Christmas 2010

This year, we got to spend Christmas Day at the LaPrade house, and then a couple of days later got to celebrate Christmas all over again at the Lowry house.  Double the loot!  ;) 

Logan and I had both been fighting awful head colds for about a month, but we didn’t let that get our Christmas spirit down!

My mom and Jessica put out all the cute Christmas decorations this year.  Loved the “Christmas Countdown” Santa!

Fun place settings. 
The mantle over the fireplace was all decked out. 
My mom LOVES snowmen, and this one was my favorite.  (Hard to tell in the picture, but he’s glittery.)
We had a miniature tree this year, and I loved the pearls and the bows. 

My dad, Jessica, Parker, and Logan.  (Smile, Logan!)
Ross and Jess, coming up on their 2 year wedding Anniversary in April! 

Loved getting to visit with Mamaw and Papaw, as always. 
They got a new flat screen TV!
My dad, modeling his John Lennon tribute collector’s magazine. 
Best.  Picture.  Of.  The.  Day.  Hands down.  Check out my dad in the background making fun of my mom’s obsession with the Twilight series.  He was so embarrassed when he realized I’d caught this on camera.  Mwa-ha-ha-ha. 
Mom also got a tote, handmade by Jessica’s crafty Aunt Penny. 
Dad, opening up his big gift…
A flat screen TV for the treadmill room!
Logan loves his Cowboys stuff!
I got him the George Bush book.  He was excited.    
My mom sewed me an adorable apron!  I love it!  
Jess got me a cute whiteboard to write down grocery lists in the kitchen. 
Ross got lots of X-Box games and some movies.
I got Jessica an electric wine opener. 
The LaPrades and the Lowrys.  Awwww… 
Mom and Dad.  So cute!
The LaPrade Ladies…
The LaPrade Men… plus a Lowry. 
My cute mom has been losing weight left and right, and I wanted a picture of her showing it off!  Hot mama!
Me with the fluff-ball.  :)
Toby, enjoying his new “gnaw-hides” as we call them.  Sweet boy will be 14 this April.       
The Lowry family Christmas Tree, exploding with gifts!
Boomer and Lolli, playing with Santa.  (Boomer had the nose and moustache off Santa within 20 minutes.) 
Leah got a Dremel Trio. 
The Lowrys.  :)
Christmas madness!!
Mrs. Lynn’s “Pi” Plate.  Loved it. 
I thought this tag on one of my gifts was hilarious.  “To: Lorin, From: All the Lowrys, except your husband”.   
Fuzzy toe socks!
Mr. Lowry had to go on a scavenger hunt to find his big gift – a new exercise bike!  It had been hiding in the garage and he never knew.  :)

We had a wonderful Christmas, and we hope your family did too!

Jeffrey’s 2010 Christmas Visit!

Every year around Christmas time, one of my best friends from college makes his way back to Dallas to visit.  And every year, we get together and have a blast!  I think Logan looks forward to Jeff’s visits almost as much as I do.  :)

This year we met at Taco Diner for dinner, and then came back to our condo for drinks afterwards. 

Taco Diner + Mambo Taxis + Friends = Fun. 
Awwww…
 
Kim got to meet Jeff this year too.  We played Battle of the Sexes, and while I don’t officially remember who won, I’m pretty sure the girls did.  Obviously!

Loved seeing you Jeff!!  Can’t wait till your next visit!

The Nutty Nutcracker

Last night, I went with Kim and a couple of her friends to see The Nutty Nutcracker at Bass Hall.  It’s done by the same ballet company that performs The Nutcracker, but one night a year they “mix it up”, and make it funny, and include characters that you would never see in the normal Nutcracker.  This year, they did Lady Ga Ga, Oprah, The Simpsons, Richard Simmons, Josh Hamilton, The Dallas Cowboys, President Obama, Sarah Palin… the list goes on and on. 

We obviously weren’t allowed to take pictures during the performance, but I did get a picture of the gorgeous ceiling of Bass Hall when we sat down. 
Kim and I before the show!

Thanksgiving 2010

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving at the Lowry’s lakehouse, and they were kind enough to invite my parents and grandparents to join us.  We all stuffed ourselves silly with the ridiculous amount of food that was there. 

This is just the dessert table:  apple pie, chocolate pie, four layer dessert, cranberry cream cheese salsa (aka: cranberry crack), strawberry-pretzel-jello, german chocolate cake, and my mini chocolate chip cheesecakes.  And then there was the enormous feast!  Two types of turkey: smoked and roasted, ham, deviled eggs, squash, corn casserole, roasted broccoli and sweet potatoes, salad…
Oh yeah.  There wasn’t enough room on the main island for the stuffing, mashed potatoes, peas, green beans, and asparagus.  I wasn’t kidding.  We had TONS of food.    Lyndsie and Sean and Logan, resting their full tummies.  Papaw always needs a nap after a big meal.  He is a LaPrade, after all, and we LaPrades are champion sleepers.    There were a total of 6 dogs there for the weekend.  Yes, including Lucy.  We decided to try to bring Lucy and see if she could play nice with others.  Turns out, she tried to attack the 140 pound german shepherd – rottweiler mix after he tried to drink out of “her” bowl of water.  He’s pretty cute, huh.    Lyndsie’s dog, Moo, is absolutely the sweetest pit-bull to have ever walked the earth.  Lacie’s dog, Lollie, likes to curl up in your lap.  My two moms, bonding in the kitchen.  The view from the back deck.  The Lowry family!  (Plus Dillie, Logan’s little dog from college.)  The Lowry “kids”. 
Our first Thanksgiving together as Newlyweds.  All together now - “Awwwww”.  The Lowry girls. 
My family… 
…plus sweet Mamaw and Papaw. 
I thought this was cute.    Mr. and Mrs. Lowry.
Lacie and I looked over and saw Mamaw sitting in Papaw’s lap, and tried to catch a picture before they saw us.  :)
One big, happy Lowry family. 

Ob. Sessed. Comletely.

Okay.  I’ll admit it.  I have become absolutely and completely obsessed with the HBO series True Blood.  I watched the first two episodes and couldn’t understand why people thought it was so great.  But by the third one, I was hooked.  No, I’m not obsessed with Vampires.  (Yes, I liked the Twilight book series, but I pretty much loathe the movies.  They suck… no pun intended.)  The story line in True Blood always leaves me wanting more… but in addition to that, I’ll give you three reasons you should watch. 

1.  Ryan Kwanten:

My number one “get out of jail free card” in my top 5 celebrity fantasy men.  When I look at him, I don’t even remember the other 4.  Plus, he’s Australian – which means he has an awesome accent.  But the way I know I’m in love – I actually prefer the awful southern accent he has in True Blood.  That’s true love. 

2.  Alexander Sk arsgard:

He’s just plain hot.  May have recently been bumped up to number 2 on my fantasy list.  So a girl can’t complain when her top 2 men are in a show together, right??

3.  Steven Moyer:

Also hot.  Very much enjoy the love story between his character and Anna Paquin’s character.  Doesn’t make my top 5, but is easy on the eyes all the same. 

Look people – I’m just saying: if you’re looking for a new show to watch, indulge me on this one.  You won’t be sorry! 

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

Found a really cute Christmas wreath this year!  (This means I can finally use that wreath hanger I bought 2 years ago.  Very happy about that.)

I seriously can’t believe Christmas is just around the corner.  22 days left, and I haven’t even started buying presents yet.  I always tell myself I’m going to get started early, but every year I end up doing all of my Christmas shopping the week before Christmas.  Not to sound all Bah-Humbug or anything, but I pretty much hate shopping that week.  The stores are way too crowded, the Salvation Army bell ringers are at every entrance making me feel guilty at every store I go into, all the good stuff is sold out, and I end up doing way too much damage to the credit card in way too short of a time frame.  Oh, the joys of giving.  :)  On a positive note, I’ve already bought our wrapping paper… Just don’t have anything to wrap yet…

Painting… with a twist!

A couple of weeks ago, two of my work friends and I decided we wanted to harness our creative energy and try to paint our very own masterpiece, so we spent a few hours one evening at a wonderful little place called “Painting With a Twist”.  This is seriously now my new favorite thing to do.  I am SOOO not artistic.  Like at all.  But the instructor walks you step by step through drawing and creating your own painting.  I was sold at the painting part, but when I found out you could bring in wine and snacks, I knew it was a definite winner.  :) 

There were paintings hung on just about every inch of the wall, and each painting is one they teach you how to make.   
Kim and I in our aprons, ready to paint!
Just to prove that we really did paint these ourselves…  :) Extreme concentration.  :) Laura and me. Several of the finished products all lined up together.
I had so much fun painting and hanging out with these ladies!  We’ll be planning our next trip soon if anyone wants to join us!