The Places I Remember

Spain

2009-09-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a great week in Barcelona, Spain. Ceci, my cousin, is/was studing to get her masters and she was a world class tour guide over my 5 days. Good times, great food and amazing "Gaudi" architecture.

30 years, 7 days and counting...

2009-07-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

Although it's been a week since I officially turned 30, I'm still reveling in the novelty of being 30. The only thing I've noticed is that I haven't been carded the last few times I tried to buy a drink, what's up with that? It's like they know I might want them to now, so of course they don't. Oh well, they still accepted our student id's when Jason and I went to a movie so I guess it all works out. Here's a few pics from my fiesta

and Sarah's boat party...

It's going to be a good summer...

2009-06-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

This past Friday, Sofia finally had her baby! Santiago Lucas was born Friday night at 7:36 PM and weighed 8lbs, 8 ounces. I know I'm biased, but he is SO cute! It was very special, once again, to be there to see this little one right after he was born.
Of course, there was plenty of family in town and I feel lucky that once everyone goes home, I get to be here close to watch this little one grow up. I am very excited for them. In addition to the baby fun, Jason and I enjoyed his first Saturday off by going to Krause springs. For anyone that hasn't been out there, it's worth the trip! It's similar to Barton Springs, but more interesting. It has butterfly gardens and a little grotto with a waterfall and plenty of places to picnic and camp. We really liked it and can't wait to go back.

Liam!

2009-05-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post, so I had to post something exciting. Below is a picture of Eileen's baby boy, Liam who is now 21 weeks old!

It's been a crazy few months for her but we're all really excited.
Here's Eileen with a few words of her own...

Hey there. I'm so excited to be back in Austin!(Why I ever left I still don't know) Sorry that I haven't had a chance to see most of you yet but I've been making the rounds slowly and still have a long way to go. I've been keeping busy with job hunting and, of course, Liam! Since most of you are moms, you know, this is an adventure that I could have never prepared for, but I'm loving every minute (ok, maybe not the first 12 weeks of constant vomiting). Still, preparing for what will be the hottest summer of my life, I'm getting more and more used to the idea of being a mom and enjoying every chance to shop that it includes!

I can't wait to see you all soon!

--In the picture: At 18 weeks we discovered that I would have to stop calling my baby boy Grace Helen and switch to, a more suitable, Liam Harold. (He was not very modest about his newly developed boy parts). He weighs about 10oz and has since put on another 6oz to help round out that belly.

Welcome Home Eileen!

2009-03-03T07:48:00.000-08:00

What else is there to say? In a crazy turn of events, Eileen has decided to move back to Austin! I am super excited and really looking forward to spending the next 6 months (before our lease runs out) hanging out with her...just like old times, well almost just like old times, a few things have changed. No more finishing a bottle of wine in one night together- but I do plan plenty of fun activities and gatherings which will include virgin drinks for Eileen and lots of snack and bathroom breaks :) Here's our first activity- Girls Roller Derby at Skateland. It made me really want to go skating.

Happy Birthday Amanda!

2009-02-22T07:46:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was Amanda's birthday so we had dinner and cake at Sarah's then headed over to Main Event to partake in bowling, drinks, skee ball, and a little bit of DDR. Good times :)

Why I Didn't Major in Business

2009-02-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, I made my second attempt to raise money for my Partner of Youth fundraising campaign by opening up a concession stand at one of the YMCA youth basketball game sites. Last week, I made approximately $40, and this week, it was just a bit over that. Unfortunately, I've lost track of how much of my own money I've actually spent- so there's a slight chance I've lost money. Despite my poor business sense, it's been fun getting to hang out with the staff, parents and kids over at East Communities. Like my friend Jordan here, who's a volunteer referee. And Kinny and Roger who are staff members.And of course the young athletes which our fundraising campaign works to help make sure they can continue to participate in activities like these!

P.S. Should you feel inclined to help me with my fundraising efforts, you can donate online and help the hundreds of kids and families in Austin that benefit from financial assistance provided by the Y :) Thank you!

Peter Pan

2009-01-27T18:20:00.001-08:00

This putt putt course on Barton Springs has been around for, I don't know, 20 years? While the course shows its age in places, it's a fun (and inexpensive) way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I've been here half a dozen times or so, but until this past weekend, I had no idea that it was BYOB (thanks Jason)! So Aaron if you're reading, this would be a great place to spend time with your new son/daughter, while enjoying a cold one :)

2009 YTD

2009-01-20T08:47:00.000-08:00

So far in 2009...

-Jessie has been in (and hopefully out) of a chewing phase. On the menu of things she ate/destroyed this month were: a book, a magazine, an alarm clock, some place mats, a remote control, a few coasters and a jewelry box with some watches. However, I've discovered that a little more exercise (which means early morning walks in the cold) seems to have dissipated her need to chew...just have to keep it up!

- Basketball season started for us at the YMCA, so Jason's back to working Saturdays and evenings, but continues to enjoy it (and do a great job overseeing the program, might I add :). We are also entering our fundraising season where our goal is to raise money to provide year round support for kids and families who cannot afford the full price of membership, after school care and sports and activities like the basketball leagues.

- I started a boot camp class. It's three times a week and includes lots of running, jumping jacks, push ups, squats and other drills that make you very sore. It's been fun though, and I think I'll survive the remaining 5 weeks.

- And last but not least, Sofia is starting to look pregnant! She seems to be feeling really good and the baby's just growing along. They move into their new place next weekend and start getting even more ready for “the kid.” Let the countdown to June begin… Here’s a picture of us from this past weekend, we went up to Georgetown for some posole, yum.

Belated Thanksgiving Pics

2008-12-06T08:42:00.001-08:00

Good times were had in Brownsville, TX- 84 degree days, an awesome turkey dinner, a visit to the Eric's Taekwondo school & Leti's store/event planning company, a little shopping, a huge Texas win over the Aggies, a ping pong tournament and...
now that the cat is out of the bag I can add, a visit to the doctor to see Sof and Aaron's baby! Yep, I'm going to be an aunt, no...second cousin? Whatever, I'm excited and look forward to the little GIRL (my uneducated, but correct guess) to grace us with her presence in June.

The Guadalupe River in the Fall

2008-11-24T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Guadalupe River is usually a destination reserved for summers in Central Texas, but this weekend proved that it's also a great place to camp and eat the first of several Thanksgiving dinners. Thanks to J for including Amanda and I on this wonderful tradition, we had a great time!

Eileen's Last Weekend

2008-11-11T10:49:00.000-08:00

Eileen was in town this weekend to pack up her stuff and trade Austin in for Cheyenne, Wyoming. She and "the one that took her away," as we like to call her boyfriend Chris :) came in on Wednesday night and spent the week packing things up at the house. They left Sunday afternoon after what I think was a good weekend, despite a few tearful goodbyes.
On Friday night, we stole them away from packing for one last taste of live music and tex-mex at Maria's. Saturday, after a day of football and bar-b-que at the house, we headed downtown for dinner and drinks.
As I told Eileen, I know it's the beginning of a new stage in our friendship, but I will still miss my best friend, my roommate, my wifey of 2 years ;) We love you, Eileen, and wish you all the best.

November already?

2008-11-03T21:47:00.001-08:00

The last couple of weeks have flown by, it's hard to believe it's already November. Jessie and I enjoyed some rest this past weekend, although we did go to for a short hike as well as to J's soccer game.
Sure, she looks all calm in the picture, but in real life, she was dying to jump in the game and play. Maybe next week...

Eileen will be here this week to pack up and move, sad. Will post pictures of her in remembrance soon.

Happy Birthday Jessie

2008-10-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Jessie's birthday was yesterday. She turned one. I got her a few new toys, including this bone. We also went over to J's house so she and Max could play, which they did until they fell asleep (on the couch). This weekend, I'm taking her to the dog park to meet a few more doggy friends. It's not officially a party, but there might be some doggy bakery treats involved. I know, I know, she's spoiled. I can't help it. Look at how far we've come! While she's always been great, I like to think I had at least a little something to do with the fact that she's become a friendly, sweet, well behaved dog. That's reason to celebrate in my book!

Jogo Feio

2008-10-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Nasty game. That's what J's soccer team's name translates to from Porteguese, and this past weekend, it rang true. I went out to watch him play on Sunday and while they beat the other team by only one, if it wasn't for the strong wind they were playing into, I think the score would have reflected thier domination. My mom came out to watch the game for a little while too and again impressed me with how much she knows about soccer, you'd think she grew up in a country where they were into it or something?

Jessie was also at the game, she even got to go to the post game celebration. She does very well in bars apparently. I guess I have Aaron and Sof to thank for that since they took her to her first bar at the young age of 3 months.

I'll post more pictures later this week of my new office. I get to work from home today because they are rearranging our offices. Today we get the new furniture, which luckily for us means right now we have no phones or computers. I am moving into what I think use to be a large closet. It does, however, have a window, so that's good. I'll post some pictures as soon as I'm all moved in!

Austin City Limits

2008-10-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

Just a few pictures from last weekend...I only did one day of ACL as opposed to the three full days we did last year. It was plenty. Besides, I got an extra dose of music at a Rock the Vote party on Saturday night where we saw ACL artists Nicole Atkins and The Black and White Years. All in all, another good weekend in ATX.

Goodbye to Summer

2008-09-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

This past week, we got our first glimpse of fall with some cooler temperatures and shorter days. It was nice to get a break from the 100 degree weather, but as usual, I am sad to see summer go. Luckily, there are still a few fun fall activities in store...

This weekend, Sarah and I went to the Texas-Rice game. We got tickets from a friend and sat in the newly opened north end seats, which were awesome. They have a great view of the entire field, not to mention the jumbo tron is directly in front of you. It was not the most exciting game (Texas won 52 to 10) but it was still fun to be in the game atmosphere and see the team in person.

Here are a few pictures from last weekend that I hadn't posted yet...it was a really long week.

Eileen was in town so we went out for dinner and drinks.

Then Sunday, J and I discovered the Corral Theater, an outdoor walk in theater in Wimberly. You bring your own chairs and sit under the stars watching a movie. We caught the last show of the season. It was a nice way to cap off a great summer.

A Word From Jessie

2008-09-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Jessie, the dog here. Since my mom likes so much to post pictures of me to her silly little blog, I asked her to give me a chance to give you my side of things. So here you go...This is me and Lola. Lola and Leonard, who are friends of mine, came to stay with me Tuesday through Thursday last week while their mom was on a work trip. Lola likes to stand up on her hind legs and box with my nose. I don't mind too much though because I am bigger than her and can fit her whole head in my mouth. Leonard (Lola's brother) on the other hand, doesn't like to play too much. He's what the two legged folks call shy, I've never heard of that, but you know, he's still cool. Here's a picture of Lola and Leonard's mom with my mom. They went out to dinner with my aunt Sofia and Aaron. We stayed home and had dog food...again. This weekend was pretty good too. Despite mom being out of the house for most of Sunday to watch football with friends (see below), she took me out to Bull Creek on Saturday, which was pretty fun.

We went hiking for a little bit and then played around in the water.

This is me meeting a friend of my own.

I hope I get to go back there soon. There are lots of things to do, lots of dogs to play with. I kind of think my mom also likes it there becuase she's hoping to meet up with the owner of a dog name Max....hmmm.

Well, that's it for now folks, take care and come and visit me any time! If you do come, feel free to bring treats. Thanks.- JESSIE

Football, Running and Flavor Day

2008-09-02T08:05:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again, Longhorn football season!
This weekend Texas opened up their season by slightly beating (52 to 10) Florida Atlantic University. I went to a friend's tailgate with Bailey and Kreuzer and then watched the game from Maggie Maes, which ended up being a good place to be, $2 beers, free BBQ, big screens, not too bad. It was nice to be back in burnt orange... Sunday, I changed into bright red for Nike's Human Race, a world wide run benefitting 3 non profit organization. A group of YMCA staff members headed out to be part of this 10k run, in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. While I've walked a 10k before, this is the first time I attempted to run one. The course was tough (lots of hills), so I still walked about 2 miles, but ran the rest. I came in 3,968th out of the Austin female runners with a time just under an hour and a half...hey, at least it's a starting place! A few of my coworkers and I stayed to enjoy the Ben Harper concert and some delicious food at the Nike Pavillion. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday evening.

Monday, I invited a few people over to the house for a backyard BBQ. We enjoyed some yummy chicken and veggie kabobs, sides and desserts. Thanks to Bailey, Labor Day will now officially be called Flavor Day, just one more holiday that's all about eating. Amber, Chuck and Rora came over as well. I forgot to take pictures, so you'll just have to check out thier blog for pictures of how cute 'Rora is these days...

Now, off to start a new week!

Why I love Austin

2008-08-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

There are so many reasons why I love this city, but over these past few days, I was reminded just how lucky I am to be here and be surrounded by such great people and fun things to do. Friday I had lunch with Amber, Aurora and a past LAF intern at Magnolia Cafe, yum.

After work, I enjoyed this awesome sunset, a few beers and some great live music on the deck of a small neighborhood bar that's been around for 50 years. It was pretty perfect.Saturday, friends and I headed out to Tow Texas to Fall Creek Vineyard for their annual grape stomp. We sat at a table with three ladies who were celebrating their birthdays. They told us about their travels, grandkids and love of wine. I think we got a glimpse into our future. Fortunately we liked what we saw...

Thanks Austin, for another great weekend.

Quick note from work

2008-08-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

While it's completely unprofessional (and out of character) for me to post while I am work, it's been so long since my last update that I'm feeling guilty! So, I figure as long as it's a short post and somewhat about work, it's OK. This past few days have been fun here at the Y, Amanda came in to the office to volunteer on Monday and Tuesday and the week before, my sister came in to help. My co workers are loving all this free help I'm bring in! :) On Tuesday night, we had a staff outing at the RR express game and had a great time. The weather held out and I really enjoyed getting to hang out with my co workers outside of our work element.

Last weekend, Sofia, Aaron and I went to Casino El Camino to have one of thier famous burgers. They were SO good. Aaron disapproved of my pool skills, but approved of the burgers.

We also went to the Flying Saucer for some beer. I got a Texas flight which I loved, probably becuase it came in cute, small glasses.

On the homefront, Jessie is gaining some independence! My dad installed a doggy door for her. While it took her a few days to realize it was OK for her to come and go on her own (without my calling her), she now loves it and loudly flaps in and out many, many times a day...

Cute Kids

2008-08-10T20:55:00.000-07:00

I love kids, espeically when they are cute, good and not mine! ;) I'm sure one day I'll be ready for kids of my own, but for now, I am perfectly happy enjoying other people's. This weekend, I got to hang out with my favorite little cutie, Rora, at Raquel's baby shower. Raquel is due any day now- so another cute one soon! I also get to see a little older cuties from time to time at the new job. Our staff heads out to the branches during events, so this past Friday, we went to watch the summer camp kids get prizes for reading. It's nice to take these breaks from office. We get to interact with the staff and see the kids, which makes the paperwork and "fire putting out" worth it!

Hello, Eileen.

2008-08-03T19:04:00.001-07:00

It was Eileen's weekend to be in town so we decided to head out to the Nutty Brown Cafe to listen to some music and enjoy a warm Texas summer night. For you Austinites- if you haven't been out there, I highly recommend making the short treck out 290 to enjoy a margarita and listen to some music out on their deck, good stuff.

I also took Jessie to Red Bud Isle, a new (for us) dog park. It's been recommended by several other dog owners and considering the 102 degree weather, I thought Jessie would enjoy being able to cool off in the water. I wouldn't call Jessie a swimmer, per say, she's more of a wader. She watches in admiration as the labs and retrievers dive in to fetch balls, but in the end is much more content just cooling off in the shallow end.

Jess and I both miss Eileen, but we're glad she comes to visit!

A Nice Weekend...

2008-07-28T21:05:00.000-07:00

While this past weekend wasn't quite as exciting as being in Chicago, it was still a great one. I got a lot marked off my to-do list (which always makes me a happy camper), I got to use my new bar-b-que grill, I took Jessie to the dog park, went to the drafhouse to see a movie and made it up to Georgetown on Sunday. Sof, Aaron and I were hoping to finally go to the the lake while in G'town, but when we arrived, we learned that it was closed. Apparently the lake being 13ft below its usual level is a bad thing. So instead mom took us, old school style, to one of the city pools...good old Williams Drive, where I spent countless hours at swim practice or working. I can't say I miss those 12 hour days in the sun...

Here's a couple of pictures of Lucy (my parent's dog) and Jessie too...the smile on Lucy's face tells me they had a good weekend as well :)

Skinny Atlas & the Shiny Bean

2008-07-22T21:39:00.001-07:00

Skaneateles (pronounced something like skinny atlas) is a very cute lakefront town on one of the finger lakes in central New York. I spent a day here, before embarking on the trip to Chicago with my sister. She had been at a cabin for a couple of weeks with a friend, who's grandparents own the cabin on the lake. What a great place to spend part of your summer!

On to the big city...

When my friend, Sarah, told me that while I was in Chicago, I should find the "shiny bean," I didn't think that one, I would actually find it (especially since I was thinking it still might be a shining beam or perhaps a shiny being) and two that it would be one of my favorite things about the city! This shiny bean which is actually a sculpture in Millennium Park called Cloud Gate, was just one more thing to add to my list of things I loved about Chicago. Additional items on my list were the food, the shopping, the architecture, the numerous parks and flowers, Lake Michigan, the Ferris wheel on Navy Pier, the view of the city from the Hancock Center, and probably a few more things that I'm forgetting. As you can tell, I truly enjoyed my time in Chicago. I know this is easy to say having visited in late July, when temperatures were in the low 80's. Not sure how I'd fare in winter, maybe one day I'll go back and find out! Thank you so much to Tessa & Rahul for being magnificent hosts, and letting us be their first guests in their beautiful new house!