Austin

On the IPOD "Forever Young" by: Alphaville

16 years ago I was just a 15 year old waiting for the arrival of my new baby cousin Alexis. She arrived on December 14th, my whole life was about to change. I didn't know it yet but the two of us would become thick as thieves. I grew up, as she learned how to walk and how to talk back and by the time she was about 10 I'm pretty sure that she knew that she always had someone in her corner. She came to spend about 2 weeks with me the summer before she turned 11 and then the next summer she came again...that August Hurricane Rita came to town and Alexis, her sister Kaleigh, their younger brother Zack, my cousin Gail (their mother who was then preggers with baby number 4 to be named Lindsay), and my Aunt Dorothy came to lives with my parents for about 5 months. We just kept getting closer and closer... Alexis and Kaleigh have spent every summer since with Mike and I, sometimes for a week and sometimes for 6 weeks. Zack and Lindsay(lil bit) come too but they don't stay as long and I love them just as much!! The girls started working for me...learning how to cook and even earning some pretty decent money. I promised Alexis about 5 years ago that if she kept her grades up I would take her somewhere for her 16th birthday. Well the time is here and I'm keeping my word! Alexis (16), Kaleigh (12 going on 21) and I are going to Austin for the weekend. We are staying in a very nice hotel, eating breakfast in bed, getting our nails and toes done, oh course shopping shopping and more shopping, having some great Austin dinners and who knows what other kind of trouble we will get ourselves into (just kidding!).

Their plane arrives at 12:30pm in Austin and because I'm ridiculous and can't go anywhere without working...I'm squeezing in an Austin client first thing in the morning. That means I'm leaving Dallas at an astonishing 5:30am...I wonder if there is really going to be snow in the morning????

My Austin Menu
Jalapeno Chicken with sauteed green beans and summer squash
Turkey Chili
Pan-seared Chicken with Proscuitto Fig Sauce with Baked Asparagus
Cajun Grilled Chicken with Roasted Broccoli
Salt and Pepper Grilled Salmon with Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Gluten Free Ginger Snap Pudding

I've already planned out our days and scheduled in a workout time every morning!! Don't worry I'm going to keep all the details to report back to you. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!!

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY ALEXIS XOXOXOXOXO !!!!!!