Electronics make me happy
November 28, 2008
Well, it’s 8 am and I’m sitting at the computer wrapped in my scarf and fleece blanket (my grandad keeps it at about 60 degrees in the house year-round…yesterday when the high was 54 we had the air conditioner on while we ate Thanksgiving dinner!!), enjoying my hot coffee, basking in the success of my recent shopping trip. My aunts (Kay & Beth) and I braved the ‘Black Friday’ crowds and headed to the local Wal-Mart at 4am this morning to stock up on Christmas gifts and goodies for ourselves. Now, let me remind you that Dustin and I are spending Thanksgiving with my family in Granbury so the only shopping outlet in the entire town is the local Wal-Mart — that means that all 5,001 residents within the city limits were at the same store…but we survived. When we arrived we quickly grabbed buggies and headed to scope out the electronics on our wish lists, but we found that navigating the cramped aisles (with everyone else and their buggies jammed in) was a bit challenging and down-right frustraing – so we ditched the carts and decided to brave it with nothing but our arms and legs (you may wonder what I mean by ‘brave it’ — well you see, giving up our carts meant that we had no ammunition to push and shove with as we were getting pushed and shoved by other carts). When the shopping actually began at 5am (that’s when the store employees actually let people start putting stuff in their carts), we hurridly scattered to several different sections throwing all sorts of goodies into our basket (many that we had gone for and lots of other impulse buys!)…3 digital photo frames, a vaccuum, some cool toys and a multitude of other things of which I cannot name because some of my blog readers will be getting them from ‘Santa’ in just a few short weeks. It was a fun morning — besides my aunt Beth getting her toe run over (twice) and breaking her fingernail on the box of one of the aforementioned presents, all went well. The checkout line only took about 30 minutes to navigate and McDonald’s provided the perfect rest-stop before heading back home to enjoy our purchases and wrap our gifts (yea for getting some Christmas shopping behind us…now I just need to move on to all of the crafty gifts I’ve promised for this season!). I hope that your Black Friday activities are as fun and successful as mine already have been (and I still have the whole day ahead of me!). I’ll be posting more about our Thanksgiving adventures later this week when I have time to organize all the pictures…I look forward to hearing how your holidays started!
4am trip to local Walmart — $3.50 in gas
$1000 + in Christmas gifts — $428
Christmas shopping with 2 of my favorite aunts for 3 hours — PRICELESS
Thanksgiving Treats
November 24, 2008
I’ve been a tad bit bitter ever since Halloween. You see, I love that holiday and I usually get into the spirit by doing several different things, of which my favorite is carving pumpkins. This year I bought pumpkins, but never got around to carving them. They continue to sit in the garage, staring at me each night as I drive in, begging to be put to good use…but I can’t seem to find the time. So tonight after seeing a Pillsbury ad in the newspaper I got festive – no, no, I still haven’t carved pumpkins, but I did make some turkeys…not the real ones of course….
I had so much fun decorating these cookies (and it was pretty easy too) and just had to show them off. After I had finished the first one I was already ‘in the spirit’ and ready for Turkey Day and the other ensuing holidays. Most of all I was ready to see my family and spend some time relaxing with them!
I am thankful for each of you that are in my life. Whether you are family, friends, coworkers, or just the occasional blog reader, you are special to me and I am thankful for all you have given me (even a rogue blog comment hear and there creates a smile)! Know that you are being thought of this holiday season. I wish you and your family the most bountiful of feasts (on scrumptious food, but also on love). HAPPY THANKSGIVING (or Happy Chanksgiving as Dustin would say — he thinks that’s what my new blog header says! haha – silly boy).
Internal clock
November 23, 2008
I think God made a mistake. Seriously – he did a pretty good job of creating me (if I must say so myself) – he gave me 10 little fingers, and 10 little toes, but when it came to inserting my internal clock I think he made a mistake. Instead of giving me the normal human time-keeper, I think he accidentally inserted that of a grizzly bear – really, I do! You know why? Because as winter has set in around us (and I live in Texas, so you can hardly call what we are experiencing winter, but none-the-less), I’ve had the extreme urge to sleep and sleep and sleep and sleep – I’m always tired and always feel ready for a nap. I’m HIBERNATING! It all makes sense…I spent the fall months fattening up, eating delicious and not-so-nutritious food…and now it’s time to hole up, use my blubber supplies to make it through the cold months, lie dormant for a while. Ok, well maybe I’m wrong, but it sure feels like that’s what’s going on and I really do wish that I had the time to slow my pace and sleep a little…ok, sleep a lot…but I don’t see that happening in the near future. So until then, catch some ZZZZZZ’s my friends and pass some my way!
2 weddings and a bar
November 23, 2008
Last night we had the pleasure of attending 2 weddings – 1 for a long time family friend of the Trimmiers and 1 for some coworkers of ours and both provided a grand time. The first wedding gave us time to spend with Dustin’s parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle along with several old Ags and family friends. The second was filled with friends and gave us a chance to spend time with some coworkers in a different, more relaxed setting. Each had a beautiful bride and a handsome groom and delicious wedding cake!
The Trimmiers & Ecrettes
After wedding hopping we joined our friends Julie & Phil at Rebar to watch Julie perform 2 songs she’s been working on for her album (she recently signed a record deal!!!!). It was awesome to see her in action and hear her songbird voice. I see lots of success for Julie Love in in the future!
Black Olives
November 23, 2008
Dustin and I ate out at the Olive Garden on Friday and as I enjoyed the fresh tossed salad with the huge black olives I couldn’t help but think of my family (the Urby’s – my mom’s side). You see, giant black olives have been a part of my life for a very long time…I have very vivid memories of being 5, 6, 7 years old and running around ‘the farm’ with my cousins with huge black olives stuck to every finger each
year during the holidays.
We, as kids, thought it was the coolest thing and it kept our parents amused. I guess the nostalgia was heightened in knowing that my family would be celebrating Thanksgiving on the farm the very next day and I was saddened by the fact that Dustin and I couldn’t be at the gathering. I find solace in knowing that we will see them at Christmastime and in knowing that there will be several young kids (we definitley passed the black olive trend to the next generation) running around with swollen black fingertips and I rest assured knowing the tradition will be passed to my own children one day (a very very long time from now in case you were wondering 
.
Friendly visits
November 23, 2008
Dustin and I love visitors especially when it’s family. We don’t get to see our extended family much, so it’s a treat when they come to visit us in San Antonio. This past weekend my aunt Kay, uncle Garry, aunt Beth, and cousin Bobby made the trek to SA to see our house (they had previously only seen pictures) and hang out. While the boys played in the back yard and built a deck for our <currently nonexistent> hottub, the girls (and Bobby) shopped, played, rested, cooked and enjoyed each others company. It was so fun to hang out with everyone and show off a little of our daily lives in SA. The deck turned out to be a sturdy wood-worked perfection (with Garry as project lead I’m not surprised!)…
Building a deck
On Sunday morning Bobby joined me as a volunteer at the inaugural Rock ‘n Roll San Antonio Marathon. We woke at 5am to be at our post at mile 19 on the marathon course by 6:30am! Our breakfast of pigs in a blanket (which Bobby and I prepared the night before) kept us going as we mixed and poured over 8,000 cups of Cytomax energy drinks for the runners. Excitement was high was we cheered on the marathon participants and handed out ‘refreshments’. I had so much fun hanging out with Bobby and volunteering at this event. Next year my goal is to be a more active participant by running the race (in some form or fashion)!
(Middle: Jenn & Bobby at their volunteer table, mile 19 of the marathon -- Top left corner working clockwise: our breakfast - Jenn & Bobby 6:30am @ 37 degrees! - Bobby filling drink cups - Bobby & Caty organizing everything - Bobby posing with 3 full rows of energy drinks - Bobby having fun with the camera - Jenn & Bobby napping after the race - Bobby handing a drink to a runner - an 80 year old marathoner! - Jenn & Bobby @ 55 degrees - Bobby @ our volunteer table - pink energy drinks!)
5K at U*S*A*A
November 23, 2008
In tradition of one 5K a month my friend Caty and I joined several other friends to run in the annual Veterans Day 5K that U*S*A*A organizes in honor of those who have served. The course on my company’s campus is a challenging one with lots of hills, but we managed to beat the challenge and finish…eventually! Before and after the race Caty and I enjoyed visiting with Jeff & Nina and their kids as well as Steph, Sharon, and Roberta (the newest addition to our ‘running group’ along with Nina & Jeff). It was a morning of sunshine and good times mixed with exercise and remembrance and we look forward to the race in 2009!
Caty, Jenn, Nina -- The Running Group -- Caty & Jenn
Trifecta complete
November 23, 2008
I am lucky to have 2 of the most generous, honest, fun-loving, and unique best friends a girl could ask for (actually I have about 10 of these girls in my life, but I’m focusing on 2 of them for most of this post).
Merick, Vera and I are like the girls from Lipstick Jungle – seriously – when we get together it’s like something out of soap opera, a drama, a comedy and a reality show all wrapped into 1 (and I’m saying this in a good way of course!). We talk non-stop, catching up with each others lives, jobs, men, triumphs and dilemmas and it’s always so relieving to just be with them. And with great excitement for all of us, we completed a trifecta a few weeks ago — it’s official, we are all ‘off the market’ now that Merick is engaged!!! She has a dazzling sparkler sitting on her finger and I cannot be happier for her and Chad. Although I am sad that she will be moving away from San Antonio soon, I know that she will be happy in Houston with her man.
Merick & Chad
The happy couple after getting ENGAGED!
Now, I can’t mention Merick’s engagement without talking about a different perfecta that happened earlier this year. My best friend from high school (who is one of the 10 girls I mentioned earlier), Renee, also recently got engaged to a great man, Adam. I knew this would eventually happen and I am so glad it is finally a reality. Renee and I have had a silly bet for years — that if she got married before she was 50 years old she would have to take me to Vegas (all expenses paid by her) and if she wasn’t married by 50, I would pay for her to live it up in Sin City (this stems from the fact that she never thought she’d want to get married). So, you can see how I am happy in more ways than 1!! haha.
Renee & Adam
ENGAGED!
All joking aside I cannot express the true elation I have for these 2 ladies in my life. They deserve the best this world can give and I rest easy knowing that they will recieve nothing less than the best from the men they plan to marry!
Ring around the finger
November 23, 2008
Okay, okay, I know it’s been a looooong time since I posted and in a way I love that I’ve kept some of you in great suspense Contrary to what many of you thought, the box that was staring at me for over a week was not ‘huge’ — some of my readers were asking ‘what in the world could it be’ and ‘how did that big box fit through the front door’ — HYSTERICAL! In actuality, the box in my October 30th post was not 3 feet wide by 3 feet tall…but I can definitely see how people thought that by looking at the pictures. The box was only about 3 inches by 3 inches and I knew the contents all along (I just wasn’t allowed to open it until mine and Dustin’s 1 year anniversary). So, the time finally arrived and on November 3rd I ripped into the box like a madwoman to find (what I had already known about) the most brilliant, sparkly, vivacious piece of jewelry I have ever laid my eyes on (since my engagement ring)…it was my wedding band!!! Since Dustin and I paid for our own wedding and because my tastes were a little expensive on some of our wedding amenities I forewent a wedding band on our wedding day with the hopes of getting one on our 1 year anniversary. And Dustin pulled through like a champ!
We had a nice relaxing anniversary – the weather was exactly like it had been a year earlier (perfect) and we had fun reminiscing about the preceding year. We are so lucky to have each other and to have such loving friends and family — thank you all for the anniversary wishes! I can’t wait to show all of you my new sparkler in person.Geeks no more
November 23, 2008
As part of a cleaning frenzy I went on a few weeks ago (in preparation of my family’s visit – I actually took a 1/2 day off work to clean!), I tossed (actually donated) a lot of old clutter that’s been uselessly sitting on some shelves and in our closets for way too long. All of my friends will be happy to know that Dustin and I are ‘geeks no more’ as we’ve given away all of our lingering programming books that have been hanging around since college.
Ok, ok, so maybe we still enjoy a good talk about java (not the coffee) and server space, but at least we’ve moved past reading decrypt SQL books before bedtime — haha!
