Fun with Friends in the Desert

Last weekend was one of those that leaves you longing another day off to recuperate. Maybe two days. So much laughter. Incredibly exhausting. Totally worth it! Nothing is better than fun with friends in the desert. And we had several visiting! We had one gang in from San Antonio, and then two more friends from Austin and Chicago. As soon as they landed, we hit the ground running. Catching up over wine and delicious meals was our M.O. for the weekend. {Read More}

A Sweet Engagement Story: Trevor & Rachel

Update: The wedding was amazing! Check it out here, here and here. If there were an award for parents who were most involved and instrumental in their son’s proposals, I do believe Tom and I might possibly win! We were blessed to play an integral role in the sweet engagement story of each of our sons. Today, I want to share the story of the most recent Tabler proposal, that of Trevor and Rachel. Over Memorial Day, Trevor found the opportunity {Read More}

Black and Gold on El Paseo

Our dear friends from San Antonio arrived yesterday, and we celebrated our reunion at Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant. My besties and I had lots of silly fun with this black and gold on El Paseo photoshoot… with my NEW CAMERA!   I have so much to learn but we gave it a test drive. My photographers, Renee and Gina, did a great job! El Paseo, known as the Rodeo Drive of the desert, is a beautiful street of amazing shops and {Read More}

5 Ways to Strengthen Friendship in Your Marriage

This weekend, three of my very dearest friends are coming out to the desert from Texas. What makes them some of my dearest friends? They KNOW me. Really know me. They listen well. They care. They empathize. And they pray for me. Just as importantly, we have FUN! So much fun! We do life together. We celebrate together. We sometimes laugh until we cry! Few experiences in life are as satisfying as time spent with a close friend. (Especially when {Read More}

Cheesy Shrimp and Grits

Cheesy Shrimp and Grits. When I first heard about this from my sister a few years ago, I thought YUCK! I may be a Louisiana girl, but I definitely never liked grits. Though maybe I never tried them. Yes… I think that must be it. Because if I’d ever tried Shrimp and Cheesy Grits, I would have fallen in love with this creamy, ground-corn goodness long ago! When I was at boarding school at  Culver Academies, the infamous Dean Nagy taught me AP History. The {Read More}

10 Practical Tips For New Bloggers (From A New Blogger)

You’ve got your blog designed and ready to go. Maybe you have even written a post or two. While researching tips for new bloggers, you suddenly realize there are about a million things you are being advised to do with your new little piece of blogosphere real estate. It’s impossible to do it all, so where do you start? I officially started blogging three months ago today. Definitely STILL a newbie! I’ve immersed myself in the world of blog writing and {Read More}