Bye-Bye Student Loans!

I had 50 shares of EDS stock, those of which were a gift from my grandparents many moons ago. There was a time when the purchase price had doubled, and I thought....let's ride this out a little longer and maybe the price will increase even more! And then there was 9/11/01. I watched that stock rise and fall over the years. It wasn't so much like the Texas Titan at Six Flags, but more like the less extreme Judge Roy Scream roller coaster. Anyway, those EDS shares were dissolved and I received my long-awaited check this week. I had many plans for that money, most of which included shopping sprees to various clothing stores, home decor stores, and a a toy store or two. Those ideas belonged to the irresponsible, carefree Kara who rarely makes an appearance. Of course, the more conservative, responsible, and careful Kara won the battle and chose to pay off my final student loan. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, as of today, my college education has now been paid in full!!! And the best part is the $250 that was leftover! So, the irresponsible, carefree Kara can now be satisfied as well!
Sometimes I wonder if the college education was really worth it. I mean it took us over 7 years to pay for it. The college years were pivotal years and some of the most important ones of my life. I learned so much about myself, not to mention some of the basic jobs that come with being away from mom and dad, i.e. laundry, cooking, cleaning, managing finances, etc. I saw great football (yes, the Aggies were good when I was there), great baseball, decent basketball, attended Midnight Yell with friends, saw 3 Bonfires, and experienced the collapse of the Bonfire. I went to parties, played intramural sports, pulled all-nighters, and rode my bike to class every single day, rain or shine. I gained best friends and then lost them. I wrote my mom letters (yes, the hand-written ones) religiously. Sometimes I ached to be home. Sometimes, I thought I never wanted to go back home. I experienced my first and only car accident on a day that I decided I wanted to attend church. My friends and I decorated for the holidays, which consisted of the most pitiful combination of hand-me-down decorations that our parents were willing to part with. Sometimes I stayed up all night long watching movies with my roommates and talking about boys, only to sleep in till noon. I made very good grades in high school, and thought I would do the same in college. My freshman year was a wake-up call for sure. When I didn't get a 4.0, I wondered if I would succeed. I did. I got a first-class education and had the time of my life, so yes, the 7 years it took to pay for those 4years of my life were well worth it.
I'm proud to be an Aggie and part of the Fightin' Texas Aggie class of 2000!

As If He Couldn't Love the Fire Station More....

We had such a great time at Main Event Friday night! I promised Landon that I would take him again on Saturday while Daddy was at work. They have bowling for little ones. And, I don't mean an arcade version. It's real bowling for children. Landon just manages to get the ball down to the pins (we occasionally had to run down the lanes and help it out a little!). He absolutely loved that darn game. Anyway, we pass Bo's fire station on the way, so of course, we had to stop in and say hello. I had the camera with me......I know, I know......shocking, huh? We got some cute pictures at the station. They do pump tests on Saturdays, which consists of pumping the engine to make sure everything works and to get a little practice. Bo extended the ladder and pumped water and Landon screeched with excitement. When they were done, he kept saying, "I want more water! I want more water! Turn on the water!" So, just when I thought he couldn't love Daddy's job and fire station more, they had to go and spray water! We may have to visit every Saturday now.

Our Trip to Taos

On Thursday 7 of us, which included Bo's parents and brothers, departed for Taos, NM. We rented a 12-passenger van (thank heavens!) and made the 13 hour trek to the beautiful snow-capped mountains. We skied, went tubing, saw an Indian....I mean Native American...dance, shopped on the town square, played at the park, had a snowball fight, saw the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, and best of all......everyone came back injury-free! We stayed at the Alpine Village Suites, which was located at the base of the mountain and just a 2-minute walk from the ski lifts. The weather was just perfect; really cold at night, but quite pleasant during the day. I only skied a little bit on the 1st day and then did some sight-seeing the next. Bo, Steven, and Boonie had a blast ripping down the mountain, trying out some moguls, and playing in the terrain park. Landon enjoyed the snow, but didn't care for the cold weather (of course, neither did his momma). We taught him how to have a snowball fight. And when we went into town, he really enjoyed the Native American dancing display. In fact, he did a little of his own dancing in front of a coffee shop, not realizing the customers inside were enjoying his performance. Landon and I even went tubing one night. As we were waiting in line, Bo and I kept telling him that we were about to go on the slide, in hopes that his head would be filled with calm, yet exciting, thoughts about the slides at home. Landon and I got our tubes, and we sat him down in his. He even sat on his favorite little pillow, but you only saw this tiny head and 2 over-sized mittens poking out of the tube. He remained calm until I sat in my tube and we were positioned to slide down the mountain. They tied our tubes together and let us go! Landon never cried, but had a look a shear panic on his face. When we came to a stop, I asked him if he wanted to do it again, and he said, "don't want to!!!" The trip was fantastic, but I'm thankful to be back in the great state of Texas where we should hit 80 degrees this week!

31 Birthday Candles

Well, this gal turned 31 on Thursday, and let me tell you, 31 candles are enough to warm cold hands, light up an entire room, and keep Bo's firefighting skills on hand! It was a fabulous birthday. Bo, Landon, and I went golfing Friday afternoon. We were supposed to play 9 holes, but the wind was outrageous. Landon literally couldn't walk straight. We settled for the driving range and still had a wonderful time. Bo took a golf class in college and is naturally good, as he is with most sports. I've never had any lessons, only those given by my infinitely patient husband. I get the ball where it needs to go; I just need to work on putting. Bo is now giving lessons to our son, and quite frankly, it's the most adorable thing ever! He makes contact after about 8 swings. Good heavens, Tiger didn't even get started until he was 3!
Sunday, we had a family picnic at a park in Frisco. Again, the winds were howling (as you can tell in the pictures), but other than that, it was a nice day. My brother-in-law, Daniel, asked me what it was like on the other side of 30 (smarty-pants!). Well, let's see.....I got a Woodwick candle, a book, and a crochet starter set (among other things). Although these items aren't on most 30-somethings' wish lists, they were on mine. I think I'll knit my brother-in-law a lovely lilac and pastel blue sweater just for asking me that question! And, while I'm thinking about it, I'll knit my husband a fancy little vest to wear on the motorcycle....I'll even add a special touch with my "bedazzler"! He kindly reminded me that he's now 2 years younger than me until November. He really shouldn't toss around such ugly words since a milestone birthday awaits him this year!

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

"The Christmas Song" is my all-time favorite Christmas song....preferably Nat King Cole's version. It embodies warmth, coziness, and an undeniable Christmas spirit. Yuletide carols being sung by the choir - I can remember strolling from house to house with my friends singing our favorite Christmas melodies. Homeowners happily opened their doors and smiled from ear-to-ear as the youth of their neighborhood serenaded them. Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow will find it hard to sleep tonight - I can also remember as a young girl curling up in my bed, promising myself that I wouldn't fall asleep so I would know when Santa had arrived and to see if reindeer really know how to fly. Inevitably, my eyelids couldn't hold their own against a long day of excitement and anticipation, and finally closed for a long winter's nap. There was nothing better than waking up on Christmas morning and running to the Christmas tree to see the treasures Santa had left. My tiny tot's eyes were aglow as he climbed down the stairs to find that Santa had brought him a John Deere tractor. I love Christmas, as do all kids from one to ninety-two. A local radio station started streaming Christmas music online on October 30, then started playing the Christmas tunes on the radio in late November. I've honestly been listening to Christmas music since October 30. I know it's crazy. There's just something about those songs; the old ones, not the Madonna version of Santa Baby. "The Christmas Song" was composed in 1946. Listen to it (and others from that time), really listen to it. It just seems like things were so much simpler then and people were more caring and sincere. I truly worry about our world, what it has become, and what the future holds. I brought another life into this world and will do my very best to teach him values and morals and to stand up for what's right. I want him to be happy, always. I pray that this world has enough good in it to overcome the challenges. I really do love Christmas and there's nothing better than spending an entire day with family. I have countless blessings as the year 2008 comes to a close, and anxiously await all the new treasures 2009 will bring. Although it's been said many times, many ways....a very Merry Christmas to you. And a Happy New Year, too!