memorial day weekend :)

This has been such an AWESOME break from work!!! i got off work on Friday at 12:30 and don't have to be back til Wednesday Morning!! I haven't really had a day off since i started back in September, so it's also a Much Needed break :) And an added bonus is that my sister and her family got here on Thursday and i've been able to spend the weekend with her- and some of my other nephews and niece! Just a few pics of me getting to play with Lola and Dacie

Other than playing with kids, i haven't been able to find much to do :( i have spent HOURS looking for some kind of project or something to keep me busy. i finally found a sewing project i liked and did it this afternoon. Kept me busy for a few hours.

i found it in this book of silly creatures. This one is a "Hexapus"- like an Octopus but it only has 6 legs. Not the best project i ever did, but it still turned out cute :) and my Lola likes it, so that's all that really matters!

can you call it art?

i came home this afternoon and this is what i found... we might make it permanent. maybe pot some plants in it?
my parents are remodeling the master bath and the toilet was replaced today... but i'm really not sure the contractor or plumber meant to leave that there...

While i was outside taking pictures, i snapped one of the flower bed. In case you remember, i planted all new flowers in march during spring break. and they still look awesome!! Except a few of the petunias, they have all grown and blossomed and are still doing really good! we'll see how much longer they last in the summer heat of phoenix...

I wasn't Born in Texas...

...but i got there as fast as i could!!
Most of you know that i spent 2 years living in Texas- Mission, TX to be exact- down in the Rio Grande Valley. I Loved my time there! i made great friends and learned and grew so much! And i love having an excuse to go back and visit!
I took 2 days off last weekend and made a trip down for 4 wonderful days! i knew they would be busy, but i fit in as much stuff as i could!! I flew into San Antonio and my amazing boyfriend drove up from Mcallen to pick me up at the airport. We went to lunch and wandered around the mall for a few hours before we had to get going.
My roommate, Sandra, that lived with me for about 6 months before moving back to utah, was getting Married!! The wedding was at the San Antonio Temple and it was Beautiful!! Sandra is one of the best people i've ever known. She is so kind, and compassionate, and loving, and works so hard!! She taught me SO MUCH the 6 months we lived together and i just love her to death!! i'm so happy for her that she met such an amazing man and i'm SO happy that i was able to be there and celebrate with her!! Sandra and Alfredo.

Sandra with her family- that i came to know and love while i lived down there!! i was so glad they made the trip up to san antonio! her nieces and nephew are so cute and so much FUN!!

LOVE this girl!!

After the wedding, Marc and I drove back to Mcallen that night. we didn't get home til after midnight and we were EXHAUSTED!! Luckily Friday was gonna be a little slower day!

We did some grocery shopping because we were gonna make dinner for his mom on mothers day. there was a small argument about mushrooms :) but we worked through it. Marcy let me go by the school for a little while to visit with coaches, kids, and coworkers. i Love seeing everybody! the RGV was home to me for 2 years- and i think it will always feel like home to me! the people there are Awesome!! We spent the rest of the day going to lunch, hanging out with marcy's dad, looking at apartments and even managed to squeeze in a nap! Friday night we went to Sandra and Alfredo's wedding reception in Mcallen. Again- just fun for me to see and visit with people :)

SATURDAY we got to spend at the BEACH!!!! i LOVE going to south padre island!! i LOVE that it's so close! We took a walk on the beach in the morning, went to the Sea Turtle Rescue Center (which marc has never done before! it's so cool!!), and ended up laying out by the pool instead of the beach cuz it was super windy!

This is at marcy's parents trailer. they have a lot out by the beach for the whole summer!! Sweet!!

i tried to load this picture 3 times, and it keeps loading sideways. but i guess it doesn't really matter. this is one of the turtles at the rescue center. you can't really tell- but they're pretty big! and so close! but don't stick your hands in- they'll bite your fingers right off!!

Can't get enough of this guy!!!

You know your boyfriend is awesome when he'll put up with you making him take pictures like this!!

Marc about to feed one of the turtles. apparently they love romaine lettuce?

Laying out by the pool- trying to get rid of some hideous tan lines!!

We had to head home from the beach saturday afternoon because we had a big night planned!!Marcy did the most AMAZING thing ever and bought us tickets to go see GEORGE STRAIT!!! any of you that know me, know how much i LOVE country music and i have been wanting to see George for YEARS!! i was totally Ecstatic and had to believe it was more than coincidence that he happened to be in concert in the RGV the weekend i was gonna be there! I was so giddy and excited! and George lived up to every expectation!! he was Amazing!!! i LOVE when i have a chance to get dressed up and wear my hat! my boots and belt are regulars in my wardrobe- but the hat is for special occasions :)

LOVE this guy! he is the BEST!!

Sunday was we busy trying to get dinner and dessert started before we went to church at 11. then we only stayed for the first hour because we were going to marcy's parents house to eat at 1:30. we made lasagna and salad and garlic bread- nothing too difficult but it was Really good!! and at least his mom got a break from cooking on mother's day! (although... i'm pretty sure she ended up doing the dishes? oops...)

My flight left mcallen around 6 and i made it home around 11PM- only to get up at 5 and start the week over again! i was totally exhausted- but it's always worth the trip. and i hope i have a reason to go back again soon!

In other news- in case you were interested- i turned in 30 days notice at my job this week. i'm gonna take a nice vacation this summer and then figure out what i'm doing with my life- for REALS this time. it's time to swith careers or something- maybe go back to school. we'll see what i come up with. i'm planning on getting some quality thinking time in idaho and utah this summer.

getting out of town

i was really needing to escape from life this week- so i took off wednesday afternoon and thursday and spent a couple days with my brother and his awesome family in cottonwood! i have 3 nephews and a niece up there and i LOVE that i live close enough to see them- but i definitely don't make it up there as often as i should!
i got to hang out at their house with them wed afternoon and then take all the kids to the park while colton had baseball practice. Then i stopped and bought them all candy on the way home- i'm not the favorite aunt for nothing!! The kids are great- i can't believe how old they're getting and how fast they grow up it seems!! and i LOVE spending time with my sis-in-law Alicia. she is amazing has been such a great counselor, confidant, and friend over the last year. what a Huge blessing in my life!!
These pics are from quality Dacie and Aunt Kerri time on thursday morning. The boys were at school, and alicia had some errands to run, so we got to hang out, just the 2 of us. These were sitting on the porch swing in the morning. SO nice outside!

Feeling Crafty

Things at work have slowed down a lot with spring sports and i've found myself with a little more time on my hands. In an effort to keep myself entertained, i started working on some kinds of crafty things. This is an apron i made for my boyfriend's mom. i've been wanting to make one for her for a long time- but never got around to it. i borrowed the pattern from my sister and she helped me pick the fabric too- it turned out SUPER cute! I was down there this last weekend and gave it to her for mother's day! she loved it!!

I was so excited about it that i decided to make a 2nd one. This one i gave to one of my coworkers for her birthday- she was pretty excited. you can't really tell in the pic- but i used red thread to sew it and it really stood out- just a little more fun :)

I made these 2 picture frames for my mom for mother's day. i bought really basic wood frames at michael's and then used scrapbook paper and spray adhesive. i sanded the edges and used some chalk ink to make it look older. i was pretty impressed with myself how they turned out.

And then there's this random picture on my camera. Sometimes on my lunch break, i grab lunch and head over to Kiwanis Park close to work. i keep a blanket in the back seat of my car- so i sit out and eat. and these ducks get fed WAY too often- they're not afraid of people at all- they just wandered Right up to me. so instead of feeding them, i took their picture. However- i won't be doing this again for a LONG time- it is SO HOT here now!!