_

i love this picture.

i came across it the other day and it's been on my desktop since.
my sis in the front and me in the back. so cute.

: )

for some reason i've had a terribly hard time getting the post about my anniversary surprise up. i have no idea why. it just doesn't work.


i can't skip over it, though, so i'll just give an extremely abbreviated version: i have the best, most thoughtful husband in the world.

:)

4 years!

back in the game

baylor's lady bears are back in the Big Dance as big 12 conference champs! they've taken the national title before... let's hope they can do it again!

on another note, the men's team lost in the last round and so didn't go on to the ncaa tournament (aka big dance). they are no.3 seed now, though, and have earned the hosting of the first round in the national invitational tournament. we'll take what we can get. it was a great run!

sic 'em!

go bears

my baylor bears basketball team have just beaten no. 1 seed kansas and are headed to the big 12 championships... sic 'em!

steak

one evening last weekend hugh and i were talking about getting dinner together and faith piped up and said that she wanted steak. we already had dinner planned, and steak was not involved ...but she really really wanted steak. she even offered to buy it herself. what!? hugh and i thought this was so random (and funny) that we said, sure. hugh even offered to grill it for her.


so off we go to the meat market, her allowance in tow, fully aware of how much a steak might cost. we get there and she informs me that she has determined her 'budget' as $15 (and you've wondered whether she's like hugh at all). she inspects every kind of steak they have and settles on one, very very pleased with herself (especially since it happened to be less than a pound and so well within her budget). she couldn't stop smiling. even told the lady at the cash register that she was buying her own dinner. (i had to then explain to the funny look that it was her own choice)


she was so happy with herself and her precious steak... that she even proposed buying her own meat from now on! haha!

we love these

so if you ever come across them... buy them. for us. :)

i know this is a random thing to post, but we've been eating these like crazy lately.
and hoping that the boxes magically keep appearing in our cupboard

mahi = chicken = mahi

on the way home we stopped by disney to hang with some dear friends who have been in japan for the last few years. it was great to be able to catch up and just hang out!

we even came away with free dessert and sombrero after a hilarious dinner mix-up. can't beat that!

hang time in GA

conference in georgia (hugh) = vacation (lauren)

but before you go feeling sorry for hugh, the week wasn't all work. it was kind of a nice break for us from the hectics of our normal week. the conference also happened to be in the city he used to live in, so we both got to catch up with great friends...

and do a little working out on the wii...


and take a little tour of WWII europe...


hugh also helped out with a little problem they were having with a pesky leftover bomb

just kidding :)

'beard month' is over

but so you guys can be in on the experience,
here are some photos ...

come on baby bosch

a few pics from the baby shower we hosted this past weekend...

pie

i shared with you my family tradition of making hot cross buns at easter... but neglected to share our christmas counterpart- mince pies. yum.

some background: a mince pie is a british sweet pastry, traditionally eaten during the christmas and new year period. they are mini-pies made of a flaky pastry and filled with mincemeat - a preserve typically containing apple and dried fruits like raisins and sultanas.

in england (and of course south africa), mince pies are considered father christmas' (santa to the rest of you) favorite food. therefore, instead of cookies by the fireplace, children leave a couple of mince pies out on christmas eve.

i love these tasty things... but i love even more the tradition that surrounds it, sharing it both with others around the world and with my wonderful family!

mince pie trivia: in the 17th century, oliver cronwell made the eating of mince pies on christmas day illegal (this was voted the fourth "most ridiculous britist law" in a pretty funny 2007 poll)

sic 'em

this is random, but i must say- i agree!


wednesday night's basketball game between No. 4-ranked Lady Bears and No. 2 Oklahoma...




"The former President told the Associated Press, 'This is our first outing since I left the presidency and I can’t think of a better place.'"





*Thanks to the Baylor Proud blog for the story and pics : )

dress up

cupcakes

a friend of mine gave a lesson on the art of cupcake decorating today. it was seriously fun stuff.


some of my fellow cupcake decorators...



a sample of our work...


thanks sara!

way to go kirsten!

my little sister is a police officer now!

we are SO SO proud of you kirst!


you've worked so hard and it's obvious. and folks, just to brag a little, she's been top dog in so many of the courses and scenarios, impressing everyone. she's even one of the team leaders and so has had lots of additional responsibility throughout. she seriously rocks!

we love you so much and wish that we were there!

music

this girl went to baylor, so i heard about her and her music through friends... i can't stop listening to it!


check out her website. you can listen to her stuff there as well as on iTunes:

erin mccarley

we've figured it out!

about a year ago we bought this telescope from a friend. it's a sweet telescope, but we have never been able to actually see anything out of it. while my dad was here for christmas he started looking at it and ta-da!

i wont go into the details of how idiotic we were before. let me just say that the obvious 'how to' is wrong.

are you surprised?

christmas

very excited about her homemade pot holders

shake, shake, shake. "i just KNOW it's hawaiian sand! i KNOW it is! I KNOW it's hawaiian sand"
(actually lip gloss)
then later, "oh, nothing in this is moving around making a noise, it's just my hair hitting the container"

cousins


an after christmas sail.
right before a "hugh! where are you going!? that way!"


beautiful weather!

the turkey saga

a christmas turkey. in photos.

this year we had the opportunity to get a turkey from a local organic co-op and decided to make it for christmas dinner... our first turkey.

hugh knew that i wasn't excited about getting into the raw turkey's business and took over the initial handling and preparations. he quickly decided that he wanted to try and do all the prep- and i was happy to say okay!

hugh and dad rigging the thing to brine in the fridge...



the dressed bird...


done!


delicious! Sr, you'd be proud.

carols and foosball

the winning red team