Give it up and Roll with it

This really isn’t written for anyone yet at the same time everyone. I am as guilty as can be about wanting to plan out every detail of my life, only to realize that I have no control over most of it which then drives me bananas. I am positive that I provide great comedic entertainment for God.

Brandon is always telling me to quit worrying about stuff, there’s no point in it and you can’t do anything about it anyway. He’s really good about just going with the flow and being in the same mood no matter what. I am not. I want to plan it, if it isn’t just how I want it then I want to fix it, and I usually want it all to be figured out RIGHT NOW.

I’m getting better about this (sometimes) and try to live out Brandon’s advice. I even bought a bracelet that says ‘let it be.’ I try to wear it as much as I can and actually follow it. I know stuff doesn’t always go as planned and how we want it, but usually it all falls into place in a pattern that is even more perfect than we had originally blue-printed out.

Life’s a mess and no matter how much we clean it is like my little old farm house, it will always continuously need dusting. Sometimes you just got to sit on the couch, watch Swamp People, and leave the dusting for another day. Just remember, even though there’s dust, you gotta still be thankful for all the nice things you have to get dusty.

So moral of the metaphors, enjoy life and all the curve balls it throws at ya. I agree, sometimes it sucks. But we wouldn’t appreciate how truly wonderful the wonderful things are if it didn’t.

Love & Marriage..............

Well, we made it. 365 days and we are still happily married. Brandon and I spent the day working outside, doing a little laundry, ate lunch at Rosa’s, and went to Wal-Mart. It was extravagant.

To tell ya the truth, I actually wouldn’t have had it any other way. (Ok, so that’s kinda a lie. I wouldn’t mind being on a Jamaican Beach as I was this time last year). But still, I consider us to be pretty real, and you don’t get any realer than Wal-Mart.

Besides, we did have a pretty great little get-away last weekend and we got to spend our anniversary-eve celebrating the engagement of some great friends with lots of other great friends, and nothing puts you in a more lovable mood than being around ones in love. Plus Brandon got to fit some good calves Saturday, which always puts him in a good mood.

On top of that, our wedding cake (shout out here to Theresa Long, mother of those 'oh so cute!' Long boys, who baked it) was SO good! I sat it out of the freezer Saturday night and ate it for breakfast (and pretty much snacked on it all throughout the day) Sunday. There was a piece left when I left this morning, but I’m guessing it will be long gone by the time I get back home, whenever that will be.

I have an interview with a vegetable farmer in the LBK tomorrow so I’m staying with LuLu tonight, Katie’s taking bridal pics of the lovely Kalli Poole today, girls’ night party at Katie’s house tomorrow, Rusty’s 31^st birthday party (because remember, you never outgrow birthday parties in our family) Wednesday night, taking promotional pics of a bull in Post Thursday, and start our weekend of Glaze Family Reunion with a cookout at Mom & Dad’s Friday night. Whew, so jammed packed week and lots of picture taking opportunities. So keep in touch, there’s surely to be something on here soon to make you smile.

Now then, I would like to share two things with you. One is some bridal pics taken of the beautiful Mrs. Erica Gardner. The other is a short list of things I have learned in my little one year of marriage. I am sure all you more seasoned married ladies out there can expand upon it, and feel free to comment and do so. I’d love to hear what you have to say. I usually vent to my Momma about these things, especially when I was first getting adjusted to taking care of a man, most of which she simply replied, “Well, I hate to tell ya, sweetie, but it doesn’t get much better.”  Great.

1)      No matter where you set the dirty clothes hamper, his dirty clothes will always miss it by at least 6 inches.

2)      Setting his dishes in the sink is considered to him “cleaning up the dishes.”

3)      Although he drives right by a grocery store every day and I do not, it will never cross his mind that HE could stop and get that gallon of milk or Hershey’s syrup he so desperately must have.

4)      No matter how many or how cute of coasters is on the end table of his side of the couch, his cup will never make it on it.

5)      His socks will never be turned right side out when I fold them.

6)      No matter how well I try to disguise them in nifty plastic containers, he will never eat off-brand Rice Crispies. (yes, I am a tight-wad. Ask anyone)

7)      I will always take a jacket or blanket with us on road trips. Yes, it may be 106 outside, but it is 55 in the truck. And he will never get that.

8)       No matter how much I complain about the expense or grossness, he is still going to chew tobacco. (this one I still have hope for)

9)      When it comes to hunting, many accessories are needed and required.

10)   And last but not least. He is always going to say whatever the heck is on his mind, because well, that’s just Brandon. And I love him.

Let's just GO.....

Do you ever have those times when you are like “I just HAVE to get away”? Well, I do, and last week was one of them. I know Brandon just got back from a week long hiatus and was ready to stay home, but I really didn’t care at all. I knew no matter where we went it would be dry and hot, but once again, I really didn’t care. As long as it wasn’t the sandy bar ditches of Martin County, I was good with it. So we threw a bag in the truck Friday evening and headed to the hill country with no plan whatsoever.

I guess you can say it was for our 1st Anniversary since it looks like our real anniversary this weekend will be spent at a steer show, which isn’t all bad. Brandon told me on the way down that it is tradition for the husband to get the wife paper for their first anniversary. To which he was thinking a Hallmark card and I was thinking cash. We compromised and decided this little trip would be good enough and we’d count the hotel bill as the ‘paper.’

We stayed a night in San Antonio, ate at Salt Grass, went to the zoo (because yes, we are both a little nerdy), went to the Outlets in San Marcos, stayed a night in New Braunfels, shopped in Wimberly, went to Cabela’s in Buda, and mozied on home Sunday. It was pretty great and just what I needed.

The perfect little getaway was followed up by a fun 4^th of July with good steaks and homemade ice cream with our fabulous family at Pop and Gramma’s. It even rained a little, and we all had to go out and soak in the smell. It may've not lasted long but it did our souls good. We visited, laughed (mainly at LuLu), and of course there were plenty of hugs to fill your heart. That's one of my favorite parts of our family. You hug everyone when you get there and hug everyone when you leave. It's not like it's mandatory or anything, it's just what we do. Yeah, our trip away was needed and wonderful, but the best part about getting away is knowing you still have good stuff to come home to.

 Our Fabulous Family

LuLu being silly and holding up Brandon in the food line.

"Hurry up woman I'm Hungry!"

Voted "Best Looking" in our family two years straight.

Me (no makeup, don't judge) and Riggs (before he discovered his love for food)

Uncle (Pain) Wayne getting his exercise.

We Love Lovers!!

My husband is finally home! Or at least that’s what I’m told. I haven’t seen him with my own eyes due to me being gone these past three days, but supposedly he is there. I remember him having blue/green eyes, mega-long eyelashes and blondish-brown hair, so if there’s a guy in my house tonight that resembles this description, I’m going to assume it’s him (however if it is Mark Wahlberg, that will be fine too.)

He’s been gone since last Monday to a work meeting at lake Conroe. A resort on Lake Conroe, mind you. And since he was so close to home, he decided to go on down to his parents for some family time that somehow turned into a two day fishing trip on the coast with two of his best buddies. Funny how things work out.

So he’s staying at a resort, on a lake, where it rains, then fishing on the coast. I am at home, working, where it is 111 degrees and NOT raining. Yeah, I’m definitely getting something new out of this.

Just kidding!! (kind of) Truth is I’m super glad he got to spend time with his compadres and I am pretty freak’n ready to see him. If you see a black streak going down HWY 87 this evening, it will be me. Anyway, I did get a lot done this past week I needed to get my butt in gear and do. And most of all, I got to shoot an amazing wedding with my amazing sister that was full of amazing decorations and amazing people. Seriously, it was fit for a magazine.

The bride did an AMAZING (have I used that word already?) job on every little detail. Her cake was the most beautiful I have seen in person or magazine. Her brooch bouquet beat even the Queen, Miranda Lambert’s, and her bridal portraits she chose rocked!  

Yesterday was a half-kidless-day at Katie and Rusty’s so we slept, went to church, slept, watched part of a movie, and then all the grandparents brought the kids back and, I am only guessing, went back home and slept. Evidently that is something that goes out the window in exchange for children. Note to self. 

One of our fave peeps.

More pics to come!!!!

We love Weddings!!!

My husband is gone to a meeting at a resort somewhere where it is raining and someone else is cooking his meals and making his bed (ok, so that last part isn’t much different for him than home). Anyway, the point is that he is at this nice place where it rains and I am at home waking up at 6am just so I can get stuff watered before it gets too hot. I know, unfair.

It hasn’t been too shabby, though. I did pick our first cherry tomatoes, cucumber and squash this morning. And it looks like we’ll have lots of stuff within the next couple weeks. On top of that, I got my book in yesterday and it looks great! Yes, I wrote and published a book. It is called ‘Agriculture on the High Plains of Texas’ and you can see it here: http://www.agricultureonthehighplainsoftexas.com/

That is my Mamaw Jack’s hands on the cover, pretty special, and I’m sure you all will know lots of people in the stories it contains. It is just stories and pictures of family agriculture businesses and operations. I love it.

We also went to watch Ryder and Blue Moon at the Borden County playday last night. It was fun, a nice evening with an actual COOL breeze, and a gorgeous sunset over the caprock.

I’ve gotten my next Competing for Profit written, newsletter designed, book marketing materials edited, brochures made, and the rest of the wedding pictures edited. Amazing how much you can get done when you don’t have a man to tend to. Just kidding, I’ll be glad to take him back.

Here are some more wedding pics, and we have another coming up this weekend, so…..wooohooo!!!