I need a new hobby!

Gabe works nights Monday through Thursday so I have a lot of free time in the evening and need something new to fill it with. I already work over 40 hours a week so I don't want to get a second job or anything. I have tried painting but I am more all about instant products and it would take me too long to paint something and I am not that great so I don't want a million mediocre paintings in my house. I make cakes every now and then but that is a lot of work and leaves a huge mess. Recently I have made a bunch of flower hair clips, but I think people at work think I am weird because now I wear a different one every day. I need to find something creative and fun to do that doesn't cost a lot of money, and reading is not an option I have never enjoyed that. There is only so much reality tv a girl can watch.

I am glad I don't have anyone like this in my Family!

So a friend showed me this funny letter. That someone received prior to going to a family Thanksgiving dinner. I thought is was hilarious. If anyone ever sent something like this to me, I would not show up or I would bring something way wrong just to spite them.


The Thanksgiving Letter (back by popular demand)
From: Marney
As you all know a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner does not make itself. I need to ask each of you to help by bringing something to complete the meal. I truly appreciate your offers to assist with the meal preparation.
Now, while I do have quite a sense of humor and joke around all the time, I COULD NOT BE MORE SERIOUS when I am providing you with your Thanksgiving instructions and orders. I am very particular, so please perform your task EXACTLY as I have requested and read your portion very carefully. If I ask you to bring your offering in a container that has a lid, bring your offering in a container WITH A LID, NOT ALUMINUM FOIL! If I ask you to bring a serving spoon for your dish, BRING A SERVING SPOON, NOT A SOUP SPOON! And please do not forget anything.
All food that is to be cooked should already be prepared, bring it hot and ready to serve, warm or room temp. These are your ONLY THREE options. Anything meant to be served cold should, of course, already be cold.
HJB—Dinner wine
The Mike Byron Family1. Turnips in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. Please do not fill the casserole all the way up to the top, it gets too messy. I know this may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but most of us hate turnips so don’t feel like you a have to feed an army.2. Two half gallons of ice cream, one must be VANILLA, I don’t care what the other one is. No store brands please. I did see an ad this morning for Hagan Daz Peppermint Bark Ice Cream, yum!! (no pressure here, though).3. Toppings for the ice cream.4. A case of bottled water, NOT gallons, any brand is ok.
The Bob Byron Family1. Green beans or asparagus (not both) in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. If you are making the green beans, please prepare FOUR pounds, if you are making asparagus please prepare FIVE pounds. It is up to you how you wish to prepare them, no soupy sauces, no cheese (you know how Mike is), a light sprinkling of toasted nuts, or pancetta, or some EVOO would be a nice way to jazz them up.2. A case of beer of your choice (I have Coors Light and Corona) or a bottle of clos du bois chardonnay (you will have to let me know which you will bring prior to 11/22).
The Lisa Byron Chesterford Family1. Lisa as a married woman you are now required to contribute at the adult level. You can bring an hors d’ouvres. A few helpful hints/suggestions. Keep it very light, and non-filling, NO COCKTAIL SAUCE, no beans of any kind. I think your best bet would be a platter of fresh veggies and dip. Not a huge platter mind you (i.e., not the plastic platter from the supermarket).
The Michelle Bobble Family1. Stuffing in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please make the stuffing sans meat.2. 2.5-3 qts. of mashed squash in a casserole with a lid and serving spoon3. Proscuitto pin wheel – please stick to the recipe, no need to bring a plate.4. A pie knife
The June Davis Family1. 15 LBS of mashed potatoes in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please do not use the over-size blue serving dish you used last year. Because you are making such a large batch you can do one of two things: put half the mash in a regulation size casserole with lid and put the other half in a plastic container and we can just replenish with that or use two regulation size casserole dishes with lids. Only one serving spoon is needed.2. A bottle of clos du bois chardonnay
The Amy Misto Family (why do I even bother she will never read this)1. A pumpkin pie in a pie dish (please use my silver palate recipe) no knife needed.2. An apple pie in a pie dish, you can use your own recipe, no knife needed.
Looking forward to the 28th!!
Marney

Here is the link as well

http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/2009/11/26/awkward-family-story-the-thanksgiving-letter/

3 Years & NEW YORK CITY

3 Years ago today I married my best friend and we are still in love most days :) I mean everyday! Gabe and I actually celebrated this past weekend. Gabe took me on a surprise trip to New York City. I knew we were going somewhere but I didn't know where. He told me the night before so I could pack the right clothes. I had never been to NYC so it was a fun weekend trip to see some sights and spend some time together. We stayed in downtown Manhattan and had a great time. I am lucky to have such an amazing husband! Here is a photo look at our trip!




















NBA Store, Probably Gabe's favorite Store we went into. We will have to go back one day when we can actually afford to buy the things in it!

Central Park. It was kind of cold another reason why I need to go back again to see it all green in the summer

Time Square. Lots of People, Lights and Starbucks. To bad TRL isn't on anymore I could of been screaming under that window for backstreet boys or some other boy band.

Ground Zero.

I was part of street show. This guy did a flip over five of us. I was scared to death. My legs were shaking liking crazy. I just kept telling myself Don't Move Don't Move!

Of course you Gotta eat a New York Hot Dog and Take the Subway!

Because I love Gabe so Much we finished out the night by going to the World Famous Arena Madison Square Gardens and watching a Knicks game. Am I a good wife or what?

This is me exhausted after the day waiting for the bus. Oh yeah that is my new hat I got in China Town. We spent a lot of time there it was fun. If anyone needs a self esteem boast just go to a china town. The guys kept calling me beautiful to get me to come into my store. You feel good about yourself until you hear them say it to next lady walking down the street who clearly doesn't have any since of hygiene but is also female.

It was a great weekend! I love spending time with Gabe and traveling and seeing new things. The last 3 years have been full of adventures and I am excited to see what the next 3 years will bring.

TEXFIT

Each year there is Group Exercise Fitness Conference called TexFit where all the Texas University Group Fitness Instructor meet up and have a day full of class and workshops. Last weekend My Boss and I and 16 of our instructors travel to San Marcos Texas. It was a blast. Even the 7 and half hours in the car with 13 girls was fun. Bathroom breaks were a little long, but the whole trip went excellent. I had 4 instructors present classes and they all did an awesome job. It is fun to see what other Universities are doing in their classes and get knew ideas. It was also just a great time for my instructors to all bond and get to know each other. I have probably 40 instructors but many of them don't know one another because they only come up and teach their specific classes so it was a great team building opportunity. Plus bonus we got to hit up some outlet malls on our way back. Nothing like shopping after a day of working out! I am truly blessed to have a job I love to do and work with such fun people! (I know I look the youngest out of all these people in the pictures. No one believed that I was in charge. What can you do)

Flower Hair Bow Fun!

A couple weeks ago for an activity with my young women at church we decided to make flower hair clips. I looked up online to get a general idea and then just brought the supplies and we all made a bunch. The girls had a blast and made some for themselves and the girls that couldn't make it. I probably spent like 20 dollars and we made like 26 or so flower clips. I had intentions to give away the ones I made but I am keeping them for myself; they are just too cute and such an easy way to help my hair look nice since i just pull it back everyday! I am going to try to make some more to give away but every time I make one I just want to keep it! I have a few siblings and friends with birthdays coming up though so watch out some flower clips might be coming your way!

Life in Lubbock

I haven't posted in a while. I kind a missed blogging about the biggest holiday of the year. Well to recap we went out to Utah to spend Christmas with my family. It was great and I had a lot of fun. It was the first time the whole entire family had been together since us older girls have all gotten married. Gabe had to fly back to Texas after a few days to work but he was able to make it back out for New Years. And we were able to spend the evening with a few of his siblings. It was so great to spend time with so much family. We had quiet the adventure coming home. We fly stand by since Gabe works for American. After spending all day in the airport and not be able to get on a flight we rented a car at 6pm at night and drove through the night back to Lubbock. Gabe had to be to work at 2pm in the afternoon and we pulled into our driveway at 1:30pm. It was the longest night of my life and there were times I didn't think we would make it but it all worked out in the end and we got to stop and see some good friends on the way. Poor chief he was exhausted after spending the day in the airport. I got a cute picture of him passed out in the airport. He was a trooper the whole trip.

This month has just been back to work for the both of us and back to school for Gabe. Its been crazy making our schedules work driving each other here and there with our one little car. Gabe has been working nights which leaves me to find new things to do. I haven't found any yet but I have a lot of ideas. Paint, organize and cook more are some of them. I just need the motivation to actually do it. I haven't taken many pic but here are a couple.

First this was Gabe's nasty Christmas Goatee(however you spell it). He wouldn't shave from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I made him shave when he got to Utah!

It's hard to pee under pressure!

FYI this story is about Pee. May not be appropriate for small children :)

This morning at work my co-workers and I had to go do a drug test so that we could drive the University van. I was second to go and I thought I had it in me but I couldn't reach the little line they draw on the cup. So they told me I could have 8 cups of water and then when I was ready try again. Well everyone went and finished their tests and I am chugging freezing cold water in the waiting room. 25 min later I decide to try again... NOTHING couldn't go at all. My boss had a meeting to get back to so I came out and told the lady I would have to come back another day. Apparently that is against the rules. I was not allowed to leave until I peed enough. It was back to 8 more cups of water. Now the pressure was building because we were on a time crunch. I was trying to drink as much water as possible but at one point I felt like I might throw it all up. I started jogging around the waiting room and doing jumping jacks ( yeah I looked totally normal doing this; no one was staring at me). 3rd time is the charm they say; after a little while I tried again. When I came out and proclaimed to my co-workers that I peed! They all started cheering and clapping. I am pretty sure the staff thought we were all nuts. We were there for over 2 hours in all and made it back just in time for the meeting. In the hour and half I have been back at work I have peed 5 times. What a morning! I don't have to take another test for a year but you can bet I am drinking a ton of water an hour before we go. I am not going to fold under pressure next time.