My best friend Stacy has a tradition that once a year she hosts a wine and cheese party, known as "Wine Night!" It has evolved, and gotten bigger and better each year. Here is how it works, and why it is so amazing: 1. Each guest brings a bottle of wine, which gets covered in gift wrap by the hosts. This encourages people to try new types and brands of wine. It is also necessary because we vote at the end of the night for our favorite white, and favorite red, and this makes the voting more about the taste and not who brought it or what the bottle looks like. 2. The hosts serve an amazing plethora of cheese, fruit, and crackers. The cheese MIGHT be my favorite part. In fact, as far as I am concerned, it could be called "Cheese Night" and just have a little wine there to wash it down. :) I love trying new kinds of cheese that I have never had, or don't usually buy or eat. It's a little treat for my tastebuds! 3. We got to excersize while we ate and drank! Courtney (Stacy's roomie) has a Wii and owns "Just Dance" a choreography game where you dance along for points. It's like Guitar Hero, but dancing, aka, SO SUPER FUN!! 4. There are PRIZES! Best White and Best Red each win a gift, and, there are party favors for everyone...what amazing hosts indeed! 5. Everyone looks very pretty, and this year, we were especially beautiful on the inside too, because we all brought canned goods to be donated to a local food bank! Good call on that idea Stacy, Courtney and Nicole! Please see the video below to experience the fun and silliness we created this year! (at the end of our music videos, there are still pictures)
Here are a few pics from Wine Night 2007... And Wine Night 2008... I don't care how far away I live from Stacy, every year she hosts a Wine Night, I will be there! Even if I have to drive in JUST for the weekend! :)
Yesterday was pretty much the perfect day. I had absolutely no plans when I went to bed Friday night, but here is how Saturday unfolded. I slept late, and then woke up to a bouquet of flowers from Zac. For now reason at all...wasn't that sweet? We relaxed around the house a bit and then decided to go to lunch. I had been given a card for a free meal at Chick-Fil-A (which I LOVE), so we went there. Yum! After lunch we went shopping to kill some time before a movie. We didn't buy anything, but it was fun to walk around and look. Our local outdoor shopping center put up their Christmas decorations, and it was a gorgeous day, so all this combined made me so very happy. Everyone we passed was in a great mood, and everything just felt right with the world. Plus, we got to go inside Barnes and Noble and if I could bottle the smell of that place, I would! I love it! I have talked about it before, but Zac and I can spend hours in a bookstore, some of it together, and some on are own, but we are both completely content. Next thing we knew, it was time to head to the theater for one of the greatest movies I have seen in ages...The Blind Side! I posted a trailer for it awhile back and have been anxiously awaiting to see it, so I had pretty high hopes, but it surpassed even how amazing I thought it would be! Zac even loved it, and he is quite the movie critic! If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it! I can not say enough good things about it! (Liz, you and Andy should go on at least one more date before Owen comes and see this! You will both love it! I promise!) Another cool thing about the movie is that the little boy in it (who pretty much makes the movie!) is the nephew of one of our close friends. He was also in Hancock, and even played in Friday Night Lights! He was great! When we came home we took a little nap and watched some tv. Awesome right? The day couldn't get any better, but then Ramsi texted and asked if we wanted to hang out tonight. Yay! They came and picked us up around 7, and we took a few pics before leaving the house. I LOVED Ramsi's hair that night! Isn't it gorgeous? I wish mine was long again...and I knew how to do that!
We decided to eat at Papasito's which we LOVE but rarely go to. It is Zac's number one favorite Mexican food restaurant! We were pretty excited to be there... They have the best chicken fajitas, and it comes with this garlic butter sauce. Yum...it's truly heavenly! After dinner we weren't sure what we were going to do. As we were driving, we saw the new Cowboys Stadium and decided to drive closer to look around. Zac knew there was a high school playoff game going on there, but it had already started and we didn't really wanna pay a million dollars just to watch a game we didn't care about. (Our waiter told us at dinner that parking on game day is $60-70 bucks! Isn't that insane?) Anyways, so we start getting closer, and then we see an entrance with no parking attendant taking money. Huh. We pulled in and were just driving a bit, looking up at the massiveness, when "LOOK! There's a FRONT ROW parking spot!...FREE!" So we pulled in to walk around a bit and see the Tom Landry statue. Then Zac remembers that he has a "Texas High School Coaches Association" pass that might get us into the game free. What the heck, we'll try it. So we all walk in, and VOILA! We are in the fancy-schmancy stadium COMPLETELY FREE! In fact, we were kinda/sorta treated like VIP when we walked in, or else the people there are just the friendliest in the world. One of the two. :) Anyways, we walk in and jeeze...this place is incredible! We had to take a pic immediately.
The JUMBO-tron is literally the biggest thing you've ever seen! Well, I don't know, but it's HUGE! It is the biggest in the world! (Click here for more interesting trivia about it, like the fact it took over a year to build, Oh...and guess how much it cost?!) It is so high-def that it almost hurts your eyes to look at it, because it's so crystal-clear! Some guys that coach with Zac were there, so we went and sat with them for awhile. (Yeah, they paid to park...far away, but we didn't rub it in or anything!) Since we didn't really plan to sit at a football game all night, we decided to leave after just a bit. We had already gotten the experience of the stadium (free). Did I mention that parts of it felt more like a 5-Star hotel than a sports venue? Check out this lighting and marble flooring and leather lounges. It really was gorgeous. The building itself is like a piece of art! When we left the stadium, the party was not even over yet. I mean, look at how much fun I had on the way back to Midlo!! :) Yep...I do know that I'm a complete dork! But My best friend Ramsi always says that it's fun to be a nerd, and I have to agree! Also, it's way more fun to be a teenager than an adult! See below for proof...
Last weekend my Mom and Dad and Baw came to visit us. They arrived Thursday, in time to see Zac's freshmen play, so they got here shortly after I got home from work. We went out to eat some BBQ and then went to the game. It was chilly, but not too cold. It was a fun game, and the after-events were even better. (see post below) I took off work Friday to spend more time with them, and also to take my last mandatory teacher certification test, the PPR (Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility), and to go to the doctor for my last post-op check up. Aren't I efficient? :) The doctor appointment went well, and I'll go ahead and fast forward to tell you that I got the results of my PPR on Tuesday, and I passed with flying colors! Yay! I was home by 3pm, so I took a quick nap and then got up to visit with the family. The coach's wives and their families were invited to eat and sit in the suite in the press box at the stadium, so we headed up there before the game for food and to get seats. It was very nice to sit up there, since it was cold, and my grandmother was with us. She gets around okay, but it was nice to be able to sit in big comfy leather chairs, with a table in front of us, as opposed to metal bleachers in the cold. Also, if I haven't mentioned yet, we were 1-8 going into this game, with talks about firing coaches going on around town, so it was nice to be sequestered away from the community. We lost the game, but we all had fun, and all the wives had an easiness and laid-back attitude about the loss, because at least it was the last game, and at least this long season is over, and at least we get our husbands back now. Here is a pic of me Meredith in the pressbox... and here is one of Zac and Baw and me after the game in the stands. Saturday morning we went to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the UT game. After lunch and knowing the Horns were going to win easily, Mom and I headed out to do some shopping. It was a very successful trip, as I got FOUR pairs of shoes (I needed shoes I could wear to work, plus some cute wintery boots), a cute cardigan, and a purse. Mom and I are great shopping partners, and we always have lots of fun shopping together. After the game, Pops and Zac and Baw wanted to go to Sheridan's Frozen Custard for dessert, so Mom and I met them there. I personally don't care for it, but they also had a yumy treat and then we all headed home. We all took a nap, which was nice, and then woke up ready to go eat some Mexican food. Bez and Ramsi came over and went with us to El Fenix in Dallas. Zac and I are having our graduation party there, so we wanted to go try it out and see this specific location. The food was scrumptious, and the margaritas were tasty too. I think it will be a perfect place to have our friends and family help us celebrate being done with school! :) Here is a pic of "the four kids" after dinner... When we got home, we played Zac and Baw's favorite dice game...Farkle. Bez and Ramsi came over one night after my surgery when my mom was in town and we played Farkle, so we all knew what was going on. It was the strangest game of Farkle I have ever played, as no one rolled well all night, but it was super fun. I love hanging with my best friends and my family at the same time. I also love that Ramsi is a family-oriented person like I am. Sunday I did not want them to leave, but they had to go, and I had lots of homework, so we went out to eat and then took a few pics and they headed off. It was such a lovely weekend. We had fun, did some neat things, but got to hang around the house too. I was not wiped out when it was over, like some weekends do to me. LOL! I love my family so much!! Here is a pic of three generations... Like those new shoes I got? Boots with the fur! ;)
My Granny in Midland turned 90 on April 3rd. It was a wonderful weekend of family, fun, and playing outside. It was quite a celebration, as my Granny is a very loved and special lady. Here is a rundown, and a few pics from the weekend...
I rode with Ellen and Nati and Claire to Midland on Friday morning. We had a fun car trip and the kids were a fun excuse to eat Krispy Kreme and McDonalds. (Too bad I don't have their metabolism, haha!) Ellen and I had great conversation and the trip flew by. When we got to Granny's, I met some family I had never met before. They live in Arizona and came in just for the party!! I told you my Granny is loved! We had people come from London, California, Arizona, and all over just to help her celebrate! After some introductions and hugs we headed down to the duck pond and the park. Here's Madeline and Sutton and Emma at the duck pond... Sutton is the son of one of our cousins! I didn't even know that others in the family had adopted besides Ellen and Breagan, so I was so excited to meet Sutton and his sister Emma! Sutton is only five, and Madeline is almost three, but look at the difference! That boy can eat, too! :) Yay! Matt and I used to hang out lots when we both lived in Austin, but now that he is in London, and I am in Small Town, TX we only see each other a few times a year. I cherish the time we get to spend together!! It was the most beautiful day on Friday! Robin, Liz and Madeline enjoyed the swings... When we got home from our outdoor adventure, it was about time for dinner. Friday was Granny's actual birthday and she wore a pipe cleaner tiara all day to help us remember. I think you deserve to do whatever you want when you are 90 and in great health! You go girl! Isn't she cute, though? Just look at her! Madeline waits patiently for her playmate Molly to finish eating. :) We spent Friday night at my cousins Heather and Brad's house. We always have so much fun there, and since they have three teenagers, they always have the best stocked fridge and pantry!! :) Since the church part from 3-5 was going to have tons of food, we decided to skip lunch and just have a hearty brunch. Brad made us each our own omellette, just the way we like it! They were delish! We even had some Mimosas....yum! Once we got to the church, there was an overwhelming number of people there. I bet somewhere between 200-300 people showed up. It was come and go, so not sure of the exact number, but it was alot! The kids looked so cute all decked out...
My cousins and sister looked great too! This is our family. This is just the immediate family. (My Granny, her four kids and their families, so all my aunts and uncles and cousins...I think we are up to 34!?) The Special Lady, herself... My cousin Amy (from my mom's side) came for the celebration. Andy and Zac both had work obligations and could not attend. Here is our family shot. :) That night we had a big dinner at one of the Bar-B-Que joints in town. Amy and Claire looked so cute in their pink! I loved Granny's colorful shirt! :) The BBQ dinner was amazing, and I was reminded by how truly BLESSED I am to have such an amazing and close knit family! My cousins are like extended brothers and sisters, and I appreciate my parents and Aunts and Uncles for emphasizing the value of family to us when we were young. I used to think that our family was "the norm" but now I know we are kinda unique.
I am going to pre-apologize that this post is SOO long, but I had a hard time choosing pictures. This was probably my favorite day of our whole trip! Friday morning, we woke up in Portland and decided to head to the coast. It was Luke's birthday too! :) Yay!! We had heard the Oregon coastline was gorgeous, so we had to go see for ourselves. :) This is a bridge that gets you in and out of Portland. I don't remember the name of it, but it goes over the Colombia River, which borders Washington and Oregon east to west. This is a sight you don't really see in Texas! :) There are so many mountains, sometimes they have to cut a tunnel in the side of the mountain to let the highway pass through... This isn't the best picture, but these logging trucks were everywhere. It was kindof scary driving next to them. (Have you seen "City of Angels?") The road to the coast was windy and curvy, and went up and down and side to side, plus it was raining. It was a beautiful drive, but a little tense if you were the driver. Finally we made it to Cannon Beach! This is the cutest town I have ever been in. Lots of little shops and restaurants, art galleries, etc. Zac, Luke, and Kayla walking down the street looking for a place to eat! Luke's choice, since it was his special day. We passed this cute candy store, and they were making fresh caramel apples. Yum! That's the outside of the candy store. Isn't it the prettiest thing you've ever seen? ;) If I ever open a shop, I will make sure it is very pink on the outside! We decided to eat at Bill's Tavern, and it was a great choice... The inside had cool murals, and this chili-cheese dog on a cold, rainy day was awesome! I ordered this and Kayla ordered a hamburger and we split them and each had half. Both were delicious, but that burger was ah-MAY-zing! Delish! They had a little fireplace inside, which was nice and cozy... After our delicious lunch, we headed to the candy store. Luke bought abunch of Salt Water Taffy. I teased Zac by taking his picture with the caption (a candy bar) "Big Hunk." We drove to a lookout point so you could see down on the beach. That large rock is called a Haystack Rock, and can be seen in the movie the Goonies! :) (that exact one! they filmed in Cannon Beach.) Zac and I at the lookout... We finally found a place to park and got on to the actual beach. I can not explain in words how COLD and windy it was. Brrr! Luke and Kayla getting windblown too... The coast was amazing. Mountains behind you, with tall tall trees, and then ocean in front of you, as far as the eye can see. It's indescribable. We were happy, and giddy like little kids. I think the cold was making our bodies produce a little extra adrenaline too. haha. beautiful!!!! See that rock behind us? Luke got on it and said it was really cool, so I wanted to get on it too... Unfortunately, it was scary to jump on it. The tide kept rushing up, plus the rock was kinda sharp and stuff, AND when Luke jumped on it, he split his pants. So I rolled up my pants (hoping to not get wet) and then I kept pulling my pants up so they would not rip. I bet I stood there a solid 20 minutes trying to pump myself up to jump on it, but I kept chickening out...
Finally Zac just ran and jumped up there, and so I did too. It was totally worth it! Look at these beautiful colorful starfish! I always think of starfish as being white and stiff and hard, but these were definitely jiggly and moving and the prettiest shades of pink, purple, and orange! It's cool to see something like that in nature...
The big rock we were standing on was made of a million shells. I was wandering if I was hurting them by standing on them. Maybe we weren't supposed to stand on them. Oops. Zac exploring the rock... This is my view of the beach from the rock. See how much the tide came up?? We were stuck on the rock for awhile, and had to wait til the perfect time to jump back down. It was very fun though. :) I will never forget the hour we spent on that stretch of beach. It was the best!! :)
The wind made waves, and a bird takes flight... pretty rocks, mountains, ocean, and birds
That says "Oregon March 2009" Even though it was not sunny at all, the whole time we were at the beach, it started to lighten up a little on our drive home. Woah! Look at that big momma cloud, though! Yikes! Once we got back to Portland, to the apartment, Zac and Decided to go for a walk. These beautiful trees were everywhere in Portland, but this was at a park really close to their apartment. This is the entrance to the park. It was cool. Very non-traditional park. We found an entire block that was all Vegan stuff. Zac's brother Eli is vegan, so we were wishing he was with us. There was a vegan grocery store, vegan bakery, and a vegan clothing store. When we got back from our walk, Kayla got back from Baskin Robbins, and we all sang Happy Birthday to Luke. :) He got a yummy ice cream cake with 31 candles on top. I think he was happily surprised! :) Zac and I still had some stuff we wanted to do in Seattle that we didn't get to do on Wednesday, so after the birthday party, we packed up and headed back to Seattle. We had a wonderful stay with Luke and Kayla. Thank you both so much! Y'all were awesome tour guides, and the trip would not have been the same without getting to spend so much time with you guys! We love you! Come to Texas soon! :) So as we made the trip back to Seattle, we crossed the Colombia River one last time... Left Portland and Oregon, and returned to Washington...all on one bridge! :)
At the end of the day we were pooped, but it was one of the best days ever. I didn't know you could enjoy a beach so much when the weather was in the low 40's...but it was awesome! :) Saturday post, coming soon...
And Wine Night 2008...
