Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples, for I am sick with love.- Song of Solomon 2:5

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For these last two weeks (plus an extra few days thanks to the weather) I have been having a fantastic time thanks to my wonderful boyfriend.  Although I am a little sleep deprived, and am tired from all of the travel, this smile just isn't disappearing from my face. Our first trip was to Washington to visit Ben's brother and sister in law, Shawn and April. 

After slipping through the streets of Seattle we warmed up with a hot tea tasting.  The coffee and teas in Seattle were so yummy! We also went skiing.  Really I went falling down the mountain.  But it was fun!

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Towards the end of the trip April treated us to a mini-session.  You can see her work here.  She is such a gifted photographer and a wonderful person.  Here are some of the pictures she took of us:

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Ben introduced me to stoagies during his trip home.  It was love at first sight.  When we went to visit my grandparents, my great grandmother just had to try them.  Of course I couldn't help but snap a picture.  She is so silly!

I hope everyone is staying safe and warm!
<3 Mariah Lynn

Achievements of 2011

Goals number 3,4, and 5 are currently being achieved.




New Year's Goal #3- Enjoy watching my baby brother working on his man skills-

Justin is becoming a pro mechanic.  He is now often reminded that he is only 3 years away from that Gran Terino he wants to drive, so he needs to learn how to work on vehicles.  This picture was taken after a freak accident with the truck.  Did I mention he fixed it while I got a manicure? What a cool brother I have!! We have also been playing on four wheelers, to my amazement he was pretty fantastic with the clutch.  I am so thankful the redneck hadn't escaped him yet.  EEK my brother is just a few weeks away from becoming a teenager.  Good thing he is so freaking cool.













New Year's Goal #4- Have people over and make memories in my new Condo-

"I was wondering who the hell L and R were"

I will enlighten you on the funniest memory made this week:

at the time it only seemed appropriate to give my guest shot glasses to store his contact lenses in.  This is of course after I made a saline solution because their saline solution was forgotten.  Now this is where the lesson part comes in: make sure all other guests in the condo are aware the shot glasses are filled with saline solution, not vodka.  I feel like this is going to be laughed about for a while.  I love college!








New Year's Goal #5- To cook more-

So, it may not have been me cooking, but I have not eaten fast food (except for chick-fil-a yesterday with LoRee).  SO for a nineteen year old  I have to say this goal is at least on it's way towards being achieved.  Even if that means that I microwave tortillas with cheese on it so that I don't have to go pick up fast food.  Tonight I had ribs, sausage, beets, salad, and beans.  IT WAS SO DELICIOUS!





I hope 2011 is turning out to be a great year for everyone else!  Send me your favorite recipes so I can have yummy things to eat and entertain with.
<3 Mariah Lynn

Goals of 2011

Because I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, I will instead come up with goals.  And then I won't fail I will only continue to work towards that goal, so here we go:
1.  Travel around Austin, and eventually stop having panic attacks every time I am in traffic.  Oh I may also work on not getting my truck towed anymore.. it's just a thought though

 2. Wear my creations more.  Hopefully the weather will become colder so I can accomplish this goal.   Also I am hoping to begin working on new skills such as knitting and sewing.  I have so much pretend free time in my alternate reality!

3. Enjoy watching my baby brother working on his man skills.  He is almost 13! Isn't that amazing?  And he is also a master at the grill, as discovered yesterday, when he grilled some AMAZING chicken for the family to eat at my place.

4.  Have people over and make many memories in my new condo.  It is starting to feel like home now that pictures are up and my boxes are unpacked.  AND now I even have cable and Internet.  This is a picture of Tori putting together my grill in my living room.  That will be something we will always remember, and tease Justin about =P.

5. To cook more! Especially now that I have a grill. Hopefully this will go along with having people over all of the time.  Now that some of the family lives 30 minutes away I should be seeing them all the time. 

5. As my pops would say "To be like the bumble bee and not like the fly."
There is an experiment where you put flies and bees in an open tube, with the closed end facing light.  The flies die in the tube because they only try one thing to accomplish their goal of traveling towards the light.  The bees escape and survive, even though they have the same goal, they just try many different things until they succeed.  So my most important goal is to not be stopped, I will continue on different paths until I accomplish my goals!



Hope everyone has had fantastic holidays and is surrounded by people they love!  I am looking forward to all that 2011 has to offer. 
<3 Mariah Lynn

Productive Moving

I am so blessed to have had such an amazing family! Thankfully some people have come back that have been gone for entirely way to long.  It was a very sweet experience to say the least. J is on top of the world!!

AND... I am pretty much moved in to my new place.  Who knew that the lack of cable and internet would make me SO productive!!! Two hats and two head bands down and still going strong. It is amazing the things you can accomplish when putting off unpacking boxes.

Black Headband with Bow $15

Steelers Ear-flap Hat $40

Aggie Ear-flap Hat $40

I hope everyone had holidays that were as fantastic as mine!!
<3 Mariah Lynn

It is almost Christmas...

It has been a very productive couple of days.  Packing my entire apartment up, several starbucks dates with Jackie, three completed hats, and did I mention visits from the Hoskins and Barkers?  Now that is kicking it into 3rd gear!

Jackie carrying boxes

Hunter helping pack

The Reason I drive an Expedition

 I am so thankful for everyone's help.  We got everything into my new apartment, now all that is left is to unpack the boxes and settle in.  Of course is occurring after all of the Christmas cheer that will be happening today and tomorrow.  We got everything in last night, luckily beating the rain that came in today. 

The Hoskins after moving

 Even the little one's were pitching in with the move.  So we had time to snap some pictures last night after we moved everything in. I certainly am feeling all of the love.  I was awoken this morning by a visit from the sweet Barker baby.. and will continue with "Christmas cheer"  for the rest of the day. 

Playing with the Barker Baby

Now time to FINALLY relax!  I hope every one has a Merry Christmas and gets to spend it with tons of friends and family!

<3 Mariah Lynn

Merry Christmas Y'all

Oh the Places I will Go

Today it is official. I got my sweet condo!! I am so extremely excited.  And now that I have the key it is time to send the paint crew over.  How fun! So now I must start planning and decorating.  My furniture is currently a coffee table and a bed, so I guess I should start investing in pieces so that other people can come visit and be comfortable.  Be prepared for some house warming!!

Yesterday we had the first annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party.  It is a tradition I am so excited to have started.  I made two giant gingerbread men FROM SCRATCH.  I even had to grind the ginger since I couldn't find it pre-ground ANYWHERE!  Since this was so much fun I must say it was well worth it. SO people start preparing to wear ridiculous sweaters for next years party.  You will have to bring your A game, since Leah's sweater lit up, and could also do various light shows.  Plus it had every Christmas pin imaginable on the thing. 


It's almost Christmas time!! I hope you guys have a fantastic Christmas and get to spend it with family and friends.  And if you are not spending it with family and friends I hope you at least get really awesome gifts =). Since I will be sending some of yall's gifts a little late, I apologize in advance and I hope that you enjoy them!!

<3 Mariah Lynn

The Survival Guide: To Condo Hunting!

As most of you guys already know I am on my way to moving to Austin.  Today began the hunt for my perfect condo, and so far I am claiming the hunt as MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! I will share a couple of photos, but I don't want to give everything away as I am fully expecting some house warming!  This is what Dr. Grant would call the "slow tease"

 

The view from the kitchen

So the exciting perks of which I am thoroughly enjoying include the sweet fire place.  I am totally wiggling my eyebrows right now because while this is Texas and I doubt this will ever be used, Santa can now enter my home.  It is obviously something I was concerned with about my current apartment, we don't have any entrances other than the door.  I just don't feel like large men carrying red sacks are as exciting when entering through doors.  I'm not sure if every one agrees with this idea, but whatever it is my alternate reality.





So then did I mention the balcony?  I am positive that this will actually be used, and not just for the entrance of fairy tale creatures.  Now instead of Austin traffic causing panic attacks, I will get to watch from my balcony while drinking a cup of coffee and thinking "haha suckers" as the nine-to-fivers sit in their cars honking their horns.  Oh traffic, I would just like to say this revenge is so sweet. 

The view from the balcony

Speaking of mystical creatures, Suga Mama (current alias Santa) enjoyed some serious retail therapy on this wonderful day.  While getting my nails painted "romantic" with the mutti she began wearing my sweet new creation. Cute right? I am so digging earflaps right now.  I felt like we needed to take this hat out to explore before I send it oversees to my dear friend <3.  I LOVE that I can keep yall's ears warm!  Today it was as chilly as this Texan can take, which made me so excited to take this little beauty out for a test drive!



This is the picture from the start of my day.  I call this "My apartment hunting face"   Of course it just wasn't complete without my sweet new creation from last night.  And it was below 90, so I was FREEZING! =) How I love Texas.  Also for all of you guys which I know are so insanely interested as to how the bacon & peanut butter cookies turned out they were pretty fantastic. 









Um yeah, to bad my roommate is visiting her family and not allowing me to fatten her up.  As she will be back Saturday I am so making up for her lack of bake goods, and I will not feel accomplished until I have made her gain a good 15 lbs.