IT IS WHAT IT IS

True Friends.......

2012-02-02T16:59:00.001-06:00

Break time shenanigans....... I guess I'm a true friend because I agreed to

warm up Stephanie's ice cream for her with my arm pit.

Warning!

2012-02-01T22:45:00.000-06:00

Chop Chop!

2012-01-28T16:53:00.001-06:00

BEFORE

AFTER

Our new Korean friends made us supper!

2012-01-21T23:00:00.000-06:00

Sushi

She called this one Korean barbeque....it was deliciously seasoned with mushrooms and green onions.

Front Row of bowls: (left to right) Cucumbers in sesame seed oil/red chili/seasame seeds, seaweed sheets, and sushi!

Back Row of bowsl: (left to right) Kimchi (spicy fermented japanese cabbage) and fresh (large) bean sprouts.

She also served us some brothy soup with tofu and rice.

Taco happy!

2012-01-20T14:00:00.001-06:00

Today's unnecessary and random lunch adventure picture compliments of my friend Stephanie..... Taco Cabana, my first time! (apparently this is a weird concept to native San Antonians, as Taco Cabana is on every corner basically)......... it was good! I figured up that it was about 400 calorie lunch. Chicken taco, lettuce and borracho beans (with too much cilantro). Aside from the cilantro assault, it was delicious.

Wednesday

2012-01-18T21:36:00.000-06:00

Only Light Can Do That - MLK

2012-01-16T18:55:00.001-06:00

The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral,

begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy.

Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.

Through violence you may murder the liar,

but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.

Through violence you may murder the hater,

but you do not murder hate.

In fact, violence merely increases hate.

So it goes.

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,

adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness:

only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

~ Martin Luther King Jr.

1st wedding cake!

2012-01-12T16:51:00.001-06:00

Ok, it's not cake....it's a cake-shaped cookie. The girls in my office
bought it for me to celebrate the engagement!

Engaged!

2012-01-08T22:47:00.000-06:00

Everyone wants to know "how he did it"....so here's the story. You better sit down, it is exceedingly cute.
.
He was very sweet and had it all planned out (even though I accidentally ruined his plan A). It has been something he knew he was going to do since the summer just had to work out the right time/place. He had special ordered a little cache container (there is an outdoor activity we do called geocaching, where you use a GPS receiver to find little things hidden all over the world by their coordinates and then you sign a little log to prove you found it). He had suggested we go geocaching at Enchanted Rock, which is a beautiful park for hiking up in the hill country. I had downloaded all of the hidden caches in the park so we could find them as we hiked. At the last minute, I also tried to clean off my GPS's memory card and then we got on the road. When we got to the park, I turned on the GPS and it didn't work! I thought.....oh well, I'll try it again later, but of course, he was thinking....oh no! So we went up the further and I tried again, still not working. I had deleted a file I shouldn't have apparently and it wouldn't even pull up my base maps. I just figured, "well, we will just have to geocache next time". All day he was saying things like, "wouldn't it be weird if we just came across one?" and "I bet we're within 10 feet of one right now and we don't even know it!"....trying to still salvage his plan but I was unaware so completely missed that! Sadly, he never got to pretend that his cache was the one we were looking for and say, "oh, is this it?" knowing that I would rush over to open it. So we came home and that was that!

Sunday we went to meeting and lunch...took a nap before gospel meeting...I went and walked Coda and then picked up supper and we had a quiet evening. Mike seemingly out of the blue says, "since we didn't get to geocache yesterday, I hid one in the house for you!". I was thinking "really!?" ...so I searched all over and finally, in his bag he took hiking, I found a little miniature cache and opened it up! By then I could tell what he was up to and he was breathing really nervous behind me....I opened it up and it said, "Lisa, Surprise! I hope this is the best geocache you ever find. Will you marry me?"

I said yes!

All the time we spent talking about marriage and our future, we always were planning the "married life" ...so it is starting to hit me that we never really gave any thought to the wedding itself! Still trying to figure out what we want and where.....it's starting to make elopement look tempting! Just fast forward to being married! I do want to share the day with our families though...so we'll see how it plays out :) I just know he is the one I have been waiting for!

Enchanted Rock State Park

2012-01-07T16:56:00.000-06:00

Floating Lanterns, Thailand

2012-01-05T11:30:00.000-06:00

I would literally.....be out of control happy if I could see this in person.

Floating lanterns, Thailand.
Photograph by Patrice Carlton

I need this.

2012-01-04T11:59:00.000-06:00

Behold....the Osterich Nap Pillow.

"Kawamura-Ganjavian has created a padded hood that’s essentially a hibernation cave for your head."

Super Antics

2012-01-03T10:34:00.000-06:00

2nd Anniversary

2012-01-02T16:46:00.000-06:00

To celebrate our 2nd anniversary and get some fresh air, we went

to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens! It was a perfect day! ♥

2012, we welcome you.

2012-01-01T00:01:00.000-06:00

NYE; party of 2

2011-12-31T23:59:00.000-06:00

Unlike the past several years, we spent New Year's Eve by ourselves.....a cozy party of 2. We didn't party it up or travel....in fact, we spent the day running errands and cleaning. Getting ready for New Year's day. Actually....it was quite domestic and nice. It was a very relaxing way to bring in the new year.....in which we are finally living in the same city and what an improvement that development has been! Despite my homesickness that waves in every once in a while on birthdays and holidays....I have never been so settled and happy. I think 2012 is going to be the best yet! Good things right around the corner. [I didn't take any pictures, but know this: I have the biggest smile on my face right now.] ♥

Happy New Year, bunnies!

What!?

2011-12-30T13:01:00.000-06:00

Kelly's Visit - Riverwalking

2011-12-29T13:05:00.000-06:00

The Matt, Heidi & girls were in town, so we met up with them at the San Antonio Museum of Art and walked the Riverwalk!

We wanted to show them the F.I.S.H illumiated and the holiday lights...both did not disappoint! Our destination was supper and we picked the RainForest Cafe because we thought it would be fun for the kids and also, none of us had been before. We had a patio seat with a pretty funny waiter (he overheard me say a Mitch Hedberg quote and kudo'd it....so all night we were back and forthing about Hedberg bits....good times!) The food was pretty good and it was a perfectly warm evening out! It was so good to catch up with them!

The girls got some reindeer balloon animals made! Here is Sydney with hers:

Can you see Caroline posing by the pretty lights?

Frost!

2011-12-27T12:24:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that after such a nice sunny gorgeous day.....I woke up to frost on my car! Oh well...the briskness of the air feels like home to me! What I found out (again, since this is our second frost)....is that when the oil change place "topped off" my fluids, they didn't put in non-freezing wiper fluid. This means that you have to actually wait for the car to warm up...since the wiper fluid just makes more frost until the window warmed up! That's a new experience for me!

In other news....it hasn't been fun to go back to work today. Days off are better. Naturally.

Doggie Play Date!

2011-12-26T18:16:00.000-06:00

We finally got together with the Sperl's dogs! After a little introduction romp, we took all three on a nice walk through the neighborhood! Afterwards we had a visit around the fire while the dogs rested (and Coda paced around exploring)....we'll have to do it again!

Orphan's Christmas Dinner

2011-12-25T23:15:00.000-06:00

We had a lovely dinner of the orphan's on Christmas Day! The salmon was baked just right and the rest of the meal was delicious! We had too much lunch followed by two kinds of homemade pie (thanks to Granny Chris)....followed by games! Followed by supper (authentic Italian supper, no less!) It was a great way to spend the Holiday! Thanks Melody for hosting!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T12:07:00.000-06:00

Any angle

2011-12-23T14:14:00.001-06:00

I love when you have people in your life....
where no matter what angle you see them from, they are genuine
and perfectly adapted to being in your life. ♥ I hope
I am that way for the people that are important in my life!

New frames!

2011-12-23T12:08:00.000-06:00

My new glasses were finally ready!! I will spend the weekend getting used to them before debuting them at work.....I am intending to wear contacts more but my shipment hasn't arrived so I only have 2 pairs of contacts left....I rather like the new frames...I loved my old ones but these will grow on me I think.

Me today

2011-12-21T12:03:00.000-06:00

Holiday Letters! ♥

2011-12-20T11:29:00.000-06:00

A couple days ago, the holiday cards started rolling in....I am LOVING it!! I have them all taped up so I can see smiling faces of my loves every single day! I have noticed that I am more and more anxious to get the mail because it's such an exciting thing to get letters from home!! Especially with pictures!! xoxox

Ugly Sweater Party 2011

2011-12-18T11:55:00.000-06:00

Riverwalk Holiday stroll....

2011-12-17T11:49:00.000-06:00

Rudolph Crossing

2011-12-16T11:20:00.000-06:00

I can't get it into my head that it's already mid-December...Christmas will be here before you know it! In fact....we're already within the 12 days of Christmas! So here's a warning....I've been listening to the classic Christmas songs to get myself into the holiday mode. I have to say it's working except the only song that really sticks in my head is "Mr. Grinch"...hahahahah

I love the old school "insult" words used....and the voice is just catchy! I dare you to listen a couple times and then not hum it for the rest of the day!!

You really aaaaaare a heeeeeeeel!

I'd probably fill up two.....

2011-12-15T11:23:00.000-06:00

Shhhhhhh

2011-12-14T10:54:00.000-06:00

Hide little deer! (and big deer)

Groan.

2011-12-13T18:59:00.000-06:00

A friend of mine just sent me a picture of the house I used to own in Waterloo. Looks like the motif is completely.......changed.....since I sold the house! What do you think?

GROAN!

Amigas por Vida

2011-12-12T10:53:00.001-06:00

We saw these cute little eccentric old ladies having breakfast this morning....having coffee. Talking excitedly (but in slow motion almost which was fascinating)......amigas por vida!

2011-12-11T21:34:00.000-06:00

yuuuup.

2011-12-10T18:03:00.000-06:00

Fortune Cookie Fail

2011-12-08T21:45:00.000-06:00

Mike and I went to PeiWei for supper last night...while waiting for our food, we usually open our fortune cookies...Mike opened his and didn't show me the fortune. I opened mine and immediately said, "Uttoh, I got yours, this is definitely your mantra." .....so I handed it to him and he just looks at it for a while with a strange expression on his face. They were identical! What do you make of that!?

Pan Dulce shoppe

2011-12-08T19:39:00.000-06:00

My work bestie took me to a Mexican bakery this week (twice) where she had me try a couple different things. I can recommend the apple thingies, the lemon tart thingies, gingerbread .....some kind of croissant,....the pecan sandies are apparently to die for. Every time I go, I think I will try a new thingie. The only thing is you have to really watch the old ladies that work in there. They didn't seem to EVER know what we wanted and they would ring it up wrong...but even that was kind of an adventure. I will update this entry when I figure out the name/location to share.

We've all been warned.....

2011-12-07T14:25:00.002-06:00

For the record.....

2011-12-07T07:30:00.001-06:00

It was 30° when I came out to go to work this morning. It felt like a Fall morning in Iowa! I was kind of secretly excited to have to wait for the frost to melt off....yes, I was 6 minutes behind schedule because of winter conditions!! (where "conditions" equals snapping pictures and running the exhaust enough to melt some frost)

Only in Texas.....or maybe Oklahoma

2011-12-04T22:48:00.002-06:00

These HUGE boots are outside a shopping center here in San Antonio. For some relative size comparisons, there is a stop sign in front of the boots...... Well, as you can clearly see, it's all Christmas time y'all and what not. Pretty glorious.

Murals of San Antonio

2011-12-01T21:09:00.000-06:00

The Mexican public art is everywhere! Here is a great slideshow of more!
San Antonio Mexican American Public Art (kudos to the photographer!)

2011-11-29T12:28:00.000-06:00

Last but not Least!

2011-11-28T13:05:00.000-06:00

My last day of visits.... finally spent some quality time with Grandma and Grandpa Swanson! Miss being able to just stop over and see them!

Even scored a girls' lunch downtown with Gabbi....who I miss very badly! Had a lunch that couldn't be beat at the Newton's Cafe!

Hahahaha

2011-11-26T23:04:00.000-06:00

Saturday afternoon Shootin'

2011-11-26T15:45:00.000-06:00

Slumber Party at Brooke's

2011-11-26T09:06:00.000-06:00

Excuse the crazy angle....but here is the art and postcards that Tyler decorated his bulletin board with in preparation for having us all staying overnight. I slept in his room with his cousins.... he slept in a tent downstairs!

Aunt Carrie reading Laney and Tyler books in the morning.....love it!

The kids wanted to wear their costumes around on Saturday....Tyler was Spidey and Laney was a mermaid.

Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T23:50:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T08:01:00.000-06:00

Does this turkey make my eye-brows look bushy?

Travel Day

2011-11-23T23:50:00.012-06:00

After the typical frenzy of laundry, shopping, packing and prep...dropping Coda off at the kennel...getting up at the crack of dawn to hop a plane....sleeping sporadically in-flight....laying over in Houston.....sleeping sporadically in-flight again..... I was sooo excited to see my welcome crew: Brooke, Laney, Tyler and Dad!

They met my plane in Cedar Rapids and brought me back up to Cedar Falls! We had lunch together and then parted ways because it was meeting night and it was a nice "welcome back" to Iowa!

The rest of the family was starting to get into town in preparation for the big feast on Thanksgiving.....so it was really starting to feel like the holiday!

6:15am

2011-11-23T06:15:00.004-06:00

Hopping on a plane...headed back to the Heartland. Something to be very thankful for...I don't even mind getting up this early! Thanks to my honey for not minding being abandoned under the circumstances...and not only that, for driving me to the airport at 5:00am! I guess I better add that to my love list ♥

2011-11-22T14:16:00.002-06:00

Almost time!

2011-11-21T00:39:00.001-06:00

Almost time to gather around the turkey.....so happy you're grinning like a dork and nobody cares!! Looking forward to it so much!

72 Years

2011-11-18T07:50:00.003-06:00

A Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands

This is a real life love story that you won't soon forget. An Iowa couple who was married for 72 years died one hour apart last week in the hospital as they held hands. This is so touching and the kind of true love that doesn't come around often.

Seems straightforward enough..........

2011-11-17T07:12:00.000-06:00

Nice view......

2011-11-16T11:06:00.000-06:00

2011-11-15T21:24:00.008-06:00

Another place I want to see..... Fundy National Park, New Brunswick, Canada

Owlover.

2011-11-15T10:58:00.000-06:00

Hello.

2011-11-14T07:12:00.001-06:00

November....believe it or not!

2011-11-12T19:10:00.001-06:00

Snapped some pictures in the yard as we waited for the grill-out guests to arrive. It was sunny and 76°......as I was standing there, I was kind of pinching myself because I was having a hard time believing it is really November....as I stood there in short sleeves and flip-flops. As much as I miss Iowa...I do not really miss the doldrums of winter.

My Birthday Surprise!

2011-11-11T23:41:00.001-06:00

Ok....first of all, I will admit that I took none of these pictures...but they are better than what we could have taken to document our evening....so I think it's ok....for the sake of the photo tour :) Mike had cooked up a special evening for my birthday...which was a surprise dinner up in the Tower of the Americas! We had a reservation for 6:45 so the beautiful evening was the perfect time to go!

The restaurant is the almost very top...and it rotates so you can get the 360° view of the downtown and the city lights.

This is our table view. The food was above and beyond. We started with a delicious crab cake. For entrees, I had Macadamia Encrusted Mahi (the best ever!) and Mike had Miso Salmon....which he says is the best he's had!! The waiters were hilarious and extremely attentive.

Amazing view!

Afterwards, a very romantic stop at the observation deck (windy!!) and then Mike drove me home, gave me my sweet birthday card and tucked me in. :) Tomorrow is another special day he's got cooked up....I'm a lucky girl!

Coda's New "do"

2011-11-11T23:10:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not....I am not a professional groomer.

Well...it only happens rarely. Ok twice today.

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000-06:00

Thank a Veteran Today!

2011-11-11T07:21:00.004-06:00

“I take the time to remember the wars that our veterans have fought in and try to visualize the stresses that they all must have felt,” Pippin said. “I thank them silently. I now say ‘thank you’ to you, my comrades.”

-Command Sgt. Maj. James Pippin, the brigade command sergeant major for 3rd Grey Wolf Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division

Owly.

2011-11-10T21:01:00.002-06:00

I have been feeling owly lately. I realize that this is a drag to those around me so I am going to have to focus on the many, many things I have to be thankful for.

Glum.

2011-11-09T09:21:00.002-06:00

And by "it" I mean the training I am forced to attend.....today. All day. Which applies to the part of my job that is not my job according to the job description for which I accepted.......but so it goes. Feeling glum today.

Nature's Scherenschnitte

2011-11-08T21:12:00.000-06:00

Government Canyon Hike

2011-11-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

Somehow the path from parking to the bigger trail was really confusing. It took the brain power of the entire group to figure it out (seriously). When we finally made it to the intended trail, it was already clouding over but still, it was a good day for a hike. Here's the map of the park. We only covered the Bluff Overlook trails and the Far Reaches loop. 7.5 miles were covered and there is plenty left to explore next time!

Nuts

2011-11-04T12:17:00.009-05:00

Stephanie and I found an epic peanut today at Five Guy's. As you can see by the artful photographic evidence, it was nearly twice the size of a regular sized peanut (pictured). It reminded me of the "weird food drawer" that Brooke and I had when we were little, sharing a room......which was the little hankey drawer of our dresser. We had triple animal crackers, quadruple Chex, peanuts with three nuts.....I think this one was almost big enough to be worthy of the gross collection of weirdness.

Feels like Fall

2011-11-03T21:28:00.000-05:00

November, My Favorite

2011-11-01T22:52:00.000-05:00

Boo.

2011-10-31T10:46:00.001-05:00

Happy Halloween, bunnies. Be safe! Eat an apple.

Donut Hombre

2011-10-30T15:16:00.000-05:00

What a strange thing to come across .......an hombre. Made out of donut and really badly done frosting. The moustache is a good touch though. That's the most hombre part of the donut man for sure.

Halloween Parties!

2011-10-29T10:16:00.000-05:00

My labor paid off....the black-light jellyfish turned out most pleasing! Click on the picture to see my other festivities of the day.....building the jellyfish, haunted house at work and then the party with our friends Friday night. Great day!!

2011-10-28T10:39:00.001-05:00

Believe it or not, we're having a cold front. I witnessed someone in my neighborhood warming up his car this morning....I almost laughed out out. Yes, there is an unusual chill in the air but you really only need to pre-heat your car when it's zero or less. It was about 50°......

My happy place this morning......

2011-10-27T10:06:00.000-05:00

Sunset at the beach in Polenovo in Polenovo

Foggy Morning

2011-10-18T22:39:00.002-05:00

Don't worry, I pointed and clicked.....didn't take my eyes off the road.

San Antonio thanks Fred....for his brilliant efforts

2011-10-17T14:46:00.002-05:00

Trust me.

2011-10-13T17:29:00.001-05:00

Why don't I get today off?

2011-10-10T06:04:00.002-05:00

2011-10-09T21:11:00.000-05:00

"Animal lovers are a special breed of humans, generous of spirit,

full of empathy, perhaps a little prone to sentimentality, and with

hearts as big as a cloudless sky"

- John Grogan

Our friends Dan and Bev lost one of their dogs....hit by a car. They are still

in shock at losing a part of their pack. The dog was 9 yrs old, they rescued her when

she was about 2.5yrs. She will be missed....... *hugs* to Dan and Bev.

Another lovely place

2011-10-08T23:14:00.001-05:00

Another place to see some day........Here is an aerial photograph taken on October 8, 2011, the trees near the summit of Mount Kurikoma in Kurihara, Japan present a mosaic of rich autumn colors - reds, browns, oranges, and greens juxtaposed together in a living painting that only Mother Nature could accomplish.

Aaaaaaaaaaah.

2011-10-06T06:53:00.001-05:00

Mt Hood. A picture of my future view.....

Steve Jobs, 1955 – 2011

2011-10-05T21:58:00.004-05:00

Midwest Autumn

2011-10-04T06:43:00.002-05:00

I can ALWAYS count on my friend Tom Wagner to post pictures that make me smile..... you can't beat little tastes of home in my favorite season.

Expertly mapped for all we know.....

2011-10-03T18:45:00.002-05:00

Friedrich Wilderness Park Hike

2011-10-01T14:22:00.001-05:00

Melody and I went to explore the Friedrich Wilderness Park this morning. It was nice and relatively cool out so the park was packed with people out to enjoy it!

My walk at work today....

2011-09-29T22:53:00.000-05:00

American Guardian Eagle

2011-09-29T14:27:00.002-05:00

Triumphant

2011-09-28T09:06:00.002-05:00

Thanks Tyler!

2011-09-27T01:32:00.001-05:00

Got a card today from Tyler! Do you like his stickers!? I do! Inside was his signature, more stickers and some pictures printed out from my trip to Iowa! Loooooooooooove them!

Painting "Party"

2011-09-25T23:42:00.002-05:00

Squeeeeeee

2011-09-18T23:14:00.001-05:00

The best part is the effect of the last few days on the aquifer levels! Watch the rapid dropping reverse as soon as we started getting rain! Now keep it coming, Momma Nature!

More!

2011-09-17T23:21:00.004-05:00

Only since living in Texas have I really missed and even craved rain! I guess that's what getting in on the worst drought in the last however-many years will do for you! It is a new experience for me to go that long in between rains.....and since it is a desperate situation here you almost hold your breath when you see even 10% chances of rain.......so hopeful! I don't take rain for granted now! In fact....I even love the puddles!

Finally!

2011-09-16T22:00:00.003-05:00

If you believe in indefensible theories, I'll take the credit for this miraculous event. I am still gathering data, but I'm pretty sure that the fact that Mike and I went on a spontaneous dinner date to Pei Wei and then hungout....on a work night, no less! The next morning.....I woke up to the sounds of rain!!

Giving Thanks for my Friends!

2011-09-15T21:28:00.001-05:00

Mt Hood

2011-09-15T16:18:00.001-05:00

Lunchie

2011-09-13T06:56:00.000-05:00

Experimental new recipe of the day......baked chicken stuffed with fat-free cream cheese, garlic powder and lightly dusted with parsley. We'll see if it's a keeper....sure smells good!

Just sayin'

2011-09-12T18:57:00.001-05:00

The best thing about Texas

Remember

2011-09-11T06:45:00.001-05:00

Awww

2011-09-10T22:25:00.000-05:00

Meeting our friend Brittany's new baby

Maverick Steel Young Sanchez for the first time!