What I'm Loving Wednesday!

It's time to catch up on What I'm Loving Wednesday! Trying to give more of a recap of what I've been up to the past month!

I'm loving...

Shopping with friends. Last month my friend Laura and I spent the afternoon doing our part to help out the economy by shopping at Kohl's. I look at it this way: Kohl's killed a tree in order to print me a 30% off coupon. I don't want that tree's death to be in vain, so I went shopping (yes, I'm a shopaholic, I'm full of excuses). :)

Having fun trying on hats! I tried to get Laura to buy this one but she said no.

My cowgirl look!

I'm loving...

Meeting more of my Twitter friends! So far this summer I've been able to meet up with a handful of my Twitter peeps, it's been great!

 

I'm loving...

Pedicures. I got a MUCH NEEDED pedicure last weekend. I know some people don't like pictures of feet (you know who you are), so just don't look. :)

I'm pretty sure the lady painting my toenails was making fun of my toes. She kept talking to her friend and holding up my foot while laughing. Or maybe I'm self-conscious. :)

My Ranger blue toenails! :)

I'm loving...

That today 7-11 is giving away free Slurpees (in honor of it being 7/11). I'm so going to stop by and get one on my way home!

The free Slurpees aren't THIS big, but still, any size Slurpee is better than none! :)

I'm loving...

Going to Rangers games with my friends. During my "blogging sabbatical" I did nothing but work and watch baseball (I'm sure you are shocked). I love being able to go to games with my "baseball homies". :) Something about going to a baseball game just makes my day so much better (especially when they win). In fact, the past 13 Rangers games I've been at this season, they have won. I think they need me there! :)

My friend Leah and I representing an old school duo! :) Yes, my purse is shaped like a baseball (are you surprised?)

Me and my friend Beks. This is the first time in our 8-year friendship her hair has been shorter than mine! She just got it cut so she could donate it! :) It looks great!

Aren't we just adorable?

They play this song after a Rangers win at the Ballpark- I LOVE hearing it! :)

I'm loving...

Late birthday presents. My friend Beks gave me this awesome bracelet the other day. I LOVE IT!!

I'm loving...

That I had a relaxing day off for the 4th of July. I did nothing but hang around my pool and watch TV. I was able to see the local fireworks from my front steps, so I didn't even have to leave my apartment complex all day. It was nice!

Blinding people with my pale legs

I'm sexy and I know it...

The picture isn't that great, but it was a good view of the fireworks. I even played patriotic music during the show on my Pandora iPhone app. :)

I'm loving...

That I have been cooking more. I've become a big fan of cooking steaks on my George Foreman grill. I recently found this steak seasoning- it's awesome (of course, you can probably guess the main reason I bought it- but it's really good. Hey, I TRUST anything that is endorsed by Nolan Ryan!) :)

I also buy Nolan Ryan steaks- they sell them at Kroger. Again, I trust Nolan. :)

Sorry for the long post, just trying to get a little more caught up. Hope everyone is having a great week!!

XOXO!

Tim McGraw/Kenny Chesney Concert Recap

Okay, so I'm only a MONTH late getting this recap up. Last month the BFF and I went to see Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney in concert at Jonestown (AKA Cowboys Stadium). We have been talking about seeing Kenny Chesney for years, so I was excited we finally got to go! I had also never seen Tim McGraw in concert so it was "doubly awesome" (is that a phrase? If not, I'm making it one). Jake Owen and Grace Potter opened for them. I LOVE Jake Owen but Grace Potter, I wasn't as impressed with (just not my style).

Jake did a great job, I really like his voice. He interacted well with the crowd (which unfortunately was pretty light since he was the first opening act). He even signed autographs while he was singing. At one point he laid down on the stage, grabbed this lady's camera, and took a picture of the both of them. I thought that was pretty awesome.

Again, not many good things to say about Grace Potter, so I'll skip her part. 

Tim performed next and I have to say, I LOVED HIM! It's hard to believe I've been listening to him for almost 20 years! A lot of his songs take me back to high school and college. I loved that he did a lot of his "old stuff". He also signed a lot of autographs while on stage.

Kenny started his show on the "mini" stage that was set up a ways down from the "main" stage. Props to the BFF, she called it that he would start the show there. We kept wondering how he was going to get from that little stage to the main stage (there was no walkway). When he moved to the big stage, he got on this "ski-lift" type thing and "flew" over the crowd to the main stage. Pretty cool! I have to say, Kenny is probably one of the best concerts I've ever been to. After every song he would thank his fans and blow kisses. He also interacted a lot with the fans, signing autograph and taking pictures. (I have never been to a concert where the singers signed so many autographs while singing). At one point in the concert Cowboys tight end Jason Witten came on stage to sing along to Kenny's hit "Boys of Fall". 

Tim McGraw came back on for the encore and they both sang "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" (Kenny's song) and "Indian Outlaw" (Tim's song). 

At the end of the concert Kenny, Jake, Grace, and Tim all signed a guitar, and Kenny gave it to some kid on the front row. Very cool.

Kenny being lifted to the main stage. Picture stolen from the internet

Tim and Kenny during the encore. Picture stolen from the internet

My pictures aren't the best because I only had my phone (long story about what happened to my camera), but I wanted to share some! :)

Weehoo!!

Me and the BFF waiting on the concert to start

Our view of the stage

Our view of the "Jerry-tron"

Jake Owen

 

I liked that Jake's drummer was wearing a Bazinga shirt! :)

The guy who took this picture was having problem using my iPhone camera. Oh well, it's still cute! :)

Tim McGraw!

They opened the roof before Kenny took the stage

Kenny!

My summer concert series continues this weekend with Rascal Flatts on Friday. I'll try and not let a month go by before I give my recap on it!

XOXO!!

RIP Andy Griffith

I thought I would dedicate my post today to the legendary Andy Griffith, who passed away this morning. You will be missed Andy.

Yeah, I'll never be able to watch this video again without crying!!

XOXO!

Did You Miss Me?

Thank you to everyone who has sent me emails or tweets letting me know that you miss my posts. I have truly missed blogging! And I have missed reading all of your blogs! Thanks for all the concerns, I'm fine (physically at least). Mentally I might be a little loopy! :) For about the past month my job has been absolutely brutal. I've been working a lot of overtime and to be honest, the last thing I wanted to do once I got home was get on my computer. And it seemed any time I was free on the weekends, I wasn't at home (I know you are all shocked that I was busy). :)

I won't overload you with a full recap of the past month in this one post, I'll spread it out some.

A few weekends ago my folks were in town to spend Father's Day weekend with me. My mom was very excited because she got to go to not one, not two, but THREE Rangers games that weekend (she usually just gets to go to about one a year). She was a little disappointed that Josh Hamilton was in the hospital so he couldn't play (he's her favorite player), BUT she was thrilled that they won all three games. My mom is now five-for-five when attending a Rangers game. They seem to like winning when she's there (we need to get her to more games!)

Game One

Game Two

Game Three (my dad is wearing his new Rangers cap he got for Father's Day!) :)

The Rangers provided excellent service. They picked us up at the parking lot in a golf cart, took us to the front gate, got my mom in a wheelchair, and took us all the way to our seats (my mom has to walk with a cane so they were nice enough to wheel her in). Then after the games they took us back to my car. We seriously couldn't have asked for better service!

On the golf cart from the parking lot to the Ballpark

This is Leland. He actually wheeled my mom out all three games from our seat to the cart pick up location outside the Ballpark. He was super nice! We felt like old friends by the third game!

That weekend was also fun because my folks and I got to have dinner with my high school piano teacher (he was also the piano player at the church I grew up in). We hadn't seen him in a number of years. He just happen to be at a conference in Dallas that weekend so he was able to meet up with us. I wish I had kept up playing the piano (I wasn't that great, but I enjoyed it). He is seriously one of the best piano players I've ever heard, no lie!

Me and Dr Hughston

I hope to blog again tomorrow!! It's time to get back in my habit of updating it at least 4 or 5 times a week! Love y'all!!

XOXO!

Blog Challenge 2012- Days 7, 8, 9 & 10

I keep putting these off, sorry y'all. Here we go, catch up time. 

Day 7: What is your dream job, and why?

I'm not even sure I have a dream job anymore. I went to college to be a journalist (which I was, for a while). I love to write. I wish I could be a writer, but I'm not sure I have the dedication in me.

Day 8: What are 5 passions you have?

Seriously, who thought of these questions?? Anyways, I could go all serious with this question but I think I'll be silly, I'm not in a serious mood today.

1. Sports (I know, you are shocked)

2. Classic movies (Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart)

3. Chick Fil-A (I could eat it every day, no really, I could).

4. Dr Pepper (I'm a Pepper!)
5. Blue Bell ice cream (it's SO GOOD). 

Day 9: List 10 people who have influenced you and how.

I'm just going to say my family (there are more than 10 people in that, but I'm too lazy to type individual names). I am so fortunate to be a part of a loving, supportive, God-fearing family. No matter what is going on in my life, I have someone to turn to, laugh with, cry with, or pray with.

Day 10: Describe your most embarrassing moment.

I guess mine would have to be the time in college when I got a concussion and cracked my tailbone, all in the same move (oh yes, I'm that talented). My college friends never seem to get tired of this story. A little background: I went to a small Christian college and the rules of the dorms were that members of the opposite sex were not allowed past the lobby. Now, every so often, the dorms would have "An Open Dorm". Guys could come visit the girls in their dorm rooms, and vice versa. Visitors had to sign in with a picture ID in the lobby (no, I'm not kidding). And, our doors had to be left open. Oh, I'm very serious. This is a key part to my story.

One night during an Open Dorm, my roommate and I had about 8 or 9 friends hanging out in our room. Important side note: Our dorm doors were what I call "fire doors", so we had to use a chair to prop it open. We had a chair in the middle of the doorway to keep it from closing. At some point during the evening, our R.A. said we had to have an emergency meeting in the hallway. My roommate left the room first while I told our friends to stay put, we would be right back. My roommate yelled at me to grab a pen because we had to fill out forms, so, in my attempt to hurry and get out to the hall, I thought, I'm just going to jump over the chair. Yeah, I jumped a little too high, hitting my head on the doorframe. On the way back down, I hit the chair, which slid out from under me, causing me to land straight on my butt on the floor. Everyone laughed at first, because I suppose it looked a little funny. Then, they realized I wasn't moving. My boyfriend ran over to check on me, and according to him, some "un-Rachel like" words came out of my mouth. (Sorry mom!) THAT is when he realized something was very wrong.

At first they were more worried about me having a concussion since I hit my head pretty hard. So, my roommate and boyfriend drove me to the E.R. After a CAT Scan and an X-ray, they realized I not only had a concussion, but a cracked tailbone as well. For anyone who has had a cracked tailbone, you know there is NOTHING that can be done. Except heavy duty pain killers and a donut pillow to sit on (we aren't going to talk about that stupid pillow though).

So, that night my poor roommate had to wake me up every two hours and ask me three questions. The doctor said if I hesitated at any question, I had to come back in. Needless to say, on a small campus such as mine, word got out what had happened. The vice president of the school even called to check on me. I'm still a legend to this day in that dorm. I hear whenever there is an open dorm, that story comes up. Beautiful. That is just how I wanted to be remembered!

Hope everyone has had a great weekend! I hope to post my pictures from the Tim McGraw/Kenny Chesney concert some point this week!!

XOXO!

Blog Challenge 2012- Day 6 & WILW

Day 6: What is the hardest thing you have ever experienced?

Okay, I really don't like today's challenge. It's too sad, so I'll keep this short. I guess the hardest thing I've experienced is the passing of my brother-in-law, Jack. He and I were really close. In April of 1999 he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He passed away that September at the age of 38. I dedicated a blog post to him a few years ago, go here to read it. I can't retype it, I'll start crying (no really, I will).

My brother-in-law Jack "sweeping me off my feet" at his wedding in 1988 (I was a junior bridesmaid).

Okay, I can't leave today's post all sad like this, so I'm going to give you a edition of What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm loving...

These awesome gifts that my friends gave me!

My friend Laura made this box for me (she painted it in Rangers colors and put a Texas "T" on top.) She also got me some Rangers earrings. It's funny, I almost bought this exact pair at a game a few weeks ago but I decided to wait. I'm glad I did! :) 

I posted about this yesterday, but again, here is the Rangers cap Julie (pictured next to me), Laura, and Monica got me. I love it!

My friend Chris went to the Rangers game against the Astros in Houston a few weeks ago. The giveaway that night was a Nolan Ryan bobblehead (for those non baseball fans- Nolan played for the Astros before going to the Rangers). Chris was sweet enough to give me the one he got. Weehoo!

My friend Paul lives in Atlanta and mailed me this Braves program that has an article about Chipper Jones (my second baseball crush).

I'm loving...

The latest pictures of my great-nephews C and E. Their faces make any bad day I'm having so much better!!

I'm loving...

That only in Texas can a traffic jam be caused by cows on the highway.

I'm loving...

This picture of my best friend's little girl Miss E. She's wearing the Josh Hamilton shirt that Aunt Rachel got her for her birthday. I think I have created another Rangers fan (well, I'm going to do everything in my power to turn her into one). :)

I'm loving...

Funny stuff on Pinterest (shameless plug, follow me on Pinterest here.)

FYI, this is why I don't jog! ;)

Have a great day y'all!!
XOXO!