Sisters

My sister is hilarious. She says the funniest stuff sometimes I think I am going to pee my pants. I think she might have ADD because she will get to talking real fast that the words that come out of her mouth are unrecognizable. She makes the funniest faces I have EVER seen. And we have conversations in Rosco speak... yeah thats right... don't be jealous. 

We used to fight... a lot. We would scream and yell, steal each others stuff, sometimes we (Kelsey) even resorted to violence. Not anymore... these days if we fight it is over where to eat lunch, who is paying... you know that kind of stuff.  Although we did argue about the picture above... she did not want to do it... I thought it was funny. Obviously I won.

I like to spoil her. I buy her stuff that she wont buy for herself. I tell her that when I have kids she can repay me by spoiling them. 

Love you sissy.

K

Food

I am a self proclaimed foodie. I love everything about food from its taste to its ability to unite a room full of very different people. Food is our common ground. In a previous post I wrote about my dream to open a bakery... because I love food and I love to cook good food and be around when people enjoy it.

Yesterday I spent the evening at the Fitzsimmons House celebrating the life of their mom Beverly who passed away on Thursday. As I sat talking with people I took notice of everyone who walked in the door. Almost all of them brought food. I am guilty... early in the week I made a cake for the family, yesterday I took banana pudding. Food can have a million messages, messages of love, support, comfort, caring, etc. I heard Shawn's aunt talking about how wonderful it was to not have to worry about making food in the midst of all they were having to deal with.

I guess it might be the culture in this part of the country but there is nothing we do that does not involve food... and I LOVE it. My family plans events months in advance, and by events I mean the menu. I already know what I am bringing to Easter... Anything we do from Christmas to birthdays at the lake must involve delcious home cooked food. Thats why I love my family.

Blane's family is much like mine (except not quite as loud)... anytime his mom knows we are coming to visit she makes us our favorite stuff. For me it is always sugar cookies. (which will be featured in my bakery later in life) For Blane it ranges from trash (home made chex mix) to roast. She loves us, and shows us that by welcoming us with food.

Food can take us back to places that we love. For instance whenever I eat homemade beef stew I can remember like it was yesterday sitting at Nonnie's house enjoying her homemade stew. Anytime I have a "gas house egg" and I eat the cut out ciricle toast I remember cooking with Nonnie when I was small. Pancakes remind me of spending the night with Nana at the lake. Seven layer dip reminds me of EVERY Nunnelly family gathering. And my moms spaghetti is the best reminder of home.

Food is comfort.

K

Puppy Love

I love dogs more than any other furry creature on this earth. My insane love for dogs started to go over the top when my family got our fun loving lab Rosco. He is the quirkiest, funniest, sweetest dog ever. So sweet, that I asked Blane to find one of his brothers for my birthday present this year.

I think I love dogs because no matter what they love you. You could forget to feed them for two days and they still wag their tail and jump up and down when they see you. They don't expect much in return for their love, just a bowl full of water and dry yucky food. (well in Rosco's case he loves his walks... so much so, that he politely asks when he is ready to go, by grabbing his leash) I love that Rosco will greet me at the door when I come in, nothing will welcome you home like your furry four legged friend!

I often thought about being a vet but for one reason I cant, putting them to sleep when they get too old or sick. I would be a basketcase if I had to do this everyday.

On another dog related note, I hate lazy and careless pet owners. Please... keep track of your dog. If you cant manage this maybe you shouldn't have a pet because they dont deserve to be tossed aside. That's MEAN! Sometimes I will see a dog running loose... I cant pick them up because I live in an apartment, so I keep driving, but I fret about thsese dogs for weeks. I have issues... Blane will agree! One time I did pick up a dog, I named him Shooter, but I got the big fat NO... he would have been miserable in the apartment anyway.

So we buy a house in June... I get a dog in June. Thats the deal.

K

Who would buy that?

Well I often ask myself , why would anyone want that? It is so ugly, pointless, (insert any adjective here). At the top of the list, the snuggie? Who buys that, how are they in business, and why have they been on backorder since Christmas? If you have not yet seen the snuggie, please youtube the infomercial. First you will wonder why? Second you will laugh REAL hard.



So, on Saturday night Blane and I found ourselves at the HEB at Leon Springs after dinner. I went in for sour cream so that I could make a cake. On our way out Blane found the "As Seen on TV" section of HEB, leave it to him to find the funny junk. So we parouse the as seen on TV "junk" and I must have asked "why this" atleast 25 times. Then in all its glory we stumbled upon the snuggie. We had a great laugh, and as one would suspect the shelves were fully stocked. At a price point of $14.95 I guess no one can afford this luxury while we are in this recession.

Then, he said it. "Lets buy a snuggie." I agreed... not sure why, but I did.

So I sheepishly put the taped snuggie box on the disgusting black conveyer belt. I would have rather of been 3 feet tall. The high school boy who rand me up was probably wondering why I had come in to get sour cream and a snuggie?

The snuggie has been an ongoing joke in the Hall family since Thanksgiving at the ranch. The timing of this situation was perfect, my Unlce just had a birthday, and we were celebrating on Sunday at the lake. I'm a huge fan of the gag gift, so guess what Uncle Joe got... THE SNUGGIE!!!! It was priceless. We made him open it up so we could see it in person. He reluctantly slipped into the snuggie, if only he had a rope around his wait he would have been easily mistaken for a monk. I cried I laughed so hard. It was hilarous...

Note to potential snuggie buyers: 1. the fabric is icky 2. I dont think it would make it through 3 washes 3. you get a sweet reading light 4. it is big enough for 2 5. it comes in a variety of colors

K

Peppermint Pants

One time when I was in college I was wearing my favorite pair of red and white seersucker shorts. I was leaving class walking out to the parking lot when I hear voices from behind me yelling something. I paid no attention because I could not understand them... I continued walking. As I got closer to my car... they were getting closer, and me being my paranoid self, I began to panic. Still yelling I decided to take a more careful listen just to be sure I was going to make it out alive.

This is what I heard...

"Hey peppermint pants"... I turn around finally recognizing their shouting "Yeah you, peppermint pants, whats up?" I quickly got in my car wanting to avoid these strange people whom I had never seen. As I turned on the car the guys continued to walk past me... with their baggy pants, tall tees, and addidas sandals topped off with white socks. They left me alone, although I am convinced they were trying to sell me drugs or some other unwanted good.

So as I drove off I called Blane and told him my new name, "peppermint pants" and it stuck. Now anytime I wear these shorts I hear it all day. He has also taken the liberty to name other pants "pumpkin pants" and other such, oh so endearing names.

Now that it is peppermint pants season again I decided I wanted to share my story.

K

Vacation is over

But only for a while!


12 more weeks to go...

Summer vacation starts in 12 weeks (but who's counting). This is the main benefit of being a teacher... I get 2 1/2 months off every year... no strings attached. It is go great. This summer we were hoping to take a cruise but I decided my life is more valuable than going on a cruise, getting killed in Mexico by some drug cartel, so we'll wait... maybe until about 2015 to go to Mexico.


I had a fantastic Spring Break though! I got to spend time with the people I love most, I ate whatever I wanted, I indugled my inner nerd, and slept in! Time well spent.

Nashville, Part II

This is me, standing next to one of George Straits many platinum records. 

I believe that since the day I was born I have loved George. I had an obsession that verged on stalker back in middle school. I own every album, no kidding. He is the only singer in the world that holds that title for me. I just love him.

So naturally this was the one of the highlights of the trip to Nashville. As we walked through the Country Music Hall of Fame I scoured for anything that was George related. Just as I figured there was not much, a saddle, his gold and platinum records, and his Hall of Fame plaque. That was enough for me. Color me satisfied. 

Anyway Nashville is great for those of you who have never been. People kinda looked at me like I was weird when I told them that this is where I would be spending Spring break this year, but EVERYONE should go. It is a cool place. No traffic (always a plus), no cover charges EVER at downtown bars... where there is always music playing, nice people, beautiful trees called Bradford Pears... everywhere in full bloom,  and lots of Civil War history for dorks like me. 

Kelsey and I are already planning a trip back so we can go back to the Opry for a headliner. (Taylor Swift in June... anyone?)

-K

Fighting the Nashville Blues

This past week I took a wonderful vacation to a super cool city... NASHVILLE. Nashville is a lot like Austin, quirky, lively, and full of nice people and good food! We stayed at a beautiful hotel called the Gaylord Opryland, the only way to describe this place is the word extravagant. 

A short hop and a skip from the hotel was the Grand Ole Opry. Kelsey and I had a date night at the Opry on Tuesday. It was awesome. I secretly wished George Strait was there... but we still had a great time. I sat next to the cutest elderly man who was so tiny that his legs were not long enough to touch the floor as he sat on the pew and enjoyed the show. Precious, he was. Over the course of the show I learned that he was traveling cross country with his brother, wife and sister in law... all equally as tiny as he was. I wanted to hug him, but did not want to give off the impression that I was crazy.

Before we went to the Opry we had dinner at a place called Santa Fe Cattle Co. ... the best part of the night was our server who promptly altered us to the commemorative drinking glass that we could have. In his slow southern draw he described the "donkey butt" that made this glass worth the money... I guess ? Needless to say, we passed on the donkey butt, however we laughed about it for hours.

I also got to visit the home of the most hated President, Andrew Jackson, he was a jerk yes, but his house was nothing short of fabulous. I would have been his friend, just to eat off that China. I decided that if I ever won the lottery I would buy one of these old Antebellum homes, restore it, and make it my home. Nothing cooler!

Below you will find my sister holding up a picture of the donkey butt commemorative glass. I was priceless... (the moment that is, not the glass)

-K

Death by TAKS

Just the mention of the word TAKS makes my skin crawl. I hate everything about that terrible, horrible, no good very bad test. With that said I spent an entire school day surrounded by this test... with 30 FRESHMAN. Could my fate have been any worse. Ok, I'll be honest the freshman weren't all that bad, it was the countless hours of "active monitoring" I had to do. The room was hot, and we were stuffed like sausages in there all day, 8:40- 4:05, it was nothing short of a stint in the Bexar County Jail I am sure.

Well I am glad it is over, but come April 27th we get to do it all over again for 4 consecutive days. Ewwww. Even Johnny Cash would agree its like being in jail.

Weekend Update-
Blane and I celebrated our anniversary this weekend, a week early. Let me explain why...

In previous posts I have talked about my horrible memory... well it didn't fail me. All year long I thought our anniversary was the 6th of March. I even debated my sister and sister in law about it. They proved me wrong, my anniversary is the 8th. So before I got this all straightened out we (my mom, me and sis) planned a trip to Nashville, leaving on the 8th of March. I am a great wife.

So anyway we celebrated early due to the premature onset of Alzheimer's. We planned on eating at Boudros, but we were informed it would be an hour and a half... we decided we'd rather not eat our arms. So we went to Paesano's and spent more money than we should have, but it was worth every shiny penny. After some interesting run ins with drunk tourists and Evangelists on the river we decided to head home.

Saturday we woke up and had room service, again spending more than we should have, but worth it. We grabbed some starbucks and headed to Austin to see his Mom for her birthday. We ate dinner with the family at my favorite Austin restaurant, Maudies, then we went to see Slumdog with Brooke and Garrett. I loved that movie dearly.

Now here I sit at my mom and dads... counting the days until spring break, 5 days 'til Nashville.