Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Patio Makeover

Our patio project is complete.
This one went a bit better than
our last patio project in Utah...
 
We didn't do it ourselves!
 
We hired 918 Outdoor and they did
a fabulous job making my design
come to life!  A few rainstorms
slowed down the process, but it
all turned out great in the end.
 
Our backyard didn't have
anything in it, so we had
a blank slate to work with...
 
 
 
BEFORE




Building the bar



A few inches of rain...


The start of the fireplace

Oliver likes it!


Putting rock on the fireplace


Our new grill!


Adding the fireplace seat wall



Getting ready for the pavers




 
 
 
AFTER





We love it!
Now that the weather is
cooling off, we will be able to enjoy
our new outdoor space!
 
Eventually we will landscape
and get some furniture... but for now
we are loving our space.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Houston, We Have a Graduate!

Eric and I flew to Houston last week for
my graduation from Commonwealth Institute
of Funeral Service.  

Once again, George and Nancy (my brother's in-laws)
opened their home to us and we had
a great time.  (I stayed with George and
Nancy during my lab week in March as well)

When we arrived, 
they took us to eat at the original Carrabba's in
downtown Houston - which was delicious.
Me and Nancy at the Original Carrabba's

My graduation was at 10:00 Friday morning,
so we got up early, but we had delicious
 waffles for breakfast... Yum.

All but one from my lab week made it to Houston
for graduation - Georgia is just a little too far away.
(We missed you Rhondolyn)
Frank (from Missouri), Me, Ryan (from Texas) and Arvis (from Texas)

Marching into the church...

I graduated with honors and was inducted into the
National Funeral Service Honor Society











Group Picture!


With my supportive husband

After my graduation ceremony, 
Eric got to play golf with George 
on the course from the movie "Tin Cup"
in Kingwood, Texas...

For dinner, George and Nancy took us to 
Vic and Anthony's Steakhouse 
for a celebratory dinner.
What a fantastic meal!!!




I'm one LARGE step closer to being
a licensed funeral director/embalmer...
My certification exam is July 9th.  Once 
I pass that, I can sit for the National 
Board Exam.  Then I have to take the
Oklahoma State Law Exam...


A little throwback action for ya...
My Dad's graduation from the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in 1979



Friday, February 27, 2015

Colorado Mountain Christmas

Eric and I spent Christmas in 
Frisco Colorado this year.  He was
able to ski several days and I 
was able to relax a bit.

So, I'll get to the pictures from our
trip, but first......
My sweet nephew and niece with Santa!


(For some reason, my pictures
are not in chronological order... but
here they are.)

We flew to Denver and spent a night
in Greeley before heading up to the mountains.
Ronda and I did some baking!


Ronda and I had a blast
tubing on the Frisco sledding hill
while the boys were skiing.  They had
Christmas music playing on the loud speakers
and the view was beautiful.  We started
out in beautiful blue sky weather and watched
the snow clouds roll in...

While the boys were skiing, we went tubing!




Love this sweet family

On our way to Frisco,
we stopped for lunch at Bojo's Pizza.
It was delicious.


Ronda and I went shopping
in Vail.  It was a pretty area.

Shopping in Vail, Colorado

Eric and Brian got to bottle
whiskey at the Breckenridge Distillery.
They had a lot of fun and said it was
a neat experience.



I got to spend time with my friend
Veronica - she has been a close friend
since middle school.  She and her husband
live in the Brighton area of Colorado,
so they drove up to Frisco and had dinner
with us one evening.  It was lovely to see her.


Ronda and I ate at the Butterhorn Bakery,
which was delicious.  Take a look at that cinnamon roll!



Ronda and I worked on a puzzle all week.
It was so fun and very relaxing.  Probably
one of the more difficult puzzles I've ever put
together though, because the pieces were oddly shaped.


And finally, my favorite picture from the week,
Eric and his dad on the mountain.  It was so cold
that Eric had ice in his beard.  Brrrr.