Ugh!

I'm so mad at those biggest loser contests.  Why didn't they vote off Joelle!  I mean, didn't they pay any attention to the whole Vicki/Amy saga last season!  Come on people.  

So last Friday Ryan, Adam and I went to lunch at one of our favorite sandwich shops.  I come back to the office and am telling a colleague about how wonderful this sandwich is and send her the website.  Oh, then I notice there is nutritional information on the website.  So I build my sandwich. Let's just say I'd just consumed over 50 grams of fat and 1200 calories.  Oh my gosh.  I go into panic mode.  I put on my sneakers and go racing around the block three times.  Then when I leave work, I take the stairs up to the car...on the 13th floor of the parking garage.  Now, for those of you who don't do a lot of stairs like me...one or two flights I can handle.  But thirteen...I was gasping for breath!  I was on I-35 before I had fully recovered.   When I woke up Saturday morning, I could hardly move!   My shins hurt soooo bad.  So the moral of this story is...build up to climbing 13 flights of stairs instead of just deciding to do it.  You won't be able to move for a few days...

I guess the Big D Climb is out for me in March...if you haven't heard of it, it's a fundraiser where people will climb 55 stories up Fountain Place.  Ryan and I had talked about doing it...I think I'll take a rain check on that one.

New Phones

So Ryan and I just got home from buying new phones with my mom.  VERY EXCITING!  I got a purple one, mom got a red one and Ryan got a crimson and black one...uh oh!

Dayna's New Sewing Machine

Dayna got a new sewing machine for Christmas thanks to mom and dad and the person who returned it allowing us to purchase at a greatly reduced price.  Her first project is to do some decorative stitching on mom's pillow cases.

Nutter Butters,Christmas Eve, Fredericksburg, and New Year's

I have lots to catch people up on...

The Saturday before Christmas, our good friends Jenn and Erik came over.  We had a really fun visit.  But Ryan and I's pride that day...chocolate covered nutter butters.  At work, we received a gift basket with some in it that were really good.  So we bought some melting chocolate, and dipped them ourselves...alright folks...you have to try it.  They are really tasty.  And soooo easy!  We even made white chocolate ones a few days ago and those were good too.  Anywho, chocolate covered nutter butters...try it!

Christmas was such a whirlwind this year.  Christmas Eve we made a spinach casserole one of the ladies at my work had made for our Thanksgiving Potluck.  As far as I'm concerned, I could have some of it every day and would be a happy woman!  Easy to make and somewhat nutritious...that is if you leave out the stick of butter that goes in it.  HA!  We baked all day then went to church with my mom, sisters, brothers-in-law, and kids.  We got there a little late, so we didn't get to all sit together.  Mom and Lindsey sat across the aisle from Trisha, Becky the rest of the kids and I.  The guys all sat at the back.  Little Lindsey was precious!  She would press her little cheek right up to mom's and sing with her.  And it was a really nice service.  Very kid friendly and very nice to focus on the reason for the season.  Christmas morning Ryan and I went and picked up Granddad and brought him to mom's.  Ryan and I agreed, our conversations with Granddad were our favorite part of our day that day.  

Friday after I got off work, we left for the hill country.  

We got down to Austin and ate at my absolute favorite...Maudies!  Okay folks if you are ever down there, this is a must try.  And talk about packed!  I had two wonderful chalupas and Ryan had enchiladas.  And probably a pint of salsa too!  I have a picture with my camera phone, but it didn't turn out so great, so you'll just have to go to the website to see it for yourself :o)   We woke up about 8 on Saturday, and of course headed off to Magnolia for breakfast.  Amazing you can get such an awesome breakfast, in such a cool little neighborhood for such an affordable price.  And we only had to wait like five minutes too!  Afterward we drove around the area a bit.  Look at this cool cactus we found!

A few storm clouds started to roll in so we went ahead and hit the road for Fredericksburg.  By the time we got to Dripping Springs, the skies were clear and it was a beautiful, cloudless day.  We stopped at Grape Creek Vineyards on our way in and bought three bottles of our absolute favorite wine.  Cabernet Blanc.  They don't distribute yet, so you can only get it down there.  They asked us, "so would you like a sample" and started naming off all these prices.  I just looked at Ryan and was like, uh, three bottles of cab blanc to go please :o)  Then we headed to the Fredericksburg Winery.  For the past three years that we have gone down there after Christmas, we always go by the Fredericksburg Winery and get a bottle of their Christmas wine.  Then we just moseyed up and down Main Street for a bit.  Last year it wasn't near as crowded after Christmas as it was this year.  In fact, the Fredericksburg Inn was completely sold out!  I was happy I called on our way into town, checked in early, and didn't book through Orbitz or Priceline!  We bought a couple of sandwiches from the HEB down the street, and sat out on a picnic table by the creek next to the hotel and ate a late lunch (picture up top).  After lunch we walked back up to Main Street to hit the shops we missed.  I went in and talked to our shop owner friend who told us where to go to get freshly picked peaches from a woman off of Highway 16 in the summer.  Not long after we headed back to the room to rest.  Walt Wilkins was playing at the Auslander that night.  A couple friend of ours had reserved a table ahead of time so we were lucky enough to get a prime seat.  After the show we just went back to the hotel and sat out by the fire and chatted with other folks staying at the hotel with us.  Oh, and if you ever go and we aren't with you, don't forget to go ask the front desk for a smore kit...hot smores on a cold night just can't be beat!  Sunday morning we slept in, showered and hit the road.  

Becky and her girls were still in town so Sunday night when we got home, we had the crew all over for dinner.  Those kids have so much energy, I just don't know where they get it from!  Monday night we all went over to Granddad's.  My cousins and their families were all in town so we all got together to celebrate Christmas a little late.  So good to see everyone.  And AMAZING to see how much the kids change in just a few months.  Makes you appreciate the little ones.  

On New Year's Eve we went over to my mom's for a bit.  We had sparklers we bought after the 4th of July this year and mom and Aunt Terri had bought a plethora of those little poppin' things you throw on the ground and they snap.  It looked like someone had taken bags and bags of feathers and thrown them all over my mom's back porch by the time the kids were done with it.  Then we went over to Jess and Deron's to celebrate the turning of midnight and to spend the night.  We just didn't want to be out on the road that late.  Too dangerous and not worth the risk.  So Happy New Year everyone.  I hope you have a blessed and beautiful 2009.  And one of my resolutions is to update this at least weekly if not more often...hold me to it!!!

Rathskeller's is the home to my favorite dessert...PEACH BREAD PUDDING!

Tis the Season to be Jolly...

So I listened to a sermon Ryan and I missed a couple of weeks ago. One of the things our pastor challenged us to do during the service was to think of five things you are thankful for.
1. Jesus Christ
2. Ryan
3. My beautiful family
4. Our friends
5. Our health
Easy cheesy. Then the sermon went on. He challenged us all to make a list of 25 things we are thankful for during the next week...on top of the five we had already named. That gets a little sticky. I pulled out a sheet of paper and wrote out the numbers 1-25 and put it in my purse. And there it still sits. And every time I open my purse, I see it. So tonight, I'm going to pull it out, and start to think of all the blessings I have in my life. And then, start praying for those blessings. And now, since you are reading this...I challenge you to do the same... :o) Don't you just love reading the blog...now you have homework! Pull your kids in too! Maybe it is their favorite pillow they sleep with at night, or your favorite robe you put on in the mornings to shut out the cold...
Another cool thing I got this week was an email from a speaker I heard at the SAFY Foster Parent Conference. She labeled it "seventeen words that changed my life forever." I highly recommend the article. I am subscribed to a daily email she sends out, and I know she is a Christian, one thing I think is sorely absent from her memo, but anywho, with that in mind...please go read it. And talk to me about it next time you see me...we'll see if it has impacted you like it has impacted me.
"http://www.coaching-forlife.com/documents/Articles/Seventeen%20words%20that%20changed%20my%20life%20forever......pdf"
And if the link doesn't work, go to google and type in Coaching For Life Juli Alvarado Seventeen Words. It'll bring it up.
I printed the phrase out and hung it up in my cube. If you let it sink it, it'll make an impact. Our pastor also gave a sermon in the Spring about praying for ACCEPTANCE. Not praying for specific things, but for acceptance for what life gives us. So there is number one on my list. I am thankful God has given us acceptance of events that have transpired in the past few weeks. See, I'm already on my way. Okay...I'm on a roll...off to go start filling out the list I have been carrying around for two weeks.
Love to all...
Dayna

O Christmas Tree(s)

Unwrapped the package Uncle Robert :o)

Today we spent the day over at Larry and Rita's. We helped them put together a slide show depicting the building of their house. So for anyone interested, email Larry and he'll send ya the link to it. Oh, and Rita had made chex mix and fudge for upcoming Christmas parties...I think after all we ate, she'll have to make another batch of each!

Since I was little, each year, my mom has gotten me an angel ornament for Christmas. They are all part of a series. The blonde headed blue little angel right in the middle of the picture was the first one I ever received. Anywho, because Ryan and I did a red and silver themed big tree this year, I didn't have anywhere to display my angels. Until tonight! I ran by Big Lots this afternoon and purchased a four foot, pre-lit mini tree. I put it up as soon as we got home from church tonight!

Speaking of which...tonight was the "Candlelighting Service" at church. We had never been to this particular service before so kinda expected there to be carols by candlelight or something. We were mistaken. The best way to describe it would be a Christmas pageant for adults.... Ryan really liked it. At one point I looked over at him and he was holding his mouth like he was just going to burst into laughter. I enjoyed the orchestra...and when we sang two stanzas of Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee...that's about it. Anywho, they have been doing some version of this service for 72 years! We'll be sure all you folks join us for year 73...it'll be the topic of your conversation for at least a few days I'm sure.

the reason for the season...

Thanks be to God for his beautiful son, Jesus Christ. As we decorated Sunday night, I had "O Holy Night" in my head (so as you read the blog, please indulge me by humming it yourself). I am so grateful for all our family, friends, and colleagues. When you feel bah humbug this season, remember what it is really about and trust me, it'll change your mood entirely...well, maybe not until you've left the store, but try humming a tune you associate with how you celebrate Christ's birth.