I Love My I

I have one of these...

...and I LOVE it!!!!!

I am one of those lucky people that drives 40 miles to and from work everyday because I work in downtown Dallas, on the 48th floor of a high-rise! Yes, I'm a devoted employee! But sometimes traffic kills me! Luckily, I have 3 or 4 different routes I can take to get home everyday, but days like yesterday are horrible - there was a wreck on EVERY DIFFERENT WAY HOME!!!!!!!!!

So when I got home last night, I found this FREE app - InRIX Traffic.
I tried it out this morning and LOVE IT!!!! When you go to the app, it will pinpoint your current location, then tell you how the traffic is moving on the roads around you, and list any accidents. If you click to see the accident information, then it will tell you exactly what the problem is, how long the backup is, the approximate time to get through the backup, and the approximate speed traffic is traveling in the area!

Thank InRIX, you have now made my travels much more stress-free. And IPhone, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

What a Wonderful Weekend

Brant and I had a fabulous weekend at The Cliffs on Possum Kingdom lake this past weekend. Mom and Dad have a time share at the condos since they are landowners out there, and this was their week. So Brant and I drove up for a weekend of some much needed R&R!

Saturday, we just slept late and went to play in the water. After out lake outing, Brant and dad went to the driving range, so mom and I did some scrapping. Here are some of the pages I finished.

After dinner that night, we drove around looking at all the dear. We actually saw a herd of four buck - it was awesome. The literally just stand at the side of the road and let you take pictures of them. We only had mom and dad's camera, so I'm waiting for them to email me the pictures.

Sunday, Brant and dad played a round of golf, then back to the lake. Brant and I hated to leave, but it was back to work this morning.

So, much thanks Mom and Dad for letting us come play. We had a blast!

Friday Blog Hop - Favorite Vacation

Kelly's blog hop this week is all about your favorite vacation! My is definitely Cancun, Mexico. Now granted, I haven't been a lot of other place, but I still LOVE it! Here are a few pictures from our anniversary trip last year.

Life in the Fast Lane

Well things the Williams' list have certainly been crazy lately. So, since I haven't posted an update in forever, I thought I would go ahead and post since I'm at home for more than a few hours right now!

First of all, the weekend of July 17-19, I went with mom and sister, and about 15 other ladies, to a scrapbook retreat in Lindale, Tx. It was fabulous. Granted, I tend to lean more toward digital scrapping these days, but this was the perfect opportunity to work on my wedding/honeymoon album that is paper. Just for fun, here are a few of the layouts I created while I was there. If you want to see the small detail of each page, click on it to enlarge.





















After I got back from the retreat, life quickly got over into the fast lane. Work is wonderful, but busy! When I left my office yesterday, I had successfully worked over 76 hours in a week! Praise Jesus I decided NOT to go to law school. I would HATE to see my hours if I was an attorney! Right now, so many friends are calling me a workaholic, but I promise I am not.
Yes, things will eventually calm down, but news flash - I WORK AT A LAW FIRM! WE GO TO TRIAL!!!! AND TRIAL LIFE IS CRAZY!!! AND BY THE WAY, I LOVE MY JOB!!!

But last night, I did enjoy a great movie while I snuggled up to the hubs on the couch! We watch Defiance, with Daniel Craig. It was a great movie. Yes, it had some language, but the story is incredible. It all takes place in the 1940's during the holocaust. It is an extremely powerful story about a group of brothers who start a community of Jews living in a forest to escape Nazi capture. If you have not seen this movie, I strongly urge you to.

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, and has a fabulous upcoming week. !!

Wedding

Kelly's Korner weekly blog hop is all about wedding today.

I have to tell you that I LOVED my wedding, and wouldn't have changed a thing. For me, it was my day from a fairytale and I day I will certainly remember all the days of my life.

We had a Friday night wedding that started at 7:30. My colors were black and light pink, with a splash of silver. We had our wedding and reception at First Baptist Church in Irving.

My flower girl was Kate, who was only 3 at the time. She's is getting to be so big now, but I will never forget how perfect she was on this day.

My bouquet was gorgeous, a mixture of ivory roses and small white flower, accented with rhinestones for some sparkle!

I LOVE this picture of Brant!

The rest are just a few of my favorites!

My bridesmaid dresses were simple, black cocktail dresses with small pink ribbons tied around the waist. They carried small bouquets of pink roses.

I didn't have a ton of decorations. Instead, our attendants stood in the choir loft. On each side of the stage, I positioned a column of pink roses and a column of candles.

After my dad gave me away, he sang "When You Say You Love Me" by Josh Groban...it was absolutely gorgeous.

As we list our unity candle, our dear friends Sarah Allen and Jared Billups sang an amazing duet arrangment of "I Will Be Here" by Steven Curtis Chapman.

One of the most humerous moments of our wedding was lighting the unity candle. When we went to light, my husbands dear groomsmen had put the tip of a firecracker on the wick of the candle. Well it took a minute to light, which freaked me out, but I was much more freaked out when sparks started flying - LITERALLY!

"We're MARRIED!!!!!!!!"

Our rings, a symobl of eternal and never-ending love.

As Sister Says...

...To God Be the Glory!!!

Hop over to Sister's post and rejoice with us today!!!!!

Peanut Butter Brownie Cookies

This weeks blog hop is recipes, which I am just thrilled about. I recently found this recipe for cookies, and they are fabulous!



Ingredients:
1 traditional brownie mix
1/4C butter, melted
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1C powdered sugar
1C creamy peanut butter
chocolate frosting

Heat oven to 350' degrees.
Beat brownie mix, butter, cream chese and egg for about 50 strokes, or until blended well. The mixture will be stikcy.
Drop about a spoon-full 2" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Smooth around the edges to make them round.
Mix powered sugar and peanut butter together. Form small balls of peanut butter mixture and press into the center of the brownie dough.
Bake for 10-14 minutes, or until edges are set.
Let cool for at least 30 minutes.
Frost with chocolate icing.

Join this weeks blog hop and get some GREAT new dishes!!!Also, be sure to submit your recipe here too: http://www.mcklinky.com/recipes.asp! A MckLinky RECIPE BOOK IS BEING CREATED AND WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO ALL BLOG HOPPERS FOR FREE!

Two Years Ago Today

I became Mrs. Brant Williams

3 Things About ME!!!

Today Blog Hop!

This week, on TUESDAY, 7/14/09, the theme is THREE THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT ME (or US). You can express this with photos, writing or a combination.

About Me

1) I am a country girl who lives in the city. Although Mansfield is a small(er) town, I work in Downtown Dallas, on the 48th floor of highrise! But deep down, I'm country! I love two-steppin', wearing my boots, riding horses, and watching the sun set.

(this is a picture of me and 3 of my dear friends, Jessica, Amber and Lib in Boerne, Tx for a girls get-away weekend)

2) I have a passion for the people of Honduras. My very first mission trip was my junior year of college to Honduras. After I graduated, I spent 3 months living at Orphanage Emanuel in Guiamaca, Honduras and LOVED every second of it.

(this is a picture of the Honduras Group after my stay at the orphanage.)


3) I am a water-baby! My parents have owned a boat since I was in high-school and I LOVE the water - lake, ocean, pool - you name it, I love it! Brant and I have talked many times about our dream of owning a home on the water, and having a boat....although this is many years away, we can still dream!!!

(this is from Cancun, last year for my anniversary)

Foto Fun Blog Hop

This week, on TUESDAY, 7/7/09, the theme is A FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPH. Post up one of your favorite photographs and a caption that tells the audience about it.

I have to say that although there is nothing fantastic about this photo but about a year ago on a fabulous beach in Cancun! At this moment, I wish I was standing there again! Trip to Cancun, any takers???

"Mommy, will I die?"

If you read Sister's post yesterday, you know that Connor, her 7 year old was stung by almost a dozen wasps Wednesday night. I talked to Sister several times on Thursday to check on Buggy-Bug (Connor's nick-name, shortened from Connor-Bug) and knew that his poor little body was quite swollen. So Thursday evening after Brant's softball games, I went over to Sister's to see him. Words cannot describe how swollen and discolored his poor legs and face were - you literally hurt to look at him. When I got there Sister told me that she was debating on taking him in for a steroid shot, and I agreed that she should. Since Michael was home, I said I would go with her. So, me, Sister and Buggy loaded into my car and headed for the Neighborhood Doctor, where Amanda knows the on-call physician.

On the way there, Amanda was explaining to Buggy where we were going and that he should feel better soon. Now Connor is an extremely inquisitive child and is always asking questions, but I was never prepared to hear him ask "Mommy, will I die?"

I am not a parent. I long to be, but I am not yet. Maybe this was why I have never had to explain life and death to my child. Tears stung my eyes as I listened to my sister tell her son, that yes, one day we will all die, but we will get to meet Jesus when we do. I listened to my sister tell her son how much she loved him, but that Jesus loved him even more than she did.

My prayers last night were different than they ever have been before. I prayed that I would have the strength my sister does to explain truth to her children. I prayed that the Father would give the words to speak when my children ask the tough questions. I prayed that I will show my children how much I love them, but even more that I can simply help them understand the love that Jesus has for them.

A Morning Visitor

This morning I called Brant into our bathroom because I had a little visitor. A little squirrel was on our skylight in the bathroom. He apparently wanted in because he stayed walking around on the skylight for a good 5 or 10 minutes. Dax was having a fit because he couldn't go chase him!

How do you tell a man "No"?

So ladies, I need some help. I, only a married woman of not quite two years, is in need to of wifely wisdom! And here is my question?

How do you tell you husband that he cannot have something he desperately wants?

I would normally give my hubs anything he asked for, so I promise I'm not being mean - just realistic. Allow me to elaborate!

The hubs is a golfer - and good one at that! When we bought our house I knew that part of the reason he loved it was because it is in a neighborhood that surrounds a golf course. But now, he wants a country club membership and I say "No Way Jose!" And here's why:
1) it costs a large up-front fee to become a member - $500 (that's the promotional rate - normally $1000)
2) there are monthly fees as well - $250 (without a golf cart)
3) Hubs wants a golf cart - $3000-4000
4) Monthly fees go up - $300
5) We probably can't afford that once we have kids

I thought we had been down this road before and he agreed that we didn't need this membership, so why does he think we need it now?????

So tell me wives, how do you firmly tell your hubs - NO!
(Did Jesus ever address this when we were told to be submissive????)

My First Blog Award

Ok - so this is a little late, but I was honored with my first blog award not long ago from Jennifer with the Maynard Moment. So first of all, thanks Jennifer for my "One Lovely Blog" award. Second, I now get to honor someone else with the award.

1. Amanda - Raising Royalty
2. Kelly - Kelly's Korner
3. Rachel - Rachel's Ramblings
4. Amanda - Baby Bangs
5. Caroline - This is My Story, This is My Song
6. Tricia - Tricia Nae
7. Nicole - Turning Over a New Leaf

For these ladies, here are the rules for the award:
1. Add the logo to your blog
2. Link to the person from whom you received this award
3. Nominate 7 or more blogs
4. Leave a message on their blog, letting them know they are "One Lovely Blog"!

"Ashley" and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Did you ever read that book when you were a kid "Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day"? Well I did, and that was my day on Friday! If you're my Facebook friend, then you say this status: I HATE 360!!! IT CAUSES WRECKS!!!!

And that is exactly what it caused for me on Friday. Since my car is in the shop for approx. two weeks, I am now driving this...a 2009 Toyota Highlander.

Because yes, I was in an accident on Friday...and all because I was trying to nice and let a lady in the entrance ramp over into my lane (if you come in the entrance ramp and don't get over, you have to exit...so I let her over). So naturally there wasn't a ton of space between the two of us...well someone slammed on their brakes and the domino affect led her to slam on her brakes...and there wasn't enough space between us, so now my car looks like this!

Granted...it the body damage could be a lot worse...but look at the first picture! Notice the fluid leaking from the bottom?!?!? Yep - that's right - I seemed to bust the radiator, crush the core support and break the AC fan....so yes, my precious car (which I have had less than 1 year) is now in the shop for approx. 2 weeks!

So that was the "terrible, horrible" part of the day. The "No good, very bad" part was when the officer gave me a ticket because I was "at fault" for following too close. However, he was very nice about it and told me that I SHOULD fight the ticket. He understood that I was actually trying to be courteous, not being an unsafe driver. Its' just the city regulation that states in a major accident (one where a car is towed - mine!), then a citation must be given!

But at least no one was hurt, and I know if could have been a lot worse.

Today, however, was EXCELLENT! Why? I held this precious baby boy for over an hour!!!

This is Cash Paul Walker. He was born Thursday. Oh my word he is so precious!

Well I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend! I'm about to go to bed and get ready for another crazy week at the office!!!