Jan 30, 2009

holy cow, he answered!!

Yep. It's true. We were on the Dave Ramsey show today. And it was AWESOME. You can listen to us scream HERE!

We didn't get a whole lot of time, so again, thank you to our family and friends who helped us out with this. We didn't get time to mention you, but we wouldn't have been able to do it without your help!


Yay! That's us! :)

Jan 28, 2009

dave, you better answer my call

Thus far, the new year has brought numerous reasons for us to celebrate down here in Corpus Christi. We hope it has found the same for you.

In the social scope: Nate and I went to what was the most fun dinner party I think I've ever been to. Seven courses of conversation, food, and every wine under the sun. The food was fabulous, but honestly the company was even better. I really think it's something we should put into regular practice. We also celebrated Karina's birthday this week. Happy birthday Karina!! I think I truly became a Texan at her unofficial party...line dancing, country music lyric learning, and something called "the cotton eye Joe" maybe? All I know for sure is that it was a heck of a lot of fun, and we're pretty lucky to have met such wonderful friends down here. Now, if I only had a picture of me line dancing in my dress pants and black turtleneck...

On to the business news: The latest issue of The One is out. And it's pretty lovely if I do say so myself. Even though my pictures of it are taken with my phone, and are not by any means classy, ha. We had a sneak preview of it at the bridal fair, but it technically hits stands tomorrow. Also, McLeod Creative has won 9 Addys this year! I'm pretty excited about it. These are my first professional awards. We're not entirely sure what projects have won what awards, but the dinner is in the middle of February so I'll post the results after that. :)

And the BIG news of the month: No, we're not having a baby if that was the first thing that came to your mind, ha. But we are officially DEBT FREEEEEEEEEEEEEE! As of noon yesterday we made our final payment and kicked student loans out of our lives forever! Wooooo! Yay!!!! Pretty exciting stuff for us. Don't worry, I documented it (I know you were worried). Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to our family and friends who have helped us do it, and put up with us during our days of "rice and beans." Although, it doesn't stop here. So I guess you get to continue being annoyed by it. :) Next step, our fully funded emergency fund. Then I'd like to become a Dave Ramsey certified counselor. Don't worry Grandma, we aren't REALLY only eating beans and rice.

Dave Ramsey, I'm calling you tomorrow. Get ready.

This is what Nate looks like Debt free! Yay!

So excited. But seriously, we're excited.

Our first debt free picture together!

Nate and Justin (who helped us get out of debt by totally helping us out in a freelance programming bind) enjoying some celebration martinis. Mmmm, strawberry.

Some pictures Karina took...not actually birthday shots, but celebratory non-the-less!

Terrell and Chase.

Pretty lady. She always makes me look so freaking pale. 

The new issue of The One...sorry for the crappy picture.


One of my favorite spreads. :)

Jan 23, 2009

make sure to take some dramamine

Well I did it. I finally found what all of Corpus Christi SHOULD be. It should be people, sitting on balconies, watching sailboats float by as the sun goes down. Oh, while enjoying some sort of beach appropriate beverage of course. 

Wednesday nights are the sailboat races here in the bay. Usually I just head home after work, but Nate had to work late so I decided to head over and meet up with Karina and Chase for some chit chat. I'm not sure where they race to, but it was pretty to watch in any case. 

There really need to be more restaurants right on the water like this... 


Karina and Chase. :)

I'd be sea sick right about here.

And definitely by here...but if I was going to have a sail boat I'm pretty sure I'd want a giant pink sail like this. They're totally dominating. 


Jan 20, 2009

the white house's new occupants

I think we're all pretty aware of what today is...

AWESOME.

Ok, so even if you don't feel like it's that awesome (which, it in fact is), you still have to admit that an event that brings together "the largest gathering of people in the history of the world" is pretty impressive.


Hugest crowd ever. Lilterally. CNN had this pretty nifty streaming program that was linked to Facebook. Nothing like watching the inauguration with a friend from 5th grade, a college professor, and a couple of old co-workers. I love technology.


Billary. :)

Well...he's on his way back to Texas. 

Most of the new first family. :) 

Keep praying. He's going to need all the help he can get with the mess he's got to clean up.

The new VP.

Yay! Pretty exciting.

...the new president.

Jan 15, 2009

pretty sure God doesn't want us to be 20 hrs apart

So he's freezing you out. Therefore, if any of you friends and family want to re-evaluate your "northerner" status feel free to take a look out your window, at all of that snow, and remember...it doesn't have to be like that. Haha. There are places in the world that are warm year round. And green. And sunny. And not depressing.

Oh, and we can go outside for more than 6 seconds.

But seriously. Consider this an invitation.

Hope you all stay safe and warm. Negative 40 degree windchill is just ridiculous. Be careful. And definitely don't go outside.

Jan 2, 2009

go get a cup of hot cocoa. this could take a while.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

We've been on the road for the past couple of weeks visiting family, celebrating seven Christmases, sleeping in, and eating waaaaaaay too much. But we're back in Texas now and no longer have to deal with any of this...


Ah, snow...we were definitely welcomed by father winter. A frigid -30 degrees to be exact. So, that's 100 degrees different than when we left Corpus. The dogs were less than pleased.

Fortunately we got to see all of our family (and we miss you all!). And since I have a billion photos from the trip I think I'll keep the writing to a minimum and let the captions do the explaining. Just want to say a quick congratulations to Natalie and Jack on the almost Christmas birth of their second son, Brody. Yay! Hope y'all are getting some rest. :)

We had a few days in town before Christmas Day so we used that time to catch up with old friends who were also in town. And to eat plenty of my mom's famous sugar cookies...


These are the cookies. Look how cute the little Santas are!

Izzy and Bean's stocking at "gma and gpa's house"

Our stockings. Made with love by mom. :)

Bean with Gpa.


Izzy with one of her Christmas presents. A frisbee! Woo!


Nate and I at Hy-vee with the poster we designed.


Gma and Mom filling up their grocery bag for the food bank.


All of us with our food bank groceries. Dad perfectly framed back there...


Yay for Target Christmas shopping. Got some new socks and such.

Ah, old friends at Es Tas. Mark, Nate, and I.

Gude and me. By the way...any of these totally crappy quality pics are taken with my phone. So, sorry about that.

Jake. Pretty much explains itself.

My favorite pizza in the WORLD. Check out all that cheese. Mmmm.



And then it was Christmas...

And Santa came to my parent's house.

Christmas morning with the fam...in my pjs of course.


My brother with his annual guinness book of world records.


Me and Nate with our stockings and presents from Santa. He's totally real.


Best picture of my Papa ever. Wearing the crappy white elephant gifts Nate and I brought.



So after we stopped crying from laughing so hard, we headed to Gretna...

Dad and Gma Drapal with their old stockings I think.

Aunt Terri and Cousin Amanda. :)

Another classic from my little bro.


The Drapal Family. :)



and then we headed up to Sioux City...for the Irwin Christmas...

Nate and his Mama.


Me messing around with Nate's new flash. This is him and his dad Byron. :)


Nate with his uncle Tim figuring out their new camera.


Nate, Jamie, Erin and me with Gma Jo and her delicious homemade irish cream.


Jamie and Erin doing a bang up job straitening out Gma Jo's painting. Nice.


The grandkids (Irwin)...and Chico the Chihuahua. 


Chico. A very manly 3 pounds. :)



And then the Dass Christmas...

The Family. :)


Stepmomster, Machelle and brother "Moose" with our nephew, Parker.


No joke. It was this cold outside.

Nate playing darts during our annual night at the Huddle in South Sioux.

Yeah for cousin Brett...who apparently ended up beating me after all.

And who also happens to be dating my good friend, Ashley.

I was terrible.

The girls. Me, Machelle, and Lisa.

Nate and his dad Ken.

We traveled up to Sibley to see the rest of the Dass family. I got these awesome earrings and a fake rat as part of the gag gift tradition this year.

Gpa Dass and little Tallen. :) Super blurry...dang phone camera.

Nate and Gma Dass.

Uncle Pete with the pillow he was lovingly gifted. Awesome.



And after heading to Moville for the Rippke Christmas, driving some more, and catching back up on some rest, it was New Year's week...

By the way, if you haven't been to rural Iowa in the winter...here ya go.


Yay for windmills!

Nate and Kevin before midnight. I believe my dad's word were "you guys are pretty gay." I'm sure he meant it in the best possible way...

Kevin loves me.

Me and my bro boy.

Unsure what's going on here...


My brother as a winter tire.


The boys drinking some Iowa whiskey to ring in the new year.


Me, my mom, and my Gma Jones.


My mom makes the best Monkey Bread. 

And we went out to the cabin on new years day.

my dad's wall of death.

Em, Curtis, and Nate opening gifts from "the land Santa."

Nate in the kitchen.

The other view of the kitchen.

Our stockings at the land.

Mom telling us who's are who's.

Cuties.


Grace looking awesome with the rhino.

The most hillbilly picture I've ever been a part of.

I don't remember what he did, but he totally deserved this.

Mom and the kids.


Papa and his ornament for "the land" tree.

The whole family. :) Miss you guys!


And a pretty sunset in the backyard the night before we headed back to Texas. See ya next year Iowa!