January 7, 2008

• I know… I know…

  I have been on an unacceptably long xanga-hiatus. And I am sorry. I have several updates for you and will try to make this entry entertaining and informative enough to keep your attention yet concise enough not to lose it. We’ll see.

  The week before Christmas I made my first of what would be THREE trips to Texas in eight days. I went to Dallas with my team from work — and entered more individual Wal-Marts in 2 days than most people enter in a lifetime. Did store-checks all the way to Dallas (approx 8 hours) and back (approx 9 hours). Long few days, but I learned a lot about my new business (Iams) and got to stay at a Gaylord Hotel where I watched Monday Night Football on a TV measuring 57 by 15 feet. Seriously.

  The weekend before Christmas Becky and I traveled to San Antonio to see #3 graduate from college.

  

  

  It was such a fun day — and Laura was honored by her class and the faculty with an award for her service and leadership outside of her studies over the past few years. Congratulations! She was playing the ever-popular role of an unemployed college graduate for a few days, but now has a job at a SA hospital for the next few months before she leaves for the Peace Corps in April. Keep up with her HERE. (Mom – I purposely excluded my account of the Alamo Blue Star vigil. Maybe next year I’ll have something better to report.)

  The next day I flew back to Arkansas to spend a few days with the Hoods for Christmas. No one let me break out Scene It? this year (they learn quickly!), but we did play plenty of Taboo, Catchphrase, and other such fun. This was also the beginning of the week of food… Sadly, no pictures. I need to work on that.

  Christmas day Jeff and I drove BACK to San Antonio for Martin family Christmas.  It was a hard day without everyone that should have been there, but we had a nice day.

  

  I wish I could say I had a picture of everyone in a funny hat… Becky and Laura are the lucky ones.

  Wednesday morning Laura insisted that we go “hiking” to “test out” her new boots — reference above photo. I agreed to go “hiking” with the guarantee that I wouldn’t so much be “hiking” rather more like ”walking”.  

  

  It was a little windy.

   

   

   

  

   

   

   

   

   

   

  And that night we went to a Spurs game courtesy of Tom and Erika — and had a good time watching “the boys” win. 

  

   

  Afterwards we got to hang out with some real live locals – a.k.a. friends of Becky and Laura.

   

   

   

  And Thursday night Mom and Dad took everyone to Fiesta Texas where Laura made her musical debut as “the bell” in Silver Bells.

   

   

   

  A few more pics from the day at Six Flags…

  

  Those last few are of an arcade that distracted us on our way from one Christmas music show to the next at Fiesta Texas. Becky and Jeff were cheating playing a basketball game, then Jeff challenged (and beat) me in Skeeball.

  

   

  All so that we could accumulate enough tickets to win this for Laura. Rafiki became part of our entourage for the remainder of the evening. He thoroughly enjoyed the mariachis.

   

   

  A good few days were had by all. Santa Claus was good to us. And we got home in time to see the basketball Hogs play ULM and the football Hogs play in the Cotton Bowl.  

  I realize this has been nothing but a play-by-play of my last few weeks– but I know all you really want is photos anyway… I’ll see what I can do to conjure up a riveting post by the end of the week. No promises.

   

  • 9:35 pm
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