Year 2: Cotton, Hmmm.....

Adolfo and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary on Labor Day, but with the business of the holiday, we decided to celebrate this past weekend. We always celebrate everything a little off-beat because special ocassions make us crazy, so why would we expect anniversaries to be any different, lol?

So, year one was easy: Paper, but year 2, had us thinking really early on, and it got to a point where we were getting really creative, lol. I LOVE B&B's and will pick it over a hotel any day, so I decided to google B&B's - COTTON and see what popped up. It was that simple, and I found this sweet little treasure, the Cotton Gin Village, in our favorite little weekend getaway hot spot, Fredericksburg!!!! I was so excited, I LOVED everything about this idea, weekend trip to the hill country, great food, wine, and a little adventure.....needless to say, it was easy convincing Adolfo.

So here it is, the great thing about this place is it is owned by a chef, with an onsite restaurant, and then he has Cabins on the grounds....great idea, he's created his own little rustic village!

I couldn't wait to see our little cabin, The Pecos!

Adolfo was in love with a turn of the key! Isn't it adorable?

Can you feel the charm? I just fell in love!

Adolfo said he wouldn't mind sitting in that chair looking out the window for the rest of his life, after spending the whole weekend there, it doesn't sound like a bad idea at all! See the little basket in the back....we got fresh pastries every day, wrapped up, so it was like a present!

This is what sold me, I LOVE the fire place, but more importantly the big table in front, perfect for dominoes!

The landscape had a beautiful patio area with waterfalls, tables, and fish....so of course Adolfo had to feed the fish, right?

There is a little view, my hubby in action.....the sound was so pretty at night. Friday night we just relaxed, enjoyed a great Hamburger and music under the stars at Hondos, my favorite!

So Saturday, we acted as tourists, it's the best part! And, because I married a History buff we played around in the museum....I hadn't been there in a really long time, and Adolfo loved it!

The Japanese Garden was so pretty!

Sharing a little bit of the beauty....

Our most favorite part of the museum, so cool!

I asked Adolfo how much he liked it, and he said, "It was the bomb!" Haha, so cute since he was standing in front of a lifesize bomb!

After we were done learning, we strolled mainstreet, enjoyed some new wines (well, I did) & chocolates, and of course we had ice cream before we headed back for the Longhorns and Dinner!

All dressed up and in a great mood! The Longhorns won, and now it was dinner time!

The Castros, 2nd Anniversary Celebration!

We were not let down, the food was amazing! I had a steak, YUM, and Adolfo was blown away by the quail, he loved it, and was already planning our next trip back. It was really good, and I'd never turn down a romantic dinner date, with my one and only!

Since the night was still young, we heard there was a PBR rodeo going on across the street, and there was going to be a dance later in the evening, and if you know the Castros, we LOVE to dance....so we went! And as we entered they were having there 9/11 Ceremony, it was so touching, and just made me really grateful, and proud to be an American! I mean, we were in a beautiful little town, doing what we loved, with the one we loved, just enjoying our moment....

We danced, and danced some more, I love it when we can just look up and just see stars, it made my night! Sunday, time for us to head back to ATX, but not until we defeated the rock!

It just kept going, and going, and just when you thought you were there, nope, keep going, lol! Adolfo looks like he's walking into the clouds.....

We did it! The Castros on top of the world, lol, 2 years down a 100 to go!

This trip turned out better than I could have imagined! We had such a wonderful time, and we really just got to check out of our city lives, and just relax together.

2 years have passed so quickly, and it's been my favorite thus far! I'm a really lucky girl. I've been blessed to find that one person who encourages me to follow my dreams, and if I don't know the answer that's ok because we'll figure it out together. I've found the one person who will listen to me talk and talk, and then tell me to stop, be quiet and listen, because let's be honest, sometimes I need that. I've found the one person who knows my flaws, and still thinks I'm perfect! I've found the one person who will sit beside me for the rest of my life...in my moments of tears, worries, frowns, smiles, and laughter....I've just been blessed!

Love you Babe, C.

Celebrations at the Castro's...

Well, it has been pretty laid back the past few weeks at the Castro's. We enjoyed a very relaxing Labor Day weekend, full of time off, football, a little bit of Anniversary shopping, and just hanging out.

Saturday we enjoyed a Texas victory over Rice. I LOVE watching sports, even more, I LOVE waking up in ATX every Saturday during football season, and all you see is a sea of burnt orange and white, it just get's me in the spirit!

Sunday, we pretty much hung out....we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon hanging out at the Coffee Bean and walking around the Domain....as we continued strolling, I could help but snap a picture of my "Big Kid" playing in the fountain! The fountain has a random pattern, and right after this one, they all came on, oh what I'd have given to watch that sneak up on him, loL!
Labor Day was well, pretty laborless and full of nothing! Adolfo and I celebrated our 2nd year Anniversary on Monday (Labor Day)....but we didn't do anything because this weekend is our celebration weekend, so I will share all that excitement in another blog, later.

Today is my little sister's 21st Birthday, so we treated her a little special! Adolfo had class, so it was just us two. I decided I was going to make her a cake....Here is the birthday girl, a night before the big day...she could only look, no touching!


I took the rest of the week off for celebrations, so tonight I took Tay out to Dinner to celebrate! Here we are enjoying our first legal glasses of wine together, lol! I got carded first, typical....

We do love our Italian food and wine!

We couldn't go home without her first "BIG PURCHASE" so before we headed home to enjoy birthday cake we made a stop.

Here goes my baby sister focused and on her way in....

and on her way out....Mission accomplished!

Here is a pretty funny story.....As Tay and I start discussing different new wines we'd like to try and finally found our wine of choice, we make our way to the counter, she puts her bottle on the counter, pulls out her wallet, hands the lady the cash, and they didn't even card her!!!! We didn't say anything, but we had a nice laugh as we left.....Tay: "I waited 21 years for that, lol!"....I mean, I get carded every time I go in there, lol.

I've enjoyed my time off, but I am so looking forward to our Anniversary weekend! Since Tay's birthday fell on a Thursday we had to keep it pretty low key, and I am bummed I am going to miss out on her big celebration, but we got our sister time. So like I said, it's been really calm and laid back, but that's welcomed.

C.

Sunsets, meatloaf, and a good book!

Hi friends, WOW, it's been too long! Well since our last blog, we've survived a night in San Antonio visiting my sister and her fiances new place and a trip to the beach. School has started up again for Adolfo, and Tay is back with us.

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I have off a couple of days for the next 2 weeks, a little bit of training, and then Adolfo and I get to celebrate our 2 year anniversary....more on that later!!!!!

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Last weekend we tried out the Oasis for one of Adolfo's friends birthday, it's one of those places that everyone went to for prom, it's just one of those places you try, more for the sunset than the food or drinks, in my opinion, but it was great hanging out with friends, and I'd never been so it was a sweet date!

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I love anytime I can get dressed up and take a picture with my cute, preppy hubby! I LOVE his new fishing cap, and don't you just love the family picture of Bob Marley still up in our living room, loL!

Picture 1Million with my hubby! Enjoying our sunset....we had a beautiful view, we even saw sailboats, I want one!

Celebrating Lupe's Birthday....


So we've just really laid low getting back into the swing of things. Work will pick up again for me at the end of September....so I am still running, and trying not to eat out as much. Which means, more cooking for me, not my favorite.

So I am happy to share, that I cooked 3 meals this past week...one night of leftovers, and then I got a dinner date tonight! So here is my meatloaf story....I have only tried to make this meal once in my life, in college, and I failed miserably. It took me so long, and it was horrible, I've felt intimated ever since! So finally, I said not again.....so I chose Sunday night to overcome my meatloaf fear!

TADA.....thanks to my Mom's great recipe, it came out wonderful! And now, my family too, can enjoy meatloaf night!


I am STILL debating if I want to get a Kindle with my promotion bonus, but I am torn...I love how compact it is, and that it holds so many books, and slides right in my purse....but, I also love browsing book stores, holding an old book, and turning the pages one by one.....see my dilema!

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So until I make a decision, here is what is on my nightstand at the moment, I LOVE IT! Each night I lay my head on my pillow, I feel so empowered as a women. I am only in the beginning, but it has been a really easy read so far....I'll let you know! And, seeing my cute little piggy bank I made makes me want to paint pottery again!

So that is it friends, nothing earth shatering, just our everyday living, lol! We have 3 whole days to our self, and still no plans, not going to lie, if feels wonderful! Enjoy your Labor Day weekend!

With Love, The Castros!

A little bit of everything!

Well today has been nothing short of RELAXING, so I thought I'd share a few random pictures, and talk about what's happening in our life lately.

Last weekend Adolfo and I spent all Sunday together, so just when I thought we were going to call it a night, and get ready for Monday, he surprised me with a nice dinner and our first 3D movie experience.

The Castros getting ready!

I've been reading Eat, Pray, Love for awhile now here and there, and I thought that I'd get through it before the movie, but here we are.....Saturday, and the movie has been out for a day, and I'm not even through India, and Tay's DONE! So, I am going to move on, and watch the movie tomorrow with my Mom and sister, hopefully, I LOVE JULIA ROBERTS!

Adolfo has been encouraging me to take some type of vitamin for awhile now, so he's been researching, and we finally went last weekend and made a purchase. I LOVE them, I was nervous because sites were saying they taste bad, but I eat them with my breakfast, and I haven't had a problem with them. I must say it's a powerful little package.

I have started the C25K program, and successfully finished my week, only eight more to go, lol! I am really feeling so much better, and I don't know if it's the running/working out or my new vitamins. Whatever it is, it's working, and I look forward to my evening routine. I hope to finish the program and complete my first 5K at the end of October :)!

Adolfo spent the morning with his Mom, so I enjoyed a nice deluxe pedicure, and reading time (remember, I am only in India, lol!). I thought I'd be productive, and I bought groceries for our short week, and now we are both home, doing nothing, and just relaxing!

Thought I'd share my happy, "Ready to layout on the beach", nicely pedicured feet!

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend, and are all caught up with the Castros, this is it, nothing exciting, and new, just a little bit of everything :)!

C.

BE INSPIRED :)!

As I sat here tonight, will all the business of life running through my head, I felt it appropriate to slow down, relax, and be inspired!

Enjoy the little words of wisdom that are motivating my heart during this precious season of my life....

"Eventually I discovered for myself the utterly simple prescription for creativity: be intensely yourself. Don't try to be outstanding; don't try to be success; don't try to do pictures for others to look at - just please yourself" - Ralph Steiner

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections" - Unknown

"The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude." - Oprah Winfrey

"Happiness consists not in having much, but in being content with little." - Marguerite Gardiner

"The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away." - Joy J Golliver

"Do everything with so much love in your heart that you would never want to do it any other way" - Yogi Desai

"There is always room in your life for thinking bigger, pushing limits and imagining the impossible." - Tony Robbins

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "Thank you", that would suffice" - Meister Eckhart

"The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take that away from you" - BB King

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible" - The 13th Dalai Lama

"When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your objective. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The more praise and celebration in your life, the more there is in life to celebrate" - Oprah Winfrey

"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world" - George Washington Carver

**** Alright, this one below made me stop, think, and I laughed out load, lol.....

"Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it" - Ellen Goodman

Hope you all enjoy your week, C.

Thankful Heart!

This past week I have been a little MIA. I had EIC Training in Illinios for a week, so I knew I'd be adding a couple of days to catch up with my sweet college friend JJ, and FINALLY get to meet Baby B.

I am always so appreciative when my work provides these opportunities for me. I mean I never in my wildest dreams expected to be an Auditor, have my college friend live in Illinios, and the ONLY place they offer my annual trainings are less than an hour away from JJ. Really, God is good!

So pardon, my gross "Been on an airplane all morning look, lol" but here we are enjoying lunch, at Jimmy Johns! My friends name is JJ, so after we'd come in, ate, talked alot, and were getting ready to head out, my internal light came on! Jimmy Johns-JJ-my friend JJ-PICTURE! I know I got really excited, but what better way to document my trip! So I am so grateful the staff at JJ's played along, by the time we left and completed our photo op, everyone was saying by to JJ, lol! Here's the shot....

What type of weekend would it be if we didn't wind up at Starbucks! My first starbucks experience was with JJ. See both her and I met Freshman year at ACU, we both were in long distance relationships, and we understood what each other was going through! So, every Friday, we'd meet for coffee, catch up, spend a little time on the phones talking to our "Boyfriends" and then catching up some more! Who'd ever know, these wonderful boyfriends would turn into our wonderful husbands!!!!

So as our lives change, stories change, and families grow....these moment's just grow more and more special! Thank you Carmel Machiatos and White Chocolate Mochas, lol! I LOVE being Auntie C! Baby B is AMAZINGLY great! She never cried the whole time I was there! She let us eat, shop, hall her all around the world, and enjoy late night coffee talk. She's a trooper! I LOVED getting to just watch her, and experience the joy she is bringing into JJ and Currey's life.....Funny how God works, and my heart is so happy for her because she doesn't even know how much she is loved, and what a WONDERFUL family she's been born into!

I mean, look at that sweet, yet serious and grown up pose!

Not lieing, this is how she was most of the time, except when she was drunk off milk and passed out, lol! What a cutie!
And what trip would be complete without a picture of Baby B and Auntie C.

Yes, training went well, and I met alot of wonderfully friendly people who were so sweet in letting me hang out for lunch, dinners, and happy hours.....but the best part of the whole trip definitely had to be my 2 extra days with the Blandfords!

I am never let down by the greatness of God! Just thinking about how He gives us all such precious gifts (My friendship with JJ, incase you didn't know), and after you graduate and move apart you think it will be impossible to get together, living in cities that feel a millions of miles apart....but He knows what He is doing, like putting little things like training in our lives, to bring us together, not once but twice!

C.

The way I see it, Today....

Anyone wonder what happened to the "The Way I See It's" on the Starbucks cups, I LOVED them and they are gone! So it got me googling, because I have had some great ones, and I wanted to see if I could find them!

This one describes perfectly where my head and heart have been lately.....

I've been doing a great deal of reflecting and goal setting. I have a tad bit of a problem of over extending and stressing myself out, and it's just not the way I need to be. I've stopped my "I wishing", and I am moving forward, focusing on the things that are truly important for both Adolfo and I.

I want to de-stress, and find my good place in life, work, love, family....you know the balance we all strive for!

This time has definitely been a time of new beginnings. With my new promotion and the our move into a new office building, I kind of feel like I am getting a new chance to start over, all things new! Adolfo and I sat down a few weeks ago and mapped out his academic plan and he has one more part time year, and he can transfer! I can't explain how proud I am of him, my husband doesn't give up, he is going to set such a positive example for our kids one day...there are no excuses, if you want something bad enough, work till you get it!

This past weekend we spent time with my Grandparent's, they are doing wonderful! Their business is great, she won best Mexican Food and Fajita's in the Marble Fall's Reader's Choice Awards for 2010! This is big because she has taken on huge responsibilities this past year, in the operations of her restaurant, and she is doing wonderful things! She has a great team, and God continues to protect and bless her and my Grandpa! I couldn't be more proud. Their house is finally going up, we got to see the foundation, and talk with the builder, and I am so excited for it to be completed....my Grandparent's home has always been our sweet escape.

Life is good, and we are at a really good place.....it's kind of like the calm before the storm you know, lol, a little slow down before the hustle and bustle of the new school year, Tay coming back, and busy season.

This is it for now, a little random, but that's the way I see it, Today. C.