Crazy Coburn Fun

New Niece

2009-09-25T12:37:00.000-07:00

I know it has been awhile, but really, until now, there has not been too much to report. Aside from work, Jared and I have just been running around like crazy getting ready for hunting season, my new niece to be born, Amanda's wedding, and about a million other little things :)

BUT- now, my new niece is here! Yay! Micah Mary Taylor was born at 1:10 p.m. on September 24, 2009; 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 19.25 inches of beauty! I took today off to spend with her at the hospital. And let me tell you, this has been a special day. That is the one thing about C-Sections, you get to plan and take vacation. I so wish I had that advantage when Cailyn and Jordyn were born.

AND- we recently learned my cousin Bethany is pregnant. They also live here in La Vernia. It is times like this that I am very thankful we chose to stay in this area a little longer. Who knows, maybe for good. Especially if Jared and I never have children, there is no way I am going to leave direct access to so many :) And now...I know what you are thinking :) No, we have not decided not to have children, we just haven't started to try and we keep pushing it back. So, you never know what the Lord has in store.

Other than that, not too much is happening. the next few months should be a fun whirl wind of hunting, reunions, visiting friends, camping, wedding showers, baby celebrations, thanksgivings and Christmases. Hope everyone is doing well, God Bless!!!

The Spaeth, Carroll, Coburn Carnival Conquest Cruise

2009-08-17T18:01:00.001-07:00

Well, we are on our second week back from crusin'. It was an absolute blast! We were on the Carnival Conquest and stopped at Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. I think cruising is something we will be doing a little more often.

Now, to work, planning Amanda's wedding and preparing for my new niece to enter this world...

Hope everyone is doing well!!!!

Bon Voyage

2009-08-01T05:21:00.001-07:00

Well, you can tell how busy we have become again. I do hate that the blog suffers, but I am still a believer that until I have children this blog won't be that interesting anyway....it could be a couple of years. :) And so I stop in every now and then to give an update on our crazy busy little life in La Vernia, Texas.

The reasons we have been so busy....July consisted of fourth of July fun at my in-laws, a garage sale the next weekend to make some extra cash for the cruise, a Johanson family reunion in Fredericksburg and a weekend of spending some of that garage sale money on clothes for the cruise with my good friend DaLissa.

And now......we cruise. It's 7:26 a.m. on Saturday morning and I can't sleep. I haven't ever said that before!!! When I am about to go on a trip, sometimes the anticipation gets the best of me. Our ship embarks on Sunday at 4 and we sail for a week. A much needed vacation that we are taking with some good friends from Victoria and a couple of friends from Aggieland as well. Super excited to begin the week! (Jared just woke up and joined me....guess he is excited too! :)

When I return, I begin a new position at GVEC. I am going back to La Vernia to manage the office there. I am excited about this new direction, however, it is bittersweet because I will miss the Marketing World that I have come to love.

Other than that, we are still trucking with the same 'ole stuff. Michelle is moving along very nicely and will have my new niece on September 25th. Amanda has suffered a bit because I am not planning my part of her wedding until after the cruise. One more week sister, and I am all yours!

I have several friends that are pregnant right now and my heart is just overjoyed seeing the Lord work in their lives and their families. To all of you, I miss you dearly and continually think and pray for you even though we talk seldom.

Have a great week....and I promise I will return and tell you about the trip. :)

A Wicked June

2009-06-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

Two very exciting things happened this month thus far, Michelle and I got to go and see the play Wicked and So You Think You Can Dance has begun! I know, I know, such an exciting life we lead :)

Wicked is something to discuss. If you have not seen this Broadway Production and you are into musicals, this is a must see. The music is amazing, good comedy and the acting was wonderful. I am still singing the songs :)

And my excitement for So You Think You Can Dance stems from my love of dance. This show is just so much fun to watch. I usually find myself up and dancing at some point :)

Have a dancing, singing summer!

Babies :)

2009-05-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Baby Riley

Future Brother-In-Law

Well, not for me...yet :)

But I have been spending some time around some of the most beautiful babies!

A few weeks ago, I went to Canton with a couple of dear friends from college, Mindi and Erin, and their sweet baby girls. It was such a fun weekend. Those two girls are such good, patient babies. They made me laugh and of course, get the baby itch :)

On my way home, I stopped in San Antonio to say Hi to my new second cousin, baby Riley. My cousin, Jeanne, and her husband, Brian, adopted the most precious little girl. I feel in love the moment I held her. She is the most beautiful addition to our family.

Little girls seem to surround me, I have decided if I have a boy, I will not know what in the world to do.

In the middle of May, we went to Houston to celebrate the graduation and birthday of my future brother-in-law. It was a pretty big weekend and we are so glad we got to be a part of it. I could not have hand picked a better half for my sister. We are so happy to welcome Daniel into the family.

Hope everyone is doing well!

The Twilight Era

2009-04-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

Okay- in my defense, I was really going to make a point to keep up with the blog and then BAM, Twilight became priority. But-hey, I did manage to do a few other things during my "Twlight Era." So this is what has been going on in our lives...............

Mid March brought the wedding of my sweet friend, Kristin. She was an amazingly beautiful bride and it was a nice ceremony. It was also fun getting to catch up with some friends from college. Eventually we are not going to have weddings to bring us together, that kind of makes me sad. The way life goes in different directions is a 50/50 thing for me. 50 percent wonderful because you build new relationships and experience new things, but then there is the other side of not having the ones that have so richly blessed your life around as much. However, it does make me appreciate weekends like this a million times more. Jared and I stayed with Erin and Gregg for the weekend. We got to catch up, play games, spend time with sweet Elizabeth and just enjoy some good laughs. That Sunday morning was Liz's first day at Sunday school. I just had to include the picture above because if you notice, Gregg is holding Liz, but then her friend (the baby seated at the table) just has the CUTEST welcoming smile as she looks up at Liz. (click on the picture to enlarge and really see that baby's smile :) I just thought it was the sweetest thing!

And this weekend is what began the era of Twilight. Now, I had heard alot about these books. But like with Harry Potter, I just assume stay away from the hype, and so I did. Until people I know and trust began recommending the books. Then, you tend to want to take the extra step. And I did.....right in I fell. With my work load and other responsibilities, it took me about 3-4 weeks to complete the series. And now, I am just devasted that there is nothing left to read. I wish I had taken longer to read them. I know what you are thinking, but really, they are just that good. :)

So, I am sure you have guessed that it was Erin that got me hooked on Twlight. So much so that when Jared and I were planning what to do for our three year anniversary, I twisted his arm in to taking me back to Houston so we could have a midnight party with Erin and Gregg. Hey-most people might be ashamed to admit this, but sorry boys, I am telling it for you :) Erin and I waited at the house while our sweet husbands stood in line at Walmart at midnight, might I add, with a ton of teenage girls and their fathers to buy the movie Twilight. And, surprisingly enough, we were all pretty wide awake as we watched the movie. Good times! :) Jared and I spent the rest of the weekend just lazing around in a nice hotel down in the Galleria area of Houston. The roses pictured above was one of his anniversary gifts to me along with a Trophy Hunter hat, bumper sticker and coffee mug. He remembered I was eyeing them at the store :)

The last weekend in March, J and I went camping at Garner State Park with some friends of ours from Victoria. It was a super nice weekend of fellowship, hiking, lazing around, and reading (yes, Jared, DaLissa and I were all engrossed in the series). There truly is nothing like being in the outdoors.

Easter weekend brought about LTC. Jared and I teamed up with my cousin, Jinine, and a friend from church, Derick, to take some of the youth to the Leadership Training For Christ Convention. If you are curious as to what it is, you can look it up at http://www.ctltc.net/. The kids demonstrated their knowledge of the Book of John and all came back with either a silver or bronze medal. We couldn't be more proud of them and we all are very excited about what the program will bring to our congregation in the years to come.

A week and a half ago, Jared's sister and brother-in-law came down and we all went to see Nickleback in concert. I was less then excited. I was the only one who didn't really know their music well and just thought it was going to be pretty boring altogether. I was basically taking one for Jared :) BUT-BOY was I wrong. That concert was amazing! Not only did I know more songs than I thought, it was just an overall GREAT time of loud, fun music, singing, and just having a good time. I am SO glad I ended up going. Thanks Jenny.....and Tom for having a birthday that gave Jenny the idea for us all to go to see them in concert :)

And this past weekend, back to Houston (for like the fourth time in a one and a half month span). Amanda tried on wedding dresses! CRAZY!!! The last of us girls to get married and as I sit here and think about it, it's bitter sweet. On the one hand I am THRILLED that she is so happy and excited and there is so much wedding fun to look forward to over the next several months. And on the other hand, I am again reminded of how we will all be married, with our own lives, lives that could potentially take us to very seperate places. Leave it to me to get back on that roll :)

Well, that is the "Twilight Era." And now I commit to keeping this blog up! :) Love you all and I hope you are doing well.

Finally...........A New Post!!!

2009-03-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

Howdy! I feel the need to re-introduce myself considering my abscence. If anyone still checks this blog....I'm back!!!!!

As you might have guessed, my new position with GVEC has kept me occupied. It has been loads of fun so far. I feel as though I have already learned a wealth of things about the Marketing World, but I know there is still so much out there. Busy at it is, I am thankful to be in a position I love. Jared and I have been really blessed. Just today I got to interview the sweetest man and hear about his life story, there is almost nothing I enjoy more.

So now that you know why this post is so delayed, let's play catch up........life lately through a very small key hole..................

That goofey little picture of my adorable husband is a result of our Employee Appreciation night. I was pretty excited about taking home that cactus, and Jared was too, or maybe he was just mocking me :)

We took a quick trip to Houston over Valentine's day. Amanda and I went and spent half a day at the spa, a nice little gift to ourselves. Then we met up with our cousins, John and Holly, for dinner. On the way home, J and I went and met sweet little Liz, our friend's new baby girl. Doesn't she have the sweetest smile? We are actually headed there tomorrow to spend the weekend with them. I love weekends spending quality time and enjoying the company of good friends. Much to look forward to!

Jenny came down with Jordyn a few weeks ago and we took Cailyn and Jordyn to the rodeo grounds. They seemed to have fun riding the few rides they weren't too scared to go on :)

And then last Sunday is where my BIG news comes in. Jared successfully convinced me we should take a day trip to Victoria to visit his parents and grandparents as our schedule is full for the next several weekends. How strange is that! :) Anyway, I agreed to go, even though I was pretty exhausted looking ahead at the next busy week and the time change. Well, the trip was more than worth it. Not only did we get to visit with the family, but his Paw-Paw had a pretty big surprise in store for me, the last picture shown.....a Remington Model 700 .270 Winchester, complete with a Leupold scope. WOW! You can bet that I am still trying to figure out a proper Thank You! Totally unexpected! I told Jared it is time to go to the shooting range!!! :)

Well, there you have it friends. I miss you all and promise to try and update more frequently. J and I agree that we aren't so young anymore...10:00 p.m. has become "past bedtime."

Good night!!!

GVEC Surprise Going Away Party

2009-01-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

And boy, was I surprised! I look back now, and the clues were all there, but I sure wasn't catching on! :)

My boss set our Office Meeting for Monday. Nothing unusual, just a regular monthly meeting, right??? I went over to the Schertz office that morning to train another CSR. On my way back, my boss was surprised I had trained her so quickly and asked if I would go pick up the La Vernia mail in the Seguin Office. Of couse, it didn't seem too unusual. Upon returning to La Vernia, the whole mood was different, eyes were avoiding mine, not too much interaction. I went straight to my boss asking, "Was it a busy morning, is everything okay?" She said things have been crazy, which is understandable, that always affects the mood of the office. The meeting was still on, and my new manager was even going to be there to introduce the new rebate program. You know me, I was just thinking, "Alright, this is going to be a really informational meeting."

And then the meeting was here, we are all sitting there and Paula, my current manager, calls me and one of my co-workers, Liz, and says that we are going to do a little activity based on some questions she had us answer before the meeting. Still, this is not out of the ordinary too much, Paula is always coming up with creative ways for us to learn more about eachother and to become closer as a team. So here, I thought we were both being blindfolded and dressed up in silly clothes to do a little team building activity, no big deal. And then they walk me back into the conference room, remove my blindfold, and Surprise!!!!! Jared and Cailyn had come (they were hiding in the bathroom), another office manager was also there, and it was my Going Away from La Vernia Party. That picture of me by the doors was my expression, I broke down and there were tears all over the place! They roasted me about my year here with them, had decorated a board full of pictures over the past year, and had a very delicious cake to top off the evening.

I am truly going to miss seeing those women every day and being a part of their daily lives. I warned them, though, I'll be visting every chance I get! :) I start Monday with the Marketing Department. So, here's to new experiences!

Why I call this Blog "Crazy Coburn Fun" :)

2009-01-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

Should I go dark :)

(He, He) Yes, I forced him :)

Things have been going going. However, we all know that is how I like things, so I will catch you up :)

Christmas:

We had our office Christmas Party, which is always fun in La Vernia. We did a secret Santa, and for the most part, things did stay secret :)

On Christmas Eve, we went to Jared's Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw's house. They have a Christmas Party every year on Christmas Eve. It was nice having the whole family together and just being able to enjoy eachother. And we were able to get a pretty good picture of our two youngest, cousin Andrew and our niece Jordy. SO sweet!

Then there was Christmas morning at my parents house. The highlights are pictured. Poor Laptop (Grandmom and Grandpop's dog), didn't much like his reindeer ears and cape. He wore the cape a little, but tossed those ears off automatically. This is where they were in the middle of the tossing, over his eyes. The second highlight was Cailyn's smile after she got her Nintendo DS. She has been playing it non-stop since.

Also pictured is our 2008 ornament. We have been picking out a special ornament for every year we have been married that marks a significant event that happened that year. This year, we chose the ornament his Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw gave us because it looked just like our new dog, Sugar. She is probably one of the most memorable things that happened to us in 2008, we love our girl.

Our Christmas gift to eachother this year was a weekend at a Bed and Breakfast in Fredericksburg, TX. It was the cutest little made over barn, decked out in German decor. The breakfast served was especially yummy, it is called affenbrot and is much like monkey bread. Delicious! We had fun shopping around, watching movies, reading, relaxing, you know, being Lazy! :) Saturday night 4-5 deer came right up to our front yard and were grazing. It was such a peaceful environment. And, really, that was suppose to be our only Christmas gift to eachother, but as always, Jared did a bit more. :) He bought me a beautiful necklace and earring set, red heart shaped with diamonds. And as if that wasn't enough, we both decided it was time to by a Wii. And boy, we were right, so much fun!!!!!

Then on Tuesday, I had a half day at work, so I got to meet one of my dear friends and her little girl for lunch in San Marcos. Aubrey was all smiles and so sweet. Everyone in the restaurant/store, could not take their eyes off that sweet baby. And can you blame them!??!

Now J and I are looking forward with great anticipation to the year 2009. We plan to make it a happy and healthy year, full of much joy and excitement. To kick things off, Jared has begun a new job. He is now a manager with Riverstone Management Company and enjoying the new property. This transfer has turned out to be such a blessing to him and our family. I got a promotion as well. I will now be the assistant to the Marketing Communications manager. I am really pumped about this opportunity because it will give me a chance to do some writing and experience more in public relations, all right up my alley. I begin on January 20th.

So Happy New Year to you all, hope it is a GREAT one! :)

Becknell Wedding Weekend

2008-12-23T13:17:00.000-08:00

Bethany is married! She is my cousin and past college roomie. She and Wes got married just before sunset at a beautiful Restaurant that caters to weddings on Lake Travis. It was so quaint and sweet.

Jared and I decided to make the most of the weekend, and we spent the night in Austin. On Sunday we met up with Amanda a Daniel for some last minute Christmas shopping and just to hang out in the city. I like afternoons like this, just bumming around, no plans and yet, you get stuff done! :)

Saturday, before the wedding, J and I got to go and visit our friend from college, Kim Hegi. She works at the coolest bake shop. It was fun shopping around with all the different fun things used to make creative pieces. Even Jared got into it. And yes, we will be making a "Hunting" themed cake at some point in the near future. It was so nice to visit with Kim as well. We love you girl and we are SO HAPPY that you are living your dream! (She is in culinary school)

And on Sunday, after we hung out with Amanda and Daniel, J and I went over and visited dear friends of ours, Jeff and Mindi Tipps, and their sweet baby girl, Aubrey. It was real nice to visit with them and see that precious girl smile and laugh. There is a video of her laugh. (Sorry I am not sure how to turn the video around, still learning about the video thing :)

Continuation of the Christmas Season

2008-12-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

We hosted Santa at GVEC. GVEC is so special, Santa makes an appearance with us twice a year :) It was alot of fun. We had donuts, hot chocolate, christmas cookies, and fun goodie bags for the kids. We say, for the kids, but what we really mean is for us too! :)

And then, you have already seen it, Jared got his Axis buck last weekend. It was SO exciting! I think I have to learn to hold my tongue in the stand because I get so excited that I start saying

"Wow, honey, he is so big," or "He is definitely a shooter." And Jared said it was making him nervous :) Ooops! But, I am just so glad that this is now a hobby of ours, because I really enjoyed watching him after he made the shot. He was so excited, he was shaking. Too cute! I know when I get my first buck, I will be worse. :)

He is debating as to if he will get it mounted or not. He said he didn't know if he wanted to spend that much again already to mount this one (we mounted his white-tail buck last year). I told him, "Honey, when I get my first buck, we are mounting it, so why not?" He still laughs about what a 180 I have done when it comes to the hobby of hunting :)

The Beginning of the Christmas Season

2008-12-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

Well, this Christmas came at me fast, and I am sure glad. You all know by now, I LOVE this time of year more than any other. Every day seems to be a GREAT day, every song seems to make me want to sing along or dance (as if it doesn't anyway), and every smile seems that much more special and important. Yes, I am big 'ole slice of cheese, and I am okay with that :)

This is our tree and the ornament we chose for our third Christmas as a married couple. She is holding the year 2008. Also, if you notice, we have added a very important thing to our christmas decor, Sugar's stocking. And everything is already bought to fill that thing. I just love that girl! We have been sneaking her in on nights where it is very cold because I just hate the thought of her out there with her bones going ice cold. Shhhhhh, don't tell the landlord :)

The other pictures were taken at my company Christmas Party. They threw a great party for us and we had alot of fun. Since Michelle works at GVEC now, her family got to go too and Cailyn and I participated in one of the games together. We had to try and wrap that box wearing the safety gloves our linemen wear when they are out working on hot electric lines. Not easy!!!! Cailyn just about gave up on me and I couldn't blame her at all. Though, she was still not happy that we didn't win the grand prize of a fifty dollar bill per person. Though, the participation prize was not bad either, so she forgave me when they handed her that :)

Christmas is off to a fun start! :)

Love to you all and enjoy this holiday season!

An Eventful Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T08:58:00.000-08:00

A week and a half before Thanksgiving I got a call that my eldest sister, Michelle, was in the hospital with severe pain. Her family was in Bishop at the time for her husband's family reunion, so she was at the hospital in Kingsville. It was her gall bladder and she did also have pancriatitus (if that is how you spell it :) But, she was out and home with us by the following weekend (had her gall bladder removed), or so we thought...My mom, Michelle, Kevin and I were all at mom's house taking care of Michelle last Saturday when her pains got so severe, the doctor in Kingsville said to head to the nearest hospital. To San Antonio we went. Michelle's pancreas had become inflammed and was very swollen. They took her off of solids and liquids, all she could do was chew gum until the Wednesday before Thanskgiving. Although she spent her birthday in the hospital, they released her on Thanksgiving day and she was able to have a little turkey and stuffing. She is now doing well and hopes to be back at work next week.

Jared and I went to his parents house for Thanksgiving. It was real nice to see everyone and spend some time there. Jared and I did get up with his family at 3:30 a.m. on Black Friday to get some great prices on Christmas gifts. It was early, real early, but worth it. The picture above of Jared and Jordy is at IHOP after the shopping. I had went home to watch Jordy after 4 a.m. Kohls and she woke up just in time for us to meet the family for breakfast. So that is "Bedhead" Jordy :)

We came home Saturday and I went straight over to Bethany's Shower. My cousin is getting married in 3 weeks and we got a small group together to celebrate. It was a blast! We met around 2:00 and did Mary Kay facials, then we got dressed real nice and went to a nice restaurant in San Antonio. After that it was back home for a taped interview with her fiance, gifts, and girl talk. It was so much fun and it was especially nice seeing Kasey again. It has been years since I have seen her (she was my roomie in College).

Another Hunter in the Family?

2008-11-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

Okay, for my friends that think hunting is cruel, brace yourself, and maybe even decide not to read this e-mail. :)

I grew up with a hunter. My step-dad was pretty much gone every weekend my mom would let him when hunting season rolled around every year. He wanted us to go with him, but we were always so busy with school things, it just never worked out. I also didn't have much of a desire because I was never going to shoot an animal. I grew out of the "cruelty" stage, because, seriously? Vegetarians are the only people that have a right to that argument. And also to believe that it is cruel to shoot animals for food, can also mean a lack of belief in God's Purposes. He created animals as a means of providing food for us, just as he created smaller animals as a means to provide food for larger ones, at least the carnivores :)

Anyway, off my soap box......

I went hunting, and as Jared puts it "Finally." I wasn't expecting much, I mainly was just excited to get away for a weekend and enjoy the Great Outdoors. In fact, our whole discussion on our trip to Junction was about cutting the hunting fund and the reality of when we start having babies, how we may not be able to afford to pay for a spot on the lease, if one were to come up.

Then the weekend begun. I sat in the blind on Saturday morning and it was beautiful. The air was crisp, my face mask was on and I had a great view of the wildlife through binoculars. It was a nice, relaxing morning. Then a couple of the guys suggested that I learn to shoot a gun. So, Jared and Randy (one of the guys on the lease) taught me how to shoot. Randy said I should take my first deer. I got permission and we went on the evening hunt.

I had some perfect shots at about 3 different deer, and was so nervous, I didn't take them. Then I just decided now or never and I took a shot. Jared said the doe acted as though she was hit but he wasn't for sure, so he took a shot at the same doe. We couldn't see her anymore. So, the excitment grew at the wonder of if we would find her. 20 minutes later we went to track her, and sure enough, she had not gone far. She was just behind some rock directly behind the feeder. Jared's shot had hit the deer in the behind and mine had hit the deer for the kill, just a slight off behind the shoulder.

Wow, I cannot even describe the thrill of it all. Pretty exciting stuff. However, for those that can't understand why that might be, it really is hard to put it into words. There is just so much pride in being able to have a part in literally bringing meat to the table. To know, that no matter how bad the economy can get, we are equipped to take care of ourselves and our family with the resources the Lord has and will continue to provide.

So, the discussion on the way home was slightly different. All me: "Honey, we need to start saving, I will need camo, a gun at some point, and if a spot comes open on the lease, we have to take it." The weekend was very unexpected, but so wonderful. Jared and I now have one more thing in common. And let me just say, you would think Christmas has already come and gone for the excitement he shows :)

October in a Nutshell

2008-11-13T15:17:00.000-08:00

I really have been bad about the blogging. I will try and get better at keeping this updated. But, seriously, now that my friend's have such beautiful babies to blog about, mine seems a bit boring, even to me :) I am so busy keeping caught up with other's blogs that I neglect this one :)

Jordyn came for another visit in late October. My church was hosting a Fall Festival and I wanted her to come and have some fun with us. Cailyn and Jordy spend the night with Jared and I, and we just had a blast together. We set up a mattress right in front of the T.V. so we could lay and watch Hannah Montana. Then on Saturday morning, J and I took the girls for breakfast at Shipleys before Jared and Jordyn went to Bass Pro Shops while Cailyn and I went and saw High School Musical 3. We met up later and all went to help the girls build Hannah Montana bears at Build-A-Bear. Yup, my husband is a trooper. The kids were wiped by the time the carnival began, but we all still had such a great time! :)

We have a costume contest at work every year, and yes, we used the same idea, except Michelle and I used the idea. She was the hunter and I was the dear. We got 2nd place, not too shabby. I love days like that at work.

Then there is the scary picture. Jared and I both participated in the Haunted House at the Fall Festival this year. I would crawl on the floor after the people as they were trying to flee. It was awesome! I think people were surprised of how scary I can be :) No funny comments on that one! :)

The last picture is at the Alamo. Amanda brought her boyfriend in for "Meet the Family." And for us, that is no oridinary thing. Because "Meet the Family" in La Vernia not only means the parents and siblings, it also means the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He took it well and even agreed to be in the family picture for christmas cards. Needless to say, I believe he might be the one. I can say that because neither Amanda nor he read this blog, and it is written all over their faces :) We are so excited for them and look forward to what may come.

I will do my best to keep up with the updates, and stay tuned because the next blog will be the most exciting yet. And it is not because I am announcing a pregnancy. Don't look for that blog until at least another year unless the Lord has a different plan for us :)

Hope you are all doing well!

A September to Remember

2008-10-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

Sepetember was a BUSY month on the weekends. Which, if you know me, is exactly how I like it. As already posted, the first weekend we went to see Uncle Carl, Aunt Amber and the cousins over Labor Day weekend.

The following weekend, IKE was on it's way. When it looked like it would be a direct hit near Port La Vaca, we had some friends (Paul and DaLissa) decide to flee to good 'ole La Vernia, TX. Which was a blessing for us, because we had great company all weekend. And IKE ended up turning, so their place was untouched, another blessing. We had a lot of fun just hanging out, playing games, and relaxing for the weekend.

The following weekend, I went to Houston. IKE had hit hard, but I had a few places to be that were just too important to forfeit. That Saturday night I met up with a group of friends from high school and middle school. It was alot of fun. I haven't seen them in 6-8 years! CRAZY! The evening was such a blessing of catching up and sharing in eachother's lives. The next afternoon, I went to the baby shower of Mrs. Erin Johnson, one of my dearest friends from College. I can't believe her sweet little Liz is almost here!!! She was glowing, as I expected, but it still brings me to tears when I see some of my closest friends preganant or holding their children. I can't explain it, I feel so blessed to get to watch them live their lives and see how God works in them and through them. His work is truly incredible to watch and experience.

And the last weekend in September, Jared went hunting while I had my niece, Jordyn come stay with me for the weekend. It was a fun filled girls weekend. Basically we stayed over at my sister, Michelle's house with her daughter, my other niece, Cailyn. Those two played ALL weekend and had just a blast with one another. Of course I got some great photo ops of the two sweetest little girls I know!! (Yes, I am bias as bias can be!!! :) I can't wait to have a weekend like that again.

So there is September in a nutshell...and it looks as though October might bring alot more interesting news. We will have to just see. (And, no, before you ask, I am not pregnant still!) :) I'll keep you posted :)

La Vernia Bears (21-6)

2008-09-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Well, it is small town football time, and it is in the La Vernia air. My co-worker's son is a senior on the football team. He bought us all t-shirts with his name and number on them, which was too sweet. So, of course we all wear them every game day! :) Last night, La Vernia played Cuero High. Now, this is the same family rivalry that we have with UT and A&M, because my family lives in La Vernia and supports their football team, of course. But Jared's family are Cuero Gobbler supporters. Jared graduated from Cuero and played on their highly known 3-A football team. Cuero has loyal team supporters who follow their team anywhere and have good reason, they tend to be really good generally every year. Jared's father also works for Cuero ISD, which means mom and dad are at most games. So, Cailyn and I are in our La Vernia Bear blue, and we join mom and dad Coburn and Jordy on the Cuero side to watch the game. Oh, yeah, there were comments made from the Cuero fans, but all in good fun, of course. I had to take the kiddos home at the half because they were tired, and La Vernia was leading 7-0. I got a call later that La Vernia took the win 21-6, GO BEARS! (sorry, mom and dad :)

These pics are us office ladies sportin' our blue. Oh, yes, and that is me, pretending I am 16 and as flexible as ever. As you can see, not so much. But, in my defense, it was the first time I have ever tried a spilt in jeans! :)

Sugar Pie

2008-09-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

Things have just been going non-stop, but the Labor Free Weekend post was suppose to be followed with this post alot sooner than now :)

Aunt Amber and Uncle Carl had a yellow lab (a year and a half old). She is an outdoor dog and because they do not have a fence, she was on a 20 foot rope. They have been looking into building a fence so that she can run free, but it looks like we showed up in the nic of time :) Jared and I have always wanted a yellow lab. However, we are in a rental that does not allow pets inside, so we were going to wait until we were home owners to even think about getting pets. And then Sugar was offered to us.........and the rest is history. We brought her home and she loves running around the yard (we have a significantly big fenced in back yard), and laying out on the porch in the shade. She is the SWEETEST puppy and so much fun to play with. She is a drooler, but I don't mind that so much. Funny, when you love someone, their bodily fluids don't gross you out as much :)

Her name is sugar, and thus, she is my Sugar Pie....or Sugar Bear (depending on what comes out of my mouth when I see her :)

Funny new dog owner quirks (I have never had a dog for a pet, so I am CLUELESS):

"Honey, I think the leash is tugging too much because it is choking her!!!" (because I heard one strange noise)

Tried to take her to the park without Jared, yup, she pretty much walked me!!!!

I am sure more are to come............

Labor Free Weekend in Dallas

2008-09-08T13:38:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day, Jared and I took the four and a half hour drive up to Dallas, Texas. Actually, up a little farther to Royce City. Jared's Uncle Carl, Aunt Amber and three cousins live there. We love going to visit, and this time was no exception. I told Jared it is the most fun I have had in one weekend in a long time. It was literally non-stop action. But had it's perfect balance of relaxation.

We arrived about 11:30 on Friday evening to a little boy who was "waiting up for us," as you can see in the picture above (bless his heart), and stayed up talking until about 2:00. Saturday, J and I slept in a little and we all went to our cousin, Carson's, football game. They played well and it was fun to watch. Afterwards, we went home to cool down and freshen up and then headed out to the Harbor (which is like a mini-Riverwalk). It was a really nice evening. We ate at Ruby Tuesdays and walked along the pier that had a little light house at the end. The weather was great! Then we went home and ended the evening watching movies. After an Amazing church worship service Sunday morning, we went to cheer the guys on at Paintball (they were celebrating Carson's birthday). We left them to their paintball wars after about 45 minutes, then Amber, Andrew and I went swimming at Amber's aunt's house. It was very relaxing. That evening, we met the guys at home and watched a comedy followed by a horror flick. So horrific that yup, I could barely get to sleep. Has anyone seen "The Hills Have Eyes?" Oh dear, it is scary! But I LOVE scary movies. Then on Monday, before we left, we took their four wheelers out. Now, I have been on a four wheeler before, but I have never been FOUR WHEELING, if you know what I mean. On trails, up and down, racing, mud flying, almost tipping over, four wheeling. It was awesome!!!

We can't wait to go visit again! :)

Relaxation in Rockport

2008-08-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

Okay, we finally went on a much needed "mini" vacation. We won't get a "non-mini" vacation until next year, so we will just take what we can get when we get it. Jared loves to fish, so we went fishing. Well, let me re-phrase, Jared and his buddies went fishing, and I cast a few or so :) I like fishing because you do it outdoors, but I am just as good sitting outside rocking in my rocking chair or enjoying a cool breeze. So that is mostly what DaLissa and I did while the rest were fishing. Jared and I went to Victoria last Thursday evening where he preceded to go and pick up Jason, one of our friends that joined us for the weekend, and head to Rockport (joining Paul, one of Jared's buddies from high school, who was already there) for an all-nighter of fishing. No thank you! Jenny (Jason's wife), DaLissa (Paul's wife), and I happily went down together on Friday, when our room was available. The boys were exhausted, but they had caught a few. Koby, another one of Jared's buddies from high school, joined us on Saturday. Pretty much our weekend consisted of fishing, playing games, and eating. No plans, no appointments, no stress, just great fun! Jared and I both left wishing the trip had lasted longer and hoping we could do something like that again soon.

On Thursday night, before Jared left for Rockport, he dropped me off at his parents and our niece Jordyn was there. My in-laws are getting their floors done and the furniture was moved out of the dining area. Well, Jordyn's favorite thing to do is dance around in there to the tune of "The Best of Both Worlds" by Hannah Montana. So, of course she demanded this of her Uncle JJ. And, I kid you not, there he went singing that one line over and over (because of course he did not know the lyrics) and dancing with her. The first picture is the proof. That little girl has my husband wrapped around her sweet little finger.

Hello......My name is Cheese

2008-07-31T12:42:00.000-07:00

And I have NEVER tried to deny that! So here we go again........

My husband is incredible! I fell in love with him for all the little, amazingly romantic things he did for me before we were even dating. God was working on my heart and I didn't even know it. And I love him even more today in part, because he continues those little things daily. In saying that, let me tell you about Tuesday. He cooked dinner for me, which was delicious, of course. He cooked venison hamburgers with baked beans and mac 'n' cheese. For those that know Jared, Mac 'n' Cheese are a staple at our home. :) Well, since we were having burgers he asked if I would like him to pick up some buns, so sweet, I asked if he likes wheat buns (we usually buy white) and he said "not really." So, I said that is okay and to just pick up the white buns, I wouldn't eat but one wheat, not worth it. So you have probably guessed, he came home with wheat and no white. Then, later that evening we settled in to watch a movie, his choice. He looked over all our movies, and asked me to close my eyes. That sweet man slipped The Lion King into the DVD player! True love I tell ya!

And now that we are on the subject, The Lion King. My favorite Disney movie by far. And yes, I was the CHEESE in high school too with Lion King bed sheets, stuffed animals, globes, ceramics, etc. etc. It is the story that gets me, what it means to have fun, to contain courage, to love, to protect, to guide, to be a good friend, to believe in something more, to enjoy life, to care, the list goes on. With song lyrics "It's the leap of faith, it's the band of hope, until we find our place in the path unwinding," " Some of us fall by the wayside, and some of us soar to the stars, and some of us sail through our troubles, and some have to live with the scars," and who can forget..."Hakuna Mata!" It all gets me EVERY time! :)

Yes that is right, I am CHEESE, nice to meet you!

VBS

2008-07-25T08:28:00.000-07:00

We did the "Lost at sea, stranded on an Island" idea, so it was a Hawaiian type theme. The idea was that young people can do big things for God. Jared and I taught along with a couple others about King Josiah and the discovering of part of Deuteronomy. I just love sharing these stories with children and watch as those little light bulbs go off and the excitment they get when they realize how Josiah became king at 8 years old and discovered the exerpt when he was just 18. Children are truly amazing! We had so much fun working with them all day.

Birthday Bashing

2008-07-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

My Birthday was on July 7th and I kid you not, the festivities have just now ended. :) I always tell Jared, "Now honey, this is 'Ashley's Birthday week of Fun!'" What that means to me, is no calorie limit, and a VERY compliant husband with the desire for back rubs, ice cream, etc. etc. Who am I kidding, right??? To Jared, it means a slight roll of the eye and still, though, he is really sweet and compliant, what a trooper! It is more of a little joke now for us, because I really have gotten to the stage that a birthday is just a birthday. But no matter how much I feel that, I have such a loving family and friends that make it not "just a birthday" for me, and for that, I say thank you, I feel really special and so loved.

The celebration began July 5th at my parents house, I was a able to choose the menu. All my favorites, fried venison, mac 'n' cheese (for Jared), mashed potatoes, peas, sweet bread, fruit pizza and a mint chocolate chip ice cream cake from Baskin' Robbins. A-Mazing!!!! My cousin Shan had just gotten in from his last tour in Iraq, and was able to be at the party. We feel so comforted to know he will be in the states for the rest of his time serving our Country.

On Monday, my birthday, Jared took me to a nice dinner at the Cheesecake factory where they gave me a birthday three milk cheescake, yummmmmm! AND, he took me somewhere I have always wanted to go, yup, thats right, we went to Build A Bear. I know what you are thinking, I have got to be the cheesiest, most childish 26 year old, but, hey, I am comfortable with that. Because I love my new bear, his name is Wall-E. :) Late that evening we went to Michelle's house because my dad was in town from Tennesse. I can't even remember the last birthday I was able to see my dad on, so it was nice to lay in his arms and spend some time with him on that day.

On Thursday, my office threw me a party. They decorated my work space, made me a jewlery set that is absolutly beautiful, cooked chalupas, and my boss even sang to me! I really appreciated it.

And last, but not least, of course, this past Sunday we were in Victoria and my Coburn parents threw me and our Aunt Ginger a birthday party. Cupcakes were the specialty, my favorite, and most the entire family was able to come. I have to insert that while we were all getting ready for the party, we weren't exactly paying real close attention to my sneaky niece Jordyn. So when Grandpa found her digging into each cupcake/brownie one at a time taking the reeses peanut butter cups out and eating them, we were not too surprised! :) She was on her fourth when he caught her. Too cute, and VERY messy! We enjoy spending time in Victoria and getting to see our family and friends there. Sometimes we wish we were even closer, but feel very blessed to only have an hour and a half drive down.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that sent cards, called, showered me with gifts, etc.etc. You sure know how to make me feel special and every card, call and gift is very much appreciated!!!! God Bless!!!!

Cousin Autumn's Wedding and a Cookout

2008-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

My cousin, Autumn Bluhm, got married on June 28th. It was a beautiful wedding, and the bride, of course was no exception. My dad and step-mom came in from Tennessee, and quite a bit of my family was able to be at the wedding, so it was a small Bluhm reunion. There have been many new additions to the family here lately, so it was nice to see everyone. Now I go to ALOT of weddings, but I must say this wedding included one interesting first and one REALLY unique and fun first. The interesting one is the preacher actually used the words "Quiver and Ravish" in his speech. WHAT??? There were two overall reactions, laughing and shock :) Too funny! And the unique, fun first was the send off. Autumn was a cheerleader in High School and Britt was a football player. So for the send off, a friend had made a huge, HUGE banner all decorated with their names on it for them to walk through and we were all holding cow bells and pom poms. Too cute! I thought it was really unique and creative. We are excited to welcome Britt to the family.

After the wedding, we went back to Amanda's and had a cook-out with some much needed relaxation and swimming. I forget how much fun swimming and grilling can be. I wish we could do it more often. It was a very nice evening just spending time together and enjoying being out doors.

Babies, Babies, and More Babies!

2008-07-02T10:54:00.000-07:00

But not ours :) Okay, so...... I love children. Those of you who know me, know that much about me, at least. I have spent the past month visting with the babies that I love dearly and one mother-to-be.

The first picture is of me with Aubrey Tipps. My dear friend from college had Aubrey in March and she is just too sweet for words. They live in Austin, so I took a day trip up there to see my friend and hold her beautiful baby. My favorite part of the visit was watching Aubrey stare up at her mother. There really is no connection than that of a mother and child. Aubrey just adores Mindi and you can really see that in her eyes and smile. I really enjoyed watching the two of them together.

The second picture if of me with mother-to-be friend from college, Erin. She is due this fall and they just found out they are having a girl! BUT- we did not know that when we bought these outfits. Jared and I went to Houston to spend a weekend with Erin and her husband, Gregg. We walked into Carter's and absolutly could not resist. Knowing the gender didn't make a difference, so this is what we found, very cute and very gender neutral. Both outfits will look great on Elizabeth Marin!

The third picture is me with our adorable little niece, Jordyn. She came to spend the weekend with us and we had the best time together. Jared and I took her to the zoo and to Gattitown. I had to work that Saturday morning, so Jared had her for about four hours, and he sure did the uncle thing. She wanted a hamburger for breakfast, so she got a hamburger for breakfast. She wanted chocolate milk and she wanted it right then. So he gave her chocolate milk with a straw (he did not have a sippy cup on hand) in the car and told her to be careful. Yup, thats right, ALL over her when they got home. Oh well, that IS what being an uncle is all about :)

The next picture is just a cute little picture of Jared and Jordyn, so I thought I would add it. He just looked at her and crossed his arms, and she followed suite, and held it long enough for me to snap the picture.

And the final pic is of me with baby Lucas. He is the son of some friends of ours at church. His parents are deticated to Camp Bandina and are actually spending the week up there serving the Lord. My sister is taking care of this sweet little one in the meantime. He is just such a good baby and cute as a button!

Babies are the most precious gifts from God and although I can not wait for that kind of blessing in my life, actually, I can, because I get to enjoy time with these little ones.