Thursday, June 28, 2012

New Business, Father's Day & Family Reunion... OH MY!!!

Well, to say we've been busy, is an understatement.

Since I've last written, Nick has turned in his resignation at East Texas Medical Center to pursue our dream... He's starting his own business in irrigation, landscaping, and lawn care.  We are extremely excited, yet nervous at the same time!  We've prayed extensively for this step in our lives.  This is something Nick has always wanted to do.  He's known since high school that he wanted to own his own business.  So, after over three years of us praying as a couple for God to show us when it was the right time, we're starting a business.  East Texas Proscapes will be open for business very soon!  Call Nick to get him to come bid a job for you, (903) 475-2848.  Nick will be finished at the hospital on July 6th, and he hopes to hit the ground running.  So please consider us for any of your irrigation, landscaping, and lawn care needs!

Nick's snazzy new business card that his marketing department designed. :)
On Friday, June 15th, Nick & I went to see the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros with our Sunday school class.  We had an absolute blast!  There were 50 of us in all who went.  I love our friends soo much.  We sat in the All You Can Eat section which was quite fun.  Unlimited hot dogs, nachos and cokes were nice.  A lot of us stayed at the Hyatt Place near the Ballpark after the game so we wouldn't have to drive home after the late night game and fireworks.

Me & the lovely Kathryn!  She's one of my favorites!
The view from our seats.
Part of our group.  Love them!  Mitchell's intent on the game.
Me & the handsome husband.
Casey & I watching the fireworks.
We woke up Saturday morning and had breakfast with Mitchell & Casey at the hotel.  We also ran into some dear friends from our Tarleton days.  It was great to see Charly, Jake & Nate.  Such a surprise too.  They were headed to Six Flags for the day.  Nick & I headed to Nick's aunt's house for the remainder of our time in the area.  Aunt Carol lives in Arlington, and Nick's grandmother and Aunt Rhon, who both live in Waco, were on their way to Carols.  So, we spent a few hours will all of them.  Nick fixed a sprinkler head for Carol, we had lunch, we visited, and then we headed back home.  Of course we had to stop at FREEB!RDS for dinner.  It was delicious, and I forgot to take any pictures this day.  Whoops.

Sunday morning, I headed to New Boston to visit with my Daddy for Father's Day.  I also got the added bonus of getting to meet the new music minister for my old home church, FBC New Boston.  He and his family seem like that will fit in great with the community.  His name is Harold Smith (if you say it fast enough, it sounds like Aerosmith - or so my sister thinks).  He's moving from Mississippi.  My Dad was on the search committee, so we all (search committee included) and the Smith family went to eat at Cracker Barrel for lunch.  It was delicious and fun to get to visit with everyone.  After lunch, we all headed our separate ways.  We are awesome daughters and got Dad a signed stadium chair back from the original Cowboys stadium.  My aunt said that if we keep this gift giving up, we'll have to build a stadium. :) It was signed by one of Dad's favorite players, Bob Lilly.  Dad was actually at the game where the Cowboys inducted Bob Lilly into the Ring of Honor.  He was super surprised and excited for his gift.  We're not going to be able to top the birthday and Father's Day presents after this year. :)

Dad with his girls!
My little "nephew," Wyatt, turned one on Tuesday, June 19th.  I can't believe a year has already flown by!  We weren't able to go to his birthday due to our family reunion, but we celebrated him all the same.  I called the morning of to wish him a happy birthday.  He wasn't up yet, but his momma told him from me.  I love that little guy so much.  Can't wait to see them soon!

Look how big this "little" boys gotten!
On Friday, June 22nd, Nick & I met up with a lot of his Dad's side of the family at Catfish King for dinner.  We were having a big family reunion the next day at Camp Shiloh, but this has become something of a tradition.  Whoever can make it, we head to Mt Pleasant to eat dinner together.  After eating, Nick & I went out to the camp since that is where everyone was staying.  We visited and were eaten alive by mosquitos.  (Note: Bug spray causes color on things to attach themselves to you.  My flip flops had to be pried from my feet, and the metal from the chair I was sitting on smeared black down my arms.  Weird, I know.)  But we had fun all the same. :)  Saturday, Nick & I headed back out to Camp Shiloh for a delicious pot luck meal.  I took my famous pork roast and corn casserole.  We had a fabulous time.  I was commissioned this year to make new family reunion t-shirts for our portion of the Nicholson family.  Nick's paternal grandmother, Edna, was a Nicholson.  This family reunion consists of all of her siblings and their families.  So, I made shirts for the Edna Robertson (Mimi to those in the family) clan.  Mimi was an excellent cook, so I went with a "Cafe" theme.  Everyone loved the shirts, and now I've been asked to help design a whole Nicholson family reunion t-shirt.  I'm excited!

Nick & I waiting for the big family picture.

The whole Nicholson clan!


The back of the shirt.  The "UN4-3303" was Mimi & Pop's phone number.  A few family members have had strangers ask them where Mimi's Cafe is.  We have to explain that it doesn't actually exist. :)  Seems like it looks like a real restaurant t-shirt. :)

The front of the shirt.
Sunday morning, Nick & I ate breakfast with Aunt Patsy, Uncle Bobby, Joe & Melanie at Herschel's.  It was yummy and nice getting to visit with everyone during the weekend.  Too bad we only do this once a year!  Sunday evening, Nick & I had dinner with the Mayben's, who had just returned from a vacation.  It was good to see them, and eat lots of good steak and baked potatoes. :)  Keyton & Kenlie were very excited to see us, and we were excited to see them.

It seems that we are having a rare weekend where we have nothing planned, so we'll see what is soon to come.  I definitely want to clean my house like a crazy woman!  I haven't had time, so it is deep cleaning time.  AND, I'm sure I'll be crafting to my little hearts content. :)

Friday, June 8, 2012

Third Anniversary...Oh My!

Wednesday, June 6th was mine & Nick's third anniversary.  I can't believe it has already been that long!  It seems like yesterday we were in Stephenville preparing for our final year of college and first year of marriage.  We didn't do anything too fancy to celebrate.  Nick grilled steaks, and I made baked potatoes and green beans.  Nick was super sweet, and when I got come from work, Nick had our China set up to use for the evening.  I made Nick a gift basket with Captain America and Thor, Snickers, and popcorn.  I was going to get him a t-shirt as well, but I couldn't find one around MP.  He was excited about his gift.  Nick is building me a table for our back porch for my gift.  I cannot wait for it to be done!  We'll be working on it this weekend.  I'll definitely post pictures of it. :)  Nick had band practice for Sunday morning, so we went to church for practice.  And that was our exciting third anniversary!  :)

This is what I came home to.  So sweet. :)
Yummy!!!
Nick's goody basket. :)
This is the table Nick is building for me for our back porch.  Whoo hoo!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Yard, Yard, YARD...OH MY!!!

THE FRONT YARD LOOKS BEAUTIFUL!!!

The awesome before and after of our front yard.  Hubby did good!!!
As I mentioned in my last few blogs, we've been doing A LOT of yard work.  It started a few weeks ago when Nick decided one Sunday (April 22nd to be exact) to cut down a lot of dead trees and bushes in our yard. This was the end result.
Our massive brush pile. :)
The next weekend, we cleaned up the yard a bit and worked on the back porch.

The next weekend, we purchased a hanging basket filled with Tarleton colored petunias.  We hung that from the front porch.  Then Nick decided that Sunday that he wanted to make a container plant.  This was the end result.

Our Tarleton colored petunias.
The BEAUTIFUL container plant my husband planted.
The next weekend, I was out of town, and Nick went all Rambo on the front yard flower beds and got rid of all of the remaining plants.  I was so excited and surprised when I got home.  We now had a blank slate to work with.

Our blank slate. :)
On Friday, May 18th, Nick came home with so many plants!  I was super stoked to get to working on the front yard and making it look beautiful.  We worked about 4 hours Friday night.  Two hours Saturday morning, and 6 house on Sunday.  We tilled, planted, spread compost, and started to put in a irrigation system for the flower beds.

Oh my goodness, look at all of those plants!

Nick placing and getting ready to plant everything.  I'd already put the hostas in the ground.  Nick ended up having me move the hostas to under the tree on Sunday.

Our BEAUTIFUL Azaleas.  I can't wait for them to bloom.  They alternate purple and white.  GO TARLETON!!!
End of night one.  Awful picture, but what I could get.
Back to the grindstone on Saturday.
Boxwoods are in the ground.
Pretty flower bed.  Better picture than the night before.
Working on Sunday.  I'm getting tired by now. :)
Everything that has been done through Sunday.
Trenching started for irrigation.

So pretty!


Nick worked almost every night that week on one thing or another in the yard.  He trenched, laid pipe, put in irrigation heads, moved a few plants, and watered religiously.  We were slowly but surely getting to the end!

Monday, May 28th was Memorial Day, so Nick & I had the day off.  We had bought lots and lots of mulch the day before, and we were ready to get the mulch in the beds.  I woke up, got dressed, and headed outside to plant the last 4 bushes... a few Indian Hawthorns that I'd been neglecting.  Nick had gone fishing with a couple of his friends, so that's all we got done that morning.  Once Nick had arrived back at the house, we ate lunch, then started working feverishly in the yard.  It was HOT!!!  BUT, Nick was finally able to turn the sprinkler system on.  WE HAVE WATER!!!  He had to flush all of the heads, then we put the nozzles on.  It's so much fun to watch them turn on.  Then, we laid about 3/4 of the mulch.  We finished two and a half beds.  After all of our hard work, Nick pulled out a few lawn chairs, turned on the sprinkler system, and we just sat and watched it.  So ready (and excited) to get this project finished!!!

Mulch makes a HUGE difference.  The bare spot is where stone and a water feature will go. 
Front flower bed with mulch.
We have water!!!
The week of May 28th, Nick finished up with stone work and the rest of the mulch.  Nick has put in all of our stone and has made the beds absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  I can't believe all of the hard work he's put into this front yard.  It has definitely paid off and we have some the prettiest flowerbeds in the neighborhood now!  Go husband!

There will eventually be a water feature in with the stone.  But as Nick reminds me...baby steps. :)
Beautiful!  And our little pathway made with flagstone.
Our pathway of flagstone and the beginning of the azalea & hosta bed. 
Azaleas and hostas!  I love the border around this bed. 
We need a little more rock to finish off this area.  But it's practically done!
The side of the house with the air conditioner.  Ready for the Indian Hawthorns to grow up!
A view of it all!  He did such a great job designing and putting this concept into a reality!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Family, Lake, and Food... Oh MY!

This past weekend was so much fun!  Friday night, Joe & Melanie came over for dinner.  Nick finished the front yard, and I cleaned the house.  Then my parents and sister came to spend the night.  We all got up, and went to eat breakfast with Joe & Melanie at the Hot Link Joint.  Then, my parents, sister, Nick & I headed to Lake Cherokee for the Bray family reunion.  I love this family, but we rarely get to see them.  As in, Nick's never met any of them before except my Dad's sisters, bothers-in-law, and nieces.  So, this was Nick's first time to meet my Dad's aunt and a lot of his cousins.  They were an absolute blast!  We arrived there Saturday, took a tour of the house, and grazed on finger foods.  Then everyone started showing up.  We had groups out on the barge, on the Sea Doo, swimming in the cove, kayaking, and sitting around talking.  We had a delicious dinner of BBQ.  After dinner, my Dad, his cousin Mark, and my sister played guitars and sang for a bit.  My Aunt Nee joined in on the singing as well.  We took a "midnight" boat ride (it was actually at 10:30) to view all of the lake houses lit up at night.  Then we stayed up even later talking.  I was a party pooper and went to bed before everyone else, but I didn't think I could last much longer!  Sunday morning, we had a big, delicious breakfast.  Followed by wakeboarding and skiing.  My sister and I, and Nick & I enjoyed some time on the Sea Doo.  Mark grilled hot dogs for lunch, and then we all had to head home.  It's been at least 7 years since we've all gotten together.  Hopefully, it won't take us that long to all get together again!

Taking a ride on the barge.  Carlene let Torrence drive!
Sister & me on the Sea Doo.
My Aunt Nee and cousin Lindsay.
My great Aunt Betty!  She sat on a wet chair and Mark was drying her off with the leaf blower. :) 
Nick acting like he was going to pull Lindsay in the lake.
Nick & I on the Sea Doo.
Our wonderful host Carlene!
Sister, Dad, and Dad's cousin, Mark playing guitars and Dobro and singing
Sister and Dad
Cute little one, Torrence. 
The Roy Dale family with Aunt Betty.  She's the last of the Bray siblings still alive.  Aunt Betty was my Pawpaw's sister.   
Everyone that came!
Staci, Shelia, and Kristi.  Staci & Kristi are my second cousins, Shelia is my first cousin once removed.  This was the first time I met Staci and Kristi.  I love all three of these girls!  They are so much fun!
Our wonderful host family - Mark, Carlene, and Kristi.
Kevin & Mark listening to the musicians. 
Dad and his cousins, Carlene and Shelia (they're sisters). 
Mom, Nick & I 
The 1st cousins with Aunt Betty.
Kristi & I - we're second cousins.  I'm learning what 1st cousins once removed, second cousins, etc. means. :)
My great-Aunt Betty and her great granddaughter, Bailey.  She's too cute!
Me wakeboarding.
Sister, Nick & I.
Mark grilling us some hot dogs.
Aunt Nee, Lindsay, and Aunt Betty.