Night Owl

I told myself this break I would be getting my rest, working out, and catching up with my family and friends. Well I have a week left and I have been averaging about 6-7 hours of sleep a night, working at Miss Sallie's instead of working out, and mostly being lazy when I'm at home consuming my time with Pinterest and television = watching House or football and thinking about the things I could make from Pinterest. I've really enjoyed this Christmas break because...

I've gotten closer to my friend Cassey Janak (no relation to Courtney) who is the athletic trainer at the high school and 2 school grades my elder.

I went on my 1st duck hunt with my guy friends in Matagorda. Thank the Lord for safety and their gun knowledge since my gun got jammed but we were REALLY successful!

A week later, I went on my 1st dove hunt with my dad and his buddies. I shot down 5 and had a swell time hanging out and talking with a bunch of "wise" men.

Had an amazing Christmas with both sides of the family. Santa was even kind enough to keep my subtle hints in mind and brought me a 20 gauge shotgun! Later, Big Steve traded it for a 12 gauge and got $100 back. Scott Arbuckle said I should've become the rightful owner of the Benjamin but I'll ask for it later for the horse show I'm going to do in February.

I was able to stay at my Aunt Lori & Uncle John's for a night and take Sydney (almost 15) to the El Maton dance and get the horses their shots the following day. I CANNOT BELIEVE that Santa brought me Rocket 10 YEARS AGO!!! I really miss that horse but I just don't have enough time. Hopefully I can keep him long enough for him to become my kid's horse.

I helped Mom & Dad organize a little New Year's Eve party. It turned out really great. I hope everyone had a splendid time and is having a Happy & Healthy New Year! I skipped out on the champagne toast and sang at 11 pm Mass that night.

I spoke to 8th graders at the middle school's College Day this Tuesday. I had a good time with the group I was with and got my "Growth Points" paper signed to turn in in March for when I start planning my December graduation.

I attended a beautiful rosary of an amazing lady who passed away on the 30th. Please keep Mrs. Nancy Krenek and her family in your prayers. She touched a lot of people's hearts and is continuing to as she is smiling down on us from Heaven.

And on Wednesday, I helped out St. Philip's, where Mrs. Krenek was an aide, so the faculty could attend the funeral. I got to substitute a 1st grade class. They were so cute & full of EVERYTHING! Before we went in from recess, I let them race me. I was nice and gave them a 3 second head start. I beat them. Oops.

Thursday, I helped Miss Sallie out before heading to Houston for a defensive driving class from 4-10 pm. I got a ticket in October so better late than ever to get it done before school starts the 17th and I have no time to do extra things. It was supposed to be funny but the instructor made his jokes into death jokes and it wasn't really funny. So the SIX of us caught on and started making fun of his jokes and the time went by faster. Supposedly if he would've let us out earlier than the required 6 hours, we could be fined $30,000 and his fine would be double or triple that amount!!!

Hope all is well in your neighborhood!
Gig 'em & God Bless!

Sorry I don't have pictures! I need to sync my phone...especially so y'all can see Dad's dog Harley!

Destressing at Home

It's supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. I don't understand why people stress out about Christmas because it get blown over proportion and becomes materialistic instead of spiritual.

"Jesus is the reason for the season."

I know this sounds like the same old story everyone says now-a-days but I would like to destress while I am not in school for 4+ weeks. I do work at The Crossing and I truly enjoy helping out Miss Sallie but then I come home and want to relax, workout, do some crafty things and/or bake and I feel like there's something else for me to do with Dad, Mom or whoever. I'm okay with that...sometimes. Truthfully, I would love to chill out, not talk or text for a couple hours, play my guitar/piano, do some pinning on Pinterest, wrap some presents, and maybe sit by myself in my room (or go to church) and talk to the Lord. And I think that everyone needs at least 30 minutes of that kind of medicine a day. Some of us do it by watching t.v. or reading a book or maybe even...I don't know. I drew a blank. I don't mind helping out around the house. I know figured out why we were given chores when we were little.

You gotta learn to do it on your own some day so might as well start young!

Now, while I am not trying to sit here in my bed and complain because I've been told twice to clean my room from the tornado I brought back to EC with me, I really just want to say that I do listen. I can clean up after myself. I love coming home. I love hanging out with my parents and family and friends. I want to have a better relationship with everyone.

And how do you think I can accomplish all of the wants and loves? The Big Man Upstairs, of course!

Just a little praying and bible verse reading here and there plus some singing = strengthening my faith.

I hope that we all can strengthen our faith in Him, ourselves, families, friends, etc. I wish you all a very joyous and blessed Christmas season and you will be getting cards with cute photoshopped pictures soon! I just ask that you pray for my family members who are sick. If you ever need a prayer, shoot me a text and I would be happy to be mindful of your wish.

Gig 'em & God Bless!

P.S. An amazing Christmas CD to listen to is Peace on Earth by Casting Crowns. My favorite song on there is I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Very beautiful and moving song.

P.S.S I went on my 1st Duck Hunt with 3 of my close guy friends in Matagorda. I bagged 5 redheads and one of the boys got a Canvas Back. Made me really want to ask for a Benelli shotgun from Santa! But Santa brought me neoprene waders instead...hehe



Taking Matters into My Own Hands

For those who have not known the trouble I've caused my parents since the age of 10, here is a brief summary. On March 31st, 1999, a softball hit me in the mouth and Dr. Swenson was pulled out of the pasture to pull my broken tooth out. Since the age of 10, I've had many appliances with fake teeth on them, braces that held a tooth by a wire, and a Maryland bridge that was cemented to the back of my teeth. I still remember the day Emily & Shannon visited me in bed and my whole mouth was still very swollen. Needless to say, they were very taken back by my swollen lip and gap. For those who have seen me since February, I had braces for 9 months and a retainer since October. I had my implant surgery in August. After multiple visits back and forth from Victoria to EC to CS, it was time to fill the gap!

Since the Tooth Fairy and Santa failed me, I had to take matters into my own hands. Dr. Swenson and his amazing team ordered my fake tooth when I got home for Christmas break after finals. Well it came in last Tuesday and I went in to the office but it wasn't a good match. It's a very long process to make these false teeth that are supposed to act as great as a normal tooth but the color has to match as well. School started today and I didn't want to go back & forth during this busy semester worrying about my tooth. So Dr. Swenson talked to the lab and the next morning, Taylor Martin & I hauled ourselves & my special box to San Antonio to get a perfect match. After a long day of shopping, eating, and several color changes, we headed home. The next morning I was back at Swenson's and he permanately put my new tooth in! The shape looks great, the color is a little different but not that noticable. I'm using some good whitening toothpaste and am going to get a great electric toothbrush to try to get some plaque off.

I also got a mouthguard made because I participated in Ralph Hill's Eventing Clinic in Bellville this past weekend. Eventing is an english riding sport consisting of stadium jumping, dressage and cross country riding over 2 or 3 days. It was a lot of fun and it was a great experience. Aubrey hauled me down and I rode her awesome 21-year old QH, Strutt. He's a very safe ride and he taught me a lot. Here's some pictures:

Hopefully I can keep having fun like this throughout the semester. It's going to be a hectic and hard one but it's going to help me in the long run. I'll let y'all know what my final schedule is next week. Until then, have a great week!

Peace & Blessings

As I sit here and piddle with my computer at my College Station home, I ponder about all of the tasks that are needed to be done before Thursday. I've been here since the 28th, horse, dog and cat-sitting for Aubrey (my riding instructor) while her & her husband are back in Florida visiting friends & family. I've had a peaceful time so far staying out at their farm and riding and reading almost every day. I've come to town everyday except for two days. I had to meet Mom in Bellville to exchange power cords for my computer and for the grill they are giving Meemaw & Papaw and to get New Year's Good Luck food. Yum! I'm also gearing up for the trip to Dallas this weekend for the Cotton Bowl - Whoop! Hopefully, the Aggies pull out a win & it'll be a great start to the new year. Anyways...

I should be:
1. Answering essay questions and completing my Camp for All application.
2. Completing applications to volunteer at local hospitals.
3. Clean my room & organize my closet and bathroom.
4. Do laundry.
5. Packing for the trip to Dallas.
6. Working out.
7. Cleaning my car.
8. Entertaining dogs & cat.
9. Learning how to use the Wii on my own with my new Zumba video.
10. Pulling weeds

My valuable computer time is being spent in front of the big screen with Sports Center on and me browsing the Internet and uploading new music onto my iPhone. I told Aubrey I didn't need the Internet out there because I could come to town. It's a good thing because I feel more in tune with nature (haha). I'm sure everyone agrees that there are not enough hours in the day to complete all of these tasks on my list but hopefully they will get checked off before school starts on the 18th.

Gig 'em Aggies! Happy New Year!
P.S. I could really go for some a big crockpot of soup, homemade dessesrts & to go shoot some skeet. I'm hooked after being spoiled while I was home!

Spreading My Holiday Cheer

That is, Bowl Games and Christmas! I'm super pumped that we're bowl-bound! I should've shared this on Thanksgiving Day but I was busy trying to help in the kitchen. So to all you Aggies, enjoy. To my Longhorn (yes, I said it...) family members & fans, apologies. Please understand that Shelby & I enjoyed this picture that was on the Bonfire Memorial exhibit in Rudder & G. Rollie White last week.

"Watch out, Bevo. Don't snicker and sneer.

You think you're a stud but you're only a steer.

Come Thanksgiving Day you'll see what we mean, when

from your tall tower no orange light will gleam. 

You think you're bowl-bound but it's only a dream.

You've still got to meet that Fightin' Aggie team!"

I was even yelling "Boomer Sooner" last night for the chances of ou beating osu so we could have a 3-way 1st place tie in the Big 12 south and get a chance to play in the championship. It was worth a try but ou is playing nebraska and we Aggies couldn't be happier since we beat them both. So watch out world, some friends and family and I are looking for the announcement of what bowl game we're playing in to buy those tickets. ROAD TRIP!

On the Christmas aspect, I enjoyed some jolly music on my way to-and-from the horse barn this evening. It put me in a delightful mood and can't wait for the colder weather, christmas trees, lights, more music and going home for the holidays. It's the most wonderful time of the year! Even though Shelby thinks I'm Scruge, I'm not going to be sitting on my fanny and saying Ba-Humbug. I'm going to try to help out at the food bank or at the church here and back home and sing all the great songs at the top of my lungs in more places than just the privacy of my home.

Any ideas for stocking stuffers for my parents & sister?



Shelby & I at the Arbuckle Wedding



Watch Out World, I'm a Legalized Young Woman!

I've been meaning to post this for some time but I just couldn't make myself to do it or I wasn't able to upload pictures at those times. So anyways, it's finally feeling like autumn in Aggieland and I love all of the fall colors! I can't wait for Thanksgiving and bowl games, the end of this semester, and the jolly Christmas season! How about that win on Saturday?!?! Unfortunately, I started to freak out about my exams and went to the car in the middle of the 3rd quarter to study. I missed it all but no worries, sister has a video and pictures! This semester has flown by so fast we have about 10 school days left in the semester! Which means finals are approaching & I have to study during Thanksgiving...ew.

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Rand Arbuckle. They're wedding was absolutely amazing and I had a lot of fun yet the paper and exam I had the following week (which was last week).

Me on Aubrey's 20 Quarter Horse, Strutt

 I just finished two exams this week, went to E-Walk to take my picture with an elephant and treated myself with a lesson at Aubrey's with my pony, Angie. Aubrey is an awesome horsewoman and friend that I've known since May. I started leasing Angie in August and have enjoyed her so much! She takes my weekly stressers away and I can't wait for the 2011 shows to start up. Aubrey calls me a scaredy cat because I won't jump Angie sometimes. Ok, so I can be a fraidy cat but I'm thinking safety of my tooth. And to those who don't know, I had my implant surgery August 27th and it was successfully been in my mouth since! My braces came off October 21st and I got a retainer the same day with the same tooth I've had since I was 15. Hopefully, Santa brings me my one front tooth for Christmas! 

Top: Me on Angie, flying high! Bottom: Aubrey, Me & Angie

I turned 21 on September 25th. I was still recovering from my surgery & I had a horse show the next day so I didn't want to over do it. Key to all you alcoholic beverage enthusiasts: Eat Protein before! It soaked the alcohol up and TADA!!! NO HANGOVER! But it was an early morning to get to the show and no one decided to show up so Aubrey & I tacked up anyways and I schooled on both of her horses.

Emily, Me & Stacey

It's been a rollercoaster semester but I've made it this far. I wish you all a safe & Happy Turkey Day!Gig 'em Aggies! Saw 'em Off!!!

Happy New Year!

I know...I have forgotten about my blog but I do have very good excuses! 1) I had finals and ended my fall semester with 2 A's, 1 B & 1 C. 2) I had a house to clean before I could come home and begin to work for Miss Sallie at The Crossing for my 3rd year. 3) The boyfriend is soooo demanding! hahaha I'm joking...the last blog I wrote he helped me and that was the last time I saw him until this past weekend. 4) I just haven't been in need to be on the computer, which is sort of a good thing for my fingers & eyes.

I love my updates because I go through my calendar on my phone. I see what I've done in the past few weeks and sometimes it reminds me of other things I need to do or have forgotten.
December:
15th - took my online Computer Technology final in the Read Computer Lab from 10-12. James left me to go home & so I was a free woman! That afternoon, I pampered myself to a facial. I have super dry skin & being stressed from finals was not helping...
16th - took my Women's Psychology final at 10:30 am and I was finished! I actually looked at my grades today (Jan. 5th) and made my best test grade! I continued my pampering and got highlights & a trim after lunch.
17th - The day of complete haze! I was so caught up in packing to go home and cleaning the house before I left that I almost forgot to run errands in town! I had to go get christmas gifts & pick up my own things that I didn't want to leave in CS over the break such as my charm bracelet and Rx's.
18th - Went to a much needed chiropractor appointment. The popping & body controtion may freak you out but oh boy, it feels soooo good! Afterwards, I went to work at The Crossing and the craziness of Christmas shopping begins in the shop. That night, one of my new favorite bands was playing at Muldoon's. Megan Martin had wanted me home so we could go together but Josh Abbott decided to charge $20 to get in the door!!! I thought twice and decided to save my money.
19th - I might as well put a calendar on here! lol...I went to work again - 10am to 5:30pm and babysat 2 pre-teens afterwards. It was probably one of the funniest babysitting experiences I've had! They pranked called boys, dressed up silly to go to Wal-Mart to get a gingerbread house kit, and after the house collapsed a few times, they gave up & ate it.
20th - A long choir practice after 6 pm Mass that made me a little more sick and hoarse after my 3 mile run that cold afternoon.
21st - Mom & I went shopping in Victoria!
22nd - Dentist Appt that I was very early to so I went to Lisa Bubela's shop to get some knick-knacks before my teeth cleaning. Afterwards, I went straight to work.
23rd - A long day at work followed by the Biggest Loser Boot Camp workout video can put a girl to sleep!
24th - Christmas Eve! Went to work and closed at 3 pm. Drove with the family to my Uncle Rodney & Aunt Kathy's home in La Ward for Cooper Christmas. The best Christmas I've had with them in a long time! We got back to town and I got changed to go sing at Midnight Mass at St. Philips. Shelby went but wouldn't go with me since I had to be there at 11.
25th - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Mom's side of the family came to our house for dinner after we opened our gifts at lunchtime! Shelby can sleep like no other...
27th - Bram Christmas at my Uncle Tommy & Aunt Monica's home. I went by myself since Mom & Dad went to Mexico for a couple's hunting trip. Got a set of heavy dominoes!
28th - Another day at work before I went to Wadsworth to stay with John & Lori for a few days.
30th - Took the horses to the vet in Bay City. Rocket is healthy and pudgy. I do miss barrel racing & Karen very much. I hope I can pursue my dreams one day once again.
31st - New Year's Eve, I just wanted to be lazy. I worked for half a day and went to Mass at 5. Sadly, I didn't do much that evening except a trip to HEB with my friend's for our New Year's Day party and "The Office" episodes before I slept through midnight.

January 1st, 2010 - James told me it's the best year ever because he will be graduating this year. The boy is crazy, not literally, but just plain happy-go-lucky all the time. Our relationship is still in the early stages & as long as I'm happy, he gets to stay around ;) This lovely first day of the New Year, I washed some clothes & helped Kimbo Slice in the kitchen for our big lunch with family & friends. You gotta start the New Year off right with some ham, black-eyed peas, cabbage, & cornbread. I hope I'm not forgetting anything?! I also made some puppy chow to take to my friend's party. They loved me for it...and for the air mattresses I took with me.
2nd - I got out off my freezing mattress, packed up & headed towards CS. James & I were spending the weekend together. We went to Houston to the Galleria to shop and meet Scott, Cassey, Cade, Amber, Kenny & Kaylyn for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. It was very delicious and a long day but worth the drive.
3rd - James & I were kinda lazy. We watched movies and went to HEB. He argued with me about me paying for the groceries but I took away his debit card. We made pizza together and ate it after church. He's not Catholic but I'm glad he went with me.
4th - We got up early to clean & pack up and headed our separate ways. I had to work that afternoon and was supposed to catch Emily but that still hasn't happened. And Dad stole me early from Miss Sallie for top secret circumstances...
5th - I was asked to speak with about 20 other students at the EC Middle school's College Day. So from 8 am to 3:30 pm, I got to explain my life as a college student/worker in PG terms. Some kids got brave and asked about partying but we tried to go around it. That evening I went and pumped some iron with some guy friends. I can walk today but I'm not sure about my hamstrings tomorrow especially since I just got off the elliptical...
Which leads me to my day today! It was very eventful. I'm angry with myself for procrastinating my Texas A&M Employee Training, which I have no clue when it's due but most importantly, mad at myself since my defensive driving was due Monday :( It's hard & time consuming!!! Don't do it! Just pay for the ticket!
I went to work but tried to sleep in late on the couch after I ate breakfast. Well, mom wasn't going to let that happen since Miss Sallie counts on me and I'm in the middle of inventory. I'm not kidding whatsoever but it's my favorite thing of this job. I like the solidarity I get and thinking I have to put into it. I don't know why but it's soothing until I miss count or try to remember if I really marked that item down.
Mom stole me away early this afternoon at 2. Dr. Swenson called in for me to go see Dr. Heard, the oral surgeon in Victoria, about getting my tooth implant. I don't know if I got any good news from it except the doctor is super nice and is an Aggie! I stayed positive throughout my appointment although my roots of my teeth beside where I have no tooth are curved inward, giving the post less room to be inserted. So he advised my mother and I to get Orthodontal Therapy, in other words, braces...again. More info to come...I kinda don't want to talk about it right now...

Otherwise, I've had a great start to 2010 and I hope and wish and pray you all the same as well!
Hope to see y'all soon...to those who keep up with my blog...and come visit Shelby & I in Aggieland! The softball schedule can be found at AggieAthletics.com.

Thanks & Gig 'em - Alexis

Happy Birthday Laura!!!

Yesterday was my best friend's 20th birthday! We didn't get to celebrate much with the old lady because her mom and sisters came to CS to treat her with lunch and some shopping. She had a great day although we didn't party much but we're saving that for after finals! ;) This was the cake Shelby and I made her and her gift was a large picture frame with one of Shelby's favorite sayings. Yeah sorry, I'm not good at remembering especially with all the information I'm cramming into my head for my final 2 exams on Tuesday & Wednesday!
P.S. I stayed in my p.j.'s all day too! I was not going to waste my time by changing clothes or fixing my unruly hair.

Some grand things you ought to know about Laura:

1. Has been my best friend for a little over a year.
2. Hails from Wharton and we met through 4-H in high school.
3. Always has something exciting, funny, or some weird story to tell.
4. Her hair is always lovely -straight or naturally curly.
5. Learned how to make tamales with her Grandmother and they're damn good!
6. Has great ears for listening and a big, caring heart.
7. Enjoys being my sister's close friend as well - she says that she loves us both because we are different & hilarious...I don't see what's hilarious when we argue about cleaning?
8. Jeans are her staple clothing.
9. Has crafty hands - can make jewelry, wreaths, frames, & you name it!
10. Has great faith in the Big Man upstairs and can find you a bible verse in a jiffy for any circumstance.

Too bad her birthday couldn't have been a few days earlier because we would've gone to the National Finals Rodeo next December but we can wait another year and that was Taylor will be 21 too!


So here's what else has been going on in my life...This is me immitating Shelby's mirror pictures before the Softball Party last Sunday. She cracks me up when there a million of these "kind" of photos on her camera...let's just say I don't waste my time with that nonsense...hahaha...

Dec. 6 - TAMU Softball Party at the Burnside's: It was a lot of fun this year since I wasn't the newbie and knew everyone except some new strength coaches. My White team didn't have to cook but I got to the house early and helped the Maroon girls with the feast. I chatted with Tommy & Dayle for a good time before and after. It was good to see them and am praying for them all the time.

Dec. 7 - Went to campus early to go get Shelby and my Finals Care Packages that Mom made us. Inside was some comfy lounge pants, Starbucks & McAllister's gift cards, Zappo's Aggie Chips, and maroon & white M&M's! Whoop! Mom did a great job although I told her not to go overboard. I had my last Women's Psychology or "Lifetime" class, as Jimmy likes to call it. And for those of you who didn't know, we are officially a couple. It's going great and we see each other a couple times a week when time permits. Ok, back to Monday...I went home for lunch and studied a bit before I went to Best Buy and St. Mary's for Mass. Tuesday was a holy day of obligation - the Immaculet Conception of Mary.

Dec. 8 - Last day of Music class - thank you Lord!!! It wasn't as bad as alwasy because people performed in class, which I did on the 1st of December. I learned that Silent Night was actually written for guitar!

Dec. 9 - Picked up my friend, Chelsea (set me up with Jimmy), and went to the BQ Bowl, a football game between Artillery & Infantry bands. Jimmy was a defensive end for the A-Band and they won 28-21, I think. It was freezing outside and thank goodness Chelsea called me or I would've been a frozen ice cube! I went home and finished some studying while cooking cornbread & heading back to Chelsea's apartment to eat some stew with her and the guys. Then, I rushed to our Collegiate 4-H social at Dr. Lepley's home. Oh my gosh, I officially want a male miniature schnauzer!!! He and his wife had 3 and they were awesome and so cute!!! We had a short meeting before I rushed home and changed because Chelsea, Justin, Jimmy & I were going to Santa's Wonderland down Hwy 6. It was great! I had a little fun as you can tell below ;)

Dec. 11 - Music Final and boy, I used every second to complete that exam. I thought I knew my stuff but I got confused on a lot of the composers. Oh well, I'm sure I did ok. I keep forgetting to e-mail my prof though because she always gave us our grades in class and I want to know!

I've been studying pretty much since Thursday and I hope I do well on my exams. Shelby & I took our online Math final tonight and I made an 80 but still have an A. I'm very pleased although that exam was horrendously hard! I'm back to the grind on reviewing for pychology but I'm about to take a break from the computer by watching a movie. My computer is becoming the devil because I have been on it nonstop! I have online computer tech exam Tuesday so that is done on the computer and I type the highlighted portion of my Psyc book because it helps me more than just flat reading and I have to complete my defensive driving course before I go home because it's due by the end of the month! But the good thing is, I don't spend any time on Facebook since Laura changed my password! Hopefully, I don't acquire arthritis in my fingers or get burns on my wrists.

Hope you are all have a wonderful December and Christmas season so far! I'll probably be singing at Midnight Mass at St. Philip's on Christmas Day! Love you all!

All I Want for Christmas...

...is for finals to be done and gone and I can move back to EC for the break! I'm procrastinating right now from writing a paper about Title IX and women's sports for my psychology class that is due tomorrow. No worries, it only has to be 2-4 pages long and I have my research done. Tonight is the annual softball team Christmas party at the Burnside's. I know I want to wear a new shirt but I don't know what pants to wear. I also curled my hair this morning for Mass but the nasty weather has depleted the curls so I get to redo my hair and apply more make-up before I leave. It's actually an interesting get-together because the losers of the Maroon and White series have to cook everyone dinner and then we have a Secret Santa gift exchange. Mary and I (managers) chose teams before hand and my White team won! I don't know if she'll even help them out but I would've helped my girls. I drew freshman Lauren S. (don't ask me how to spell her last name because I can barely say it) and I nicknamed her Scooter since she's pretty quick. Well I've looked and searched for a cheap scooter and I had no luck. So I got her a gift card and a candle. Wishful thinking though!


Yesterday, I judged the Brazos County 4-H Food Show and it was really enjoyable. The little kids are going to be great participants in their future endeavors because some of the 8-11 year olds I interviewed knew a lot for their age. I'm sure their mommy's helped them as did mine until I was in high school. ;) Then I picked up Laura to go to the Bryan Craft Show. I wish I could've bought these amazing handmade necklaces and crosses! They were gorgeous! Also, I love handmade wooden signs and cut-outs. There were so many Santa's and snowmen and reindeer that I don't need to clutter my house with so I resisted the urge. Someday though...

Well I'm going to try and start on this paper. I have 3 papers due this week and one is finished, one is in the process, and the other I won't write until the latter of the week because it's not due until Friday. I have my Music final Friday, Math on Sunday, Comp Tech on Tuesday, and Psychology on Wednesday. Busy - Busy - Busy!!! With many errands and chores and events to attend in between! Hope y'all are staying warm and have a great 2nd week of December!

XoXo - Alexis

Turkey Day is Finally Here!

Oh y'all do NOT know how I have been anticipating this week and it has finally arrived!!! I'm done with school and softball for the week. I have been waiting for this week's football game for months. And to really celebrate, Mom & Dad are coming in to CS for the a Thanksgiving lunch, Aggie football, and to put up our 1st Aggie Christmas tree!

If it wasn't for people wanting me to post pictures, my excitement would make me forget to add them to my weekly recap...

Here's some pictures from San Marcos that I forgot to include with last week's post.

November 18th marked the 10th Anniversary of the Bonfire Collapse. It was possibly one of the most memorable things I've experienced as an Aggie thus far. Tuesday, the 17th at 8 pm, Aggies gathered in Reed Arena to remember those who passed away and were injured in the collapse. Nathan West's father gave an amazing speech as well as the '99 Student Body President. Then at 2:42 am, a candlelight service occurred at the Bonfire Memorial. When Amazing Grace and the Spirit of Aggieland was sung, it brought tears to my eyes. Just being there in the crowd with the many images that were printed in the paper and the stories of fellow Aggies made me so appreciate and grateful to be an Aggie.

Wednesday, after little sleep from the previous day (it was worth it), I had class and softball as usual. After I walked with my friend, Chelsea (who set me up with Jimmy), to the bus stop, my sweet Corps boy met me around the Trigon (where the off-campus buses stop) to go to dinner on Northgate before the Women's basketball game. Jimmy is a complete gentleman and I love it! He may not think he is but I try to act as lady-like as possible. He thinks I'm a goofy redneck from a podunk town. He's a city slicker that drives a Volkswagen so I guess opposites attract?! We're still talking and things are great. He wants to take me on an actual date but it's so hard with both of our crazy schedules.

Thursday was another one of those crazy days. I had class, went to the doctor for a shot, got movie tickets for New Moon, made stew & put it in the oven to cook while I was at softball, ran home to eat & review for my exam at 7. At 6, I had to register for my spring classes. This was my total nightmare...I thought I had my schedule all worked out until the online class I wanted wouldn't let me get in it and the speech class I wanted only opens a few seats a day. I'm also attempting Biology 111 again so I'm getting super nervous. So I e-mailed my advisor & thankfully she had walk-ins the next morning & I have things almost sorted out. Today, I got into my online Health class but I'm trying to fight for a spot in the speech class I want. Also, I'm teeter-tottering on whether I should keep the Biology class with what says the professor is TBA or get in the other class that has a professor already listed?!?!!? Any suggestions?

Let's just not talk about my Computer Tech exam......

Friday, I went to walk-ins and felt better after I left. I met Jimmy to go get my football ticket so I could sit with him at the Baylor game. He had tried to pull it the day before but the ticket office gave him grief since my sports pass is listed as "athlete." They never gave Laura crap when she went all those time but luckily, this week Jimmy just gave them grief when he went to get my t.u. ticket. Such a good man ;) After class, I worked out at the REC and I believe it's my stress reliever and energy booster! So thankfully I was able to stay up long enough for Jimmy to come pick me up for Midnight Yell!

Here's a picture from the march from the Corps dorms through a few campus streets onto Kyle Field! The next picture is of the Yell Leaders as Governor Rick Perry was firing up the crowd.

Saturday was a great day! Cade, Rito, Meredith, Wes, Cullen Z., and Ali were staying with us. We all went and tailgated with the Skow's and had some great chili. Laura, Sara & I left a little early to make the pre-game songs but it started showering :( It was really chilly too but no worries, the rain stopped and we beat the hell outta baylor 38-3! It was a great win to put us into bowl game consideration. That evening got even more hectic as we were all juggling the day's event before we went to see New Moon at 9:15. Everyone had left the game but I attended Victory Yell (another Aggie 1st) with Jimmy. Before he could go eat with his dad, he had to drop me off and then meet us back at the movie theatre since he just had to go. He actually was hearing about New Moon because he had to make shirts at work = Inspirations in the mall but he just wanted to go since I bought his ticket! hahaha

This week started out amazing! I was soo happy and ready for Thanksgiving and then it started rolling downhill. My back and shoulder have been bothering me a lot so our student-trainer did a certain massage on my lower back. Oh BOY!!! It is swollen, bruised, and sore! I could barely drive home. She massaged me out today and applied stem and ice but I teared up both days. I caught the pitchers at practice this week as they pitched live batting practice to the team. My knees feel as if they are 83 years old. No pain, no gain - as Steve-O always told me. I have 2 papers due December 7th in my Women's Psychology class but one should be simple after I interview a working mom. Any suggestions for a Do Something about Feminism! paper??? I also have to attend and summarize a concert for Music class and turn in another personal project. So I've decided after the break, I'm going to play my guitar in class and sing Christmas carols! Hopefully everyone will sing along with me and put themselves in the Christmas spirit!

Here is Sam helping me study my Government notes Monday night ;) He likes to climb on my desk or sit in my lap. He also sleeps with me and chews me out in the morning because I'm eating breakfast and no one has fed him yet! He's a cute kitty but a terrorist!

So folks, I just wanted to let y'all know how super stoked I am about this week but I really cannot wait until Christmas break!!! I'm moving home the 18th and will start helping out Miss Sallie at The Crossing for my 3rd year. I love seeing so many faces in a great atmosphere. I enjoy working with her a lot and hope y'all will come visit me! For now, I wish y'all a blessed and Happy Turkey Day!

BTHO t.u.!!!

Happy Halloween!

I'm very behind on posting but I have many reasons why I have not in the last two weeks. So here's an overview!

October was a very busy month of softball. NCAA rules only allow us to play 8 games but the rain though otherwise. We eventually got all of our games in but it took us over a course of 3 weeks. We beat Blinn, Navarro, and McLennan in double header series and ended the fall season at 6-2. The girls are really awesome. A lot of changes have been made but I have an optimistic outlook on the spring season which makes me really excited! But what made me even more excited was after the Maroon and White series, Coach announced that we would have NO PRACTICE until November 2nd! Oh it's so nice to have a little more free time! To explain the series - the coaches split the girls into 2 teams (Maroon & White) and play a 2 out of 3 games. Whoever loses, cooks the Christmas party dinner! This year, Mary and I took teams. I had white and we won! Good luck next year Maroon!

I've had a couple of exams and papers and extra credit since the 11th. I made a 167 of 200 on my extensive Women's psychology exam and am turning in a gender socialization of children's clothing paper today in class. Wednesday I made a C on my Texas Gov't exam which I was pretty excited about since I missed 4 lectures because of games. Every 2 weeks, I have an online computer technology exam on Thursday and a Math exam on Sundays. So next week I will have many lectures to watch online for my CompTech class. Yesterday, I think my Music exam raped me. It wasn't that bad until she pulled time periods from no where and put them on the exam! I don't remember seeing anything about time periods on the review unless that's because those were the names of the chapters in the book?! ...great... I'll get that grade next week hopefully. Otherwise, I just have a lot of extra credit and music projects and defensive driving I need to complete soon!

Oh, for those who didn't know. I got a ticket on my birthday back in September so that's why I'm taking Defensive Driving :)

Aggies beat the hell outta tech last weekend! And I hope we can open that can again on iowa state this weekend! People say Halloween games are fun so I can't wait! But before I can attend the game, I'm judging at the Wharton County 4-H Food Show Saturday morning. I miss 4-H so much and I think it's gonna make me feel great to be back in an atmosphere I loved! Actually, our Collegiate 4-H Club is starting back up this semester! I was sooooo excited about Laura telling me because I want to give my time back to an organization that gave me so many opportunities to become a better person. I was elected the reporter at our October 7th meeting. I will get to help with many things that happen around here such as judging contests to State Round-up! I can't wait!

Shelby got a kitten! His name is Sugar Dumpling Sam! He's snow white with gorgeous blue eyes but is very similar to Bo, always wanting our attention. He's really playful and sweet and the vet thinks he's about 2 months old! So Shelby took him to get checked out and the poor thing had ear mites and an infection and the next day got declawed and snipped. Poor thing but he's all better now! Instead of scratching everything though he's chewing and biting...another great...


Oh the picture I posted Monday was a fun night of mattress pulling with Taylor, Scott and Cade. Oh it was sooo much fun and we find the weirdest and wackiest ways to have fun but we are always careful and try not to get hurt since Scott did have a spill but he's ok. It was a very exciting night and I had grass, dirt, bugs, and a little mud on me but I would do it again any day!

Well I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween! Peace out - I'm going to class before I jet home!

Only happens once in an orange moon...

Y'all are probably all wondering why I used that title. Well it's getting close to Halloween and it's fall so orange sounded better than blue. But Halloween happens every year so there is another meaning within the title ;) So here are some pictures to explain my procrastinating but happy mood early this morning!
Well I should be studying for Women's Psychology but my new plant, Confetti, is just smiling away and is that makes me want to take a break. Mom bought him for the house and he fits perfectly on the dining room table.

Here's my little pumpkin family! I haven't named them yet but I think I'll just leave them be in my room. If you didn't know, I love pumpkins, black cats, witches, and autumn leaves! So I had bought a cute little pumpkin last week to give our house holiday spirit and Bertolli got picked up by someone Friday night and thrown in the street :( Sad day, I know, but my guy friends found the pumpkin patch on Rock Prairie and cheered me up on Saturday morning!

So the 2nd meaning behind the title is...Our house is (almost) spotless!!! And it only happens once in an "orange" (really, blue) moon! It's amazing how much can get done with a sister who knows her cleaning stuff more than I do although I'm a pretty dandy laundry lady! So here are some late night pictures of our clean house for any of y'all who have never been here...

Newly arranged Living Room - bookshelves were installed this summer

Dining Room - notice the folded towels - if you can see the leaves hanging from the top of the hutch, Plant had to be moved up there so Confetti could have a nice spot...for now

This is the semi-messy Kitchen - that's my big pumpkin, Beetlejuice, and the awesome Pineapple Sage candle I got for my birthday.

Here's our Laundry Room - it's been cleared out but y'all missed the abounding piles of clothes and towels and sheets - still have a few loads to go :/

Here is half of Shelby's bathroom - it's Jungle Green and she keeps it pretty neat - as well as her room but she was already asleep so I couldn't sneak in there and get pictures. I skipped the 3rd bedroom too because those bed sheets haven't been washed yet.

Here's the good part! The Master Bedroom or my room - yes, those are 2 Queen beds haha

Here is my Desk in the corner of my bedroom - it is actually more organized than it has been in the past month or two although it looks messy, I've been studying so Kim & Steve, you can't say anything!

Here is the opposite corner of my room going into the bathroom - 3 highlights: wall of crosses, big TV & pumpkin family

Here is part of my Bathroom - you see a shower, small closet of shelves & the sinks - I have a vanity to the right and comfy stool.

Here is a close-up of the arrangement on my counter - Laura & Shelby made it from fake flowers in a small fishbowl with peach-colored marbles. Thanks Miss Sally for the candle & spray - I spray it on the flowers & it makes the bathroom smell amazing!

Here's my Jacuzzi tub - I've used it once and Shelby told me I need to experience the "liftoff" that the jets give you when you're laying in it.

Here's a view of my huge Closet from the door - I'm pretty organized, hence; my shirts are in color order and have specific groups of t-shirts, nice shirts, softball clothes, then jackets.

And here's the Grand Finale! This is a 100+ year old piece that my Mom had refinished this summer. Yes, it's scary having it in our house sometimes but it's beautiful! Thank you family for letting me have it!

Well, I'm gonna get back to the drawing board. I have a couple of short films to watch and I'm typing a review for myself for my exam. It's over 500+ pages of material so I have a lot to do! Hope y'all have a great week!

Watch out, Mom!

Because I think I made a pretty mean meatloaf tonight! So here's a picture in the container but it was round. I didn't have to shape it much on the pan because it just rolled out of the bowl.

I have been craving meatloaf since I moved back. Since Shelby isn't a big fan on it, I decided that I would make it tonight for dinner with sweet potatoes. Yum! The softball tournament I was at in Spring with the team got cancelled early this morning. So I got home, took a nap, went to Mass and ran to Kroger for the grocery list that was piling up. I didn't exactly go by a recipe but combined how Mom makes her's, an italian meatloaf recipe by Michael Ciarello, and a recipe in "Cook Yourself Thin." Oh and it was sooo delicious!!! I miss my Mom's and Grandmother's cooking. Shelby can make some dern good chicken but it's not the same.

Going back to softball...We lost Saturday afternoon to SFA & Texas State. We were supposed to play Ole Miss and UTSA today. We were up at 6 and left Spring by 7:15. This week, we play Blinn here (maybe a double-header) and I get to see my birthday twin, Lindsey Marik in action! I'm super excited especially since Blinn beat Baylor 9-2!!! Then, next Tuesday we play McClennan and Wednesday, Navarro. I also got to see Brittany Oates & Kayla Guanajuato on Saturday. They play for Alvin J.C. but aren't doing so hot but they're having fun and that's what matters.

Here's my meatloaf, sweet potato, and a pumpkin! You must know that I love pumpkins! I love autumn, the leaves, the weather, and Halloween (it's my 3rd favorite holiday although I'm not into dressing up - that's for the cute kids). There was a round hay bale in Tomball that was painted orange and had a Jack-o-latern face painted on it! I wanted to take a picture with it! Well there was a huge pumpkin patch so now I am determined to find a big one around here and go!

Hoppy Easter!

It's awesome to be back at home in El Campo! Of course, there is not much to do here but I had a quiet evening with my parents. I totally pulled a prank on my sister, telling her that I couldn't make it home because Jeanne didn't want me to travel in the bad weather and she'd rather have me stay with them. Of course, she did invite me but home was calling and Shelby is such a dork because she didn't even notice my car in the garage! I wonder who should really be the blonde in the family...hmmm. I love being blonde so she can't take that spot physically! The family is coming over tomorrow thus there will be lots of cooking and cleaning in the morning after Mass. We were supposed to go to the river but if it rains, those plans would be a disaster! So thankfully I'm here to help my mom prepare and I have someone to attend Mass with me in the morning! Ever since I became Catholic 3 years ago, I am thankful for those people who supported me and sat with me. When I started becoming a faithful Christian when I was 15, I went to church alone unless I was singing in the choir. It was sort of depressing but I didn't show it and just prayed for those who couldn't attend with me.

This weekend, the Lady Ags played tortilla tech at home and we won the series, 5-4 on Friday night and 6-0 today. Our senior catcher, Erin Glasco, hit a homerun last night in the bottom of the 7th with 2 outs to give us the win! It was super exciting and I think everyone was yelling and tearing up with joy! Today, our girls did their job - they played like Aggies should play every game so it was a great outing. But before the game, our athletic trainer asked if Mary (the other manager) or I could help with some of the girls' treatments. Of course, I jumped right up and said heck yes! I did the "heva-mat" on a shoulder & an elbow. The machine sends an electrical current through my body to the other person to alleviate pain, muscle soreness, and swelling. It was pretty cool until I shocked them! Ooops!

I can't wait to get back to CS because I don't have any exams this week but just a few assignments. The excitement will come Wednesday & Thursday night when my friend, Trey, has already planned to go out from Wed-Sat, maybe Sunday too, because he is free from exams until the following week like me! He's a biomedical science major, looking to go to into orthodontics. He's from Boling and we have an awkward friendship. NO, not like that but we've done many things together not knowing each other until we met through a friend last spring and became great friends last semester. But we're going to Hurricane Harry's on Wednesday to see Josh Abbott Band and Thursday night to the TX Hall of Fame, to get our groove on. Trey & I learned how to do all the spins and what not together so we considered each other all-time dancing partners! We even have an inside joke in our "family" - our "wedding song" is Relentless by Jason Aldean and we only dance with each other to that song. Funny, I know!

I hope you all have a wonderful & blessed Easter! Hopefully the rain doesn't keep the Easter bunny away!
Peace out!

btho t.u.

A little biography of what my life has been doing this semester...

January - Christmas Break was very long and my Spring Semester at Texas A&M started on the 25th as well as softball practice. For y'all that didn't know, I became the softball manager for the softball team so my student-worker life began. Over Christmas break, I worked at The Crossing for Sallie Wilkins and I wish I could just make a career of it because it's soo hectic but fun during the holiday season. So while I made a little money, my parents and sister traveled to College Station a few times to prepare the house that I would be moving into. Shelby had her Senior Serve on the 25th and it was really great! She surprised Mom & Dad when she sang during dinner but we really surprised everyone when she made a "guest appearance" during the talent show and I joined her.
February - School was under way and I was busy with school, softball and trying to keep some of my social life alive. Living by myself wasn't all too bad! I had a lot of time to study and do whatever I please except for cooking which only happened about once or twice a week. I loved the Valentine's Cards I got in the mail! At work, the other manager quit and I was left by myself for about two weeks. I handled it quite well since I managed to manage our first home and away tournament.
March - Spring Break was finally near! But before that I sent Mom a birthday card in the mail and Dad hassled with the telephone company for charging us for things I didn't need! Softball was going well but some of my grades were suffereing by missing most of my Friday classes. But a long awaited tournament finally arrived where we flew to Florida and I was able to go to my first PGA tournament at the Doral course in Miami and go lay out on the Ft. Lauderdale beach! I was even more excited to get to take off work and go home for 2 days during the break and spend time with my family. So when I returned to College Station, it was back to school and back to work. And now it's April Fool's Day and we have about 7 weeks of school left! It's gone by so fast I can't believe it! I haven't gone dancing but twice this semester!

Well I will try to keep you all posted as frequently as possible! But most importantly, the softball team is playing t.u. tonight or Hump Day as Aggies call it, at 6:30 p.m. Hopefully we can Saw 'em Off! So stay tuned & I can't wait to receive some comments!

Howdy Y'all!

So I've decided to start a blog to keep y'all more up to date! Plus, it'll keep me off Facebook a little bit more! I'm always running around very busy & I felt that it would be easier to make short blogs rather than one long e-mail once a month. Plus, all of y'all and your friends can see it as well! So I'll keep everyone posted once I get it up and running starting with Spring Break.