Goodbye 2010, Hello 2011!

2010 was a fabulous year for our family. Everyone was healthy, we got to travel, Charlie continued to do well at work and we decided to move back to LA and are moving into a beach house! (A personal dream of mine!) So I hate to see the year come to a close. It really seems like it went by really fast.

I do love a new year, though! There is something about the new year that always makes you feel like you have got a fresh start. I always make resolutions, but hardly ever keep them. That is the great thing about a new year, though, I can be optimistic that this is the year I keep them!

So here are a few:
1. I plan not to worry so much about EVERYTHING. I worry and stress out about everything from major world events to what I am going to cook for dinner, so I plan to try and take things in stride more.

2. I plan to try an appreciate and enjoy the small things in life, but the best things in life. Play more with my kids, take walks on the beach and not just watch them build sand castles but get in there and do it too, appreciate the days we are at home as a family more, and really listen to every little thing my kids talk about and just enjoy family time more.

3. Cook more for my family. I love to eat out WAY too much. Along the same lines, get my kids to try new foods and by the end of the year be eating a least one new, healthy thing!

4. Keep in touch with friends more. As I get older, I realize the value of great friendships more and more. I want to keep in touch, get together more, and stay connected.

5. Pursue doing more of the things I love. Party planning, photography, blogging. Not sure what path I will take, but try to have the courage and discipline to try and make it happen. I have been wanting to start my own party planning business for over 5 years now, so maybe this is my year. Who knows....I will keep you posted.

I wish everyone a prosperous and healthy 2011!

Oh, and GO FROGS!!!!

Wanna Go, Gotta Go, A-Chi-O

First off....I finished my post about Where to Eat in Dublin...Because it was a work in progress, when I posted it, it post dated it back to when I started working on it, so it does not show as my last post. Go HERE to read it if you are interested.

Ok...Back to Alpha Chi Omega...

This is Rush week (excuse me...recruitment week) over at TCU. As the FW Alumnae Pres. it is my duty to get the alumnae over there to the campus to help out with parties, and meals, and such. As much as rush is hated in general for its long hours and non-stop singing and smiling, I actually do enjoy going over to the house and being a part of it all. It brings back a lot of memories of all the good times I had at TCU while living in the AXO house. It reminds me of a much simpler time in my life and part of me longs to have that back. However, I wouldn't trade a thing for the life I have now with my husband and kids. Although it might make me feel older to be surrounded by young women just starting their lives, it sort makes me feel younger like I was back in college. I enjoy meeting a lot of the collegians and hanging out with my sisters I may not see very much. It is a fun bonding experience that can be hectic and tiring, but worth it.

Collegians preparing for recruitment

Wonderful Alumnae

3 Little AXO Legacies

I know I will be coming home every night singing all those old songs.
They really do get stuck in your head.

AXO Reunion Weekend

It was 2 years in the making and now it is 2 weeks in the past. My how time flies! So Alpha Chi Omega has been on the TCU campus for 20 years now and we had a big weekend to celebrate that a couple of weeks ago! It was so much fun to see so many of my sisters. Many of whom I have not seen since I graduated! The weekend started off with a Re-creation of Bid Day at Paula's house. Every year in August on Bid Day Paula hosts a dinner at her house to welcome all the new members. So we thought that would be fun to re-create that experience since it is one that is a fond memory to us all! It was complete with the Mexican food, Flash photography, and margaritas! (Margaritas are never present on Bid Day)

AXO Alumnae in attendance

Becky, Me, and Kortney

Me, Ashley, Brandi, Kortney, Becky

Us again...add Alesha

Ryan, LeAnn, Me, Alesha, Kimberly

On Saturday during the day we had a little outing to the zoo. This was a nice way to meet some of the kiddos. They had a blast. It was a great day to be at the zoo and the new exhibit at the Ft. Worth Zoo with the snakes and such is really great!

Sarah was going crazy that she was this close to the tiger!

My girls have no fear of the snakes. I would never have walked into this place when I was their age.

Saturday night we had our big Red Carnation Ball. It was held at Colonial Country Club. The collegians were all there with their dates and we had a nice evening. The weather was perfect and everyone really enjoyed each others company.

Me, Lori, Ginny, Elaine, Carla

Becky (my college roommate), Me, Brandi (my lil sis!)
Love these girls! They were both in my wedding!

Fiesta Bowl 2010

My beloved horned frogs are playing tonight in a "Take 2" of last year's Poinsettia Bowl. There is no doubt in my mind that the Frogs have this one in the bag. It is a shame that the we (and Boise State for that matter) didn't get the opportunity to play a "Big" school and have the opportunity to prove to the country, the BCS, and ourselves that we can play with the big boys!

But, alas, here we are and we are ready to kick some Boise State butt! Give'em Hell TCU!

Oh, and thanks for allowing for the perfect opportunity to use my new cute serving tray!

Proud to be a Horned Frog!

I am always proud to be a horned frog, but I am more than ever right now! TCU is my alma mater and we smashed the Utah Utes last night! Normally this would be a big deal, but this year because we are ranked #4 and this is really our only last big hurdle, it was a REALLY big deal. I soooo wish I could have been out at the stadium cheering on the home team with all my friends, but alas, I was at home cheering from the couch! Thankfully my FB friends are about 75% TCU grads, so I had lots of pictures pouring in from the "front lines".

SO unless we screw up majorly and loose either of our next 2 games, we are on our way to a major BCS bowl. If we keep our fingers crossed and Texas, Alabama, or Florida has a major loss, then we are really in for a wild ride. I am getting my bags packed for Phoenix, New Orleans, or better yet....PASADENA. Would love to go out to my old stomping grounds in LA and cheer on my FROGS!

Give'em Hell TCU!

I am not sure who took this shot, so if it is you and you happen to be reading this, let me know and I will give you props. One of my FB friends posted it, but I am pretty sure it wasn't him that took the photo!