Don't Blink!

As most of you know, our life changes pretty quickly! Jess had been gone to the Dominican just a little over two weeks when we found out he would be coming home.

He was experiencing some bicep tendinitis and the only thing to cure it is rest. The trainer had him rest for a week and he was still experiencing a little bit of it so they said he needed two more weeks off. Jess opted to come home because being in the Dominican doing nothing isn't as fun as being in AMERICA doing nothing :)

Jess made his arrival back into the U.S. by Friday at noon. Although he did miss Thanksgiving we had Thanksgiving part two on Friday once we returned from the airport. My mom and I made so much food that we had plenty left to celebrate twice! I had no problem with that because I love the holidays and I really love dressing!

Friday night we went and hung out with my friends and their husband/boyfriend. We ate, played a card game and watched part of a movie before Jess and I decided to call it a night. I am glad we got to get together and although we were missing one of our besties, we still had a good time!

Saturday Jess awoke to donuts my mom went and got for us and then it was a day of decorating. We ended up leaving to Austin late that afternoon. We decided to head to the deer lease on Sunday so we were pretty much at home long enough to wash some clothes, pack and sleep before we headed out to West Texas.

So as I type this I just want y'all to know it is 6:40am and I'm sitting in a deer stand. I've been up since 5 to prepare for the hunt this morning.

I stayed super busy while Jess was gone and since he has gotten back the pace really hasn't changed. I look for the month of December to be just as busy! Which makes me more than excited that Christmas is just around the corner!

I better get started on my Christmas shopping! I might blink and it be all over before I know it!

Happy Monday and last week of November y'all!

Love,
E

Holiday Eats-ies!

If any of you know about Pinterest, you know how absolutely amazing it is! If you know nothing about it it is one website with every category you can possibly think of on one page. My favorite categories are "Food & Drink" and "Home Decor". I "pin" at least 5 food recipes a day. Everything always looks so yummy!

Since Thanksgiving is coming up I decided to taste test a few finger foods I had "pinned" on Pinterest. I chose Cinnamon Sugared Pecans and Caramel Crunch! They were both awesome!

The Cinnamon Sugared Pecans were just like the $10 ones you can buy at the mall or fair. The only difference is a) they were cheaper to make and b) they took no time at all to make!

The Caramel Crunch was a mix of popcorn, peanuts, pretzels and corn chex. Once you have combined all of those you bring Karo Syrup, butter and brown sugar to boil then let it simmer for 5 minutes. Once it has finished simmering add some vanilla and then pour over the dry mix. It took about an hour and 15 minutes to prep and bake. This too was awesome!

The awesome thing about these two snacks is that you can wrap them up cute or put them in a "Christmas-y" container, slap a bow on it and give it as a gift! It's cheap and most of all people love getting a gift they can eat!

Don't forget that today is the last day to vote for the Reagan Raiders! Please go here and vote one last time! If Pat and his school win they would get a check that would help improve the athletic department in so many ways! So please! Go vote!

Happy One Week until Thanksgiving!

Love,

E

1,095 Days

Today marks the one thousand and ninety fifth day that Jess and I have been married. I typed it out that way for the effect of making it seem longer than it really has been. 3 years to some people is nothing and in reality to our "til death do us part" vows, 3 years really is minuscule in comparison to forever.

I can tell you though, that since that day in 2006 when Jess stood in the doorway of his dorm with a Navarro Baseball shirt and matching jogging pants on, I knew I could spend forever with him. Unknowing at the time just what our lives together would entail, I loved him from that day and have ever since. My love growing stronger and stronger for him everyday I cannot tell you enough or even explain just how much I love that man. I am so thankful to God that he blessed me with Jess. Every experience we go through together I am comforted by the fact that I go through it with him.

So today as he is in the Dominican Republic and I am in Texas we are celebrating our 3 year anniversary. I am so thankful for this day and can't wait to get more years under our belt! I pray that God continues to bless us with each other's love and companionship.

I will leave you now with one of our most cherished things from our wedding day, a clip from our wedding video.

Happy Anniversary Jess! I hope your day feels just as special as mine even though we are thousands of miles apart! I love you!

Love, 

E

Baseball in Santo Domingo!

Hello!

Jess has officially been in the Dominican for 1 full week. It has been pretty good so far. He was finally activated Saturday for their double header. He came in for .2 with runners on 1st and 3rd. He gave up one hit, then an infielder made and error on the next batter and then had 2 pop flies to end the inning. He did well for not throwing in a while and he said he felt good with his location. Overall it was a great first outing in Winter Ball!

He had an off day this week so the owner of the team took the "American" guys to his house to go deep sea fishing. Jess said his house was about 2 hours away. Once they got there they went about 15 miles out onto the ocean and fished for a while. They then headed back and had dinner at the owners 9 bedroom mansion. Jess had a lot of fun and I made him take pictures so I could share with y'all!

Jess said the table in the top picture sat 25 people! That is crazy! The house looked more like a resort to me. He said it was absolutely beautiful and he had an amazing time!

He is still adjusting to the food. Everyday at the field he eats this....

This is fried chicken with fried plantains....eghh.

I could probably stomach the plantains I just don't know about the "chicken" :)

Luckily the restaurant I told y'all about last time (Champs) serves American food so he usually eats this for lunch or dinner.

This to me looks absolutely delicious and Jess agrees but says its not for $30.00. One pizza averages around $37.00 there which seems a tad unreasonable but I guess since they can get away with charging that they do. 

While Jess' first week in the Dominican was a busy one mine here in America was as well. I have been supervising our Spec house since I am here at my parents in Ennis. The house is coming up fast and I am very pleased with how it is all coming together.

I can't wait until we start on the inside. I picked everything out a couple of weeks ago and am so ready to see it all put together!

Other than that and school I have been busy helping my mom work at her office and taking care of my cousins little girl. I miss Jess but am glad that I can help out here in Ennis while he is gone. This week and next week will be preparation for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I am so excited for Christmas but a little disturbed by the fact that some people already have their trees up. That is just too early! Let's enjoy one holiday at a time people! Seriously! I am a total Christmas person and love the holiday season but people are seriously rushing the holidays right by and I don't like it. 

I will be back this week with some fun Thanksgiving snacks! I can't wait to share them!

Happy Monday Y'all!

Love, 

E

What's App?

Hey y'all!

I just wanted to share an app I came across today that will allow us to text Jess and him text back without either of us being charged. The app is called WhatsApp, you can text and send pictures and videos. I have an iPhone 4 and its compatible to that phone so all the none iPhone users now is the time to convert :) I do not know if it is offered on any other phone but it's worth the shot. All you have to do is go to your app store on your phone and search "WhatsApp", purchase it for .99 cents and upload it to your phone. It's super easy and it will allow you to be able to communicate with Jess so its totally worth the .99 cents!

Call me if y'all need any help trying to figure this app out! I dont mind helping at all!

Love,
E

Jess Update!

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a great first week of November!

I just wanted to update y'all on Jess. He made it to Santo Domingo around 2pm our time on Monday. He is two hours ahead of us. His initial response to my question of "How is it there?" was "It's scary and different!". I assumed he was going to say it was different but I didn't think he was going to sound that scared when he said it was scary. He ate dinner with a few of the other "American" guys from the team after yesterday's game. The resort he is staying at is very Americanized and there is a restaurant there called Champ's they ate at. Jess said it's very expensive there and he is still adjusting to the pesos. He also said that all of the waitstaff and workers there are very nice and they remember your name even though they have only heard it once. He can't eat any vegetables, lettuce or water that isn't bottled. I have a feeling he will have a tiny adjustment with the food there. Other than that he hasn't really said how he feels about being there. I think the jury is still out on that one. 

He threw a bullpen yesterday and he said it went fine. There wasn't much arm strength but that he felt good. He hopes to activate himself on Friday so he could be pitching live in a game by the end of the week.

Please continue to pray for him. I will keep you posted on what happens next there in Santo Domingo! 

Love,

E

A lot can change in a day....

Hello there!

How was y'all's weekend? Mine? Pretty eventful to say the least but I'm blessed and happy to be able to say so!

As all of you know the world of Baseball changes rapidly. Most of the time we are left with our jaws on the floor once the change has happened, but that is what makes it all the more fun and comedic :D

Saturday afternoon Jess got a call from the Dominican Republic to come play on a team. These kinds of opportunities are not the kind you pass up so Jess said yes. So our lives that had just gotten a little crazy got even crazier. The team wanted him to leave that day but Jess said no that was too soon. They then asked him to leave Sunday (today) and he said no again. Jess said Monday would be the earliest and the coach then said ok and that he would have his itinerary by the evening.

Jess leaves out tomorrow morning at 5:45am. He will fly from here to Dallas, Dallas to Miami and then Miami to Santo Domingo, DR.

I will be here until I finish tying up some lose ends with school.

Today we had lunch with Jess' family one last time before he left. While we wish his parents could have came to see him before he headed it out, it was nice to spend some time with them since we don't know exactly when he will be back.

You can keep up with Jess' team Escogido here. As far as contact you can email or text him. I will post how he is doing and all that either on here or mass email to our families. Please pray that he makes it there safely and learns Spanish FAST. We don't know how long he will be there but are thankful that he has been given this opportunity!

A lot can change in a day....especially a day in the life of the Todd's.

I will keep y'all posted on everything I hear from him I promise!

Love,
E