Early Wake Up Call & Prayers Appreciated

Good morning everyone.

Typically at this hour of 7AM I am just arriving to work, since I work 7-4, HOWEVER...on this lovely Thursday I had to be at work at 6AM, causing my wake up time to be just before 5AM. Waking up before 5AM just isn't healthy. The birds aren't even up. Hell, even my dog looked at me like I as crazy this morning. It didn't help either that it took me close to mid-night before I could fall asleep last night...

I hope I don't end up like this lady this morning!

But alas, here I am, at my desk, trying to keep my eyes open and trying to resist the temptation to make black cup of coffee to jolt me forward. I am trying my absolute hardest to never begin drinking coffee every morning. I see these ladies here at work..they have like 4 cups before noon! That cannot be good for you or your teeth. And sure I could have just one cup this morning and then avoid getting anymore in the future, but that is how it gets you. It starts with one cup and before you know it your fighting your co-workers for that last cup at 3:45 in the afternoon. Okay I'm done talking about coffee like it's cocaine.

However, waking up before dawn was a choice I made. A choice that was made for good reason. I can't say much yet, but today is a bit of a big day for me. I ask for your prayers today. An opportunity has presented itself to me and if all works out, certain areas of my life could greatly improve.

Happy Thursday dolls and thanks in advance for the prayers.

Plummeting Productivity and a Tan for Christmas

FRIDAY! FRIDAY! FRIDAY! Oh how happy I am to see you! And now this day just needs to speed by (at least till noon) so I can be off work for the next 11 days! Needless say my productivity level today is already plummeting at great speed.

http://pinterest.com/source/someecards.com/

Seems about right.

Moving on...Christmas Eve/Christmas is now only 8 DAYS away and I am SO in the spirit here at work with my jingle bell necklace and headband, along with my Hanson Holiday Pandora station. I am very ready for all the Holiday festivities to commence.

I also am so incredibly excited about being home. I haven't spent an extended period of time back home since....well, probably freshman year during Christmas. I have never been one of those super homey people, but I can't wait to be back in Bridge City all week. One of my oldest and best friends, Ashley B. (See Stars in my Sky) is having a "White Elephant" party on Monday night with some other wonderful ladies and I can't wait to see her and her GIANT rock beautiful engagement ring she got from her fiancé a couple of weeks ago. Tuesday I am having a much needed and way overdue Housewife (again, see Stars in my Sky) date. Pedicures, Lunch, Gossip, some form of alcohol=Perfection. Tuesday night I also get to get my hair done back home. Now I am sure you're wondering what is so special about getting my hair done, especially when I live in a city filled with outstanding beauty salons? Well because when I go get my hair colored, I pay nearly 100 dollars, JUST FOR COLOR. Now when I go home, I can pay 70 dollars for color, cut, and style. You see my reason for excitement now? Yeah buddy (In Vinnie from Jersey Shore's voice. Jersey Shore Returns in January! #gulitypleasure) As for the rest of the week, not much else planned except for some margaritas one night and hitting up the casino with my Grandpa (yeah, you heard me right) and of course Church on Christmas Eve along with other Christmas fun.

Now I have never been one to complain about the different seasons. I mean I kind of think Spring and fall are a bit lame because they are kind of like the filler seasons, but I really enjoy them all. HOWEVER, my one complaint about the cold winter months (As in December-February in Texas) I get MEGA pale. I, being a blonde with blue eyes, enjoy having a nice sun-kissed glow and unless I want to hop into the cancer tanning bed or want to catch phenomia laying out in 50 and below degree weather I am, you would say, sh*t out of luck. Also, if you know me (P.S. I am going to do a blog listing all the times I use the line "If you know me", I say that way too much) you know I am very much a beach person who loves the whole "parrot head" state of mind. So with all that being said, I want to share with you my Christmas Jam of the day. I hope some of you can appreciate it as much as I did.

Stay warm Dolls, and have a very merry weekend. :)

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

Happy Hump Day!

I don't know about you guys but this week is C-R-A-W-L-I-N-G by. Especially when I have the entire week off next week, OMGCANTWAIT! Sunday after the Texans BTHO whoever they are playing (I'm such a good employee) Trevor and I will be heading down to big metropolis of Bridge City, Texas. Don't get me wrong, I love living in Houston but it will be nice to get a break from the big city. We will be home the ENTIRE week before Christmas and I couldn't be more excited to see all my family and friends back home. It seems every time I have been home recently its been on a weekend and that means a day and a half to rush around and try and make time for everyone, so it will be nice to have the entire week. That and the fact that it's CHRISTMAS!!! My absolute favorite time of the year! Every Christmas eve, my Dad's side of the family all get together at my Aunt and Uncle's house for some good food, quality time with family, presents and of course the always classic home videos including one of me opening a present and thinking all I got was a "fluff" (you know the stuff inside jewelry boxes) and actually saying "thank you" for it. There is another one of me, my cousin Ashley, and our grandmother all jumping on a trampoline. My grandmother looks like a cross between Richard Simmons and donkey Kong the way she is jumping in her matching purple sweat suit, and I being a good 10 pounds lighter than my cousin at the time can't get my footing for the life of me. Ahh good times. Christmas day we spend with my mom and amazing grandparents and it's usually a repeat of the night before minus the embarrassing home videos. I seriously cannot wait.

It's been a busy couple of weeks with a Thanksgiving trip to Dallas, Texan football games, and the 3rd annual Surber Christmas party. I will do a blog update in pictures once I upload them. I am a little behind with uploading pictures. (Still haven't even uploaded Halloween, YIKES!) Promise, pics coming very soon.

With Christmas Eve/Christmas fast approaching (10 days and counting) I decided to do a little Christmas survey that I found online. Hopefully it brings you some Holiday Cheer! Enjoy! (And feel free to steal)

What’s the best gift you have ever received?

This is a tough question for me because I have (being an only child and all) always had AWESOME Christmases when it comes to gifts. But so far there are two Christmas gifts that stick out to me. One was a pair of diamond studded earrings that my grandfather bought me. It's not so much that they're diamonds (doesn't hurt) but that they are from my grandfather and grandmother who I love so much. I did wear them every day from the moment I got them, until  the back of one fused together with the stem and we actually had to cut it out of my ear. Yes it was as horrible as it sounds, BUT good news is they are currently being remounted and I will get them back good as new next week when I am home. :)

The second Christmas gift was a necklace I got two Christmases ago from Trevor. Again not just for the fact that it was diamonds but the message it represented. In the card I opened before the actual present, Trevor had written down 7 things that each diamond on the necklace stood for. It was carefully thought out and it was so special to me. I also wear this piece of jewelry every day :)

What is your favorite Christmas movie moment?
Home Alone, The Grinch, and The Holiday are my favorite Christmas movies. I have favorite moments in them all. I could watch all of these movies 100 times during Chrismtas. (The Holiday, anytime of the year really)
 

 

When do you open gifts?

Christmas Eve and also Christmas morning

Do you believe in Santa?

I think there is a little bit of Santa Claus in all of us. I saw this link on the always wonderful Pinterest.com and thought it was a great way to explain Santa. :)

 http://www.cozi.com/live-simply/truth-about-santa

What is your happiest Christmas memory?

Last year's Christmas was nearly perfect. During my parents’ divorce, a lot of Christmas' had their ups and major downs, and as always with a divorce that goes bad, it took some time to heal. Last year (and really the year before) things started to feel perfect again...no arguing, no one parent hurt because I was with the other one, no one sick, and bonus, I had an outstanding date that I was held over heels in love with (and still am). Doesn't get much better than that.

What famous person would you most like to encounter under the mistletoe?

No one famous, I'm perfectly fine with Trevor Davis. :)

Do you prefer wrapping presents or just putting them in bags?

I love wrapping presents, like wish I could do that as my job during Christmas I love it so much. If you use bags, you’re just lazy! Unless it's one of those incredibly difficult and oddly shaped presents that are impossible to wrap, I never use bags. I will also most likely try and wrap it anyways. :)

When it comes to decorations, are you a Griswald or a Grinch?

Griswald most definitely! Nothing fancy but it gets me in the spirit. I have my tree, Christmas wreath, lights in the study window, some more hung on the mirror behind the couch and also some more in my bedroom window.

My apartment this Christmas. :)

My purple, white, and silver Christmas tree. (the lights are blueish)

What is your favorite version of a Christmas song?

Okay so I love all Christmas music (Trevor was a little less than pleased when I started playing it the day after Thanksgiving) so I really cannot chose a favorite version of a specific song. Don't make fun now, but the Hanson's actually have an amazing Christmas album, SERIOUSLY, it's so good. I highly recommend you check it out if you want the classics with a little modern touch.

Some of my other Christmas favorites are:

1. Oh Come Al Ye Faithful

2. Santa Baby

3. Rocking around the Christmas tree

4. Baby it's Cold Outside

5. Carol of the Bells

6. Mr. Grinch

Have you had any traumatic Christmas-related experiences?

So funny story, I was dating a guy in junior high named Kelly Stanley (didn't last, we were better as friends, still are actually) Anyways he came over to my house to help put up the Christmas tree. Of course the 13 year old me was so smitten with having my boyfriend at the house that I did not pay too much attention the actual decorating. So tree is done, looks great, Kelly goes home and life goes on. A couple of days later we come home to the Christmas tree on the ground...did I mention it is real so pine needles are everywhere? My Dad was less than pleased but got over it. Fast forward about a week later, Dad is at the computer balancing the checkbook AKA stay the hell away from him because he is in a terrible mood, and I have briefly came out of my room to get something to drink. As I walk by the tree falls AGAIN! Needless to say my Dad was definitely not pleased this time and proceeded to go on a rant about if I am dating a guy that can't decorate a tree correctly I need a new boyfriend. VERY traumatic at the time...a good story to tell now. Side note: It actually fell over a third time but just my mom and me where home so we cleaned up the mess and no one ever knew. :)

What would be an age appropriate gag gift for most of your friends?

Something inappropriate. That is all I have to say about that.

Would you rather be a partridge in a pear tree or a lord a-leaping and why?

I am going to go with Lord-a-Leaping because I like to consider myself loyalty(coughMarinaSurberCough) and I enjoy dancing. :)

Happy Hump Day Dolls!

P.S.- I don't know if you guys have ever heard of "Revenge" but it's a new show on ABC and it is AWESOME. Trevor and I look forward to "Workout, Revenge and Wine Wednesdays" every week. I highly recommend you check it out. Plus Modern Family comes on before, another awesome show.

Eve*

Life Lessons Learned and Mackenzie Lynn

Good Morning guys!

Okay first off, my apologies for the lack of blogging the past few weeks. The last part of November leading into December was very busy for me, filled with lots of travel and busy work weeks.

During the past few weeks there were different happenings here and there that I thought could make good blog posts but just like coming back to work from a long weekend, getting back to blogging was going to take something good.

And that something good happened Monday morning around 7 AM. :)

Allow me to give a bit of a back story. About 5 years ago, I met a couple through my former best friend. Enter JB and Jessica. I met them shortly after they became engaged and through the former bf, got to know them both pretty well. Fast forward to present time. Jessica is now one of my best friends and JB is like an older brother to me. Jess is a straight shooter and will tell you like it is, but not in a mean way. With Jess, what you see is what you get. Her and I can talk and laugh for hours on end and we see eye to eye on a lot of subjects. One of the things Jess and I agreed on was our lack of love for children. It was an ongoing joke with us until last year when things began to change. :) And come April 2011, Jessica and JB were expecting their first child.

Now just to clarify for all my friends who really think I hate kids. It's not that I hate kids, I just hate the horrible monsters that run rapid around supermarkets and kick people. I also don't appreciate a crying baby in a restaurant and I really like to sleep through the night. Bottom line is that I am in no way ready to put another human being's life a priority over my own.  So when you hear me make jokes about kids, it's nothing personal, it's just a joke. Yes, I do want kids of my own one day, just not ANYTIME SOON.

Now back to the story...Sunday while I was at work, I was texting Jess because she was scheduled to be induced Sunday morning. After a day at the hospital Mackenzie (baby) still wasn’t ready to leave her warm, happy place. Staying true to form, Sunday night, Jessica was laying in on straight to me about how contractions do not feel very well, and that when it was our turns (us being my friends Marina, Heather, and myself) she would not sugar coat anything with us. I think it that moment I added another year to when I would want to have kids, contractions did not sound like a fun deal.

Monday morning, we all got a text letting us know that Mackenzie would be making her grand entrance around 7AM. Now, I am just as shocked as you all, but I was so excited I could hardly get my mind of anything else. Weird! I was so excited for my friends to be meeting their child, THEIR KID that they actually MADE & Created. (The whole process, as common as it is, blows my mind.) I couldn't wait to see who she looked like more, what color her hair was, and most of all, I couldn't wait to hold her. (Again, Shocker, I know).

Mackenzie Lynn was born December 5, 2011. She weighed 5 pound 8 ounces, 17 inches long, and perfect. :-)

Tuesday night, Trevor and I went up to the hospital to meet the little doll. Mackenzie is the first new born baby I have ever held. I was always so scared that I was going to hurt them because they seem so fragile, but I loved holding that little girl. She was so tiny and smelled so sweet. (Never knew babies smelt so good). As she slept in my arms for the next 45 minutes, puckering up hers lips occasionally and shifting around in her dreams, I had this overwhelming since of happiness. This little miracle is going to bring her parents so much joy and I know they are going to be outstanding parents.



Mackenzie and her "Cool Aunt" (No I did not cut my hair, it's just behind my shoulders)

 

She is such a doll, she completely stole my heart.

 

Uncle Trev and Mackenzie :)

That night after leaving the hospital, I really got to thinking...seeing JB, Jess, and Mackenzie all together in that hospital room really makes you see what marriage and love is all about; saying "I do" in front of God and all your loved ones, finding out that 2 is about to become 3, holding your newborn baby for the first time. Those are the moments that you will cherish and the moments that matter the most. In those moments you see what true love is. It's not the size or price of your engagement ring; it's not what flowers you will have at your wedding, or what color you’re going to paint your bedroom in your new house. I feel like people today are so dramatic. People make "mountains out of a mole hill" all the time.  Everyone is so concerned about themselves and their own lives they no longer care about the happiness of others around them. I truly love seeing good things happen for the ones I love. You can learn a lot sometimes by watching your loved ones and friends experince those big moements, just like I did watching Jessica and JB go through the past 9 months leading up to the birth of their beautiful baby girl.

Happy Thursday Dolls, Stay warm. :)

Catching Up Thanks, an Engagement, and a Birthday.

Apologies for my absence but life has been crazy busy, but awesome none the less.

Before I do some major catch-up on my 30 Days of Thanks, I want to send a BIG Congratulations out to one of my oldest and dearest friends, Ashley B.(see stars in my Sky) and her new fiancé' Colin on their engagement that happened last night. Since we became friends in our junior year of high school, we have had PLENTY of discussions of weddings, proposals, and all other things bridal and I couldn't be any happier for her that she now gets to live out all those dreams. Congratulations again to the future Mrs. Franks. :)

Also, a big Happy Birthday shout out to another long time and great friend, J.C. Can't wait to celebrate Tuesday night!

Okay so keeping up with these 30 days of Thanks has been a little more difficult that I thought. So with that being said, I am going to do a little combining on days of thanks because I want to catch up!

Day 14-17: My Job

Okay so if you know me at all, you know that I, at time, am less than pleased with my primary job. I won't elaborate much but it's definitely a glass half empty a lot of days. HOWEVER, when I step back and look at the big picture, I really am thankful for my job, especially with the Holidays coming up. Not only do I have above average in regular vacation, we also get a full week of either the week of Christmas or the week of New Year's that is not taken from our vacation. I am very thankful for that time off to spend with loved ones. I am also thankful for a job where I get a bonus around Christmas to help with the cost of presents. I am thankful that I have a really awesome boss that doesn't make coming to work absolutely miserable. November 14-17h I am very thankful that I have a job and all the positive things that come from it. I am thankful I am not unemployed and that I can pay all my bills/expenses on my own.

Day 18: Texas A&M University

I wish that Friday would have just been another day; however, it marked 12 years since the Aggie Bonfire collapsed and killed 12 Aggies. Texas A&M University is a big family. Say what you want about us being crazies with all of our traditions and cult like mentality, but there is truly a spirit that can ne'er be told. I want to share a quote from an article that was published in Texas Monthly in November of 2009, which was the 10 year anniversary of the collapse of the bonfire.

“The bonfire symbolizes two things,” reads the 1947 Texas A&M freshman handbook. “A burning desire to beat the team from the University of Texas, and the undying flame of love that every loyal Aggie carries in his heart for the school.”

This statement, along with a lot of other moments from that tragic day fill the pages of that November 2009 issue that sits on my counter. I don't ever save magazines but that one I will always keep. I recommend reading the article in full to anyone-Aggie Bonfire- Ring of Fire. It covers not only the history of Bonfire, but it also paints of vivid picture of the bravery of the Aggie students, football team, and staff/faculty that would not stop until all Aggies were recovered from the pile of wood. I cried reading the article and my heart hearts every year on November 18th, but you can bet every time I look down at this little gold ring on my right hand ring finger, my heart swells with pride. I am so honored to be a part of the Aggie family. I am proud to say that I attended and graduated from Texas A&M University and am extremely thankful that I met some of my best friends and the love of my life while I was there. I am thankful for the lessons I learned while I was there, especially the ones not in any classroom. November 18th I am thankful for Texas A&M University. I am thankful for the generations of students that came before me and helped shape and create the core values and traditions of the university. I am thankful for the future students that will keep those traditions going strong for years to come. And I am beyond thankful for the memories that I have from those 4 years in College Station, TX.

Day 19- Housewife

I have this friend, you MAY have heard me mention her (see stars in sky), she goes by Lauryn/Housewife and this girl is my best friend. Saturday after the Aggies BTHO Kansas, Trevor and I spent the rest of the evening with Lauryn and her bf Jordan (we so lovingly named them LoJo.). We really didn't do anything crazy, just dinner and a little wine after at the apartment but it totally didn't matter, still an awesome weekend. Little moments like having girl talk in her room while the boys watched, you guessed it, more football, are the reasons why I am thankful for her. She may be 2 years younger than me but don't let that fool you, she can dish out some pretty great advice. Even though I am technically an only child, a friendship like ours makes me feel like I have a sister.

November 19th, I am thankful for Lauryn W. I thank God that our paths somehow crossed and that we became friends. I am thankful for all the tough situations that each one of us has gotten the other one through, and the memories that we have made.

Day 20-My Dad

Yesterday, on his way home from Austin with his wife Debbie, my Dad stopped by my apartment for while just to visit. It was great seeing him and getting to actually talk face to face. It's been way to long since I have seen him. My Dad is not what you call lovey-dovey. He is more described as a "hard ass". We have had our good moments and we have had some really bad moments. But in the past couple of years, I feel like we finally got it right. My Dad was strict growing up, sometimes a little intense, but I feel like he played a huge role in shaping me into the person that I am today. Looking back now, I am thankful for the way he raised me, and for the "no room for error" tactic he used. I feel because of the way he raised/disciplined me that I have respect for others, I have manners, and I know not to walk loudly when you’re on the second floor of anything. :) I know that I need to turn off lights if I am not using them, and always do your chores, even when you don't want to. I know that you alone are responsible for your actions and blaming it on anything or anyone else just isn't acceptable.

November 20th, I am thankful for my Dad. I am thankful that he raised me the way he did. I am thankful for how hard he worked when I was young to support our family. I am thankful that we now have a great relationship and that we came back from the dark place that we went to during my parents’ divorce.

I am also thankful for short weeks! My thanksgiving break begins at 4 P.M. tomorrow and I cannot wait. Tomorrow evening is also our good friend J.C.'s birthday shindig, which is guaranteed to be a good time.

Happy Monday Dolls.