We're Not in AR-Kansas anymore

The past month or so I've been coming down with a bad case of homesickness. I mean. Real bad. So I started begging my family to come visit, but they all had excuses of how busy they were back home.

Two weeks ago Cash asked me what time my friend's baby shower would be over that weekend, becaue he had a surprise for me. Oh, I was ELATED! I love surprises!! I immediately called my family to see if they were the surprise, but they weren't. Even my 6 year old niece said she was too busy to come see me. So naturally I thought I was getting a new Land Rover.

Fast forward to Friday at lunch: Cash 100% promised me he lied about a surprise, and we were actuallly going to work in the garage to get ready for a yard sale. Rude. He learned in 2 hott seconds how rude it really was, because that was not the best night of his life. I promise.

The next morning I got ready for Melissa's shower (still steaming mad at my husband about lying about a surprise) and headed over to Barb's. P.S. I have the cutest little friends...


Melissa's Baby Shower
(photo credit: Hidden Key Design photo booth)

Told you. 

Anyway, I was griping to my girlfriends how mean Cash was to pretend surprise me, but I finally decided I should get home to help him.

Then...then...THEN...I got in my car to go home and had a picture from my mom. It was my niece and nephew...IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE!!!!!

at noon--they had been driving since 1:30 that morning

I tried to go the speed limit and not run over people my whole way home. By the time I got out of my car, tears were just streaming as I hugged my big sis for the first time since Christmas. The next 48 hours were amazingly insane.

It started when they had Rivertowne BBQ sitting on the counter ready for lunch.

Then we drove around looking at new houses, stopped for candy at Susie's, and checked out the bank where I work.



my precious little love

We made our usual pitstop at ClayDesta to see Uncle Cash's office. The kids love running around the water fountain and animals. Dad loves learning geology.



Mom and the kids posing with Clayton's latest African addition

Dad always wants to learn a little rock knowledge from my hubs.
(Only at an oil company can you have mounts all over the walls like this, I know.)

making faces at the alligator

Saturday night we went to eat at a new cafe in town: Back in the Day Cafe. Then we just enjoyed the company and let the kids rest from driving since 1:30 in the morning (all to surprise me by noon!!) and swimming all day. Yes. March. And the kids were in the pool all afternoon. It was 92 beautiful degrees!

On a side note my super amazing brother-in-law came the whole way sicker than a dog. It was just a blessing to see everyone!

Sunday we went to church where my nephew asked if Uncle Cash and I were Christian since we didn't hold service the same way he did at his church. Ha. Then we took them to our club for a nice little brunch and for some entertainment from the most enthusiastic omelet maker in West Texas.

And that night we went to my in-laws house for a crawfish boil! It had been 2 years on my first spring break to Midland since we had had a crawfish boil. Sweet memories. Our good friends Thea and Toby from church came over too, and it was perfect weather to suck the heads of some crawlers.

Plus, it was the first crawfish boil my parents had ever been to, so it was fun to watch them take their first few bites. I also claim my brother-in-law only came down to see my mother-in-law. lol. They hit it off the first time they ever met, and ever since I laugh that he likes her more than he does me! It's pretty cool, though, to have my family and Cash's family get along so well.

That night the kids and I played on the iPad and came up with some pretty strange outcomes.

Brae's goofy pic with the quirky settings

being dorks--they loved it! Maybe I did too.

my loves, including the dogs!

I hated so much to see them leave Monday morning. They had a long 10 hour drive ahead of them, and we had to go to work. However, I knew it'd only be a few more weeks until we were back in Arkansas celebrating the marriage of two sweet people: my Hub brother Tony and his bride Kit!

For the record Cash is out of the dog house. He's all right after all! :)

In the meantime I do have to share I went out on a limb with my hair. Y'all. I straight up did an ombre.

I have never been so out there, and that's not really even that out there. ha.

 And...I learned how to do a fishtail braid. Sorta.

I spent hours on YouTube and the couch trying to figure this out.
(And yes, that's a big lobster pillow. We are Maine honeymooners. What can I say?)

In other random news I got a phone call at work yesterday that I get to go to the Junior League's Shotguns and Stilettos with Clay Walker as entertainment on behalf of the bank. Have I ever mentioned how much I love my job?!

Okay, I hear Abby Lee in there screaming at me to go watch Dance Moms. Don't judge.

Be blessed. Be loved...

Avery Jane

Your husband is RETIRED at 27?!

Yes, my husband is retired. From rugby that is. And that WAS until TONIGHT! Apparently back in the day my hunka hunka burnin' love was a mad rugby player. Legit played flyhalf (?) in superleague rugby, which I didn't know what that was until a friend of mine in graduate school explained is the equivalent of being the QB for the Dallas Cowboys. Hopefully Cash is better than Romo though. Uhh...

 

Anywhoodle, he was retired from the sport after moving back to Midland a few years ago and sustaining several major injuries. I've never even seen him play!! Can you imagine being married to a professional athlete and not seeing them play? Me either. So Saturday he spent the afternoon showing me old game film. 1--I was stoked to watch him. 2--I was slightly more stoked to know my children have a huge possibility of being speed demons. (So...sports were kind of a big deal in our family.)

 

At one point he was trying to get on with the US Rugby Team. LEGIT! Then he "retired" and gave up that dream. But...did you know rugby is going to be an Olympic sport in 2016? And momma wants to go to the Olympics! haha. That's a stretch, but I have been begging him to get back out on that field and PLAY!!! I knew when he watched footage of those days gone by he'd be out there tonight. Guess who was right. Yep. Me. He's been gone for pert near 2 hours playing the sport he loves. Oh, it does my soul good to know he's doing something he loves so much.

 

For the record--he's not retired in his career. Big guy might have some gray hair but he still has a job, albeit licking rocks, but he has a job.

 

Speaking of jobs...In the past few weeks I have started my own new job, and I must admit it has been wonderful!!! I'm finally starting to get the hang of some of the ins and outs, but when I say that inevitably something else comes up that I don't know! Never ending learning but I wouldn't want it any other way.

 

With my first ever 8-5 job I do find myself reminiscing on the good times over Christmas when we went back to my parents' farm to celebrate said good times.

 

First things first--when we got there, my dad decided he'd give me a kindle. My friends in book club think I'm in the Stone Ages, because I walk to Barnes and Noble for all of our book selections. I haven't broken the Kindle out yet (there's just something about the smell of a real book), but I'm stoked to use it on trips. (Thanks, Dad! Not that you read my blog. But thanks!)

 

What what--a girl's first e-reader

Since we went to celebrate Christmas, we celebrated forty-eleven times! Whoop! At my Granny and Pa's house we always have a bazillion people and a gazillion kids running around. I just love it!

My cousin Tyra brought her new boyfriend to our Christmas this year, and he was such a good sport that he agreed when Granny asked/made him read the Christmas story from the Bible. My little cousin Tony read too, albeit in his Jamaican voice. I don't know where that came from...but you never know about that clan! (I mean..do y'all remember my blog about Uncle Larry??? Okay then...apple meet tree.)

cute little babies all across the back porch bed

Braeson and Addison got about 3,254 presents each. I think they need 1 more to be satisfied. Hmph! Seriously though...the adults wouldn't quit building the kids' Legos and playing with their BeyBlades.

notice who is not playing

Real mature, guys. Real mature.

I was P-U-M-P-E-D to see all of my family at once AND have my husband with me!!! First married Christmas=a complete heart.

love this back porch. love this man.

It actually snowed on Christmas day in the Ozarks!!!! Don't poke fun---this is serious business. My mom hooked up an old car hood to the 4-wheeler, and we went sledding "Jethro style"! Although Cash had made fun of me for pert near 2 years concerning this matter, he even giggled like a little girl when he was riding around. And Brae LOVED riding with Cash. I think having an uncle has done the kid some good. :)

 

Ahh..mountains. Snow. Trees. So many things I had forgotten what they looked like!!

 

 

"sledding" with my boo on Christmas Day

 

 Have I ever mentioned how much I love Braeson and Addison? No amount of miles could keep me from these hugs. I am so in love with these two it's unreal.



 

the sweetest hugs of all

We got to go to my home church where we got married, watch tons of b-ball in Ozark and Alma, visit with old friends, and even seal a spot in the local newspaper. Cash feels pretty legit now that he's been in the Spectator two weeks in a row: once for killing his aoudad and once for visiting an elderly lady on Barnes Mountain who happens to write an article every week. That's what small towns and good times are all about!

I hated to leave, but it was nice to come home and have this book sitting on my doorstep!

Ahhh...our wedding photo book!!!

Oh, wedding day, what sweet memories I have of you!

Last Friday Addi Doodle was in basketball homecoming! It was hard to be away for that, but I am so thankful for technology! She sent me a video of herself getting ready and said, "I wish you were here, Aunt A!!" Ugh. Tears. Ugh.

a real life princess

Little princess went to cheer camp Saturday and got to perform at halftime tonight. My family doesn't really know anything about cheerleading, but I do know this: she's the cutest, sweetest, most precious little cheerleader of all!!!!

Oh..and an update on my Brae Bear. Thanks for all the prayers! After several tests they felt his kidney issue was calmed down to the point they are only testing once a year. However, his heart has started "fluttering" so we're waiting on more appointments at Children's to see what we have going on there. In the meantime he is still as rowdy as ever and kept his uncle and I very entertained when we fed him calf fries for the first time ever. We didn't tell him what they were, but when he found out he was on the verge of passing out. Ghostly white I tell ya. The kid still loves them though. Weird. He and his Uncle Cash. Buncha weirdos.

Again, thanks for the prayers and messages you all have sent.

Have a good one!

XOXO...
Avery Jane

Be Kind...Rewind

This afternoon yours truly is undergoing the knife laser. I've had glasses or contacts since I was about 10 years old, so it got me to thinking about all the new things that have developed (or I've come of age for) since then. And thus, all of the fun things I've never done without corrective vision.

I've never...

• driven a vehicle
• seen my husband
• used a cell phone
• played on a home computer
• hugged my niece and nephew
• had a job
• put on make-up

without some sort of help from the ol' eye doc. I wonder what the world is going to look like when I don't have to put on an extra set of eyes to see it.

That being said I wanted to do a little "Shoutout to 2012" post before we leave for A-R-K-A-N-S-A-S on Saturday!

They say what you do on New Year's Eve is a precursor for the rest of the year. On Dec 31, 2011, I was in Midland, Texas, with my then-boyfriend. So...statement considered true! Since then...

**We got engaged in March!! Ruidoso, New Mexico, has been my favorite place on Earth since then!!!!

one of the happiest days of my life!

 

**Bobby Petrino wrecked his motorcycle, and after that all bad things broke loose for Arkansas football.

 

Oh, Bobby

 

**In April my parents and I took Cash turkey hunting for the first time in his life. He didn't see one but heard a few. It's a start! (And I think he's kind of hooked now!)

Arkansas turkey woods=love

**Throughout the summer we celebrated with wedding showers--for us and some of our friends! Wedding bliss abounded.

**My sister threw me a baseball bachelorette party in July. Go NWA Naturals!

my little Katie bug <3 td="td">

**In July we obviously got hitched. Best choice I've ever made. Ever.

Calvary Baptist Church, Ozark, Arkansas

**I moved to Cash's hometown of Midland, Texas, after the honeymoon. Here I've met the greatest friends a girl could ask for. They've helped me more in a new town than they'll ever know.

Savannah, Kellye, me, and Heather at Ross and Barb's wedding in Santa Fe

**After President Obama famously said to business owners, "You didn't build that." my husband's CEO had signs made that he placed outside the ClayDesta Center.

'nuf said

**Clayton also threw another ranch party in October, this time with Clint Black as the main entertainment. These have become the most anticipated weekends of the year for me!

Happy 81st birthday, Clayton!

**We also went to the Midland County Women's Republican ball in October right before the election.

MCRW Pink Elephant Ball 2012

**The first weekend in November Cash and I hosted our first Thanksgiving dinner with both sets of our parents. Check that off the "done" list. I don't know if I've cooked since! ha.

First Thanksgiving

**The day of the election we were anticipating celebrating with friends. Friends still came, but we didn't celebrate anything but the right to vote.

**Also in November John L. Smith officially became the worst coach in Razorback football history. Well, I think it's official.

In his words...SMILE

**Earlier in December I got to surprise my family with a little impromptu trip to Arkansas since I wasn't working. I hung out with all my grandparents, some of my cousins, and of course the immediate fam. I even saw my great-great-grandfather's moonshine still, which makes me itching for my own piece of history.

**Simultaneously, Cash went on two hunts in the same week: springbok and aoudad. We've eaten both, and we have loved them!

Cash and his springbok

**Arkansas hired former Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema who better be flippin' good and help us win some games in the SEC, or I'm signing him up for a motorcyle of his own. Good news is he already has a young, hott blonde wife. No need to hire one from the volleyball team.

I'm a Bielemer. haha

**And of course, last but not least, I just accepted a job with a local bank. I could not be more elated. After interviews and phone calls and applications and considering all things "banky", I wanted this bank more than you can imagine. After my second interview, the bank president took me into his office for about 10-15 minutes and talked with me. I had already been through questioning and analyzing and knew I wanted to be there. But as professional and kind as he was, it made my half of the decision even more solid. The next week they called and offered me the job, and I literally just hit print on the final paperwork.

**January 2 I'll be glasses-free and a banker, which makes Cash and I possibly the most hated couple in America: banking and oil. As one man told us last night we should expect a lump of coal for Christmas. Cash pointed out that as a geologist and oilman, coal might actually be a great present for him! Win-win!!

I hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS, and wonderful New Year, and a blessed 2012. From our little house to yours...

Yeah, I spelled "Christmas" wrong on the first try. hahahaha

WPS!!!!

~Avery Jane~