Where have we been?

I wish I could say that we won the lottery and have been traveling the world....or that we quit our jobs and have been soaking up each other's company for 3 months....or even anything....I really have no excuses....bad blogging. I think it started with our new computer; I am really not familiar with a Mac and have a hard time finding my pics, loading my pics, editing my pics, etc. I am working on my Mac skills and will try to do better. Computers and electronics change like the weather around here thanks to my precious husband. I can barely keep up and I consider myself quite tech savvy..... oh well.....we will do better!

So here it goes for a recap of our lives since April 15th....yuck tax day. Maybe the lack of blogging was because of those pesky checks we had to write to Uncle Sam......!

I am attempting to look at my calendar and recap what we have been up to in an organized fashion....we'll see.....let me know what I miss

April seems like it was a little uneventful.... Oh yes, we did head to Shreveport to celebrate a dear friend's engagement party at mom and dad's house. It was a lovely evening and it's always nice to be home. Gosh.....it has been a while since I posted....we are headed in for her wedding next weekend! I'm fairly confident that April was also full of backyard grilling for us on the weekends. We love to be outside and just hang out. We have some new patio furniture (thanks to Kat and Josh's find and Orie's quick cash action) and a new basketball goal....more on that later. Basically, our backyard has become a fun place to hang out. We also have a fancy new grill thanks to mom and dad's housewarming gift. We have loved using it and all the fun that goes along with grilling outside....I think I have some pics....will have to check.

new fancy grilll....

I also think in April we had a visit from Audrey and Chris. We grilled out one Sunday evening and had fun just hanging out and catching up.

Now for May....hmmm.....We had a fun Cinco de Mayo (one of my favorite holidays....I think I have some Mexican heritage in me somewhere). We had dinner with Kat and Audrey at a local joint....we even won two free t-shirts. Everything is always better when you get a free t-shirt!!!

Not sure the timing on this next event....I think it was in May.....don't quote me though. But.....I got to share the great news that my best friend from over at The Hart Knock Life.....is pregnant with a little boy. It's obviously amazing to get to share in news of a sister being pregnant and becoming an aunt.....but this was pretty special too. I hope Charlie knows that his Aunt Di can't wait to meet him in October.....and spoil him rotten!

May also brought a visit to sweet Baby Collier's house. His mommy and big brother Christopher have been on the blog before and it was so fun to finally go by and meet him. He has also been a frequent visitor at the baby store and I just love getting to see friends....especially at work!!!

We also celebrated my birthday in May....I wish I could say it was just a day but we celebrated all weekend and it was fantastic! Friday at my work we had a nice cupcake celebration.....I pretty much worked the whole day by myself which stunk but the cupcakes sure were yummy. We also had lunch from anywhere of my choice. I picked Corner Bakery.....yum! We used to always eat there on our Dallas shopping trips....it was half way through the mall and had the best cookies! Friday night Orie and I went to the Nasher Sculpture Center for 'til Midnight at the Nasher. It was a Beatles themed night and it was AMAZING....I love live music, I love being outside and I love getting to do cool things. The night was perfect. Afterwards we headed to dinner at Manny's Uptown....Kat and Josh met us after their Rangers game and we had a nice evening. I definitely had the Mexican restaurant birthday treatment. This restaurant has a new spin on things....while they sang to me, I got to hold on to a rifle and wear a sombraro....a girl's dream for her her last birthday in her twenties!

at manny's uptown

artwork at the Nasher

getting ready for the music....
Orie's thematic beverage.....blueberry something or other

us

so ready for them to play!

Saturday we headed to Top Golf to continue the celebration. I am TERRIBLE but I so love going....again, it's outside and a super fun place with friends! We then headed to the Stone Elephant to watch some Celtics basketball and play some games. What a great birthday!

pool at Stone Elephant

our crew at Top Golf
I am positive my swing is ALL WRONG


Orie looking professional

I think May was actually a busy month....I am now remembering that we had our Casa party in May also. It was so fun. So many friends and family travelled to Dallas to share in a fun weekend. We love having our house and opening it up to all our family and friends. Come back any time to play! Friday night before the casa party was quite eventful. Our friend Jarrod was flying in from BR....it just happened to be in the middle of horrific storms in Texas. His flights were delayed, cancelled....he was promised to get Dallas Monday morning, he took a cab to a new airport, booked a new flight, had more delays, more setbacks but finally made it to Dallas late late Friday night....or was it really Saturday morning? Well, we picked him up in style......we called a Karaoke Cab to take us to the airport and get our sweet friend. It was so fun....we sang and sang at the top of our lungs and our cab driver was very animated too!

Kat and Di singing our hearts out

Kat and Josh singing their hearts out

posing....not the best big with all the flashing lights, fog machine, and cd reflections!

Jarrod getting in the cab, thinking it was all normal
so glad he is finally here

our cab driver welcoming jarrod to the sound machine

di and orie strike a pose

singing again....i took the lyrics very seriously!

marissa, jarrod and bix at our casa party

karaoke again.....sweet chad!

the boys just a chillin' and chad just a singing

bix putting her puppy to sleep at the party

bix was definitely miss social at the party...making sure we all had everything we could need....including many laughs!

the boys

For Memorial Day weekend we headed to the lake (sans water). We had a blast! Jen, Rod, Cooper, Ethan, Kat, Josh, Di, Orie and the pups headed out to the lake for some fun and relaxation. I think we had it all. Blow up pools, lounge chairs, ladder golf, fabulous dinners, fine wines and beers.....we looked like a red neck yacht club but I am pretty sure fun was had by all! Thanks mom and dad for never selling our camp....it's just too much fun...with or without water!

Kat and Josh pose

Mia having a little dip in Cooper's pool
the weekend was just too much fun for Cooper, he needed at nap

Ethan and Cooper swinging....sweet brothers

what an angel....


Ethan did a great job keeping the pools at optimum water level

Orie and Cooper....he's always such a strong influence on his nephews

sweet Cooper

Cooper showing his daddy he loves him

Ethan playing laddergolf....look at those muscles

the boys playing

Cooper and daddy posing

more laddergolf

Grace at the lake....sweet girl

my high class pool....I really have loved having it this summer

Okay...I think I am on to June.....

June was fun. I brought my pool back from the lake and have created a fabulous Country Club in our backyard. Orie and I have had so much fun getting some sun and cooling off in the pool. Grace loves it too! We shoot some hoops, listen to some tunes and just have a great time all in our backyard! We love grilling out with Kat and Josh too when they are in town!

Josh and Orie....attacking the swarm of flies invading our grill party


some fantastic cheese Kat found at Central Market....we grilled it?!?!?!

I also had my hours cut back at work for the summer. It stinks because now I really make no money but it is nice to have Fridays off....especially for July since have some fun trips planned!

Okay, back to June....we had another houseguest for the weekend. It was so fun! Orie's mom drove over for Aidan and Max's Baptism and stayed with us. It was so fun for us to take her around Dallas. I know Orie really enjoyed showing off some favorite spots and his new house. Friday night we had dinner at Rathbone's and then Saturday we did lots of shopping and headed out to The Colony for the Baptism. It was a very special day for the Avilas and we were so glad to be a part of it. It's fun living in a town where friends and family come visit!!

June also brought around my friend LT's half marathon. She did great.....she finished...with a great time AND raised thousands for the LLS. We are so proud of LT and all of her efforts! We headed out to Las Colinas and watched her cross the finish line.....she had a HUGE fan club. What a fun morning it was. We headed back home that afternoon to work in the yard and get our basketball goal set up. Wow - what a task....I was more of an onlooker from my pool as Orie constructed it. I helped when called but it did not look fun. I think if he had to do it again he would pay someone to build it and then deliver it! We love it now though!!!!! Orie had no idea that I had basketball skills!

We also headed back to the Nasher for another concert. This one was by Emerald City.....they were awesome and again we had a blast! This time we did it right....like good New Yorkers at an outdoor concert. We had our blanket for the grass, bug spray, a little picnic and lots of fun! It was our last one of the summer :( which makes me sad but we will be out of town for the July, AUgust, and September dates....booh. We can't wait until next summer though...we will definitely become members again and go to all of them!

Orie listening to some tunes

hmmm.....

I think that brings me to July.....we headed to Shreveport for the 4th of July and again had a blast! We had some Jersey cousins in to celbrate and that was so fun. We did the Firecracker 5K Saturday morning and then pretty much lounged in the pool the rest of the afternoon. I had a visit from my sweet friend Carie and that long lost husband Travis even came....it made my day! Sunday we headed to the lake for another great day and the super fabulous annual Roberts party. I love this party and I haven't been in three years....it was so fun to finally be back for it. The fireworks were amazing and so was the company:) Thanks Roberts family for always making it happen!

Okay....so I think that is an end to my organized attempt at remembering what we have been up to....here are just some things you might want an update on.....

*Grace is loving her backyard....she still plays and plays and never wants to come inside

*Orie's garden is growing and growing....we had one tomato and those sweet birds who have built a nest in our hospitable bushes ATE IT....we were so sad; his peppers are doing well and we are wiating on some strawberries....poppy would be proud




*no one took my sofa at bulk trash....the took the metal and the matttress but nothing else....is that sad? it was a good sofa...from destin to new york to dallas...so long friend...




*we now have more family in town....Audrey and Chris bought a house in Irving and are now hard working Texans!

*I am still waiting to purchase about 6 chairs for our house and then it is really done!

*I bought a treadmill for my birthday and it is the best gift I have ever owned

*we are headed to Las Vegas for our anniversary and I couldn't be more excited...Orie has always wanted to take me there and what a fun celebration for our anniversary

*Orie loves his job, works a lot, does amazing work, gets rewarded.....I continue to miss him if he has to work late

he brought some Alaska goodies for the boys after his last trip....

*we are so sad our Boston Celtics couldn't pull it out and win the NBA finals....next year

*our birthday banner hung in May at our new Dallas house and I love the tradition my husband started for our family

*we cleaned out our garage for spring cleaning....ahh....two cars inside is magical!
*my husband puts up with my crazy ideas all the time, i'm blessed.....when no one believed that my inexpensive armoire would hold his t.v......he still helped make it work



*I love having my friend Lee back in Dallas.....and can't wait for fun times ahead....

*Cooper continues to amaze us with his new tricks....he is 9 months old today....amazing....it feels like yesterday Kat and I made the drive over to meet him

*Ethan is truly a big boy now, his mommy and daddy have been warning us....I think I have known that for a while....so hard to accept....especially in the clothing department! We love our chats on the phone and all these mini vacations we have had that he has been there for

*we miss our NYC days and weekend excursions....didn't know we would still feel that way :(

*we want and need a fence.....our neighbors are just too friendly and pop over our chain link fence all too often

*I am reminded daily of what a lucky girl I am

I hope I didn't forget anything.....if you came to visit, did something fun with us or just wanted us to blog about something and I forgot....let me know. I would love to remember it because I am sure it was, as usual, a blast!

Happy Wednesday everyone. I will do my best to be a better blogger from here on out!