Matt & Lacie

Halloween 2009

2009-11-10T17:35:00.005-06:00

This year, instead of staying home and handing out candy for the neighborhood kids, we decided to go to a Halloween party at Brooke & Dewayne's house (friends we've made through Nick & Stephanie). Our theme this year was "cheapness", so I used my cat costume from last year, and Matt dressed in a pair of my old scrubs and went as a doctor. He added a headlight and enhanced his costume to a specific type of doctor" OB/GYN. Ha! We had a great time!

N.Y.C.

2009-10-25T15:46:00.010-05:00

A few weeks ago, I had to head back up to New Jersey for a round of training with B&L. Luckily I only had to stay for a week this time, and not 2 interminable weeks like last time. Anyway, Matt and I decided that this would be a great opportunity for him to fly up to Newark at the end of my training session, and spend a long weekend in New York.

October is a perfect time of the year to visit the city. The weather was nice and cool, and the leaves were just starting to turn in the parks throughout the city.

Matt got to Newark early Friday evening, and we took the train from EWR to Penn Station. The look on Matt's face as we came up onto 7th Avenue out of Penn Station was PRICELESS. I could tell he was immediately overwhelmed by all of the lights, people, and noise that NYC has to offer. I felt the exact same way the first time I was there, too. We stayed at a cute little hotel in a quiet neighborhood in the Upper West Side. It was a few blocks from Central Park, and a few from the 96th Street Subway Station (which made for quick trips into downtown).

First thing Saturday morning we went to the Empire State Building and viewed the city from the observation deck. It was absolutely breathtaking (and WINDY!). It was really cool seeing the city from so high up, and even cooler to be in places later and remember seeing it from the ESB.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Midtown. We walked up and down 5th Avenue, seeing numerous beautiful churches amongst the high-end shops. We visited Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, the New York Public Library, and, of course, Times Square. New York is such a great place to people watch, and I think that's why Matt enjoyed it so much! Times Square is a freaking madhouse, with so much going on at ALL times. It is a tourist trap, but it's a must-see. We enjoyed some food from a street vendor and had a beer in Times Square, which was really cool.

We spent the rest of that day in Central Park, which was beautiful. It's amazing that you can get far enough into the park and completely forget you are in the biggest city in the nation. Kudos to NYC for keeping the park so clean and well kept! We walked down the Mall (which is probably the most recognizable part of the park), saw a bunch of street performers (seriously, they are everywhere), and took a rowboat around a small lake in the park. It was such a pretty day, and so much fun.

On Sunday, we took the Subway down to the financial district. It's so weird how different this part of the city is from Midtown. It's like we were in an entirely different place. Matt was really excited about seeing the NYSE. We also saw where Washington was inaugurated as the first US President...and that was REALLY cool. We visited the South Street Seaport and had a beer while looking out into the harbor and over to Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Bridge was really a sight to see. We had some very somber moments visiting Ground Zero and seeing some of the memorials for 9/11. Just being there gives a whole new dimension to what happened that day. We got some shots of the Statue of Liberty, but didn't take the ferry out there. We wanted to spend as much time as we could walking the city.

We had a great time, and can't wait to go back someday!

Pumpkin-Off 2009

2009-10-25T15:31:00.004-05:00

Matt and I did our annual pumpkin carving for Halloween this past Friday. This is a tradition we have, since we have done it every year since we've been together. We look forward to including our kids in this one day, and look forward to it every year.

This year I carved some creepy dolls into my pumpkin, and Matt used Lola as a muse for his. His turned out sooo good! I could not even believe how much it looked like Lola! Yes, we know we are THOSE people, but we don't care. It's hard to see the detailing on mine in this pictures, but you get the idea. Matt's shows up really well though.

"Little Darlings". It turned out a lot better than I had expected!

Daddy and his muse.

Pumpkin head!

Each of our pumpkins turn out really good every year, but I have to say that Matt takes the blue ribbon this year. It was just so dang good!

Dove Hunt

2009-10-25T15:22:00.004-05:00

Well, only a month and half late on this one! On Labor Day we went to exercise our right to shoot some birds. I, as you might guess, did not partake in the actual shooting of these birds, because I just can't bring myself to purposely kill an animal. Unless of course we were hunting snakes. Then I'd lead the pack.

I was Matt's "spotter", so I sat with him up in the brush and trees and helped him spot birds. We had fun just sitting around and having a few cold ones. Matt really loves to hunt, so it was fun for me to watch him have fun.

Matt and his prey.

My Best Friend's Wedding

2009-09-13T20:17:00.006-05:00

So my best friend in the whole world is MARRIED! I can hardly even believe it, even though it was over a week ago. I am very, very proud to have been such a big part of Katy & Tyler's day, and SO blessed to call her my best friend. It was so cool to be able to stand next to her as her Maid of Honor as she said her vows to Tyler before God and everyone, as she had done for me almost a year and a half ago. We have truly come full circle for one another, and it warms my heart that our friendship is stronger today than it has ever been. I guess I underestimated the magnitude of what it is to be a "Maid of Honor". I mean, I always knew she would be mine and I hers, but I suppose I didn't realize the impact it would have on me. As I was waiting with her in the Bridal Suite in the church, waiting for her Dad to come back and walk her down the aisle, I had the most powerful feeling of what it is to be a best friend to someone. That she wanted me there, needed me there, depended on me, was leaning on me. It was such a surreal feeling, and one that inspired my passion for our friendship and what she was about to embark upon.

I had stayed up until 2 a.m. the night before with her. Putting together all of the programs, tying them together with the most impossible of leather strips. But there was nowhere else I'd have rather been at that time. I woke up the next morning around 7, and sat at the computer to type up directions to the reception hall, and then cut all 350 of them into separate strips. I loaded up the car with her and Tyler's luggage for Matt to drop off at the hotel, after I shuttled her to the hair salon and back, complete with an in-between trip to go back and get her veil. And I'd do it all over again. I sweated off a good 5 pounds bustling her dress, and certainly didn't make any friends as I ordered the emcee around and gathered up the wedding party. And I won't even mention the wedding cake debacle. But she is worth every second of it to me. To know that whatever it was that I was doing, and whoever it was I was chewing out, that it was one less thing that would take away from HER day with Tyler, is priceless to me.

I hope that I did her justice up there, because she certainly has always come through for me. And like I told Tyler in my toast to them that night, if she is even half the wife to him as friend she's been to me...he's in very good hands. And then some.

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Tyler Merrill!! I love you both!

Katy's Bachelorette Party

2009-08-30T21:24:00.003-05:00

As Katy's Maid of Honor in her upcoming nuptials, I had the pleasure of throwing her Bachelorette Bash last weekend. I had a lot of fun putting together the invitations, getting decorations and making plans, shopping for lingerie (!!!), and just getting to spend time with my girl and other friends. We kept it pretty simple (and PG-13, for the most part) and had the lingerie shower at the Worthington in Ft. Worth, followed by dinner at Reata and then Billy Bob's to see Sara Evans. I'd be lying if I said we didn't end the night at Katy's favorite place...The White Elephant (Walker, Texas Ranger anyone??). It was a ton of fun watching Katy squirm and be uncomfortable opening racy lingerie and novelty items, and then watch her stumble her way through a "How well do you know Tyler" game (she didn't know many of the answers. At all.). Reata was excellent as always, and Billy Bob's was, well, Billy Bob's. Sara Evans looked great (seriously, her legs are a pair to be envious of), and the White Elephant did not disappoint either. We had a great time just being girls, and celebrating Katy's "last" night as a bachelorette!!

The Bachelorette and I after the shower, and before dinner.

Katy and some of her "presents".

The life of the Party!

The entire gang after dinner at Reata.

This picture pretty much sums up the night.

The final three, the morning after...

Sunday Funday!

2009-08-30T21:14:00.004-05:00

Today we had a great day up at Lake Ray Roberts with Matt's family. They invited us up to spend some time on the boat and eat some DELICIOUS hamburgers with them, and Jen, Justin, & the kids. The weather was absolutely perfect...a nice breeze coming off the water made it just perfect. Matt and Jen did some water-skiing while I played photographer, and Julia & Jack got some QT in the sand. Just a few shots of Matt from out on the water...

We definitely look forward to spending more time out on the lake...it's too bad that the summer is already winding down!

How 'Bout Them Cowboys!

2009-08-26T22:30:00.003-05:00

Last Friday night, we had the pleasure of attending the very first Dallas Cowboys game in the NEW stadium! It was my first Cowboy game EVER, and only Matt's 2nd or 3rd to attend. It was a pre-season game against the Tennessee Titans, but it was packed with eager fans wanting to see all the new stadium has to offer. It was truly amazing...one of a kind and top of the line. Flat screens everywhere you turn, luxurious lighting, kiosks every 20 feet, and let's not forget that 60 yard HD screen hanging above the field. Jerry Jones must be so proud. And I have to say, I am proud of it too!! I didn't get many pictures, but here is one of the field and monstrous screen...

The Cowboys looked pretty good, and they won 30-10. I have a new found respect for Tony Romo, but I may have just been swept up in the atmosphere. We'll see how he plays when it counts!

Christmas Come Early!

2009-08-12T20:42:00.004-05:00

So last year around Christmas I made up my mind that I would make our own family Christmas stockings. My grandmother on my Dad's side made stockings for all of us, and Matt's Great Great Aunt made some for his family...a tradition that is now carried on by his grandmother. I always thought they looked so great...personalized for each person of the family. It's something that can be continued on through the generations, and I intended on doing that by making some for us, and eventually making them for our future children.

Now, mind you, I don't have a crafty bone in my body, nor do I have any significant sewing experience. But that didn't stop me from doing a good bit of research and taking on the task with full force! I ordered a bunch of sequin appliques from a really cool website to decorate the stockings with because, let's face it, there's no way I could do that amount of craftiness over a reasonable amount of time.

I bought a bunch of felt from Hobby Lobby and let Jesus take the wheel on the project. I think they turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself! Check them out...

I am about to start working on one for Lola too, although it won't be near as elaborate as these. It'll be a simple paw print design. I can't wait to make some for future little Bullards!

2009-08-02T21:34:00.003-05:00

Matt & I have a lot going on during the next few months, so there will be much to blog about very soon!

Katy's wedding is just at a month away, and I'm throwing the Bachelorette Party for her on August 22nd. Matt is going on a fishing trip the weekend before with Marte & Eddie down near Houston, and he's really excited to spend some time with them (since it's been since our wedding that he's seen them!). We are both really excited for Katy's wedding festivities, not only because it will be a super fun wedding that we will BOTH enjoy, but also because it will be an end to all of the showers and prepping! :)

I can't believe it's already August...where has 2009 gone?? I mean, I'm already thinking Christmas presents! I'm doing good on my promise from last year to make Matt & I's Christmas stockings, and I've already ordered and received the appliques I want to use. Now it's just a short trip to my local Hobby Lobby to get the craft felt that stands between me and my goal!

We have gotten so much rain lately that it has pushed back our landscaping project a bit. Our landscaper already has all of the trees and shrubs tagged and bought, so now it's just a matter of the ground being dry enough to finish his current project, and then stay dry enough to come and do ours! I am SO excited about adding trees and a bed to the back...it looks so blank against the house without anything there.

Anyway, this was basically the blog about nothing, so stay tuned for more!

The Trouble With Fly Fishing

2009-07-19T21:01:00.004-05:00

Many years ago (I'm talking 25 or so), my Dad and Grandpa began their dream of building their own "River House" near the Rio Grande in Southwestern Colorado. Nestled between historic Creede (the last Colorado silver boom town) and Lake City on Highway 149 is the completed vision in their dream...two modest log cabins next to a rushing creek, and a mere 100 yards from the mighty Rio Grande. I used to go up there with my parents and brother every summer for a week at a time, but I'm sad to say that I haven't been in probably 15 years. When I started playing competitive summer ball (as did my bro), it suddenly became hard to get up there between tournaments. Then came high school, college, and the "real" world. My dad always makes it up there a few times over the summer to get in as much fly fishing as he can, so I figured it was time I got back up there and enjoyed the cool weather and beautiful scenery the place has to offer.

Matt and I decided that we would take the week off from work (and the tremendous Texas heat) and head up to the cabins to try our hand at some fly fishing. Trust us, it's a LOT harder than it looks. But, we managed to get the hang of it after a few days and wound up catching some fish (okay so Matt caught most of them). We even managed to squeeze in some ATV time up in the mountains, and spent the rest of the time enjoying having no cell or TV service. It was really, really nice to get away. Here are some pics from our trip...

Sonoma

2009-07-19T17:47:00.007-05:00

Back in May (right after our anniversary), Matt and I took a trip to Sonoma that he won from being such a great employee at Fidelity. It was so nice to have a 4 day trip on someone else's dime, let me tell ya!

We flew into San Francisco on a Thursday morning and spent most of the day there, exploring Fisherman's Wharf and all of the different piers, Chinatown, Ghirardelli Square (YUM!), and generally just walking the hilly streets of the city. SF was really a breath of fresh air for us, as it was nice and cool there right on the ocean. It was already starting to get HOT here in Texas at that time, so we didn't mind the breezy air one bit. San Fran was an interesting place, what with the rail cars and winding streets and all. We enjoyed seeing Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, among many other things the city had to offer. Of course Matt had to have a sourdough bread bowl filled with clam chowder. **Blech!**

After the day of exploring San Fran, we were off to Sonoma Wine Country for the REAL vacation. Pictures do not even do this place justice, it was truly so beautiful and serene. The amount of energy and money poured into each of these wineries to make them as lovely as there are must be astronomical. It was hard to believe that some of these places are even real!! We toured the grounds of the Benzinger Family Winery first off, so we didn't look like complete idiots at all of the wine tastings not knowing what the difference between a cabernet and a merlot were. (I still couldn't tell you.)

We must have toured 4-5 wineries a day, buying at least one bottle of our favorite from each. (Obviously we had to special ship them back home). We are saving a few of them for special occasions, such as one for next anniversary and another for when we have our first kiddo. Matt will be doing most of the drinking on that one. We even stopped at one particularly beautiful winery, Chateau St. Jean, and split a bottle of their wine and a block of cheese on their grounds overlooking the hills of grapevines.

Chili

2009-07-18T19:50:00.003-05:00

For those of you who speak to me on a daily basis, you know that I started at Bausch & Lomb almost 5 months ago. You also know that I have been through 3 rental cars since my hire date (to drive until my company car came in). The Rav4 had no working car chargers, so it was impossible to charge my computer, cell, and GPS. Next. The PT Cruiser was the stupidest car I've ever laid eyes on, and it fortunately got rear-ended and totalled after a few weeks. Next. The Mazda 6 has been the trooper rental over the last few months, but today I say goodbye to that piece of junk, and hello to my brand new "raider red" Saturn Vue, Chili! Gone are the days of non-tinted windows all around, stained cloth seats, and only having access to one key (which is not convenient when you lock your keys in the car, trust me, I know). Yes folks, it took almost 5 months to get it, but she is here. Let's see how long it takes for me to pack it full of samples and marketing material!

Dog Races

2009-07-18T19:30:00.002-05:00

This video needs little introduction, and even less explanation. I will just say that she does this ALL the time, and Matt and I get a huge kick out of it EVERY single time she does it. Priceless. Adorable. We love this pupster!

Lola and "Dog Races".

P.S. This is not in our house, obviously. God help us if we ever own a lime green recliner and/or a plaid couch.

Matt's New Toy, Part Deaux

2009-07-18T19:20:00.004-05:00

Bye, bye Old Blue. Hello Silver! (Or Nickel, as I like to call her). Matt must have the best wife ever, to let him own a brand new 2009 loaded F-150 AND a 2006 Mustang GT. And he gets to park them BOTH in the garage. I get to park in the driveway. Insert excessive heat, cold, rain, ice, etc. trials and tribulations here.

Snazzy!

Our One Year Anniversary

2009-07-18T18:53:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe, but Matt and I have been married for a year already! (Okay, so one year and 2 months, for those of you who are counting, but I've already admitted to being a blogging slacker.) To celebrate, we decided to go to one of our FAVORITE restaurants...Reata in downtown Ft. Worth. We love to sit up on the rooftop on a clear night and enjoy their fabulous food and even more fabulous view of downtown. Unfortunately, it had been raining ALL day and it was in the middle of Hurricane Rita II by the time our reservation time rolled around. Oh well, sitting inside at Reata is nothing to turn our noses up at either, so in we went!

Per usual, it did not disappoint. We enjoyed a delicious dinner, topped off by the most delectable creme brulee we've ever had. I'm salivating just thinking about it. Here are a few pictures from the night...

The happy (and pale) couple. Below, the aforementioned best dessert ever. Notice the presentation. We heart Reata!

I Suck.

2009-07-18T18:39:00.002-05:00

I have been slacking (yes, again) on my blogging duties. I seem to possess the same sense of urgency with watering my potted plants as I do about updating this blog...which is probably why none of them survive more than a month after my black thumb gets hold of them. I keep urging Matt to cave in and agree to have a child already so I might have more important things to blog about. Not working. Coming soon...Sonoma Wine Country trip, new and exciting purchases, any and everything Lola, and Colorado fly fishing trip. Stay tuned, and for Pete's sakes be patient!

The Bullard Beer Garden

2009-04-19T15:18:00.004-05:00

Ah yes, beer + patio + beautiful Texas weather = good times to be had by all. That is the equation that Matt and I came up with when we decided to do something about our bland back yard. Now, mind you, we are very fortunate to have a very nice sized backyard for living in a new suburban housing development. It's like a football field for Lola, and would even be big enough for another dog...if I could ever talk Matt into it. Don't hold your breath on that one.

Our yard backs up to the main street that enters our neighborhood, and it slopes upward from the house to the back fence. Which means that we have no house/yard backing up to ours (soooo nice), and it inhibits anyone from seeing anything in our backyard (again, super nice). With all this space and privacy, we decided to do something with it...and thus the Bullard Beer Garden was born!

We had both agreed that we would expand on the existing patio way back when we bought the house, because we love being outside in the nice weather, and there's nothing like a frosty adult beverage on a patio. I had always wanted a pergola (what we both originally thought is called a trellis, but oh were we wrong) to provide some shade and also a place to sting some lights if the mood were to strike me. We had some dimensions in mind and ideas on paper, so off to Home Depot we went...

I won't bore you with the details of how we came to decide on what we wanted and how we were going to do it, but I will tell you that our builder, Tim Beck, inspired us with many ideas of his own and by showing us work he had done with other people's yards around Argyle. So long story short, we went with a 15x26 foot concrete slab extension, complete with a 15x20 foot pergola, rock retaining wall at the back, and a built-in rock fire pit. Pretty sweet. Here you can see the progress of Tim's work...

Above it the concrete slab extension. You can see there was quite a bit of dirt work to be done because of the slope of our yard. And hence the need for a retaining wall!

The completed pergola. The rock was there for the starting of the wall and fire pit, which are not covered by the pergola.

The finished retaining wall and fire pit. Matt worked really hard to plant these Indian Hawthorns around the retaining wall. They will look great when they start to fill out and bloom. Also you can see our patio set and the outdoor fan above it. We had electrical run out to the pergola for the fan and speakers/lights.

Just another view of the patio. We have since added a few hanging baskets and potted flowers to give some color to it. We also hung up some fun outdoor patio signs that were given to us as wedding presents!

Bluebonnets

2009-04-19T15:09:00.002-05:00

So, in case you haven't noticed, I have A LOT of blogging to catch up on. I promised Matt that I would take some time this weekend to catch up on the site before I head off to another meeting for the week (Orlando, thank you very much!). This is what I like to call "Blog Vomiting", where I literally cram months worth of excitement into minuscule postings. Instead of vomiting it all out on one post, I'm going to break it up into several. No one minds readings several short e-mails, but many people dread reading one long one...same concept here. Enjoy.

First task...to remind you of our obsession with our dog. We went and looked at new trucks for Matt yesterday and found a great field of bluebonnets next to the dealership. The following ensued...

She is precious!

A New Chapter

2009-02-18T22:44:00.002-06:00

So I've been wanting to blurt out this news for quite a while now, but decided I wasn't going to until all was said and done with the participating parties. NO, we aren't preggers, the news is that I have accepted a new opportunity with Bausch and Lomb here in Dallas. I have been very blessed over my short time in the "real" world with jobs...each one leading to a bigger and better opportunity, furthering my experience and compensation with each step. Especially in times like these, I am so thankful that this was a move decided by me and not my company. While so many have been laid-off and fear future lay-offs in this industry, I just can't express how lucky I am to have this chance at a new beginning.

I have truly enjoyed most of my time at Inspire. I especially enjoy the friendships I have made, inside the company and out, and know that they will last a lifetime. I love calling on Ophthalmologists, and am super excited to stay in the same field and calling on many of my same docs. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but Matt and I ultimately decided that this is the best move for US. After all, it's hard to turn down an offer from a company that's doing well enough to EXPAND in an economy like this.

So, my last day with Inspire is just a few days away, and I will close that chapter of my life and immediately open another. I am excited for what the future holds at Bausch.

Keystone, CO

2009-01-28T21:19:00.005-06:00

First of all, let me just say HALLELUJAH for the non-smoking law going into effect in here. I can't stand the smell of smoke, and although I believe that it should be outlawed completely, I'm happy with the fact that the smokers can't infiltrate our lungs in more and more public places.

ANYWAY, on to the vacation...

Keystone was a blast. We took an early flight on Thursday morning (6:20 a.m. flights SUCK) so we could have plenty of time to ski when we got to the resort. For what seems like the first time in a long time, our travel plans to Colorado went seamlessly. And I do mean seamlessly. Left on time. Arrived on time. Checked bags were first 2 out of 3 at baggage claim. Walked right out of airport and into waiting rental car bus. No line at Thrifty, right into Jeep Commander, and no traffic all the way from Denver to Keystone. Perfection.

We were so much on time that we were too early to grab lunch in Silverthorne after renting our skis. We attempted to take a nap in the parking lot, but it didn't take. Nonetheless, we waited it out and had a great lunch and a few micro-brews before hitting the slopes.

I was really nervous about this ski trip...for several reasons. 1. This is only my second trip to the slopes, EVER and 2. It hadn't snowed in the mountains for a while and had been unseasonably warm, which meant slick skiing conditions. But I am happy to report that I was able to pick skiing back up very, very quickly, and the snow was not that bad at all. I did take one pretty bad spill the first day, which resulted in a nasty lower back/upper buttock bruise and swelling, but live and learn. Don't exceed your boundaries! Matt learned this lesson as well...never again, Wild Irishman...

It started snowing the night we got there, and didn't let up for the rest of the trip. We honestly could not have timed it any better. Almost half a foot of fresh powder on Friday morning, and again on Saturday morning...just perfect. And, believe it or not, not THAT cold. Cold by Texas standards, yes, but not by woolly mountain people standards. I read an article in a magazine while I was there...it was about skiing, naturally, and in a nutshell it said that whether you skied 104 days a year or 4 days a year, everyone has a "perfect ski day". Well, Friday was that day for me. I was going fast (for me), making smooth turns, and didn't fall once. It felt great. Like I really knew what I was doing. I was still getting passed up by the pre-teens and the blind skiers, but I never claimed to be a professional.

Matt got a lot of time to go off by himself and ski the more difficult blues, and I think he really enjoyed it. He is the most fantastic husband, always waiting for me and trying to coach me, and being patient when I get frustrated. I always feel bad because I am not near as advanced a skier as he is, but he is constantly having to wait for me. But this time he was able to ski at his leisure for several afternoons, and I was glad to give it to him. Skiing is exhausting, so I welcomed the break!

It was a fantastic trip. Aside from the phenomenal skiing and snow, we got to eat at lot of the local eateries and breweries and sample different types of beer. We always like to do this wherever we go, just to get a different taste of things. We also got to have lunch with one of Matt's very good friends, Dustin, and his wife, Krista, on Sunday on our way back into Denver. They are such a great couple, and we wish they lived closer like they used to so we could spend more time with them. We were happy to see them, and their new home in Denver is fabulous as well.

The best part is, I didn't break any bones or pull any (major) muscles! Until SKI TRIP '10....

Keystone

2009-01-20T20:33:00.004-06:00

We are just a day away from our ski trip to Keystone, and we can barely stand the wait any longer. Now this is only MY second time on the slopes, the first being TWO years ago in Breckenridge. I was able to pick it up really quickly and go down blues my very first day, so here's to hoping that I'll pick it up even quicker this time around. This will be our first r-e-a-l vacation since our honeymoon in May...and boy do we need it! Even though we've only been back to work for 2.5 weeks, it is so nice to be able to get away and have some fun in the snow. And that's another thing. SNOW. Can't wait to see it again, given that the steady 60-80 degree winter weather here isn't providing much opportunity for it. Global Warming? Maybe. But basically just a typical Texas winter. It is so nice though, as I don't envy my work friends that have to work in consistent 0-30 degree weather. I do, however, envy them in the summer when it's 110 here and 80 there. I guess we can't have it all.

I will post pictures (any maybe a video) of the trip when we get back!

"Godparents"

2009-01-14T21:50:00.003-06:00

Tonight was a very special night. Over a great steak dinner at Jennifer and Justin's, Matt and I were asked to be the legal guardians of our niece and nephew, Julia and Jack, should anything happen to their parents. God willing that NOTHING will EVER happen to either one of them, but Matt and I were absolutely honored that they think so much of us to care for their children. Although we don't have kids of our own yet, we truly love Julia and Jack as if they were our very own. It just warms our hearts so much every instance we get to be around them, and we have loved watching them grow over the years. Here's to many, many more years of all of our family watching them grow!

Slacker!

2009-01-13T20:25:00.004-06:00

So I have been slacking on my blogging duties...and very obviously so. I never imagined that maintaining a MySpace, Facebook, AND Blogger accounts would be so harrowing! :)

Nonetheless, we are still alive and well after a very, very busy holiday break. I was very fortunate enough to have almost 3 weeks off around the holidays, and boy did I LOVE every second of it. Matt didn't have quite as much time off as me, but still enough around Christmas and New Year's to make him happy.

We spent Christmas Eve with his family and Christmas Day with mine, and then had Christmas Night all to ourselves. Needless to say, we were too exhausted to even keep our eyes open, much less sip on eggnog and listen to Christmas songs. We had a great holiday, and were, as usual, spoiled rotten by our families. Matt got enough XBOX games to last a lifetime, and more stuff to cram into the garage like an air compressor and pressure washer! (Don't tell him, but I am starting to wish we had that 3 car garage like he wanted in the first place...)

I got some really great cowboy boots and remembrance rings representing mine and Matt's respective birthdays. I hope to add our childrens' birthstones, when those days come.

New Year's was reasonably uneventful, but we spent a nice, relaxing evening at home (with Stephanie!) playing Wii. Matt got up early the next morning to go deer hunting in West Texas, heading towards Lubbock when everyone in Lubbock was heading here for the Cotton Bowl.

Ah, the Cotton Bowl. The VERY LAST Cotton Bowl being played in the stadium of the same name. Next year it moves to the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington. I had never been to a Cotton Bowl, or even INSIDE the Cotton Bowl, until this year. Pretty cool to be able to go to the last one, and see highlights from all of the big names that had played there in Cotton Bowl past (Troy Aikman, Joe Montana, Eli Manning, just to name a few). And let's not forget that the Dallas Cowboys played there in the '60s before the completion of Texas Stadium. It was a record turnout for the Cotton Bowl...over 88,000 people in attendance, most of which were my fellow Red Raiders. Yes, the stadium was a pain in the a** to get into and out of, they ran out of beer before the end of the game (Red Raiders put down some BEER!), and it was in the most ghetto part of Dallas you'll ever see, but it was a great experience that I will never forget. My Red Raiders didn't win, which was disappointing, but I got to see them play live for the first time since I graduated almost 5 years ago, and I got to hang out with some of my very best friends while doing it.

So, as I said before, a good holiday. And we're going to say that I'm caught up...for now...

Amber, Stephanie and I tailgating before the Cotton Bowl.

San Antonio

2008-12-01T21:12:00.010-06:00

We had a very busy Thanksgiving break. So busy, in fact, that we need a break from the break. Wishful thinking, I know. The break started with a full-on fattening fest, as we traveled to my Mom and Dad's house for turkey day. Matt and my Dad practiced fly fishing techniques in the front yard, my Mom kicked my butt at Wii tennis (seriously, she plays every night), and we finished with a little Foosball action. Which we were all terrible at, minus my brother, the owner of said Foosball table. Then it back home to pass out from all of the tryptophan and pack for our trip to Old San Antone.

We really had forgotten how much we both enjoy San Antonio. I have fond memories of traveling there as a kid, walking the Riverwalk and running around Sea World. It had been so long since either of us had been there, so it really was nice to have a weekend away from home (a mini-vacation, if you will).

The real purpose of our trip, though, was my friend Amber's wedding. After almost 10 years of dating, she and Rod were finally tying the knot! They couldn't have picked a more perfect weekend to get married than this past one, because the weather was beautiful (it is December, isn't it?) and this weekend just happened to be the one where the flip the switch on the Christmas lights on the Riverwalk and have the parade.

We visited the Alamo upon arrival, and battled the seemingly thousands of people that were there through the barracks and what's left of the mission. I don't know if I really appreciated the story and beauty of the Alamo as a child, but I certainly do now...it was awesome to walk through such a shrine to Texas history.

The Riverwalk and downtown were PACKED that Friday night, but we were able to get a front row table on the patio at Iron Cactus for dinner and the parade. You really had to be there to appreciate it, but here are a few (blurry) pictures of the lights and a few floats. We really lucked out with this!

Amber and Rod's wedding on Saturday was, for lack of a better word, breathtaking. A small, outdoor wedding in a garden right on the Riverwalk, followed by a beautiful reception inside the Southwest Center for Art and Craft. She was such a beautiful bride. Here are a few pictures of the new Mrs. Dias and her awesome reception setup.

We Got ELFED!

2008-11-30T20:12:00.001-06:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Griswold Family Christmas Tree

2008-11-30T19:15:00.006-06:00

Okay, so we aren't the Griswold's, and we didn't trek out to the middle of the wilderness to chop down a 15-foot tree to set up in our living room as our own. A tree that would subsequently break out our windows, engulf us in sap, and eventually burn to the ground, no less. However, we DID make a harrowing trip to Michael's and purchase a very authentic, durable, and reusable fake fir. Maybe not what Clark Griswold would do, but I'm certain that Matt is no Sparky.

We made the investment to buy a faker, use it for the years that we have together with no children, and start Griswold-ing it when our future kids are big enough to enjoy it. Oh, and the best part of it all is that it's PRE-lit!! Yippee!! So, after many trips to Hobby Lobby (oh how I love thee), Michael's, Target, and World Market, I was FINALLY able to settle on what colors I was going to attempt to coordinate ornament-wise. I settled on plum and gold, although I was super-tempted to go with red and lime green. I didn't want to sell out to the fad though...always go classic, it never goes out of style.

It was definitely a learning experience, as Matt and I assembled the tree and spread the branches (it's a nasty chore, let me tell you), and we for sure need more ornaments. But, we will get it down over time. Every year we are going to collect a "special" ornament to put on the tree for each of us, that represents something about us. This year, I got Matt a "fishing Santa", myself a gold high heel shoe (I loooove shoes), and Lola a doghouse. We plan to keep this up every year, and include our kids in it when they come along.

So here it is...the Bullard Family Christmas Tree!!

Lola didn't quite know what to make of all this...

Another One Bites the Dust

2008-11-19T19:54:00.008-06:00

Over the past year, and especially the past few months, Matt and I have had so many friends get engaged. I guess we are finally at that "age" where it is just the norm...not too young and not too old to be getting hitched. I know of so many people younger than me that have been married for years, and either have a baby already, or have one on the way. It's sorta strange to me, because I could not imagine myself married at 21 or 22, and having a 4 or 5-year old by now. I hardly even knew who the heck I was at that point in my life, and certainly hadn't met the right person by then. Not that there is anything wrong with getting married young, it just wasn't right for me, or for any of my closest friends, as it turned out.

It's odd seeing people you've grown up with settle down and get married, buy a home and eventually have children. Definitely not odd in a bad way, though, in fact it's quite the opposite. It is such a good feeling seeing our friends find their "soul mates" and begin the journey of marriage, just as Matt and I did earlier this year. I had my very best friends stand next to me the day I got married, and I am so happy to stand, and have stood, by each one of them on their BIG day.

So, to the growing list of engagements that have taken place over the last year, I am ECSTATIC to add one Katy Kechnie! Katy, as most of you should know by now, is my best girl. The MOH in my own wedding, and a life-long friend at that. I love her dearly. I also owe my entire life to her, in a way. It is because of her that Matt and I met, fell in love, and eventually got married. How cool is that? But enough about me, this is about her...

Tyler ponied up, got down on one knee, and popped the question on Monday night. Matt and I both love Tyler, and know he is absolutely perfect for our KK. So Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Merrill it will be, probably sometime in 2009! We are so very excited for them, and can't wait to partake in the festivities. (Side note: Matt has already invited himself to the bachelorette party, under the guise as a "dancer".)

And I just couldn't resist sharing a snapshot of her ring...it is absolutely stunning.

CONGRATULATIONS to Katy and Tyler!!

Let There Be LIGHT!!

2008-11-17T12:52:00.006-06:00

After what seemed like forever, Matt finally returned home from his fishing trip on Saturday afternoon. It was so good to see him! So good, in fact, that I drug him to the store first thing Sunday morning to pick out Christmas lights for the house, as specified in my last posting. Boy was he excited! Ha! After much deliberation, we ultimately decided on blue (shocking, I know) and white icicles. I was originally completely AGAINST icicles...I don't know why, because I think they look nice whenever I see them on other houses. Matt really pushed for them, so I agreed. He was going to be the one putting them up anyway, not me! We got a few extension cords and shingle clips, and we were on our way!

Matt insisted on putting them up THAT day. He said he'd rather just do it and get it over with, so who was I to argue? So Lola and I sat in the front yard as Matt risked his life to climb onto our roof (which, I hear, is A LOT steeper than it looks). My job was to throw the boxes of lights up to him. I'll be the first to admit, the first couple of attempts were embarrassingly bad. I mean, I didn't even hit the roof with the 2nd attempt. I got better, though, and Matt was able to string the lights on both peaks of our house. We didn't bother connecting them with lights though...the daylight was running out, and there is no way in heck Matt will be getting back up there!

All in all, it turned out really well for everyone. Matt escaped without any major injuries, Lola spent some time in the front yard, and I, well, I got my Christmas lights that I've been wanting! I'm really happy with how they look, and we will be adding a few strands to the small trees we have in the front later on. Oh, and there's nothing like having your Christmas lights ON at only November 16th, and being the only one in the neighborhood to boot. We can only hope that we set the standard for everyone else! Here are a few pictures of the eventful afternoon, followed by one of the finished product.

Yes, we know the picture is dark and hard to see, but you get the idea. I'm not a master with the night effects on the camera just yet!

Matt's Fishing, I'm Blogging

2008-11-13T21:18:00.005-06:00

Matt has been gone for several days now, and will be for several more to come. I'm bored, and I miss him terribly. He and his Dad and some of their family friends take a fishing trip down to Louisiana every year, and that is just where he is at this moment: Houma, Louisiana. Probably asleep already (yep, it's 9:30), exhausted from an early morning and a long day out on the boat, topped off with a full stomach of fish/shrimp/oysters. He really enjoys this annual tradition he has going, and I am happy that he is getting some time away from work. And let's be real, some time to himself is probably very refreshing too. A little time for "just me" has been nice on my end, but I am very ready for him to come home. I just don't sleep as well without him here, most likely because, in his absence, Lola feels the need to crowd me off the bed now. Snuggle butt.

I'll see if I can finagle Matt into blogging about his trip when he gets home, but I wouldn't hold my breath on anything if I were you. Blogging and Matt Bullard don't really go together. It was like pulling teeth to get him to cave into the MySpace world. I will post some pictures from the trip though, as soon as I get them. I know he is anxious to get home this weekend, mainly to see his new little nephew, Jack. He also has a very important "appointment" on Monday to prepare for, which I hope to be able to talk about a little more in the coming weeks.

We have a busy couple of weeks coming up, as I'm sure many of you do because of the impending holidays. Matt has a race next weekend (see above), but we hope to start the process of "Christmas Lights '08" next Saturday. We hadn't lived in the house but for a few months when last Christmas rolled around, so we weren't able to put up any lights, or even a tree. Now that we've settled in, we decided to put up some lights and buy a tree, albeit a fake, pre-lit one (I'm all about the ease of use, watching my Mom and Dad struggle EVERY year with stringing lights on the tree has instilled this in me)! Nothing will go up next weekend I'm sure, but I at least hope to make some purchases. Of course, this will all have to work around the BIG Texas Tech game that day...they are playing OU (scary). But my Red Raiders are off this weekend, so I'll be able to keep my sanity for a bit longer.

We will be spending Thanksgiving Day with my family at my Mom and Dad's house (Wii tourney, anyone?), and then heading to San Antonio the following day for Amber and Rod's wedding. We will be staying on the Riverwalk, which is always awesome, and as an extra bonus they will be lighting the Christmas lights on the Walk that night! We'll come back on Sunday morning in enough time to make it to Matt's Grandmother's for their Thanksgiving. Maybe we should just run to and from SA in preparation for all of the food we'll be devouring? Just a thought.

That's all for now. Have a great FrIdAy!!

Baby Jack, Our Nephew, Is Here!

2008-11-12T18:20:00.004-06:00

Today my sister-in-law, Jennifer, and her husband, Justin, welcomed their second child into this world! Jack Gassett was born around 10 a.m. this morning, weighing in right at 6 pounds (I forget how long he was). He was originally set to be here sometime next week, but in true male fashion, he just had to have it his way and make his grand appearance a little early. I had the opportunity to go see Mom and baby this afternoon, and they are both doing fantastic! Jennifer looked exceptional for having a baby just 6 hours before I got there! Jack was napping when I came in, all swaddled up in a blanket, nice and warm. He looked so tiny...I guess it has been a long time since I have seen a newborn! He makes his big sister look like a giant now! She was on her way up to the hospital with her Dad when I left, anxious to meet her new baby brother. He is such a blessing to Jennifer, Justin, and Julia, and to our entire family. I can't wait to watch him grow. He sure does have a full head of dark, dark hair! Here are a few pictures I snapped while I was there, although I didn't want to take too many on his first day!!

Is it REALLY November?!?!

2008-11-09T19:34:00.016-06:00

I can hardly believe it, but Matt and I have been married for over 6 months now! Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday we were dancing the night away on a beautiful May evening, enjoying our first few hours of being husband and wife. People always told me to enjoy my wedding, to take everything in and to not sweat the small stuff, because it would all be over in what would feel like a second. And then, they said, I would look back on that day and it would all be a blur. You know what? They were right! I took everything in that day and night, I didn't sweat the small stuff (I never really stressed about anything wedding related, except for the weather, and many of you know how maniacal I was about that), and we had a great, great time. But it does feel like I blinked and it was over. Then I blinked again, and our honeymoon to Hawaii was over. And now, after a few more blinks, we are closing the door on our first 6 months of marriage. It is just so amazing to me how fast time flies! Now I know why a parent says "They grow up so fast!". If they grow anything like the last 6 months, then they grow up way too fast!

We have truly enjoyed every second of every single day since we have been married. Truth be told, we enjoyed that even before we got married, but especially so since May 3rd. I just hope that the next 6 months doesn't go by as fast! We are so blessed to have each other, although I might be a tad luckier than Matt. :) Life in Roanoke is, with no obvious attempt to be cheesy, blissful.

Our home is perfect for us, and we are almost done furnishing and decorating it. Boy is that a never-ending project! By the time I finish the living areas, it will be time to decorate all 3 of the spare bedrooms for our children...which won't make their appearance for several years, if that tells you anything about my pace in decorating.

Our goal right now is to enjoy each other fully and completely, to be able to take several trips a year (we are already planning a ski trip for late January, and a beach trip for the summer next year), and for each of us to work as hard as we can for as much money as we can (but really, who doesn't do that?) so we are able to do and have everything we need for the future. We love being Mr. and Mrs. Bullard, and couldn't have asked for anything more out of the past 6 months...except for maybe more time. ;)

Driving Miss Lola

2008-11-07T19:59:00.005-06:00

We are obsessed with our dog. We take her every place that we possibly can, feed her from the table, buy her Christmas and birthday presents, the WORKS. She sleeps right between us in our bed, even when she has three, count them, THREE different dog beds/houses to choose from. I suppose I should preface that with the fact that two of them are full of various dog toys and chewies. Matt and I even have a special voice we use when we are talking as Lola, because, well, we are obsessed. Just like I said.

I thought I would do a little bragging and share Lola's most recent feat: driving. With the help of her daddy, of course.

"Beep! Beep!"
"MY car!"

She will probably have her own car one of these days. Our talented furry little girl. Yes, we are pathetic about it, but we don't care!

Zoo-tastic!

2008-11-02T15:59:00.007-06:00

Yesterday, Matt and I had a date to take our little niece to the Fort Worth Zoo. I'm not entirely convinced that Julia was the most excited out of the three of us to go, but she sure was pumped about seeing her favorite animal up close and personal-the monkey!

It was a beautiful day to visit the zoo, and I can't believe how warm it is for November! That's Texas weather for you though...it will probably snow next weekend. Here are a few pictures of our trip yesterday...

Julia pointing in excitement!

This is what she was pointing at. The biggest ape ever.

Checking out the birds.

A carousel ride with her Uncle Matt. She got really excited every time it came back around to me. :)

We really had a blast, and the three of us were worn out by the end of our trip. We really enjoyed getting to spend the day with her...she is such a sweet kid. And it was nice to give Jenn and Justin some time to do their own thing before Baby Jack gets here in the next few weeks!

On a completely different note, my Alma Mater, Texas Tech, pulled off an unbelievable victory against top-ranked Texas last night. Matt and I watched the game at Chimy's (a Texas Tech hangout in Fort Worth that also happens to be my old haunt in Lubbock) with a group of friends. It was an AMAZING game. Best I've seen since the National Championship a few years ago that pitted UT against USC. No rooting for UT this time, though. Tech has never gotten the respect it deserves, so I think this win will finally shine some of that national spotlight on them.

And maybe even a shot at a National Title? I wouldn't count them out of anything, ever.

RAIDER POWER!!

Monkey Business

2008-11-01T16:59:00.007-05:00

I just wanted to share a few pictures of one special little Trick-or-Treater we had visit us last night! Truly the cutest little monkey I've ever seen!

This is Julia, Matt and I's sweet little niece. She dressed up as a monkey this year, her favorite.

She got to monkey around with her Uncle Matt. Pun intended.

Matt didn't plan on it, but he wound up being a horse for Halloween. Have you ever seen a monkey ride a horse? I've seen one ride a dog, in a rodeo. Fun times.

Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza

2008-10-31T14:13:00.007-05:00

Ever since Matt and I have been together, we have a Halloween tradition of carving a few pumpkins to display for all of the Trick-or-Treaters. We missed out on it last year because we were moving into our house, but decided to pick it back up this year and continue to do it in the years to come.

We typically pick some of the tougher patterns to carve, because it's a little more of a challenge and, frankly, they look really cool if you do them right. A few years back I did a cat on a fence and Matt did a Frankenstein head, and they turned out REALLY well. Matt complained the whole time about how his was looking "like crap" (he gets frustrated easily). This year was no different, as he attempted to do a crow, he whined most of the time about how he was about to give up because it was all messed up. What Matt won't tell you, though, is that he is extremely meticulous and careful with everything, and anything he ever does comes out well. Especially anything he does with his hands.

Check out his rendition of a crow, and my masterpiece of Dracula...

Lola also had a nice little pre-Halloween fun last weekend, as she got to see her Mom dressed up as a cat and her Dad dressed up as "Fat Elvis". She had issues with the cosumes at first, but wound up making the best of it. Did I mention she hates cats??

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The Results are IN!

2008-10-28T18:05:00.004-05:00

A bit of good news came down from the good Dr. Phillips on Friday, regarding the recent "thyroid turmoil" I've been experiencing. I haven't talked about it much, and maybe haven't even mentioned it to many of you, probably because I've been busy traveling the continental United States for work. So first off, for those of you who don't know the story or are wondering what the heck I am talking about, here's the skinny on what's been going on in my throat...

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism at the ripe old age of 18, and have been daily medication ever since. It sounds scarier than it really is, though, because in simplicity it is just an under active thyroid (a gland that lays over your throat that is involved in regulating your metabolism) that is easily regulated by taking a pill every day. So from 18 years of age until now, no other indications of a problem had surfaced.

Early last month, my doctor noticed that my thyroid was significantly enlarged...in fact, she said she hadn't seen one that enlarged in "a long time". Awesome. You might be asking yourself why I hadn't noticed this myself and had it checked out before this episode. Well, the truth is that I HAD noticed it, but I really just thought nothing of it. Since it was such a gradual change, I couldn't really remember a time that it hadn't been enlarged.

So, I had my lab work done, and that came back all out of whack. The next step was to do an ultrasound. The radiologist felt there was a "suspicious" area on the right side of my thyroid, and wanted to explore that further. Suspicious. Eek. An ultrasound only shows structure, not function, and function was really what was important, so I was sent to do what is called a Nuclear Medicine Scan.

The NMS consisted of taking a sodium iodine pill (with a small amount of radiation, yeah!), and measuring it's absorption by my thyroid over the course of 6 and 24 hours. What the radiologist would be looking for, I was told, is "hot" or "cold" spots in my thyroid...spots that were absorbing more or less radiation than the rest of the structure. These would be indicators for cancer, so I DEFINITELY didn't want any of those. Eek times two.

SO, after 5 long weeks of being off of my medication (a necessary action for accurate results) and many worrisome days, I completed my NMS and got my results the very next days. Dr. Phillips called to say that my thyroid function looks PERFECT (a word not too often associated with me) and to continue on with my new strength medication.

I am truly blessed to have come through this unscathed, and to have such a supportive network of family and friends. Matt still wonders what in the world is wrong with me... ;)

Matt's New Pet

2008-10-26T10:16:00.010-05:00

He may not admit it right off the bat, but Matt's favorite thing in the world is Lola, no doubt. She will blow right past me when I let her in the house, and will relentlessly search for him. He usually hides somewhere in the house to make it a little more difficult for her. It's their special little game. Sweet, isn't it?

So you can imagine Lola's feelings when he brought Linda home. He pets Linda and gives her baths, not to mention all of the special toys he buys for her. He takes her out and about to roam the countryside, and shows her off to all of his friends. Lola was jealous at first, but has learned to share her father's attention with his new "pet".

Meet Linda...

Lola's Halloween House of Horrors

2008-10-25T15:54:00.007-05:00

Our poor dog. I have no idea what compelled me to dress this little dog up in costumes, but I did. And the outcome was HILARIOUS.

First, the "Angry Bee"...

After the fiasco that was the bee outfit (someone please tell me how a 12 pound Shih Tzu is too big for a size small?!?!), it was on to option #2.

Devil Dog...

OH THE HORROR.

WELCOME!

2008-10-24T21:53:00.005-05:00

Welcome to the OFFICIAL blog of Matt and Lacie Bullard.

I suppose I came to the realization that, despite it's universal domination, MySpace isn't for everyone (albeit "a place for friends"), and I wanted a way to keep our family and non-MySpace friends updated on our lives. This is my first attempt at "blogging", so forgive me for the elementary look of the page until I find my groove with it.

Matt and I have so much going on in our lives, as I'm sure you've guessed, based solely on the fact that I am posting this on a Friday night. At home. In my pajamas. Watching Seinfeld.

Stay tuned...