Valentimes!

Man! It's been a long time! Work took over my life for the past 6 weeks or so, and  spent about half of the last month on various trips for work or at home. I'm glad to be back to semi-normal. :-)

Valentine's weekend was amazing! I've had very few special V-days, and Zach definitely went all out for us! We headed to Arkansas for several reasons-- our first being a day of rest and relaxation--just the two of us. Here's a photo of our luggage-- we packed light. ;-)

Maybe I was delirious with sleep in the early morning, but I thought this 18-wheeler was going to hit us! Luckily it was just being towed in reverse.

We had left Texas at about 5 AM and arrived in Hot Springs, Arkansas, at around 10. We headed over to the historic bathhouse row for our mineral baths and massages. This old building was right next to bathhouse row and I thought it was really pretty.

Here we are at the bathhouse! For around $60 each, we got pampered! I got a whirlpool bath and loofah scrub, time in a sauna, a sitz bath, wrapped head to toe in hot towels, a shower and a massage. It was total heaven!

Zach wanted to sample the historic mineral water fountain. Our whole experience made me understand the appeal for all those bath houses I've seen ruins for-- especially the one in Bath, England, which is another mineral spring-fed town.

Zach said when presidents travel through Hot Springs, this hotel is where they stay. It's pretty magnificent!

We went to lunch at a delicious Italian restaurant and then climbed to the top of a nearby hill to look out over the city. It was really beautiful!

We drove on to Clarksville that afternoon and met up with Zach's professor friend Dr. Strain. We went to a Swiss winery called Weidekers, where we had some Old World food and really good wine. So much fun!
The next day was Friday. Zach went and worked at his alma mater, The University of the Ozarks, measuring for and selling suits to some of the professors and students. I had the luxury of reading my book on campus. It was nice to take a mental break from work and just hang out. Later that evening we went out to eat with Zach's friend Marcos and his family. Here is Marcos' son Marcos. :-) He's a handfull and already doing soccer tricks at age 3.
The boys played a high-energy game of hide-and-go-seek while Marcos' wife Crystal and i laughed our heads off.

Marcos loves Zach!

Where did he go Marcos?

Cavan is like a little cabbage patch baby, here with his mama Crystal.

Daddy Marcos was inducted into the University of the Ozarks Sports Hall of Fame on Valentine's day. Here he is accepting his honor.... Marcos jr. wanted to be a part of it too. :-)
Several of the Hall Of Fame members made an appearance at the U of O basketball game.
Pretty cool to know such a talented athlete! He's good friends with Zach and they played soccer together.

After the basketball game, we drove all the way back to DFW. I had a great v-day weekend. Thanks Zach!

New Year's Resolutions

I can't believe how quickly 2008 just flew by. This blog hasn't been around the entire year, but it's slowly turning into what I'd like it to be. :-) Photos and all. If you've got any suggestions for how I can make it better, share away!

While now is a time for reflection, it's also the perfect opportunity to set the good ol' New Year's resolutions. I did pretty good with most my resolutions this past year. I worked out fairly regularly, at least once a week or more. I ran a 5K race in November, which wasn't a goal January 1st, but I did buy a pair of running shoes on New Year's day to start the process of running a mile. I rode my horse at least once a week, excluding the time I was in Europe and the first several weeks he'd foundered. I improved a LOT in photography. I still have a long, long ways to go, but I'm slowly able to turn out photos like I imagine in my head. I hit all of my personal work goals for the past year. I didn't get any better with thank-you cards, but I sent out 70 Christmas cards and have gone digital with all of my addresses- thank you iPhone and Mac Book Pro. :-)

I most definitely have things I need to work on! Here they are.

Resolutions 2009

1. Commit to reading a daily devotional. 

This post on Stuff Christian's Like makes me laugh, but it's true. :-) I am excited to have found my old favorite Daily Bread where I can order it online HERE. Free! I used to get them at Wayside and I can't find them up here, so now I can start going through them again. Along with that, I want to spend more time in prayer.

2. Live "greener." 

Don't laugh, but I watched Wall-E not too long ago and it really made me want to start recycling. It's the least I can do! My apartment complex is starting a recycling program in January, and they claim they'll be trying to be greener. Yay! I bought some cloth grocery bags from H-E-B in San Antonio to carry my groceries here--while representing my fave grocery store. :-) That's a start... I'm sure I'll do more as I do more research. 

3. Improve work performance. 

These are goals I've set that I hope to achieve this year and you'd probably think they were boring. :-)

4. Work out at least 4 times a week.

Cardio activity is  set in  my life after this past year. I'm pretty regular about doing cardio on machines or running, but I could go more. I average 2-3 workouts a week. But here's the kicker: I have got to start lifting weights again! My whole mindset changed from college. In college I hated cardio with a passion but I loved lifting weights. Now, cardio takes less thought and I don't have to wait for the weights/machines. I have to figure out how I can get in at least 4 days of weights *and* cardio. It'd be better if I did more cardio, but this is a start.

5.  Run a 5K and a 10K.

I enjoyed the last race so much that I really want to do more, and push myself to double the distance to 6+ miles this year.

6. Be better with written correspondence.

I am still the worst at thank-you letters and cards of any kind. These days I'm good about purchasing the cards, but they sit on my desk... defeating the whole purpose. sigh. I have no excuse. I've got stamps and I've got the addresses.

7. Keep better track of my finances.

Last year I gave myself a really severe budget so I could save enough  money to go to Europe. And I was miserable and worrying all the time. I'm going to go back to being really careful again, because the money situation is not getting any better this year, but I would still like to save as much as possible. I'm lazy, so I decided to use the free Mint.com to track my input and spending. I signed up yesterday and it's amazing-- SO much less work than my failed attempt at Quickbooks several years ago. There's also an app for my iPhone. Score!

8. Ride Willy at least once a week.

This was a resolution last year, and I plan to keep it. I rode him yesterday at a lope for the first time in 5 months and it was glorious. He's finally better! YAY! He was sooo good. 

9. Blog once a week or more.

I've been all right at this, but I really want to post more. I keep thinking it needs to be some long entry, and I know that's  not true! What do y'all think?

I think that about covers it for now! I have more goals, but this is a good start. :-) What are your new year's resolutions?

Turkey, technology and tradeshow flashbacks

Hey folks, it's been a while! I hope everyone had a great holiday! Zach and I headed down to San Antonio last Tuesday night to celebrate my most FAVORITE holiday: Thanksgiving. Wednesday we headed to New Braunfels so I could do a fun photo shoot with my friend Juliet, her husband and their babies. My Lightroom trial expired before I recieved the disc in the mail and left for Oklahoma City this week, so I won't put the photos up just yet.

Wednesday night Zach, Jonathan, David and I met up with family and friends alike at Cowboys Dance hall for some boot scootin' and socializing. :-) Here's Zach and I waiting for other people to arrive.

My cousin Christina had suggested the get-together. I wish we lived closer so we could hang out more!

Carissa and Faith also came. So much fun!

Thanksgiving is always a time where lots of family comes over to our house in San Antonio. My mom, grandma and relatives do a great job of cooking all our favorite Thanksgiving dishes. We eat food all day, watch football all afternoon and usually go to the movies in the evening. This year didn't disappoint, and we had more family than usual!

My cousin Justin and his girlfriend Erika came all the way from Houston! Here's Justin with me and my brothers.

Christina brought Rock Band the video game over, and a bunch of us played for a while. So fun!

My phone started acting up recently, and I was due for an upgrade, so I went to the AT&T store in San Antonio last Wednesday to research my options. I didn't like any of the regular phones, and the iPhone has actually come down in price to where it wasn't too bad.... I debated between the iPhone and the Blackberry for a long time... I think all my family got sick of it, but I finally decided Friday to get the iPhone! I have to say that I LOVE it! It's changing my life, slowly slowly. It's got a planner on it. It syncs my calendar, contacts and music with my computer. It has an iPod player that not only plays into headphones, but also plays out loud and when connected to a tape converter. It's got headphones that are also a handfree device. Text messages are like instant message conversations. It has the weather, youtube, maps, the internet and a host of awesome free applications like shazaam-- hold the phone up to any source of music and in 10 seconds it will tell you who sang the song, what its called and links it to your itunes. The first thing I did with it was book my rental car for work using the internet. You can watch music videos from itunes out loud like a little tv and its so clear! Its like a little mac computer! Dang, I could go on and on but I LOVE my phone. :-) I got a nifty rubber case for it too-- looks just like this:

Anyway, enough about the phone. :-) This next photo is just random. Zach and I went to Wal-mart with his mom to get some DVDs and we found an acorn tree ornament.... love it!

So, to explain why I'm in Oklahoma City. I am the special events department at APHA by working the APHA booth at the National Reining Horse Association(NRHA) Futurity. If a Paint gets 1st, 2nd or 3rd in Open I get to present a hefty check from the Association to them!

I love this show and I've always loved coming to watch, but now that I'm a grownup with a job instead of semesters, I haven't gotten to come recently. So it's been fun to be around the show and watch my favorite event to my hearts content.

However... I'm working the tradeshow. If you knew me when I was growing up, you know my family sells books at homeschooling conventions for my mom's business Drills Skills & More. She still has a booth, and when I was young we traveled all over the country for the conventions. We had something like 6 booths together chock full of product, and set up /tear down took 7 hours each sometimes. They were usually 3-4 days long. I quit doing bookfairs when I was about 18, and I haven't worked a trade show since... until the World Shows for the Paint Horse Journal booth and now. At the World show I worked a max of 4 hours a day because we split shifts.

I got here Sunday and I'll be here till this next sunday. I am at the booth all day. All my memories of tradeshow days past have come back. :-) The good news is that it's 1 booth with 3 banners and a table of promotional materials and hats for sale. I've done memberhips, hat sales and things like that. It's a lot different than my mom's booth, but people are the same. Vendors still visit, people still peruse the aisles at the same pace, I still straighten product, ring up sales and answer questions. It's just about horsey things and horsey people! It's not too bad, but I am happy that I don't do it all the time! I didn't set up the booth because I came in later, but I anticipate tear-down to last about... 30 min, max. :-)

Anyway, today has been really fun though, because the NRHA FEI international reining competition is tonight. Literally everyone I've helped today has been from another country: Belgium, Germany, Italy, Mexico. I think it's so awesome that reining is so popular all over the world!

Well, I better go. Hopefully it will warm up soon. Today's high was 40 and the low was 27... its going to be 44 and 28 tomorrow! At LEAST the wind died down today. I've been SO cold this week!

It's a "gourd" life.

Where has the time gone people? I've neglected my blog! I have been productive though, not just catching up on tivo'd television like some past weeks. :-) In case you're wondering, I'll catch y'all up on what I've  been up to.

Also, I just want to apologize for the cheesy title. I never have been good with those things! You'll see why I picked the title later on.

First of all, I'm running again. I signed up for my very first 5K race and it's on November 23. That's really soon! Here is the web site if you want to check it out, but put on some sunglasses cause it's blinding! Zach signed up too and I'm really excited to achieve this goal--just finishing a 5K. So meanwhile, I've been running my feet off it seems, but I'm able to run a whole 3.6 miles(a little more than the 5K) and I'm working on doing it faster. The difference recently is I'm running outside, which makes me feel like I'm really going somewhere instead of like a hamster on the treadmill like I usually do. :-)

I'm also working on my photography portfolio, and I hope to have it all nice and pretty online really soon-- like in the next week. I'll let y'all know right here as soon as it's up! That way, you don't have to scroll through the blog to see my more professional photos. I'm studying up on Lightroom, so that's what's taking the longest right now. But I DO love that program!

Enough gabbing. This isn't "Through Abby's Pen"-- it's time for some photos! I have to explain the photo below. The Thursday night before Halloween I had a lot of stuff to do, and Zach was planning to come over. I came home to a beautiful bouquet of flowers and the sweetest card from my man--for no reason! I just had to brag on him. The meal was something new I found and highly recommend. It's like an Italian chicken cordon bleu-- chicken stuffed with pesto and mozzarella. yumm!

Next, we carved a pumpkin. I've never carved a pumpkin in my entire life, so this was a learning experience. Artist man Zach drew a cartoon cat design I got from Stephanie on the pumpkin and we got to work hacking away with... a KITCHEN knife(I found out later there's these things called pumpkin carvers... oh well! That would be too easy!). After 2 hours of work, I was worried the design wouldn't look so great, but we lit a candle inside and voila!

I'm so proud! :-) We stuck Party Hat Pierre out on the porch. I had to, since this is what the teenage boys across the landing created! Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks this is hilarious.

The next day was Halloween and since the Paint Horse Journal editorial staff is awesome, we dressed up as a group-themed costume for the APHA costume contest. Somehow, we have a plethora of nice cameras and lenses, so we decided to be paparazzi and a celebrity. I got voted the celebrity part, so may I present Paris-Lindsay Olsen, with TMZ, orange county papp and a camoflauged photog?

That evening, Zach and I headed over to our friends Katie and Brad Gaultney's house. Stephanie and Taylor were in town, and Katie had planned a fun dinner party. She got us ladies awesome masquerade masks--I'm the one on the left. :-)

Check out all the dinner table details! I'm so proud of Katie. :-)

This photo makes me laugh! Remember my ring from Sorrento? Katie(on the right) purchased the ring she's sporting in the south of Italy as well...several years before me. :-)

Side note: I'm reading this book called Pompeii by Robert Harris right now, and looking back at this post "Don't Judge Me For Sweating," it makes me laugh. The book is set in Pompeii AD 79(the year Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the town) and there are whole paragraphs describing the horrendous August heat... See, I wasn't making it up!

Anyway, so the day after Halloween Katie, Stephanie and I met up at Toulouse-- a cute French bistro in Dallas. So fun and so French!

Last week, I flew to Little Rock, Arkansas, and drove up to Mountain Home, Arkansas. The fall colors were absolutely stunning in the Ozarks. I was writing a story about trail riding, so I had to experience the beauty of the surroundings to get my photos. :-) It was a great trip. here are two photos that I know we won't use, so check 'em out!

Finally, Zach and I came across this car in the grocery store parking lot the other day. I think it looks like the car Cruella De Vil drove in 101 Dalmations. What do you think?

Itinerary Italiano

My Visited Countries

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It's getting really close to the time that Zach and I leave for our European adventure! I'm nearing the finish line with all of my deadlines at work--thank goodness--and almost ready for the trip. Just in case any of you are curious about our time in Europe, I present our tentative itinerary. As expected, it's planned out well in the beginning and the end and the middle has room for the unexpected!!

July 16: Fly out of DFW in the evening

July 17: Arrive in Paris at 9:45 AM. We'll catch a train to Angers, France to go hang out with my host family from my study abroad and we'll stay with them.

July 18: Return to Paris from Angers and hang out around the City of Lights. Zach and I are planning to hit up gorgeous Versailles and I am very excited! We're also going to meet up with some French friends that I met during my study abroad and who came to study at A&M so they are Aggies!

July 19: We'll fly to Rome in the morning and take a train to Naples. After hanging out for a while, we're going to stay in Sorrento, south of Naples.

July 20: We are going to Pompeii and returning to Rome that evening.

July 21: My two brothers arrive in Rome--YAY! We'll explore Rome ont his day.

July 22: Hope to check out the Vatican. We'll travel to Florence for the night.

July 23: Florence, possibly a short trip to Pisa and back.

July 24: Florence, travel to Cinque Terre!

July 25: We'll be chilling in Cinque Terre.

July 26: We'll travel from Cinque Terre to possibly Venice via Milan.

July 27: Venice(hopefully)

July 28: Venice to Milan 

July 29: Milan

July 30: Jonathan and David fly home from Milan. Zach and I will take a train to Lake Como and stay in Varenna,

July 31: Leave Varenna to return to Milan and fly to London. Check out the sights and hang with my friend Stephanie, an Aggie and good friend who used to live in my apartment complex here in DFW.

Aug 1: London

Aug 2: We'll possibly visit Bath with Stephanie.

Aug 3: Fly out of London in the evening to NYC late. Stay in NYC one night.

Aug 4: Zach and I fly out of NYC early in the AM and arrive in Dallas in the morning!

I'll try to post while  we are there, but photos *might* have to wait until I get back!