Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Sunday - Day Four: Memorial Day Weekend

Sunday, our longest day in San Antonio, was spend sightseeing and walking all around the city. We started at the Alamo (and thank goodness, for our tour on the river. I know more than I ever have about the Battle of the Alamo!) After seeing how long the lines are, many of us opted to go to The Plaza Wax Museum and Ripley's Believe it or Not!
The museum was filled with (not so flattering replicas) of famous folks. I was able to have a sit-down with Oprah. She and I gabbed the afternoon away talking about how to save the world, one "Oprah's Give Away" at a time. We talked about Getting Chelsea Handler's most recent book on the Oprah's book club list - Ms. Winfrey doesn't care for my ideas much...but she smiled the whole time we were talking. How nice of her.
After visiting with Oprah, Cullen and I strolled over to visit David Letterman. Cullen helped him read his Top Ten List. We told Mr. Letterman that he is looking a little pale these days. Him and Cullen are going to take a leisurely stroll down the riverwalk, talk politics and try to get Dave some color.
Shortly after Cullen returned from his walk with Dave, Arnold (I am writing it with an accent, please read it accordingly) gave Cullen a sweet pair of glasses and a flesh colored gun (see picture below) to help him fight the good fight. We left Arnold quickly. Cullen was out of energy after walking Dave. After our power meeting with Oprah, Dave and Arnold, we visited the Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum. HOW INCREDIBLE - and mostly hard to believe. Court (Cullen's brother) and Cullen posed with the World's Tallest Man. Sure makes these two boys seem like little nuggets. For reference, both the Mills' brothers stand roughly at 6'3ish and 6'4ish. WOWZA. This poor guy.
After visiting with the tall gentleman, I sat inside the world's largest working tire. SHEESH, this thing was huge. I could almost stand on the inside. I bet someone 5' tall could stand inside with no problems. This thing was huge!! I would like to see the car this sucker fits onto.


After a long day, the family met for a great dinner at Texas Land and Cattle. We ate, and ate, .....and ate the whole trip. Thank goodness it is one of our favorite time-passers. (See the next blog appropriately titled: We started our diet.) After dinner, we went to a cigar bar. I love the way cigars smell - am I crazy. Many of us just sat around and enjoyed the company of those smoking on the stogies. Others got their groove on across the river at a dance club. (Oddly enough, I didn't participate in the dancing... not sure what got into me).

This trip was such a great trip. The Mills' Family Reunion is one of my most favorite annual events. This year marked my 6th reunion to attend. I can't believe one) that this is my 6th reunion; and two) how lucky I am to have married into such an amazing family!

Saturday - Day three: Memorial Day weekend.

Saturday, Cullen and I dropped off the pups at Nana and Papa's house. Brodie dashed from the front door, through the house, the the back doors, right into the pool. He gave me the "go ahead and leave, mom. I'll be right here when you get back" nod. With that affirmation, we were gone as fast as we got there - and we are ready for vacation! The Mills' picked us up in Georgetown, and we began our three day reunion weekend in San Antoino. We stayed ON the Riverwalk, visited with the whole family and instantly transformed into tourists; camera in-tow of course! This is a picture of Cullen and I over looking the Riverwalk.
For dinner Saturday night, we joined the whole family at Rio Rio on the Riverwalk. Scrumptious food, great company, and delicious margaritas. Dinner was followed by a guided boat tour in the river. Our tour guide was fantastically passionate about his role as our guide, as well as about San Antonio's history. While I could only understand 5% of what he said, it was neat to hear how excited he gets to share his knowledge. This is a picture of us on the boat!




Thursday - Day One: Memorial Day weekend!

Thursday: What a delightful, and wonderfully long weekend!! Minus one work meeting on Friday, my Memorial Day weekend started Thursday afternoon. Cullen and I attending our nephew's tee-ball game. As it goes in tee-ball, every child tends to have a parent with them on the field. Being such a great uncle, Cullen joined Hayden on the field to play ball! Together, the fielded several, missed many, and cried a little ( Hayden cried - not Cullen!) :)
Don't they make a great team!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Monday Night Madness -

The terribly, awful, horribly addicting ABC hit show The Bachelorette is back! Jillian Harris from Canada reigns supreme this season. For those of you who do not watch The Bachelor/Bachelorette, and want to.... or for those who are not privvy to the great world of bachelorette-blogging, here are a couple links I regularly visit Tuesday's:

The Host Chris Harrison: http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2009/05/chris-harrison.html#comment-153251999
Lincee Ray's IhateGreenBeans Blog: http://www.ihategreenbeans.com/

Both will provide some great insight and laughter. Check it. Need to start from the beginning? Want to meet your potential bachelor's this go 'round? http://abc.go.com/primetime/bachelorette/index?pn=index

Monday, May 18, 2009

Camp Bow Wow!

This weekend is the Mills' Family Reunion in San Antonio. This is an event I look forward to every year, minus one HUGE exception.... what do we do with our dogs??!?! Who HONESTLY will watch our dogs over a vacation/long weekend??!?! I found the answer. Camp Bow Wow! My dear friend Terra told me about this great facility - a hotel for dogs. It offers climate controlled indoor/outdoor facilities for dogs. Brodie and Millie can stay in a room together. YES, a room - not a kennel. Each room is equipped with two cozy cots, a kong for their chewing pleasure, and a campfire treat! They can play for 8 hours a day... and get fed on their schedule at home (which doesn't exist at our home...they eat all day!) AND, there are Camp Cams so we can watch our dogs during the day - if we wanted. Let's get real here, I am on vacation. There will be no watching of camp cams... okay, maybe not watching - but a check or two here and there, does that really count?
Thank you to the person who created luxury boarding for fanatical dog-mothers like myself. I will report after their stay just how great it was...although I have no DOUBT it will be great.
I told Millie this morning about Camp Bow Wow and all I got was a heavy sigh, and this face:

I try to tell her, I know being with Momma would be the best - but at Camp she will get to play with dogs, and hang out all day OUTSIDE (her favorite place ever!), get treats, be treated like royalty - Camp Bow Wow is going to be so fun, Millie girl. I know you and Brodie will have a great time.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Home for Sale!

It is official. Our wonderful first home is on the market. Here are some great pictures of the house, if you know anyone interested in buying a home in the Georgetown, Texas area! I LOVE THIS HOUSE - It is full of wonderful "first years of marriage memories!"

The house comes with stainless steel kitchen appliances; the floors are all 17" tiles (except bedrooms). The backyard is huge and GREEN! This house is perfect for a small family!

Monday, May 11, 2009

Down But Not Out!

This last week has been a WHIRLWIND. I have been busy! So busy in fact, I came home at night and looked like this:
I got so bogged down, I would go cross-eyed...
... made me a little snippy. (sorry, friends)
At times, I just needed to vent... chew on someones ear for a while. Thank goodness I have such a great husband - he lets me "chew on his ear," which really helps me relieve some extra air.

However, (minus one assignment due on Wednesday) School is O-V-E-R for the semester; the house is listed; we have managed to survive our first "we must keep the house spotless" weekends, and I even had time to have a FUN weekend. Now, I am starting to feel like this:
I feel like I have re-energized my soul... I can have a life outside of school, personal matters and work. I can have a drink with friends...go to the park and play "catch" up":
I am back to the real Erin Mills. I am happy! I am rejuvenated, and look forward to tomorrow again!

**I found all of these pictures online. I do not know any of these doggies...but they sure are cute.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

"I think I can....I think I can.... I think I can!"

It is that time again. The time that life is so extraordinarily stressful. Each semester, I tell myself, you don't have to stress...each semester I stress. I run out of breath, out of steam, chugging along; "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

I find myself mid-conversation: Lord, give me strength to just get by right now. And, without fail, I make it. THANK YOU LORD.

Let's check the List-O-Things for school before my semester is over: Two more classes, (today and tomorrow), Two MAJOR projects (to my credit, one is done, the other is ALMOST done), a take-home final (yes, in grad school..) all before Thursday...wait is that tomorrow??? Oh, Lord, give me strength to just get by.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Brothers and Sisters Part II

Since I publicly shamed Kitty Walker, I must now tell her, Nice Work. Way to make the RIGHT CHOICE. Fight for your marriage. Marriage will be hard (so they say). It is through those times that you see just how strong marriage is supposed be!

Good work, Kitty. I'm back on your team!