Happy hump day!

On a quick lunch break so I thought I would clear my mind, and update my blog.

This week is action packed for the Castro's, or maybe I just feel that way because I have tons of things I want to get done this week. I updated my white board at work to keep me on task and focused. Classes are going great, I think the Castro casa is adjusting well. I've been feeling a tad bid under the weather last week, getting better, but I still feel at moments draggy, so I am keeping myself busy checking off to-do lists, or else I could waste my whole week. Adolfo is getting into the swing of things, he's taking on a load, but I know he can do it, he always does!

Let me share my successes and to-dos! (I know some don't care, but this is like free therapy sometimes to organize me and clear my mind, lol)

- Organized at work thanks to my white-board
- Dinner plans for the week done
- Bought groceries
- Deposited money at the bank
- Budgeted/reconciled
- Slowly getting through my homework (Wednesday night is homework night)
- PS Not so much a success - our Computer needs to go to the doctor, lol...

Pretty good for it only being hump day!

Weekend goals:
- Put up Christmas Decor (Haha, yes I still have it all up! But not for long)
- Do our taxes!
- Oil Change
- Sunday Coupon Day

That's manageable right?

Well now that I am clear minded, back to work. Ces.

Weekends go by too fast!

This weekend we headed to SA to see my two little cousins in their final cheer competition for this season!

Aren't they too cute....

I'd never been to a cheer competition, it was so fun, and these little girls blew my mind by their skills, never in my cheer career was I ever able to do half the things they did, lol!


Saturday night we headed to Albert, TX to watch our cousin's band, Hilltown. Cameron and Andrew played in our wedding, they were AMAZINGLY great, so you know I loved listening to their band....

Cousins...

It was fun catching up with old friends, back in a small town....you know no strangers, everyone is super friendly, lol, potluck and a nice evening back home......

More catching up.....

It really was a quick trip, Sunday, Tay and I came back early because I have class on Friday and Sunday....so Saturday is my only free day! Sunday, Adolfo and I just relaxed at home after class...it was so nice, he downloaded like every song of George Straight so we turned off the TV, turned up the music and spent the afternoon doing Calculus and cutting coupons until the Saints game! I LOVED my weekend, too bad it went too fast!

Refreshed, Ces.

Just call me Sneezy!

Awww! SOMETHING is in the air! Today a big group of us in the office ate lunch at PF Changs downtown, and as soon as I walked out after lunch, I could not stop sneezing to save my life!

I finished my day, came home, ran to the store to get groceries for the week and I still feel like a faucet, lol...don't worry I am medicated and hopefully it holds me through the night. Tonight I am grateful for my Tylenol Cold, Soft Kleenex's, my husband who did all the laundry and cleaned up the living room, Tay's help grocery shopping and my nice book on my nightstand calling my name any second now!

Tay's back with us safe and sound, her and Adolfo are back to classes tomorrow. For me, another busy work day, but I am going to make them a yummy first day back to school dinner, pork chops YUM!

Did my first big grocery shopping trip of the year, and with my first round of coupons I saved $10, I know, I know it isn't ALOT, but it is when it allowed me to get everything I wanted, and brought me UNDER-budget, so I'm a happy girl and it's only going up! Can't wait to talk great deals with my sweet friend JJ! If anyone knows a great place to find coupons let me know!

Oh yeah, and why does HEB always give you the good coupons AFTER you shop and pay? I'm just asking?

Just a day in the life.....

Lovely weekend! I am really enjoying how 2010 is treating us, it has been full of fun and pretty relaxing. This was our first week back to work, and it felt SOOO long, but I was kind of glad to get back into the swing of things. Friday night we had a work event, and we had a great time as usual. We work with a really great group of people, so any time we can all get together, and not work, lol, is always a good time! A&I ended our night by going dancing, we LOVE to dance, and we said hey, it's like Arobics, lol!

Saturday, we really did NOTHING, lol, boring I know to some, but I appreciate down time. We slept in and I made us a nice breakfast. Adolfo enjoyed some TV, and I caught up on some work at the kitchen table, lol, I love not having to go into the office to work!

We were up in the air about dancing the night before, because we had been waiting for the movie The Book of Eli to come out....but it was sold out, so dancing it was. We decided we would try again on Saturday night, so we did. We enjoyed a nice dinner and movie date with one of A's friend's from work and his wife, they are always a great time!

Playing around before we went out, FINALLY got to wear my fun purple necklace my GMA gave me!

Sunday was all about the Cowboys, we spend the day at the Ranch with Adolfo's parents and we had a nice time. They always feed us too much, and it never fails, I get cozy on the couch and take a power nap....but it gave A time to play on the ranch and shoot his guns, so it was a happy day, lol. While A and his Dad played outside, me and my MIL played inside, she never wants me to do anything, she just feeds me and lets me watch, lol....And we wonder why I am not the greatest in the kitchen, lol, the ladies in my life must let me grow, LOL! Our lady events included watching TV with her while she cross stitched and me reading the paper cutting coupons (My new Adventure, but that's another post, lol)! Adolfo's nephew, sister and her kids came out, so it wound up to be a nice time, Cowboys, family and movie night.....really how did we get so lucky?

Our weekend was great, and I am ready for the week ahead of us! Yes work will be CRAZY, Tay's back, classes start up again.....oh, you know just another day in the life of the Castros....Hope you all have a wonderful week!

The "Be Continued" Blogpost....

Our wonderful "Stay-cation" ended with a couple of days in San Antonio. First exit was to Adolfo's playground, he always has a wonderful time....

We enjoyed the Bowl Game with Claudia and Jaime, and of course there was wonderful food! This was our appitizer....YUM! We enjoyed a group shopping trip with my bargin shopping sister, and then went home, grilled and got ready for the game....

The Castros, Hook 'Em Horns!

The Future Rincons.....

The boys played before the game, lol.....

And we talked, lol, of course, and just laughed watching them....

The last day ended with a Girls Day Out, celebrating Claudia, just spending time together, and letting her share all of her wedding excitement with her sisters! Early AM, off to appointments and shopping photo.....

I could write and write some more about our girls day out, but Heather pretty much wrapped it up, and she has AWESOME pictures so, read her blog on the side for more info, thanks Heather! Adolfo ended his with a Guy's night out, and enjoyed The Whaler's concert with his brother and some friends, remember my Husband LOVES Bob Marley, so that was his original band...so of course that's how his staycation would end.

We are just really thankful and blessed that we have 2 wonderful jobs that allow us this time away from our work and busy lives. We had a fabulous time, and enjoyed our time resting, catching up with family, and just being together, no schedules, no computers, no phones....just us! It really re-energized us for the New Year!

Time-off is MANDITORY!

2010 began with much needed relaxation for The Castros. We decided rather than taking a huge vacation, we would stay close to home, do a few things that we wanted to do, we just don't, and spend time with our families. We never get bored with family time. We are so refreshed, and it's going to be so hard getting up and out of bed on Monday morning. I am so grateful for our time off together, and ready to take on the new year!

We spent a few days visiting Adolfo's parents at the Ranch. No cell-phones, no Internet, and definitely no sense of time! We watched football, relaxed and ate way too much great food, lol, they always want to feed us.

Mr & Mrs. Day 1

Our first day out and about was to Gruene, TX. We LOVED it, lol, this place is forever deemed "Our Town". We parked, walked and enjoyed everything this sweet little town had to offer.

The Famous Dance Hall...we were able to catch a free country music concert that night, I enjoyed a nice cold one and great music with my hubby in the historic hall...

We sampled yummy samples of sauces at the general store! There was even a Nut Shop, and we sampled tons of pecans and toffy, which we had to purchase for home. Lol, they never made it, too yummy to save....gone before we left the Ranch.



Me, doing a little sampling of my own!



Their was ALOT of boutique shopping, my Husband is a sport with great taste!

Lol, we played with Toys....

We took a break to enjoy a nice mocha at the Gruene Bean Coffee House, and even squeezed in a few games of Dominoes, our favorite!

Next we headed to my parents to meet my sisters and Jaime. We had planned a nice trip to Enchanted Rock, but we never made it because the park was closed for the week, BUMMER...so we improvised.

~
We decided to take the boys to the LBJ Park and be tourists. We had a great time learning a little history, showing them where we went to Head Start and playing on the LBJ Ranch by the River.

All us Kiddos playing on the Swing at the LBJ Ranch by the River

Our guys had never been to Luckenbach, so we had to take them there too, and I couldn't leave without Adolfo getting his first Luckenbach, TX t-shirt....

We ended our day out with a couple competitive games of Bowling....the Guys were the big winners, but I definitely had the most spirited sisters!

Wednesday we spent the day with my Grandma and Grandpa at the ranch being spoiled, tons of great food, and lots of dominoes. We had such a great time making our circle, lol. But our vacation didn't end here, lol....This was just hump day.

To be continued.....

We LOVE our weekends!

Let our stay-cation begin, Today, we relaxed, and it felt wonderful! We slept in, enjoyed a whole morning of food network, and then headed out and enjoyed our day. We met my Mom and Tay at the mall and enjoyed a nice treat to CPK. It was so good, and such a sweet surprise. I know, I know, it's a new year, and pizza, really???? But, we did great, for us! We ordered one personal pizza and salad and we split....we never said we were eliminating all things great, just not all the time, as often, and PORTION CONTROL, so, I was proud of us! Thanks Mom!

We treated ourselves to a movie, Sherlock Holmes, and we loved it! We both love solving things, we love a good crime/mystery, so this was perfect for us!

I felt like our blog needed an update, something new, something fresh, and something joyful to bring us into the new year. Wishing 2010 is full of brightness, cheer and JOY! I worked out again tonight, 3 MILES, walk run, of course, but it felt so good. I am thinking of my goals and what I want to accomplish, as well as my treats for meeting my goals.....

I'm thinking running shoes(6 months prize), hot stone massage (12 months prize)....that's it for now, but wow, it's already getting me motivated just thinking about it!

Happy Saturday, The Castros.

Saying good-bye to 2009, Gladly welcoming 2010!

We are so grateful for the many blessing we were brought in 2009, and enjoyed all our "Firsts" as a married couple. But I am not going to lie, I was so glad to wrap up 2009, and we are looking forward to all the wonderful things 2010 has in store for the both of us, and our families. No resolution blog for the moment, lol, we are still thinking, we have an idea, but that's for a later post.

Wednesday night was super busy for us, and I had an appointment to pick up my Mom's ring. We'll while we were at Jared's, I always go by the wedding bands to see if they have the one I LOVE, and they had it! Every time I go into Jared's I play with it, look at it, LOVE it, and Adolfo says lets get it, and I say NO, with my long laundry list of excuses. Well, when I finally talked myself into it, it was gone, and I was sad. Well, it's back, and Adolfo wouldn't take NO for an answer this time! So after talking myself into it, out of it, and back into it....

IT'S FINALLY MINE!

Thursday, we celebrated New Year's Eve, with a nice casual dinner at Roaring Fork! I figured with all the changes Adolfo and I will be making in 2010, to be the healthest we can be (lol, well for us), I wanted to end it with a nice burger, and they definitely have a nice burger! We enjoyed a nice dinner remembering 2009, and discussing the things we are excited for in 2010!

Last year, we enjoyed a nice carriage ride downtown, and I loved it! So We did it again this year. We enjoyed a nice carriage ride up and down congress, people watching and enjoying a nice cup of hot cocoa and mocha! I don't know what it is, but I LOVE carriage rides....

Austin does this thing for New Year's, I think it's called First Night, or something like that. It's full of food Boothe's, free activities for families with little ones, and free live music, so we just walked around, looked at everything, and listened to some very creative musicians! But we couldn't leave without Adolfo checking out the Alligator on the stick, it wasn't too bad....

No big surprise, The Castro's LOVE to dance! So as we were walking around, and FREEZING! Adolfo decided we should go check out this new little country dance hall downtown, so I said, Do they have a heater, lol, well then why not! We walked in, and it looked like we walked into a set from Urban Cowboy, lol I LOVE URBAN COWBOY! So we passed on fireworks, and stayed there to bring in the new year! Nice country music, great atmosphere, and I loved watching people get kicked off the mechanical bull, lol!

Remember the Movie?

We love seeing great dancers and TRYING to learn their steps. Well, we found an older couple, and we just watched them float. Well, befor the night was over, his wife came up to us, and asked where we learned to dance, and what was the name of the steps we did, lol!!!! Her and her husband loved the way WE danced, and wanted to know what it was called, lol, it doesn't have a name, just follow the music, lol! She loved the "extra" step we throw in, and she's done it before, but it is hard to teach, but she love's dancing it! She said she couldn't teach her husband....so we were in awe, we were obsessed about watching them, and they were watching us!

We had a great time, laying low in ATX, and are ready to begin our week of vacation. We decided nothing big, just alot of little trips and even more relaxing. This is going to be a busy year, and we need all the R&R we can take in! So stay-cation here we come! Don't worry, I am sure we will be sharing our daily events, so excited!!!!

The Castros!