Wow, so I haven't posted anything at all in a really long time! Ooops! Ha! We have been keeping ourselves quite busy!

Let's see ... since the last time I wrote on this blog, Mark and I have gotten married ...

Mark's boys! John, Brad, Eric, Coy and Robert!

My girls! Brittany, Katrina, Erica, Jennifer, Tricia and Allison!

Our first dance (a disaster, but a little funny now)!

... spent a fabulous honeymoon at the Sandals Grande Antigua Resort (we dream of going back) where we had two butlers waiting on us hand and foot, a beautiful ocean view from anywhere in our suite, great food and a happy atmosphere ... we both can still smell the air and feel the warmth of the sun, which keeps us desperately wanting to return!

Mark and I waiting to eat dinner at the OK Corrall (Tex-Mex food, ha)! The OK Corrall is in a circular shaped building that is upstairs and has the best view of the sunset - it's where we took most of our sunset pictures because we were there at a perfect time! There were no windows or walls anywhere at the resort, which completed the feel of the Carribean!

We also bought a house!!! The house we bought was a foreclosure in the north side of Denton and needed a tremendous amount of work when we signed the papers. We were up for the challenge because within our price range, this was a good house, and we didn't have to replace any floors (long story)! Ha! We are still working on it bit by bit, but with the help of our parents and a handful of friends, we have managed to make this feel like home. It's fantastic!

This is during an ice storm that occured a few weeks ago, which shut down most of Denton for a whole two unnecessary, but nice, days! =-) We are going to be working on the curb appeal when spring rolls around! You see my frosted car?! Hehe! It really was cold!

If you click HERE, you can see more pictures of the above events and some! It is my MySpace photo album, and it is much easier to post things there, rather than here!

Other than everything above, we have both been keeping rather busy with work, and my school! Mark is still working at KC Distributing, selling Red Bull! I am working as a Pre K 3 teacher at The Treehouse Academy in nearby Corinth! I absolutely love my job! I'm also back to school full time ... and I am going to graduate! I recently spoke with my advisor and after taking off here and there, and piddling around (as my Mom would say), I am very serious about finishing in a short time! I'm going to do as much as I possibly can, and I don't want to give any dates, but I should be graduating in a year or so ... it really depends on what I can do with a full time job!

Otherwise, la la la la la la la life is ... wonderful!

So, my life doesn't stop in order for me to plan a wedding … who knew?!! HA!

Wedding planning is more stressful than I had imagined … probably because a) I wait until the last minute to do pretty much everything, b) I am quite the unorganized bride, c) I am incredibly indecisive, and d) school and work aren't slowing down! Really, it's a lot of fun, but it takes up more time than I thought it would. Maybe not so much more of my actual time, but it's all I think of … what I have to do next! Ha! The honeymoon to Antigua (along with being Mark's wife) will be a nice payoff!

We got our passports! YAY!

We just ordered the bridesmaids dresses! Double YAY!!


(They look like this, but not this color ...)

We ordered our beautiful cake! Triple … well, you get the idea!

(It's pretty much going to look exactly like this, minus a bit of detail here and there!)

The next on our do to list involves; checking out a showroom for the chairs for the ceremony, and then finding a sweet ride to jet to the hotel in after the reception … a particular Rolls Royce is my getaway of choice!

(This exact one ... Cloud 9 Coach in Richardson)

School is … going! I have an estimated graduation date, but I'm quite embarrassed about it. I really wasted two entire years on classes that I didn't need once I changed my major. Go me! Ugh … Meeting with my advisor a few days ago was nice, though … she made me feel better about it! Believe it or not, I'm not the only person with a gazillion unusable hours!

Work is alright … it's quite the dramatic place (although super fun), but you have to understand why. There are like, two guys that work there, and I don't even think they are there that often. So, it's a building full of girls, and children who just want to play, therefore have short attention spans! The kids are fantastic, though! Even the ones I get upset with every day, I just love! For those of you who don't know, I got a new job where the hours are perfect for me – at The Treehouse Academy in Corinth where I am a Pre-K teacher – I spend Monday through Friday with four year olds!

Mark and I are just splendidly in love! It's the most amazing feeling to have one person in particular to come home to everyday. I have been known to come home in tears after an overwhelming day, and he seems to make it all better! The night before last we cooked dinner together and just talked … then watched some George Lopez … it was so relaxing, and so nice just to be together!

Asia is wonderful! We just put her back on her thyroid medication so hopefully she will shed the pounds like she did last time and be her extra playful self again! She is already hungry much less – down to twice a day from three to four times daily! She had one of her 'spells' recently where she passes out, it's like a seizure without the seizing. It totally freaked me and Mark out, but she hopped back up and we all went back to sleep! She seemed okay the next morning and the Doc said just to keep an eye on her … it's something she, and we, are going to have to live with!

The holidays were very nice! I miss the tradition I grew up with – Christmas Eve was spent with the Sanders family and Nannie and Bampaw's house … we would go to church, come back and eat, someone would take us outside to see if we could find Santa Claus, then when we came back in, we learned he had been on the roof the entire time! Christmas morning I would wake up to Santa gifts at my house, then my family would come over and we would all have Christmas brunch and open presents together, with Harry Connick, Jr. Christmas music playing in the background, of course! Then everyone would leave and my parents and I would head to the huge town of Normangee, Texas to spend Christmas day/weekend with the Mathis side of the family. It was wonderful!

We spend our holidays now with my Brewer cousins and my Aunt Patsy … then, Mark's entire family gets together Christmas day. It's much quieter for our family, but I hope that just one holiday we can get everyone together, like the old times!

Anyway, on a sad note … sometime during this last summer (I think) my cousin John brought over some rat babies – his pet rat had had babies. I said I didn't want any, but Tricia did. So, we welcomed home our little rat, Trottle. He was super cute, and although you may think rats are ugly and horrible, if you had met him, you would have loved him, too. He and Asia became best friends … and my mom, who will jump on a chair and scream at the sight of a rat, actually got to where she would let him touch her! He was the kind of little fellow who would squeeze out of his cage to go jump on the couch and curl up for a nap with the dogs, which he did often, until we had to switch cages! Ha! Anyway, he got sick last Sunday and was not doing well at all. He could not walk without falling over, and it was just really sad. So Monday morning when I went to turn the space heater off, I found him curled up in his cage, not moving. It was pretty sad, and I actually never thought I would say that about such a little animal … he was just so funny! I can't even bring up all the silly things he would do – scaling up the entertainment center wires is just the beginning!

(Sir Hunkerford Trottle, aka Trottle Trottleton)

Okay and another sad note ... Heath Ledger, and Brad Renfro?! Both were HUGE crushes of mine in high school ... and I still had a little crush on Heath Ledger ... two very talented, young and good looking actors. It's just so sad ...

Anyway, moving on …

I've been working out again! I need to get back in shape for our wedding! When I was working out with Justin (Blue), I lost nearly twenty pounds, but unfortunately gained all of it back. Argh! It is okay, though, because I am super dedicated to working out hard core for the next four months! Oh, and I'm calorie counting! I wish I were like Mark – eat everything I want and lose a pound! HA!

Speaking of, the big day is officially less than four months away. I don't know if I'm excited or scared out of my mind at the thought of everything that is left to do! AH!!! My bridesmaids are truly my sanity at the moment – they keep me laughing and fairly organized – something I really need! Ha! Oh well … things are mostly fantastic!

I hope everyone is having a wonderfully fabulous new year!!!

So, my Mom came out of surgery doing very well! They did get all of the cancer, and her lymph nodes were free and clear of anything malignant! Hooray! She is a little bruised, but mainly sore, I think ... especially where they put the 'medport' in! The 'medport' is under her skin and it helps with inserting the needle for chemo! Once the chemo is finished with, she can take it out!

Because of her particular type of cancer and how aggressive it is, they are doing radiation first. She won't start her chemo until about the time school beings from what I understand! She isn't thrilled about that because she wanted to adjust before the kids begin driving her crazy again!

Other than that, all is well!

She, my Dad and Aunt Patsy, as well as Katie and Koko, all went on a camping trip so that they can relax and unwind! I think it's a wonderful idea!

Soooo, Asia, Dodger and I are just sitting here! Dodger has been so good so far, so I am very happy about that!

I hear today is the busiest day of 2007, since it's 7-7-07. I don't really "get it", but I guess some people consider that lucky? Who knows!

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe July 4th and continue to have a fantastic summer! =-)

48 things

48 things

1. FIRST NAME?
Haley

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
The actress Hayley Mills, and my Aunt Jane (middle name)!

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
Last Wednesday ... I was feeling helpless!

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Most of the time.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT?
Turkey or chicken.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I should hope so!

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?
This is as close as I come to a journal.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
I certainly do! Although they cause me problems every year!

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Goodness no! I am seriously afraid of heights!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?
I like good ole' oatmeal!

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
They rarely have shoelaces, but when they do it's doubtful.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Stronger than I give myself credit for.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM FLAVOUR?
Coffee.

14. SHOE SIZE?
Eight, or so.

5. RED OR PINK?
Pink, please!

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My indecisiveness.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
All of my grandparents. I took my time with them for granted.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
Only if they want to.

19. WHAT COLOUR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
A blue tee shirt, red polka dotted shorts, and I just kicked my shoes off.

20. LAST THING YOU ATE?
Chicken, from my favorite Thai restaurant, Sweet Basil! Yumm!

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The dishwasher.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE?
Blue.

23. FAVOURITE SMELL?
Rain!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My fiancee, Mark.

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?
Their smile.

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM?
I like her blog.

27. FAVOURITE DRINK?
Water with lemon, diet coke with lemon, or flavored water.

28. FAVOURITE SPORT?
Golf, I have no choice!

29. EYE COLOUR?
My eyes are oh so blue!

30. HAT SIZE?
Large, I assume ... I have a rather big head!

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No, I have perfect eyesight!

32. FAVOURITE FOOD?
Anything, as long as it has chicken or tofu in it.

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings all the way!

35. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Spring.

36. HUGS OR KISSES?
Depends who’s offering.

37. FAVOURITE DESSERT?
Tiramisu, Tres Leches from Churrascos in Houston, Sweet Potato Pie, and Buttermilk Pie! I have an awfully large sweet tooth!

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
Who knows.

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
See above.

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
Lots and lots of bridal magazines!

41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Golf clubs! Go figure ...

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?
We watched Smokin' Aces on DVD.

43. FAVOURITE SOUNDS?
Silence, jazz, water running, the sound a fan makes on a hot summer day!

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES?
Beatles.

45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME?
London, I believe. It's a tie between three different places, but I truly don't know!

46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT?
I know at least one verse to nearly every song, ever!

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Some hospital in Bell County, which is in Temple, Texas!

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
No one. I found it on a blog. :)

If it's not one thing, it's another. Seriously.

My Mom has been having a pretty hard time lately. This has been a bad past year - with my Dad being diagnosed with congestive heart failure and my grandfather passing away, my Mom has had it tough!

So, she went to the Dr. a few weeks ago and a test of hers came back abnormal. So, she went to a specialist, and another test came back abnormal. They decided to do a biopsy, and he results came back that she does have Stage 1, Level 3 breast cancer. It's the earliest stage it can be found and treated, but the Level 3 means that it's the most aggressive form. She also has some thing called HER Plus, which makes the cancer even more aggressive, which means that her recovery will include six months of chemotherapy, and then radiation.

So, Friday is her surgery! Then, July 16th she will begin her first round of chemo. She will go every two weeks for six months ... looking on the bright side, if you have to have cancer, this is the kind to have! I have been told this is very serious, but a walk in the park compared to what other people are going through! Nine times out of ten, breast cancer is not found until at least Stage 2, so we're doing good already! The Dr. did tell her that she's going to lose her hair and I have been instructed to keep a look out on a well made wig!

Other news - I got a job at Macy's! I work in the home section and so far, so good! It's very different than any other job I've had ... I'm not exactly sure how I feel about that yet, but it's keeping me very active! And, it's a really good way to keep my mind off of what's going on right now with my Mom!

My knee is healing well! My stitches are out and my scar is showing - yikes! Not exactly the type of scar you want, but what can ya do?! I will be sure to watch out for holes in piers from now on! =)

Well, that's all I know! Hope everyone is having an outstanding day/week/SUMMER!

<3

Well, we had a fairly interesting weekend!

Knocked Up is really good! Freaking hilarious if I do say so myself! We went on a 'double date' to see that Saturday night!

Yesterday we all (we = Mark, Me, Mom and Dad) decided to go out on my Dad's little boat since my Mom and I had never been out on it! My Mom and I waited on land while they put the boat into the water ... I peeked onto the super busy pier, saw a slat of wood missing and hoped that no children would fall through! It was a fairly big slat ... big enough to hurt someone - obviously!

Well, once they were putting the boat in, my Mom and I trekked down the pier, I turned around to tell her something, or to look at what Mark was doing maybe, and down I went! My whole left leg went straight through the missing piece of wood! It was a good one foot long piece of wood that was gone, and it happened to have nails sticking out of it! The nails made a pretty awful wound at the front of my knee, so we went back on to land to check it out! It sure didn't look good, so we decided to find the nearest fire station, which we did, although no one was there!

So we decided to go to the ER after seeing what it was doing to my skin! They got us in right away and were probably some of the nicest Dr's and nurses I have ever met in my life! Well, as it turns out, my skin is severely bruised all around my knee, and I had to get eight stitches!

I came home last night and seriously crashed, right after I learned how to ice my knee down with frozen vegetables, thanks to wonderful Tricia! Her boyfriend just had knee surgery, so lucky for me, she is experienced in taking care of injured knee friends! Ha! But really, I'm just so thankful that I have wonderful people around to cheer me up ... and to take care of me! Haha! Just kidding ...

My first set of stitches ever, and I feel like it was sooo avoidable! So now, I am practicing the daunting task of keeping my knee straight so I don't mess up Dr. Rey's artwork! It's interesting, but so far so good!

Mark is proving to be the best fiancee ever, and without me even mentioning it, he called in sick to work today! I think he was going to do that anyway, but still!

I am feeling fine, although I am surely not looking forward to unwrapping the bandage today in order to clean it! I go to see my regular Dr tomorrow, then a week from today, I will get them out! I have a feeling this may be a pretty long seven days! Ha!

Edgefest & Gwen!

Wow ... I have no words! Well, I kinda do, but, well, ya know ...

Edgefest was soo much freaking fun! It was also nearly over a month ago ... I'm just late on posting this! I cannot even express how great of a time we had! We get there after our two mile walk, find the bathrooms, get our first $8 beer and find our seats.

Yay for being at Edgefest, with the sun blaring down on us - it felt sooo good!!!

We sit there for about ten minutes while we are all quietly thinking ... why are we not down there? When I say 'down there', I am meaning on the field! There were two blocked off area's on the field ... one was full of merchandise you can buy, the other was where you relax and watch the concert from the back ... or get up as close as you can and join in the mosh!

We walked down, then we walked back up to see the other two stages ... won three free burritos and a cd from Chipotle, realized we had missed a few bands we all really wanted to see and got a little sad ... walked back down again and kind of sat around waiting for a big rush so we could pass by the security guards with no problems! That moment never happened ... we actually watched another couple get thrown out for doing what we had wanted to do, so we put an X on those plans!

Tricia was determined, and we all saw it, so off goes Robert. He begins talking to this big mexican dude (I guess I need to say ... I have nothing against anyone who is big, or mexican), he turns around and yells for us to come on. Unknowingly, we followed and the guy completely let us through! I'm still not exactly sure what Robert said to him, but it worked! So, once we were in, Robert goes and buys us two 'Field' tickets off of a couple, so that we can go in and out!

So, with our original tickets, we were supposed to watch the bands from here:

(See the blue lights ... )

But instead, thanks to Robert, we were watching them from here ...

(This is not zoomed in ...and that is the lead singer of AFI)

I can't say this enough ... I have a newfound love for Papa Roach! Before we actually got onto the field, he and his band were performing ... when he had the microphone up to his face, he was smiling ... when he didn't, he was smiling ... he was having a jolly ole' time and it was wonderful to watch! He looks a ton different than he used to ... he kinda looks like the Madden brother from Good Charlotte, only not as cute ... but his smiling face more than made up for it! I heard him on the radio today and fell in love even more ... who knew that The Paramour Sessions (Papa Roach's newest cd) was completely written in a famous haunted mansion? He said he meditated in this amazing ballroom, came out and wrote five pages worth of lyrics ... the first thing he wrote was, "In the brightest hour of my darkest day" ... which is the first line of the song Forever!

I had a girl fall on top of my head (physically, fall ... she was crowd surfing), I was hit in the back of the head by mark's hat and elbowed in the mouth by the dude in front of me ... but it was great! Mark and I had the time of our lives ... as did Robert and Tricia! Mark keeps commenting on how he thinks this is possibly the most fun concert he has ever been to!

For me, I thought Blue October was great! They were the band I was most excited about seeing from the beginning! I knew most of their songs so it was fun to sing along! Papa Roach, AFI and The Killers are tied for me ... they were all amazing! Very energetic and totally got you in the head bobbing mood! Most of them had songs that I didn't know they sang! Jet, included!!

We began to look like raccoons! By the time The Killers were nearly finished, we had been there for nine hours or so, and were pretty ready to get some grub and a drink that wasn't beer! Even me ... which is completely unusual!

I can say with much anticipation ... we are excited about Edgefest 17 in 2008!!!

Edgefest 16 * April 15, 2007
(thanks, Tricia, hehe!)

The Killers
My Chemical Romance
A.F.I.
Muse
Blue October
Jet
Papa Roach
Bowling for Soup
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Kaiser Chiefs
Sparta
Saosin
Bullet for My Valentine
Say Anything
Placebo
Finger 11
Ataris

WIND IT UP!!!

Oh gosh, so on May 5th, I went to my first Gwen Stefani concert! Along for the ride was Mark, John, Tricia, Katrina, Hannah and Robert! Fun times! Lady Sovereign was her first opening act, followed by Akon! Luckily Lady wasn't out very long ... I'm not a big fan of her! I am also in love with Akon's DJ! I want him to DJ at our wedding! HA! He was running around the stage pumping up the crowd (and doing a fine job, if I may say so myself) and put on at least a five minute show before Akon ever walked out!

Katrina and Hannah came up from Austin/Weimar on Friday night and we had a little get together! Then, Saturday we got a hotel in Dallas and went to the concert!

I seriously love Gwen! Mark has a crush on her now, too! He kept saying "She's so preeeetty! She's like gloooowing!"! I have a crush on her and her husband! Ha! She put on an awesome performance! She even hollered out to us on the 'grass'! =) It was one of those concerts where you don't know half of the songs, but you don't care because she's still that awesome! And you can just tell how much in love she is with her son, Kingston! It's seriously adorable!

The line going out of the concert was seriously long and after a few beers, I was really needing to find a restroom! Thirty minutes of a traffic jam and we found our first restroom ... that happened to be broken! So, we went to this ghetto used-to-be-sonic place that sold beer in cups! I ran to the back and I swear there were deals happening along the way ... and it stunk! I got a pretty good laugh out of it! If only I hadn't gone by my lonesome! So after we left there, we went through another drive through place called Daiquiri's Drive Thru where they sold beer (like a Beer Barn), as well as other unmentionables! It was weird though ... they had rap music blaring and inside of the barn, actually had little pop up umbrellas where I saw men in business suits! It was a cool place, but super random! Anyway, then we trekked over to a place I seriously can't stand, but it was right next door! Denny's! Dun dun dunnn! I have never liked anything there, but I chomped it up! All the beer we had bought pretty much went to waste and we went to sleep!

Not much to say other than we had a great time! Harry Connick, Jr will be in town this weekend (I hope Mark is reading this! Heheheee!) ...


Hannah, Tricia, Katrina and I


Mark and I enjoying Gwen!

((Just wanted to say these pictures are small because I resized them ... I can't stand when pictures are so big that it messes up the layout ... even if they are more exciting full sized!))

Sad day ...

Well, my parents, Mark and I were on our way to my cousin's house on the lake when my Mom got a call from my Aunt to tell her that the nursing home had called and my Papa was running a fever. Not ten minutes later, my Mom got a call from the nursing home. They asked her to pull the car over and they had some news ... she gave the phone to my Dad and immediately knew. When he got off the phone she asked "Is he gone?" and he said yes.

I didn't know what to do. It was so incredibly sudden. He was fine yesterday, ya know? I just put my hand over my mouth and asked "Are you serious?" and began to cry.

I have been crying for five days straight now, because of other senseless drama that has been dragging on ... I'm so tired of crying.

My Papa ... well, his real name is Aubrey Ray Mathis ... gosh, what can I say about him? Words can't begin to express how great of a man he was. He was the rock in our family ... he would do anything for you ... he was a great brother, husband, father, grandfather, etc. He was eighty five when he passed away, although he always said he died the day Nannie (his wife, my grandma) did, which was in March of 2002.

I didn't realize it would be so hard for me ... then I saw him and he didn't look how I remembered him looking. He wasn't strong, determined and he wasn't looking for something to do ... he was so peaceful.

I hadn't been to see him in a really long time, and I'll never forgive myself for that. My Mom always would tell me that he asked where I was and he would say "Gosh, that girl is so busy!" with a big smile! He never stopped smiling!

So, I no longer have any living grandparents ... which is another reason I think this is so hard for me. Mark has all of his ... I feel as though I'm being cheated out on time with them.

It was good to have all of my family together again, though.

The service was today. Being in that church brought back some incredible memories that I wouldn't trade for the world.

I'm going to miss my Papa, but I do know he is in a better place ... and where he has wanted to be for four years now.

In the last few years he got more and more confused. I don't exactly know how he passed. He just developed a fever and not thirty minutes later, he was gone. He just went to sleep. I'm really going to miss him.