Happy 22nd Haley!!!

My recent morning ritual has consisted of the same routine for my first week here in Houston. Sleep as late as I can (never past 10…) lay and enjoy my comfy bed for a bit. Either throw on some workout clothes and go do some cardio/workout in our gym or get ready for the day. Then I always end up down at the crepe shop right under our apartment complex here in Midtown called CoCo’s for some coffee and a crepe! (I get the breakfast crepe majority of the time- wheat crepe filled with egg, cheddar cheese, and Merguez (Moroccan Sausage). Mmm! It’s my new fav! So this morning is nothing different. Got up and now enjoying my crepe and coffee before I run some errands! I got to move into my apartment a week earlier than I was supposed to which ended up being such a God thing! It was going to be such a rushed move in and starting work would have been even more hectic with my unfinished apartment on my mind all day. Thankfully I have had all week to get organized and find the perfect decorations (well, for my Mom to! She’s amazing…) Now that I think about it, today was supposed to be my move in day! And since I am going home tomorrow for Kam’s baby shower and start work on Monday- my head would have been in a whirlwind!!

I’ve absolutely LOVED Houston so far!! I’ve gotten to spend time with so many loved ones that I’ve really missed seeing on a weekly (much less daily!) basis. My grandparents and great grandma have been the first to see my apartment J

I’ve gotten to hang out with my college roommate, Haley! We even got to have our college ritual- Sunday Movie Night! We went and saw Crazy, Stupid, Love! It was faaaaabulous! We absolutely loved it. I fell in love with Ryan Gosseling all over again and am even more obsessed with Emma Stone. SUCH a good movie!

I’ve even got to see my beautiful cousin Gentry a couple times this week! We had lunch (with Hay!) at the always wonderful La Madelines then saw her again last night at Haley’s family-ish party.

Speaking of, Wednesday was the day we had our yummy lunch at La Madelines and Gen andHaley both got wonderfulllll news that day! Haley found out she got an internship she has really been hoping for in L.A. with a casting agency that casts TV shows (this one casts GLEE!!!!) and I couldn’t be more excited for her! I know its something she has such a passion for and really enjoys. She is going to do so great while interning there and I can't wait to visit her!

And Gentry also found out that her 2^nd precious baby is going to be another GIRL!!! I can't believe its another girl and am SO excited to have a baby to buy some pink for! We keep having all the precious boys in our fam and their family has all the girls! Love it! Esther and her baby sister are going to be so close and have so much fun growing up, just like we all did! I am so happy foryou, Gen! and love seeing how much joy your precious family brings you!!! Maybe on your youngest I’ll be on my first.. hopefully!! Haha

Yesterday was Haley’s 22^nd birthday!!! I got to go to her “family” party last night that her cousins and grandparents, Brennin’s fam (fiiiinally got to see them!!), Gen’s fam, and Rach and her mom (Rach found her perrrfect wedding dress yesterday!!! CAN'T WAIT to see it!!! AHH!! You’re getting marrieedddd!...still hasn’t sunk in!) also were there… It was a lot of fun and so good to see everyone there J We had some yuuuummy Mexi food and cake! I got Haley a real cute L.A. inspired gift (haha!) that was a navy fringed tank and long necklace with feathers on the end- real cute! from urban outfitter. She’ll definitely rock it in L.A. and think of me while doing it J. Tonight we are continuing her birthday celebration and having dinner at a restaurant called Up and thencoming back over to Midtown to go out and see what’s going on over here! It’s going to be a blast!! And I really need an outfit since I still haven’t gone home to get any of my clothes yet… Rachel, Amanda, and Bailey are coming from Beaumont and me, Gen, Bren, and Haley are all here! I think some of the boyfriends might be coming up fromBeaumont, too! (Def no one on my end… I’m going to need some dates pretty soon because on my teacher salary.. dinner might not make it in the budget towards the end of the month! Haha) I’m really excited for tonight tho!! A dinner with my all time most special, wonderful, and true friends always makes me feel whole again! Love my girls… more than anything!

But as Mom requested, I need to tell about my little part of Houston I live at! so far, so good- I’ve loved it! My apartment is fabulous! A little small, but definitely perfect for just me. I still need to put a couple finishing touches on it, but for the most part it’s all decorated! I live on the 3^rd floor of my building with a nice little pool view. I have gorgeous trees right outside both of my windows, which really gives it a homey feel that I get to enjoy every day. My colors are hot pink and green (from the infamous green couch of course!!! Miss you Roomies 09!) and my mom found so many wonderful pillows and décor that I’m, again, obsessed with. After a loooong journey I finally found some bedding I like! It’s SO soft and matches great! We put some pillows that I’ve been in love with since I found them on Pinterest (if you don’t have that app yet- get it NOW!!!! You’ll thank me later J beware though: it’s addicting!!!) They pull the rooms together great! The bathroom is still in the works… I actually need to run to IKEA today and see if I can find some fun stuff to go in there.

My apartment is right in the middle of Midtown in Houston… which I’m still trying to figure out how to describe ‘where’ that is in Houston. Its right off of 45, real close to downtown…and 59… is all I’ve gotten so far. Haha! Right at the bottom of my apartments is SO many restaurants (Mexican food, sushi, Italian and wine bar, this crepe place I’m at, a world cuisine place, 2 bars with a grill during the day, a bistro place, and some other one which I’m not sure what kind of food it is)! There’s also the cutest frozen yogurt place EVER called Sweet Lolas that I’m really obsessed with. It was about 9:30 the other night and I was looking for an excuse to justify sweets that late at night when Gen texted me the wonderful news about having a girl! So, duhhh!!!, I went down and got some pink yogurt to celebrate with her! Haha! But so far besides the crepes and yogurt, I’ve only had the Mexican restaurant, which was REALLY good! It’s called Cyclone Anayas and has a fun flare to it and a really yummy order of my usual chicken quesadillas. I’m sure ill be a regular in no time! Mexican food is my #1 weakness!!!

The nightlife around here is really fun too! The people that I knew that have interned or lived here always told me about midtown when I asked where I should live, and I’m really glad I listened! There’s bars/clubs/sports bar type places/patios/anything you can imagine in every which way from my place- all in walking distance- which is very convenient! I have a feeling I will have LOTS of people crashing on my couch on the weekends- which I’m totally okay and happy about!! I’ve only been out over herelike twice so far, but both times it’s been a blast! I love having new places to go, new faces to see, and new hangouts to find. (I need you here Amber Muellerrrr to come exploreeee!!!!) It’s so refreshing and new and came at such perfect timing! I was totally burnt out/over all the places in College Station… and never really liked most of the Beaumont places… so I’m really hoping I continue to be this excited about all the new-ness of everything here in Houston! I think starting work on Monday and really getting a set schedule and routine are really going to help me get adjusted. Being a teacher- a routine is always what I need to feel like I’m okay! Haha J I can't waiiiit to meet my 4^th graders! I’ve felt something missing in my life lately without having kiddos running around everywhere. From babysitting to student teaching, kids were my entire life at least 5 days of the week for so long. Talking to “grown-ups” all summer long has been so weird!! Haha ;)

Well my coffee is getting cold and I reallyyy need to find an outfit for tonight! If you read this before then, I can't wait for tonight Hay!!! I love you SO SO SO much and have truly been blessed to have you in my life for the past 13(ish?) years. I couldn’t have gotten through the last4 without you roomie! We’ve made ssooooooo many memories and I can't wait to share this new chapter of life together J even tho I am just now getting to Houston and you’re leaving me for L.A.! But this month we’ll definitely have some fun before you leave. Love love love love you

Graduation... It really happened?!

Well… I can't believe I’m doing this! I doubt anyone will really think anything I have to say is very interesting or entertaining, but after graduating, moving, and about to start my first ‘real’ job all I have heard is the same thing- please keep me updated on your life! So- here’s my attempt! Old friends, extended family members, new friends, etc. I hope this helps a little J

I can't believe it’s already August!!! I feel like my last day of student teaching (which was at the beginning of April!) was just maybe a week ago. Time has flown and SO many life-changing things have happened that have carved my way into this new chapter of life. I graduated from Texas A&M University (which I recently found was a wish of my parents that my Mom actually wrote in her “dreams for Presley” section of my baby book! HA! ) with a degree in Education. I honest to God NEEEVERRR thought that day would come. There were times that I would have given ANYTHING to be done with college- like the countless 10 straight hours of study sessions at WCL, any night before a STAT test, the first round of tests every semester, or nights when there wasn’t much going on. But as my “college life” was wrapping up, I would have given anything just to rewind time!! Like to any tailgate, SB trip, Friday nights (well Thursday or Saturday nights most of the time, too…), random roomie nights, tbell/gumbys/Whataburger/fuego late night runs, and SO many other times. I couldn’t believe that this chapter of my life was almost over.... The “good ole days” or “best time of my life” as so many parents and older friends had called it… Mine, too, was about to be only a pastime.

Once I got over my pity party I really got excited about graduation. Graduation day was such a surreal day and my family and friends did an amazing job of making me feel accomplished, special, and loved on that monumental day. My mom made sure I had the cutest dress and shoes we could find, Dad and Lisa took me to one of my favorite restaurants the night before graduation- which was a really special time with them that also helped calm my nerves and get some quality time in with them. The morning of graduation was CRAZY! I had to be packed and ready to move home- not to mention I had gotten in a bad, bad wreck like 5 days before graduation in the poor short bus (me&bai’s yellow h2) so I was in a rent car… an impala… and needless to say if you’ve seen how many clothes/shoes/purses/etc. I have up in CS, because lets face it, you never know what you’ll need!!, the trunk of that car didn’t do a fraction of the trick for me compared to my roomy hummer. I had to get my nails and toes done, clean my house for the whole family to see, and shower and be ready all before noon! I was rushed, anxious, nervous, and excited all at the same time.

When my family got there all I could do was smile! They were ALL there and all dressed in… you guessed it... PINK! Not to mention had rhinestone ‘P’ letters on their faces with ‘P’ charms on long chain necklaces! (Bailey later informed me that her and my mom spent hours at the mall at those little booths in the middle of the stores with the grills and fake blinggy stuff… trying to find enough P’s that were actually decent enough to wear!) I'll try and add some pics at the end! Anyways we ate lunch at our precious and perfect house- that I already miss so much! Then bai drove me and dropped me off to graduate!! The ceremony took like four hours.. it was ridic! But I’m glad I walked for sure. It was such a feeling of accomplishment and really helped those lonnnggg nights studying, countless 5 hour long tests, library trips, etc really feel worth it. I was really proud I didn’t trip, too J

After graduation we headed over to our lake house on Lake Conroe where Grammy and Grandpops met us for dinner at the Yacht Club. It was so yummy and mom had flowers and pictures everywhere! There were some that were from kindergarten graduation, which I thought was hilarious, and then lots of others that were just big “moments” as well. When we left I had the biggest surprise ever! My ultimate dream car was parked right outside the restaurant! With what else than a pink bow right on top J I honestly had no idea that I was getting it!! I had gotten in a wreck and knew I got a new car when I graduated, but had no idea that it would be on that day because my mom had played it off SO well the couple weeks before that. I was freaking out!!!!!! I just kept screaming and laughing and of course clapping my hands over and over- JUST like Mom does…!! J

After dinner we went and ate Sprinkles cupcakes- my fav! Opened presents and hung out with Grammy and Grandpops for a while. Then me and Bennett (my new brother in law! Kam’s husband) sat in my new car and played with all the buttons and things for hours!!!

It truly was a magical day. My family never ceases to amaze me and proves their love to me at any time more than I could ever imagine. We have been through some crazy times in the past few years- but I wouldn’t change it for the world! We are closer than we have EVER been and love each other stronger than ever. Our family keeps growing and I couldn’t be happier! I’m ecstatic to see what God has in store for us this year and for the manyyy years to come.

Well.. my RedBox DVD is calling my name! I’ll have to update everyone on our summer vacay and my new life in Houston later… (I’m absolutely LOOOOVING it so far!!!)

Hope you’re not bored to tears ;) Goodnight!