Nate had his first full day at the studio today. He really likes it so far. Apparently he's learning to be very organized, and getting used to being the only male that works there. They took him out to lunch which was nice, and one of the lady's sons (Nathaniel) drew a picture of Nate's desk from a bird's eye view. It is now our first official piece of refrigerator artwork.

Besides that today was pretty uneventful. But we did have a lot of free time on our hands... something that happens once you no longer have homework. It led to this:


Izzy attacking my face with kisses.


Nate's so called "crazy eyes"


I call this one "the yawn zombie"


no idea what's going on here...sorry.

Short, but entertaining blog today. Nate got another freelance project. It's a big one, so it'll last until right before we head home for Christmas. This of course means he won't be working at the record store anymore. He'll finish out the two weeks, and then maybe help out on the weekend if they need him, but we're hopeful that this will turn into a full time job after we return in January. Cross your fingers for us!

It turns out you can add video to blogs...yeah get ready for some Corpus short films in the future. So, I know that it's pretty dark and crappy (sorry no lights in the living room), but Izzy was being ridiculous tonight and we decided to make you watch it. Enjoy.

82 days and counting...

As promised this weekend was very relaxing, and not very eventful. We spent hours watching "So You Think You Can Dance" and sitting by the pool. We also drove around one of the other islands down here and checked out the scenery. It was pretty nice. But now it's Monday and back to work for both of us. I've gotten my vacation approved for Christmas time so Nate and I (and hopefully Grace) will be headed back in good 'ole IA on December 16th. The good news is we get to stay until January 2nd. And the even better news (for me anyways) is that I only have to use 7 days of my vacation in order to have 19 days off. Nice.

As of today, Nate's sister is officially coming to visit us during her Thanksgiving break. We're both really excited! It'll be nice to have some family around for our very very small and cozy Thanksgiving dinner...I'm not sure what all we'll have, but I've promised Nate we'll make stuffing. Anyways, we're looking forward to her being here. And I'm sure Izzy will like having another person around the house.

Speaking of my Izzy baby...she started losing her teeth this weekend. No, the doggie toothfairy didn't come. It's not really in her budget right now.


A coupld of Izzy's baby teeth. Yes, I documented it.


Us laying by the pool


Izzy and Nate taking a nap


Part of our drive. The bay literally comes up to the road.

look ma' a gold star

Well it's official. I am going to turn into a breakfast taco. Either that or something from Sonic. We have the best Mexican food down here. I just can't resist. Last night was Chachos and Taco Cabana (yes, both), today was homemade tacos, and tomorrow morning is the infamous Elva's "destroyers."

James has given Nate and I something new to save towards...an iMac. We have one at the studio so, thanks to the wonderful invention of the isight, my lunch break has now become a virtual meeting with James, and sometimes Niki. I know Nate's family has one, and my sister does too, along with several of our friends. It would be a great way to actually see each other while talking. Pretty awesome. How did I not know about this glorious technology before?

Work was work as usual. Nate worked a few days at the record store and designed a website. It was pretty uneventful, but I did get signed up for my first insurance away from the parents. Woo Hoo! And Nate got dental insurance for the first time in what I'm assuming has been far too long. Yea! Am I old now that insurance is exciting to me? Am I turning into my parents?

There are no big plans for the weekend. We may check out another one of the smaller towns around here...or go to the Kingsville Pharmacy for a corn dog and a milkshake. Either way we plan on sleeping in, relaxing by the pool, and maybe taking Izzy to another one of the beaches.


Nate and his framed work of art. Beautiful!


This is her "don't mess with me" face


And this is Grace and my creepy mask face

always a bride, never a bridesmaid...until now

I got some great mail today. One of my oldest and dearest friends, Emily B, has asked me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next fall. I'm so excited and honored that she asked me. Her and I had been planning our weddings since I met her in seventh grade and she was a wonderful bridesmaid for me so I want to make sure she has all the help she needs to make her wedding perfect. Yea Emily and Nick!

In other recent happenings: Last week in the studio I did some work for a breast cancer benefit, which besides being for a good cause and all means that Nate and I will get to attend. It's at the Town Club which should be nice...good food, a good view, and some good entertaining drag queens. Yes, drag queens. I'm pretty excited about it. It will be my first drag show out of Ames, and any little reminder of home is more than welcome. I'm sure that come the middle of October there will be a blog entry for it. The suspense is killing you (especially you mom), I can tell.

Ok, so I know the news is getting less impressive as we go, but you miss us...I know it. Plus, this one is mostly for the picture below. We took Izzy to the store today to find some new toys. She found herself a bone that's over half as long as she is. She's been enjoying it for the last few hours.

CORPUS CHRISTI FIND OF THE DAY...A gun shop connected to a jewelry store. Convenient. If you're a jewelry thief that is.


Izzy with her huge bone that she can hardly pick up.

would you still be my friend if i looked like this?

Well it's the weekend. And it's HOT. Air conditioner...on.

We went to the frame shop and should have Nate's piece back in a couple of weeks. I think it's going to look really nice hanging on the gallery wall. He finished up his first freelance project yesterday and has already been called to work on another one (woo hoo!). They also said that there will be more projects in the future with the possibility of a full time position after the first of the year. He's learning a lot under the gun, but he's doing a really good job and getting some good experience. He also started working part time at the record store yesterday and seems to like it. It's pretty easy and we can borrow any of the used movies for free...nice.

My week consisted on going to Sonic five times and Nano's twice. Yeah, it may be an addiction. But Sonic has like 186,000 drink options. What am I supposed to do? Other than that it was work as usual. I'm not as interesting as Nate right now...but we did get some rather interesting cups at the studio. And with that I leave you with these....



Nose cup 1 - gross


Nose cup 2 - grosser


Nose cup 3 - grossest

my husband, nate the great

Well yesterday was a great day. Nate got called back from the Ad firm he had interviewed at the previous day and was offered a freelance job. He must have really impressed them for them to call back so quickly. 26 hours...nice. We're crossing our fingers that it leads to more and more freelance work, but until then he'll take what he gets and work part time at the record store until the manager position opens up for him in October.

We ordered his print for the piece that will be on display at the gallery. And now we just need to get it framed and drop it off. I'll post a picture of it in this entry since I pretty much forgot to earlier. I'm still so proud of him. We're really excited for the opening night (Oct. 13). Besides the fact that this is Nate's first gallery show, this will be the first show in the newly expanded K-Space gallery so we're excited to see it after the build out. It should be good for the growth of downtown.


Nate's first gallery piece!

jobs, electricity, and a milkshake

So after eating at Nano's, which is one of the best taco places ever, Nate had his advertising/PR interview. It went really well and things are sounding promising...at least for some freelance work. His portfolio looks really good, and I'm really proud that he was able to do so well on his first professional interview. If you want to check out his work (and you should) you can at his website www.drapalrippke.com. So as soon as we hear back from them we can figure out what his best job will be and hopefully get a second income. It is much needed...

...electricity this month, $138...

That sucks, but what do ya do.

I'll tell you. You pay it, go to Sonic, get a milkshake and celebrate the possibility of the light at the end of the tunnel. Then you go home and play with the puppy, because that makes everything all better.


mmmm Nano's bean cheese and potato taquitos

calling all millionaires

Before I go into any story telling let's start this off with a little history lesson about PATCH and The Ritz. Don't worry, it's not too long. Read it...it's interesting.

The Ritz (this blurb is from the PATCH website www.ccpatch.org)
Built in 1929, the Ritz Theatre in Corpus Christi was one of the largest in Texas at the time of its construction. Opening day was three months after the stock market crash and the start of the great depression. The Ritz soldiered on, providing an escape for Texans into a world of imagination for years. Today, the Ritz stands crumbling, forgotten, one of the last great movie palaces yet to be restored, and one of the few standing historic buildings in Corpus Christi. By reviving the Ritz Theatre, we gain a new, dynamic venue to stimulate the economy, inspire and support the creative class and provide an anchor business downtown. The Ritz will be an icon for hope and change and rebirth. It’s something everyone can be a part of and say, “I helped make that happen”. PATCH, established for the good of the Ritz, will restore the Ritz Theatre retaining the original style of Spanish Renaissance, and develop the theatre into a state-of-the-art entertainment venue worthy of the times and the name, The Ritz.

Ok, caught up? Good. So my boss, Monica McLeod Sawyer, started PATCH after she stumbled upon an open door to the abandoned theater and explored it's insides. It is a HUGE project needing an even HUGER (is that a word?) amount of money to complete. But it will be so beautiful and awesome when it is finished. And to all you doubters out there...IT WILL get finished.

So a couple weekends ago she took Nate and I on a flashlight lit tour of it. Yes, flashlights. There are no lights or windows, and since it's been boarded up for years it's just pure darkness. I felt like I was in a haunted house and the sunken Titanic at the same time. But the potential of this huge art deco building is amazing. And with all the history that has taken place in it I can hardly believe that a community would let it decay like this. Besides all of the Vaudeville shows that started out this theater there were some pretty rad bands that came through it as well. Willie Nelson, ACDC, Bruce Springsteen, and Jimmy Buffett just to name a few.


Here are some of the really cool old posters that are still on the wall.

It was pretty eerie. There were still props on what used to be a stage, and costumes just laying around randomly in halls and what we assumed were old make up and costume rooms. I had to try not to think about the fact that I couldn't see anything except for what was in my flashlight ray. The thought of roaches, or any other critters for that matter, was too much for me. Oh, and did I mention that it was hotter than you can believe in there. Pretty smelly too. But I guess that's what happens when you take a building in South Texas, board it up, and let it sit for a couple decades.

These pictures are the first time that I am actually seeing the inside of the building beyond a small circular area at a time. I had no idea that wall was red. Oh, and those "dust" particles...yeah, I breathed them in. Sick. So I'll leave it at that since this is getting kind of long. If you want to know more about it you can check out the web site. Or if you happen to know anyone with oodles of money just sitting around you can send them our way...for PATCH of course.


Nate and I infront of the ground floor chairs. There's a balcony too. This place holds 1,000 people.



Us infront of the broken stage. Someday we'll retake this picture, with out the flashlights, and it will be beautiful.


A view from the balcony of the side wall.

sand in the paws

Well, Izzy took her first trip to the beach today. She's going to be a real beach bum. Here are some pictures of her first time in the sand.


Izzy running around with her mouth wide open


Her first taste of ocean water. mmm, salty.


Me with Izzy looking at the beach. Izzy and Nate getting ready to head home.