rain, rain, go away.

I've been absent for quite some time, but I must say I am feeling truly uninspired by my day to day activities. I wasn't sure if my life was dynamic enough to post about, but looking back on the past couple of weeks... I realize there is a common theme.

RAIN and more RAIN.


I had a three day weekend for the first time ever a couple weeks back, so I spent the majority of my time at work trying to plan a blowout schedule of events for my hubbie and i. Don't judge me for not working... the current economic crisis has turned even the affluent River Oaks community into a frenzy & i simply have no one to entertain.


We started out Saturday morning, sleeping in with the boys, but woke to a rainstorm. Go figure. Not wanting to have my perfectly planned weekend ruined, we pressed onward & had a potentially heart-attack inducing breakfast at HOUSE OF PIES. Acapulco breakfast is John's fave & I am obsessed with their coffee (of course I eat breakfast, too, a lot... but the coffee is worth highlighting).


Next stop, 12:45 deadline for the main event at 1pm. Over the river and through the woods we traveled to a warehouse district for a Saturday tour and tasting at Saint Arnold's Brewery! Best Wife Award granted upon arrival. I recommend you do not attend this delightful tour on a rainy day. Yes, you will have to wait outside in the line, and no, an umbrella will not protect your pants or shoes from completely drowning. Regardless, it's only $5 for a ticket which includes a great little tasting glass & four drink tokens. Aside from the old boot/wet dog smell, it was a great success. We literally waded to our car in nearly knee deep water... good times.


The evening events were an alteration to the original plan, but as you can imagine, we have the rain to thank for that. It proved to be worth it though, because we went out to Katy to see John's family, including Papa Norman and Nunu - his amazing grandparents that moved here recently from SUNNY Florida. I love me some pizza time !! Norman always captures candid moments on his digital camera and prints out a variety of sizes on photo paper for us to take home. Wallet sizes available upon request.


I am suddenly realizing that my "not so interesting life" is turning into a very lengthy post and i apologize for that. We'll wrap it up to say that Sunday was a trip to Discovery Green downtown. We had hot dogs at the Lakeside Cafe & brought fresh organic produce from the farmer's market (Sundays noon -4). It is a GREAT place tucked away in the middle of the concrete jungle.


Monday was a shopping day to the "semi-new" outlet center off 290. I bought an umbrella from Gap. That's right... no shoes, not a single summer scarf, or even discounted running shorts. Just a great striped umbrella. It felt very appropriate for the current weather conditions, and I truly didn't think it would EVER stop raining, except that God promised we won't need another ark. We stopped by Whole Earth Provision Co. on the way home and picked out a pair of TOMS for each of us. Have you heard of these treasures? Well, it's one for one - you buy a pair, they give a pair to a child in need. Brilliant, if you ask me! Aside from being vegan friendly, they have great styles.

You may be wondering about vegan shoes & i like this link b/c it is informative and to the point. Click the dots located on the shoe for more info. I am not a crazy activist, but this sure does pull on my heart strings. I love animals.

Super successful weekend to say the least, and I am so thankful for sweet time with my hubbie. It is rare we get more than one full day together, so this was such a treat. I think I am over retail and working on Saturdays... I'm convinced this lifestyle is way more fun.

keep austin wierd

I thought I would fill you in on some current happenings in the Weaver family. I finally convinced myself that it was okay to ask one Saturday a month off (retail hours are delightful), so John and I went down to Austin this past weekend. My mom, aka: Gigi for her grand-dogs, and dad took the boys to the lake... bless their sweet souls. It is amazing to live life without the responsibilities of a pet. The thought of children seems so schematic to us at this point (by schematic, I really mean out of the question). I already clean up throw up, break up fights, search high and low for their missing Kong toys, and pay way too much money for grooming/veterinary visits. So, I think we are just fine with our boys for now.

The real reason for our visit to Austin was for the Capital 10k. Nicole Lynnette asked me after the first of the year if I wanted to join her on weekly runs. I accepted knowing it would be so great to see her every week & to get in shape. Working out has never really been on my agenda, so it's been challenging. I LOVE food and life can be super stressful. We really are trying to make healthy choices, but as you all know, "it's a lifestyle". grrrrr.

We met up with Stu and Nicole Smith who live in an amazing place downtown! They are great friends of ours & it was so nice to see them in their city for a change. We had a very delicious lunch at Chuy's - 1st time there, too! Thanks for spending your Saturday with us, Smith fam.

I had looked up a few shop must-sees from DesignSponge's city guide. I was very impressed with the recommendations. Our first stop was finch... sooo divine. John found an awesome hand stamped card with a simple art deco graphic of an anchor. Another favorite was Uncommon Objects . Check out the "peepshow" on their website to get a look inside. It was FULL of antique treasures. I adore other people's trash, if only I had room for it. The last two jackpot spots, were New Bohemia & Service. New Bohemia is a retro resale store has the most amazing selection of cowboy boots I've ever seen. Ladies, if you have a foot smaller than size 7.5 ... GO, run, don't walk. Of course, all the 8-9 sizes were slim pickings. John found so many pairs that we actually had to decide which looked/felt the best! We decided on a caramel colored, iguana skin pair for $63 tax included! Awesome. Houston Rodeo 2010, here we come. Service Menswear was a tiny treasure tucked away. John bought Levi's and looks fierce in them. I also loved the Jack Spade merchandise. He is a relative of Kate Spade, and his designs are clean and simple. Great gift idea, noted. 

After a very successful day of vintage/boutique shopping, we decided to grab a bite to eat at Threadgills. It was conveniently located right next to the hotel, and I was craving some carbs before the race. As we walked up to the front of the restaurant, we saw a live concert on the patio. To our surprise, it was WILL TAYLOR AND STRINGS ATTACHED. They definitely played at our wedding ceremony and reception. How bizarre!! It is such a small world. We settled into the Homestead Suites with the McCollough family and played a little "empire" - great game.

RACE DAY: Rise and shine, 7:45 am. I suited up in my new Raider Red dry-fit shirt from Nicole & we were off. I tackled the steep hills semi-gracefully and saw my hubbie at mile 5 for a refreshing push to finish strong. I am extremely proud to say we finished! 1:08 was just peachy for my first 6.2 miles. I feel so motivated to keep it up & even if I wasn't, Nicole would probably convince me. I may try the Aid Sudan run at the end of the month... 

GREAT TRIP! Miss it already. And, John won't quit talking about how awesome Austin is. I agree, but H-town is a super home.

Courtesy of photographer John: 

no turning back

I am pleased to introduce: 

Kirby & Guinness

born February 4, 2008

litter mates, brothers

These sweet boys came into our life right about the time I started my new job... bad idea for anyone considering it. We were at the bayou city art festival in Memorial Park when my mom called from a plant nursery up the road and said we HAD to come see west highland terrier pups that were for sale. John agreed, having no idea what was to come of our little adventure. As you can imagine, I was not okay with leaving one little puppy behind by himself, so after much convincing (also known as begging), we had our hands full. Potty training took forever, and it took me about two weeks to not run to their whimpering cry in the middle of the night. I am sure this was great practice for our far-distant future. But we LOVE them and can't imagine life without our boys. So, take a peek at some of our favorites from the year... 

          

Big jump from puppies, but like I said, life got a little hectic last year. I will do better with my real kids. Check on John's facebook mobile uploads for great current pics!

occupational hazard.

Definition:
A working condition that can lead to illness or death. Often, people in jobs which pose a high level of risk are paid more than similar but less risky jobs to compensate for the danger involved.

Let's begin . . . Around the middle of April, last year, I made the decision to expand my professional horizons and venture into the world of retail. I left my comfortable, delightful job as an 'administrative assistant' with The Crossings Church in Katy where I was spoiled with warm hot bagels, biscuits, and coffee ALL the time from my favorite, Lori. I helped design t-shirts, organize events, create a web-site (so challenging & educational), and got to eat Chick fil A almost every Wednesday with the mom's and nuggets group. I pretty much had the best job in the world, and Bishop Matt Powell should be up for Best Boss Award, if one exists.

Well, my mother stumbled across her college roommate and discovered she owns a home decor/gift boutique in River Oaks. Marci, roommate, was desperate for help, and I saw a lot of potential for networking and recapturing my passion for all things interior design. So, here I am today. We sell mostly handmade artisan merchandise - lots of tabletop pieces. I truly love about 75% of the store, but I try to only bring home items with manufacturer defects or damages... out of respect for my checking account. Those items are usually free & John won't have it any other way. I don't know how to cover my feelings or experiences over the past year without writing a novel, but it has been eventful. I have survived retail in the midst of planning a wedding, Hurricane Ike, the holiday shopping card that comes once a year, Christmas, and the worst economic recession of our time. Thank goodness I had my dear friend Meredith as a sidekick for 3 months or so. She moved in with the parentals and I, and helped maintain my sanity through it all. I probably should write an entire post on my gratitude for her friendship. That Meredith is a smart lady, though. She moved on to bigger and better challenges, working for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Team in Training! And I am pretty sure she is running like 20 miles a week now... literally leaving me in the dust. Ü

Now, insert 'definition: occupational hazard' here. I began with the term, and end with it, merely because it is my current state of mind. NO my job is not leading me to death, but quite frankly it does cause me to be ill. Not physically ill that I need a sick day, because that hasn't happened in a YEAR. I have no idea where this job is taking me and/or how it is enhancing my professional life. I can only live & embrace it day to day. But, should you hear of an amazing work opportunity up for grabs, I'm your girl. 

You try telling a billionaire lady that our return policy is 'store credit only', and no she cannot be refunded the money for the gift she brought back 2 months later. I try not to take backlash from customers personally, but it is tremendously hazardous to your health and not to mention a huge joy sucker. For now, it's a chance for me to meet people, some Cruela-like, some pleasantly delightful. Either way, it is a great test of patience and challenges me to be a Godly woman. So, with all that being said... COME VISIT ME at Telfair At Home! I love smiling faces.

-a

Allow Me To Catch You Up To Speed...

So, let's just say the remaining months of my engagement proved to be ridiculously hectic, and so much so that I haven't updated our blog in over a year. As I sit here today, on my wooden stool at Telfair At Home (which I will tell you all about in due time), I've decided it is time to revisit the blog world we all know and love. I couldn't possibly cram 13 months into one post, so check back... I plan on highlighting the most exciting times of the past year, alongside current happenings in the Weaver family. I am elated to be back, and hope my small following of blog friends will forgive my absence! Until I can become extremely blog savvy, you will have to excuse the mediocre layout update... new colors for Spring are sufficient for now. I need a tutorial from a graphic genius... any out there?
be back in a flash. waiting on john's computer to be fixed by apple-whiz zachary.
-a

...Bowling with the Stars

Have you ever bowled in the depths of space?... Me neither, but Cosmic Bowling on a Friday night at Time Square on Grand Pkwy is about as close as I think I'll ever get.  Allison wasn't feeling well this weekend and retired early on Friday night.  There was only one thing to do... get together a brodeo.  After many calls I had come to terms with the fact that many of my friends work early Sat. morning now which made the entourage a little thin (me and A buddy).  With only two of us we decided going to see "Be Kind, Rewind" at the Alamo Drafthouse was probably the better choice over bowling... so naturally we chose the 3 hour special from 11 to 2 AM that we like to call "Cosmic Bowling".  I gotta say, it was kinda weird at first having just two of us (who both suck at bowling), but after finding our lane among the crowd of mostly Seniors in HS it was a quick paced string of games and a bunch of fun!  I have to say, if you haven't been bowling... than hurling a glowing ball down a long wooden lane towards a huddle of short objects (shaped like everyone's favorite uncle) while drinking cheap beer from a pitcher (yes, I temporarily ignored my calling to higher standards in beer) must sound pretty stupid.  Well it is... yet so awesome!  The best part of the night for me was the end of our second game where on the 10th frame I bowled a turkey (my first and last of the night).  anyways, all that to say... If you haven't hurled a ball down a lane in a smoke filled environment in a while, dust of your bag and call the Flinstone's because it's good for the soul.  As they say, "the Dude abides..."

If you don't understand this last statement, please just go watch "The Big Lebowski"

JW 

would you like some vino with your valentine's?

If you are blessed with a special someone to call your hunny, then I hope you enjoyed your Valentine's Day yesterday. For many, it could have been a unique tribute to Singles Awareness Day. John and I had the opportunity to celebrate Valentine's with a few of our loved ones. We decided on a great little place sometime last week, and decided we would splurge in honor of Valentine's. I explained the extensive itinerary for the evening to my dad, who seemed very intrigued. He politely asked if John or I would mind if my mother and him joined us. I insisted that would be perfectly fine and sure enough, earlier this week, we added Ab (my sister) to the reservation so as not to leave her out of this 'family affair'.

We arrived right on the dot at 6:30 to a quaint little restaraunt, Salud! Winery. We were greeted with imported cheeses, meats, and a glass of pinot noir. Yumm-o. Next came a delicious caprese salad that brought back wonderful memories of Firenze, Italy. There was a small kitchen in the back of the restaurant where they ferment and bottle their own wines. I am going to skip over the details and terminology of the process, because that seems to be John's specialty. Let's just say - it was neat.

The remainder of the night consisted of chicken parmiagan, pasta with zucchini and squash, fried cheesecake and a chocolate covered strawberry. Oh, and more flavorful wine pairings of course (including a chocolate orange port - a fav of john's). We each got to take home a bottle of the wine we prepared, after we labeled it with a cutom label from the event. Check out our sweet bottle! I sent the picture (our first post!) to Salud earlier this week, and they printed it onto one of the Valentine's label. What a great idea.

It was such a treat to be eating dinner with my whole family, which is a rare occasion these days. My dad is the sweetest man alive and will always be #1 - he picked up dinner for the whole table! We had the best time, and I couldn't be more thankful for their generosity. They are so understanding to the fact that John and I are soon-to-be poor newlyweds.

"The more I think, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people." -Vincent Van Gogh

peace.love.joy
-aj