Waco Bucket List

With our time left in Waco now at about 6 months, JW and I have decided to make a list of the things we want to do while this city is still our home.  (If you missed our news about plans for after Joey graduates, see this post.)  I have lived in Waco for almost 7 years and Joey has been here almost 3.  We have really come to love this community, and are certainly going to miss it.

So, here's our list so far.  I'm sure we will add to it over the coming months, and hopefully will be able to check some things off.  Whoever said there is nothing fun to do in Waco?  I'd certainly beg to differ!

• Go to a Baylor Theatre production- We have gone to a few shows at Baylor before and they are always really good, but haven't gone to one in a long time.  They are doing the play, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde January 31- February 5th, so we plan to get tickets and go next weekend.
• Visit the Waco Mammoth Site- This public park opened at the end of 2009 for people to view the dig site where Mammoth bones were discovered back in 1978 and we have never been to check it out.
• Go to a race at the Heart O' Texas Speedway- We pass this dirt race track on I-35 north of Waco and every time we do, Joey has made a comment that he wants to figure out what kind of racing they do there and go to one.  They host racing events from March - September, so we can go to one.
• Visit the Texas Ranger Museum- This one is for JW.  He records shows about things like this on the History Channel all the time and enjoys learning about the history of law enforcement.  This hall of fame and museum is right up his alley, but we have never been.
• Go to the new Waco Downtown Farmers Market- This is new to Waco as of last November, and we haven't been to check it out yet.  Vendors set up downtown from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on Saturdays. 
• Walk around the Carleen Bright Arboretum in the spring.  We have driven by the arboretum several times, but have never stopped to walk around it.
• Waco is getting a water park.  Hawaiian Falls Waterpark opens Memorial Day weekend this year.  Maybe we'll find some kids to borrow and go check it out. :)
• Waco has two wineries and we haven't visited either one of them.  TCV Winery and Valley Mills Vinyards both do tours and tastings, so we plan to check them out.
• We want to rent a canoe or kayak and paddle our way down the Brazos River.
• Go on a horseback ride at Brazos Bluffs Ranch.  I stumbled across this place online once when I was looking for fun date ideas.  It seems like a really neat place.  I would really like to do one of their horseback rides along the Brazos River and up to the bluff overlooking the surrounding countryside.
• You probably know one of our favorite "Waco things" is the zoo!  So, this is not a new one for us, but we plan to visit the Cameron Park Zoo a few more times while we still live here.  It is a great zoo!

We are also taking advantage of as many quick trips to Dallas as possible while we are still here.  We have a lot of great friends in the Dallas area and making the 1.5 - 2 hour drive to visit them is nice compared to the 4+ hours we will be from them once we are in Houston.  We are looking forward to the opportunities and plans that God has for us ahead, but want to live fully in our last months here.  Stay tuned for posts on some of these bucket list things as we check off our list!

One Month with Dakota

We picked Dakota up and brought her home with us on December 28th, so today marks one month that she has been a part of our family.  We are very thankful for the fun and joy she has brought to our lives.  Here's a glance at some of the pictures we have snapped over the last month.  (Remember you can click on photos to view them larger.)

 The day we picked her up

  In the car on the way home... that was a long car ride. :)  Harley ended up in the front seat and I rode in the back with Dakota. 

Day 2 at home playing in the backyard and they are already buddies!

JW & Dakota

They look like they're having this sweet intimate moment, but I am pretty sure this was just a lucky shot.  She doesn't lay still very much.

Dakota with her new Christmas toy.  She carried this toy around with her everywhere for the first week or so.  It was pretty cute.

Look closely- she has her own tail in her mouth.  

It was a beautiful day, and I was sitting outside reading and watching Dakota.  We have a pretty big hill in our backyard and she was up at the top of it.  She started flopping around and I realized she was trying to bite her own tail.  She got it, but ended up rolling down the hill in the process.  She held her tail in her mouth the whole way down.  It was hilarious!

See Dakota with Harley's tail in her mouth?

This little puppy has a mischievous streak sometimes.  Dakota acts like she doesn't care Harley is twice her size and tries to be the boss.  Harley can take her now, but it may get interesting when they're the same size.

 

See... mischievous!

 She's got that look - "I know you told me not to do this, but look how cute I am!"

Picking her up to hold her while I still can.

Joey and his girl

This is Harley's spot under our bed, and sometimes Dakota scooches under there to join her.

Play hard, sleep hard

Muddy mess

I was out of town, and Joey was inside studying.  The dogs were outside playing, but JW didn't realize our neighbors had their sprinkler on and it had created a pretty large puddle in the corner of our backyard.  He had no idea how much fun they were really having until the dogs scratched at the door, and he opened it to find this.  What a mess, but they clearly had a good time!

I'm a mess, but aren't I cute?

Our first month with Dakota has been a blast.  JW had his PC 3 final exam today, so he is officially done with PC!  Woo hoo!  He has a paper due and one more final next week, and then he will start his last quarter ever of Baylor Law School.  Crazy... graduation will be here before we know it!

How a Puppy is Like a Baby

So, when I tell my mom puppy stories she always laughs and says what good practice this is for when we have babies.  I can certainly see the parallels. 

• A puppy's day consists of eating, pooping, sleeping, with maybe a little play in between.  A baby's daily activities are much the same.
• Puppies and babies both require constant supervision and attention.  Failure to do so may result in a potty accident or maybe an adult toy (i.e. JW's rocket) being destroyed. 
• Though potty training a puppy is a much shorter process than potty training a baby, parents of both experience the not so glamorous task of cleaning up after the little one.  This usually requires a great deal of patience and a large amount of laundry to be done. 
• Puppies and babies put everything in their mouths.  It's how they learn.  When it's poop in the backyard though, it's totally gross and hubby is likely to get called to stop whatever he is doing and pooper scoop.
• God made puppies and babies so cute that all the work they require is worth it.  It's hard to stay mad at something that is as adorable as a puppy or a baby. 
• Puppies, like babies, are fun to cuddle and make adults talk in high pitched funny voices.
• Puppies and babies should both be monitored after their first booster shots for allergic reactions.  (See this post is for evidence.)
• When said allergic reaction takes place Momma (and Papa Bear) tendencies come out.  I was ready to do whatever it took to make my fur baby healthy again.  It's a good thing we didn't run into any cops on our way to the clinic.  And, neither one of us complained about the large bill we had to pay after the after-hours clinic made Dakota's little face go back to its normal size. 
• A motherly instinct exists whether it's a puppy or a baby.  I love my dogs and would do anything in my power to keep them safe and happy.
• Packing up and leaving town spontaneously is difficult when a baby or puppy is part of the family.  Certain care has to be arranged.  And, if that puppy or baby is coming along for a trip, things must be packed and toted around for them.
• Puppies wake up during the night for a period of time when they are young.  Even though this stage is not as long for pups as it is for babies, it's likely to leave the human parents in a similar state.  I almost fell asleep at my desk at work on Tuesday because Dakota had a rough night the night before.  I felt like I was in a daze all day long.
• Storms and new noises are likely to scare a puppy or a baby.  See point above.  Twice since we've had Dakota, there have been stormy nights and she cried for hours on end both times.  I ended up sleeping on the couch with her on the floor beside me.  Yes, she got to sleep outside of her kennel.  I know, I'm a sucker.  It was the only way she would stop crying, and I was desperate for sleep. 
• A parent of a puppy or a baby tries to maintain a certain schedule for their young one.  I've seen parents act pretty silly to keep a baby awake during certain hours of the day to ensure a sleepy baby would sleep soundly at night.  JW and I are now guilty of acting ridiculous often times after dinner in efforts to implement this same strategy.  4 a.m. is NOT playtime. 
• Parents of both have been known to snap a ridiculous amount of pictures to document their baby or puppy's childhood and to share with others.

I am no stranger to babies, being the oldest of four and having 15 years between me and my youngest sibling.  I was old enough to change diapers, feed bottles and baby food, be spit up on, rock to sleep, and babysit when my two youngest siblings were young.  That too was good practice.  Joey is also the oldest of four.  So, I guess if you look at it, we should make pretty good parents if God allows us the opportunity to have our own human kids one day.  Or, He just thought that we needed extra practice.  :)  Either way, we are blessed to have grown up in wonderful families and are quite content with our four-legged little ones for now.

A Three Day Weekend

It was a three-day weekend at the Hance house because of Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, and it was well enjoyed.  I don't know about you, but I have had a rough time getting back into the swing of things after the holidays!  We had a lot of household stuff to catch up on- laundry, dishes, cleaning...

But we also played 

and slept

and rested together on the couch... Yes, all four of us on the couch. :)

Joey snuggling his girls on the couch

Then, Saturday we took a quick road trip to College Station to watch Joey's sister, Jennifer, coach her 8th grade girls basketball team in a tournament.  We only went to one game since we couldn't leave the pups all day, but it was fun to see Momma Hance and Nana and Papa who also made the trip from Houston.

Jenn doing her coaching thing

Me, Coach Hance, and Joey

Me, Papa, Jenn, Momma Hance, Nana, and JW

Harley and Dakota got baths since the weather wasn't too cold, and they were pretty dirty from playing in the mud all week.  It was our first time to bathe both of them, and neither one of them like baths.

Wet pups pooped after bath time.

Joey got a rocket from his dad for Christmas and spent most of Monday assembling it.  He was so excited.  He kept telling me how impressed I was going to be when he was done and we could go shoot it off (not sure if that is correct terminology).  At the end of the weekend it was still lacking some finishing touches including paint.  Yes, this rocket is getting a red and black paint job.  So, he set it aside to finish later this week.

On Tuesday I was bragging about how great Dakota has been with her potty training lately and that she hadn't ever chewed anything up.  Well, wouldn't you know?  Wednesday after class Joey came home in the afternoon and was watching the dogs while I was still at work.  And, you guessed it... Dakota found Joey's rocket in the study while he wasn't looking and chewed a wing off.  He was so sad! 

Don't worry though, Joey shared plans with me this morning to buy extra wood material and craft a replacement wing.  I didn't marry a man who gives up easily. :)  Stay tuned for a report of his rocket launch.  It promises to be nothing less than spectacular.  I am headed to Dallas this weekend to help with a youth discipleship weekend at the Roush's church, so it won't be this weekend, but I'm sure it won't be long.

Ringing in the New Year - 2012

2011 was filled with many great things.  We celebrated several milestones like Harley's first birthday, our two-year anniversary, and 8 friends' weddings.  2011 also had its challenges like friends moving, me and Joey being apart during the summer, and the most difficult part of JW's law school career.   We were blessed in 2011 with success in my job, perseverance and accomplishment in school for JW, a new puppy addition to our family, and a job offer for Joey.

Many who follow our blog may already know that JW was offered a job with a law firm that he interned with this summer in Houston after he graduates, but we are now officially announcing it.  It was an offer we were so grateful to receive, but not a decision we took lightly.  The weight of the decision that would determine where we would live, the kind of law JW would practice, the effect that would have on his job training and career, and the kind of lifestyle we would lead was a heavy one.  Joey was fortunate to have spent six weeks over the summer getting a feel for the work, clients, and people at this firm which allowed us to be more confident in our decision, but there was still a lot to consider.

We spent a lot of time praying, making a pro's and con's list, and discussing what we thought life could be like as JW begins his career and what our family's goals and dreams for future would be.  In considering all of our options, we felt led that Houston was what God has in store for us next.  It is bittersweet for us, as we have grown to love the community we are in and the people we have built relationships with here.  But, being confident in the path that God is leading us brings us peace.  We are thankful and excited to be close to the family we have in Houston as well some close friends.  We also look upon the opportunity for a new career and new community to get plugged into with anticipation.

Joey will graduate from Baylor Law School at the end of April this year.  We will likely stay in Waco for him to prepare and take the Bar Exam at the end of July, and then will be heading to Houston in the beginning of August.  We certainly do not know and can't imagine all that 2012 has in store, but are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.  As we ring in this New Year, we look back at the way God has provided and directed us, and our hearts overflow with gratitude.  We serve a sovereign and mighty God, and I am sure glad we don't have to make decisions or live life without Him.

Puffy Pug Face

We had our first experience with the Emergency Vet Clinic last night.  Poor little Dakota got some of her booster shots yesterday and had an allergic reaction last night.  It was about 6:30 p.m. and she and Harley were playing.  It had been raining all day, so I just thought she had a lot of energy when she started racing around the house leaping on things.  I noticed her rubbing her face on the carpet and then saw one of her eyes was red and puffy.  Not long after, her whole face became swollen.  I called Joey out of the study and he said she looked like a pug puppy. :(  The vet was already closed, so I went and got the number for the Emergency Vet Clinic.  When I described her symptoms to them, they told us to come in right away.  They treated her for an allergic reaction with some liquids and an antihistamine shot and gave us instructions to give her Benadryl for the next 12 hours.  The Emergency Vet Clinic staff was great, but I hope we never have to see them again. 

$100 later and full of medicine, this is what she looked like when we got home.  Believe it or not, some of the swelling had gone down already.  These aren't the best pictures of Joey with his eyes half closed, but I guess he was just being empathetic since Dakota's eyes were so swollen.

Poor thing slept most of the evening.

I put the two pictures below that I had taken of her the day before so you can see how much her little face was swollen.  It was so sad.  I can't imagine what it will feel like to have a sick kid.  Having a sick puppy was tough enough.

This is what our happy puppy looks like normally.

The swelling has gone down a lot as of this morning when she woke up.  She still gets one more dose of Benadryl, so hopefully she'll sleep it off and be as good as new this afternoon. 

Yes, all of this happened the night before Joey's Big Trial.  He was a good daddy and dropped everything to take her to the clinic with me.  So, pray everything goes well for him today!

A Chocolate Pick-Me-Up

Was it cold and rainy where you are today?  It sure was a soggy and dreary day here.  I am making this hot chocolate for me and the hubs tonight.  Yum!  What a way to end to a yucky Monday, right?  And, The Bachelor is on tonight, so things are looking up!  Chocolate and drama... all a girl needs.  :)

Joey has "Big Trial", which is a mock trial that is the culmination of PC 1, 2, and 3 tomorrow and Wednesday.  Prayers for him to have clarity of mind and to do well would be much appreciated this week!

Delicious Hot Chocolate

recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes     Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups Milk
• 2 cups Half-and-half
• 1 cup Good Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (optional) 

Preparation Instructions

To make the basic hot chocolate, combine milk with half-and-half in a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat, then stir in chocolate chips. Stir until melted (though there will still be lovely particles of chocolate throughout.) If it’s too chocolatey for you, splash in a little more milk. If it’s not quite sweet enough for you, add 1 teaspoon sugar. Serve in mugs with whipped cream.

VARIATIONS
Orange Hot Chocolate: Add 4 slices of orange rind as you warm the milk mixture. Add a splash of orange syrup if you have it, but it isn’t necessary.

 Raspberry Hot Chocolate: Add 3 tablespoons raspberry syrup to the hot chocolate. Drop a couple of raspberries into each cup.

Mint Hot Chocolate: Drop 1 to 2 miniature peppermint patties into each mug before adding hot chocolate. Stir to melt.

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Substitute 2 discs of Abuelita chocolate for the chocolate chips. Simmer cinnamon sticks in the saucepan with the hot chocolate. Add 1 cinnamon stick to each mug before serving.

Garnish any and all variations with whipped cream or chocolate shavings.

Christmas Celebration- Part 3

We arrived over at my parent's house the night of Christmas Eve.  It is a tradition for mom and dad to give us each one present to open on Christmas Eve that is normally something you can wear the next morning.  So, we opened our pajama-themed gifts and helped mom and Taylor finish wrapping a few last-minute presents. Christmas Eve would not be complete without putting out a note, milk, and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, so Hunter checked that off the list too.

 

Harley enjoyed hanging out with mom in the game room (aka- wrapping central) while we finished wrapping the last presents.

Christmas morning certainly did not lack any excitement.  I have mentioned before that my mom takes present wrapping to a whole new level.  We each picked our favorite wrapped gift that morning and I snapped a few pictures so you can see what I'm talking about.

Claire and her favorite pink and zebra wrapped present.

Hunt's nutcracker present

Joey went for the traditionally wrapped gold gift with a pine cone topper.

I was drawn to one with a sassy topper.

Grandpa's gift was a beautiful gold and ivory present.

Mom chose the silver and grey wrapped present.

Grey was certainly the color this Christmas.  We all ended up with something grey and declared it to be the "in" color.  We joked that we could all wear something we got for Christmas this year in our Christmas card picture for next year.  Mom and Dad gave us a silhouette picture they had done for our first wedding anniversary framed, clothes, dog toys for Dakota, a new collar for Harley, and some other fun things.  Taylor gave us a video camera which we have had a lot of fun using so far, but have yet to try and download and share footage.  So, hopefully you'll see some home video... one day.  We happened to mention to him awhile ago that video is not something that our camera could do, so he was so thoughtful to think of that as a gift.

Harley in her new collar

After spending a couple of days with my family, we headed to our last stop- Montgomery, to see Joey's dad's side of the family.  It was so great to see Dad, Angie, Matthew, Macie, and Jennifer again. 

Harley and Recie had  a great time playing too. 

The Hances gave us some fun stuff.  Joey got new golf shoes, Nike and Lids gift cards, a rocket, and other things.  They gave me a cute camera strap, some glass salad bowls and matching pitcher I have had my eye on, a Marshall's gift card, and we both got restaurant gift cards for date nights.  One day while we were there me, JW, and Matthew went to the Nike outlet near their house.  Joey was in heaven.  If this man has a weakness for any article of clothing, it's shoes.  He started with a pile of shoe boxes as tall as he is, and ended up with two new pairs of kicks that he loves.  We played games, went to the movies, and really enjoyed spending time together. 

After that we were headed back up to Quitman, TX to pick up Dakota and then back to Waco.  It was a long day of driving, but very worth it.  We had a fantastic Christmas and are blessed to have such a great family.

Christmas Celebration- Part 2

Our family Christmas present this year to each other was another puppy!  We have been talking for some time about getting Harley a sister and knew we wanted a red and white husky girl.  You may remember from our New Addition post that we had plans to get another puppy from the breeder we got Harley from, but over the last few months that has not worked out.  We found this precious girl from a breeder called Alluga's Siberians in Quitman up near Tyler, TX.  They have some neat dogs, were an answered prayer, and fantastic to work with! 

Meet Dakota Hance!

Dakota is a dark red and white siberian with amber colored eyes.  She was actually born on October 3rd and Alluga's kept her back from that litter with plans to show and breed her.  In the middle of December the breeder posted a note on her website saying that they had a red and white female puppy available that was 11 weeks old.  Joey and I immediately called to find out more.  Alluga's loved this little girl and really wanted to keep her, but they are quite full as it is.  They have plans to expand in the spring, but felt like Dakota would be happier with a family where she would have more room to run and play.  We feel so blessed that we were given the opportunity to add her to our family.  She is exactly what we have been looking and praying for.  

Before heading to Houston, we took a detour up to Alluga's to meet her.  She was precious!  

Harley came too and was a little distracted by all of the dog smells around their property.  She really wanted to go out back and meet all the other huskies, but she and Dakota played a little and we could tell they would get along great.

With all of the traveling we had planned to visit our families in Houston for the next week, we decided to leave Dakota with the breeder for one more week.  We were sad to leave her, but grateful to know that she would get to come home with us the following week.

So, after 7 hours in the car and 10 hours after leaving our house that morning, we arrived in Sugar Land.  Momma Hance's house was our first stop.  That first night we had dinner with Em and Brit at a restaurant in Houston.  It was great to see them and catch up a little before the holidays. 

Me and Em

Time at Momma Hance's house was spent playing games, going to the movies, playing with the dogs, and eating cookies left over from her annual Christmas cookie trays she makes.  We attended church with her family Christmas Eve and then went to Nana and Papa's house for dinner and presents.  Their tradition of all being together on Christmas Eve is pretty special.  Nana has these paper plates with 1 of the 12 days of Christmas on each one.  They pass out all the days and we sing the song together.  It is never boring.  Christmas Eve with them is always filled with a lot of laughter.

Me and JW before church

 Jennifer, Amanda, Papa, Nana, JW, and Momma Hance

Jenn had surgery right before Christmas to repair a deviated septum in her nose, so I hope she's not too mad at me for posting this picture.

Me, Papa, Nana, and JW

Nana and Papa gave us a portable grill, table, and other camping supplies.  We headed back to Momma Hance's to open presents with her and Jenn.  We got some more camping gear and other fun stuff.  We are certainly set to pop a tent and have a camping get-away and can't wait to try out our new gear.

Next stop... my parents' house!