Meet Achilles Greer

In July of 2012, we decided to "adopt" another Boston. The family we got him from was unable to keep him when they moved to Texas. He turned 5 months old the day after we got him. He's been a great addition to our family!

Achilles

At first, we were a little concerned about how Rueger would react to the situation, but he adapted really well. Rueger was our only fur baby for about a year and half, so I wasn't sure that he was going to like sharing Momma and Daddy's attention. It took about a month until he fully adjusted. Now, they are best buds and I can't imagine what it would be like if we had to separate them.

Similar to my introduction on Rueger, I'm going to post some fun facts about Achilles.

1. He loves to chew! {This might be an understatement.} We've had a couple of destroyed things in our home, but we've learned that is ONLY okay to chew on our toys.

2. He loves to snuggle and burrow. If he's sleeping, he prefers to be touching someone or trying to burrow behind/under them.

3. He thinks he's tough and a guard dog. He barks at strangers and foreign noises outside.

4. He loves to ride in the car.

5. When he's ready for bed, it's best to leave him alone because he gets cranky.

6. He's protective of Rueger and doesn't like other dogs to play with Rueger. (This can be cute and endearing, but it's something we are working at lessening.)

7. Achilles follows Rueger's lead - he's learned sit, stay, and up by watching Rueger.

8. Adam belongs to him! He definitely thinks Adam is his human.

9. He is a jumper! He can jump high. When he gets excited, he's like a spring - he bounces repeatedly.

10. Most importantly, he seems to love being a Greer!

Until next time,

XOXO Amanda

Bluebonnets of Texas

Adam and I made a trip to Ennis, TX this weekend to picnic and look at the Bluebonnets of Texas. Oh, and of course we took Rueger with us! :)

There are a few bluebonnets here and there in the DFW area on the side of highways, but we wanted to see them in their full glory.

We started out at Bluebonnet park and had a picnic. At the park, you can get in the bluebonnets to take pictures and look around. We most definitely took pictures (anyone who knows me, knows this was a must)! After our picnic and pictures, we made our way to the other side of Ennis to drive the Bluebonnet trails.

There is a map online that says the trails can take up to 2 hours. We decided not to do the whole trail, but we still got to see a bunch of beautiful bluebonnets.

Before we went, I thought Rueger might have liked to play in the bluebonnets. He was happy to be with us, but was indifferent to the flowers. ;) He was more interested in the other people there to look. He is such a people-lover!

Here are some of our pictures from the trip!

Happy Thanksgiving

Today, I am thankful for beautiful weather on this Thanksgiving day. I'm also thankful to have a home where I can host Thanksgiving for my family and others. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Until next time,

XOXO Amanda

Family Traditions

I didn't do a post yesterday. Shameful, I know. I've been prepping for Thanksgiving the past 2 days. And it's finally here! :) I wanted to make up my post for yesterday and then I will do my post for today (Thanksgiving).

I made all of the dishes for Thanksgiving (except for the turkey, stuffing, and gravy) ahead of time. I figured it would be easier and make today more relaxing. Boy, was I right! I'm so glad I did. I didn't even have to do much today. My hubby made the turkey and stuffing. :) He's so sweet and helpful. All I have left to do is heat the sides and make some gravy. Woo hoo!

Anyway, let's get to the giving of thanks. Yesterday, I was thankful for family traditions. One of the dishes I made is my Gran's famous asparagus casserole. This is the first time I've ever made it, so I called her last night to make sure I had all the details right. She was really excited I was going to make it and that made me happy. She has been making it for Thanksgiving, and sometimes Christmas, since the 1950s. :) It's a family favorite and I'm thankful to continue the tradition.

Thanksgiving Is Near

I forgot to do my thankful post yesterday. I know, it's unacceptable. Here's the deal. I spent all day researching recipes for Thanksgiving. See, the hubby and I will not be traveling to our hometown for Thanksgiving this year. It just isn't possible with his work schedule. I think I mentioned this in a previous post. We thought it was just going to be us, but a friend from college lives in the area and his son will be here. So, they are going to join us. The more the merrier!

Needless to say, I was excited to be able to cook for more people. When it was just going to be me and the hubs, we were just going to do a simple, yet traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Now that we have some guests coming, I made a feast - okay, not quite a feast, but a slightly bigger dinner.

After researching recipes all day (yesterday), I wanted to go to the store to get all of the things I need for Thanksgiving dinner. I didn't want to wait any longer and:

1. fight crowds of people

2. not be able to get what I needed because it was all gone.

So, I made a list of every thing I needed and was going to head to the store. My sweet hubby told me he didn't want me to go until later because it was storming, and if I would wait, he would go with me. :) So I waited, and we went together. It's not the thing I am thankful for today, but I am thankful he is always thinking of me and willing to help me with chores.

I am thankful that the hubby and I will be spending Thanksgiving together ( we were apart last year). I'm also thankful for the friends who will be joining us. It will be nice to have a "traditional" Thanksgiving!

My Nanad

I was getting ready for bed and I almost forgot to do my thankful post. I did forget yesterday. :( So I'm going to do 2 tonight to catch up. This one will be for yesterday.

I am thankful for my Nanad. Although he is no longer with us, I have wonderful memories of him that I will always cherish. I was very close to both my grandparents and great grandparents growing up. All of my family lived in the same town, and we were always together. For that, I am also thankful.

Anyway, back to my Nanad. When I was younger, my Nanad worked for SPS (now Excel). He used to take me to work with him. I had my own little lunch pale and hard hat. I would color while he did his work. I loved being out there with him.

He was always willing to play with me. He helped me practice for softball -- playing catch with me, teaching me how to bat, etc. He even drilled a hole through a baseball and attached it to a rope. (He probably could have bought one, but I thought it was so neat he made it instead.) That was one of my favorite ways to practice batting. We'd also go fishing together.

In case you didn't know, I'm a Denver Broncos fan. I don't always keep up with the team, but I like watching them from time to time and I've got my Broncos memorabilia. (As I've mentioned before, I don't really enjoy watching any sport on TV no matter how much I like a team.) I grew up watching the Broncos with my Nanad and will always be a fan.

I miss him every day, but I am so thankful for all of the times we had together and the memories I will cherish for the rest of my life.

Care Packages

Today, I am thankful for care packages. I just love getting them in the mail. Yes, I still get care packages from my Mom, Nana, and Gran. It started when I went away for college and they haven't stopped yet! :) I got a package today that had things from each of them. It's so nice to know that they are thinking about me and the hubby (they send him stuff too) when we aren't around.

There were some awesome Christmas decorations that I will post pictures of once I decorate (which won't be until after Thanksgiving). I really enjoy decorating for each and every holiday, but I firmly believe in celebrating one holiday at a time. I think it's just like the seasons of our life--we should focus on the one we are currently in and be content. There was also some things for baking Christmas goodies. I LOVE to bake and cook! So treats like this are always appreciated.

There was also a catalog from my Gran. She gets the neatest catalogs in the mail and forwards them to me. The last one she sent had some really neat college gift ideas. Yes, I know I'm an old soul. I still like shopping from random catalogues (the kinds that only your grandparents and great-grandparents receive) and I say things like "neat".

Oh! And how could I forget to mention the Boston Terrier Christmas cards in honor of our Rueger! My family knows me so well. It makes my heart happy. :)

Until next time,

XOXO Amanda

Thankfulness For My Grandad

Today, I am thankful for the beauty in life and nature all around us. I often find myself appreciating the simple things in life--the magnificence of a sunset (or sunrise), the birds chirping outside my window in the morning, the changing colors of the fall leaves, etc. We live in such a fast-paced society and I try to keep myself from falling into the habit of taking these things for granted. Thanks to my Grandad (great grandfather) and my Mom, I don't think I will ever forget to appreciate life and the things around us.

My Grandad was always stopping to look at humming birds or a tree or to explore some museum or abandoned farm. This trait definitely rubbed off on my Mom and me, and the rest of our family too! He loved to examine things, to appreciate things, and to figure out how things worked (I'll blog more about this later).

One of my favorite memories is of a family trip to Ruidoso for my Grandad's birthday. One of the mornings there, my Grandad, Mom and I got up to watch the sunrise. Well, you couldn't really see the sunrise because of the mountain, but it was still beautiful. As the sun started to rise, the light filled the valley and we saw a humming bird and some deer. It was just the three of us and it was a wonderful morning that I will cherish forever.

Here is a reminder to stop and appreciate the simple and beautiful things in life!

There isn't anything more beautiful than a Southeast NM/West TX sunset!

Until next time,

XOXO Amanda

24 Things I'm Thankful For

It's the month of November, and what does that mean?! Thanksgiving is near! Anyone who is on facebook should be familiar with the annual "I am thankful for..." status updates. It seems like everybody does them around this time of year. So, I thought to myself last night, "I should do a blog post each day of the month until Thanksgiving of something I am thankful for." Now, I know it's the 9th day of the month already. Eek! (Where does the time go?) But, it's better late than never, right?!

Catching up on things I am thankful for: 1-9

1. I am thankful for My Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of the price He paid, we have redemption. --"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace..." Ephesians 1:7 --We've been given a pardon; the free gift of His forgiveness. "For this is My blood that establishes the covenant; it is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:28 --Amen!

2. I am thankful for my Mom. She has always been my #1 fan. I can't recall all the times I have needed her and could call anytime (and still do). We have so much fun when we are together and talk at least once a day. She has and continues to do so much for me--through supporting me, to sending me a card or a just because treat, to helping me become the woman I am today. She is my best friend and I love her bunches. :)

3. I am thankful for my husband, Adam. He is a wonderful, loving man of God. I appreciate all he does for us. He works hard, but he never complains. One thing I really love about my husband is his personality. He has helped me to relax and just go with the flow.

4. I am thankful for my Nana (grandmother). My Nana always thinks of me and remembers things that I like or hobbies that I'm interested in. She's constantly fueling my creativity. For this, and more, I love her.

5. I am thankful for my Gran (great grandmother). I am grateful to still have (especially at my age) a living, great-grandparent. She has been a prominent part of my life and I love her.

6. I am thankful for my cousins: Justin, Christopher, and Brayden. These three boys, all brothers, are more like my brothers than cousins. We grew up together and are always together for holidays and important events. I love each of them very much and cannot imagine my life without them.

7. I am thankful for my friends. They are always there for the random phone conversations, the spontaneous outings, and so on. Life would not be as fun without them.

8. I am thankful for my Boston Terrier, Rueger. We rescued him in May of this year. I've wanted a Boston Terrier since I was in high school. We took one in when I was in HS, and I fell in love with this adorable breed. Rueger has been a blessing in our lives and a great little companion for both me and Adam. He is a part of our family and we love him.

9. I am thankful for this blog, that I started at the suggestion of a friend. It began as a way to document our engagement and the wedding planning process. It has developed into a place for me to share what is going on with family and friends, both near and far.

All done for now! These thankful posts will require a post a day, which also means I will be stepping up my blogging. I look forward to sharing the rest of my "thankfuls" with you!

Until next time,

XOXO Amanda