Show Us Where You Live Friday – Master

I missed Kelly’s Home Tour last Friday since we were out of town. We’ll be out of town a lot from here going forward so I believe this will be our home tour finale for the Show Us Where You Live Friday. The summer is so busy! Kelly, I’ve had so much fun getting ideas from everyone’s homes 🙂  

Before I get to the home tour, I have make a post about Avery’s hugs and kisses so when I’m older, I can read back and remember these moments.   Avery is really into giving hugs and kisses.  Last night we were upstairs playing and I was holding Avery while talking to Scott and she wrapped her arms around my neck, started patting my back with her hands, and was saying Ahhhhh, Ahhhh while smiling.   I am so in love with her!   A little later, she was playing with her toys and I was still standing and talking to Scott and she came over, wrapped her arms around my legs in a big bear hug and rested her head against me.  If heaven were a feeling, that would be it.   Pure bliss!  I just love those open mouth kisses and big hugs. 

Okay, so now on to the home tour.   I need your opinions!  Let me know which house style you like best:  A or B    Please post your comments! Scott and I are trying to decide and I’m having a really hard time between the two.   Weigh in on which you like best.  I know there are plenty of gorgeous house styles out there but these are the two we’ve narrowed it down to.  They are both Greek Revival but slightly different. I like the clean classic look of both of them.

House A: 

House B:

Here is our Master Bedroom/Bathroom.   The rooms are both darker because I forgot to turn the lights on.  I just ran into quickly snap the pics and am too lazy to go back and redo them.   The bathroom is my favorite part of the house.  Our bedroom is unfinished.  Once we decided we were moving, I really quit decorating.  I actually don’t mind the minimalism.  It’s kind of peaceful 🙂

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Frio River Fun

The Frio River deserves its own post. Avie and I drove to Shiner Tuesday night so that we could cut the total drive in half between two days. Scott flew in to Houston later Tuesday night from a business trip and we waited for him to meet us on Wednesday and headed to Concan, Texas. It’s a tradition that we have done every year since I was little and I just love that I get to share it with Avery. The Frio River used to be a hidden gem and now, it’s crazy how many people go. We stay in cabins with several other family friends so there are a total of almost 30 people which always makes for a fun time. The water was somewhat low this year but that didn’t stop us from tubing. We had lots of entertainment from Frio karaoke to Frio dancing. I can’t wait until next year and I know Avery and Scott can’t either.

Acting cool with Uncle Matt’s sunglasses:

Two Men and a Baby:

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June Bug

Oh dear, I’m so behind on updating. June has been exceptionally busy. We have been going, going, going non-stop. Last week we went to the Frio River for the week. This week, Dee, Avery’s nanny has been sick all week so luckily I was able to get Dawn to watch Avery Monday and Tuesday. She’s been going to a little daycare down the road for the last two days and loving it. I hope Dee gets better soon! There is so much to catch up on really so I’m going to write along with the pictures.

Two weeks ago were were in Shiner and we let Avery play outside in her pool. If I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: she LOVES water! What a cutie Patootie! Bear with me, I love all these pictures.



The aunties lifeguarding:


I love that lil scrunchy nose:

This is the pool and balls that Nana and Papa gave Avery for her birthday:

The water was very cold (well water) so she wanted to stand up:




Nana and Papa watching Avery swim:

When we got back from Shiner, I took that Monday off and Dawn came up to Houston to spend the day with me. We went “riding” as we like to call it and drove all over (town deleted for safety) scoping it out to see if it really is what everyone says it is. We spent all day looking at houses. I have to say that I was very impressed!

The following weekend, the weekend right before the Frio, Scott and I with Avery in tow, drove back out to the (town deleted) to look at properties. I think we decided to scratch Brenham for now and move to the (town deleted). Brenham would be a HUGE transition from the city, possibly too much of a culture shock from what we’ve grown accustomed to so we are now honing in on a new possibility of living in the (town deleted). I feel very comfortable with the decision and we are super excited! Avery had a long day of sitting in the car for many hours as we drove from lot to lot within (neighborhood deleted) and was quite content.

These are pictures of the backside of a lot I really liked on the Fazio golf course. We had to walk through a lot of brush to get to the backside because the lots themselves are fully wooded with pine trees so I was itching up a storm. I personally loved this particular lot. The views are gorgeous!



As Avery would say “Whusat?” She says this all the time and points to things. She said that here as she was looking to pick up leaves.

How cool is this shot…totally unplanned:

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Show Us Where You Live Friday: Offices

Is it already Friday again?

This week on Kelly’s home tour features offices. Scott and I both work from home so we have two home offices. I showed Scott’s in a previous home tour.  His office is really bright and can be viewed among the pictures here.  My office is featured below.   This is where I work from 9-5  and I’m pretty disciplined.  I always have so much to get done anyway in a given day that once I enter my office, time passes me by and the next thing you know, it is 5 o’clock.   I try to keep my office hours within a typical work day but it’s sometimes hard not to work afterhours, especially when you are self-employed.  Often after Avery is sleeping, I take my computer to the family room and continue to work.   Most of the time, my work doesn’t actually feel like work because I love what I do, but sometimes I find myself working too much and do get burned out.    I always try to find a nice balance between my businesses, family time, and personal time because when you are self-employed, it is very easy to let the business side of things overrun everything else.  Since Scott and I both have our own companies, we constantly work to maintain a balance between the family and work.

This statue was carved out of one piece of wood. We got it in Belize:

This painting is very symbolic of many things in my life. I purchased it in Maui and it’s a Christian Lassen painting. It was a purchase for myself to commemmorate my first successful year in e-commerce business. It was also during my first trip with Scott in our most favorite place in the world. That painting represents the beginning of our relationship, the beginning of my business, and what we enjoy the most in life, being together near the water. We are water babies 🙂 I love looking at it everyday. The lighting that reflects off the painting changes the whole look of the painting depending on bright light or low light. It’s very cool.

My Bachelor and Master’s Degree from University of Texas:

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Funny, Funny Girl!

Oh, how I love you so dearly, my little Avie. You are such a hoot! Just looking at these pictures makes me smile from my head to my toes.

Don’t worry…the can is NOT open; the cold felt good on her gums:

Always on the move:

Little Friends at the Park:

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Port A Getaway

Last weekend for Memorial Day weekend, we traveled to Port Aransas, Texas to spend the holiday weekend at the beach.  We left early Friday morning and met up with Mariam, Elizabeth, and Brian at Prasek’s for lunch just outside of El Campo because they left slightly earlier than us.  Avery got to see Papa on the way because we stopped in Victoria at his work to pick up the pack and play.  Little did we know the house we were staying at already had one.    Then when we got to Rockport, as we were traveling through, we got a ticket.   Scott and I were both equally upset because we were super mindful of the speed limits the entire trip (there were so many cops along the highways) and somehow, we didn’t see the school zone flashing lights.   I think we didn’t see them because there were lots of RV’s all around us so how would you?   Anyways, that will be a whopper of a ticket.  Then we stopped in Aransas Pass for groceries and later that night Scott found out he left his wallet there.  Ha!  What a day for Scott!  Luckily, my parents were headed to the beach on Saturday and agreed to stop by and pick it up on the way to come get Avery.  My mom really wanted to keep Avery for the weekend so they loaded up with Grandma R and Hillary and drove all the way to Port A Saturday afternoon to come get her.  She absolutely loved the beach sand and all!   The whole weekend ended up being really nice.   We rented a house with Mariam, Elizabeth, Brian, Z, and Allison.   On Friday we cooked hamburgers and then on Saturday and Sunday evening went out to dinner.  Saturday night we all went to Sharkey’s for a little dancing 🙂  That was fun!  We came back through Shiner on Monday to pick up Avery and had BBQ ribs waiting for us at Nana and Papa’s house (my Mom and Dad).    How nice is that?  Dad made some yummy ribs and Mom had her famous potato salad.

Avery at the Beach:

E and Brian lounging:


Mariam and Avie:

After Nana and Papa came to pick up Avery and bring her to the country:

Papa has Avery’s shoe on:

Already accessorizing:


Going shopping with that purse:

Little Farm Girl:

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