No Lobsters!

This is a picture me having some fun in the sun!

I am going to be real honest with you. I am hoping this...
.... does not equal= this....

This is a picture of a bright red..... LOBSTER!

"Doggy Camp" for the Kiddos!

As always its next to impossible to say good-bye to the pups... especially with this face! Each time is always really hard for mommy as daddy has to take them to the pet place without me. But it is always good to know that they have friends at "doggy camp" and they get a lot of attention and love while we're gone.

So here's to our pups! We love you, miss you, and will be thinking of you as always. I love our cute fam of four!

Love,
Alicia

I Needs Me My Energy!

Ok we're coming down to the wire for our big vacation. TodayI asked my hubs should I pick up anything for him for our travels... his response, "Just a couple of 4 packs of Monster ... and maybe one of red bull if they have it ... hey I'm driving 600 miles. I needs me my energy!"

This absolutely cracked me up. The sad thing is it will actually be probably about 800 miles... but who's counting;)

Love,
Alicia

Dirty Laundry!

Dirty Laundry.... we all have it!
No, I'm not referring to something embarrassing or a personal matter ... I literally mean... we have tons of dirty laundry that is needing to be taken care of before our big trip... and sadly I'm not a fan!

Today definitely has a pretty full to do list. We have laundry (of course), packing, purchases to be made, and dogs to be spoiled before we leave for our big trip! Last night was very similar. I of course got started on the large mound of clothes.... they just kept multiplying! But I did put a small dent in it... I hope:) ha! But before any work had been completed, my husband and I thought it best to fuel up and had dinner at Freebirds! Oh how I missed my Hybird on wheat.... oh so yummy!

After dinner and 4 loads of laundry plus additional packing (I may or may not have packed the majority of my closet in the largest suitcase I could find)... I decided to call it a night and watch the finale of Tough Love Couples. Sadly it was on... I was somewhat interested...

Tonight on the other hand... I would love to get the majority of my "have to do's" done ASAP because tonight my friends is the finale of Biggest Loser and I couldn't be more excited! I voted for Daris to be in the final 3! Who did you vote for?

Well that's really about it for my "dirty laundry"... a lot of have to do's before our big trip... but I couldn't be more excited! I'll leave you with one final thought....

Have such a wonderful Tuesday!

Love,
Alicia

Case of the Mondays!

This picture absolutely cracks me up! While I do not have this exact sentiment, I am so very anxious and excited for these next few days to quickly pass me by. I cannot wait for Wednesday to be here in all of its glory! So Happy Monday... even if you do feel a little bit like this fella:)

Love,
Alicia

A Taste of Summer 2010!

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it. "
- Greg Anderson

It is amazing how quickly time flies by when you're having fun! This weekend was just that!

Enjoy this weekend wrap up post! I wish you all such a wonderful week ahead and as always look forward to catching up with you! ENJOY!

Friday afternoon at work, one of my co-workers brought in Dimples Cupcakes for a supervisor's birthday... shall I say YUM! It was one of the best cup cakes I have ever eaten.... and it was carrot cake! AMAZING! Now I am simply waiting for the next birthday because I must go purchase more of these yummy treats!

Friday Night Date Night

After I returned home from work, Ray and I had decided on a date night. We went to see Shutter Island at the dollar theater in Plano. We actually missed our original time and bought tickets for the 9:40PM showing instead. While we waited we decided to venture over to the closest Starbucks for some fun conversation and hang out before the show! I even got Ray to try a Carmel Frap! The thought of cold coffee had always grossed him out, but he actually loved it! Score for me:)

Shall I say the movie was actually really good. I hadn't really heard anything in reviews and did really enjoy it; however, it was a pretty long show and as soon as we returned home it was lights out for this girl!

Early Saturday morning we met up with the Brushwoods to help move James to his new place with his wife! :) Everything was so well organized. The weather even cooperated as it had been overcast and not too hot.... so it was a pretty simple move!

We had even put some furniture pieces in Ray's car... this was just too funny so I had to take a picture. It does not do justice for the situation. Ray drove all the way to the apartment with the seat pushed all the way to the front and the steering wheel in his lap. Absolutely hilarious... no worries... we were driving about 25mph! ha!

After the move, we stopped for a yummy lunch provided by James and Kaylan to thank us for our help! We would do it again in a heart beat:) After lunch we enjoyed some pool time. That overcast sky quickly turned into such a beautiful day... and boy did I get some sun!

Kaylan & I at the Village Pool:)


James and Ray on Pool Day!

Thank you guys for such an amazing day! What a relaxing end to a fun day with friends!

This weekend was also Taste Addison! On Sunday after Ray's monthly half marathon (ran with Michael at White Rock) and a great service at The Heights Baptist Church, Ray and I decided to make our way out to Addison Circle for a fun day of great restaurants, wine tastings and tours, and cooking demonstrations.

Addison Circle was packed with so many great restaurants and activities.

Of course after circling all the booths and on such a hot day... of course we had to sample some cookies and cream gelato at Paciugo! And while it did melt as you can obviously see within the picture... boy was it AMAZING!

We had also heard about some wine tastings and decided what a fun activity to part take in. Plus it helped to beat the heat as well and was inside! Once inside we realized that they were doing tastings from a winery in Napa Valley: Robert Mondavi Winery.

Ray and I ready for our wine tasting! We sampled 4 types of wines (2 red/2 white).

After the 30 minute wine tasting session, we then watched a cooking demonstration for quesadillas and salsa. The viewers were even given samples. It was so yummy!

What a fun ending to such a great weekend! A weekend filled with activities from fun in the sun, movie watching, yummy taste testing and wine tours, to catch up time with friends. I am so excited for what this week holds and am so excited to be meeting with family for a fun time of rest and relaxation!

I wish you all such a wonderful week! Look forward to many more updates to come...

Until then,

Love,
Alicia

Favorite Things Friday: The Beach!

What an amazing week! A week filled with relaxing, movie watching, dog walking, friendly hang outs, and nights in! I think this week was just what the "doctor ordered." I definitely love to be on the go but a huge part of me is just a complete homebody! It is one of my favorite things!

So for this Favorite Things Friday, I thought I would do things a little differently. If you can't tell I am completely excited about our upcoming vacation... so I decided that I would write about my favorite things to do while at the beach!

(in no particular order):

1. Sand Castle Competitions
2. Getting a tan (and hopefully not becoming a lobster)
3. Relaxing in a beautiful setting
4. Taking pictures! Gotta remember the moments people:)
5. Exploring
6. Walks on the beach
7. Picnics
8. Hammocks
9. Sand volleyball
10. Visiting with family/friends
11. Not answering my phone or any type of communication device
12. Searching for seashells
13. Pretty drinks with fun fruits/umbrellas
14. Beautiful blue waters and white sand
15. Wearing beach attire... cute dresses, shorts, flip flops, and sun glasses
16. Beach Games
17. Reading a book or magazine while laying pool side or on the beach
18. Site seeing
19. Feeling the sand between my toes
20. Creating new family traditions and inside jokes for years to come!

What are some of your favorite beach moments?!?!

Love,
Alicia

The Icing on the Cake!

"The Icing on the Cake"
Many of us have used this phrase before in conversation.
It signifies something wonderful at the end of something good or even an extra benefit! I've done a lot of thinking lately about those "little extras!" The things that are oh so wonderful that simply do give an extra benefit to our lives. And it really made me think. It's the thing that makes us laugh and the thing that makes us cry. It's our conscience that gives us advice. It's about taking chances, and it's about having faith. It's about letting go and giving more.

A preacher recently stated that upon your final days when you are looking into the eyes of the one you loved and shared your days with, your thoughts will not be of a promotion that lead you astray 20 years ago or the expensive house/car you were never able to buy. Your thoughts will simply be of the moments you shared with those you love.

We all have our own "icing on the cake." What's yours?

Are We There Yet?!?!

I think the picture says it all!

Love,
Alicia

Modern Wednesday with Daniela!

This past Wednesday, my sweet friend and previous college roommate, Daniela, came over for a fun "girls night in" that included Dominoes Pizza, white wine, and of course the finale of Modern Family!

I always have such a fun time with this girl. When we met up again after college it was as though we simply were picking up from where we left off. I absolutely love it! Plus we had a fun time chatting about life and the upcoming nuptials in mid September! Oh how I love weddings... and I know that this wedding will be so special and of course absolutely beautiful! Daniela, I had such an amazing girls night in and look forward to our next big get together:)

Here are a few pictures to document our night:)

Thank Goodness for DVRs!

So I am going to be honest... I have kind of fallen off the bandwagon for many of my favorite shows! And thank goodness to my DVR... it's totally ok. Now do hear me right... I still love my Biggest Loser and Parenthood... but now we can watch them at our own convenience. Even though I'm a few episodes behind... several in fact... I can still find some fun relaxing time to watch them. So now it doesn't matter who is "not the biggest loser," gets voted off the island, or becomes another key love interest... I got it all saved on my trusty DVR!

May I never live without one again:)

What are some of your shows you can just not live without?!?!

Love,
Alicia

The Birthday Bro!

To my amazing brother-in-law Ryan,

5.18.10: I hope you have such a wonderful birthday! We cannot wait to officially celebrate in a little over a week! Love you and look forward to seeing you and the family VERY soon!

Love,
Alicia

Facing Your Fears!

Another interesting Tuesday Tidbit came to mind... FEAR! I will be honest. I am a huge scardy-cat. So many things scare me or make me extremely nervous. While some of them may have good reason others are simply ridiculous. So here are the top 10 "most interesting" of mine... (in no particular order) and hopefully after posting them I may learn to eventually face my fears!

1. Heights or maybe the fear of falling... both are pretty uncool.
2. The Dark... yes I am 25 and hate the idea of being alone in the dark.
3. Murky ocean water... come on ppl I lived near Galveston and have we not all seen Jaws?!?!
4. Change. I know this one might be odd... but I like what I like. I like organization and I like to plan.
5. Overflowing Toilets. Yes I have a fear that any and all toilets may overflow.
6. Burning down my apartment. I fear that somehow I have left a burner or hair straightener on. If I do not specifically watch myself turn it off or unplug it... I will be haunted by the notion that I might start a small fire and burn down the apartment. Sad. I know.
7. Infertility. This may seem like a strange one. Ever since starting a family in the future has come into the picture, I do actually fear that I will not be able to have a baby.
8. Flying. I am not the best flyer. I've had several different issues with planes taking emergency landings, lost luggage, etc. So for some reason I truly fear flying until we have landed safely on the ground.
9. Running out of Chapstick. You think I'm joking. I cannot be without my chapstick. It is serious enough that if I somehow forget to bring a tube... meaning I've changed purses, did not put some in my back pocket as usual or somehow have lost the few tubes at my office and in my car... I will go out and purchase a new tube immediately. To be without chapstick is to be completely lost for the day. Yes. Again that is sad:)
10. Killing insects with MY shoe. Ok I don't fear this one specifically... but just hate the concept of killing bugs with my own shoe. I'll kill it with anothers shoe... but knowing that some little dead bug body is hitching a ride on mine just freaks me out.

Like I said... not all of my fears have merit, but still they are baggage I carry with me. Ha!
Time for you to face yours. What are some of your fears?!?!

Love,
Alicia

Tidbit Tuesday: Stream of Consciousness!

Well good morning! I want to welcome you to our Tuesday Tidbits posting! Tuesday posts tend to be some of my favorite because I am able to provide my fellow bloggers with fun tidbits about my husband and I. Sometimes these are fun little details, upcoming events, personal likes/dislikes, and at times these details are simply random pieces of useless information. But still it is all in good fun. Well for today's Tuesday Tidbits posting... I have decided to be more random... that is typical Alicia so nothing new I think. So enjoy and feel free to add some of your own!

Stream of Consciousness:
I am in need of a haircut. I am craving Fazoli's bread sticks. I need more than 8 hours of sleep per day to function properly. I day dream about building sand castles. I am in love with Tantowel products (tanless spray/lotions) but have a fear that they will turn me orange. This has not been proved yet. I am not a huge fan of answering phones. I could really use a Dr. Pepper at this very moment. I wonder if it will rain this week. I am horrible about remembering to do the laundry. I have been so busy yet so lazy. I am late sending out mail. So sorry Ryan. The card will be there shortly! I feel guilty for not working out. I guess I should start working out. I really would love to go dancing. Why do I hate wearing heels? Why do I look 12? How many more people will ask me if I am graduating from high school this year or have plans for continued education... as in going to college... for the first time. Wow, it has officially been three years since I took a test. That is amazing! I wish I had some sort of candy right now. That is probably the reason I should work out. Ha! I really would love to have space... and have a house. I know the pups would. All in good time. I miss free summers with no work or school. Sometimes I ask what are summers. They drained the pool at our apartment complex. I wonder when it will be up and running again. It's gotta be a hazard. Will I ever stop using chapstick? I really need to clean. I'll probably wait until we get back from vacation. No reason to do double duty. Should I start drinking coffee? I love the smell and hate the taste. Coffee ice cream. Can we agree that this might be a better option. What if I am lactose intolerant. Angry fist to that:) I'll make it work! Could never give up cheese! I really do love coming home and relaxing with my cute fam of four! I love opening the door and saying Mama's home! I love that my husband always greets me with a big hug/kiss on my return. Another great part of my day! I'm so excited that I can be lazy this week. I have a fun Wednesday night hang out with Daniela! It has definitely been too long. Should it be another pizza night. I love Dominoes new crust. Is it too early to start packing? I can't wait for our vacation. Again I day dream of sand castles!

... hope you have an amazing Tuesday!

Love,
Alicia

6 Month Anniversary, Brushwood Wedding, Picnics in the Park & Upcoming Vaca!

This past week/end was absolutely amazing! From secret scrapbook parties, bridal brunches, rehearsal and dinner at Maggianos, a beautiful ceremony and reception, to celebrating 6 months of marriage and a picnic in the park... this weekend was filled with tons of activities and more importantly LOVE:)

Enjoy the fun details of this weekend's funtivities. And while it definitely kept me on my toes... in the end everything was absolutely perfect for our bride:) May we remember to cherish all the moments we share and celebrate together!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Happy 6 months of marriage to my husband Ray. I fall in love with you more and more every single day. You are the best thing that has happened to me and I'm so thankful for you! I love you with all of my heart and am so excited for all the moments we'll share for all the days to come:)

Secret Scrapbook Parties: We put together a scrapbook for our bride filled with letters & pictures from family & friends. Here is the set up of my page!

Bridesmaid's Brunch at Kaylan's Apartment!


The beautiful decor & gifts from Kaylan. Mine is on the right:)

Rehearsal at Dallas Museum of Biblical Art at 5PM.

Dinner to follow at Maggianos at North Park!

Group Picture at Rehearsal Dinner!

My husband & I at the Rehearsal

Saturday, May 15, 2010:
The Big Wedding Day!

Wedding Day Lunch at McAlisters! The Bridesmaids presented Kaylan with her special scrapbook!

Wedding Day Details!

The bride & her Bridal Box while admiring the giant rock on her finger:)

The beautiful bouquets!

Candy Bar!

The bride & her bridesmaids/house party admiring her engagement photo book!

The beautiful dress and wedding shoes

The beautiful bride & I!

Our group of girlies!!! Our baby of the group is getting married! Yay 2010:)

The bride & her bridesmaids

Cocktail hour before the reception with the group:)

The beautiful bride & groom: Mr. and Mrs. James Brushwood!

The alter and the bride & groom's table

The beautiful reception decor!

Kristin & I:)

The Zellners:)

Stephanie & Adam Duke!

Michael and Kristin Fant!

The Heights Baptist Church and sweet ABF friends

Celebrate Good Times!
This is what happens when you leave your camera with friends!!! :) HAHAHAHAH!

KRISTIN!

ADAM!

Shieva!

The Bride & Groom Cake(s)!

Ray & I standing by the bonfire of cookies... the coolest alternative to a Groom's Cake... he even had regulation A&M pitchers filled with milk for dunking!


The Bride & Groom ready to cut the cake:)

Sharing in the Groom's Cookies! Just FYI... he dunked a cookie (in a smaller cup of course:) Loved it!

The MR. and MRS. feeding each other cake!

The Fants show'n off their moves:)

Kendra caught the bouquet!

Back at home... one last picture of the night with my wonderful husband and the most beautiful bouquet!

Sunday, May 16, 2010:
Picnic in the Park!

Ray & I celebrating our 6 month anniversary with a picnic at Finch Park in McKinney!

Bruise Update: Day 5 and spreading... Gotta love it!

To a weekend filled with so many activities. I am so excited for all that we shared... but now am looking forward to many relaxing nights at home with the hubs before our big trip next week.

Also... I just had to brag a little bit about my amazing sister-in-law! Farrah made T-shirts for our upcoming family vaca to PCB Florida in officially 10-11ish days! They are too cute. They say Zellners Gone Wild at PCB and then on the back have our names! I love it:) Thank you so much lady for already making this trip so special. I absolutely cannot wait to see all of you on the beach!!! I miss and love you all:) Let the count down continue!!!

For more information about PCB, FL view here!
... hope you have a wonderful start to your week and I look forward to speaking further!

Love,
Alicia