10 things I have learned in 10 years

Wow! As the countdown to my 10 year college reunion begins...its officially 10 days away- I am reminded of just how different things are, how different I am, and yet all still the same.

10. "Top 40" can be popular at any age- even when you are too old to be a BIG fan

9.  Losing weight was a LOT easier at 21. And 25. And 30.

8. 10 years ago, beer was gross- but it was the cool thing to drink. Now- beer tastes good...and well, its still cool to drink

7. Nothing good happens after midnight- including my singing on a stage at karaoke. I'm much better at 11:59

6. Friendships really can last a lifetime! (or at least 10 years and going strong)

5. PJ pants never look good out in public- who made that look popular to go to class in?!?!

4. Driving around on a gorgeous day listening to awesome music really can turn a day around

3. French fries are a major food group. Could #9 have anything to do with this??!

2. Parties are a blast- but some of the best weekend nights are at home with my family

1. College really was a blast- a time I loved, friends I cherish, and memories that make me smile. However, where I am today- is my favorite place to be.

(that's at a bar, with my husband, drinking a cold, draft beer)

Oh, the Places You'll Go!!

I never thought that when I received this book for my high school graduation from my dear friend, Emily, that it would refer to the summer of 2012. Wow, it has been a busy one! I counted...from May to August- I haven't been home 37 days!!! That's a LOT!

I kicked the summer off with a trip to France and Belgium. I ended the summer with a trip to Norway and Ireland. Throw in helping my parents pack in Nashville, traveling to Phoenix to meet my niece, going to Florida to celebrate July 4th and Father's Day- plus construction in our backyard, a lake trip, mother in laws knee surgery, and our anniversary----wowzers! No wonder I haven't had time to blog! Forget blogging- I haven't had time to drink beer!

But.... I'm BACK! For now anyway...and ready to relax, watch football, and enjoy fall! And of course, drink cold beer!

Sisters make the best of friends

I am pretty lucky. I have 2 fabulous sisters that I love, respect, and get along with....most of the time. I hate that one lives so far away in Arizona- but I think we work pretty hard at seeing each other 3-4 times a year. And we talk- almost every day- so that helps :)

I am super lucky and love that my other sister lives only 30 minutes away. This makes for a lot of fun evenings, tons of laughter, and a guy for John that can relate to the Reynolds girls. (this is a MUST).

Great views!

Yesterday Terri invited us over for a swim and a cookout at her apartment. We had the best time - enjoying the sun, meeting new friends, and grilling out. Here are a few pictures of what the days activities entailed.

Bud Light yes! The other beer- not mine! Ugh- who drinks that stuff?

The grill master- Yummy!

Gotta have your pool pass!

some volleyball action

Some pool action

Saw this walking out- called a beer-a-mid- impressive

As you can see-, the Venetian- Las Colinas, really has it going on. What a great day! Thanks Terri- see you next weekend!

Dutch's: Coldest Beer on the Block

Last night I cooked. That is a BIG milestone for me. I am not really a cook. I like the idea of being one, I pin LOTS of recipes (everyone probably thinks from Pintrest I cook every night) and I think about cooking all the time. But, then, I get home from work, and I am tired, and we need to work out, and the evening slips away and once again, I have not made a meal.

So, last night I cooked. It wasn't a crazy, gourmet meal- but it was healthy, light, and my husband liked it. So, guess its a win! Adding that meal to the rotation.

After dinner, John wanted to grab a beer on a nice Friday evening- and I was happy to oblige. We wanted somewhere close- and let's face it- somewhere quiet where we could talk. So, we picked a local restaurant to grab a drink at the bar. Its not really a big bar, and the restaurant is more geared towards TCU students and families- but it fit the bill for us for last night.

Dutch's. That's the place. It's a hamburger joint that is really, quite good. My weakness there when we go to eat- Tater Tots! I LOVE tots and they are just hard to find. They remind me of my childhood when we would have them with hotdogs or hamburgers on the weekends.

Anyway, last night we just went for the beer- and wow, was it cold! ( This could possibly be because they don't change out the kegs very often- its really not that kind of place). But, it was sooo good and soooo cold- I really regret not taking the thermometer.

Happy John with cold beer

So, when you are in need of a good burger, some good tots, or just a good, cold beer- this is the place for you, and me, and John, and all of our friends, and family...

Being an Aunt....RULES!

This past weekend John and I ventured out to Phoenix to visit my sister, her husband, and my new (well 8 week old) niece, Marguerite Anne- aka Margo. I was so excited to meet the little beauty in real life- and it was an amazing weekend. This is the first grandchild on my family's side- and if you couldn't tell- we are all over the moon.

She's real cute. And by "real cute"- I mean cutest baby EVER! She's sweet, cuddly, giggly, smiley, with minimum fussiness- or at least that's what this aunt experienced. :)  We had a great weekend hanging out, taking LOTS of pictures- courtesy of John, and even went out for sushi. Margo is so well rounded- she's skipping McDonald's and heading straight for the fancy stuff!

*** Note- these are not the pictures John took- these are courtesy of my handy, dandy Blackberry that I love and everyone else hates.

Meeting Miss Margo for the 1st time

Look at that little smile

Sisters and baby

John with Margo- so sweet

Pretty in Pink- courtesy of Aunt Terri

Too cool

Little Diva

Cheers! Celebrating babies is fun!

Of course- it wouldn't be a proper welcome into the family without some toasting...and some cold beer.

Girls weekends are the best weekends

Cheers! One of these things is not like the other...I spy a beer

Friends for 14 years, Girls Weekends for 5 years

 About a month ago, my friends and I got together for our annual Girls Trip. The 4 of us, sorority sisters and friends for 14ish years get together to take a break from the everyday ups and downs and spend some time together. The trips have definitely gotten better as we have gotten older...I think the first one was Padre Island...need I say more.

This year, we went to the beautiful Horseshoe Bay. I had never been to this part of Texas and the drive down alone took my breath away. The hill country, the trees, the blue sky, and the open road. I would do that drive over and over again.

Marriot Hotel- gorgeous!

 Now, I know what you are thinking- dancing on tables, out till midnight, crazy, wild times. Well, we are either too old or too young for that.

The weekend that we create is one where we laugh about old times, talk about these times, and relax and rejuvenate for the future to come. It includes a spa, a view, and a cocktail. Can't get much better than that!

My morning view

My afternoon view

My afternoon cocktail

Baby Love

Exactly 10 days ago a miracle was born. She stole all of our hearts the moment she entered the world.

My niece, Marguerite Anne, is such a treasure- and I haven't even met her yet. If I could fly through my phone-she would be overwhelmed with kisses and hugs.

Here are a few snaps that my brother-in-law, sister, and parents have sent me. I'm sure you will be in love too! :) Only 7 more weeks till my flight to Phoenix....

Mama Lindsey and Baby M- moments old

Meeting Grandpa Richard for the first time

I spy a beer...

9 days old and pretty as can be

PS- this was the quote my brother in law, Kyle sent me the day she was born

 "The coldest beer I ever had was in the hospital after my daughter, Marguerite Anne was born.     Cheers!"

Yes, we will cheers to that!

And we will also drink beer anywhere.

A Girls Gotta Do What a Girls Gotta Do

Texas has pretty good weather. Yes, the summers are super HOT, especially last summer. But spring and fall are hard to top- and today is no exception. I am especially thankful that we had day light savings this past weekend so I get one extra hour to enjoy the sun!

I have made a vow to enjoy the most beautiful days:

no matter what day of the week it is (Monday...? Sure, why not?)

what plans I may already have, or (Ummm, can we reschedule yoga class?)

how hard I may be trying to stay in shape  (Running? Today? I like to run better when its cloudy.) or

how much money I am trying to save (leftovers? leftovers? I will eat PB and J all week if we can go to a patio...)

So, I vow, on every day that the weather is this amazing- I will finish my work day, throw on some spring casual clothes, find my husband, a friend, or even a stranger and head to the nearest patio. To enjoy the weather, drink a cold beer, and thank God for a fabulous life.

An Austin State of Mind

Last Sunday it was gorgeous here in Fort Worth. So, after doing all of our chores and errands, John and I decided to take a bike ride to a new restaurant in town. It opened a few weeks back and has been getting a lot of buzz. Buzz for many reasons....

The place: The Woodshed. The location: right of the Trinity River (yes, we have water in the river on this side of town). The concept: Having an animal of the day that is roasted on property to serve for the meals that day. The visionary: Tim Love (very famous chef in FW- owning Love Shack and Lonesome Dove).

So, we ventured over there to enjoy a beer on the patio and check out the ambiance. As we pulled up, I felt like I was no longer in Fort Worth. There were people everywhere, bikes everywhere, dogs everywhere, and a guy in the corner singing live country music. It felt like Austin- very relaxed, chill, and welcoming for a Sunday afternoon.











So, we sat down----inside of course----all the outside primo spots were taken----and enjoyed a nice can beer.

Because of all the outdoor area and seating- there is no glass at all in the place. Food is served on metal plates or a cutting board. Beer is either in can or in a plastic cup. Its pretty cool.

Can of cold beer

 We had a great time- went back last night for dinner and enjoyed that as well.

Yummy appetizer- homemade tortillas and meat fat juice...sounds weird---totally delicious!

 I would totally recommend this place- however, with the wait for a seat last weekend and last night- I think it's a little too late to be cutting edge on this one. Darn!

Deserving of a cold one

Before the race! It was chilly!

This morning I ran my first ever 5K. I know to all the runners out there this sounds dorky- but I am super proud of myself. I ran the whole thing...NEVER stopped and even sprinted into the Finish Line. I was proud of my time- not the fastest- but a great place to start.

34:51

I was so nervous all last night- I really wanted to complete the race running----and I did!

My awesome running partner!  We did it!

We had a great time, got our exercise in for the day, and had energy to clean, run errands and enjoy the rest of this gorgeous Saturday.

After the race

Well, and enjoy a well deserved cold one with family and friends!

Might just have to give this 5K thing another go!

Wine-O, Wine-O- its off to Oregon we go!

Oregon is probably one of my favorite states. John said after this trip- its on the rotation of places we have to go to every few years. In the next 5 minutes- I am here to convince you why everyone needs a trip to this magical place.

Oregon really never gets talked about. Its amazing. Its a huge state with very little people. The people that live there are totally laid back and cool. The size of Portland, the largest city by far in Oregon is smaller and less populated than Fort Worth by over 250,000 people. The population of the whole state is just a million more than the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex- with 3.8 million people.

I share this information to prove to you how green, lush, and beautiful this place is. There are trees, grass, mountains, ocean; this is a place where you can really be around the beauty of the Earth. It's the 9th largest state- crazy to think how big this state is and how few people live here.

So, how did we stumble upon this gem? I wanted to take John to a place neither of us had ever been for his 30th birthday 2 years ago. I decided on Oregon-they have wine, they have the ocean- why not?

I am telling you, Sonoma and Napa can NOT compare to the beauty and complexity of the Oregon wineries and wine. The Pinot Noirs are amazing and the views are spectacular. Every winery takes the time to talk about the soil, the craft, and the love that goes into each bottle. If you like Pinots at all- this is the place for you! Its not very crowded and still a little off the beaten "wine" path (although I know it won't be for long).

So, that is the wine country- just 30 miles south of Portland. Then the coast- the fabulous coast. I love the Oregon coast- I love watching the Pacific waves- they are so fierce and hold so much passion. We found a great little town, Lincoln City, only an hour and a half from Portland. They have great restaurants and a great hotel with hot tubs on the balconies. Now, that is a way to enjoy the coast!

As you can see, I am passionate about this place- so it was only right to share the beauty-so, we met my parents there so they could experience it.


And experience it we did! It was a wonderful weekend and a place I hope to travel to again and again.

So, if you aren't afraid of a little overcast, enjoy nature, wine, and the coast- this is the next vacation spot for you!

Changing things up for the weekend

This weekend we are going on a very special trip. We are meeting my parents and going back to Oregon.

I took John to Oregon 2 years ago (wow, time flies) for his 30th Birthday. We had such a great time we wanted to go back and introduce the beauty of Oregon to my folks.

When we went- we fell in love with Pinots in the Willamette wine country.  The good thing- they are an amazing and special wine with tons of flavor, but smooth enough to go with everything- from fish to steak, hot summer day to cold winters night. The bad thing- the good ones are pricey- but worth every penny.

We also fell in love with the people- everyone is so laid back.  We loved exploring all that Oregon has to offer- the wine country, the coast, and the cities.

So, I will take a break from my beer drinking ways to enjoy fabulous wine and company!

Everybody Have Fun Tonight

The past weekend we checked out the new 80's bar that opened in Fort Worth a few months ago, called Studio Eighty. If you love the 80's, heck if you even remotely liked the 80's- you will have a BLAST at this bar.

It's located off University, in between 7th Street and White Settlement Road. We are old- so we got there super early. I would only recommend this time if you are also old and like us- loving dancing by yourselves on the dance floor. We got there around 7:30- really because through all the research, it said they serve food. Reality- they do NOT serve REAL food. They serve bar food. And to keep things easy for them and expensive for us- everything on the menu is 10 dollars. I think that is a lot for bar food. So, don't go hungry.

Terri and I with our 80's waitress

But, the atmosphere was great. All the cocktail waitresses wear their 80's gear- neon colors, leg warmers, and of course- the torn, off -the- shoulder sweat shirts.

And the music- how I loved the music! All the 80's classics were played and all of them we danced to! We got our workout for sure that night. How could you sit on the sidelines with hits like, " I think we're Alone now", " Walk like an Egyptian" , and "Love is a Battlefield".  And the hits go on and on.

We LOVE the dance floor to ourselves!

The bartender said when we walked in as the first customers, things really pick up at 11:30 PM. We left around 11:00 and the place was hopping- a little too hopping for old peeps- but then again, I really like the dance floor all to myself!

The beer was cold, the service was great, and most of all, I got to relive the hits of the 80's all less than 5 miles from home.

John wore his swatch watch

Bean and Chris

Overall, Studio Eighty was one for the books- a place I would definitely go back to. However, next time, I will be dressing the part...neon and leg warmers- here I come!

We really tried to look the part- but need the outfit next time!