Hacienda on Henderson Happy Hour

Whew... That's a lot of H's.

Since our "us time" has been few and far between over the past couple weeks we decided to have a go to happy hour at a local restaurant, Hacienda on Henderson. It's a really cute little building with great tapas and drink specials. The best part? You can bring your dog.

So we leashed up the pups and headed out. We were a little nervous that the dogs would misbehave & we would be asked to leave, but they ended up doing really well.

Or so we thought....
As we enjoyed our queso and beer I commented on how well the dogs were behaving. They laid under the table & were quiet as church mice. Then I looked under the table.... They had chewed a portion of the table completely off and there were pieces of it all over the ground surrounding our table.

Check please!

&&& I love my husband because he cooked dinner last night. Tater tot casserole. Not bad.

Testing 1.2.

Checking to see if my new signature works!

Michele... My Bell?

So I am debating purchasing a Michele watch. I've been wanting one for a very long time & the opportunity just kinda presented itself. Whitney texted me last night to tell me that she's purchasing a Deco Diamond 18mm Michele. Jealous! Here's the catch... she's getting it for 65% off. 65!! Her friend Jessica, whose bachelorette party I attended in Dallas this January, works for a company that gets this huge discount.

I'm torn... iPad or Michele? I'm not really a gadget girl, but the iPad did look pretty neat. And I think I'd really love having the iPad during work or on trips. But the watch is something I will wear for years & years to come. So I am debating burchasing the Urban Mini Diamond 2 Tone Bracelet.

&&& I love my husband because he didn't even hesitate when I asked if I could buy this watch. He is too good to me.

ZaZa & Gaga

Mom & Codi arrived in Dallas around 2 on Wednesday afternoon. I met them at Northpark as soon as I got off work. We shopped around for a couple hours searching for the perfect "Gaga Wear." What is it about Lady Gaga that makes me feel like I need something super funky to wear?? Ok, maybe not this funky.

Codi ended up getting a super cute black short romper at Arden B and snake skin wedges at Steve Madden & I got the French Connection dress I'd been crushing on to go with my Loubs (nickname for my Louboutins). After a night of shopping & PF's (yes, my mother insists we eat at PF Changs every time she comes to Dallas. She loves it) we headed out to Hotel Zaza.

It.was.Amazing.I cannot even describe how cool this hotel was. It's a boutique hotel, so it was really small, but every single detail was fabulous. When you walk in there's this giant chandelier and plush velvet couches. Very chic. I would highly highly highly recommend it.

After a relaxing lunch poolside we headed to the pool for cocktails and play time. I think it was a good thing we were there on a random Thursday afternoon, cause I have a feeling this place could get a little cra-zy, but in a fun way.

The concert itself was incredible. She came on stage around 9 and played until a little after 11, which was great. I got to dance and sing to all the bests. I was amazed at how humble an individual she is. She expressed many times how grateful she is for her fans, and I believe her.

I didn't know that the whole "Monster Ball" theme was because she calls her fans "Little Monsters." I think it's cool. She also has a song called "Paws Up," so a recurring theme throughout the concert was "Get your Paws Up." Her mission was to make her concert fun, and she succeeded.

Other than briefly forgetting she was in Dallas & not Houston (oopsie, Gaga) she was very interactive with the audience. She did, however, go off on LGBT rights for quite a while. Girl loves her some gays.

Not judgin' just sayin'.

Home Alone The End

Yesterday was supposed to be my "pedicure day." About 4 o'clock at work I was feeling pretty impatient, so I decided to give myself a pedicure. I googled nail art designs, so I'd have inspiration, & located the nearest Sally's beauty supply.

When I got off at 5:30 I stopped a Sally's and purchased several pedicure items (2 nail polishes, a file, some clippers, and some pedicure lotion) $39 freakin' dollars. I am not sure where the heck that money went, but it's too late now. Stopping at Sally's turned out to be a good thing, because I flew through downtown not having any traffic issues. Hallelu!

I wasn't quite ready to go back to the a.p.t., so I went to Northpark. I tried on several really cute dresses in Neimans with hopes of finding something fabulous for Gaga. I did. The only problem was the price tag did not match my bank account. Bum deal! After I'd browsed for a little while I got another Snappy Salad. I think I'm addicted...

When I got home I continued with my plan of giving myself a pedicure. Never again will I do this. It's just not worth the effort. After 45 minutes of failed attempts at nail art I gave up and painted them gold with black polka dots. This morning was rough. I woke up with a helluva fever blister that is currently throbbing like a biznatch. I get fever blisters more often/worse than anyone I know. I stopped to get my morning coffee at my Irving McDonalds & realized as I drove off that it was leaking all over me & my car. Uncool, Mickie Dee's... uncool.

Mom assured me, "help is on the way!" When I texted her this morning. She & Codi are in route to Dallas and I couldn't be happier. We're planning a fun couple days for us girls.

Tomorrow=Zsa Zsa & Gaga!

&&& I love my husband because he was on the local news night before last. Go hubbs!

Home Alone Day 2

I'm not gonna lie... I kinda sorta enjoyed my "me time" yesterday. It was nice not having to hurry home to let the dogs out or cook supper. I had no agenda, no time frame, nowhere to be. It was great.

I talked to Chris at lunch yesterday & he was at Kabuki with his boss. I had just gotten a Subway sandwich. I should've gone to law school....

I got my hair trimmed. For the first time in a while I don't totally hate the way he styled it. Given, my bangs needed some work when I got home, but overall he did a great job. I think my new hair dresser, Kevin, is Frank from the bachelor's gay twin!! It was crazy how much the 2 of them looked alike (even the cute square framed glasses).

After my hair app. I browsed the mall, got a salad & headed home to enjoy catching up on my DVR. It was a nice relaxing evening.

&&& I love my husband because he is el brazo fuerte pequeno. :)

Home Alone Day 1

Thanks to the lovely Southwest travel voucher they gave me for losing my pilot, I got to fly back from Amarillo last night. I don't think I could've driven back to Dallas by myself. Well, I probably could have, but I'm fairly certain it would have resulted in me crying and feeling sorry for myself the whole way back to Dallas.

So I'm on day 1 of "Home Alone." I got in around 10:30 last night. It was dark, and somehow walking through my parking garage alone was way scarier than usual. I made Chris stay on the phone with me until I was safely locked away in my bedrooms with all the lights and TV on.

I was most worried about my alarm not going off. In the past I'd always used my cell as my alarm; until my cell volume stopped working. Since then I've just relied on Chris to set the bedside alarm clock for me. I realized last night that I don't know how to work the alarm clock. Chris walked me through it & I got it set , but I woke up about 10 times in the middle of the night worrying that I'd oversleep.

2 more nights alone and Juju and Koki get here!

&&& I love my husband because he was genuinely worried about leaving me in Dallas alone. He's already called 3 times this morning to check on me.

Home Alone

For the first time in our marriage Chris is leaving me home alone.... for a week.

I am nervous. It feels like I have reverted back to my childhood fears of the boogie man and monsters under my bed. I don't feel particularly safe staying in Dallas with my husband, much less without him. Plus this is the longest we've ever been apart.

I plan on keeping myself busy with pedicures and self pampering, but that doesn't change the fact that I have to come home to an empty apartment.

We shall see.....

&&& I love my husband because he got a raise today!

His HKB stock just went up

Dixie Dog

Sunday afternoon Chris and I were running errands around Dallas when he received a call we'd been dreading. Dixie, The Joneses dog, was doing really bad. She lost 20% of her body weight since her last visit to my dad, & after some tests Dr. Dad told us her kidneys were failing. Ellen took Dixie home, only for her condition to worsen. She was past the point of return. Ellen was calling to let us know that Dixie would have to be put to sleep.

Dixie was Chris's first dog. He got her his Junior year of high school from the Amarillo pound. She was 3 years old & was a victim of animal abuse. Dixie had lots of issues, but Chris loved her. No matter how grumpy she got Chris would tell everyone, "It's not her fault, it's how she was brought up."

As we drove home we were sharing our favorite Dixie stories when Chris said, "She was such a sweetheart." ..... Sweetheart? Dixie was many things but sweetheart would not be an adjective I'd use to describe her. I laughed to myself and mumbled something to myself along the lines of "are we talking about the same Dixie?" To which he responded, "That dog loved me more than she loved anyone. She was always so happy to see me when I came home from college & she was always sweet to me."

He was right. Dixie was his dog & she knew it.

&&& I love my husband because of his love for animals. He has such a big heart for our 4 legged friends.

Dart. Taste of Dallas.

It was a weekend of firsts for the Joneses. Since we don't know how long we have left in Dallas we are determined to make the most of it. We plan on "living it up" in Dallas for the next year & experiencing all that the city has to offer. I don't want to look back on this phase of our life with regret & think, "if only."

1. I rode the Dart. I've been hell-bent on avoiding the Dart since we moved to Dallas. It angers me that the city is sinking tons and tons of money into public transportation when it's the highways that need work. As someone who spends 2 hours minimum daily on Dallas's freeways I resent public transportation & vowed to stay away from it at all costs. However, I also have a hard time spending $20 on parking at an event. Sooo Chris got the brilliant idea to take the Dart, which is $2 round trip/person, and save $16.

Ok..... so I kinda loved it. When we were switching lines and breezing through the city I felt like we were in NYC or London, not Dallas.

2. We attended Taste of Dallas at Fair Park. Again; another very cool experience. We make an effort never to eat at the same restaurant twice since there are so many fabulous options. Taste of Dallas is the perfect way to sample lots of Dallas's restaurants in an afternoon. All of the food was under $3 and admission to the venue was only $5.

&&& I love my husband because he's always open to trying new things.

How It All Began. Part 2

We spent the afternoon at the Canyon City Pool, as did most of the kids in our grade. One thing Chris didn't know was that I had a 6'3" 230lb best friend, Tate. He was the closest thing I ever had to a brother. Tate was always looking out for my safety, taking up for me, or getting me out of a mess.

Tate didn't care for Chris. He saw Chris as the cokcy Amarillo High boy who was moving in on his territory. It didn't help that Chris showed up with a paddle. Yes, a paddle. Dazed & Confused was one of Chris's favorite movies; hince the paddle. I'm still not certain why he carried it everywhere with him, but he did.

The Chris v. Tate show down resulting in me calling my mom to come pick us (Me Chris & Blake) up from the pool ASAP. Tate could be pretty intimidating & I knew things would not end well if we stayed.

In the midst of all the drama I realized that I really liked Chris. He was different from all the Canyon boys, which I liked. He was confident, athletic & intriguing.

We shared our first kiss in the back seat of my mom's BMW. Classy, I know. What can I say, we were 14. We talked everyday that summer & somehow managed to meet at the movies a couple times. It was the beginning of something really great.

&&& I love my husband even though he was my best friend's first kiss. Yup, sometime before I entered the picture Chris & Ash went to the movies together.

How it All Began

The other day I was flipping through old photos & reminiscing about mine and Chris's journey as a couple. As I rummaged through these old photos it dawned on me; Chris & I met 10 years ago this summer. It is so crazy to think that the 14 year old boy I met at the SnoBall stop would eventually become my best friend & my husband.

Trying to write our story intimidates me. I fear that I won't do it justice.

So here goes... Here's how "we" became "us" 10 years in the making....

It all started at the SnoBall Stop. We were 14. We were on the brink of our freshman year of high school. We both had close knit groups of friends. Mine consisted of the freshman cheerleaders, while Chris's group was the boys he'd grown up with. The boys spent a significant amount of time roaming aruond Amarillo (by foot) & usually ended up at the Westgate Mall looking for girls. It just so happened that these dashing young gentlemen met my friends Ashlee & Lauren.

One thing lead to another & phone numbers were exchanged. These were actual house phone numbers. We were still in pre cell phone days. A couple days after initial the Westgate Mall meeting Ash & Lauren spent the night at my house. That night the boys called. Somehow I got put on the phone with Chris. We had this uncanny ability to talk for hours on end. We clicked.

We eventually convinced the boys to come to the Canyon City Pool. I wondered if the boys would actually show up. I knew it was 50/50 since they'd have to bum a ride & they were used to getting everywhere by foot.

After a couple failed attempts at directions we decided it would be easiest if they meet us at the SnoBall Stop. To this day I remember seeing Liz's old Jeep pull up to the SnoBall stop.

They actually came.

To be continued.....

Doubles Trouble

Chris & I didn't grow up "lake people." Growing up in the Panhandle, where the lakes are few & far between, didn't permit us to spend endless summer weekends out on a boat. This, along with the pale skinned nature of the Jones family, prevented Chris from going to a lake until his college years. We both recently began wakeboarding & we are still learning the ins and outs of all things lake related. It's all so new & exciting & we are 100% in love with it. When we are at the lake we pop out of bed at the break of daylight & more times than not we are the first boat on the lake. It's addicting.

This weekend was no different. If the boat was out on the lake, we were on it. We were g0-go-go from sun up till sun down. Being out on the boat is one of my favorite places to be. I love cranking up the stereo & watching my loved ones attempt new wakeboarding tricks, or laughing as I see them fly off of the tube. There's something uniquely charming about a big water filled hole in the ground.

On Saturday my mom & I got the brilliant idea to wakeboard doubles. For my mother, the self proclaimed "Queen of the Lake", this was easy. For me, the lake newbie, it was rough. I had no trouble getting up, but the idea of riding right next to someone got inside my head, resulting in a minor Dad/Shan debacle. Dad, the boat driver, claimed it was my fault for being an amateur Me, the amateur, claimed it was my dad's fault for not being able to pull me. We are so the same person.

As I sit in my cubicle today I am somewhat thankful for my day of rest. I don't know if I could have survived another day wakeboarding. My muscles are sore, my skin is burnt & I am draggggiiinnngg... but it was so worth it.

&&& I love my husband because... he & Derek had an unstated, but friendly, competition over wakeboarding.

When it Rains.

I've never liked rain. I hate how it makes the skies all gloomy, ruins my hair, & it makes the bottoms of my jeans soaked leaving me wet and cold the entire day.

I think rain is God's way of telling me, "Shanna, today is going to be tough, so grin and bear it."Welp, it rained all day yesterday (Thank you Hurricane Alex); hince my day of stress.

7:00 AM: Alarm didn't go off.
7:50 AM: Merge onto 183 to find that 1 lane (out of 4) is getting by.
9:00 AM: Arrive to work 30 minutes late with emails up to my eye balls.
12:00 PM: Discovered that I left my lunch at home
1-4 PM: Proceed to have the busiest, most hectic afternoon in ButSchein history
4:00 PM: Surfboard dude calls to cancel our exchange meeting because of the rain.
5:45 PM: Approach downtown to see that traffic is at standstill.
6:45 PM: Pull in our parking garage and realize that I have misplaced my garage door opener
7:00 PM: Walk in our apartment to no cable or Internet
7:15 PM: Cook a yummy taco salad.... then realized we are out of salad dressing
8:00 PM: After an hour on the phone with the ATT technician we find out that all of our DVR'd shows are gone forever & no one can fix the DVR until next Tuesday.
9:00 PM: We realized we can "borrow" our neighbor's Internet, but my computer systems are so messed up I can't sign on any other network.
9:15 PM: My kind hearted husband loaned me his computer, but it didn't have the right software to watch my shows.
9:30 PM: I gave up and went to sleep.

Maybe it's my attitude towards the rain that ruins my day. My mood immediately changes when I look out the window and see it falling.

Rain Rain Go Away...

&&& I love my husband because he spent 1 hour on the phone with the ATT repair man. He knew how important it was that we record SYTYCD tonight!