REWIND: Spring Break 2009

So I am trying to upload a slide show done with iPhoto and imported as a Quick Time movie file to iTunes. I am curious if PC users will be able to see it. Can you leave a comment that you can or can't see it please? I thought it might be easier than posting pictures although the image quality is probably not as good as uploading the pictures...

The first weekend of Spring Break we went with Coach G and his gang to Shrev.eport to the El Do.rado Cas.ino. It was really alot of fun. But no pictures because I forgot my camera. All you would see is my husband losing me money and me trying to win it back anyway ;-) I just don't know that I am cut out for gambling. While it is fun, I HATE losing money. So... yeah, not as much fun as it could be if I could get over that part. But I really liked the hotel and the location. There are several other casinos near by, also restaurants and bars and across the river there is a really nice outlet mall. So even if you don't want to gamble there are a variety of things to do.


So on the second part of spring break we went to Subi.aco, Arka.nsas, to visit Bear's old boss who is the headmaster of a private school there. It is a town about the size of Dime Box but then there is this huge catholic all boys boarding school there. The school is very pretty, but its placement just seems so random! So we toured the school and then we were supposed to stay in their hotel but ended up with a really cute bed and breakfast which was a cute little house all to ourselves.

On the first day after we toured the school and the new house being built for the headmaster, we decided to go exploring. He had given us their GPS so we wouldn't get lost. We thought we would go to a winery and it just so happened there were 4 all on one road. So we basically started at the top of a hill and made our way down. They were very free with their tastings and after an hour marathon I was pretty toasty. So then we ended up eating Mexican food in I don't even remember where except that it was on the Arka.nsas river and as we were finishing up we saw a guy who had served us wine earlier. The food was not good, as you would expect but it served its purpose, and then we went back to the house and crashed.

The second day it rained. We were supposed to go to a double header baseball game but it was canceled. So we spend most of the day lounging on the couch watching basketball, reading and playing on the computer. They had wireless internet so I was in heaven of course. And Bear had a book and the Aggie basketball game so HE was also very relaxed. It was very nice. Later we wanted to go eat in Paris (see I did get to go to Paris over the break, just not the one I wanted to go to). We were going to eat a local place but they had a sign posted on the door that they were closing in 15 minutes for their daughters wedding. So we ended up at Pizza Hut instead. You can never go wrong with that...

Then later in the afternoon we made our way to Mount Magazine State Park. I wanted to go on at least one hike and the headmaster and his family were going to meet us up at the big lodge for dinner. When we stopped to get a map at the visitors center there was a wedding going on in a big pavilion next door. We can only assume it was the restaurant owner's daughter! It is a small town so it is completely possible and very likely. We thought it was funny! So then we did one hike to the highest point in Ark.ansas. You know you are so jealous! And then we did a few scenic overlooks and then headed to the lodge. And it was SO NICE! They also have a hotel and cabins for rent that are really pretty. And it looks down over a small lake below. We had an OK dinner but the most memorable part was when we went to order beer. You had to be registered or be with someone who is registered in order to drink. So we all had to sign this big book before we could order. How strange is that? We thanked them for having us and letting us stay in the cute little house and then headed back "home".

And the next day we made the marathon drive home. And it hit me that it certainly is true that everything is bigger in Texas. We crossed the border and I was happy to be back. And all the buildings and the road, the visitors center, everything was bigger and certainly BETTER. Plus we saw a Starbucks, a Sonic and real Mexican food places again ;-) I really don't think I could live anywhere else.

REWIND: Christmas Vacation, more pics

REWIND: Christmas Vacation

And no, not the Che.vy Cha.se Chris.tmas Va.cation. Although, hmmm, if I think about it there might be some similarities. AhehheHA.

This past Christmas break my parents were nice enough to take us on a trip to the beach in Por.t Aran.sas. I know a lot of people are like why do you go in the winter? Well it is a good get away and while you can't get in the water, you can still walk on the beach. Or sleep. Or eat. Or play xbox if you are Bear. Or read a book if you are mom. Or drink Mexican martini's if you are ME.

We did several things, although I don't have pictures of some of them.

• On the way there, Bear and I stopped at Goliad to look around the church and mission. I wish it had not been cloudy because the pictures would have been better...
• Bear got to ring the bell in the church.
  
• Dad rested. He took naps and ate.
• Amanda and Bear played golf. I drove the golf cart. It was COLD and windy. And they ended with the moon up.
• Bear played xbox. alot.
• I walked on the beach, drank yummy drinks, cooked and oddly cleaned the kitchen.
• I also watched TV, played on the laptop and tried to read a book.
• Mom read a whole book, played with K&K when they happened down at a neighboring hotel at the same time we were there.
• Mom, Amanda and I took a boat ride over to St. Joseph Island to look for seashells. We found trash mainly and not to many good sea shells. We each found a whole sand dollar. It took me like 2 hours and alot of complaining before I FINALLY found one.
• We went out to eat once at Castaways. It was OK. I would say skip it if you have a choice.
• Bear, Amanda and I went looking for some bars. So we went to the new Port A Brewing company. It seemed they were out of every beer I ordered. NICE. Then we went to Sharkey's. Classy.
• We visited the USS Lex.ington in Corpus Christi. I enjoyed it, but I think everyone else probably enjoyed is MORE. I like going to that kind of stuff and looking, but I get bored pretty quickly. We also watched an iMAX movie... now I can't even remember what it was about :-) but I bet everyone else could tell you. I was over it by that time.
• We did have a good time and Bear says he is ready to go back.
  

I was really into some of the architecture/doors/walls, etc. So I took alot of pictures that probably no one else cares about. But I have had fun with them. What do you think?






And what do you think this skull and crossbones on the back of the church over a door could possibly mean? any catholics out there than can explain this?

Ok, BLOGGGEERRRR. You suck at letting me upload pictures in any goodlooking format. So I shall start a new post for pictures. LESSON. UPLOAD PICS FIRST. Then start typing. ugh...

Una mas cerveza por favor senorita!

Sernorrrrieeeeeetttaaa! That is the song playing right now. (country, so not everyone may be familiar... but eh) And how appropriate since I spent a major part of my evening looking for an all inclusive beach vacation. Hee, we can all dream can't we?*

The hubby is out of the house and it's just me for the weekend. Wow, I am so excited with all the things I want to do. And I was feeling sleepy (I guess after this long work week!) and I even made coffee so I could stay up and do all the things I have wished I was at home doing all week. So with that said, this is a caffeine induced post, so fair warning right now to watch out. Keep reading at your own risk. But I need to do a lot of updating so here goes... I think I might break it up into a few posts now that I think about it....

First, I opened this blog to the public so you no longer have to be invited to read it. What can I say, I was shy at first. But what the hey, whoever wants to read can read. What I talk about is really not too informative or interesting for the most part. But it is fun for me and that is what it is all about. So if you know someone that knows me and might be interested, feel free to invite them to read. I would like to get more comments, but then wouldn't we all I guess.

Second, I am having a garage sale next weekend with nonsoccermom. And I finally went through some clothes earlier this evening. The sad part is that some are so ragged that they will not even make it to the garage sale. I have a a throw away pile and then "I suppose it is good enough for goodwill" pile. So sad! I am scared I will not actually have enough for the sale, but nonsoccermom assures me she has alot. I hope so!

Third, I have some pictures to post. I was going through all previous posts before I opened this up to everyone and realized I never posted pictures from our Christmas break beach trip. So I will do that in a separate post.

* Bear is going to teach summer school. I KNOW what you are thinking! WHY WOULD HE DO THAT. HE HATES IT and needs a break. That is what I said too until he said we can use that $$ for vacation!! happy, happy dance :-) However, by the time we go I must be more photogenic (ie less fat). But I say that all the time... I just hope this is the time I really do something about it. -sigh-

I know I am random and totally hopped up on caffeine so this is more than a little spastic.

Vacation recap

Just kidding....  because, well keep reading.

April 20 was my 7th wedding anniversary and my lovely husband bought me an iMac.  YAY!   But the reason there are no pictures from vacation is that they are not on this computer yet.  It will probably take me a while to transfer them into the lovely iPhoto and then perhaps I could even make a really cool movie or slide show.  However I have no idea how the mac movies play with PCs.  So I will have to learn!  

I am all about the learning because I am a big dork in that way.  I will sit here on my big butt for hours just figuring out how each program works.  It is entertaining, I don't know why.  It just is.

I am a little disappointed because I thought I might be able to make cool blogger templates, but sadly, to publish with iWeb you have to have your own domain name and such.  I might have to get us a bridgetandbear domain.  But that just seems silly when I can have it here for free!  We'll see... at the moment I am also completely overwhelmed by the whole deal.  To point that I am not sure I will EVER use all the features this thing has.

So in the meantime... here I am in front of my new Mac.  This is done in Bear style, Dee.  So WARNING!  Funny pictures!  Swallow your coke and get off the phone ;-)

Sadly the lighting in here is terrible (because I really look much more beautiful than this at 9 in the evening, I swear!)