Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The Great Outdoors

       Over Easter we restarted an old family tradition. When I was younger, mainly before high school, my family would go camping with the Bittners and Cobbs every Halloween and Easter. Both of these families we know from our days at the private school the boys and I went to when we were younger. Mackenzie is part of the Cobb family and we have known each other since we were 18 months old.  Our moms met at daycare. It was good to see her, because the last time I saw her was because I ran into her at the OU Theta house when I stopped to see the restroom. See Thetas help their sisters everywhere. Unfortunately, she didn't get to stay for long though! Lauren is from the Bittner family. Growing up Lauren and I always stayed super close. After we moved to Coppell, we would still spend many weekends together, and starting in seventh grade we went to summer camps together all the way through high school. Lauren was always a person I could turn to and a friendship I always have cherished. When we got to college, her going to OU, we sort of lost touch a little bit. We kept up through facebook and occasional catching up conversations, but never got that quality time like we used to. I think about three years ago we went to lunch. My mom and I gave Lauren a bridal shower last year, and we attended her wedding this past June. Spending time with her this weekend was the best part. It is so nice to have a friend that you can go years without spending a lot of time together, yet you can pick up right where you left off. It was like Lauren and I hadn't skipped a beat. I loved getting time to hangout with her, and getting to know her husband Blake.

      We got to Lake Murray on Friday night, and made sandwiches and played catch phrase. Because of all the fires, we couldn't have a camp fire. So we resulted to making s'mores on the grill. It just wasn't the same! The storms completely threatened us all night, but we never got more than some mist. Saturday we hung out and took the dogs down to the lake. Ferguson got experience his first swimming experience, and HATED it! Since the rain seemed to be put off, we took a boat tour around the lake. What happens when we get on the water? COMPLETE DOWN POUR! I'm talking cats and dogs. Huge ones. We found it hilarious though, and it was just added to our pile of memories that our families have had together. We spent the rest of the night completely exhausted and trying to cram all 16 of us into a 4 person cabin for some quality time! Overall it was a great weekend. Ferguson got to play with Lauren's dogs and was completely worn out by the time he got home. I didn't get too many pictures, but at least got a few!

Ferg having a blast! We eventually put him on his leash because he was having a little too much fun in the streets!


Jared trying to catch fish with his bare hands! How manly of him.


The down pour on the boat.



Thursday, April 21, 2011

I Think I Can! I Think I Can!

I've decided to run a half marathon! A few coaches from school and I decided to run the Wounded Warrior Project Half on June 12th. I'm super excited! My training is coming slow... very slow, but as long as I finish that is all I care about. I'm asking that you guys keep my old lady legs in your thoughts. Ever since I was little I was unfortunately cursed with the "Roden legs." Basically, my knees, ankles, big toe, and hips hurt and ache ALL the time! I've finally reached 4 miles (Yes, I'm aware that I have 9.1 left to go), but I can do it! Just remind me every once in awhile that I can? A half is something that I have ALWAYS wanted to do. I figured what better way to get ready for the wedding. Dustin got me a Garmin GPS running watch that I am absolutely obsessed with. It tells me where I am, my distance, my pace, and my time.

Running is always something that I have loved. I ran in high school (still have a record for the 3200m relay thank you!) and it was something that I was completely dedicated to. When I got to college, I let the partying and the busy-ness get the best of me. Then the lbs started packing on and I've had a hard time getting back into it. I've always tried to start running for other people or to look good for something. I feel like this time it is about how it makes me feel. I enjoy running now. I have to admit I'm still competitive. I still like to "catch" people as I'm running even though they don't seem to know we are racing. This is the first time I'm just in it for how it makes me feel. I want to run and complete the entire half, but part of me thinks if I feel good with however I finish then that's ok. If I lose weight from this, awesome, but if I don't I'll be ok as long as I feel good. I've been a person that has dealt with depression and ever mounting exhaustion and self made stress all my life. I either get too depressed or too stressed to the point I don't sleep and just stay up and think about everything. Running has taken a lot of that away from me. I'm sleeping better, and I just feel happier and less stressful when I'm done.

I'll keep you updated on how the half goes and all the encouragement I could get would be much appreciated. These old lady legs can only do so much!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Welcome to the Blog World!

    
      
      I'm officially welcoming myself to the blog world. I'm not quite sure if I have anything interesting enough to say that people will read, but ready or not here I am. I'm such a planner that this is a decision I've been thinking about for a long time. I didn't want to do something I couldn't commit to. Worried about committing to a blog? I've got issues. Especially if it became a decision that took me for forever.


      Wedding planning is officially almost over! At least with the big stuff which is a HUGE relief. I can't say that I am the best bride. I am so excited to be married to Dustin, live with him, call him my husband, spend my life with him, and just have my best friend around at all times. However, the whole planning everything was a little more difficult then I thought it would be. I'm such a planner that I thought that this would totally be my thing. I carry my planner around everywhere and keep it color coordinated. (Not so much recently since I'm having to add dates to it every 2 seconds) Normally though, I carry around my little markers in their separate pouch so that the color coordination is never messed up. You never know when you'll need the blue appointment color! Do I sound like a freak yet? Anyways, I was so pumped for wedding planning until I saw all it entailed! It has been more fun then it started out to be, but I'll be relieved with the day is here. With teaching, coaching, and keepin up with life it was just a little too much of added stress for me. Thankfully, I'm at the fun part where we do showers, engagement pictures, bridal portraits, bachelorette party, and seeing the RSVPs in the next couple months to see who can make it!I think the hardest part is that I'm just not a very good decision maker. I can always tell you what I definitely don't want, but not always what exactly I want. When I have to think that is something I'm sharing with my family and friends, plus, will be in pictures for the rest of my life, well just throw decision making out the window. I sound like a complete complainer. I'm super excited about it all though and can't wait for our special day to be here. Calling Dustin my husband is something that makes me smile. He is such an incredible man, and I'm so completely excited to spend my life with him. I'm even excited about the craziness that will come with it too. Combining our stuff, having those first moments when we realize I don't have a "home" to go to when we get in an argument, putting our different life styles together, becoming a part of each other's family just sounds like fun too.

     I'd also like to welcome Morgan Marie to the world! On Friday night Dustin's sister, Mendy, went into labor. This was something we had been expecting. Her original due date had been May 11, but Morgan was bound and determined to make her entrance into the world a little early. We were originally going to Abilene this weekend, but decided we would be too scared that we would get there and have to turn around. Turns out we were right! We headed out to Fort Worth at about 11:30pm Friday night. Well, Morgan was determined to have an entrance that would have everyone on pins and needles. After getting a few hours of sleep in the waiting room, we finally went to the truck where I slept in the passenger seat and Dustin in the drivers. I somehow fell asleep right away, but Dustin was up all night afraid someone would break into the truck. (My knight and shining armor watching over me <3) Finally, after a 7-11 breakfast stop, we went back into the waiting room and waited for Morgan to grace us with her presence that morning. She is absolutely adorable and I can't believe she is here! Even though I'm not officially her aunt until July 16th, I'm calling her my niece anyways! Dustin and I will be her only aunt and uncle. Brent is an only child and it is just Dustin and Mendy. I feel like this puts on so much pressure. I just want to be everything to her that all my aunts and uncles have been to me. I keep wondering what she'll call us. The "yl" and "Dust" can be sort of hard for a little kid to say. I wonder how she'll say it or if she'll turn to a nickname. I wonder what funny things she'll say and the cute faces she'll make. I just can't believe she is here. This whole weekend has just made me realize how excited I am to be a part of the Hotchkiss family. I have been so lucky with my soon to be in-laws.



Morgan was Dustin's very first baby to hold. Doesn't he look like a natural? Well, I guess that is enough rambling for now.