a day in the life of the curs....

The Crafting Bakers: Handcrafted Comfy & Cozy Holiday Pack--2Seeds Holi...

2011-12-02T08:17:00.000-06:00

The Crafting Bakers: Handcrafted Comfy & Cozy Holiday Pack--2Seeds Holi...: We recently donated the following "Comfy & Cozy Holiday Pack" of handmade goodness to the 2Seeds Network Holiday Auction ! Holiday pack in...

The Crafting Bakers: First Crochet Project Complete!

2011-10-20T07:05:00.000-06:00

Here is a link to my first official crochet project (baby steps!). Friends and family, one of these babies may be coming your way around Christmas time (just typing Christmas time makes me really happy and excited for the holidays!).

The Crafting Bakers: First Crochet Project Complete!: With inspiration from the cooler fall days and from these awesome girls , I decided to try my hand at crocheting! Sure, I've crocheted litt...

The Crafting Bakers: Fall Decor!

2011-09-11T17:03:00.000-06:00

The Crafting Bakers: Fall Decor!: Even though it's still 90 degrees out, I am getting in the fall mood! Football, tailgating, leaves changing color (though it's probably du...

The Crafting Bakers: Upcycled Bottle Cap Wine Glass Charms!

2011-09-07T10:24:00.000-06:00

The Crafting Bakers: Upcycled Bottle Cap Wine Glass Charms!: I recently attended a wine party with some friends, and in preparation for the party I thought it would be fun to make affordable, cute an...

Kiva.org

2011-08-12T20:05:00.002-06:00

http://kiva.org/invitedby/stephanie35991327

Such an awesome organization!

Cutest Baby Shower Idea Ever

2011-08-10T19:07:00.004-06:00

I absolutely fell in love with this baby shower idea from KojoDesigns. I mean how cute are these girls?! I am SO borrowing some of these ideas for one of my friends...who will it be?!

Retro Patchwork Baby Shower!

The Crafting Bakers: "Dinner at the Cunningham's" Recipe

2011-08-09T20:34:00.000-06:00

The Crafting Bakers: "Dinner at the Cunningham's" Recipe: "Another Kelly original! This one is to die for!!! Try it....TONIGHT!
Just the other week, friends and I were invited over to my dear f..."

The Crafting Bakers: Homemade Fruit Leather

2011-08-08T08:50:00.000-06:00

The Crafting Bakers: Homemade Fruit Leather: "As many of my friends know, I recently watched the movie 'Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead' and have since become obsessed (well, not really!) wi..."

Etsy Shop is Back Up!

2011-07-28T07:04:00.001-06:00

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OtyKaiCrafts?ref=badge

Check it out for new products for sale!

The Crafting Bakers: Kelly's FAMOUS Chocolate Chip Cookies....Yum!

2011-07-27T07:23:00.000-06:00

The Crafting Bakers: Kelly's FAMOUS Chocolate Chip Cookies....Yum!: "You guys are in for a SERIOUS treat today! Here is the recipe for Kelly's fantabulous (yes, it's a word in my world!) chocolate chip cooki..."

The Crafting Bakers: Upcycled Wine Bottles

2011-07-24T09:22:00.000-06:00

The Crafting Bakers: Upcycled Wine Bottles: "Have you ever wondered what to do with left over wine bottles (besides recycle them?)? Well, I have the perfect solution--modge podge and o..."

Pair to open eatery, bar in Bryan | Bryan/College Station, Texas - The Eagle

2011-07-21T11:40:00.000-06:00

Pair to open eatery, bar in Bryan | Bryan/College Station, Texas - The Eagle

Our newest "baby"

2011-07-21T11:39:00.001-06:00

Since we don't have kids yet, I like to call our new business ventures our "babies"...

Here's our #3 baby: The Proudest Monkey in Downtown Bryan.

See the article below for some more info and stay tuned for more pics and updates...and of course the grand opening date.

Stephanie

The Crafting Bakers!

2011-07-20T12:04:00.000-06:00

Check out our new all things crafting and baking blog @ http://thecraftingbakers.blogspot.com

We'll post pics of all of our trials and tribulations of crafting and baking!

Enjoy!

The Dancing Pup

2011-06-14T13:27:00.000-06:00

While I was home, I had the chance to go to EK's first dance recital! She was absolutely precious and did a fantastic job.

here are some pics of the dancing pup (I can't believe how grown up she looks) and after the recital:

A rose from Colin!

Easton Turns 2!

2011-06-14T13:10:00.001-06:00

I can't believe it's been two years since little buddy was born....it's been a crazy two years! Here are some pics from his precious "Surfs Up" party that Kristin and Brice threw for him. The kids had an absolute blast....pool, slip-n-slide, snowcones, candy....lots of fun!

Here are some pics:

The Foster Family (post party)

Poppa and Buddy (Easton got the hat from Poppa for his bday!)

I couldn't resist posting this b/c it's too funny! What a face!

Blowing out the candle on his snowcone! (under the surf board garland I attempted to make!)

E loved the slip n slide once he figured it out (thanks to Brice for showing everyone how it's done)

Wreath I made for the party!

Terrarium Obsession!

2011-05-12T11:25:00.000-06:00

I've recently become obsessed with making terrariums....it's fun, easy and relaxing. And, the best part it, these things are hard to kill, which is exactly what I need.

Here are a few pics from the ones I made this week:

We are the CHAMPIONS!

2011-04-06T07:45:00.000-06:00

Whoop! Way to go Lady Ags!

NCAA Championship Games in Houston

2011-04-05T16:31:00.000-06:00

We can scratch this one off the list!

This past weekend we went to Houston for the men's NCAA basketball championship Final Four games and the final game last night. We had a great time....along with the other 75k people at the games!

Here are some pics....sorry for the out of whack order:

UConn Wins! (we were rooting for Butler...none our our "teams" won!)

Final Game

Laura and Ben

Aaron's Sad Face That VCU Lost :(

National Anthem

THE Championship trophy!

Brandon and Stephenie

Before Saturday's Game

Cancun

2011-03-30T16:52:00.000-06:00

One word....AMAZING!

This trip was JUST what we needed...not only a little vacay from the hustle and bustle of life in the microplex, but also a chance to catch up with our very dear friends!

We lounged on the beach (a lot!), cooked great food (well, brook and gary cooked), gambled (I even won $100 playing 10 cent peso slots!) and went on an awesome excursion to the cenotes.

Our excursion included mountain biking, zip lining, repelling, snorkeling through the cenotes and an ATV ride. It was incredible! I highly recommend this to anyone up for a little adventure! The cenotes were breathtaking to say the least!

Needless to say, when Wednesday rolled around, we were not ready to leave!

Here are some pics from the trip:

I want these!

2011-03-30T09:39:00.000-06:00

I know, I know, I've been really really back at this blogging stuff recently. I promise to get some pics from Cancun and the new building up soon!

In the meantime, I ran across this site, and I absolutely WANT THESE Sseko sandals! Such an awesome organization and cause. I am so inspired when I run across organizations like this.

Here's some info from their site:

Sseko \say-ko\ Designs was created to help these bright young women continue their education. The Ugandan school system is designed with a nine month gap between secondary school and university. These nine months are intended to allow time for students to earn money for tuition before continuing on to university. However, in an impoverished and male dominated society, many of these young women struggle to find fair work during this time.

Sseko Designs hires recent secondary school graduates for this nine month period to live and work together, while earning money that will go directly towards their university education. These women will not make sandals forever. They will go on to be doctors, lawyers, politicians, writers and teachers that will bring change and unification to a country divided and ravished by a 22 year-long war.

Sseko Designs is a not-just-for-profit enterprise that recognizes the power of business and responsible consumerism to support sustainable economic development, which in turn affects a country's educational, justice, and health care systems. The goal of Sseko Designs is two-fold: provide university tuition for these promising young women through a sustainable monthly income, while also contributing to the overall economic development of Uganda.

Although consumerism makes many empty promises, responsible and proactive consumerism has the ability to change lives. Like the lives of Mercy, Mary and Rebbecca.

Every sandal has a story. This story has only just begun, but with your help, it will be a story of hope, success and change.

Check out their site: http://www.ssekodesigns.com/ and buy some sandals!

Awesome Flowerbib Necklace

2011-03-17T11:13:00.000-06:00

I just ran across this awesome necklace idea! I am definitely going to try to make one on my own...isn't it super duper cute?!

http://www.mandipidy.com/2010/06/tutorial-making-of-necklace-and.html

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Cinnamon Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

2011-03-14T14:42:00.001-06:00

Over the weekend, I made cinnamon sugar pull apart bread (thanks Joy the Baker for the recipe http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/03/cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread/ ) for a get together with the girls.

let me tell you...it was fantabulous! I highly recommend everyone who loves bread, sugar and/or cinnamon give it a try. It's a little time consuming, but well worth the wait (and the calories...though I may not be thinking that in my swim suit in Cancun THIS WEEKEND!).

We're going to.....

2011-02-11T15:01:00.000-06:00

CANCUN!!!!!!

Spur of the moment decision, but we're doing it! And, thanks to our awesome friends Brook and Jen (and Brogan) for the invitation! March 19th can't get here soon enough! I've only been to Cancun once, and it was for work (no complaints for my traveling job!), so I didn't get to do anything fun/touristy.

So, here's my "to do" before leaving:
1. lose 10 pounds
2. train for a 5k
3. lose the love handles
4. find a new bathing suit
5. tan (yes, I know it's bad!)
6. download silly girly books to my nook!

New Posts Coming Soon!

2011-01-31T08:59:00.001-06:00

I've been a horrible blogger lately....so much for that new years resolution.

I'm working on the following posts and hope to have them up soon!

--Christmas!

--Warrior Dash

--Latest Crafting Projects

Stay tuned.....

Delicious Chocolate Covered Oreo Balls

2010-12-14T14:26:00.000-06:00

I don't know the actual name for these things, but I think they sounds fantastic. I say "think" because I haven't tried the final product yet (just bits and pieces of it!).

I got the idea from my friend Dana. It's SUPER easy, and they look really yummy (pics to come later).

Here's how I made them:

Ingredients:
1 package of Oreos
1 8oz block of cream cheese
Powdered sugar (to add to cream cheese)--add to taste :)
Chocolate bark
White bark
Candy cane pieces (or any other topping--I bought some Andes Peppermint Chips)
Small cupcake holders

Steps:
1. "Puree" half the package of oreos, set aside
2. melt cream cheese, with powdered sugar added to taste
3. mix cream cheese and oreos in large bowl
4. refrigerate for 2 hours or so (until it's no longer "sticky")
5. roll mix into quarter size balls (warning your hands get really messy!) and place in little cupcake holders--I placed mine in a cake pan
6. refrigerate balls for 30 minutes or so
7. warm up barks in separate bowls (I used three bars from the package and it was way too much)
8. spoon out bark of your choice to cover each ball
9. sprinkle your topping on the top
10. Refrigerate long enough for bark to harden
11. Enjoy (which is what I'll be doing later this evening)

Christmas Stocking for Noelle

2010-12-13T11:04:00.000-06:00

The Christmas stocking I made for my friend Kelly's sweet baby girl, Noelle! Don't mind the craftsmanship :)

Stay tuned for more crafting pics...I organized my craft corner last night and am ready to rock and roll on the remainder of my Christmas gifts!

Vegas Vacation & NFR

2010-12-09T13:11:00.000-06:00

Last weekend, Aaron and I met my parents and sisters (and Brice) for a little family vacation in LAS VEGAS! We were celebrating Maddie's 21st bday (a little belated!) and going to the National Finals Rodeo for Remembrance Night--my great uncle was a pro-rodeo bull dogger and was being recognized.

Let me just say, we had an absolute blast!

Here are some of my highlights of the trip:

Watching Kristin try sushi for the first time--and she liked it!
All the rhinestones and cowboy hats...man, they were everywhere!
Christmas decorations at Bellagio
Ice cream and frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity 3
Singing along to a Garth Brooks look-a-like on Fremont St...so much fun!
Winning $100 on the Sex and the City Penny Slot Machine
Going to my first NFR and taking Aaron to his first rodeo ever...yes, I married a Yankee :)
Singing Christmas carols in the limo, and, of course, my dad saying "how you doin'?" to every car we passed
Visiting the Venetian bridge where we got married (aww) and eating gelato
Last but certainly not least, spending time with my amazing family!!!!

Here are some pictures from the trip--

Family Pics

The Limo!

Singing Garth Brooks' Songs...We're big nerds

Decorations

It's All Flowers!

The Rodeo

My Dad's in heaven....

Turkey Day!

2010-11-30T12:17:00.000-06:00

Aaron and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with his family in Burleson! For the first time ever, all of Aaron's family (minus his youngest brother) met to celebrate. We had a fantastic meal (which led to lots of over eating) and lots of fun playing with all 6 of our nieces and nephews!

After Thanksgiving lunch, Aaron and I hopped in the car and drove to Austin for the big TAMU vs. tu game. It was my first UT game, and boy did I pick a good one! We beat the Longhorns in Austin! so much fun! UT has a great stadium and atmosphere (and really nice fans).

After the game, we crashed at Ash's house. Ashley and I woke up bright and early to...you guessed it....go early morning shopping with all the crazies! Neither of us had ever been, but it was so much fun!! We finished the morning off with breakfast with my second mom, Christi, at Dan's--DELISH!

I love the holidays!!!

Holiday Decorating!

2010-11-30T12:14:00.000-06:00

I have been a busy little bee decorating the house for Christmas! And, for the first time ever, we have a tree up BEFORE the end of November....if we have a tree, it's not usually until a few days before Christmas. I decided this year, however, we're going to decorate much earlier (and it didn't hurt that I planned a holiday party at our house for December 1st!).

Here are some pics of the tree and front door wreath...it's getting there! I'll post more pics later.

Stay tuned for pics from the holiday party!

Etsy Shop is Open...Almost!

2010-11-22T14:00:00.001-06:00

So, I'm in the final stages of opening an Etsy shop (OtyKaiCrafts). Check it out! I'm hoping to have items listed by the end of this week.

Crafting Galore!

2010-11-16T12:19:00.000-06:00

To say that I've had an obsession with crafting recently would be a mild understatement! It's not only been a MAJOR stress reliever but also a fun way of making Christmas gifts for friends and family and holiday decorations. I've found some awesome online tutorials, which have sparked lots of new ideas....my binder of crafting projects grows on a daily basis!

Here's what I worked on over the weekend:

Holiday Wreaths (some gifts, some unclaimed...let me know if you're interested!)

Tea Wreath

Paper Christmas Tree

Cowl Scarf

Bows for EK & Beanie for E

Punch Card/Business Card Holder

Not Quite Finished Burlap Stockings (still trying to decide how to finish them off!)

With the holiday week coming up, I'm sure I'll have more to post soon!

Holiday Gift Exchange

2010-11-12T12:00:00.001-06:00

Such a fun idea!

Latest Fall Wreath

2010-11-07T09:47:00.001-06:00

Here's the latest fall wreath I made...tried a new type of flowers for this one. This wreath will be donated to the Bryan/College Station Sister Cities fall raffle drawing (if you're in B/CS, visit WorldFest next weekend to purchase tickets and to see some great exhibits!)

Next up...Christmas wreaths!!

Sweet Victory.....

2010-11-07T09:19:00.000-06:00

33-19....need I say more?! The Wrecking Crew is back! Now, let's just hope we can win out the rest of the season!

Makes me teary eyed every time!

The excitement begins!

Now forming at the north end of Kyle Field....after all these years, I still love the band!

Victory! Whoop!

Yee Haw!

2010-11-07T09:09:00.000-06:00

This past Friday night, several friends and I had a country night on the town....including, boots, chunky jewelry, Texas BBQ, and a Miranda Lambert concert! We had the BEST time...these girls are awesome. Already looking forward to our next outing :)

Here are some pictures from the night--

4202 Oaklawn Reunion

2010-11-07T09:03:00.000-06:00

The 4202 Oaklawn girls (minus AgBag) came in town for a much needed reunion! It was GREAT to see everyone and to catch up....like always, regardless of how much time passes between our visits, we pick up like we're still living down the halls from each other. I love these girls and am so thankful for their friendship!

Viva Italia!

2010-10-26T11:42:00.001-06:00

Need I say more?! Italy has most definitely risen to the top of my favorite countries list! It was MAGNIFICENT! I now know why Aaron, Evans, Baggett, Gab and everyone else who has ever been to Italy is in love with the place. The sites, the food, the wine, the art, the shopping, the dramatic people…..

Even though I was there for work, I still got to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Rome and Florence and a little site-seeing, too.

I took 1459 photos while in Italy (yes, I went a little crazy). I need to cull through them, but thought I would post a few since I am horrible at uploading and sharing photos!

Enjoy!

10.10.10

2010-10-26T09:53:00.000-06:00

As I’ve said before, Aaron and I are so fortunate to have the most amazing friends! Each year we have a “Final Run” (name of the guys’ listserv) reunion, and this year was no exception. For the past several years, we’ve met up on 7.7.07, 8.8.08, 9.9.09 and, yep, you guessed it on 10.10.10 for this year.

We all met in Austin this year for ACL on Friday (lots of Phish fans in this group) and then headed out to Lake Travis. It was an absolute blast and so much fun to meet some of the newcomers (including the Final Run babies!). We did nothing but eat, drink, play music (well, not me, but I did take my new African drum), relax, hang out and be outside. It was perfect!

I’m working on uploading photos to snapfish and will share when they’re ready.

I miss everyone already and am looking forward to 11.11.11 (Arkansas?!)!

Return to Indonesia (#15!)

2010-10-26T09:47:00.001-06:00

For those of you who know me, you know that I LOVE Indonesia…it holds a very special place in my heart for a number of reasons. So, when I have the opportunity to travel back for work (too expensive to go otherwise), I am in heaven! In early October Ambassador Bost, Dr. Price, Joey and I traveled back to Jakarta for the Indonesia-USA Partnership: Agricultural Technology and Investment Forum that we helped to coordinate. The Forum was a great success and a fantastic opportunity to discuss ways that we can partner with Indonesia Institutions.

Here are a couple of pictures from my visit to Bogor (thanks Pur, Nuri and Lilis for the hospitality!).

Flower Lampshade

2010-09-27T09:53:00.000-06:00

I'm still on my crafting kick!

Here's a lampshade and more fabric flowers I made this weekend.

Lampshade before

Lampshade After

Next up, I'm going to attempt curtains and decorative pillows and canvas bags (using the fabric flowers).

South African Vacation!

2010-09-20T11:43:00.001-06:00

Aaron and I had a blast on our South African adventure! The weather was perfect and we got to see lots of amazing things--animals, museums, villages, townships, etc. I think on our next African adventure, however, we're going to get to the beaches--Cape Town or maybe Vic Falls.

Here are some pictures from our trip!

My birthday surprise when I got to the hotel room! Aaron is the BEST at surprises :)

Lesedi Cultural Village

In/Around our Hotel (Sandton/Nelson Mandela Square)

Safari!

(can you tell giraffes are my fav?!)

Apartheid Museum & Soweto Township

Meet Drake!

2010-09-20T10:40:00.000-06:00

Meet the newest member of the Curs clan! He's a handful to say the least, but we're growing to love him more and more!

Crafting Projects

2010-09-20T10:16:00.000-06:00

I've been in a crafting mood lately! I even bought a new sewing machine!

Here are some recent pics of things I'm making:

Fall Wreath
(had so much fun crafting with Ash!)

Felt Bows
I'm on a felt bow kick as well :) I'm making bows, clips and decorations.

Last night I sewed a few pillows and a camera strap...no pics, but I'm pretty proud :)

Stay tuned for more pics.

Nightmares in London, Casablanca and Lagos!

2010-07-22T23:39:00.000-06:00

After 98 hours of travel time, Ambassador Bost and I finally made it to Ghana! We had to cancel all of our appointments in Liberia….here’s why—

London:
• We arrive in London expecting to have about an 8 hour layover…no problem, right?
• Flight to Casablanca (where we were supposed to have an hour layover before departing for Monrovia) was delayed for 6 hours, and then canceled until the following morning! After asking repeatedly about our connection to Monrovia, we were told that “No problem—we’ll have you on another flight” (Ha!) Note—don’t ever fly Royal Air Maroc!
• On a funny note—we saw a girl fight. Yes, a full fledged fight…hair pulling, screaming, belts. Quite the entertainment, and comic relief.
• The Royal Air Maroc representatives told us that they were putting us up at the Sheraton Skyline for the night because the flight was due to depart for Casablanca at 9am the following day (Sunday). After arriving at the Sheraton, we find out that Royal Air Maroc has not made arrangements there because the hotel is full. So, the manager at the Sheraton calls around and finds out that we have rooms at the Sofitel (at the airport). We get to the Sofitel, check in and sleep for a few hours before heading back to the airport at 6am.
• Sunday morning we go to the airport at 6am, anticipating an easy check-in for a flight to Casablanca…nothing’s easy. We wait around in the check-in area for about 5 hours until ONE representative comes to check in all of the passengers.
• Flight is set to leave, but then is delayed again and again. We finally take off..Woo hoo! Remind you, we have been told once again that we’ll have a flight to Monrovia so that we can be there for our Monday meetings

Casablanca:
• We arrive in Casablanca, and, surprise, find out that there are no flights to Monrovia until TUESDAY! After talking to the transfer desk and our travel agent for about 5 more hours, we finally decided to just fly back to London, skip the meetings in Monrovia, and go straight to Ghana from London. Sounds simple, right?
• We spent the night in Casablanca, which was neat. My first time there. Went shopping at the Old Medina, which was fun.
• We get back to the airport in order to depart for London. Flight’s on time, so we’re off.

Back to London:
• We get back to London and wait for about 4 hours before we can check in for the flight on Arik Air (a Nigerian company). As we’re checking in, the agent tells us that as of that morning, they’ve added a stop in Abuja before landing in Lagos, so now, instead of having a three hour layover in Lagos, we only have 1 hour. We asked the agent to notify the airline (same one, Arik) in Lagos to let them know that we’ll now have a tight connection. They say “no problem.” They also informed us that if we missed our 7am flight out of Lagos to Ghana, that there is one at 5pm…
• By this point, we’re tired and achy but are trying to be optimistic.
• We board the plane for Abuja/Lagos……

Lagos
• Well, what do you know, the stopover in Abuja takes about 2.5 hours longer than expected. Some bright travelers decided that they didn’t want to get off so there is another fight on the plane! What is it with these people?!
• We arrive in Lagos (dumpy airport, by the way), and have of course missed our flight. We also find out that the desk in London never informed them that we would be delayed…..and the fun begins.
• One of the immigration officers takes us around to try to find out what flight we will get one. He takes our passports and leads us on a wild goose chase around the airport (think dark hallways, immigration offices, etc). Very, very shady. Since we didn’t have transit visas for Nigeria (we never imagined we’d be in Nigeria!), they said they had to keep our passports….”no problem, it’s just our policy.”
• We wait for about 2 hours in the Arik Air office (with the immigration officer, who still has our passports). The manager says “No problem, we have you confirmed on the later flight. You can wait in the lounge and I’ll come get you before boarding.”
• So, we head back to the lounge, still passport-less and wait and wait and wait.
• About 2 hours before the flight we head back to the immigration office to attempt to get my passport back….
• They give it back to me, but then take it back. They’ve decided that one of the officers needs to escort us to the ticket counter (looking for bribes, eh?!). We get back to the ticket counter and finally have boarding passes and check our bags.
• And….I FINALLY get my passport back. And, NO, I did not give the jerk wad any money.
• We board the plane and take off for Accra!

We finally made it to Accra! We had great meetings and a very warm reception. Ghana is definitely a country that I would visit again!

Lessons from this trip:
1) Never fly on Royal Air Maroc or Arik Air
2) “No problem”=you’re probably going to have problems, but I really don’t care because it’s no problem for me because I’m not the one traveling
3) If possible, take direct flights into Africa!

Now off to Rwanda, Namibia and South Africa (where Aaron will meet me for some vacation time!!). Stay tuned for pics and updates.

Those Who Steal Dogs Should Rot in Hell....

2010-07-20T06:22:00.000-06:00

I have to keep this short, or otherwise, I might get really upset. Last week someone stole my beloved little (well, not so little!) Buckley FROM OUR BACKYARD. Can you believe that?! Who does that? Mean, heartless people--that's who.

Aaron has been so great to make and put up posters and signs all throughout Bryan. And though it's hard to see his cute face plastered everywhere our house, I know it's what we have to do in order to have a glimpse of hope to getting him back.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someone needs some cash and decides to return him to us. I'll keep you posted.....

Sao Paolo Sunday Pizza!

2010-05-02T09:57:00.000-06:00

I just got back from Brazil...wow, what a beautiful country! We didn't get to do any site seeing (sad, huh?!), but we did get to see a big chunk of the country and met some amazing people (including lots of Aggies)! 4 cities in 5 days....I'm pooped!

One Brazilian tradition I decided I'm bringing back to B/CS is Sunday Pizza! I like the way the Brazilians think! Each Sunday in Sao Paolo families gather at local pizzarias (and I'm not talking Pizza Hut--these places have 40+ types of gourmet pizza!)to each pizza and drink wine and beer!

I didn't take any pictures, but I'm hoping to get some from the others on the trip. We had a very successful visit and I can't wait to go back on vacation (Christmas time this year, maybe?!)

As crazy as it sounds....

2010-03-31T07:46:00.000-06:00

There is just something heartwarming about the smell of Indonesia when you land at the airport. No, it's not necessarily a pleasant smell, but one that always reminds me of why I'm passionate about international development. And, no, I haven't been drinking too many bintang beers!

Had a great trip to Indonesia! I got to see Ruth and Jeff (my boss in Indonesia from my intern days), as well as several friends from SEAFAST. Lots of great opportunities for future activities in Indonesia, which makes me happy!

And....to top it off, I think Aaron and I are going to spend Christmas in Bali this year. Woooooooo hooooooooo!

Luck of the Irish....

2010-03-17T11:53:00.000-06:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

India

2010-03-17T11:28:00.000-06:00

I recently took a 2 week trip to India for work (man, I love my job!). Since it was my first time there, I took lots of photos. We had a great time, met some fantastic people and saw some of the most beautiful sites on earth. This trip included stops in Delhi, Agra, Bangalore, Mysore and Dharwad/Hubli. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!! I need to download more pics, and once I do, I’ll post them!

Also….for those who think you can't gain weight eating Indian food, you're wrong! Even though we ate Indian cuisine every single meal, I still managed to gain weight! Oh well!

I'll post some of the India stories in a later blog....

Wish bracelets tied to a tree...

One of the gazillion Buddha statues

Wishes!

Authentic henna...yes, mom, it washed off.

Cheesy Taj photo...gotta love it!

Pictures don't do it justice....it was breathtaking.....

At the Taj

India Gate in Delhi

Anyone see the problem w/ this?! It was like this everywhere! Fortunately, there were no lightning storms while we were there.

spice market

Trying on traditional wedding saris....Ambassador Bost offered to sell me! Ha!

I'm looking forward to a return visit!!!

Fun with Friends in Austin!

2010-03-17T11:12:00.001-06:00

Aaron and I are extremely lucky to have such an amazing group of friends! Over Valentines weekend we all met again in Austin to 1) meet baby Brogan (well, see him again); 2) to celebrate Jen's 30th bday; and 3) to hang out with some amazing peeps! We had a blast seeing everyone! One stark contrast from last year--Aaron and I were one of two couples with no kids! Babies everywhere! Oh yeah, and another difference....no drunken debauchery! Ha! It was fun watching all of our friends from college days turn into parents. Aaron and I will join you all some day!

Here are some pics from the event....

The group photo

Brook and Brogan

Childless couple :)

Carter...isn't he adorable?! And, he's getting so big!

Aaron & Lila Bridegam

Brogan & Patrick

Jen & Brogan

Shannon & Ro (so glad they surprised us and made the trip from Mexico!!!!)

Jen's delicious cake!

I'll post more pics later!

Carpet Shopping in Bahrain!

2010-02-15T12:09:00.000-06:00

I recently traveled to Bahrain for work (beautiful country, by the way!). While there, I had the opportunity to do a little carpet shopping! I NEVER imagined there was so much to learn about these carpets—it was fascinating! One of Ambassador Bost’s friends lives in Bahrain and is a carpet expert. He gave me an 8 hour carpet lesson! So much fun!

Here are some pics...

One of the carpets I bought!

My "dream" carpet....it was beautiful but $1500, so I passed!

A carpeted door hanging!

Me and Ambassador Bost...in the carpet shop

Mohammed, the carpet man, with me, Ambassador Bost and another one of the carpets I bought (I purchased 5!)

I’m off to India next! Will post lots of pictures.

Christmas Time is Here

2009-12-22T14:34:00.000-06:00

As most of you who know me know that I LOVE Christmas time! And for some reason, I am EXTRA excited about this year! Aaron and I have really gotten into the Christmas spirit this year--a real tree (it's been years since we've had a tree), decorations at the house, a holiday party, Christmas angels, volunteering....the whole nine yards! Oh yeah, and we got an electric fireplace. Cheesy one may say, but that thing is awesome. No replacement for a real fire, but pretty close!

We're spending Christmas in Lubbock, which will be fun. I get to love those adorable babies and spend time with my fam!

It's been a crazy year to say the least, and I am so luck to have such a wonderful and supportive husband and family, the most amazing friends on earth, and a new job that I absolutely love. I'm looking forward to 2010.

Stay tuned for pics from our holiday travels....

New Job!

2009-11-19T08:29:00.000-06:00

I started my new job on Wednesday (4 November) and it’s been a whirlwind of a few days! I worked in the office for 3 days (full of meetings and conference calls…whew) and then hopped on a plane for South Africa and Zimbabwe! I’m feeling like I’m in a little over my head!

Though I haven’t been in the new position long, I think I am really going to love it. My boss (Ambassador Eric Bost) is fantastic. I know that I will learn a tremendous amount from him and will enjoy working with him. Don’t get me wrong, it will be a lot of work, but I’m looking forward to it. Since this position is university-wide, I think I’ll have a steep learning curve in the beginning. I’ve enjoyed working in agriculture, but it will be nice to have a slight change in “scenery,” if you know what I mean.

My initial priorities will include: developing a strategic plan for the Office of Global Initiatives; developing a campus wide India Strategy; programs for South Africa and Zimbabwe (thus the trip); Bahrain opportunities (exchange program and energy institute); developing new promotional pieces; and many more! Needless to say, I’ll have my hands full.

I will be traveling quite a bit, which will be nice. In early 2010, I’ll be traveling to India, Bahrain, Liberia and Ghana. The good news is, the trips won’t be very long! And, Aaron and I have talked about him coming along with me on a couple of trips, which would be AWESOME!!!

I’ll definitely try to keep my blog updated as I travel to new places and take on new adventures (no promises, as I’m not very good at this!).

Kiss Me I'm Irish!!!

2009-11-19T08:27:00.000-06:00

Kiss Me, I’m Irish…

Well, not really, but that’s okay! I don’t even know where to begin on our trip to Ireland! In a nutshell it was amazing, which is an extreme understatement! Ash and I had a wonderful time!

A Rundown of Our Trip:

Two Days in NYC
o Dylan’s Candy Bar (aka heaven)
o Serendipity 3 frozen hot chocolate!!!! (we channeled our inner Kate Beckinsale)
o DUCK TOUR—if you ever go, take a rain coat because you get wet!)

Five Days in Dublin (Thanks Fado!)
o Guinness Brewery
o Jameson Distillery
o City Tour
o Book of Kells/Trinity College
o Musical Pub Crawl (HIGHLY recommend this!)
o St. Aedon Church
o Christ Church
o St. Patrick’s Cathedral
o Glendaloch (aka where my favorite movie PS I love You was filmed….ah….sigh)
o Wicklow Mountains
o Kilkenny—Kilkenny Castle, Paris, Texas Bar (yes, there was one!) and the sweater shop
o Grafton Street Area
o Parks
o Pubs Galore!

Three Days in Galway
o Aran Islands (Inis Mor)
o Connamara
o Spanish Arch
o More Pubs…..

Some of Our Favorites:
• The people….they’re great!
• The food…every Texan should love the food, it’s meat and potatoes….and seafood
• Beautiful scenery everywhere—vibrant colors, lush agriculture, untouched lands, etc etc etc
• Old Irish tour guide in Inis Mor (“across the bay on the Connemara”….makes me laugh just thinking about it!)
• “Be careful what you wish for, my love”
• Central Park Club (not really our fav but it was really funny….we felt 18 again!)

The Favorites list could go on and on and on. We loved it all! I’ll post a few pics here and will try to download the rest onto shutterfly (be warned between the two of us we took about a 1000 pics!). There are lots more to come....and I'll label the future pics....not enough time right now :)

Ash, thank you for being such a wonderful, thoughtful and caring best friend. I don’t know what I’d do without you! This trip was amazing—I look forward to planning our next trip back….maybe for your 30th?!

Epic Post!

2009-08-05T08:24:00.000-06:00

This is LONG overdue....I can't get the pictures to attach but I'll keep trying! I also have two new posts that I'll add soon....IRELAND and A NEW JOB!

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Well, here it is--my epic post! Here's a bit about what's been going on in our world (in reverse order)....

Turning 30

As many of you know, I was not excited about turning 30 AT ALL. I must admit it turned out to be one of the best birthdays EVER...seriously. My sweet husband surprised me again and again. First, with a pair of BEAUTIFUL diamond earrings (funny story) and then with a SURPRISE trip to Austin with friends for a Bob Schneider Bluegrass Massacre Concert! We had a fantastic time. Thanks to the Bryan crew, the McCabe's and Ash for coming out...I couldn't have asked for a better night!

Then on Saturday, my mom, dad and Maddie and Ashley came in town to continue our celebration. We had a great time! It had been forever since I've spent my birthday with family!

Here are some pics (and will have more to add when I get them from Mom and Ash!)...

Oaklawn Reunion (minus Riz)

Every year we try to have an Oaklawn reunion to relive our college days (though we're getting a little too old to "hang" like we used to!). As usual, we had a blast. Lots of chatting, listening to music and searching the internet for random goodness. This year was a bit unusual 1) b/c Riz wasn't able to make it and 2) b/c Baggett is leaving for Greece for 2 years! We've decided that our next reunion will have to be in Athens in Summer 2010! These girls are some of the best people I know....here are some pics from the weekend:

Visiting The Ballard Crew

Duncan Layne Ballard arrived on 10 July! Cute as can be! I spent the day w/ Casey, Kyle, Ada, Duncan and Lynn. As usual, it was absolutely fantastic to see them. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again later this month! Sadly, I didn't take any pictures, but definitely check out Casey's blog at peanutballard.blogspot.com for some recent photos!

Easton Brice Foster is Born

My sweet baby nephew, Easton, made his debut on 4 June! As with EK, he's absolutely adorable. I feel so fortunate to have been there for his arrival! The Foster fam is doing great and enjoying life as a family of 4. Here are some pics:

For more on the Fosters, check out Kristin's blog at kristin-foster.blogspot.com. She's better at this than I am :)

Young Professionals Award

I'll just toot my own horn for a minute....in June I won the Young Professionals Award from the Association of International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD). It was such an honor, and a humbling experience. I absolutely love what I do!

Tipsy Turtle Opens

Yay yay yay! The "Turtle" has been doing GREAT since opening. I am so so so proud of Aaron. He worked so hard on the new place, and it definitely payed off.

If you're ever in College Station, you'll have to check it out. Though there are lots of options for frozen drinks and shots, I recommend the Peach Colada (Peach Bellini and Pina Colada mixed) or a Cherry Coke (Cuba Libre and Cherry Limeade mixed). They're yummyful :)

Panama Muster

Since I never posted pictures or wrote about this in April, I will now (better late than never!). I had the great honor of serving as the Muster speaker for the Panama Muster ceremony. And this was not your average Muster ceremony (to add to the nerves!). As many of you know, the president of Panama (well, at the time) is an Aggie. And, since this was to be his last Muster while in office, he decided to have Muster at Casa Amarilla (equiv to our White House). The place was BEAUTIFULLY decorated and full of the Aggie spirit. Yours truly ate dinner next to THE president (thank you mom, dad and Nette for teaching me manners!)!!!!!! He is such a nice guy and so easy to talk to. The speech went great, though I will say I was more nervous that night than I had ever been before!

I will say that the Panama Aggies are fantastic. They welcomed me as if they'd known me forever. I even got a personalized VIP tour of the Panama Canal (which is run by an Aggie!).

This will definitely go down as one of my most favorite Aggie memories--such a humbling experience and true honor!

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Well, there you have it! I am really going to try to be better at this (no promises though). Aaron and I celebrate our 6 year anniversary in a few weeks and he has another surprise up his sleeve and we're going back to Vegas. I'll be sure to post some pics :)

Coming Soon....

2009-08-05T08:23:00.000-06:00

An epic post. This time I promise. Lots to report and lots of pictures!

East Timor

2009-05-19T21:52:00.000-06:00

I arrived in East Timor last night (first time here). Here are a few of my initial thoughts...

it's a crazy combo of Indonesian and Portuguese (rightfully so, I guess!)
The UN is everywhere, and I mean everywhere! There are about 12 UN police officers stationed at my hotel (I'm down the street from Embassy Row...nothing like DC's embassy row!)
The country is beautiful and lush...I imagine Bali to have looked this way 50 years ago
It's expensive...way too expensive for what you get ($110/night for room...you've got to be kidding me!)
Internet isn't reliable, but what's new in a developing country.
For those who told me ET is the Africa of Asia, they were correct.
The airport was like stepping out of a 1940's movie! It's all outside...even the baggage claim..crazy. Oh yeah and our plane skidded to the very end of the runway...yes, all the way. I was a bit nervous to say the least
People are very hard to reach by phone and email...have to admit I'm a bit jealous!

I'll post some pictures later (probably in Indonesia when the internet is better).

Also, three upcoming posts--1) THE TIPSY TURTLE IS OPEN! 2) Speaking at Muster in Panama and 3) Old Crow Medicine Show.

Stay tuned....

April Update

2009-05-07T18:25:00.000-06:00

So, I haven't been very good at this blogging thing lately!

Here's a quick update in pictures from April:

Lake Whitney with Friends

A beautiful place! We had a great time w/ Brian, Jodi, Pat, Angela, John, Jess and Baby Carter (who stole the show, precious thing)! Jodi's pics are MUCH better than mine...check out her blog pics

Visit to See Sweet Baby EK

I take every opportunity I get to see sweet miss thang (and her mom and dad too!). A couple of weekends ago, I drove over to Fredricksberg to see the Foster Fam during their last family vacation before Easton's arrival (which is VERY soon!)

Tipsy Turtle

Aaron has been working NONSTOP (literally) to get the Tipsy Turtle open! It's definitely come a long way from a tattoo shop. We're hoping to open by next week...can't believe it. I'm so proud of him!

Random Pics w/ Friends

Here are some random pics from recent times with friends (though admittedly not all from April!)

Also, would like to congratulate all of our friends/family expecting little ones in the coming months: Kristin, Casey, Jodi, Angela and Jen....baby fever is here!

Dr. Borlaug Turns 95!

2009-03-31T07:34:00.001-06:00

Last week Dr. Borlaug turned 95! We celebrated his birthday in style...well, with a luncheon at least! It was an honor to be present for such an amazing event. This man is such an inspiration for so many people around the world. Every time I'm around him I feel compelled to help others and to never give up this fight of ending world hunger.

Here's a pic of our staff with Dr. Borlaug.

Paddock Lane turns 3 years old!!!

2009-03-11T17:00:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that we opened 3 years ago! Time flies....lots has happened in 3 years and the place has changed so much. I am so proud of Aaron!

Here are some pics from the night's festivities....

Here's a sneak preview of the TIPSY TURTLE!! Stay tuned for progress updates.

Grammie's 90th Birthday

2009-03-11T16:35:00.000-06:00

Last weekend Aaron and I were in DC/VA to celebrate his grandmother's 90th birthday! It was really neat to be able to celebrate such a special event! Grammie has had such an amazing life with lots of fabulous stories and adventures (Aaron's grandfather was a 3 star general in the air force). She is a phenomenal women!

All of Aaron's cousins came into town for the event, so it was GREAT to meet their wives and to get to know one another. Can't wait to see everyone again!

Here are some pictures from the weekend....

Grammie w/ Robin, Laura, Sue and Ken

Me, Mere and Baby Dean

Aar and I w/ Grammie

The fam w/ Grammie

The cousins oldest to youngest (who stands out?!)

Sweet baby Dean.

Greg, Megumi, Nate & Mere at Cheesecake Factory

Kenya

2009-02-05T23:35:00.000-06:00

I'm actually in Kenya right now for work. The internet is horrible, but I am going to try to post some pictures from my visit to the National Park last week. Fingers crossed it will work.

lions in the middle of the road...needless to say, we turned around and went the other direction!

Zebras, zebras everywhere!

water buffalo!

sunset on the Savannah

and my personal favorite! it's not very clear, but i'll try to add better pics later!

Enjoy!

Gave in...

2009-02-05T23:16:00.000-06:00

So, I finally gave in to creating a blog! Aaron said, "Oh, it's just because you're preparing for when we have kids...." We'll see! In all actuality, I thought it would be a neat way to communicate with friends and family about the "happenings" in our crazy lives (everything from new bars to travels in exotic locations...unfortunately, travels are for work!)

I'm not very patient with "web technology", so posts may be few and far between. I'll try to figure out how to post some pics here pretty soon.

Stay tuned!