have ever experienced before.
I could go on and on...
Most of all, he understands my sincere dislike for heat, and summer, and loves me through it until FALL arrives. He's a keeper Y'all.

#67 Summer blues

Have I mentioned that I am OVER Summer??

If not, let me just say. "Summer we need to start seeing other people. It's not you, it's me."
I just need some space and distance from you for awhile.
Our time together has been fun. So many great memories but I'm just not feeling myself anymore.



This is my current feeling of the weather these days. There is no significant rain or cooler weather in site.

Lawd, if your listenin'? Could you please, please, please just let this be over soon? I am so ready for Fall.

#66 Ready for Fall


This was the temperature outside when I left work.


This is in NO way a reflection of the "FEELS LIKE" out side.
It is however a great reflection of my hands and phone. Oh and a dirty screen, let's not forget that.

It's warm and muggy and well just yucky out there today. If you are wondering, the "Feels Like" is 108. I will still take that any ole' day over 120.

Fall where are you?? I miss you so. You are my most absolute favorite part of the year. Can we start seeing each other again?  Please O Please come back soon.




#65 Sunday fixin's

Lookie Here!! Lookie Here!!

I made these with my own two hands ( in the voice of Annelle Dupu Desoto from Steel Magnolia)


Mile High 7 UP Biscuits. They were just about the finest thing ever. Yesterdays biscuits and then again today. I do believe I am a biscuit lover.

Then I felt so good about my first creation, I decided to be adventurous and try another.


It wasn't hard to do at all. I wasn't able to find canned chili's so I took fresh ones and boiled till soft and tender.


Followed the rest of the recipe closely...



And pulled cheesy, bubbly goodness out.
Wouldn't you know it. I forgot to take the final picture. The one that really matters.
It was really good.  I think it will be more of a breakfast casserole for us but still good.
The pan was cleaned in no time so I will call this a Sunday Fixin' success.

Till tomorrow.

#64 Saturday happenings

Oh Saturday how I adore you.

I get to sleep in and my day usually consists of a few "adulting items" but mostly just tons of happy accidents.

First we started with this amazingness!!


Oh Whataburger you never do me wrong. It was buttery, salty, eggy, sausagey goodness. Just the thing to start the day off right.

Then we finished some errands. Grabbed a few groceries and headed home for the most amazing delivery ever.

Lawd help him. He was in lawn mowing heaven.



After a couple of hours of honing his new craft, he managed to get this deliciousness on the grill.


For all my Texas friends out there. This is TRI TIP.  You must try it some day. Brisket is king around here but I promise it won't disappoint. We have only been able to find it at one place locally so far. It is worth the drive to Marlin and the hefty price per pound.  

What a glorious Saturday!  

Until tomorrow....

#63 Retreating the day away

Today was my first company retreat ever. Is that weird? Maybe. I don't know?
If I were in my 20's, I would say no. Pushing hard and fast on 50 though it might be a little odd. Apparently my career in construction did NOT have perks.

I am a firm believer that the GPS in my car has frequent laughs at my expense. I imagine the woman behind the voice, leans back in here chair at her office cubical and tells everyone to come watch what she's about to do to me.

So while trying to this gem of a place.


My GPS landed me here. "Your destination is ahead on the left".


I was not falling for it one bit.
I soon learned this was Jacobs Ladder and my destination is at the top of that hill.
Can you say recalculating?

I proceeded in a forward motion (Not upward) and finally made it to my destination. I didn't feel so badly when I found out that several Wacoan's had similar situations and one was escorted in by the park ranger.





I still can't get used to this scenery around here.

There were yard games, yoga (clearly I didn't participate #theycallmegrace) and tons of conversation.  Have I mentioned how much I love where I work? If not, then let me just tell ya. It's just about the finest thing ever. I am blessed beyond what I deserve.

#62 Commitment Issues

Yes I know.
I know.
No,  I really do know that I am way behind in my posting. There is something desperately wrong with me. I have commitment issues for sure.

I committed to writing daily journals and I have failed miserably. I do promise to do better though. Some days it seems difficult to find the time, energy, and content for the Good Stuff. Nonetheless all three of these items can be found and done. It just take commitment. Maybe that is what God is working on with me. Staying focused. This is my challenge for sure.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

#60 Oh the Irony of it all

This made me laugh today.

#Wednesdaytruths 

As you might have guessed it was a slow GOOD Stuff day.

Let's hope I can stay up past 8:00 PM tonight. Gosh I'm getting old.

This is all I have for now.

Until tomorrow...

P.S. Guess What??


Tuesday, August 8, 2017

#59 "Just tszuj it a little, and you're set!"

I"m working on a new format for this blog/journal. Time to tszuj (is this even a word. Oh yes it is. Click on the link. BTW horrible way to spell it...am I right?) things up a bit. Make it more pleasing to the eye. Easier for the few and faithful to follow along since it would seem that I am terrible at posting the links on FB.  Honestly I am seldom on FB these days. I catch up with friends and family and that is about it. You'll find me on Instagram more often than not. I'm a visual type of gal I guess. Hang in there with me y'all. The Good Stuff is about to get even better. 


#58 Mornin' Sunrise + Garden Blooms

This was the view out my windshield this morning. I headed out the door early and was greeted with a beautiful cloudy sunrise.

That Texas sunrise gets me feeling all kinds of things

God really does show off his work in the Texas sky. It still catches me unaware at times and takes my breath away.

Just a little sprinkle in the morning for good measure

In other news. Dufus made another visit to the Vet today. This time to get some really bad teeth pulled. Let's just say when I picked him up after work, he looked at me with a bitter taste in his mouth. I don't think I'm his favorite person at the moment.

P. S. Check out this garden! It has gone bonkers. We haven't harvested any fruits or veggies yet, but I'm feeling like very soon we will have some Okra in the fryer. OH MY GOODNESS! YUM

Okra...YES please 

Taylor's cat Calliope Jane. (Black Magic as we call her)

Okra Bloom. Isn't it just so pretty?  


Snap Beans with Bacon is just FINE eatin'


Our first Texas garden. We started way late in the season but that is OK 

P.P.S I may have been in bed by 7:45 and asleep before 8:30. I have a problem y'all. I'm too young to be going to bed this early right? It's truly a problem for me. I'm ready to go to sleep by 8:00 most nights. What will my 60"s and 70's look like. Poor Mister. Thank goodness he loves me right?


#57 Bedroom furniture

Today was the second weekend we spent looking for bedroom furniture for mama's room.  We've been to at least a dozen stores and still haven't found the ONE.

I love looking at all the antique shops here in our area. I've never seen so many shops with so many choices. It's divine!

We wondered into this beauty of a shop (click link) that Taylor told us about. OH MY WORD!!

(This is just one really small section)

Y'all know how I am about smells right? (If not, you can read about it here) This place smelled just like my grandparents furniture store.

Did I tell y'all about it yet? I don't think so.  Well my grandparents had a new & used furniture store when I was younger. (I lived there temporarily at one point also. That's a story for another day) It was filled with all these treasures (some not so much) that my grandpa would buy at the auctions. He would come rolling in early in the morning on Saturday with his pickup loaded, and I mean loaded, with anything and everything. Appliances, furniture, bedroom sets, mattresses. You name it and he probably bought it at least once. There were times when he would show up with what I like to refer to as Pandora's Box. It was boxes filled with anything you can imagine. Clothes, jewelry, purses and tons of trinkets. I loved these boxes. I always imagined I would find a cozy old wool sweater or awesome retro shoes. A purse that would be the envy of all my sixth grade friends. The possibilities were endless. Usually there was just musty, old, smelly clothes that would end up in a heap, stored away in a side room. Granny had a special way of making the really bad stuff disappear before Gramps knew it was gone.

Anyhow, walking into this shop I was struck smack in the face with an all to familiar scent. It was like I traveled back in time to Ryan's New & Used. I was almost expecting to hear my grandparents voices in the distance. Saturday mornings at Ryan's New & Used. What great memories. Unloading the truck with the rest of my cousins. (free labor as Gramps called it) These were some of the best memories I have of childhood. With family, working in the store and always having a good lunch together once it was all done. Sigh...what great times these were. Oh and possibly why almost all of us kids have really bad backs as adults. Just a thought.

We did not find the ONE here either, but we did find it at another store. Again eerily reminiscent of my childhood. Needless to say it was a great outing for a Saturday.

#56 Taylor Swift + Team Building + Happy Face

Oh Friday you were so good to me!

Today was the end of a summer student intern position for one of my helpers. "O O O O'Riley", Riley Pool ( not his last name) Riley Cruz (Tom Cruz younger brother) and "Hey Osterman" were all names he would indulge letting me call him on the daily. He's off to get ready for Fall Semester. I can't wait to see what amazing things lie ahead for him.  Our team took him to lunch today at his choice of restaurant. He picked Twisted Root. 

OH   MY   WORD   Y'ALL!! Just stop it! Stop it right now! The best burger I've had in a very long time. I got the Big Texan (without chipotle sauce cause...ew gross). Y'all it had guacamole and cheddar cheese with some fried onion strips. So So stinkin' good!




This was my name during lunch. They even sang "Our Song" lyrics when my order was ready. 

I will be visiting again real soon and this time it will be well documented. 

Then after lunch our office had the dreaded team building meeting.

Oh Lord I was not ready for what was about to happen. Y'all we went BOWLING on campus!! Wait! What? 

3 out of 4 have gotten a strike


Friday team building meeting. #BaylorProud #Mybossisbetterthanyours #Throwyahandsup


I love doing life with these people

Y. E. S. that is how our office rolls. I can't tell you how much I love my job. I have been blessed with some amazing things in my life but this job and my coworkers are just beyond. 

Yes Jesus Love Me!!

In other news, this guy right here is feeling so much better. He is back to his old self. 




Bring on the weekend!! I am ready to have some fun. 

Until tomorrow my sweet readers...

Thursday, August 3, 2017

#55 What the fuzz?

It's still raining y'all.


This was the view from my windshield this morning. 
Obviously not the whole drive to work...or was it?

As I am driving down the road to work I kept thinking to myself, "Gee it's awfully fuzzy out there this morning?"

Wipers are working

Hmmm it's still kind of blurry? What the heck?

As I reach to adjust my glasses, you know, just in case. I realize a very import fact about why everything is blurry, fuzzy and just plain out of focus.

What is missing from this picture?



This brought on a whole new set of questions!?!?
Where are my glasses? Did I bring them?
Oh gosh they're on the nightstand.
Wait! Did I check my hair and makeup before I left, you know because I can't see that great, hence the glasses in the first place?
Oh gosh do I look OK? Surely Taylor would have said something when I asked her how I looked, as I do every morning. Does she even really look at me? Has she even been paying attention at all?
Mom saw me this morning so surely she would have said something. Wait did she have her glasses on? Crap I can't remember! Well that's no help. I probably get my blindness from her.
Geez can I trust anyone of them in our house?

This was the downward spiral happening on my twenty minute drive to work.
Oh you know. Just an average Thursday in my world. Thank goodness Jesus loves this hot mess.

In other news. There has been small movement on the chicken front. We currently are in possession of the PDF plans to build the coop.
You can read more about my chicken venture dreams here and here

Progress y'all. Now let's see how long it takes Mister to build the magnificent abode that will be Chez Pullet. (Ha see what I did there)

In Dufus news. He is feeling better today. Thank you all for your prayers.  He'll be back running the pasture before we know it.

Until tomorrow...

If there are any grammatical errors we can totally blame it on the glasses (or lack of) today...right?

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

#54 Dog Days of Summer

So it's been a few days since I have posted. There are SO many things happening and all at the same moment so I am not sure where to start...

It's Hot y'all and there's been no rain for a couple of weeks now. That however is about to be over soon enough. Check out the forecast for next next several days. THANK YOU JESUS!






 It might even be chilly Wednesday morning. Isn't that just a FINE thing? 

Our lives are growing and stretching more and more ever day. Texas is beginning to feel like my favorite pair of jeans...fits just right.  So comfortable and relaxed. Bringing out the best in yourself. Showing off in all the right spots. Does that make any sense?

The whole reason for this journal. Finding GOOD in the every day

The last several months have had their moments for sure. The uncertainty of it all. Not sure where some things were headed but all the while leaving them in God's hands. He brought us to Texas for a reason and he would navigate us through these growing pains.  My friends he is doing just that.

The last several days feel so familiar, like back in Cali familiar.  There's been tons of laughter in our home, some great food off the grill, cold beer flowing and talks of fishing and hunting.
The people and towns are really starting to feel like home. Like we belong.  No longer an outsider looking in. These are all GOOD THINGS for sure.

The biggest things I am grateful for is our #throwawaypuppy Dufus, Dr. Range and everyone at Mart Veterinary Clinic 

He wouldn't look at me for nothin'.  He may have just been violated examined.

Y'all hes been really sick the last couple of days.  Dr. Range and his staff are simply the best. They comforted him and loved on him like he was their own. He is home on bed rest for the next day or so.  We love this dog beyond belief. To even think that he might not be with us some day is heartbreaking, but nonetheless a reality. So until Jesus calls him home, we will love him and give him the best life possible. He will love us right back and fill our hearts with more joy than imaginable.

He has a note to stay out of the heat and sleep on any bed, sofa or recliner he deems worthy.
Gotta love the dog days of summer I guess.


Still not ready to look at me but slowly starting to forgive the intrusion of his personal space.  
Isn't he just the most handsome thing ever?