I'm baaaccckkkk!

Miss me? Don't lie, I know you did! I have been getting texts, phone calls and g-chats from my devoted followers asking when I'm going to update my bliggity blog! So sorry folks, after moving my mom out of her place in Austin I was exhausted, and then it was New Years and then I was just lazy, plus Mase's laptop is on the fritz, yada yada yada... But enough with the excuses, 'tis a brand New Year and I am super excited about the potential greatness that is in store for 2010! Before I march onward, however, I must tell you all about my glorious holiday break! ;)

The day before Christmas Eve, I headed down to Tyler for some quality time with the fam. We did last minute Christmas shopping, worked puzzles, ate junk and even found time to dine at mi restaurante favorito in all of Tyler! Gilbert's El Charro:

If you are ever passing through the "Rose Capitol of the World (or maybe just Texas, not sure..)" then you must stop in! I insist! It is so good. Ok, it's not thaaat good, but they have this sauce...

...it is to die for. I think it might just be like french dressing or something, but when you mix it with hot sauce and lather it on a chip it is heavenly! You can even purchase your own bottle. I know because I asked. ;)

Next it was Christmas Eve and the weather was all kinds of crazy in Texas. Extra crazy in Dallas! Mason had to work half of the day and we worried about him (and my sister) who had to battle ice, sleet and snow to drive to Tyler to join us! They made it though and we were able to enjoy a short-lived white Christmas. Here are some pics from Christmas Eve. The second picture is of me, my brother(Connor, age 22) and sister(Claire,age 19). Not sure if I have introduced them to the blog world yet...

Christmas morning, my fam always wakes up at an ungodly hour because my aunt and her fam are CRAZY and think 5:30AM is a normal time to be awake! So this is me opening up some presents half-asleep! I got some pretty good loot this year! Mase got me a black leather jacket from Express, some styling rain boots from Banana and some Uggs, much to his chagrin, bc he is not the biggest Ugg fan...yet. I love them though and wear them all day long. They make great houseshoes on a frosty winter morning! :) Other favorites...Lilly Pulitzer Day Planner, Electric Wine Opener (it is like magic), and lots of other stuff but it has been 10 days since Christmas and already I am forgetting what all I got! ;)

Anyway, Christmas afternoon Mase and I drove to Houston to celebrate with his fam where we were greeted with more presents! Yay! :) For New Years we stayed in Dallas, to save some money and also because we were tired of traveling. NYE started out on a sour note though, as my childhood dog Maggie had to be put to sleep. She was 14 years old and was just getting very sickly, not eating very much and limping around the house. Sad, but she lived a good, long life. Poor Mags, we'll miss you!

Anyway, for New Years, Mason and I had dinner at Hector's on Henderson! Yum! Then met a friend of ours at a house party on the M-streets. Then right before midnight we went to the Slip-Inn (bc thats how we roll ;) to ring in the New Year! Definitely wasn't very eventful, but we still had an okay time! ...and now it is 2010, at last. Not many resolutions this year.. just goals! They are as follows:

(1) To get a permanent teaching gig

(2) Buy/lease a new car

andddd......

(3) Have something sparkly on my left hand by the end of the year! ;)

I think these are all quite manageable, I'll let you know how it goes though! :) I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Here's hoping that the best of our past is the worst of our future! Cheers! Happy New Year!!!