Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to a Dad who taught me how to drive a standard, always "saw me off" and made my bagel every morning (even when I had to leave at 6:45 in the AM and was total crabcake central), relentlessly tried to teach me how to play golf, fixed breakfast on Saturday mornings for Michelle and I (banana pancakes, waffles, french toast, "homemade" donuts), played countless games of tickle monster, beat me in numerous rounds of horse, always let me drive him around on the golf cart, never let me win at board games, taught me how to tightly pack a suitcase, let us play with his hair and put clips & bows in it, and the list goes on...

the pops with his girls

It is from him I inherited my blue eyes, "broken" nose, razor sharp wit (ha), fierce competitive nature and love for the theatrics. He went to all of my gymnastic and (most of my) cheerleading competitions, and always claimed he had hoped for only girls before and during my mom's pregnancies. He's the one I always call when I'm in trouble and need help.

do you see the resemblance?

Most of all, he has shown me that a real, Godly man takes responsibility for the error of his ways, and that true repentance is evidenced through actions, not merely words. Since he is human, he is by no means perfect, but he is the only man to ever win my heart and never ceases to make me feel like a princess.

popalla with the original rachie

I love you Dad - Happy Father's Day!

Love,

Rachie

drop it like it's hot.

Hello and Happy Monday to you friends. As promised, I am ready to give you the full report on the second half of Lianna's Bachelorette Weekend which took place in the lovely, too good to be true, Kingsland Manor.

After a chock-full (and I mean full) day of boating, jet skiing, swimming, water skiing, laying out, etc., it was time to put on our party dresses and do it up right! We officially started the evening on the 2nd floor where we popped the bubbly, toasted the bride-to-be and had cocktail hour ("happy hour's from 4-6"). The cocktail du jour was a bellini which went down a bit too easily after a hot day in the sun. Unfortunately, I guzzled these pups like a camel drinks water in the Sahara Desert (but that's neither here, nor there). We also snacked on some homemade guac, spinach dip and shrimp cocktail.

cheers

the lovely bride


While the crew kicked back, i mean, enjoyed some cocktails, I helped finish up the prep for the divinely delicious dinner. Elisa and Christina planned a fabulous meal, and I regret to inform you that no pictures were taken...such a shame. The menu was comprised of a sublime spinach salad, glorious glazed salmon, remarkable roasted asparagus and hot, buttery beer bread. How's that for some cheesy descriptions?

christina, me and elisa

group shot amongst the beautiful background

We took advantage of the beautiful weather and ate dinner outside on the rooftop deck. It was perfect on all fronts. After totally stuffing ourselves with the scrumptious delights, we slowly began to make our way downstairs so Lianna could open her saucy gifts and we could get the after party rockin'. While the blushing bride unwrapped her honeymoon attire, we helped ourselves to dark chocolate-covered strawberries and amaretto cake. Once the last ribbon had been untied, we cranked the music up and danced the night away (some more than others).

quasi-crazy group photo (some more than others)

group pic in the dark of the night

The next morning, Christina and I (with what energy I could muster up), set to work preparing a bountiful brunch spread sure to please even the pickiest palate. (Wow, where is this coming from?) I whipped up a batch of sugary sweet monkey bread, while Christina got busy cranking out some amazing migas. She is quite the whiz in the kitchen - I love it! We rounded out the meal with a bright fresh fruit salad. I am sorry to say, once again, that I have zero pics to make your mouth water...major bummer.

After we did deap clean 2009 on the old lakehouse, it was time to bid adieu to my most favorite fousins. Thanks ladies for a top-notch weekend jam-packed with yummy eats, rockin' beats and a whole lotta heat!

Lianna - You are the quintessential, radiant bride-to-be. I am so proud of the wonderful person you have become, and I cannot wait for you to start your new life as a wife to Ed. You are going to be a gorgeous bride on your wedding day, both inside and out. I love you so much Li-Li!!!

HAPPY (belated) BIRTHDAY NICK!!!

This is a day late, and a dollar short, but here's a BIG "abundant life" birthday shout-out to Nick!!! He served in the army for 4 years (and was a wicked cool Ranger), is my sister's husband, is the father of Haylee and Meredith and is one of the hardest workers I know. I hope you had a fabulous birthday and a wonderful day. May your 28th year be blessed with overwhelming joy, peace that surpasses all understanding, and abundant life that's overflowing.

HAPPY 28TH NICK!!!

P.S. I will do a detailed post later w/pics of the birthday celebration dinner (catered by yours truly) and I pinky promise to post the rest of Lianna's bachelorette throwdown.

Have a terrific Thursday!!!

barefoot and crazy

For those of you that don't follow country music, the title of this post most likely makes no sense. However, if you know the song, it's the perfect soundtrack for my lake-a-licious weekend. Well that, and Beyonce's "If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it." Gosh, I can't seem to shake that song.

Anyway, after the less than stellar week I had, there was a lot of built-up anticipation leading up to the weekend...well, the par-tay did not disappoint. This is my 2nd time at the lakehouse, and everytime I leave, I can't wait to come back for more. I headed south as soon as I left work and I couldn't get there soon enough. The moment I walked in the door, it was like a weight had been lifted off me and it was time for the festivities to begin.

thumbs up to a safe trip & a party waiting

Since we were all pretty tired, we had a mini dance party and then popped in a classic, Father of the Bride, to get us all in the wedding spirit. I had forgotten how much I love that movie. It is pure genius and had me laughing out loud even though my eyes were heavy and unwilling to stay open.

The next morning, we got up (fairly) early and started decorating for the big bash. We put up lots of beach-themed cutouts, streamers, leis and busted out some awesome sunglasses (pictured below).

a bouquet of hanging leis

Miss Lake LBJ

We also got to work on a couple snacky food items that we could eat throughout the day in between boating, skiing and sea dooing (that sounds weird). Once everyone was up and at 'em, we put on our suits, loaded into the boat (that actually worked for once) and got busy out on the lake. After a quick swim in one of the coves, a few of us took the skis out for a spin. It may or may not have taken me about 5 attempts to actually get up on my skis. I'm sure I was quite entertaining, but at least I didn't give up. We were blessed with an absolutely gorgeous day out on the lake - it was perfectly amazing!





After we had spent a good 2-3 hours on the lake (and after my 5 wipeouts + 1 successful ski session), it was time to refuel with some serious snackage. I got down with some chicken salad (a la Lianna), crackers, veggies and spinach dip (a la moi). It was the perfect lunch for a day on the lake.




Once we devoured some sustenance, we headed out for one more boat ride. We just cruised around the lake a little bit. There was no more skiing or any foolishness like that. It was just pure relaxation in the sun. After we got back, it was super hot and definitely time for a little dip...but not just any dip, we all wanted to jump off the deck. Here's a before and after shot.

ready for the big plunge
apparently very excited

Well friends, I think I'm going to divide the weekend into 2 posts, so I will close with our jump in the lake. Thanks for reading my blog - y'all are definitely the bees knees!

P.S. I just made this delicious treat for Nick's b-day tomorrow -- holy yum!!!

later much!

After a rather dull, mundane and quasi-emotional week (and tornado-filled for that matter), I am roughly 3 hours away from heading south-bound, 35 (feel free to break into song)! Being without power Wednesday night and Thursday morning, coupled with some other drama has left me ready to shake the dust off of this town and get away to a carefree place, where the livin' is easy.

Fortunately for me, this happens to be the weekend of Lianna's bachelorette bash taking place at the fousin's lakehouse. There promises to be a lot of sun, a little (or a lot) bubbly, good eats and overall good times with great peeps. Stay tuned for a post with plenty 'o pics when I return.

Until then, I hope you all have quack-tastic weekends!!! May God fill your hearts with a joy that's abounding and a peace that surpasses all understanding.

P.S. Where's your favorite spot for a quick getaway? (mine's Austin/lakehouse...obvs!)

what's up?

Since I'm sure most of you know that I lead a particularly exciting life, I'll fill you in on what I've been up to in hte past week or so.

Last Saturday, I spent the day with 3 of my favorite girls: my sis (of 26 years), Haylee (my 2 1/2 year-old niece) and Meredith (my 2-week-old niece). I hadn't gotten to spend a whole lot of time with them since Meredith had been born, so I was glad I had the whole day to get in some quality time. Nick had purchased a rather large blow-up pool for Haylee and I to kick it in, but apparently, Haylee is seriously afraid of the entire prospect of a pool. Michelle got it all ready for us, and Haylee managed to remain in it for about 2.5 seconds. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the pool for about 2 hours, while Haylee blew bubbles and played with the hose...the best laid plans...anyway, we spent most of the outside and Kori even dropped by to see Meredith. After some serious sun, I came in to make (my now infamous) beer bread to go with the meal I brought over for Nick and Michelle. I made pizza spaghetti pie and italian baked broccoli. (Sorry I don't have any pics.) The rest of the night was spent chowing down and watching Fool's Gold.

Haylee in her very revealing bikini

Haylee, me and her popsicle

On Sunday, Crystal and I served at the 1st 2 services at Watermark and then I attended the JPII graduation. It was so fun seeing alot of my old students give speeches and walk the stage. I was so proud of all of them! After graduation, I went to one of my old cheerleader's graduation parties. I wish I had a picture of the spread (and the cake). Babe's chicken strips, giant shrimp cocktail, a vast array of salads, dips and spreads were just a few of the offerings. Holy cow! I think I filled and refilled my plate about 3-4 times...yikes. And the cake...it was amazing with some sort of cream/raspberry filling. YUM! I also got to see quite a few of my old cheerleaders, and it was great to catch up with them.

The work week sauntered by at a fairly gradual pace, but isn't that the way it goes? What a blessing it is to even have a job at this time, so I continue to pray for a grateful heart and a joyful spirit.

Once the clock struck 5 on Friday afternoon, I headed to the 'rents for some grilling out and a rather cheesy movie. I can't say I recommend the Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, but the food more than made up for the lackluster entertainment. As always, thanks Dad for firing up the grill and having me over!

Yesterday was another sun-filled day at Nick and Michelle's. Haylee and I blew bubbles, swung on the swingset and played in the hose. I can't believe how big my oldest niece is getting. It makes me want to spend every moment with her so I do not miss anything. I can't imagine what a parent feels like. Anyway, I brought over a couple of salads and a homemade key lime pie (Michelle's fave) for them to enjoy. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay through the evening because I had a fundraiser party to attend for Krystal who is in my community group at Watermark.

Crystal, Amber, Crystal (not a typo) and I headed south to Elm Street for the shindig. It was in a really cool space with a bunch of different rooms and a teeny tiny patio that reminded me a whole lot of New York. There was some live music, rock band and a serious photo session. After a couple hours there, we headed to the Londoner and snagged a patio table for the rest of the evening.

my community group (minus 2)

Well, there you have it. Way more than you ever wanted to know about my life, but as uneventful as it may seem, it is my "abundant life."

May you have a glorious Sunday and may you find countless opportunities to love and serve those around you!

a fresh start

Well friends, as you may have noticed, the old blog has received a makeover and a new title. Over the past couple of weeks, the title of my blog has started to bother me. Now, I know this might be a bit deep/introspective for a blog (took the words right out of your mouth didn't I), but the more I contemplated my blog's title, the more I felt it needed to be changed.

Granted, most of my blog's content consists of the details of my life and my opinions on things which I really have absolutely no authority to speak on. However, I decided I didn't want to live in a "world according to me." Instead, I wanted to focus on living the "abundant life" Christ has given me in this temporary world. This is based on the Bible verse that "Christ came so that we might have life, and have it more abundantly." I know this will come as quite a shock to you, but I actually don't have all of the answers. In fact, I have very few answers. The only thing I am sure of in this life is that we are here to love and serve others, and it is through this service that those around us will be pointed to Christ. What an incredible charge we have, and what a poor job I have been doing.

But...this post isn't about feeling guilty, it really is about my new title. It is my deepest desire to point others to the adundant life we have been given through Christ alone. It is not achieved "by actions so that none can boast."

So, there you have it. That is the meaning behind my new title. Thoughts???