Celebrating 50 Years of G.P. Gilmore

October is the month of birthdays. Greg's dad, my father-in-law and the D.O.G. at our wedding (Dad of Groom) turned the big five-oh this month. So, Cindy, being the great, sneaky, fun-loving wife that she is, threw him a great big surprise party. We had it at a great winery in Grapevine called the Cross Timbers Winery. Here's the look on his face when he walked in to see 50 of his closest friends and family. Even his mother who flew in from Chicago, his sister who flew in from Colorado, his good friend from college who also lives in Colorado and many more people from across the country!

(photo from the photographer's website)

I also made a video of his life. Here are some of the photos from it:

Sweet Madeleine

Our sweet little flower girl turned 5 this week! I had a couple of cute photos on my computer so for Greg's cute little cousin, here's another little photo tribute for the week. Happy 5th Birthday Madeleine!

let it snow. let it snow. let it snow.

With all the news about how much snow Colorado is getting, there is only one place I want to be right now:


I know I posted it in my last post, but just imagine the snow falling outside. The town isn't large enough to have anywhere you need to go, so you're under the greatest blanket, next to a crackling fire, a great book in your hands, and a tea kettle is on the stove about to scream.

It's lovely. It's dream worthy. It's where my mind was all day long. It's even my latest desktop photo.

Becca - I wish we could go for New Year's....miss you and your lovely Tina Turner of a husband.

Happy Birthday Shere!

Oh goodness. I put up a post of how great my sister is without giving a little shout out to the fact that her birthday passed while I was ignoring my blog. It was on the 25th and I absolutely love my sister (well, there are times....just kidding) so here's a little photo tribute. I wish I was at home and could scan in some of the great ones when we were little and wore awesome sun glasses and swimsuits and fought over My little Ponies, but here are some from ever since I got a digital camera. (I also only chose ones where I liked how I looked too.) Love you sister!

At her college graduation...I wish I graduated in California so we could all get leis and pretend we were Hawaiin...

Some of her amazing paintings...I keep telling her I need one for my house.

At my graduation on a Baylor swing...thanks for being goofy with me...and for taking up the whole swing...

Snowshoeing in Breckenridge!

Isn't she cute all bundled in the snow storm...thanks for helping me shovel that night!

She will hate me for posting this photo, but I think she's beautiful.

Oh, brother and sister.

And, last but not least, the best snowman ever...those are hand-knit gloves that I made for her...the scarf too...oh and isn't the house super cute?

MY SISTER IS GREAT!

This post should have been written weeks ago, but again, I have waited too long to download pictures from my camera....oops.

My sister sent Greg and me the best fall package. It felt like we were in college all over again getting care packages from home. Actually, Greg is still in college and it just so happened to come around his mid-term. Perfect timing sister!

Definitely not items I would have gotten in college though...

• small loaf pans to match our set of Emile Henry baking dishes
• pumpkin bread mix, peanut sauce (I might have asked for a peanut sauce recipe a couple of posts back and Shere came to my rescue with an actual sauce that I don't have to make...oh I love Williams-Sonoma)
• pumpkin syrup that can be added to lattes, whipped cream or even vanilla ice cream
• wisps - everyone should go get a stack of these little gems because they are amazing. Just whip one out after lunch and voila, a fresh, brushed mouth...yum.
  
• oh, and she also added two more sporifes, because I might have accidentally thrown my away with my to-go box the first time I used it...oops.

the tast of cherry chapstick...and benetint

(photo from sephora)

My new obsession today - benetint by benefit cosmetics. Laura bought some this weekend and with a little cherry chapstick it has given all of us here at the office cherry lips without the red lipstick. With just a few drops, your lips and cheeks can be pink and cheery. Plus, it smells like the Barbie makeup I had when I was little.

Another update of the day - I'm going to pilates tonight! I'm so excited. My friend from Baylor just opened up her own studio here in Waco - Infinity Pilates & Yoga. If you live here, you must check it out. She has a wonderful website where you can register and pay for classes online. Good thing I'm going too. The coffee guy dropped off some of the best donuts ever today....delicious. I've had three already and I'm thinking about an afternoon snack...

scrumptious.

Everytime we post something new from Leah on her blog (for those of you who don't know, Leah, the owner of the great little Olive Branch here in Waco, now has a blog!), I begin to crave whatever it is that she made and this time is no exception.....French Chocolate Granola. It has almonds, coconut, honey and chocolate...

I am a Colorado Granola (only with the yogurt/granola thing, not so much everything else) and I'm pretty sure Greg and I go through pounds of the bulk granola each month. Check out the recipe here and get to baking. I think I just added another goal to my weekend list...

goals for the weekend...

Just so you all know, here's what I hope to be doing this weekend:

1. Disinfecting every inch of my house from the awful influenza virus

2. Getting my husband back into tip-top condition

3. Watching the Baylor game on TV (You know Greg is sick if he has already mentioned he doesn't want to go to the game)

4. Finishing my window frame to finally have something cute on this wall:

(please note that the bike is now a piece of furniture in our home...)

5. Starting the process of making this chair lovely:

(definitely a $10 find at a Spice sidewalk sale!)

6. Starting a blogging venture with Laura....get excited...I'll give you the link once it's started!!!