All Dressed Up...and Someplace to Go!

About once a year (or maybe once a decade!) Keith and I get really dressed up for a fancy night out on the town. It was such a night last Friday when we got all gussied up for the American School Black Tie Gala at the Intercontinetal Hotel. I actually wore a long dress...first time since we got married! Keith looked soooo handsome in the great suit he bought a couple of years ago and has worn maybe twice. We had a wonderful night. Good company, good food, good fun. Yes, there was dancing....for most people there, but not us! (Keith is just not that into disco.) There was some black jack going on. I did pretty well, but am in no way ready for Vegas! And the silent auction...suffice it to say I wasn't as lucky there as at the black jack table. Just the same, it was FUN getting all dressed up. Maybe we will do another one of those gala things....sometime during the NEXT decade!

P.S. KVH~ My friends in Doha are as cute as my friends in Houston! See???

Christmas Leftovers ( or More Mi Tierra)

I know you are thinking, "Enough already! Christmas was over weeks ago!!!" I just couldn't resist posting these pictures. See why we LOVE to celebrate at this place???

Goodies from the Mexican market

Angels Among Us

Angel on top of a Christmas tree at Mi Tierra in San Antonio

Here I am, a week into jetlag and I finally, just last night, got my first full night's sleep. Oh well, I put some of those sleepless night to good use and started a blog entry. So, I'll finish it now. Besides, I KNOW you guys are all anxious to know how the second half of our Christmas homeleave went....

Sam and I spent one day at the Houston Museum of Natural Science with some dear friends. (Judie and crew) Here I am, pictured with two of my favorite little girls in the whole world, Adrielle and Deborah. We're standing in front of some prehistoric creature. A mastadon, I guess. (Did I spell that right, girls?) The boys were busy hiding from the camera.

There were more fun outings with friends and family. (Sherry C., I need your picture of us at La Mad's. My eyes were closed in mine!) I remembered my camera only some of the time. Darn it all!

Christmas Eve was wonderful. We went to the 6:00 service at First Pres Sugar Land and, of course, I cried when we sang 'Oh, Holy Night!" with the candles. Afterwards we rushed home for the traditional meal of tamales and deli sandwiches. What was for desert? Jesus Birthday Cake, of course! Instead of watching 'A Christmas Story', the movie we watch EVERY year, we watched the football game du jour. That's okay...I'll get used to it.

Christmas Day was wonderful, too. I like not having to get up too early now that the boys are all grown up....or are they? After our again traditional breakfast of SOS, gifts were opened and enjoyed. I got a new lens for my camera, so watch out! I gave Keith a goat....you will HAVE to ask him about that! We had yet another traditional food for Christmas dinner....beer can chicken. OK, so it was a tradition this year. (What's the deal with all these traditions anyway???) The best part of the day was being together with my guys and Mom, Don and my sweet friend Pines. Why the heck I don't have a picture of that, I will never know.

It was the day after Christmas and off we went on our, yes, traditional trip to San Antonio for Christmas with the rest of the family. Friday we met my sister Deb, my brother Mark and all of their precious ones for lunch at Mi Tierra, a fairly famous Mexican restaurant downtown. Yum and yum....not to mention the festive atmosphere. A little shopping in the market next door and our day was complete.

The next day we made the short trek to New Braunfels for the gathering of the Shrull clan. It was so good to be with everyone at Keith's sister's house. A blessing, for sure.

Our last week in Sugar Land was spent shopping, packing, playing and welcoming in, quietly, I might add, 2009. There was lots of football watching going on. Afterall, that was the reason we didn't leave until Jan. 2....and I quote, "There are too many good football games on to leave on the 1st!" Hang the jetlag at school and work. I didn't argue. Keith and Sam were the ones that had to get up and go the morning after we arrived! It was hard to leave but, rest assured, I left something behind to keep an eye on the house...and the big boys. She was worth that $19.86 I spent at the Mexican Market in San Antonio!

P.S. Did I mention that my sister Deb and sister-in-law Sandy have angels exactly like this one? We call them the Sister Angels.

Home Sweet Home

Baby Jesus (and His pony?) in the Manger at my SL church

Okay....all the chicks, and the rooster, are in the nest. And the hen is blogging! It doesn't get any better! Two weeks down, two to go on our holiday homeleave. It has been wonderful so far and I am giddy thinking about how much fun is yet to come. Corny, but true! I have managed to decorate the tree and do some shopping. Notice the wrappped gifts under the branches! Earliest ever, I think. I do still have lots of wrapping left to do...but it's a start. (I should really consider my friend Sherry's suggestion and wrap everything in pillowcases!) I am spending my time doing much more important things, like hanging with the guys and having coffee with friends. (usually hazlenut or gingerbread latte, or something of that sort) Oh yeah, and did I mention eating out? Have had most wonderful lunches and dinners with some of those nearest and dearest to my heart. Parties? Did I say parties? Youth group party, grown up parties....even parties where the grown up ladies all wore matching Christmas ball earrings! (mine were purple!) Now, that is grown up! Christmas would not be Christmas without celebrating our Christmas baby's birthday. Saturday was Sam's 15th (soon to be on the roads!) and we spent the afternoon at the Toyota Center watching a double header basketball extravaganza. Texas played Michigan State and the Aggies played LSU. I will not mention the scores here. Anyway, we got all of our teams covered in one sporting event! Then there was the birthday dinner at Goode Company Barbeque....only in a Texas BBQ restaurant could you get a shot like this! (By the way, I am sure by now you have noticed Will's "Holiday Mustache". Just a vacation thing, he reassures me! Whatever...it's only hair, whether it's on a lip or on the head!) I cried at church last week. It was so beautiful...the music, the place and, most of all, the people. Makes me remember, no matter where you are, freedom to worship is a precious gift. One that I will not soon take for granted again. And, when I get back here to SL for good, will you guys help me remember I said that?? I am looking forward to the weeks ahead....I WILL keep you posted!

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