Confessions of a Snob. Yes, Really.

I loathe pretentiousness. I loathe it. 

It is an inexcusable quality in a person to over state one's own importance. I mean, I know we've all got pride issues, but for whatever reason, this one just gets me boiling.

Then, there's Pretentious's cousin, Snobby. Snobby is always ugly and reeks. 

And, that's me. 

Not about everything. Not about most things, I think. 

But, I confess it. I'm a Beach Snob. I've written about it before and evidently, I have not turned from my whiney ways. 

So, we were in that Gulf Coast season of Sprimmer. Still cool in the mornings and evenings, but warm enough during the day to get excited for the beach.

So, a couple of weeks ago, we decided to load up and give it another go on the Texas Gulf Coast. I can't tell you how many times we have heard, "Oh, y'all are from Florida? Don't go to Galveston." 

But, I'm desperate and stubborn. Stiff-necked, if you wanna go Old Testament. 

I was so hopeful! So excited! 

Until we drove up. Then I was a snob again. But, I'm a nice person, okay!? 

I love Jesus and people and cheering people on and I'm hospitable and welcoming. 

And, I'm sorry. I really am. This is not a sorry not sorry deal. 

I'm embarrassed that I had to fight back real, actual tears of sheer disappointment over it in front of my friends.

Now, I need to qualify this experience and say it was a super windy, chilly day. The sun I was hoping to get was overtaken by the need to wrap up in a towel. None of this is Surfside's fault. :) Spouse, Big Sister, and our friend all had a great time attempting to surf, despite the frigid water and choppy water. I was content to be discontent in the littered, caramel sand looking at the murky water, freezing. I will say, though, it was hilarious. We were giggling about the absurdity of our surroundings and my attitude. I knew it was bad enough to warrant being made fun of even then. Ridiculous.

I don't know how they did it. That water was about 64°.

I was really making a concerted effort to find all the positives in the situation, so I made the decision then to respond to any questions about our beach day with, "I really enjoyed hanging out with our friends!" That's good, right?

Not really. My people are smart, they would keep pressing about it and before I knew it words like "Ugh...brown sand...gross water...junk all in the sand...never again" were falling out of my mouth. 

I mean free falling. 

Just. like. that. I sound like a snob.

But, you know- being me and all- I was not going down like that. 

"Never again" lasted all of six days. I kid you not, the very next weekend I suggested we go right back. Cause Surfside and I WILL, at the very least, be courteous to one another.  We don't have to have share recipes and have a secret hand shake, but we will be polite, daggumit. 

I've seen the Instagrams. I know there are nice places!

Off we went. This time, we took Maverick.

I mean. Really.

There was a bit more sunshine and not as much wind. Yay! That water was, of course, still freezing, so I didn't get in it. The Little Sister and the Pup took a little nap. That was cute.

Spouse even got a little ride or seven.
Of course, the better the wave was, the less prepared I was to catch the shot.

Someone made the comment "poor Maverick's first trip to the beach is here", but he didn't seem to mind it a bit.

For the record, it wasn't me. One of the girls, I can't remember. 

Seriously, though, he was loving it.

Really.

That right there is an adorable view.

Exhausted.

We weren't down there for too long, but it was a win. I got a little bit of sunshine and I didn't once want to cry. 

It may take a bit before Galveston and I are far enough along in our relationship for a weekend getaway, but I can say that I would meet up for lunch again sometime. :) 

I think I'll bring a rake next time. Evidently, the seaweed has gotten to the point it would make a good Alfred Hitchcock movie. 

Alright. Go on. Chastise me, if you need to. 

OR, go ahead and confess your snobby bone.

Touchdowns & Kisses

Floyd Casey Stadium. Photo credit: My Spouse!

Spouse and I recently learned of a Texas A&M football tradition that is way better than any drinking game you can learn on any number of typical college campuses.

Last weekend, we went to the Baylor University homecoming game with some of our closest, sweetest friends. Joe is a Baylor alumnus, so we all decided to meet up in Waco for the weekend's festivities. Baylor had scored maybe their second touchdown when Joe let us know their football tradition that they had carried on from our other friends and former pastor & wife, Michael & Liliana.

Evidently, Michael & Liliana kiss each time their team scores at a football game.
We adopted this little tradition faster than you can say, "Gig Em!".

<<I realize in Bear Country, they say "Sic Em Bears!" and I did. Happily. But, I learned that this sweet little kissy tradition came from Aggie Nation. My friends lived in Austin for several years, and apparently caught this vision and brought it to Plant City, Florida! I love it. The point is the "game", not the origin.

So, "Whoop!" or "Gig Em!" or "Sic Em" Whichever! This is a great Tex-tradition! >>

This sweet couple just took a cool college tradition and turned it into a marriage game.

Husbands & Wives, this is brilliant on so many levels.

It's fun. Football games & sporting events in general are fun. Little traditions like this just add to it. Marriage is not a burden to us, my Spouse is not a burden. We enjoy being together and an appropriate little smooch just expresses it. Listen. You can High-Five anybody, even strangers on the row behind you, but kissing at every 'score' (See what I did there?) takes that celebration to a whole 'nother level with your spouse! (That last prepositional phrase is there for a reason, Kids.) (I have a lot of younger readers.) (I'm not saying all kisses have to happen within marriage, but it wouldn't hurt.)

It's unifying. I hope that's a real word. There's not red squiggly underneath it, so I'm going with it. During that whole game, Debra and I were chatting away and solving all the world's problems. But, when Baylor scored, we turned and kissed our husbands! Heyyyy! It was just a little trigger to bring our attention back to our men for just a brief second. Don't you know they loved that junk!?

It edifies marriage. Our culture is not pro marriage. As Christians, we have to be counter-cultural in every way we can, and this accomplishes that in a non-confrontational way. As much as depends on you, be pro marriage! (You do not have to be married to be pro marriage.)

It's a good example. My kids watch our marriage intently. If we've done nothing else right, these girls see that their parents are into each other. Being affectionate (appropriately) in front of the kids is healthy. Then, lock the door.

It honors God. I just have to believe that God is thrilled every time Michael & Liliana share a little marital moment at football games. He designed marriage. He created us for physical intimacy and He created us to enjoy life. When all these things come together, the Lord smiles. I just know it.

Incidentally, the final score was 71-7, Baylor. That's a good start to this newly adopted tradition.

Do you have any fun little traditions like this?

Climb to the 'summit' of Enchanted Rock? Kissies!

PS- Listen. I'm pretty sure I just made up that every time a husband and wife share a kiss, a pegasus gets its wings. Do you really want to be responsible for wingless pegasi (also made up) running around?

TEXploration Dos: Enchanted Rock.

Welcome to Episode Two of TEXploration!  :)

The first picture of the blog post becomes the thumbnail.
It was either this one or the one below.
You're welcome.

The first night of camping, Spouse was getting ready to fire up the grill when we realized I didn't bring any seasoning for the burgers. Not even salt & pepper. Awesome. I remembered only cheddar cheese, but not American. We also didn't have a spatula. 

But, I remembered the pickles. Cause I've got priorities, People.

I made a quick run to the campground store, and made it work.

This is Maverick during while grilling was happening. 

We headed over to Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock. Fredericksburg is a cutesy little town with a German Pioneer heritage. Enchanted Rock is about 30 minutes or so just north of Fredericksburg and well worth it.

                                      

It's evidently only 425 feet in elevation (still Texas, just Hill Country, not Mountain Country!) but it really is beautiful. It's about a .6 mile walk up to the top of the dome. Really cool.

We are laughing cause Spouse was whispering marital inappropriateness. 

Maverick made the trek, too! He was the cutest little pup on that Rock!

Big Sister.

Downtown Fredericksburg.

Little Sister got to ring the church bell.

This is what I thought all of Texas looked like. Glad I got to see it.

We are on the road now to Waco for the Baylor Homecoming game with some of our favorite people on the planet. And, of course, we are considering this a college scouting trip. :)

Thanks for indulging me a few posts of scrap-blogging!

What are y'all up to this weekend?!

TEXploration Uno.

We are heading out for a little TEXploration today! We loaded up the camper for a few days in the hill country. You may recall the Great New Braunfels Disaster of 2013. Well, that was in June and we haven't had the camper out since. 

Well, it's a new season, a new day!

We loaded up with supplies, food, and some school work. Can you virtually experience the Sisters' joy with me? I can never understand their grumbling about cracking a book while we are on our way to someplace awesome. What a dream for most of their friends!

Plus, we loaded up the bikes, so shut your yapper.

Are we little adventurers or what? So cool, right?

Before you think I am an arrogant cuss, read on to see how cool we really are.

We made it approximately 1.3 miles down the road before Spouse saw flashing blue lights and one of Houston's Finest. This was exceptionally wonderful because I wasn't driving. Turns out that our uniformed friend wanted to alert us impending trouble:

See that bumper? Notice how the bike looks as if it is sitting on the road while still on the bike rack? Yah. Not supposed to do that.

So, in true Spouse fashion, this man rigged two bikes on top of the car & two tied up on the bike rack. 

We are so grateful that the Lord orchestrated the events when He did. We drove the 1.3 miles back to the house ever so gingerly. We gladly unloaded the bikes back in the garage, ready to sacrifice them now rather than on 290 somewhere between Houston and Austin. Pretty sure we wouldn't love that.

And...we're off! Again! I'll keep ya posted.

We love this junk.