Brotherly Love

Oreo (or P.I.T.A. as we have nicknamed him) is a FUN-FUN-FUN kitty! He absolutely loves and adores Deuce and wants to snuggle with him all of the time, whether Deuce wants to or not!

Bonfire 2009

This 100th year of Texas Aggie Bonfire was my first Bonfire in more than a decade, and my first Student Bonfire. Duane & I, along with the Dragers (Noah's very 1st Bonfire!!!) and thousands of others were on hand to hear the speakers, yell the yells, and sing the songs. Bonfire would be better back on campus, with full support and participation from the University, and I look forward to the day it returns. But, the students who worked so tirelessly to cut, build, and burn should be commended for their hard work and for doing such a great job keeping this century-old tradition alive. They built one great Bonfire!!! WHOOP!

Waiting for it to light up!

It had rained in the days prior to the burn, and so this was a common sight in the pasture-turned-parking lot!

Red pots, getting ready to light up Bonfire!

This year was a bit different; they lit 12 smaller bonfires, in memory of the 12 who died in the 1999 collapse and in honor of the Texas Aggie 12th Man!

Burn, baby, burn!

WHOOP!!!

3 Years & Counting!

A few weeks ago, Duane & I celebrated our 3rd Anniversary.  Since we had just been to Los Angeles, we kept it low key, and only went out to dinner at Eccell Steakhouse (YUM-O!!!).  It has been a WONDERFUL 3 years, and we are looking forward to many, many more!

Our wedding day...

Our First Anniversary...
And, Anniversary #3...

California Dreamin'

I went to Los Angeles for a school conference. Since it was so close to our anniversary, Duane went with me so we could have an early anniversary celebration.  The conference was great, and so was the trip!!!

We saw LOTS and LOTS of these...

We rented one of these...

And, Duane drove through lots of this...

It was really neat seeing signs for freeways and neighborhoods that we see all of the time in movies and in celebrity news.  We drove on Historic Route 66, the San Diego Freeway, the Pacific Coast Highway, just to name a few.  We saw the Staples Center, the famous Santa Monica Pier and trekked the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Good Times!!!

Santa Monica
Santa Monica Pier

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean...

A View of Santa Monica
Cirque du Soleil was there...
A view of the pier...
We did get a good giggle when we found a smoking area on the windy, outdoor pier!!!

And, the sunset only got better!

The Santa Monica Third Street Promenade, full of shops, sculptures, restaurants, and street performers.

Until the sun comes up over...

When we saw the Apple Store, it was like the mother ship, calling me home!

Manhattan Beach



The surfers were enjoying the waves...
Somewhere in the break, there is a surfer who just wiped out!

From the Aquarium at the end of the Manhattan Beach Pier...

Hooray for Hollywood!!!

Hollywood Boulevard...


Grauman's Chinese Theater & Hollywood Walk Of Fame...



Eddie Murphy might talk a big game, but he has little feet!


Tom Hanks...


The Kodak Theatre, home of the Academy Awards...
There was quite the party in front of the Kodak!!!

Ahoy, Matey!
Duane got to spend some quality time with Vincent Vega and Jules Winnifield.  
We would have been REALLY impressed if he had turned into a Camaro!!!!

It was a GREAT trip!!!!!