Christmas, Hill Country Style....

I am so proud to have been born and raised in the beautiful Hill Country, and the holiday season holds such precious memories I love sharing with my family, Adolfo, and one day our little family. It's a feeling I can't explain, yet anyone who has experienced it, appreciates it! Lights Spectacular is an annual tradition in our family, and if you only ever visit Johnson City once in your life let it be the weekend after Thanksgiving, our town turns into a Hallmark Movie, and I love it! Lights, Christmas carols, great food, hot cider, funnel cakes, horse carriage rides, hay rides and SANTA!!!!! Can't you tell we love it, there are over a million Christmas lights when you combine our Court House, our park and PEC, BEAUTIFUL!

My Mom and her girls ready for some lights!!!

Adolfo and I entering the Park!

Everyone in their life, should experience a Hill Country Christmas!

Celebrating Christmas with fireworks, right before Santa came to town!

Annual Sister Sleigh picture in the Park , 2009!

Cousins in the park....

PEC Lights, so pretty, and the Blue tree...

The Castros, playing in the lights, 2009!

Our Annual Santa picture, with the boys, lol, they can't get out of it, it's tradition!

This was a great weekend for Adolfo, he got a buck on Saturday morning, at 6:40AM, How do I know the exact time you ask, lol? Well because he ran back to the ranch, into the room and said babe I got one, get your coat and shoes on, and lets get the truck, lol, so there I go in my cute pink PJ's, my Sperry's, and my pea coat, lol, classy!!! But that's why I love the country, lol, who's going to see us????No one! Now we have meat for the year, it's being processed and it will all be ours in a few weeks, YUM!

I am so grateful for the time off to relax, go home and be with my family, doing things we enjoy the most! It was so nice to catch up with everyone home for the holidays, and just re-energize for the busy weeks ahead before Christmas. Tonight Adolfo and I came home, tried a new recipe, made and apple pie, and put a roast in the crock pot for tomorrow, our house smells so good at the moment! We ended our night in a blanket watching a Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel! I LOVE HALLMARK!!! The temperature dropped and it is definitely feeling alot like Christmas!

No luck getting Christmas decorations out, much less up but I am ahead of the game on my shopping, just a few more things and I am done and it's on to the fun part, WRAPPING! Well this is entirely to long, and I must go to bed!

Warm wishes, C.

Home for Thanksgiving....

Adolfo always works Thanksgiving Day, so we both are able to spend time with our families, him in Austin and me in JC. Wednesday evening we got to hang out with the Shumakes and family at their "Chop Chop" Party, lol, this is their idea of prepping for Thanksgiving and enjoying a few drinks, and just catching up, so we had a great time....then it was back to the house for our own chopping party!

Tay and I getting ready to make the Apple Pie....with our Michigan apples, YUM!

Ready to head out to Grandma's House....

The little ones, Tay and Chica....

Me, our Dad, and Tay....

My Grandma Mary's turkey, awesome!

My Mom's ham, so good!!!

Pies from the Summy's kitchen, great job Tay!

Desserts...never a shortage!

Thursday evening, we went home, got comfortable and headed to our Aunt Lydia's to watch our Longhorns beat the Aggies!!!!!! It was an awesome game, I was at the end of my seat the entire time, no matter how great our season has been, it's the only game the Aggies want with all their heart, so I am so glad we pulled it off, 12-0! We lit our candle the whole game...sweet victory!

Friday evening, me, Adolfo, Claudia and Jaime surprised my grandparent's since we didn't get to see them on Thanksgiving Day. My Grandma still had tons of food, so of course we all had a mini-post Thanksgiving, and just spent the evening relaxing, watching novelas and catching up! My Grandma is so creative, so I wanted to share a beautiful holiday setting!

I am so grateful for my family, and the time we are able to spend together, especially, during this holiday season.

More stories to come, C.

Another reason I love November!

PUMPKIN BREAD! Tay surprised us by making a loaf, and it was so good! I had a YWA meeting tonight, caught up over dinner with Cathy and Samantha, and came home to the smell of pumpkin bread, some times its better than a candle! So thanks Tay!

She also surprised me with my Hex Rally shirt! I love it, so much better than last years and I am excited to go again, my mom is coming in for this one, so we are going to have fun putting a Hex on A&M, bring it on!

Tay's Pumpkin Bread...

Adolfo and I just finished purchasing our Julian & Stephen Marley tickets for Friday night, so fun! And now we are watching Lopez Live, we LOVE him, lol, enjoying our pumpkin bread with a nice glass of hot tea!

Just another random night at the Castros....A&C.

Another year older, another more wiser!

Today was Adolfo's 27th Birthday, so happy birthday Babe! I remember the night we met, and we talked about EVERYTHING under the sun, Imagine that...I remember finding out that night that we were only 3 days apart, of course I am the older more wiser one, and thinking what are the odds???

After we started dating, It felt like we never stopped celebrating, we have always done a birthday week. Partically because we get so excited about surprises we have to share immediately....We've been celebrating since Saturday, and there is still so much more to come, Happy 27th to us, this is our 6th birthday week together!

Tonight was Adolfo's real birthday, but we kept it short, sweet and simple. He had class and I had lots of work, so I asked him to choose what he wanted and that is what we would do. My husband chose a nice relaxing night at home and Pizza, that's him, simple as that! He could have a fancy steak dinner, but he always chooses pizza, I LOVE HIM FOR THAT!

We both got home, I surprised him with a sweet present and card, we washed dishes together, and then all 3 of us enjoyed Mr. Gattis, and a night catching up on our DVR! It was a perfect night for us, just being together, celebrating another year....

Don't worry, after Adolfo completely spoiled me, I couldn't just end it with that! Really, my husband is a quiet man, completely content with all his blessings in life, and never asks for much of anything, but I love trying to surprise him!

So, he has been talking about a couple of the Marley sons coming to ATX, and what do you know its this week! So, I told him lets make a birthday celebration out of it, I love seeing him get excited. So part 2 of his present, don't worry he already knows, is getting dressed up for a night on the town, dinner and drinks downtown and then the Marley Brothers concert with family and friends!!! I never listened to Reggae before Adolfo, but I have never been disappointed, their concerts are so different, but AWESOME!

So there you have it, our birthday week celebrations...who knows, maybe our babies can be sweet Novembers, and we can just have a monthly family birthday celebration....celebrating all of us.....one big blur.....oh the fun things we have to look forward to!

Hahaha, I know this is kind of random, hints my life at the moment, so thanks for continuing to read, and more fun stuff ahead!

In the life of a Castro, C.

Surprise Movie Night!

I got a call this afternoon from Adolfo, that his brother had free tickets to see an early showing of The Blind Side, and we were going to meet them at the theatre after work. Of Course, I was super excited because I have been counting the days down for this movie since I saw the previews months ago! It was so good, of course I cried! I have been an emotional wreck this past couple of weeks, and well it was great to be crying about such a sweet movie, instead of stress, ha! But we are over that, because I got my test scores back today and I got a 109/110!!!! That is right, Almost perfect, I was stressing out and being crazy for nothing, lol, guess all those nights at the coffee house paid off! ADD MOMENT, now back to the movie! We had a wonderful time catching up with family again, and seeing our nieces and nephews they are getting so BIG, and cute!

What a sweet surprise to start of the week! C.

Weekend of celebrations!

Friday, after work, we got home loaded the car and headed back to my parents for a weekend of celebrations! My birthday was on Saturday and Adolfo's is on Tuesday. We planned a simple homemade dinner at my Grandma's to celebrate November birthdays. We had such a blast relaxing and just catching up with family, things have been so busy it's been awhile since we all have been together!

Loading the Car, my husband was being very resourceful, boots aren't just for walking, lol....

Friday night, we had a lot of catching up to do, and Adolfo wanted me to open my presents at 12:01AM, so my Mom made us a nice pot of hot tea, and we just talked for hours, what we do best!

see the steam, lol....

Saturday morning, Adolfo got up super early to go hunting, and came back early to so we could celebrate a birthday lunch at Silver K! If you are ever in the area, you need to check this place out, I love it, and our meal was wonderful! Even better CALL US, and we will take you!

Me sporting my new present from my Hubby, I LOVE IT! And I got the matching wallet!

We wasted time playing in old antique shops....they had so many fun hats....and Adolfo LOVES hats, lol...

Before dinner at Grandmas, us, my sisters and Jaime! I LOVE our new kids picture!

We enjoyed a fabulous meal. My Grandma made homemade Carne Asada, beans, rice (Heather) and tortillas, YUM! Heather surprised us with our favorite cakes..... Gerald and Adolfo had a German chocolate cake and I had a spiced bunt cake with cream cheese and pecans, Thanks Heather they were so good!

And what is a gathering without my Mom's queso! She bought this cute bowl on her trip to AZ, and we love it, so Saturday night, we the family, deemed it the Queso Bowl from now until FOREVER!

Our Dad showing Tay some love, lol...

After more than one round of dinner, lol for EVERYONE, we had an evening of games! Grandma said no gambling, but if we did, the house, AKA Grandma, would get 50%, not a bad deal Grandma! We played Mexican Bingo (big winners: Aunt Lydia, Heather, Tay and Mom), A new dice game that has no name, but it was super fun, and we have A SONG, lol. It came down to me and Heather, and she won! Heather is so funny, she felt bad that she was the only one who won, she wanted to share with everyone! You can't do that Heather, lol, you win you win!

My game card, no luck! But I enjoyed my glass of wine!

November Birthdays, Adolfo and I are 27, ouch! And Gerald is big old 22!

We had a wonderful weekend back home just relaxing with our family, I missed everyone! As you can tell by my lack of posting, life is really running me at the moment, but I am ready for the holidays! I am so grateful for my beautiful family, glad my sister and Jaime got to come to town and hang out with us, and even more grateful for all the love shown by the people God's placed in my life, I am truly blessed! Thank you to everyone for the cards, calls, emails, and presents, I LOVE every single one!

Now, I am looking forward to Thanksgiving weekend! But first this week I am planning Adolfo's special day on Friday (Even though it's Tuesday)!

Smiling, C.

Today is a beautiful...

We are blessed. My heart is so light today, and I am completely full of joy! I am sitting at our computer, at our desk looking out the window at a beautiful day, half disappointed that I am here studying all day and night, but even more happy that today is a beautiful day.

I appreciate that I get to learn more in school, and this is the sacrifice I must make for our future family, I am ok with that! Tay is out and about with friends at the UT game, and Adolfo is enjoying the first weekend of hunting season, which he has so patiently waited for, haha, I think he cleaned his gun for the 100th time last night! My house is clean and so peaceful, and can't help but find joy in the life and blessings our God has provided us! My Mom, aunt and cousins went to support jughead in AZ, and watch a game, I even more joyful that my Mom gets to take a break and get away and see The Heavners, she works hard everyday of her life, it's time she enjoy that hard work, travel and spoil herself, she deserves it, and I love seeing it! Claudia is working, and "SAVED" me a Hallmark balloon, I LOVE HALLMARK!

I know this is random, but hey I needed a break, and these are the moments and feelings I wish we could bottle up and save for a rainy day!

Everyday, I am a grateful and lucky girl...C.

ENJOYED!

....The last weekend with my husband until hunting season is over, haha! Adolfo and I had a great weekend just us, being together and getting things done. Friday night we hung out with one of his friends at work and his wife, and enjoyed dinner & drinks and Jamie Fox's new movie at The Alamo Drafthouse, suprisingly good, but some parts were a little too bloody for me, but it was good.

Saturday, Adolfo got up really early to go to the lease and I just did all my errands at home, and then I needed to get caught up in all areas of life! I stayed home, and then we were ready for our Longhorns and Halloween. We had all intentions to head out after the game to a Halloween Party, but it never happened....We loved watching our Horns win, but then just decided to order dinner in and watch a movie on TV, with all our million movie channels....it was nice just relaxing together on the couch in our quiet and clean home....Adolfo of course fell asleep and I painted my nails, lol, that's about how our Halloween 2009 went, simple as that!

Sunday, we just relaxed and I met up with our Mentor group at a cute little coffee house here in Austin, I LOVE finding new "Diamond in the ruff" Austin-owned coffee shops, I will be definitely going back, great cup of joe! I studied there all afternoon, until Adolfo got back into town....I LOVED how relaxed our weekend was, we still got a great deal done. Now we are getting ready to watch a late showing of MJ's movie, next week and weekend is super busy for us, so we planned this evening to watch it because really its the only time we can! So I am excited, because I've heard good things!

Can you tell the Castros LOVE going to the movies?????We don't do it all the time, it comes in spells so we figure it averages out to about 2 a month....which isn't bad because we get a deal and still use our student IDs, haha! $14 movie, can't beat that, well unless we go to the dollar movie or watch a 1st showing, but hey just let me enjoy the moment!

Enjoying the 1st of November, C. (My FAVORITE month!)