Ben's Birthday and Texas Trip

Happy Birthday Ben!! I wish I could be with you today but I had a Sonic Blast in celebration of your big 26th birthday! Oh to be 26 again! I love you and can't wait for you to come home.

I'm back!! I got back from Texas around 10:00 Sunday night and I was exhausted. After sitting on the runway in Dallas for two hours watching Nims Island I was ready to be home. I sat next to an Asian man and his wife. He took oh...35-40 pictures of the clouds. While we were landing in Atlanta, he took pictures of a concrete slab used as a parking lot, a Marriott, and a Flash Foods Convenience Store. This annoyed me. I don't why it annoyed me. It wasnt' my camera he was using. It wasn't space on my memory stick he was wasting. It wasn't my batteries in his camera. He wasn't even leaning over me to take the picture. But still, I was annoyed. Everytime I would hear the "click" of his camera with yet another cloud picture my lips and legs would tense up. I would look over at his camera to see the picture he just took and THEY ALL LOOKED THE SAME! And, of course, this annoyed me even more. I could not understand why his wife didn't tell him to stop being an idiot and that two cloud pictures are really two too many. Could you imagine his poor friends and family who have to sit through his vacation pictures! Clouds and convenience stores. Man, with friends like him, who needs friends?? Anyway, I had a wonderful trip home but it was so busy and I don't feel like I actually relaxed once. It was really great to be with Ben again since we had not been together in over 6 weeks. First, we went to Austin for my brother-in-law, Daniel's, wedding. It was beautiful and a lot of fun. My mother-in-law, Cheri, and I threw Amanda a lingerie shower and it was fun. Here is a picture of her best and most often used gift.

Candy "Posing Pouch" thong for men. This is for all you freaks out there...


We danced

We drank

We got really sweaty (I love the ladies face behind us!) Priceless...

and apparently some people lost their shoes in the process.

I got to hang out with some hot Grant (and Brown) men (me, Jon, Justin and Ben)

After the wedding, Ben and I went to dinner with Hayden and Jen who were freshly back from their honeymoon in Cancun. We love spending time with them and wish we had more time to do so. Apparently, a story was going around the wedding that Jen forgot her clothes when they went snorkeling (or something like that. I actually think I still have the rumor wrong). Ben and I thought this was an odd thing to do since, most likely, when you leave your hotel that day you are most likely wearing something whether it be jeans or a "posing pouch." We got the story straight at dinner and it wasn't near as funny as forgetting your clothes. She just didn't have a swimsuit for the snorkeling trip. I love rumors that are completely off base that can make it around a room in 10 minutes. I think I should start one here and see what happens. Ok....let's see. Amanda Musick is pregnant with John McCain's love child and Ben's jealous.

Ben, me, Jen (with clothes) and Hayden

We then went home to Abilene to see my family. Ben is living with my parent's this summer and my brother and sister and their families are all there. Heather and Taylor moved into their home on Monday so I spent some time entertaining their kids, Mason and Anna, and helped them unpack. Their home is beautiful and totally pimped out. Ben and I can't wait to move in to the upstairs guest suite after Ben graduates. Paul and Susan's home is really nice also. They are still renovating but it will look great when it's done. I went to watch my nephews, Mitchell and Nathan at swim lesson. My dad has a new "summer attire." He has started wearing shorts, suspenders, t-shirt, socks, velcro sneakers and a cowboy hat. When he is at home, he wears this same outfit, including the suspenders, just minus the shirt. Unfortunately...actually fortunately, I didn't get a picture of the shirtless summer attire. Your welcome.

Mom and Dad in his summer attire

Mitchell and Nathan at swim lessons


Heather and Taylor (our future roomies)

Paul and Susan. Paul spent hours sunbathing in baby oil to get that tan. Go Paul!

I then went to exercise class with my parents. They take an aerobics class that is called "The Blue Haired Class" a.k.a. "The Old Person's Class." I went to sit and watch and basically take pictures while laughing at them (Did I say that? I meant laugh WITH them) but my mom decided I needed to participate so after I signed the waiver saying I would not sue should I have a heart attack from the over 60's workout class we got down to business. I will say, it would be a good workout for someone in their 80's but I did not break a sweat. However, during cardio we were walking around the room and I thought the instructor said "Ok, now march around the room." Well, I start marching but everyone else is walking. Obviously you go slower when you march then when you walk and some old "Blue Hair" came up behind me and said "keep it moving." I thought I was going to die when she said that to me. Well, I showed them. I walked faster then everyone of them and I passed that old blue hair twice. Yeah, I counted.

Buns of Steel


I must, I must, I must increase my bust...


My mom and I decided Ben has been spending way too much time with my dad. Please note the outfit!


We ate at Chicken Express which I love. Ben got Cayenne pepper in his eye and couldn't open it. I thought it was funny. Ben, not so much.


Mason, Anna, Ben and I.


One of my mom's stray cats had kittens and we are all getting cats. Ben get's the tabby since she is the cutest and will match our already existing tabby, Fitzgerald. We're all about the coordinating cats.

Introducing: Penelope! She is adorable. Taylor and Heather are getting one white and one black kitty. Taylor said he is going to name them Ebony and Ivory. He was kidding but I think that is hilarious.

Penelope, Ebony and Ivory

After a fun week in Abilene, Ben and I went down to Leakey with Paul and Susan and their kids. We like to spend as much time their as possible and we always have a great time sitting in the river, talking to everyone. Here are some of the highlights.


Leakey parade. The floats always throw candy and beads to the audience. We were the only group throwing beads at the parade! It was a lot of fun.
Rockin Grannies. And yes, they were rockin. Ben threw some beads and hit a granny right on the head. He said he hit her on the bee-hive so she's ok. She did keep right on rockin!


Ligit fireworks

Watts-Grant fireworks (Or as Susan so effectionately called then "Fluffers") Ewwww!!!


Nathan is so patriotic. Mitchell gave him a tattoo that says "I love USA." This struck me as funny for some reason.

And now for the Top 5 Quotes of my Texas Trip:
5.. "That look's awful." -Mom referring to my dad's new summer attire as he walked to the car for lunch.

4.. "I just walked into the cabin and Nathan had a plastic bag over his head." -Ben referring to Nathan at the river.

3. Holly: "Dad, I don't think mom likes your manly physique anymore."
Dad: "I don't care, my physique is retired."

2. While were in Leakey at the river, Ben and I had this conversation:
Holly: "Hmmm, I wonder why she's wearing a neckbrace."
Ben: "She's building a case!"
Holly: "What do you mean? Is she in a lawsuit?"
Ben: "When we all get subpeoned for court and her attorney asks us "Was Sue wearing a neckbrace on the weekend of July 4th, we'll have to answer yes!"
Holly: "Sue, why are you wearing a neckbrace?"
Sue: "I have a degenerative vertebrae and had major surgery."
Ben: "Hmmm."

1. "Your boobies are driving me crazy." -Mom was sitting at the breakfast table with my dad and I and my dad was wearing his summer attire, minus the shirt. She was looking at his boobs and then just randomly said this out loud. Ben and I both think this is one of the funniest things we have ever heard!