Ferrari

About a month ago, an Internet provider parked a Ferrari in our downstairs lobby. They convinced me to get in and have my picture taken. Those drivers must have some tiny rear-ends, because mine barely fit in the seat. I think that's what inspired me to start working out again. I've been walking at least 3 miles a day. Last week I 'played' tennis for the first time since junior high. Because I'm a baseball coach's daughter, I was always taught to hit the ball up (hence aiming for a homerun). When playing tennis of course, the object is to hit the ball down. With me, those two things don't mix very well. I used to play tennis with a neighbor of mine, until I got tired of having to retrieve the balls outside of the fence. Yes...I hit them outside of the fence. Consistently. All the time.

I was proud of myself last week because I only hit 2 balls over the fence in an hour. That's not to say that the rest the time the ball went where I wanted it to, but I had at least a little bit of control. I'm going to play again today. Hopefully things will go as well as they did last week. We'll see!

MySpace Users...

Will you please send a friend request to my brother's band - myspace.com/cashcreekmusic? I don't use MySpace anymore, but know there are plenty of you out there.

Thanks!!

Anyone Else Interested In This??
(If you live near Houston, there's a scheduled even there too)

July 12, 2008 Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

DINNER Hamburgers, hotdogs, fixings, chips, cookies and soft drinks in the Legends of the Game Baseball Museum. Lunch will be served from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

BASEBALL The Texas Rangers will play the Chicago White Sox. Game time is 6:05 p.m. Seating is in the Home Run Porch just outside the museum.

FAMILY FUN Join ACU alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the university for an evening of fun at the ballpark. ACU will have access to the air-conditioned museum during the entire game.

FREE CONCERTThe Eli Young Band will perform a free post-game concert for game attendees.

DINNER AND BASEBALL Adult packages $25 each (Retail value $34.50)Children's packages $20 each (16 and under)Children under 36 inches tall are free (must be able to walk under the turnstiles)

BASEBALL ONLY Tickets $15 each (Retail value $23)Children under 36 inches tall are free (must be able to walk under the turnstiles)
All tickets (for dinner and baseball or baseball only) will be available for pick up in the lobby of the museum at 4:30 p.m. on game day. Tickets will not be mailed

Pay up to $12 per vehicle for parking on the day of the game. Enter the stadium through the Legends of the Game Baseball Museum located on the southeast side of the ballpark between first base and center field.
In case of rain, we're still planning to meet and have a meal in the Legends of the Game Museum. If the game is called, the Rangers will issue rainchecks to attend another game.

ORDERING OPTIONSOrder online or call the Alumni Relations Office at 800-373-4220 or 325-674-2622. Tickets are available on a first-come basis. Order early to guarantee availability.Reservation deadline is July 1.

New Jersey

I just got back from spending time with Kenny, Jennifer, and their precious children in New Jersey. Here are a couple of pictures from our fun week. Thanks for showing me around New Jersey! I had a great time!!

New York City Skyline(Jennifer said it was probably sacrilegious to wear a San Diego sweatshirt in the picture)

Jennifer, Kennan, and Kenny (Brayden was asleep)

The Phillies' Baseball Stadium (This is for you dad!)

The Building at Princeton where Kenny has most of his classes

The Statue of Liberty from the Jersey side

I will post some more pictures when I can. My camera decided not to work during the trip so Jennifer had to take most of the pictures.

Whirlwind...

By the end of this week I will have:

Packed four different times in two weeks

Been to 3 different states

Traveled thousands of miles

Seen many of my precious friends and family

Here are some pictures from San Diego/Palm Springs last week. I went to visit Mike (my former step-dad, for those of you that don't know him) and his family.

Mike's cousin's balcony overlooking the beach in San Clemente

Outside of the Oakley Sunglass Headquarters

New shades (I was bored while Mike was in the bank)

Representing ACU at Doheny Beach

Dinner with his family at Manhattan's in Palm Springs

Mike (Palm Springs in the background)

The best breakfast I've ever had - Warm bagels with Cream Cheese, Tomatoes, and Lemon Pepper. YUM!!

In Front of the USS Midway in San Diego

With Mike's sister and her family at Downtown Disney

With Mike's Step-dad and Mom, Diane, at Manhattan's Restaurant in Palm Springs

Tomorrow, I'm off to see Kenny, Jennifer, and their precious family. New Jersey here I come!

Just in Time

Read the following excerpt from today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram...

Severe storms were pounding the Wichita Falls area with golf-ball-size hail and strong winds this afternoon and moving into southern Oklahoma.

I was in Wichita Falls this morning. Thank goodness I'm not anymore!

Mavs Take 2

Here are some pictures from our trip to the Mavs game last night. They lost by 4, but it was a GREAT game.

Mavs, Pete's, Parking Tickets, and Green Beer

Last Friday, Donny and I were offered tickets to the Mavs vs. Pacers game. We rode the train for the first time to and from the AAC. I would highly suggest taking the train if you're able. It was only an hour train ride and it dropped us off right in front of the AAC. It also only cost $10 TOTAL for the two of us to ride. We had excellent seats in the Platinum Club that were behind bar-like tables. Donny loved it because we had rolling chairs, so he didn't have to squeeze his long legs into a little seat. The Mavs beat the Pacers (of course). It was a great game!

On Saturday, we were invited to Pete's Piano Bar. Neither of us had ever been there and we had a blast. We mainly sang along while watching other people act crazy!!

Monday, I decided to park by a coworker of mine in covered parking because it was supposed to be rainy that afternoon. At my office you have to pay for covered parking, but I figured they'd be a little leniant since it was nasty oustide. Apparently not, check this out...

That afternoon a coworker and I went to 29 Degree Tavern to have a green beer for St. Patrick's Day.
All in all, it's been a fun couple of weeks. It's been beautiful outside for the most part and...I'm going to the Mavs game AGAIN tonight. They're playing the Celtics who just ended the Houston Rockets 22 game winning streak. My sister, coworker and her friend are all going. Pictures to follow...

P.S. I fully deserved that parking violation. Guilty as charged! I will note, however, that I didn't take anyone's spot in particular. It's one that has been empty for months now.

Travel Business

I have invested in an up and coming online travel service called YTB Travel. It operates exactly like a discount online travel service such as Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, etc...

However, it has some additional features such as:
Online Floral Services (just like an FTD)
Golf Packages
Concert Tickets (just like Ticketmaster)
Passports and Visa Applications
Play Tickets (just like Ticketmaster)
Attraction Tickets (such as Disneyland, Seaworld, etc...)
Limo Services
Honeymoon Registry
New and Used Car purchases
Directions
Olympic Ticket and Travel Packages for China
And More...

Please visit my website and check it out - make sure you click on the "extras" tab to see all there is available. I am happy to help you with any questions, suggestions or travel needs...although if you have booked online before you know how fast and easy it can be! Please bookmark this address: www.ytbtravel.com/CarissaSpatz

The potential benefits to you are:
Discounts on all of the above mentioned possibilities (I have booked a few things on here myself and received great discounted rates)

Easy One Page Access to a huge variety of discounted travel, items, and activities

The potential benefit for me is:
Every time you book something on my website, I get credit... so rather than Expedia or FTD or Travelocity or Ticketmaster etc. getting the credit, my business will! You will personally be helping my business!

Please feel free to forward this information to anyone you know that could benefit from discounted travel and services!

My Sentiments Exactly...

Another Unknown - Who I'm voting for...

But I did go to the Obama rally in Fort Worth on Thursday. I don't know enough about the candidates to make an educated decision, but decided it would probably be a once in a lifetime event for me to attend. A coworker and I left work at 5 and were on the floor, 30 feet from the stage in 30 minutes. That's not to say it wasn't packed. There was already a LONG line by the time we got there, but they decided to open some additional doors so we didn't have to wait in line at all. We decided to go to the floor (standing room only) and stand for 2 1/2 hours before he took the stage. We met some interesting people and had a great time watching everyone interact. I must say, Obama is a great speaker. He makes some great points and is appealing to all kinds of people. e ended up leaving the rally at 9, after a girl in front of us fainted from the heat. All in all, it was a great experience, and one I'm probably unlikely to experience again. Here are some pictures. Look at how close we were!

Banner above the grandstand.

Amanda and I before the rally

Addressing the crowd

Waiting for the applause to end

"If you are ready for a change..."

The Unknown

Right now I feel as if there are a lot of unknowns in my life. I moved into my apartment a year and a half ago thinking I would stay in it until the day that I got married. I wasn't engaged at that point, but decided I had moved one too many times. It was going to be the last place for me. Well...that has now changed. I'm moving in two months and have no idea where I'm going. I also don't know the future of my relationship. I'm not going to post the details for the world to see, but I need your prayers. Prayers for clarity, for purpose and for direction. Prayers for healing, understanding, and hope. The only answer I'm able to give people these days is "I don't know." I am a person who likes to know what's going on and be in control of things around me. I like change, but I like to be the source of change. Right now, I'm a product of change, not the source.

San Antonio

Last week, I spent Wednesday through Saturday at a conference in San Antonio. We had some wonderful meetings, spent time on the Riverwalk, toured the Alamo, and ended our stay with a night out at Polly Esther's. It's a 70s and 80s themed dance club that is packed on Friday and Saturday nights. The furniture, the drinks, and the signs on the wall are all from the 70s and 80s. It was nice to go dancing and to not have to worry about some creep trying to make their move. It was good, clean dancing, and simply having a great time. Here are some pictures from our trip...

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Sorry for the lack of posts. I'm at a Regional Meeting and won't be back until Monday. I'll have plenty of pictures when I return! Have a great weekend!

Texas License Plate e-Vote

Here's your chance to vote for Texas' new license plate. The information below is from the TXDOT website, where you're also able to vote.

Over the last 30 years, designs for the state's general issue plate have ranged from a plain, white background to the flying Lone Star Flag. In January of 2009, production of the next plate will begin. Texans will have the opportunity to vote for one of four new designs or to keep the current plate.

Voting begins at noon on Monday, Feb. 4 and ends at noon on Monday, Feb. 11. View the current unofficial vote count.

Sol - A Needle Pulling Thread

For the last two years, Donny and I have gone to a Super Bowl party at Pam and Rebel's. We've gotten into the habit of ordering a pie from a local restaurant and taking that as our contribution. These pies are wonderful and homemade and are known all over the country. On Sunday, two people had already eaten a piece of the pie, when a third person saw something peculiar in the middle. Here's where the title of this post comes in...a needle and thread were IN the middle of the pie. We promptly contacted the restaurant and they apologized profusely. They also mailed me a check for the pie and gave me a certificate for a free pie of my choice. I am not going to name the restaurant as I KNOW it was a complete mistake. How a needle and thread ended up in there, I'm not sure. What I am sure of, is that I will still purchase pies from there in the future. Next time I'll just make sure to cut the whole thing before serving it.

Meet Zoe

Zoe is Donny's beloved chocolate lab. While she is beautiful, she and I have a love-hate relationship. When Donny and I started dating Zoe was 2. If you're familiar with labs (maybe this is the case with all breeds) they are still puppies at 2. They jump on you, they chew things, and they're not very good listeners. For the first 6 months that Donny and I dated, Zoe would jump on me if I tried to hug him. This was cute and funny at first, but after awhile, it stopped being cute and funny. I'm not small by any means, but having a 70lb. dog jump on me did not feel good. I promptly learned to put my knee to her chest and she quit jumping on me (she wasn't harmed). Zoe would also sit between us on Donny's couch (loveseat...tiny loveseat). She still does. This, too, was cute at first, but considering how little I get to see Donny, I don't want to have to share him with her. Apparently Zoe doesn't like to share either.

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On many occasions when Donny's out of town, I've offered to stay at his house to take care of her. Oh, I forgot to mention she's an inside dog - inside, all of the time. On one occasion I left her home alone for a little while, only to find that she chewed up my black heels. She didn't chew up any of Donny's shoes, only mine. Seeing a pattern here? She hates me. My mom has accused me of talking about Zoe like a human - like she's vindictive and knows what she's doing. You can't convince me that she doesn't.

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On the other hand, Zoe is a loving and lovable dog. She is extremely loyal to Donny and me and has protected me from other dogs while we were out walking. She also snuggles with me on those same weekends when Donny's out of town. After we'd been dating a couple of years, I taught Zoe how to bark when we say "speak." Before then, Zoe never barked unless I was playing with her and getting her riled up. I felt like a proud mom, seeing her child do something for the first time.

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All in all, Zoe is a nemesis, best friend, and protector at the same time. Who knew I'd have to fight with a dog to win over a guy? All I know, is if Donny loves her, I better love her too. I think I need to work on that!

No...

This is not my house, but I wish it was. My friend, Sarah, is selling her house in Weatherford. I LOVE everything about it, including the HUGE kitchen. Check it out!

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I'm finally getting to see Donny this weekend. Tonight I'm going to his game, tomorrow I'm going to his Junior High tournament and to a Tarleton basketball game. Think that's enough basketball for one weekend?

Bummed

Donny was supposed to come visit today after I got off at Macy's. We were going to hang out tonight and we were excited about going to Brayden's baptism tomorrow. But...his "Check Airbag" light came on on his truck. He called a Chevy dealership and while they said it is highly unlikely that his airbag will deploy, there is still a chance. They also told him the more that he drives his truck, the riskier it gets.

We decided that we weren't willing to take that risk, so I'll have to wait to see him until next weekend - Just another day in the life of a long distance relationship!