Archive for the 'Julie' Category



02
Jul
11

the Capitol

My oldest and dearest friend, Kristy, is here, from Idaho, visiting my family with her husband.  (That will be a different post.)  Because she was coming, I wanted to show her around Austin.  So yesterday, we went to the Capitol.  I’ve lived here for 4 years, and have never been!

a rare picture of me with the kids!

The visitor center is pretty neat, especially for being free!

Ella looking through the telescope to see the Capitol
you could dress up like a cowgirl

We have discovered that Rilyn loves museums. We took a tour of the inside of the Capitol, and Rilyn had to be at the front of the group to listen to the tour guide’s every word!  She kept telling me “how fun” it was to be at the Capitol.  She did not get this from me people.

If you can see the gold bars that are behind the tour guide (the young gal in a white top and khaki skirt), Asher went behind them and started hanging on them.  I knew this was bad, but I couldn’t get to him fast enough before the tour guide stopped talking in mid-sentence to reprimand him.  He could of cared less.  Me…um, that is pretty much mortifying.  I was definitely embarrassed.

the tour guide was explaining the painting

So, yes, Asher was becoming rambunctious at the end of the 45 minute tour. I guess I couldn’t blame him.  The thing was that I wasn’t allowed to have any food inside which would normally be my “go to” fix for his behavior. But, I discovered he liked me taking pictures of him and then showing him what they looked like afterward on my camera screen. He must be my son! 😉

this is where the Senate meets…I think.  I really wasn’t listening.  oops.
Look at me mom!  Take a picture!

This next picture frustrates me because I never can get all three kids to sit still together in one picture. And at this moment, in this ugly spot under some random painting of a man, they wanted to sit, and they were still. Ugh.

 

30
Jun
11

our engagement

11 years ago today we got engaged!  (And the only reason I know the exact date is because my mom bought me a Christmas ornament with the date engraved on it!)  🙂

James’ plan was to take me to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens and propose there, but when we pulled up, the gates were closed for some reason.  James then had to quickly think, because his mom and sister were going to secretly find us there to video tape and take pictures!  This was before cell phones were popular, so he just thought his mom and sister wouldn’t be able to find us, and he went to the nearby Trinity park.  I had no clue that anything was up.  We walked around the park and stopped at a grassy bridge.  He pulled out his Bible and read Ephesians 5:25-27  “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”  Again, I did not think anything special was going on.  Just James trying to spiritually lead our relationship.  He then began washing my feet.  Still, no clue.  I thought he was being very sweet though, (not to mention super spiritual!)  😉  While he was washing my feet, I saw James’ mom and sister behind a nearby tree!  (They drove around and found us!)  My first reaction to James was, “Why is your mom taping us?  This is a personal moment!”  Still, no clue from me.  Well, they thought I knew what was going on because I saw them, so they started coming in closer snapping pictures and taking video.  I just got embarrassed.  That’s when James bends down on one knee…

this is the actual moment!
sorry for the bad copy, but it’s all I have!  Me hugging James in disbelief.
James’ turn
27
Jun
11

zaza fun!

We had a college girlfriends weekend in Dallas this last weekend and it was so much fun!  Jen’s husband paid for an amazing (and very interesting) hotel room for us four girls on Saturday night to celebrate Jen’s birthday (and our 14 years of friendship!).  Our room at Hotel Zaza wasn’t ready when we arrived, so we got upgraded to the “presidential suite!”

view of dining room and living room
bedroom

We had to take pictures at this cute kitchen nook in our room. The sign and the lighting were too fun!

look closely at Jen’s nose, something is about to hit…
poor Jen.  Let’s all have a laugh at her expense though!  😉

This is the dining room in our room. Notice our classy cups we were drinking from. Before we pulled up to the swanky Hotel Zaza (where you only can valet, no option to self park), we stopped at the Race Trac gas station and bought drinks. We didn’t realize how “unsophisticated” we probably looked to everyone when we walked into the lobby with our big gas station drinks. So we had to take a picture in our room with them naturally to commemorate our “classiness.” 😉

Our view from our balcony of the Dallas skyline.

Very cliche, I know, but we had to do facial masks at night!

Jen, Kim, me, and Casey (in case you can’t recognize us!)

People watching was sooooo interesting that night. Apparently Hotel Zaza is the place to be seen at night (if you are a yuppie in your 20s/early 30s) at their pool where it turns into a nightclub of sorts. Pictures here.  Our balcony overlooked the valet and the pool.  We saw lamborghinis, ferraris, lime green sports cars…basically all of Asher’s coolest Matchbox cars were there to get parked!  🙂  We saw a girl jump in the pool in her mini dress, strip it off, flail it around, and throw it in the jacuzzi, only to be escorted out in her high (very high!) heels, bra, panties, and her purse!  She wasn’t able to get her dress back either.  They just kicked her out.  She was definitely drunk, so it was a sight to see.  The DJ there played until 2 a.m. and the music was so loud.  We could hear every beat in our room!  Crazy!  But apparently that is what you pay for to be at the “it” hotel in Dallas!  We were definitely out of our element at this hotel.  The next morning at lunch, a woman came up to us and said we all reminded her of the Sex and City girls.  Geez, I sure hope not.  My friends assured me it was only because there was four of us and we were having a good time with each other.  Hmmmm….

26
Jun
11

Marry Me

took a little while but here is a short video our trip to Kauai celebrating ten years…I’d ask her every day if I had to! I love you Julie

20
Jun
11

Kauai day 5

Day 5 was our last full day of activities.  We went on a sunset cruise of the Na Pali coast which is inaccessible by foot because of its sheer cliffs that drop straight down thousands of feet.  It is so beautiful there!  We saw some of it from our helicopter ride, but sailing right next to it was next level.

our catamaran
Just starting on our 4 hour tour
do you see King Kong’s profile?
another rainbow!
sun is starting to set…

I was most excited about getting sunset pictures in Kauai. The bummer was that we were staying on the side of the island where you could not see the sunset (because of the high mountains). I was so looking forward to the sunset cruise where I could get some beautiful shots with the ocean and sunset. “The shot” was totally going to be my new facebook profile picture! 😉 Well, that evening, the clouds took over, and this was the best we could get.

tiny sliver of sun setting….:(
18
Jun
11

Kauai day 4

Day 4 brought more exploring the island (Limahuli Garden, a national tropical botanical garden and Hanalei beach) and ziplining at Princeville Ranch!

gardens
more gardens

On the way back from the garden, we found these tunnels right across from the prettiest beach on the island-Hanalei Beach.

beautiful
inside
cool silhouette of James taken in the tunnel/cave facing out
James’ “Baywatch” picture.  Check out that water!!
Can you see James resting against the palm tree?
ziplining!  There was 9 ziplines total to go on!
James zipping!

On one of the ziplines, they asked us to scream the whole way to scare the other groups that were going before us.

blood curdling scream!

After 8 ziplines, we took a swimming/snack break at a little watering hole with a small waterfall. James has no problem jumping in.

20 feet deep we were told

This was the scariest thing I did on the whole trip. I hate swimming where I know there are fish around. But, for the picture opp I did it.

I did not stay in that water, I kicked like crazy until I got out!

Our last zipline was a racing one. It was 1500 feet long! Couples can also try to hold hands (we do have video of that!). James and I held hands at first, but then I had to take pictures of James while we were zipping along!

wheeeeeeee

The day after I returned from Kauai, my friend posted this devotional site and when I read it, it was so applicable to me because I had just ziplined and I love the parallel she makes with putting your faith in the zipline wires vs. putting your faith in God.  Read it here!

It rained A LOT there (everyday!), and we got poured on several times during the afternoon. It was all worth it though to see this beautiful rainbow that appeared right as we were leaving!

perfect way to end the day!
17
Jun
11

Kauai day 3

Day 3 was spa day!  We went to the Grand Hyatt (gorgeous hotel!!) to have a couples massage before the Luau. I really wanted to bring my camera into the couples massage bungalow. It was so beautiful, (and used in the movie Just Go With It with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler), but it was even too weird for me to be walking around the grounds in a bathrobe carrying my camera around my neck. 🙂

Grand Hyatt
more Grand Hyatt
before the massage, Grand Hyatt lobby
Grand Hyatt beach
ready to go to the Luau!
I got a Henna “tattoo” of the state flower before the Luau started.  Henna lasts for up to 3 weeks.
the Hibiscus
the real flower
James enjoying an adult beverage in front of the hula girls
Luau!
This guy was crazy!  I’ve never seen anyone throw and breathe as much fire as him!
16
Jun
11

Kauai day 2

On day 2 we drove to Wailua Falls (seen on the television show in the early 80s, Fantasy Island).

Then we went on a helicopter ride around the island! So beautiful to see the majesty of our Creator in nature!

ready for lift off!

These next pictures were taken in the helicopter. Pretty nice view!

Kilauea Light House
the large waterfall at the bottom was made famous in the movie, Jurassic Park!
Waimea Canyon
the Napali Coast
After our ride, James HAD to catch the end of game 5 Mavericks v. Heat.  I enjoyed a

frosty adult beverage!

15
Jun
11

Kauai day 1

We are back and somewhat settled from our vacation to Kauai! This was my longest travel time ever and I sure felt the jet lag! We were 5 hours behind Texas time, and I’m sad to say in my old age, I fell asleep by 9 p.m. every night in Kauai! I woke up refreshed every morning though! 🙂
Day 1 we got off the plane and were expecting to be greeted by a beautiful hula girl putting a lei on us. (Why do I believe the movies?)  Well, we got the leis…not sure about the “hula girl” expectation.

I laugh at this picture because James’ face is like “Is this a man or a woman?”  Sorry, but it was hard to tell!
It was indeed a woman.

After we left the airport, we checked in at our hotel, the Kauai Beach Resort.

our hotel’s pool which we never went in!  (If you don’t have kids with you, what do you do in a pool?)

Then we checked out the beach and I made James take this picture with me.

awww, how sweet.  Happy 10th anniversary!

We went driving around after that to explore the island and saw this beautiful road. They call it the Tree Tunnel.

more exploring at one of the beaches
26
May
11

ten years

Happy 10 year anniversary to my best friend!  Some days it feels like yesterday that we were 22, and walking down the aisle after being pronounced husband and wife, and other days…not so much.  😉 We are perfect for each other though, (in a sinful nature kind of way  🙂 ), and it is more apparent every day.  To think back in these last 10 years, and to see all that God has accomplished in our union….just so thankful and blessed.  Here are 10 random things that I just thought of real quick that I love about my man.

1.  Loves Jesus first in his life.  More than me or the kids, and that’s the way it should be.

2.  Cleans the house way better than I do.

3.  Plays with the kids so well that he would be mistaken for a kid if he wasn’t 6 feet tall.

4.  Knows what fills me up (spiritually/emotionally) and gives me time to pursue it.

5.  Watches the Bachelor (and sometimes E! News) with me.

6.  Goes to every important event in the kid’s lives.  His rule:  If it’s important to my child, then it’s important to me.

7.  Let’s me sleep in…a lot.

8.  Let’s me pick what we do on most of our dates.  So we go shopping and probably to Olive Garden.  🙂

9.  He has so many GOOD friends.  It reminds me daily of what others see in him.

10.  He is still fine.  ♥

our wedding party

We are going to celebrate in Kauai, Hawaii in 2 weeks!!!