Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Kalina Family Christmas Vacation
This weekend my family, minus my sister, came to San Antonio for our old Annual Kalina Family Christmas Vacation. When my siblings and I were younger, my parents would take us for a little mini vacation the weekend before Christmas to finish shopping and spend time together. It started out going to the Galleria in Houston, but we then ventured west to San Antonio to spend the weekend on the Riverwalk. We stayed at many different hotels through the years, but always loved the Hyatt and the Menger the most.
Once we were all in college and in different places, we have slowly stopped this tradition because it was so hard to get us all together. This year, my brother decided to revive it. At first, he was going to come himself, but my parents to decided to join in. They all came to stay with me this weekend. It wasn't a full weekend, but we still had fun!
They got here Saturday afternoon. After they settled in at my house, we headed downtown. We started out at the mall to see if Ryan could find a few things. Then we made our way down to the river for dinner. We have a favorite restaurant that we eat at every time we are at the Riverwalk - RioRio. They have a plate supposedly designed for two people to eat, but all 4 or 5 of us can eat off of it and be full! Of course, the chips and salsa beforehand don't help matters!! :)
After eating, we always go next door to a store called Mr. IceCream to get dessert! They have Blue Bell Ice Cream, so it's nothing fancy, it's just something we always do!
The tree at the Alamo
The tree at the Menger
Trees in the lobby at the Menger
After walking around on the river for a while and hanging out in the lobby of the Menger, we made our way back to the mall to shop a little more. We stopped in at the Marriott to check out their decorations. One year, they had a life-size gingerbread house! This year it was just a tree, but it was gorgeous!
These beautiful light-up stars were hanging over the lobby
My mom and me!
These ornaments were hanging in the mall and I thought they were really cool
Merry Christmas from the San Antonio Riverwalk!
Once we were all in college and in different places, we have slowly stopped this tradition because it was so hard to get us all together. This year, my brother decided to revive it. At first, he was going to come himself, but my parents to decided to join in. They all came to stay with me this weekend. It wasn't a full weekend, but we still had fun!
They got here Saturday afternoon. After they settled in at my house, we headed downtown. We started out at the mall to see if Ryan could find a few things. Then we made our way down to the river for dinner. We have a favorite restaurant that we eat at every time we are at the Riverwalk - RioRio. They have a plate supposedly designed for two people to eat, but all 4 or 5 of us can eat off of it and be full! Of course, the chips and salsa beforehand don't help matters!! :)
After eating, we always go next door to a store called Mr. IceCream to get dessert! They have Blue Bell Ice Cream, so it's nothing fancy, it's just something we always do!
The tree at the Alamo
The tree at the Menger
Trees in the lobby at the MengerAfter walking around on the river for a while and hanging out in the lobby of the Menger, we made our way back to the mall to shop a little more. We stopped in at the Marriott to check out their decorations. One year, they had a life-size gingerbread house! This year it was just a tree, but it was gorgeous!
These beautiful light-up stars were hanging over the lobby
My mom and me!
These ornaments were hanging in the mall and I thought they were really cool
Merry Christmas from the San Antonio Riverwalk!Friday, December 18, 2009
Road Frustration
I was out and about this morning, and I just don't understand stupid drivers! Stupid drivers are probably one of my biggest pet peeves.
Josh says I have road rage, but I call it road frustration. I don't ever make any gestures or get too crazy, I mainly just talk to the crazies. This past weekend when we were on our way to Schulenburg, I drove. Of course, being Friday afternoon, traffic was crazy, and I was in typical talking to the crazies fashion. Josh just looks at me and says he doesn't understand why I can't just go with the flow. And 'how come you are so angry?'
So, on Sunday, I let Josh drive back home. Of course, there were some stupid drivers out. i.e. driving slowly in the fast lane, people driving way too fast. He says at one point, 'I want to speed up and cut that guy off!!' I just turn to him and say, 'Why are you so angry?' He just looked at me, smiled, and said, 'Dang." He knew he was caught!
I don't understand how people have gotten so "bad" at driving. I don't understand how come people are in such a big hurry that they speed so much faster than the speed limit, and weave in and out of traffic just to get one more car ahead. I'm not saying I don't speed, because I do! But I usually keep it about 5 miles above the speed limit.
I think some people need to go back to defensive driving and learn some driving ettiquette again!
Josh says I have road rage, but I call it road frustration. I don't ever make any gestures or get too crazy, I mainly just talk to the crazies. This past weekend when we were on our way to Schulenburg, I drove. Of course, being Friday afternoon, traffic was crazy, and I was in typical talking to the crazies fashion. Josh just looks at me and says he doesn't understand why I can't just go with the flow. And 'how come you are so angry?'
So, on Sunday, I let Josh drive back home. Of course, there were some stupid drivers out. i.e. driving slowly in the fast lane, people driving way too fast. He says at one point, 'I want to speed up and cut that guy off!!' I just turn to him and say, 'Why are you so angry?' He just looked at me, smiled, and said, 'Dang." He knew he was caught!
I don't understand how people have gotten so "bad" at driving. I don't understand how come people are in such a big hurry that they speed so much faster than the speed limit, and weave in and out of traffic just to get one more car ahead. I'm not saying I don't speed, because I do! But I usually keep it about 5 miles above the speed limit.
I think some people need to go back to defensive driving and learn some driving ettiquette again!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
5 Years
Today is Bayla's 5th Birthday!
I really can't believe that he is 5!! Or that I he has been with me for almost 5 years! It doesn't seem real!
Here are some pictures from the last year.
Going to Ft. Stockton for Thanksgiving
Typical posing for the camera
Hoping that mom looks away so he can grab the cupcake!
Snuggled up with mom
So happy!!
Snuggled up asleep on the bed. He is now sleeping on a bed on the floor all night!! Yeah!
He loves the water!
And always poses when the camera comes out.
And this is my absolute favorite picture of him!!
I really can't believe that he is 5!! Or that I he has been with me for almost 5 years! It doesn't seem real!
Here are some pictures from the last year.
Going to Ft. Stockton for Thanksgiving
Typical posing for the camera
Hoping that mom looks away so he can grab the cupcake!
Snuggled up with mom
So happy!!
Snuggled up asleep on the bed. He is now sleeping on a bed on the floor all night!! Yeah! 
He loves the water!
And always poses when the camera comes out.
And this is my absolute favorite picture of him!!Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The deer, Part II
This past weekend, we went home to Schulenburg for my cousin's wedding. While there, Josh got to meet Precious! He said that he never thought he would ever touch a live deer! HA! Or feed one from his hand! HAHA!
Friday, December 11, 2009
The deer
For about a month or so, my parents have had a visitor in their yard...a very sweet little doe. They think she was probably raised by humans because she likes to be around people. There are other deer that come around and she wants nothing to do with them. I have heard about this deer for awhile now, but finally got to meet her when I went home to help my mom with her Christmas decorations. One of the neighbors named her "Precious", so that is what everyone calls her.
I went out front to put some decorations up and she was across the street in the neighbor's yard. I tried calling her, but she didn't pay any attention to me. As soon as I started walking back in, she came walking across the street. She hung out in the front yard with us while we put stuff up.
She likes human contact and loves to be rubbed. She'll even put her face in your face and sniff you.
She was rubbing her head on one of the hooks
Next thing we know, we look out and she is laying down! My mom said she has never seen her get that comfortable in their yard. She has no fear!!
I went out front to put some decorations up and she was across the street in the neighbor's yard. I tried calling her, but she didn't pay any attention to me. As soon as I started walking back in, she came walking across the street. She hung out in the front yard with us while we put stuff up.
She likes human contact and loves to be rubbed. She'll even put her face in your face and sniff you.
She was rubbing her head on one of the hooks
Next thing we know, we look out and she is laying down! My mom said she has never seen her get that comfortable in their yard. She has no fear!!The neighbor that first spotted her has called some people to pick her up and take her to a farm, but I'm not sure how that is going.
It was pretty cool to be that close to such a sweet animal!!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Few and far between
It's very weird to think that I am coming up on two months of being unemployed. It doesn't seem possible. If you asked me what I have been doing in the last two months, I honestly don't know what I would say.
The remainder of the month of October was spent in depression and despair. I literally didn't feel like doing anything. Unfortunately, (but lucky for me, I think???) we had a few family tragedies that kept my mind off being unemployed. And it was nice to be able to spend time with family knowing I didn't have to rush back to work.
November was spent looking for a job, I think. I really can't remember now. When you collect unemployment, you can't just sit on your rear and collect checks. You have to actually look for a job and document that process. Not that I am any good just sitting on my rear, so that really doesn't apply to me. I have to have at least 5 job searches a week! You would think that would be fairly easy, but not for me! It's just 5 little jobs! HA! For one, there are zilch, zero, none jobs as far as landscape architecture is concerned. So, I have ventured into office administration type jobs. Even that is not as easy as it sounds! I have two degrees for crying out loud, so I'd like to make a little more than $8 an hour and just answer phones. I have even applied at a few retail places, and have heard nothing back from all of them! My question to them is this, "If you have a sign saying you are hiring, and are excited when I tell you that I can work at any time, why won't you at least call me back?!?" Seriously.
This whole thing has been really disheartening and depressing. And I'm thinking that most places are not going to be hiring anyone at least until after New Years. That's my justification anyways.
Thanksgiving was a nice break from everything. I was even able to go home and help my mom get out all of her Christmas stuff and decorate the house. She has so much "crap" that it took both of us about 2 days to get everything out and put it up. And when I left, she still had a small pile of stuff to take care of. This last week has been pretty good too. I put together our Christmas gifts to everyone. A post about that will have to wait until after Christmas, because I don't want to spoil it in case anyone is reading! :)
I have also decided to do a pretty deep cleaning of the house. My mom has been in a cleaning mood at her house, and she has started sending stuff back with me to my house, so she has got me in a cleaning mood. I still have stuff in boxes from when we moved, so I don't have much room to store the stuff she is sending with me. I started my project with the master shower. I cleaned it pretty well when we moved in, and have cleaned it since, but it was in desperate need of a good, deep scrubbing. I am not one for clorox, but I bought a bottle yesterday and went to town! I was only able to do about half because the fumes were too much in the very small, not well ventilated bathroom, but that is my project for this afternoon.
This was supposed to be about how jobs are few and far between, but as I was typing the title I realized it was also pretty relevant to my blogging habit lately. You would think I would have all the time in the world since I don't have a job, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Every day I think about writing, but then lose track of time and before I know it, the day is over. I'm going to try to make a conscious effort to be better!
The remainder of the month of October was spent in depression and despair. I literally didn't feel like doing anything. Unfortunately, (but lucky for me, I think???) we had a few family tragedies that kept my mind off being unemployed. And it was nice to be able to spend time with family knowing I didn't have to rush back to work.
November was spent looking for a job, I think. I really can't remember now. When you collect unemployment, you can't just sit on your rear and collect checks. You have to actually look for a job and document that process. Not that I am any good just sitting on my rear, so that really doesn't apply to me. I have to have at least 5 job searches a week! You would think that would be fairly easy, but not for me! It's just 5 little jobs! HA! For one, there are zilch, zero, none jobs as far as landscape architecture is concerned. So, I have ventured into office administration type jobs. Even that is not as easy as it sounds! I have two degrees for crying out loud, so I'd like to make a little more than $8 an hour and just answer phones. I have even applied at a few retail places, and have heard nothing back from all of them! My question to them is this, "If you have a sign saying you are hiring, and are excited when I tell you that I can work at any time, why won't you at least call me back?!?" Seriously.
This whole thing has been really disheartening and depressing. And I'm thinking that most places are not going to be hiring anyone at least until after New Years. That's my justification anyways.
Thanksgiving was a nice break from everything. I was even able to go home and help my mom get out all of her Christmas stuff and decorate the house. She has so much "crap" that it took both of us about 2 days to get everything out and put it up. And when I left, she still had a small pile of stuff to take care of. This last week has been pretty good too. I put together our Christmas gifts to everyone. A post about that will have to wait until after Christmas, because I don't want to spoil it in case anyone is reading! :)
I have also decided to do a pretty deep cleaning of the house. My mom has been in a cleaning mood at her house, and she has started sending stuff back with me to my house, so she has got me in a cleaning mood. I still have stuff in boxes from when we moved, so I don't have much room to store the stuff she is sending with me. I started my project with the master shower. I cleaned it pretty well when we moved in, and have cleaned it since, but it was in desperate need of a good, deep scrubbing. I am not one for clorox, but I bought a bottle yesterday and went to town! I was only able to do about half because the fumes were too much in the very small, not well ventilated bathroom, but that is my project for this afternoon.
This was supposed to be about how jobs are few and far between, but as I was typing the title I realized it was also pretty relevant to my blogging habit lately. You would think I would have all the time in the world since I don't have a job, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Every day I think about writing, but then lose track of time and before I know it, the day is over. I'm going to try to make a conscious effort to be better!
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