The countdown is on for my niece Lauren and her fiancee’ Kyle’s wedding. How in the world is she old enough to be walking down the aisle? It’s one of those double Aggie weddings! It seems like a tradition in our family! Most recently, my nephew Jackson and my niece Amy! There WILL be a lot of “whooping” on the… View Post
A Charcuterie Picnic with Love
The Story Behind The Picture
In am reposting this in honor of World Down Syndrome Day. I am honored to know these two amazing families and share their incredible story of faith and love. This picture has been circulating around the Internet for quite awhile. It went viral after it was posted on the International Down Syndrome Coalition’s Facebook page. It was part of a… View Post
The Little Church
Last Sunday morning, I made the long drive home from East Texas. I was all by myself and had hours to ponder life, soak in the beautiful scenery from my childhood and pray. There was so much to pray about. Where did I start? There were so many family members and friends heavy on my heart. I kept thinking… View Post
Magnolia Market Silos and Food Trucks
In case you haven’t heard, Chip and Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper fame are kinda popular! And if you need proof of how popular, just count the number of out of state license plates there are on the cars parked outside of Magnolia Market in downtown Waco. It was a lot! You might need one of those clickers to count… View Post
What’s Old is New at Hotel Emma
For the past twenty three years, I have booked a room for my husband’s birthday. I try to keep it a surprise until it is time to pack our bags. Of course, I think it adds to the excitement and adventure of his special day. And most years, I have succeeded in keeping it to myself. But this year’s location… View Post
A Yellow Rose
I’ve gotten to the point in life that I am having to attend a lot of funerals. It’s not exactly something that I look forward to but in some unexpected ways, they’ve become a place of comfort. My earliest memory of Chris Dukes was hearing her high heels tap down the long hallway that lead to my daddy’s office. As… View Post
There’s a Reason It’s Called Comfort
When I was trying to decide where we could go for our 20th wedding anniversary getaway, the only requirement was that it should be quiet and relaxing. With a very busy house of 3 kids, it’s a luxury! In case you haven’t been to this little part of the Hill Country in awhile, you will be in for a nice surprise. We… View Post
Charleston on My Mind
My family hadn’t decided until three weeks before our vacation what our destination would be this summer. We knew that we wanted it to include golf, the beach, great food and a family friendly place. When my husband mentioned Charleston, South Carolina being on the top of his bucket list, we decided that this would be the year that he… View Post
Eternally Grateful for Sisterhood
“Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” –Truvy, Steel Magnolias “Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together.” -Elizabeth Taylor One of my all time favorite movies is Steel Magnolias. I have probably seen it about 100 times. I remember being anxious for the premier in 1989. It was filmed on location in Natchitoches, LA, which… View Post
My Big Hair: A Historical Perspective
I was born with naturally curly hair. I used to hate it when I was growing up. I finally appreciated it by the time I reached high school. I was looking through some old photos while I was cleaning out my guest bedroom closet. I could almost give you the exact date simply by seeing my hair style in the… View Post
The Long and Winding Road
I took a trip down the “Long and Winding Road” near my hometown in East Texas this past weekend. I haven’t been down this road in a very long time. It is about 3 miles long and full of twists and curves. Not only is it scenic but is also somewhat secluded as well. I don’t know the history… View Post
A Peachy Sunday
Every year our family goes peach picking. There is just nothing like eating a peach right off the tree. The best tasting ones are the juiciest. The juice rolls down your arm in a wonderfully sticky mess! Ah, summertime. In years past, we had gone to the same peach farm for our peach picking adventures. It was a small farm… View Post
Motherhood Isn’t Always Black and White
Today is an extra special Mother’s Day. It is also our twin’s 7th Birthday. I never dreamed that I would ever be the mother of 3 children, especially twins. After experiencing the picture perfect pregnancy and delivery with our son; it was very hard accepting the realization that our son would be an only child. We finally decided that our… View Post
The Elegance of the Eilan Hotel
If you are in need to transport yourself to Europe without having to purchase a ticket, then the new Eilan Hotel is the place for you. I was not prepared for the sight of this new development as I rounded the curve of the road that leads to their doorway. The view as I drove closer to the destination reminded… View Post
Secrets for a Pretty Happy Marriage
This year the hubby and I will be married 18 years. I can’t believe it. The fact that time has flown by so quickly or that we have somehow managed to cruise along with some pretty big bumps in the road is not taken for granted. Throughout the years, marriage and how to keep it happy has often been the… View Post
Now What
Somehow we went from this: To This: in a blink of an eye! Savannah is an international affairs major at a college 1500 miles away on the east coast. She managed to pull out a 4.0 in the her first semester! (yes, I still can obnoxiously brag about her!) and Catherine is at a wonderful day school learning life… View Post
Not Your Typical Farmers Market
I just got back from almost a week in my hometown of Kilgore,Texas. It had been awhile so I was starting to twitch a little for Jack Ryan’s calamari and a mini #2 hamburger from Charburger and their beans with hush puppies. Trust me, their beans should be on your bucket list! But I will warn you that their sweet… View Post
Sassy Gal Tips for Fiesta
The Fiesta season is fast approaching whether you are ready or not! This year it runs from March 31 until April 10th. Yes, that’s a lot of partying, so you need to pace yourselves! I was at a couples shower last weekend and talked to some new residents of San Antonio. They were asking me all about Fiesta. Of course,… View Post
Allora Translates
Ever since Il Sogno closed, there’s been a big gap in really good Italian food in the Pearl area. Well, not anymore! Allora just opened and oh, my, word! We went for date night on Sunday because we couldn’t wait another minute to try it out. It hadn’t been open a whole week yet but we had a hard time… View Post