Good Times - Chicago

I'm back to my House on the Prairie setting. I had an excellent time in Chicago and got to spend time with some great people from all over the US. It is such weird adjustment going from waking to the sound of sirens in Chicago to the loud cows next door in Tennessee.

Top of the John Hancock building -

I think this was the view from the women's restroom...seriously.

View from the office. We were right on the "Magnificent Mile"

Hey, I think they're from Tennessee too!

HELLO BEAUTIFUL...


The work crew @ Giordano's :

Star Struck

YES I am excited about the upcoming 5th season of Deadliest Catch on The Discovery Channel. Brad and I love this show because these guys are flippin unbelievable! Each episode they are risking their lives out at the Bering Sea. Even though I get fired up over a stellar mullet at Wal-Mart, I'm not the type to get really excited about celebrities. I just don't think they're all that special, but I'm probably just jealous that I don't get paid millions of dollars for being dramatic.

Here is my point to all of this. On my way back home from Chicago I was on the plane with the Captain of the Time Bandit, John Hillstrand! It was easy to recognize him with his Time Bandit jacket on. Poor guy, I was trying to take pictures of him while I was on the plane. Since that wasn't working out, I chased him down (literally) as soon as we got off the plane. What a nice guy! I was star struck.

Bright Sun Shiny Day

What a beautiful day!!! Here are some pics of us soaking up the gorgeous 65 degree weather today.

I'm bummed the weekend is coming to a close, but I'm pretty excited about heading to Chicago tomorrow. I'll be there all week for work and I plan on eating an obscene amount of deep dish pizza pie! Oh yes, I'm so dang excited about some good free food. Is that sad?

Happy Birthday Stephanie Jane!!!

I just wanted to wish my BFF a Happy Birthday! Almost 9 years ago Stephanie and I developed a true friendship at Baylor in the halls of Collins. We shared many laughs, tears, late nights, cheeto puffs, and crazy head stands : )

Hunny Bunny, I hope you get to have your cake and eat it too!

Mullet - It's not just a haircut, it's an attitude

I bet you thought I forgot about the Mullet Hunter commitment I made over a month ago didn't you? Well you are wrong - dead wrong. It is always in the back of my mind, and believe me, I've seen some gorgeous mullets. There has been a slight obstacle in me sharing these mullets . . . and his name is Brad.

I knew I had to cut it out and be nice when Brad said to me, "This is not a zoo." But wouldn't you want to take a picture of a 10 year old kid with an award worthy mullet???

Well, last weekend I lost all self control. I stalked a mullet.

I think my nonchalant efforts were a success, even though I would have liked more of a profile shot.

I feel the need to justify why I like to capture such "art". The Tennessee Wal-Mart is not the only place I find masterpieces. My girlfriends Erin and Leigh Ann have experienced some less successful attempts in trendy places like Austin, TX.

Long story short, we were trying to capture Steve's hair in the background and I think he caught us. How do I know his name is Steve? I said it was a long story.

Leigh Ann's Facebook comments say it best:
"Steve is awesome. But I thought his girlfriend was going to beat us up for making fun of him!! I guess you were a little obvious with the pointing!!"

STATE of Confusion

DISCLAIMER: MOM, IF YOU READ THIS YOU CANNOT GET MAD AT ME FOR MAKING FUN OF YOU.


So about my Mom. I had always thought she was a little confused. She is a smart and loving full time mom of 4 kids that balances a busy work schedule with ease, yet she never seemed to understand which state she was living in . . . geographically speaking. She has been a New Mexico resident going on 17 years, but you would never know it by walking into her house and especially her backyard.


I give you exhibit A:

There is a lot more where this came from, but you get the point. I have always given her a hard time for this. It wasn't just in the way she decorated her house, it was in everything she did. For instance, we used to load up the suburban and make the 10 hour drive from New Mexico to see our grandparents in East Texas. We would listen to the song "God Blessed Texas" and if any of us kids made a single sound (impossible), she would start the song over again. This resulted in listening to "God Blessed Texas" for almost half of the trip. TRUE STORY!

I just couldn't understand her love and absolute devotion to the state of Texas even though she didn't live there.

This week I realized that this is just one more thing my mom and I have in common. History does repeat itself. This realization came after fully decorating Brad's office in all things Texas (per his request) and making sure there is a spot in every room in our house that proclaims my love for New Mexico, the Land of Enchantment. I'll be the only resident in Tennessee with ristras, luminarias, kokopellis, and genuine love for green chile.

"Oh! Fair New Mexico, we love, we love you so,Our hearts with pride o're flow,No matter where we go.Oh! Fair New Mexico, we love, we love you so,The grandest state we know — NEW MEXICO!"
- New Mexico state song chorus.

A Simple Sunday

What a beautiful weekend! Brad and I can't wait to go exploring and check out some nearby hiking trails. We had to put that on hold this weekend because Brad had to work, but we still had a great day playing in the sunshine. You see, we're simple folk. All we need is a stick and ball to have a good time.

(Click on the picture to enlarge it)

I'm making friends...feathered ones

This is a pretty silly thing to write about, but you must understand that I really really like this bird. I first saw him/her about a month ago when we moved in. I thought the bird had a mohawk and later realized he just has permanent bed-head. That's a feather sticking up on it's head. We are having some beautiful 70 degree weather so I decided to run around the front yard like a weirdo chasing after my new buddy.

CELEBRATE

Happy Birthday Justin!!!

My baby brother turns 23 today. Thanks for making me feel old Justy! You'll always be my #1 bro.


Happy Wedding Day!

Jeff and Jenn, congratulations on your wedding! We are thrilled to have you join the Hatton clan Jenn!

If you are needing a little background, Jeff is Brad's older brother. Jeff and Jen (doesn't that sound cute) are such an amazing couple. They got married yesterday and now they're off partying like rockstars in Mexico.

Back to the real world

Today was my first day with my new job and I am thrilled to get back to regular paychecks...Hooray! I'm very excited about this new opportunity and I'm blessed to work with some great people. I have no idea when or where, but I know I'll be traveling for training. Some of the possibilities I've heard are New York, Chicago, and San Diego just to name a few. Those places would be mighty nice, but I'm crossing my fingers for Texas : ) I could always go for a family & friend fix.

On a depressing note, I am a little heartbroken to be away from my lovebug everyday. I got use to being a stay at home doggie mom . . . alright-alright. I also liked sleeping in everyday too.

It's Official

We are Tennesseans!

Brad and I spent approximately 3 lovely hours at the local DMV getting our Tennessee drivers licences this week. Even harder than waiting in line was having to give up our Texas drivers licences. Brad's TX license had a picture from when he was 18. I wasn't as attached to mine since I've had 4 or 5 different licenses. Big surprise...I'm an expert at losing important things.

FYI... This picture shows what Dallas does anytime Brad and I are within hugging range. This is why we often refer to Dallas as the "Hug Police".

You may notice that Brad and I are sporting some Tennessee Vols gear. This is the main university in Tennessee. Don't worry, we are still true to Baylor; however, if we are ever going to make friends here we have to follow the crowd. Seriously. People love this school. It is rare to see a car without a Vols sticker in the window. In fact, just yesterday Brad and I were driving around and spotted the University of Tennessee's biggest fan.

Now that is dedication!