My Sweet Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day a whole two days late! Dustin and I have never been big on celebrating the actual holiday. I have to say I'm on both sides of the fence on this particular one. I think it is ridiculous to have a day where someone has to be reminded to tell me they love me and do something special and for me to do the same. But, how many of us have just gotten so caught up in life that we forget to mention to someone how great they are? How many times do we become so used to someone's behavior that we forget to tell them how appreciative we are of everything they do? Every day I tell Dustin we don't have to do much, and each year he does little things for me that make me feel like a million bucks!


This year we went to eat at Bob's Steakhouse in Grapevine. We went to the Fort Worth one the night we got engaged, so this brought up a ton of stories between the both of us. I don't know if we have every truly sat down and gone through each moment of everything that we were feeling/thinking. It was fun to hear how nervous and excited he was. Then I semi-tricked him to take me to see The Vow. (I'll post more about this later) Let's just say he didn't quite understand what movie he was buying tickets for. Have you all seen what AMC is doing with some of their theaters? The one near us turned half of their theaters into 18+ and 21+ only. It is fabulous! The particular theater was being rundown by middle school/high school students and was not even worth going to anymore. (because I was never one of those kids right?) The 18+ does just food and the 21+ includes a bar. Each theater has reclining chairs that you could seriously fall asleep in. We had a great time!

New Years Resolutions...a week late

Like I said, I'm way behind on everything. We had a laid back little New Years Eve this year. I think we are past the getting super dressed up and going out to places where you pay $50 or more to get into the door. Especially, when it is a place that you could get into for free any other day of the week. Also, driving on NYE just scares the daylights out of me. We had a small get together at my parents house. I mean incredibly small. We somehow still managed to stay up until 5am. I'm shocked my body even knows how to stay up that late any more. Dustin and I were absolutely worthless the next day though. We couldn't keep our eyes open and I refused to take a nap so that I would sleep the next day.

My resolutions for the year...

• Not be so lazy when it comes to cleaning up around our apartment
• Tell Dustin how much I love and appreciate him every day
• lose weight. I have a little goal in my mind that I want to lose which I'm way to embarrassed to post right now. We'll see how it goes.
• Actually finish a half marathon since I didn't finish my last one.
• Be a better friend to every one
• Put a smile on my face every day at school even when I'm not feeling it

I'm sure there are a few more I could come up with, but that's it for now. I think I was sort of sad to see 2011 go. It was such a great year planning the wedding, getting married, the birth of our niece, and more It's weird to sort of think what happens next? Only time will tell I guess!

Here are a few pictures from our New Years Eve party

Dustin and me. Our 4th New Years together

 My brother, Josh, and his amazing girlfriend Alexa

 The Girls (Alexa, me, Kendall, and Morgan)

 Chase and Jasmijn. Jasmijn was one of my little sisters in Theta. She moved this week to live with Chase in L.A I'm so sad she won't be around anymore!

Ferg partied way too hard!

A Very Belated Christmas

Well, I'd say I fell off my rocker just a bit! After our 6 Christmases (is that a word?), I was exhausted and going back to school left me super tired!

We had a great first Christmas as a little Hotchkiss family. We went to Houston where I got to finally see Stefanie. I talked a little about her here. I had not seen her since the wedding because her adorable little family moved to Idaho and just moved back to Houston. I had so much fun getting to see her cute kiddos minus the fact that I couldn't speak a word to her. Now let me tell ya, that was awful! Not getting to talk to one of your best friends that you  haven't seen in almost 6 months! It was the worst. Especially, because her two year old son Easton had no idea what was going on. He just kept saying my name over and over, but didn't understand why I couldn't answer him. We had a great time with my family. I forgot my camera though and only was able to use my phone.

Our Dallas Christmas was great. We spent Christmas Eve at my parents' opening presents and went home to open presents of our own. Dustin got a new iphone, shirts, and books while I got a new camera that I was super excited about. The next day we went to church and hung out with my mom's side of the family. We had a blast playing games. At this point I gave up not talking. I went 6 days, but it was just impossible to go any longer. I was over it!

 Aiden playing with his toys

 Easton was completely into the trains

 Dad playing with my cousins Nate and Gwen

 Our first Christmas

 My brothers, Jared and Josh

 Two of my cousins Celine and Jocelyn. Aren't they gorgeous?

 Playing Catch Phrase. I wasn't allowed to yell so became the photographer/score keeper

 My family's favorite game! Mexican Train dominos. If you haven't played you totally should

Tales From a Mute Day 3

Today was a hard day with the whole not talking thing. I hung around this morning and tried to rest. I think I have figured out that I am just pretty bad at resting when I'm told to do so. Being lazy on Saturday and Sunday? No problem. Rest because I had surgery and need it? Impossible! I finally got up and did all the laundry and cleaned the apartment until I ran out of paper towels. Annie came by and we went up to the mall, Target, and Starbucks. I think this is when the no talking thing really got to me. Annie and I haven't seen each other in like years it seems like (really like a month) and I just really wanted to talk to her. Instead, I had to motion things out to her and write on a dry erase board. Although it was pretty funny to watch Annie guess what I was trying to say. **Warning! Never have Annie be your partner in a Charades. She stinks at it**

Tonight Dustin and I went over to my mom's cousins house. Some of our family members that we never get to see were in town. Dustin was driving and had no idea where he was going and I was trying to give directions. This can be very tricky if it's dark and he can't see where I'm pointing. Let's just say there was a lot of banging on the dash board to get his attention and a lot of furious writing on the dry erase board. I'm sure if it had been a comedy movie it would have been hilarious. We hung out awhile at the Family Get Together, but I started to not feel well. In our chaos of trying to get where we needed to go, I accidentally used my voice and swelled up really bad. It was a sad parting though because my cousin Allie that I never get to see was in town. Her and her husband Nat just got married a year and a half ago. Nat has been overseas since the morning after their wedding pretty much, so they are really doing all the newlywed stuff at the same time as us. I so badly wanted to just sit and catch up with her and exchange stories about everything. We were able to communicate a little via dry erase board, but I was still so frustrated. Luckily, they are stationed in Kansas right now so maybe we can get together soon.

Headed to Houston for the 3rd of 6 Christmas' tomorrow. I get to see the Sprague family and I can't wait!

A Very Hotchkiss Christmas

 This past weekend I had my very first Hotchkiss Christmas. I have to say that I consider myself very blessed with the in-laws that I have. I have always felt like I was part of the family and that is just extremely comforting to me.

We got there Friday after sitting in traffic for forever. I have to say that is the only bad part about driving to Abilene. It goes down to one lane for forever and it becomes a parking lot. Friday night we opened up all of our presents and Dustin and I were surprised with iPad 2s. I knew Dustin was getting one, but I had no idea that I was going to too. It was an awesome surprise and we are already very much addicted to them. We can barely put them down. It has been helpful since I can't talk. We have been able to message back and forth on them, and my dad even found an app where I can type what to say and it repeats it for me. I'm still using the laptop for blogging. Do any of you blog from your iPads?

We also got to celebrate Morgan's first Hotchkiss Christmas too! It was fun to see her become so interested by her toys. Dustin and I got her a jacket that looks like a mini north face and a little lovie that has her name on it. She kept kissing the lovie, it was absolutely adorable. She also got a few toys from her Nana and PaPa. Can you believe she is already 8 months? She is going to be walking in no time. I think sometimes she thinks she can and tries to just take off while you hold her up.

Later on, Dustin ended up some how locking the oven door shut for two days and setting his brand new iPad cover on fire. Both on accident and both hilarious stories. How does that happen? He leaned on the oven and shorted out the button. So when the oven locked we couldn't get it unlocked. He finally pried it open with a fork on Sunday. Then he accidentally leaned on the oven again and turned the stove on which burned the iPad cover. Needless to say, Dustin is not allowed anywhere near the oven any more.

Saturday we hung out all day and went to eat at Perini Ranch steak restaurant. It was delicious! Dustin's aunt and uncle and our good friends Mark and Kim came over to hangout. Mark and Dustin have been best friends since elementary school. They have the sweetest little 6 month old daughter named Paisley that we loved getting to play with.

Here a few pictures from the weekend!

 Morgan opening her first gift.

 Loving on her lovie that Uncle Dustin and Aunt Taylor got her

 Her mini little jacket. She immediately tried to eat the zippers off.

 Playing with Uncle Dustin

 Fixing the oven

 New iPad 2s!

 Morgan and Paisley becoming friends.

Paisley and Kim.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Belated Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you all had a great holiday. We spent our first holiday as a married couple in Abilene. I have to say that I was so sad not to be with my family. It wasn't that I was upset to be in Abilene with my in-laws. It was just I didn't want something big to happen that I was going to miss. We had a great time though. On Wednesday after sitting through some ridiculous traffic on I-20, Mendy, Brent, Baby Morgan, Dustin, and I finally made it! We hung out with the family and just caught up. Thursday we woke up and went over to Dustin's aunt and uncle's house. It was a lot of fun. I think in my head I had this whole "What if their family does it differently than mine?" question rolling around. It was pretty much the same and I loved it. The guys watched football all day, and I got to know Dustin's aunts and cousins a little bit more. Thursday night-Saturday morning we hung out at Dustin's parent's house. I loved getting to just hangout with the family. It was just so overwhelming how easily we just slid into this family routine.They have been a family themselves without me for awhile obviously. I just didn't know how it would work with someone new in. It seemed like I had been spending holidays with them for forever. Saturday Dustin and I drove back to Dallas and did Thanksgiving at my Aunt's house. I was so excited to get some family time on my side for a little bit. Even though my parents are right down the highway we still somehow only see each other once or twice a month. During football season, especially, it seems like we are just so busy with our season tickets and my parent's to the A&M games we don't get time together. My brother Jared, brother Josh's girlfriend Alexa, and both my  brother's friend Jared were in town for the holiday. Jared #2 and Alexa are so much part of the family that it felt like everyone was there.

The best part of our trip to Abilene... getting to spend time with Baby Morgan! Normally when Dustin and I see her it is for a few hours or just a day. We got about 2 1/2 days with her and I loved it! She is the sweetest baby and has the cutest laugh. Dustin and I have yet to get her to laugh, but I tell Dustin she is on strike until she gets cousins. Hint, hint. haha. No worries, no cousins for awhile. I somehow walked away with only pictures of Morgan, but she is so cute it didn't matter. Here are a few.

I love this picture of Morgan looking up at Dustin. She loves to look at him and touch his goatee. 

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.