Howdy from the Halls

Long Time No See

2012-01-01T16:22:00.000-08:00

Hello Blogging World!!! I'm not going to even pretend to try and catch you up on what has been going on with the Halls in the last year, but I did think there were a few highlights that were worth mentioning:

1) I finished my first year of teaching. I taught 7th grade science my first year. To say it was a huge learning experience would be an understatement. I had heard horrible stories about middle school students, but I actually loved my students. They were so fun and made me laugh often. This year I stayed at the same school, and have been teaching 7th grade reading. I am enjoying teaching the subject matter much more this year.

2) My youngest brother, Kalen, got married March 13 to Lindsey. Ryan and I were honored to be in the wedding and loved witnessing their big day.

3) My other brother Michael proposed in May to his girlfriend Brittany. They got married October 23 and Ryan and I were also honored to be in their wedding. Don't they look cute?

4) Ryan and I have been working on getting our house put together. It is a huge work in progress, but we have made some major steps in the right direction. For a long time, we had just a few things on the wall, but lately it has started to feel much more put together. I have even been working on some art projects for the house that I will share when they are finished. I will definitely have to post pictures of all the updates when I finish.
5) Ryan and I went to Washington DC this summer to visit his parents. We had a great time and enjoyed visiting a lot of places while Ryan's parents were working. We went to a lot of the museums, Georgetown for a day, local wineries, and many other places. Here we are at the National Cathedral, which was not only beautiful on the outside, but on the inside as well. Seriously, if you ever get a chance to go to DC, you definitely need to go here!

What would a trip to Georgetown be without going to Georgetown Cupcakes? They were insanely delicious! Our favorite? Cookies and Cream.

6) At the end of July, I went to Young Life Camp in Colorado for a week. I left camp a huge Young Life fan. I loved how the entire week's purpose was to show high school kids the extravagance of God's love, which really resonates with me. It was such a huge privilege to witness God's work in these kids' lives. Here are the girls in our cabin- isn't camp so pretty?

7) Ryan and I spent Thanksgiving in the valley. It was our first holiday to not be around family, and while we missed them, we really enjoyed our time together. It was relaxing and a good time of rest for us after such a busy semester. Ryan carved our turkey and did a great job- now we are really adults :)

Here is our plate of food and it was all so good! I actually couldn't believe we pulled it off. It was a real sense of accomplishment.

We HAD to wear maroon to support the Aggies' big game that day.

8) My brother, Michael, graduated from Sam Houston State University in December. We went to see him graduate, but then had to turn around and come back to the valley because I had 3 days of school left. Once I finished school, we headed back to The Woodlands for Christmas. We were able to spend a week with my family and enjoyed our time there. We even were able to go up to Fort Worth to visit both of our extended families for a couple of days. It was great to be able to see everyone. Here are Ryan and I after the Christmas Eve service. 9) We spent New Years in the valley with some friends and had a good time with everyone. We now anxiously await what God has in store for us individually and as a couple in 2012. It will be a good year!
Well, I know this could not possibly be everything that has happened in the past year, and I know I have been a HORRIBLE blogger, but I am going to work on that this year- I promise! Thank you for being a part of our lives and we wish you a very Happy New Year!

Hubby's Go Around

2010-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Well, we bought a house a little under 2 months ago and there are no new photos or even word of it on the Blog. Now, Kalese has been quite busy with her new job in teaching and I too have had my share of work to do but with no further digressions, here are the photos of the house when we first started moving:

The Front View

This is the view when you first walk in

A few steps forward and slightly left you'll find the Living Room, Dining Area, and my favorite... the Kitchen

A view of the Dining Area

The kitchen, Washer Room, and Garage

Here is the entrance to the Master Bedroom

More of the Master space

More of the Master space

Our Bathroom

Another view of the Bathroom

Kalese's Closet (Yes, it continues in there)

A view of the Entrance from the Dining Area/Living Room

From the Entry Way to the Guest Area

Guest Room 1 (Only area with plantation shutters. For some reason people under foreclosure steal the shutters?)

Guest Room 1 part 2

Guest Bath

Guest Room 2

Guest Room 2 part 2

The Back Yard (Far back to front)

The Back Door

The Back Yard (left to right)

And last but not least, the Garage

Some work has been done to date, but since it's late and we have got things to do, I'll upload s'mo later.

Stay tuned friends, good things are to come.

It's Been Too Long

2010-05-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog!!! It's been far too long. It is obvious I've been on a blogging hiatus of sorts. This hiatus was not purposeful, but it just happened. I've really missed blogging. You may have thought I had given up on the whole blog thing, but I am here to assure you that I have not! There have been tons of things going on in our life. I have tons to share. So, here is a recap of the last couple of months.

1) I passed my teacher certification test that I took in February! I had studied for a long time- longer than I ever did in college, but was still really nervous about passing. I had to wait a few weeks and then found out that I passed with flying colors! It was a really exciting day for Ryan and I. After I found out I passed, I began to apply for teaching positions.

2) Ryan and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day as a married couple. My sweet husband took me to a restaurant called The Woodlands in honor of my hometown The Woodlands, TX. My favorite part was dessert- we got to make s'mores! Us at Valentine's Day Dinner

Ryan making his s'more

And me eating mine

3) My mom came to visit in March. It was so good to see her and we filled up her weekend while she was here. My mom and I and my favorite restaurant in town- City Cafe

Us with my mom at the airport before she left

4) My whole family (minus my brother Michael, who is in the Marines) came to visit for Easter. We had a lot of fun and a busy weekend! It was really good to see them, but we had a full house! My parents, brother and his girlfriend (now fiance-more on that in a minute) came and stayed in our little 2 bedroom, 2 bath duplex. We were definitely tight, but I was so glad they came. The whole family on Easter Sunday

Me and my hubby

Me with my parentsMe with my youngest brother, Kalen

5) I went to Austin for a Destino (the Hispanic movement of Campus Crusade for Christ) conference and to see some wonderful friends in April. It was a great break for me and a wonderful time to connect with some really close friends. I left feeling encouraged, refreshed, loved and loving Austin- I would move there in a heartbeat!!My sweet friends I got to spend time with in Austin- I love these women!!

6) I got called in April for a job interview at a charter school. A charter school provides an alternative to other public schools, but are still part of the public education system. Most charter schools provide a certain area of specialization, and this charter school focuses on the fine arts. They have grades K-11 right now. I went to my interview and it was less stressful than I had anticipated. I had prepared for all the tough "teacher" questions- "What is your teaching philosophy?", "What are your strengths and weaknesses?", etc., but the interview was so much more conversational. At the end of the interview, they asked me to step outside while they discussed a few things. When they called me back in, they told me that there were some good things and some not so good things about hiring me. The good things are that they believed I would fit well with the school and the mission of the school, but the not so good things were that I did not major in any of the subject areas. They told me that it would be taking a risk to hire me, but they were willing to take it on me and see how I do my first year. So, I got a job!!!! I will be teaching 7th grade science at Vanguard Academy starting in August. I couldn't be more thrilled at the opportunity to work there. It is an incredible school with such wonderful support from the Administrators and I believe a wonderful environment to begin my first year of teaching in. After my interview I got in my car and just cried because of God's incredible kindness to me. The blessings that are attached with getting this job are too many to count! I praise Him because of His faithfulness to me. Ryan and I went out to eat to celebrate the big news!

7) On the same day that I got a job, my youngest brother Kalen asked his girlfriend, Lindsey, to marry him. They will be getting married sometime in 2011. I can't believe he is old enough to be getting married!!! It was definitely an exciting day in our household.

8) After I got the job, Ryan and I decided to buy a house. We know we will most likely be in the Valley for at least 3 more years and once we knew we would have the second income, it felt like the right time for us to do that. We knew this process needed to be quick- our lease ends June 30th and if you close on a house before June 30th, you can still get the big tax rebate. The house hunting process has been harder, longer and more disappointing than I expected. We currently are on our third house and are waiting to see if our offer is accepted. The first house we made an offer on was wonderful, but they would not negotiate very much. After many days of negotiating back and forth, we decided to accept their counter offer. Right before our real estate agent turned in all of our paper work and the earnest money, we found out there was an HOA (Home Owners Association) fee that would put our monthly payment just too far above what we wanted/needed to spend. It was God's grace that we didn't lose our earnest money. The second home we found, our real estate agent went to turn in our offer and we found out that the house had just gone under contract the day before by someone else. So, now we are on house #3. On each house before #3, I would envision how I would decorate it, what things we would want to fix, etc., but this time, I can not go there....not yet, at least. The two houses before felt like big losses each time because I had already seen us living there. This process has been incredibly hard and it definitely has tested my faith. I am choosing to trust the Lord has good for Ryan and I and that we are in His care. Sometimes, that can be harder than it sounds. We know God has the perfect place for us out there, it just may not happen in the time or the way we would like it to. We may not close on a house before June 30th, and there are some disappointing things about that, but we are choosing to trust God in the midst of that. I will keep you posted on the news.

8) I celebrated my 25th birthday!! Ryan's parents came into town for the birthday celebration. Ryan had told me that we were going to go over to his cousins' house for a small family get together for my birthday the day before my actual birthday, but I had no idea that I was walking into a huge surprise party with all of our friends here in the Valley!! It was incredibly sweet of my husband and his family to plan such a fun time for me- I felt so loved and special. When I walked into the party, I was totally surprised and just cried because of how loved I felt.Ryan's parents at Which Which before the party for a little snack

Ryan and I eating at Which Which too

At the party with our friends the Martell's. We are so thankful for their friendship!Us with the Moore's, baby Karsten (who belongs to the Martell's), and the Coronado's. Each of these people make our time in the Valley so special. Ryan's cousins, Jesse, Judy and Amanda, and Ryan's mom, ElizabethMe with baby Karsten- he is the sweetest baby!

Me with my mother-in-law. I was so glad she was there!

Ryan and I with Erin- we just missed her hubby Dante!

Us with our good friends the Robinson's. We were so glad they were in town and love them!

Us with our fellow Aggie, PatrickThe beautiful and yummy cake- it was a Marble cake :)

Mmm...it was delicious!

Us with our good friends the Kirby's.

Me and Baily- I'm so glad I know her!

Me and my sweet husband. He is the absolute best and worked soo hard to make me feel special. I love him!!!

On my actual birthday, Ryan took me out to eat at Johnny Carino's for dinner

This was the dessert- an apple crisp with ice cream :)

9) We went to The Woodlands to visit my family, celebrate my birthday late with them and to go to a wedding. It was a great weekend. It's really fun to have 2 birthday celebrations- it means 2x the cake!

Ryan and I at the birthday dinner with my family at Pappasito's (my favorite Mexican food restaurant!)

Kalen and his fiance Lindsey

My sweet parents

Cake #2- it was German Chocolate and was fantasticWe went shopping and out to eat at Panera Bread- another favorite. Here are the boys.And the girlsI also got to see my good friend Kara while in town. We met at our usual place, Starbucks and caught up for a couple of hours. She is moving to Singapore soon, so I was so thankful to be able to see her!I also went to a wedding while in town. It was great to see old friends from my time at A&M. Courtney, on the left, was my date since neither of our husbands could join us. It was really fun!Courtney and I also got to hang out with Sandi at the wedding. Sandi, Courtney and I spent lots of time together at A&M and it was great to all be together again!

Well, now that you are all caught up on the Hall's and their life, I must go work on dinner. Thanks for being patient with me during my hiatus. I promise it will not be this long until the next time I write!!

Wedding Recaps: The Reception (It's About Time!)

2010-02-28T15:38:00.000-08:00

So, after almost 8 months of marriage (I can hardly believe it!), I am about to finish our wedding recaps. Better late than never. You've seen the bridal portraits, the details, the ceremony, the pictures with our families and friends, but now is time for the reception! I still remember everything almost like it was yesterday. I know this sounds crazy, but sometimes I just want to do it all again. Not the planning part, but the day part. It was just so fun!We entered the reception down these fabulous stairs- aren't they beautiful!And began our first dance as husband and wife. What song did we dance to? None other than George Strait's "I Cross My Heart" in honor of my country-loving husband.I love this picture!! The light's reflection reminds me of a magazine photo! Not to mention, this was when Ryan was singing to me and it was just so sweet!My sweet parents while we danced.After our first dance, my sweet dad welcomed everyone and then prayed for our food.I love this picture of my brothers during my dad's prayer!And then it was time to eat! My brother Kalen and our friend Tara, who also sang at the wedding with some food!

After we ate, it was time for my dance with my daddy. We had lots of fun and danced to The Temptation's "My Girl". I knew I would need something upbeat so that I wouldn't cry :)And then it was time for Ryan's dance with his mom. They danced to Rascal Flat's "My Wish" and it was so sweet.And while Ryan and his mom danced, I had to tell my Matron of Honor, Courtney, something. I still remember what it was, and it was very funny!Ryan's cousin hugging his mom during the mother-son dance...so sweet!
And Ryan's family capturing the moment.And then it was time for our fabulous cake. The cake was absolutely delicious- Italian Cream!Cutting the cake was a little complicated, and I couldn't help but laugh.I will spare you the pictures of us actually feeding it to each other- those were just not attractive!Lets just say they will not be hiring us to cut cake anytime soon. The cake was in crumbs! I'm glad the taste made up for it- Texas Chocolate (Chocolate cake with Pecans and German Chocolate Icing)!I just couldn't help myself- isn't this funny! The feeding each other was just too difficult for us!And then it was time to say good bye. I was so sad it was over and felt so loved and cared for by everyone was there. I wanted it to last forever!Me hugging my sweet cousin good bye.One last family photo opportunity with part of Ryan's family.Ryan with his cousin and his sister (she had changed because they were on their way back to Dallas).And a chat with Ryan's grandmother. She was so kind!And we were off!! Puerto Vallarta here we come!Adios!

Well, that is the end of our wedding. Thanks for celebrating with me (even if it is 7 1/2 months later)! The wedding recaps with professional pictures are officially done....now, to do others or not is the question. I have so many great memories leading up to the wedding too- showers, bachelorette party, bridesmaids' luncheon, rehearsal dinner and our honeymoon. But, it has been a while too so I will have to decide soon. Until the next time...

Can I Just Say...

2010-01-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

I HATE tests!!! Next weekend on February 6 I take my first test in order to get my certificate for teaching. The test is over English, Math, Social Studies and Science for 4-8 grade and let me just tell you, I don't remember very much at all!! I am definitely not smarter than a 5th grader at this point. My test is 120 questions and you are allowed 5 hours to take it- I have never taken a test for that long. I have been studying fairly consistently for the past few weeks, but I still have this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Tests have always made me nervous- it never really mattered how long I studied for them because I still felt nervous. This test has a few more concerns attached to it. If I don't pass this test the first time, not only are we down $120, but I will have a harder time being interviewed for positions in the fall without a passing score. I will have to continue taking it until I pass. The sooner I pass, the quicker I can look for teaching positions. I think for some reason in college, even though I still hated tests, I didn't feel as scared because I was ok with not getting a fabulous grade. Maybe I feel more pressure this time. But, in the midst of my fear, I have to continue to remind myself that God's plan for me is good and whether I pass or not, He is still in control of every aspect of my life (including my job and future). I know I have nothing to fear if I trust God's plan and timing for me over my own, but sometimes I have such a hard time giving up that control. Thank the Lord for His mercy that He lavishes on me. I must remember all that He has done for me and will continue to do.

Six Months Ago Today...

2010-01-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

I married my best friend. The past six months have been an incredible journey of learning more about the Lord, Ryan and marriage. I am thankful for every moment and look forward to the rest of our lives. Thank you Lord for giving me such a sweet husband who loves me in such a sacrificial way, that it helps me to only understand your love for me more. Ryan, I love you more every day and I am so glad I get to spend the rest of my life with you!

In honor of us being married for 6 months, I thought I would continue the wedding recaps (I never finished them!). So, here are some of our portraits from the day.My wonderful house party: On the left is my cousin Kayla and on the right my good friend, Valerie. These girls were such servants and I felt incredibly blessed by them.My fabulous bridesmaids: From the left is Claire, Kimie, me, Kara and Courtney. These girls have been incredible friends to me over the years and I was so thankful for their help, support and love. I love each of them dearly!Our good friend Kristy and her daughter Anna, our flower girl. Isn't she precious!Me and the fellas.My parents and I. I am so blessed to have such wonderful parents who have taught me about the Lord, marriage and life. I love them both very much!My brothers and I had some fun before the ceremony: Kalen is on the left and Michael is on the right. I couldn't ask for better brothers.They were making me laugh a ton.And then Michael and I look at each other to give the, "Oh my goodness I am getting married!" face.We needed a serious one.My family and I before the ceremony.My husband is so cute!Ryan and his guys. From left is Ryan's brother Mark, my brother Kalen, Ryan, Ryan's uncle Kenny, Ryan's dad Mark, Ryan's cousin Christian and Ryan's nephew, little Jaxon.
Ryan hanging with the ladies.Ryan and his parents. I am so thankful to have them as in-laws!Ryan and his siblings: From left is Ryan's sister-in-law Marie, Ryan's brother Mark, Ryan, Ryan's sister Melanie, Ryan's brother-in-law Jared, Ryan's sister Salena and Ryan's nephew Jaxon in the front.Ryan with his parents and siblings.Ryan and right after the ceremony with our pastor Jason. We were so happy!Us with the bridal party right after the ceremony.Us with my wonderful parents after the ceremony.Us with my fabulous brothers after the ceremony.Us with my family.Us with my extended family.
Us with Ryan's parents after the ceremony.And us with Ryan's siblings after the ceremony.Us with Ryan's family.Us with Ryan's extended family after the ceremony.Us with our scripture readers. On the left, Claudia read Ephesians 3:16-19 in Spanish and Michael read it in English. I loved that we were able to incorporate Ryan's Hispanic background into the ceremony.Us with our special music singers. On the left, Tara sang How Deep the Father's Love for Us and on the right, Cavanaugh sang Before the Throne of God. It was beautiful!And then we were alone :)We snuck away for a little bit.

I am reminded when I look at all the pictures what a special, memorable and joyful day our wedding was. Ryan, thank you for such a fantastic beginning to our lives together. I love you!

Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

2010-01-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

Wow, I can not believe how quickly time flies by. It has been quite a long time since I have posted anything- I don't even know where to begin. Let's start with our Thanksgiving. We were able to spend Thanksgiving with my family in The Woodlands, just north of Houston. I was so thankful to see my family- the last time I had seen them was in August. Thanksgiving just went by so fast- we got there Wednesday evening and left Sunday after church, but I just wish it were longer! On Thanksgiving morning, we all participated in Run Through the Woods, a 3 mile walk/run and a 10k. Ryan and one of my brothers did the 10k while the rest of the family did the 3 mile walk/run. I was really proud of myself- I ran the whole 3 miles! Ryan and I after the run. It was pretty early, hence the tired looks. After the run, we went home for a delicious Thanksgiving lunch.My dad, the expert turkey carver.

When we came home from Thanksgiving, this is what we found in our house. Our tile apparently was not put in properly and when we came home the floor was raised and the grout was popping out. The floor makes this cracking noise when you walk on it. The maintenance man said they were going to replace all the bad tiles, but they have not done that yet. Hopefully that will happen soon.

Two weeks after Thanksgiving, we flew back to The Woodlands for my mom's 5oth birthday! It was also my dad's 49th- their birthday's are 2 days apart. It was a short weekend, but I was so thankful to my sweet husband who allowed us to be able to do that. I know it was really special for my mom- it was the first time in a long time where all of her kids were there for her birthday. We saw The Blindside, ate at great restaurants, and made Christmas cookies. It was a fun weekend! The picture is a little dark, but here is our family.
My brother, Michael, was home for Thanksgiving and my mom's birthday on leave from The Marines. He is stationed at Parris Island in South Carolina. We gave him his Christmas present early since we would not see him at Christmas- he had asked for money so we gave him a big stack of $1s with the Geico eyes- it got a laugh out of him and everyone else.Here we are with my brother, Michael. We won't see him until August of 2010 when his 4 year commitment with The Marines is up.The kid photo: Michael, me, Ryan, my other brother Kalen and his girlfriend LindseyHere we are with my parents. Happy 50th birthday Mom and 49th Dad!!

After we got back to McAllen, we had a few Christmas celebrations. The first one was with the students we work with at UTPA. We had so much fun with them- eating, watching Charlie Brown Christmas and The Nativity Story. For some of them, it was the first time they had seen either of those. I am so thankful for the both of those movies and the way they help remind us of what Christmas is all about. I think The Nativity Story was great in helping to bring the birth of Jesus to real life for some of the students and we really enjoyed discussing the true meaning of Christmas with them.Here I am with the girls.
And here is Ryan with the guys.
Ryan and I got dressed up for the evening- doesn't he look cute in his sweater vest!?!

The next Christmas celebration was a Gingerbread making party with some of the girls from our Sunday School class. The girls are all teachers and had some time off for their Christmas break and I was really thankful to be able to hang out with them.Bailey and Giona with their Gingerbread houses- don't they look great!Here is my Gingerbread house. It was my first time to make one and I had so much fun!Me and my friend Erin

When we came home from my parents after Thanksgiving, we brought a few Christmas decorations with us. I must say, I did have a few of the "Our 1st Christmas is not what I expected" blues. I am always surprised at how many expectations I have that I don't even realize until I am in the midst of it. I tend to be an idealist. In my head I have this perfect scenario of how different circumstances should be and I am just shocked when it does not turn out like that. Our first Christmas is one of them. I think in my mind I just thought that our first Christmas season together was going to be some magical time where we both are floating on air and it is the most sweet, romantic and fun time of the year. You always hear people say "It's your 1st Christmas! How exciting!" And it is exciting because we're married and enjoying Christmas together, but to me I just felt like I wasn't experiencing everything I thought I should be. I think in my mind I thought we would have a Christmas tree and spend one evening decorating it together, drinking hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music. We would go look at Christmas lights all the time, walk hand in hand while we shop together and brave the crowds just because that's what you do and watch every Christmas movie that exists- see the idealist in me? If you've seen Elf, there is a part in the movie where he says, "First we'll make snow angels, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as we can, and then we'll snuggle." I can definitely be like that with this ideal plan/expectations. But, it really didn't happen like that. I put up a few decorations by myself, did a lot of the shopping and worked through my emotions of not having a Christmas tree (space, time and money were all a factor) while Ryan worked all day long and I went to class in the evening, thus missing each other. We were going to be spending our first Christmas at my parents, and while I was so thankful for that, there was some part of me that kept feeling like this is not what I thought it would be. Ryan and I went together to pick out my Chirstmas present and I ordered his online- no wrapping, no sitting together and opening up gifts with a big surprise. So, when the Christmas season began, I really felt sad and there were moments throughout the season where I was faced with disappointment because of my incredibly high expecations. But, what I ended up finding was the Lord meeting me right where I was. I remember Him sweetly whispering to me, "Kalese, will you remember me this Christmas?" Oh, how tenderly God speaks. And from there, God began to help me see that while the tree, decorations and presents are great, the season can still be exciting without those things because of the gift of Christ. While I hope that Ryan and I will be able to start our own Christmas traditions and decorate for Christmas in the future, I am content and thankful for our first Christmas being exactly the way it was- I would not want it any other way. God has been so incredibly kind to me this Christmas season and I have been so thankful for the ways He has met with me. The true meaning of Christmas has been so much more real to me. I have been enamored with Christ and His gift of life- that Christ would humble Himself and come as a baby, growing up to sacrifice His life in order that I may know God personally. What an incredible gift God has given us and I am thankful for this reminder this season- I pray that we all always remember the true meaning of Christmas. Oh, come let us adore Him; Christ, the Lord.
Our few Christmas decorations. I love our stockings!

Well, we went back to my parents for Christmas. Normally we alternate holidays with my family and Ryan's family- if one gets Thanksgiving, then the other gets Christmas. This year was Ryan's family's turn for Christmas, but they were spending Christmas in Washington D.C. because Ryan's dad is on a temporary assignment there. Since we were unable to go to Washington D.C., we spent Christmas with my family and had tons of fun!

My brother Kalen is ready to brave the cold. We went to the Christmas Eve service at our church and it was beautiful. I love singing Christmas worship songs- it brought tears to my eyes to again think about Christ's gift to us.

After the Christmas Eve service, we went to look at Christmas lights. We had tons of fun, but thought this sign was incredibly funny. So weird!Ryan and I on Christmas day. One of my favorite family traditions on Christmas day is reading the story of Jesus' birth in Luke 2 in The Bible. When my brothers got older, they began to play the guitar and lead us in a few Christmas worship songs. I love that time together.The family got a Wii for Christmas. Here are my parents boxing...my Mom was serious about beating my dad :) It was very funny!!

We headed back to McAllen after Christmas and then we spent New Year's with Ryan's parents. It was so nice to see them since we had not seen them for Christmas or since the end of September.Ryan and I on New Year's EveRyan and I with his parents and their dog Misty. Poor Misty had a cold, but she was a great snuggle buddy on the couch. Ryan and I look forward to when we have a dog someday.
Happy New Year!!! We had delicious cranberry apple champagne!
I am so thankful I got to spend New Year's Day with my wonderful husband and his family.

Well, I know this has been an incredibly long update. One of my goals for 2010 is to be a more consistent blogger. I think that may be my goal- consistency. But, I will leave that for another post. Thank you dear friends for reading my ramblings.

A Find on the Internet

2009-10-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Hello my dear friends. Remember in the last post how I mentioned seeing Claudia, one of my disciples from when I worked with Campus Crusade for Christ at A&M? Well, I was googling some information I needed on Campus Crusade at A&M for a substitute teaching application and I found this treasure!! Last year, the Campus Crusade for Christ national website did a story on how God has completely changed Claudia's life. I had been thinking that I would not be able to see this story- I thought it was off the website, but apparently it's not! So, I thought I would share it with ya'll. It is an incredible story of how God has worked in and through Claudia. See the story here if you would like and I hope ya'll have a great day!

Why So Busy?

2009-10-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Well, as promised in my last post the Halls have been really busy the last few weeks and now, the why. First, some background and a little vulnerability on my part. When we moved to the Valley, we knew God wanted us here for a reason, but my first month or two in the Valley was extremely difficult. I missed my family, my old job with Campus Crusade for Christ, College Station and my many friends in the College Station and Houston area. Moving so far away was incredibly challenging for me. In the Valley, I was honestly disappointed that God had brought us here, that I had no job and that my husband was working all the time. Ryan works from 7:30-5:30 M-Th and 7:30-11:30 0n Fridays, but he was working a lot of extra hours when we first moved here. One weekend he worked 30+ hours (again, the weekend). So, my new life was definitely not what I expected or had hoped. I struggled with the Lord and asked Him often why He brought us here and what He was doing. Why did I not have a job? Why was I not able to see Ryan, the only person I knew in this town, very often? Why was life just so disappointing? I look back and see how God wanted to meet with me in new ways in the midst of this wilderness season. I began to do a Bible study (check it out here) with the church we started going to down here and it was about how out of 2 million Israelites, only two entered the promised land (Joshua and Caleb). Not only was it a study on how to enter Promised Land living in our own lives, but it was about God bringing us through wilderness seasons in our lives to meet with Him in deeper ways. God could have brought the Israelites straight to the Promised Land, but instead they were redirected through the wilderness because He wanted to teach them to trust and obey Him. I know that the Lord brought me to my own wilderness season to teach me to trust Him and depend on Him in ways I would not have if I had lived in a place that was comfortable to me, like College Station. In the Lord's kindness towards me, He began to teach me to depend on Him alone; not Ryan, not a job, not friends, but Him for my satisfaction. I don't believe that this is a lesson that I can say I have learned and just check off the list, because I am sure at another point in my life I will revisit it, but I can say that in God's kindness He has brought me to a deeper relationship with Him and a peace in knowing that He is in control in the midst of all circumstances, whether they are circumstances I like or don't like.

So, about the time I really began to experience God in this new way, Ryan and I reconnected with a student who had gone to A&M for a year that we had known while we were there. She now attends UTPA (University of Texas Pan American), which is right here where we live. When she transferred from A&M to UTPA to be closer to her family, she began to help the Campus Crusade for Christ movement at UTPA. Well, as soon as we met with her, we knew we needed to begin to volunteer our time to help these students and their ministry (they are without staff and have been for a while). So, it is so evident why the Lord would have me wait on a job so that we would really be able to help these UTPA students. We are enjoying the time we spend with these students, investing in their lives, teaching them how to share their faith and how to know God more. Just last week, we had a student pray to place their faith in Christ! We are honored and privileged to be able to be a part of their lives, for however short or long it may be. So, this has really taken up a good part of our time. We have been helping with weekly meetings, Bible studies, and I have gone on campus almost every day for the past couple of weeks to help girls grow in their faith. Last weekend, we had the opportunity to take 10 students to Fall Retreat. Fall Retreat is a weekend to help students grow in their faith with a speaker, worship band and fun getting to know other students across the state. We had a blast with them!!! Us with the 10 students from UTPA (Top from Left: Albert, Arnold, Faith, John Michael, Jessica, Christina, Lisa, Me and Ryan; Bottom from Left: Vero, Yadi and Jocelyn)

The camp was in Palacios, TX and was right on the water (the ocean)! Ryan and I sporting our Cru at UTPA shirts.We also got to see some old friends from A&M. This is Claudia, one of the girls I discipled while I was at A&M. I loved making smores with her!

So, working with students again has kept us extremely busy. But, there is a second reason why we've been so busy. In Septmeber, after much prayer and talking it over with Ryan, I have decided to get my teaching certificate! I have had an extremely difficult time finding a job down here in the Valley, especially because I don't speak Spanish. Most places (banks, doctors offices, etc.) want you to speak Spanish. That doesn't mean that no one has openings for someone that doesn't speak Spanish, but they have been very hard for me to find. So, I began to investigate teaching- I mean, they want you to speak English, right? Not to mention, Ryan and I have talked about moving overseas in the future and being able to teach would give me a great avenue wherever we are. So I am now enrolled in an alternative certification program that will last 9 weeks in order to get my certificate. The classes actually begin tonight! What has kept me so busy is the studying. In order to teach, I have to pass the Content test for the grade levels I will teach (which is a Generalist certification for 4th-8th grades). This test covers English, Math, Social Studies and Science, but the material is either from High School or my first year in college! Well, that was at least 6 years ago and I do not remember as much as I had hoped. So, I have been really trying to study to prepare for the test. My sweet husband has even been helping me, especially with the math and science part. So, that has also kept me really busy. I have to observe at least 30 hours in a classroom, so I have also been trying to begin to substitute, but that process takes so long! Maybe it is just that everything runs slower down here, but all that to say, our life is busy, but good. Please pray for us as we begin this new transition in our life. My classes are M-Th from 6-9pm and Sat. from 9 am- 4pm. That means I will hardly see Ryan at all, but I know that the Lord will give us everything we need to make it through this season. So, here we are at the start of a new chapter. We are excited to see what the future may hold!

It's Been a While

2009-10-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

I can not believe it has been over a month since I posted last!! Suddenly, my life got so busy and I am not even working! There is so much to catch up on, I don't even know where to begin. Wow, the last month for the Hall's has been so fun. I guess I will start way back in September. On Fridays, Ryan is finished with work at 11:30 (he works extra hours M-Th to be finished early on Friday), so we have date day. We always go out to eat lunch together and we have been to lots of great places to eat. My favorite so far is Las Rocas where you get Tortas with really good Aguas Frescas! Tortas are a Mexican sandwich with really thick and good bread and Aguas Frescas is fruit water. My favorite is Sandia (Watermelon). During the afternoon we find something to do together. One time, we went to the McAllen Museum. It was small, but fun to go.

Us at the MuseumThey had an Egyptian exhibit while we were there They also had a really pretty stained glass exhibitI found these at the entrance of the museum. I think they are to honor big donors or something like that, but I thought they were so cool and really want one in my backyard someday!

The museum was really fun and we have done some other things on Fridays like going to the Outlet Mall (we have a great premium outlet mall about 25 minutes away), running errands, going to see a movie, and other things around McAllen. On Friday evenings, we have started a new family tradition of making pizza together and then watching a movie. Fridays are by far my favorite day because of the good time I am able to spend with Ryan. Here is our first pizza making night.We love using our baking stone- we registered for this and our good friend Valerie bought it for us!Ryan is better at cutting the pizza than me :)Our dinner- it was delicious!

In September we also accomplished one of the projects we had on our to-do list. We made a headboard for the guest room! I think it needs some buttons or something to add pizazz, but we still like it a lot.

In September my sweet husband also bought me a road bike. I have enjoyed going on bike rides with Ryan and learning how to be a better bike rider (it had been since 6th grade since I rode a bike)! Here is my pretty new bike!!On September 28, we celebrated Ryan's 24th Birthday!!! The weekend before, Ryan's family came into town and we spent time with Ryan's cousins to celebrate his birthday. We had a cook-out with hamburgers and oven fries. Then we had an amazing cake- my first cake to make from scratch! I thought I would share the recipe from Food Network.

Chocolate Coconut Bourbon Cake
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups hot coffee
1/4 cup bourbon
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Chocolate Ganache
12 ounces semisweet chocolate (either blocks cut into small pieces or chocolate chips)
8 ounces heavy cream
2 teaspoons bourbon or favorite extract

1. Place the sifted flour in a medium bowl and stir in the baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, place the chocolate and the butter. Pour the hot coffee over the chocolate and butter and then add the bourbon. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand until chocolate and butter are melted. Remove the cover and whisk to fully incorporate. Set aside until mixture has cooled.
2. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
3. When coffee mixture has cooled, add the sugar and whisk until blended. Add the flour mixture, half at a time and stir until just combined. Add the eggs, vanilla, coconut and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for about 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for about 10 minutes and then cool completely on a rack before icing.
4. While cakes are cooling, make ganache: Place the chocolate in large bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan just until it starts to boil. Immediately pour the cream over the chocolate, making sure that all of the chocolate is covered. Cover the bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk the chocolate until dark and shiny and then let cool until room temperature. The more you whisk the icing as it cools, the stiffer it will get. If you refrigerate the icing before you put it on the cake, it will get very hard and you will have to microwave it for a few seconds to soften it to a spreadable state.
5. Frost the cake: Spread the ganache over bottom layer of the cake. Place the second cake layer on top of the ganache. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache.

Here we are with the delicious cake! It has coconut on the top and around the bottom.Ryan and I with his cousins (From left: Ryan, me, Amanda, Judy, Jesse and Judy's Mom)Yay!! Happy 24th Babe!Ryan and I with his parents. We had fun with them in town!

Well, I know this has been incredibly long, but I wanted to share with ya'll what we've been up to the past month. Be looking forward to the next post where I will share with ya'll the changes that have been going on in the Hall household and why we've really been so busy. Now, I'm off to Friday lunch with my husband!! :)

Our First Guests

2009-09-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

It has been almost two weeks ago since we had our first guests in our home, but I wanted to share with ya'll!! My mom had visited a while back after we had only been in the Valley a couple of weeks, so the house was not unpacked and she helped me organize and unpack most of the time. But, a couple weeks ago we had our real first guests. It was really exciting and I am finding that I love to entertain. My friend Mandy from A&M lives here in the Valley and I have been so thankful to have a friend here. We don't see each other as often as I would like because she is working a lot, but I am always so grateful when we can. Mandy and her boyfriend Joe came over for dessert and to play a game. We were able to introduce Joe to Apples to Apples and to eat some yummy dessert.Mandy and IRyan and Joe

I also made some dessert that we loved!! It is called Toffee Bars and I thought I would share the recipe!

Toffee Bars
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/3 cup chocolate covered toffee pieces (like Heath Bar)

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, egg and vanilla. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in flour and salt until combined.
2. Spread dough evenly in an ungreased 13x9 baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges begin to brown and surface is dry. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand about 2 minutes or until chocolate is softened; spread evenly. Sprinkle with walnuts and toffee pieces. Cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cut into bars.

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures to share of what the toffee bars look like, but they were so good! We added more toffee pieces on top than it says and more nuts because we wanted it to be extra crunchy. It was a really easy dessert to make. The top of the bars started to melt and so my sweet husband put them in the freezer to help it harden. We forgot about them and they were frozen solid when Mandy and Joe got there. Ryan kept telling me it would be ok, but I was so upset that the dessert was ruined. Well, I should have trusted my husband. The bars warmed up and they were delicious. Ryan is so sweet to me. So, you should all make these sometime!

I thought in honor of our first guests in our house I would share with you some pictures of our first home. We are renting this little duplex in Edinburg and have loved it. It is small, but it is so nice and such a blessing to have a nice place to live. We have a very nice little family from Mexico that lives directly across from us- they are so cute and have a little baby boy named Dante. We also have an Asian couple that lives next to us that are very nice- they have been playing their techno music/singing karaoke lately and that has been really funny. So, it is a good place to live. We don't know how long we will be here, but right now it is perfect for us. So, here is our house...

The view from the front doorThe view from the back doorOur little living room areaNotice the picture collage on the wall. I made a wall hanging out of plywood and some fabric to add some color to the wall because we can not paint.Our dining room areaWe have a galley style kitchen, so this is half of it. Check out the nice granite counter tops! There is granite in the kitchen and both of the bathrooms.And this is the other halfTo the left is the guest bathroom, straight ahead is the guest room/office and to the right is our bedroom.The guest bathroomThe guest room/office. We are making a headboard this weekend for the bed, so I will have to post pictures of that soon!Our bedroom. We had to be creative to add some color to the wall. We found some fabric and my mom made a wall hanging to put on a curtain rod. It is hard to see the pattern, but it is a tan and light blue damask that coordinates with our bedding colors.Our bathroom

Well, that is our house and I am so glad to share it with ya'll! If you ever want to visit The Valley, you are always welcome to stay with us! Now, I am off to lunch with my husband!

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-14T14:18:00.001-07:00

Well, we have been pretty busy with some things, which I will update ya'll on very soon, but it has caused me to be a little behind in my posting. Last weekend we spent our Labor Day weekend in Laredo with Ryan's family. Ryan's parents live in Laredo and then his sister, brother-in-law and nephew came into town from Waxahachie, so it was a fun filled weekend. On Saturday, we celebrated our nephew, Jaxon's, 4th birthday. We had great cake and he got some really cool presents (including a Lego Fire Truck)!Isn't he cute?!?...And the yummy cake we had. It had a delicious filling!We also had a shrimp and crab leg boil. I had never experienced this, but it was really fun and yummy!Ryan's sister, Melanie, and brother-in-law JaredRyan's parents, Mark and ElizabethRyan and I

We had a really fun Labor Day and enjoyed our time with Ryan's family. We hope we get to see them all again very soon!

Wedding Recaps: The Ceremony

2009-09-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it was time for the ceremony to begin. I had so much fun at the ceremony!! Once I walked down the aisle towards my husband the nerves left me and I just enjoyed the time with him. How special it is when you commit to the person you love for the rest of your life to love them, honor and cherish them. It feels hard to explain, but it was an incredible time to spend with Ryan. How good of the Lord to bless me beyond my wildest dreams in allowing me to marry Ryan! Just a quick disclaimer...I couldn't just pick a few pictures from the Ceremony, so I picked a lot. Enjoy!! We had a string quartet play during the ceremony and I loved it! Ryan's pretty Mom escorted by Ryan's brother

My Mom escorted by my handsome Marine brother Some good looking boys... ...and beautiful ladies. Our nephew Jaxon. He was so cute!! Our flower girl, Anna, was too precious! Her mommy helped her walk down the aisle. Here comes your bride. I couldn't wait to get to Ryan. I was so excited/crying the whole way. I loved this picture of my Mom and brother praying. Dad giving me away. It was a sweet moment with him. During the scripture reading and song, our pastor was making us laugh...a lot. My sweet parents and brother Ryan's parents Don't the bridesmaids look so pretty?!? I teared up again when Ryan was saying his vows to me. The whole ceremony was so sweet!

The rings I couldn't get Ryan's ring on because he was hot and his hands were swollen. It was really funny!I love this picture! We took Communion together and lit the Unity Candle. I loved spending that time with my new husband.You may now kiss your bride.Now introducing, Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Hall We are so happy! We were also laughing because during Communion, I felt like I didn't get a big enough drink of the wine, so I took two drinks- I don't know what I was thinking!I love my MomMy husband is so cute!!

Well, I hope you enjoyed the Ceremony pics. Don't you feel like you were there?!? I will continue with the updates, but today I have much to do!

Wedding Recaps: Getting Ready

2009-09-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

On the wedding day, we had the girl who cuts my mom's hair come to our house and do my hair for the wedding and then I did my own make-up, so our photographer did not catch that part of the getting ready, but he did catch what we did at Augusta Pines (where we got married). I definitely had fun getting ready with all the girls, but I was a little nervous about the wedding (not the marrying Ryan part, just the wedding itself-walking down the aisle, everyone looking at me, etc.). I was so thankful for all the girls' help and to have them there with me- they were encouraging, made me laugh, and I felt so honored and blessed by their kindness towards me.

Here we are hanging out until time for the dress to go onTa-Da!My mom had to put a loop around every button down the back of my dress. It was a long process, but so worth it!I'm ready!!I loved my earrings. They were so pretty!!I felt like such a movie star! Everyone was taking pictures of me and with me- it was so fun!Courtney let me borrow a Texas A&M Garter that she wore in her wedding.And she was so kind to help me put it on.There is no telling what we're laughing at. The whole thing was quite comical. "I can't feel my leg anymore...I think it might be on too tight."Courtney also held my dress so that I could brush my teeth. We had eaten some sandwiches for lunch, and I definitely did not want to smell like Mustard and turkey when I walked down the aisle.This is what was going on while we were getting ready. The flowers were amazing!!

Well, next comes The Ceremony!! I am so behind on all of my wedding recaps. Slowly, but surely I will get ya'll caught up. Until then...

The Crash

2009-08-31T10:11:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I have not posted in a little while- I was feeling rather uninspired. I know I could have finished with all the wedding recaps, but last week I was having tons of trouble trying to print some of our wedding pictures and honestly just needed a break from looking at them so much. But then, Thursday night happened...On Thursday evening I had a friend here in the valley that asked me to go with her to a womens' night at her church. Ryan and I still have not found a church yet, so I thought it would be fun to go with her (not to mention, anytime with people would be awesome!). I stay at home most of the day by myself because I have not found a job yet, so I was ready for some interaction with people. Well, while I was there Ryan was in an accident! He was hit on his bicycle by a truck and I had no idea because I had turned my phone off. When I was about to leave the church, Ryan called me and told me that he was hit on his bicycle and after freaking out and asking him if he was ok I hurried myself on home to bandage the wounds of my hubby. So, here's the story:

Ryan was riding down a main road in McAllen on his bicycle in the extended shoulder. They have really wide shoulders on the road, which we thought were for cyclists, but we later found out not. As Ryan was riding a truck in the lane next to him decided quickly that he wanted to turn. This truck was slightly ahead of Ryan, threw on his blinker and turned really quickly without even looking/seeing Ryan. Ryan has amazingly quick reflexes and as soon as he realized what was about to happen, he fell with his bike to the ground and slid on the ground hoping to stop in enough time as not to get fully run over by the truck. He had to stick out his hands on the ground to stop him in enough time. Thankfully, the Lord protected him and the front wheel of Ryan's bike is what got run over, instead of Ryan. It was such a close call for Ryan- how incredibly kind of the Lord to protect him. When the guy got out of his truck, he told Ryan that he should not have been riding in the shoulder because it is not designated a "bike lane" and then Ryan finds out that he is a constable! The guy told Ryan he would take care of fixing his bike (the bike is pretty much totalled) if it was his fault, but it probably wasn't since it is not a designated bike lane. I couldn't believe it!! Ryan did say the guy eventually apologized and even gave him a ride home, but my sweet husband was almost killed and the first thing the guy says is that he shouldn't have been riding in the shoulder!

Anyway, when I got home I was so thankful to see Ryan walking around. He sustained several scrapes/cuts and bruises. We are a little concerned about his hip and arm- he thinks that he bruised the bones, but it is possible that he has some nerve damage as well. But, overall we can not believe he walked away from his accident. Here is the poor little bike after the accident.What you probably can not tell from these pictures is that the braking lever is totally broken on the top picture, the teeth on the sprocket are broken off and the wheel is very much bent. There are tons of other problems, but I don't know their technical terms, so we'll just leave it at that. And now for the cool part- Ryan's battle scars!Normally, people will say that their injuries look worse than they hurt...well, Ryan's injuries are hurting worse than they look. We are praying for his recovery to be quick and for there not to be anything seriously wrong.Now, you may be asking..."Why does Ryan's hand only have a little scrape when he used it to stop himself on the ground?" That's because he was wearing his wedding ring, made out of Tungsten carbide, and the ring took all of the scraping. The great part is there is not a scratch on his wedding band- one of the great advantages of Tungsten carbide.We bandaged his wounds pretty well for the night- it looks kind of funny, doesn't it?We were just so happy that he was alive and ok. Here is our "I'm still alive" picture.

So, after all of this, we had to wait three days to get the police report back to find out if Ryan would be found at fault for this. From what we had been hearing from others in the city, they said things like this happen often and that they normally rule that it is the cyclists fault. I had such a hard time believing that would be right. Not only would that mean we would replace Ryan's triatholon bike, but it would mean that other cyclists in the area had little rights when it came to riding on the road. We see so many cyclists- I just want them to be safe! Well, we got the police report back today (which, by the way we had to pay $6 for that- isn't that weird and wrong?!?) and they found the driver at fault. It was such an answer to our prayers and we are so thankful for God's protection and provision in our lives. Please pray for Ryan's injuries. We are waiting to see if we need to have them seen about. Thanks for celebrating God's goodness with us!

Wedding Recaps: Details

2009-08-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

I have such a hard time picking pictures, especially from our wedding. I mean, I have hundreds of pictures and they all represent something special that day- how will I ever decide on what ones to post, go in frames in our house or to go in our wedding album!?! So, I thought I would start with some of the easier pictures for me to pick out- the details from our wedding day.My wedding shoe bag (given to me by my aunt at a wedding shower) and my shoes. I had to find flat shoes for the wedding because Ryan is only one inch taller than me and I didn't want to be towering over him. I thought these were pretty cute.

We had some sparkling wine before the ceremony and it was so good!!

The dress!My something borrowed- an A&M garter from my Matron of Honor Courtney The rings! I loved this cool shot of them.
The flowers were beautiful!! I loved them and they added such color to the whole day! I was about to take pictures with my brothers and they both were wearing sunglasses. After I asked them to take them off for the pictures, they put them in the most logical place they could find- the back of my dress. It was pretty funny!

The altar area was beautiful and it was one of the most special parts of the ceremony to me. I loved taking communion with my new husband and praying together.The cakes were fabulous- they looked great and tasted wonderful! My cake was Italian Cream and I loved how it looked elevated on the glass vases. Ryan's cake was Texas Chocolate (chocolate with pecans) and it had German Chocolate Icing. What kind of Aggies would we be if the groom's cake did not incorporate A&M somehow, and what better way than to have Aggie Bonfire!Here's our guest book table. I loved our programs and it was so neat that I got to make those with my grandma.The tables at the reception were so pretty! On each table we had a bag of these cookies that Ryan's aunt made. They are Mexican wedding cookies and were absolutely delicious!
Well, those were my favorite details from the day. Looking back at the pictures help me to remember the day so much better. Up next, getting ready!

Jabon Zote

2009-08-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take a brief intermission from Wedding Recaps and share one of the cool things about living in The Valley. You can find some of the best stuff here! Meet Jabon Zote. Jabon Zote is Spanish for "A Big Soap", and that is exactly what it is. It is made in Mexico and you can get it down in The Valley at Wal-Mart. Here is my cute husband and the Zote block.

Now, why would anyone need Zote? Well, it does some of the best work on clothes. Now this may be a little too much information, but you know those tough underarm stains that white shirts especially get? This will take it right out!! Or Ryan's ring around the collar- this takes care of that too! I have never used any product that helped those hard areas- normally when that happens to clothes (underarm stains or ring around the collar) I think that the shirt is getting close to needing to be retired. But not anymore!! (Now I sound like a commercial, don't I?)

Well, meet Exhibit A. Here is one of my white shirts that had started to look a little too grungy for me (I know it's kind of hard to see the stain under the arm, but it was getting pretty gross).And here is my shirt much whiter now!

Sorry for the bad pictures, but there is a big difference from my shirt before and after! So, if ya'll are ever in The Valley or want me to bring up some Zote for you, just let me know. The best part is this stuff is only 97 cents! Check out their website- I found it really interesting and happy laundering to you!

Wedding Recaps: Bridals

2009-08-19T08:26:00.001-07:00

Back in May I met with our photographer, Butch Ireland, to take my bridal portraits and I have been holding on to them until after the wedding. I was so nervous when I took them- for some reason once I had the make-up done, the hair done, the jewelry on and the dress on it became so much more real to me that I was actually getting married. I wasn't nervous about marrying Ryan, but I was pretty nervous about the wedding day itself. Looking back, I think I was nervous about all the attention and people looking at me, but on the wedding day I was so excited about marrying Ryan that none of that ever mattered. On the day of my bridals, Butch made me feel great and at ease. It ended up being really fun- I wish we could take fun dress up pictures all the time! So, here are some of my favorites (there were so many, it was hard to pick just a few)!

My First Blog

2009-08-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Well, after reading several friends' blogs and thinking it just looked like too much fun, I decided to take the plunge and enter the blog world. Not being the most computer savvy girl in the world, I was a little apprehensive beginning this whole blog thing, and who knows how often I will make posts, but I am surprised how relatively easy it is. So, here to my first post! I thought I would bring everyone up to speed on the lives of the Halls. Ryan and I got married July 12, 2009, and it was by far the best day of my life so far. I had been really worried that I would not enjoy the wedding because of how stressed I felt, but I was more than surprised at how fun and wonderful it was. I can't describe how honored I felt that so many friends and family were there with us to share in our day. It was the most beautiful wedding I have ever been to, but then again, I am a little biased :). We went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for our honeymoon and had a fantastic time. It was so nice to relax with my husband and spend great quality time with him while going on all sorts of adventures in Mexico (we had been long distance for about two months before the wedding, so we were ready for some uninterrupted time together). Well, we flew into Houston on a Sunday afternoon from Mexico and hopped into the car for a 6 hour drive to McAllen, Texas because Ryan started his new job the next morning. Ryan is working at a Civil Engineering firm in McAllen called S & B Infrastructure. At this point, he is not loving his job, but we know it will get better. Right now he is just making a lot of copies (I find this crazy- he went to school for 5 years and now he's making copies), but we know he will be working on some projects in no time. We have been living in McAllen for the past month and are learning to like it. I would not say it is where we would have picked to move to, but we both know that God brought us to The Valley (as many people call it) for a very specific reason. We know He not only wants to grow and teach us while we are here, but we believe He wants to use us in the lives of others. Who knows what that will look like, but we are excited about all He has for us here. So, a little update from the Halls and more to come! I will soon be updating in more detail about the wedding, honeymoon and Ryan's graduation (pictures included)!!! For now, adios from the Halls!