Family Traditions

Just like any holiday, there are tons of family traditions that are associated with Easter. Many families gather together to dye easter eggs, some make food to leave for the Easter bunny, and others might attend the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. In our family, we do a few of these, but we put our own little spin on things, as usual. My Easter tradition starts on Ash Wednesday. Many people, including my family, begin lent on this day. This year, like the past few years, I gave up soda. I should have just given up Dr. Pepper because that is usually the only type of soda that I ever drink. However, I will have to admit, I messed up! I drank soda 2 times during lent. :( I indulged in a cherry limeade one day, on accident. I didn't realize that they had sprite in them. OOPPPS!! The next time, we are not going to mention but I drank a Coke. Once again, OOPPPS! I think I will be forgiven on theses two times. Lent is about bettering yourself as a person and as long as I realized my mistake, I think God will forgive me. The best part of our family's Easter traditions is on Easter itself! Our plans are never the same due to schedule conflicts with both sides of the family, but we always manage to see each other! Church is a must on Easter Sunday, and let me say, Mom and Dad expect us dressed to a ten. After hours of prepping to fit their standards of attire on this blessed day, we all pack up, and in Mom's fashion, show up 1.5 min late to church to see all the amazing older people we have grown up in the church with. We always have "brunch" with my mom's side of family. I still to this day don't really understand the whole "brunch" thing. We never manage to eat it until at least noon so why not just say lunch? I think my Mimi likes the fancy sound of just saying brunch. Since my Mom's side of the family is quite small, we don't have many events with them. When we were little we always hunted Easter eggs in Ponder, but we don't really do that anymore.  However, any time with them is truly special. My Poppie never leaves us with a dull moment. After "brunch" with them and some good quality time visiting with my Mom's cousins on that side, we head back to Krum to hang out with the more wild side of my family, my Dad's side. This is where our family traditions get a little odd. Where most families just hide the eggs and let the kids go find them, this family likes to do things a little different. We never count the eggs before we put them out because that just makes things boring the rest of the year when you can't accidentally mow over last year's eggs. When this family hides eggs, they hide eggs. Last year it was my sister and I's year to hide the eggs. We spent about an hour hiding eggs, that should have just taken us 15 min. We climbed to the top of 20 ft. trees to hide one egg. We got out stools and hid the eggs in real bird's nests in the gutters. We even resorted to hiding eggs under the deck, in holes. While some might think this is a little cruel, and it kinda is, it makes for quite an interesting time when the whole family, including the hiders, are out looking for eggs for hours. Even after the hunt is over the wind will blow an egg out of the top of a tree and the race is on again. After all of the egg hunting, our family resorts to "riding the tractor" (according to Daniel) or, like in the past, crawdad fishing. Yep, that's right! In our Easter dresses, you can find us in the bottom of the creek crawdad fishing. Who does that? :) Another weird thing our family does is to buy multicolored chicks. Nothing is more exciting to our cousins, that live in the city, than a few chicks that are Easter colors. Not only that, we have new hens after they grow up! All of these traditions make Easter my favorite holiday. It is the one holiday where you are not stressed out about what gift you are going to give who, instead it is all about having a good time with the ones that you love and appreciating the real reason of Easter, the resurrection of Christ. The one thing that I miss about Easter as a child is my Gommie. Gommie is my great-grandmother that passed away when I was 12. Gommie spend hours slaving away in her kitchen, like many holidays, to make for sure that everyone in the town of Ponder would have Easter cookies in every shape. We would get bags of the best sugar cookies I have ever put in my mouth shaped like ducks, eggs, chickens, rabbits, and whatever other Easter shaped cookie cutter she could find that year. Come Easter weekend the people of Ponder would start stopping by Gommie's house to get their cookies and by Easter Sunday, once everyone else had gotten theirs, we would finally get our Easter cookies. This made my Easter! I looked forward to Gommie's cookies more than I looked forward to the Easter Bunny making his way to Krum! Every time Easter rolls around the memories of Gommie really start to surface, which makes me realize that everyday, especially Easter, Gommie is looking down on us to make for sure that our wonderful family traditions are carried out! 

I hope that tomorrow morning when you wake up for Easter, you celebrate the family traditions that hold your family together. Additionally, I hope that you remember the real reason of Easter while you celebrate with your family. Regardless, have fun with the ones that you love! Happy Easter!

The Road Goes On Forever And The Party Never Ends

Since day one, if you ask my parents, I have not been the biggest fan of having plans. Yes, I do like to know what is ahead and when, but more than that I require options. Sometimes this makes my life more difficult than it should be, however it keeps things interesting! With my first year of college closing in on me, a lot of people have asked what my plans are for the next three years and even my life. I never know what to say. As many people know, I can't make a decision to save my life, because once again I like options. That is one reason why I have developed this highly effective hand gesture. When people say raise your hand if you want to do so and so, just hold it half way up parallel to the floor. This way you aren't exactly saying yes and you aren't exactly saying no. Okay, so back on track! What do I want to do with my life? That is a question that I probably won't be able to answer until I am on my death bed and I can respond with "everything that I have done". I could basically sum it up with I don't have plans, I have goals and dreams. As long as I accomplish my goals and dreams in life, I think that there is no need for any form of track to follow, God will always lead me to where I am supposed to go. I have one main goal. It is a daily goal. It is to live life day by day. I don't care about what I am going to have to do tomorrow that I am dreading, I want to have a blast doing what I want to do today. As Robert Earl Keen would say, "The road goes on forever and the party never ends." Well, I want to live life by that statement. Have fun your whole life and the road will go on forever. Why worry about what if? Party/live it up. Push your limits and live a life you want to tell your future grandchildren about. It has taken me a little bit to learn this but I give up caring. I don't care what you, your mom, your best friend, or your dog thinks about me. Like it or leave it! I am going to drive down the road of life going 90 to nothing, music blaring from my radio, living it up with my friends and family knowing that God is leading me down the right path. Then someday, when the time comes, I will hit that dead end of my road knowing that I had one heck of a time doing what I love to do. Love the life you live!

Born Together, Friends Forever

I have always said that I would never wish twins on anyone, not even my worst enemy. After the past few months out on OUR own, I would like to add something to that statement. While I would not wish twins on anyone, I would wish a twin for someone. You see, being a twin is hard! You share EVERYTHING! Not just material objects. You share birthdays, graduations, Christmas', parents, often times friends, and opportunities. It was not until my 18th birthday that I had ever had a birthday celebration where my sister wasn't right there,  blowing out the candles beside me. My twin sister Shelby and I have had our ups and downs. We have fought until we drew blood, we have said things to each other that we definitely did not mean, but through it all, NO ONE could tear us apart. We have been together 18 years, why should we let them? We have had "friends" try to put a wedge between us, but with time we always figure it out. We fight one minute, then try to fight each others way out of trouble the next. I know that for the past 18 years Shelby and I have slowly been driving our parents to their grave. So, that is why I say that I would not wish twins on anyone, they are hard to raise. However, I would wish a twin for someone, they are the best friend that you could ever find. Tonight, when my sister needed me, I would have not thought twice about dropping my plans to support her. As I know that, without a doubt, she would do the same for me. She has fought for me with everything that she has got, and fought me with it too, and I would do anything to stand up for her. So, maybe after all of my griping, being a twin isn't bad at all. While other people walk into a situation alone, I have always had my sister to hold my hand (or push me) through it, I always have someone to talk to, I always have someone that I can trust with just about anything, and most of all I always have someone to call my best friend. I mean, after all, I love you Choo Choo Train House!

Dig a Little Deeper

Often people would say that you can read me like a book. Some make fun of me for it, but I don't care. I like to be friends with everyone, and it is always easier when you can tell what is going on. However, apparently people who claim to know everything about me, really don't. There are things things that I keep secret and don't let people know, but I think it's time to throw everything out on the table. 

~I am a twin, as many know, and would with out a doubt put everything out on the line for her. 

~I have two of the most amazing parents in the whole world. Aside from Shelby, they are my two best friends. 

~My family means the world to me. It is the glue that holds me together. I can't imagine life without my grandparents. 

~I have no clue where I want to go in life, and I am okay with that. 

~I go to the best school in the whole wide world, Texas Tech! Wreck em'!

~My hometown is Krum, and no matter how much people want to put that town down, it is the best town in Texas as far as I am concerned. 

~I love to work. 

~Regardless what the task, I am a very goal oriented person. 

~My biggest flaw is that I trust people way too much, and 99.9% of the time get screwed over. 

~I am always up for a good time. "Sorry for partying"

~I am a very independent person.

~Even though I may not show it, I would consider myself a religious person. God is the answer to all.

~Nothing makes me more mad then when someone that has no authority over me tells me what to do. 

~I keep a lot of feelings to my self, and there is no prying me open. 

~People think they can see right through me...If they only knew the half of everything.

~People also say that I am overly predictable, things are about to change.

~I'm not half as dumb as what people treat me for being. I may laugh at it, but deep down it hurts. 

~I don't mind people making fun of me, but when a joke is over don't be immature it keep it dragging on. I laughed the first time, did you not get your satisfaction. 

~I don't tell people what I want, because I have been taught to expect nothing. 

~I am a little too nice at times. I don't find anything wrong with that. My great-grandma taught me the golden rule. 

~I have a love for Dr. Pepper, but a bigger love for Sweet Tea.

~If I was given $1 mil. today, I would pay for my education and then donate the rest. There are way more deserving people out there than me. 

~I don't appreciate being put down. I have gone through it my whole life and the last thing I want to know is your negative opinion. 

~I love a good joke. 

~My favorite song of all times is Kid Rock's "Cowboy". My cousin showed me this song when I was 6, since then it has been stuck in my head. When I am in a bad mood, I drive around and jam to this song. 

~I have an extreme obsession with Louis Vuitton! It is almost a problem.

~Coming to Lubbock has been the best thing I have ever done, it has opened my eyes to a lot of things. 

~One of my favorite things to do is drive around aimlessly with my friends. 

~I love scratch offs. Actually, I love gambling. 

~I want to own a fast car someday, solely so that I can race it. I love driving fast.

~I love cooking out at home and eating on the back porch. 

~My favorite time of day is sundown, especially in the summer. 

~It was not until I was 18 that I got a birthday celebration of my own. Deep down, I wish my sister was there. 

~I could eat rib-eyes for every meal and never get sick of them. 

~I love riding horses. I miss rodeoing very much. 

~Stock Shows were my life until this year. They still hold a special part in my heart.

~My biggest role model in life is my great-grandmother, Gommie! I try to live each day as a day that she would approve of. 

 

Just A Small Town Girl

I never thought that I would enjoy this whole blogging thing, but it is actually a great way to relax right before you go to bed. Even if no one ever reads this, I would be okay with that. It is a great way for me to express my thoughts when I don't feel like saying them out loud.

So recently everyone has been talking about the small towns that they are from. Granted, they may have less people living in their town or fewer people in their graduating class, however in my eyes Krum, TX will always be an amazing small town in Texas. When I was born, Krum housed right at 1,500 residents. It seems like over night the pastures of wheat have turned to neighborhoods of houses. Even though the population today is about 2,000, when I stop at the 4-way stop in the heart of Krum, I still see the tiny town that I saw 10 years ago. To this day, at 3:10 when school has just let out, I can still get into the only turning lane in Krum and look next to me and tell you exactly who owns that car. If I am not able to do that, I can tell you that the car to the left is obviously not from Krum. I have not been home in well over a month, and that is really starting to get to me. My sister goes on and on about how she doesn't like the small town that I will forever call home, but I know deep down she misses it too. Even though I am contradicting my last post when I said that I am glad that I left town (which I still am!), it sure feels great to go back every once in a while. My whole life I have not gone a whole week without seeing at least one set of my grandparents. I have not gone more than a few days without seeing my parents. I have not gone many days without sleeping in my bed. Nor have I ever gone very long without seeing my precious animals. Well I have not gone very long without all of this until August 20, 2010, AKA my 18th birthday. On this day I packed up and left town without knowing if I would ever return back as a resident. With being a little home sick the past few weeks, the anticipation of spring break in a week is killing me. I get to spend a whole week at home! This means that I get to see my grandparents, parents, animals, my bed, and my home town! This means that I get to set at the 4-way stop and look at every stop sign and see someone I know. I get to go to Sonic and determine just how much of a tip I plan to give the car hop on how close I was with them in high school. I get to go to the gas station and talk to the grouchy old ladies that work in there about how amazing it is to mix coke and cherry flavored Iccees, while they shake their head mad that I would do such a thing. I get to go sit in Johnny Joes and scratch off lotto tickets (that I can now buy legally). I get to drive the backroads with my friends. I get to park my car under a roof, in the barn. I get to enjoy a backyard, there is nothing better than laying in the hammock under the tree in the backyard on a warm day. I get to talk to the coolest mail lady in the world when I meet her at the mail box at approximately 3:25 (she now has a Tech sticker on the back of her mail car!) I get to dodge the pot hole in our road. I get to break every rule of driving that my grandpa has ever told me just to see how fast I can "safely" go around the S-curve headed out to my house. I get to drive on a dirt/gravel road again. I get to get honked at on the high-way because I have come to a near stop just because I am checking the new crop of horses that Cecil Jones has just put out in his front pasture. I get to laugh at the Krum cops attempt to set a speed trap, when in all actuality they are parked halfway out in the road, in the way of oncoming traffic. I get to drive by the school and see my younger friends light up the bright new marquee for their accomplishments. I get to walk into the ag barn like I own that place and look at the animals that I not so secretly wish that I could still show. I can run out to the front fence when I hear sirens and tell you almost certainly where they are headed. I get to see the coolest little cousin in the world, Daniel. I get the opportunity to ride horses. I get to run around the horse lot filled with dirt clods, while barefoot. I get to read the Krum Star in print. (The one and only newspaper that I read) I get to go to Miguletos, a grossly amazing mexican food restaurant. I get to go to best store in Denton, Weldon's Saddle Shop, where I can see the people that I got to see daily my senior year. I get to see the sunset. More importantly than most, I get to see Toedo, the most amazing dog ever! Also, I get to see the great friends that I still have in Krum. While Lubbock is an amazing place to live, Krum will always be my home and it sure feels good to go back ever so often and do the things that I grew up loving to do. 

A Family Of Friends

Here it is. My very first blog! I have the worlds worst grammar and don't know where to put a comma to save my life, so if you read this, ignore that fact!

So I actually wrote this last night as I was trying to fall asleep. However, it was not until today that I actually figured out how to start this whole blog process.

So as I lay here trying to fall asleep, I realize how important it was for me to move away from home and go to Texas Tech. Not many people from the good ole’ town of Krum, TX had the courage to do so. Now, those people fit into one of three categories. Category 1: They are expecting a child. Category2: They are “in love” and getting married any day now. Or Category 3: They work at the fancy new WalMart in Denton and attend to the oh so honorable NCTC. Whoa! Dream Big! When I made the decision to attend Texas Tech, I made the best decision of my life. I have no plans of getting married, I am DEFINITELY not pregnant, and of course I don’t work at WalMart. Instead, I have the best friends in the world and we are overcoming the obstacles of living life out on our own as one big happy family. I no longer have to worry about who I am going to run into that is going to spread a rumor about what I did this weekend. I don’t have to worry about ruining our family’s name in Denton or Wise County. I go out and have fun, responsibly of course. I have matured because I have had to learn to limit myself. I no longer have my parents to limit me. I have learned to maintain my active social life, while maintaining a GPA that I am not afraid to show my Mom (the hardest lady in the world to please, educationally). Any who, back to the amazing friends that I have. In high school you are limited. If you don’t like someone you have to suck it up, because you are going to be with him or her regardless, competing to be “popular” or whatever that nonsense is. Especially in a small town, you are in constant competition with them from the time that you start school to the day that you walk across that stage. In college everything is totally different. If you decide that you don’t like that person, good for you. You are not forced to sit next to them in class. You are not forced to attend school functions with them. Most likely if you don’t enjoy that person, you are not going to have to share the same friends with them. Pretty much, you can distance yourself so far from that person that you will not have to converse with them, at all. This leads me to the fact if you are friends with someone, your friendship can grow stronger. The hardest thing that I have had to do in life is move from my comfy, quaint home snuggled right out side of Krum, TX to this nasty, used, shared dorm room with community bathrooms in Lubbock. Now I love Lubbock don’t get me wrong, but I have never had to share a room with anyone in my life, much less with someone that I hardly even know. I have never had to share a bathroom where you have to shower in shoes. I have never, not had a back yard. I have never had to do my dishes in a sink the size of a bowl. Nor have I ever had to pray that they turned the air conditioner on tonight because my room is 95 degrees.  However, despite all of the down sides of living in the dorms, everyone should have to live at least one year of their life in a dorm with a community bathroom. You learn to quit being so dang picky. You learn why your mom jumps your butt every time you “forget” to clean your room or bathroom. You learn to appreciate the things that God, and your parents have blessed you with at home. Most of all, you learn who your friends are. When you live so close to people that you hardly know, you learn a lot about them, pretty quickly. You learn that everyone has little ticks that drive you nuts, and you just have to ignore that. You learn that everyone has grown up a little different than you have. You also learn that if you can practically live with someone for a year and they don’t drive you to your grave, you better hang on tight because that is a true friend. This year, I have been blessed with the presence of four girls, along with my sister. Hallie “Mom”, Shelby “Heffernan or Dad”, Tiffany “Blue Duck”, Emily, and Shelby “Grandma Christmas” are the best friends that I could have ever have been blessed with. They are my family. Of course I still have my real family that I was born into, but when you don’t live anywhere close to them you need to create your own family of friends. Just like I was when I was at home, I am still the immature, youngest, “wild child”. If Hallie and Heffernan were truly my parents I would probably live ninety percent of my life in time out. My five best friends are fun, crazy, amazing, loving, caring, cheerful, talented, and BEAUTIFUL people, inside and out. I could not imagine waking up one day and not having them to hold my hands as I walk down the yellow brick road of life. If anyone can bring a smile to my face, it is these girls. They listen to me when I just need to throw my feelings out on the table, they take care of me when I don’t feel good, and they drive me home when I need a ride. Basically, these girls are my life. Today, Emily celebrated her 19^th birthday. We all got together and had a girl’s night. It was great! Hopefully someday when we are not all on that terribly tight college budget we can throw her one heck of a good party. In the mean time, we are just going to have to cherish the time that we spend together, on a budget. As I lie here in bed, I wonder where each of us will be the next time that March 3^rd rolls around and it is time to celebrate Emily’s 20^th birthday. What path in life will we have chosen? Will we all be able to spend the day together? Or, will we have to spend it one man less? Regardless where we are at on that given day, I hope/know that we will all still be the best of friends whatever life throws our way.