April

I cannot believe it's already April! Mid-April!! Where has the year gone? Here is a little update for my readers, if there are any. Football is in full swing for Zane ending with the Spring game, which is this Saturday at 1pm. Hopefully Zane can get a break. April is one of my busiest months at work and it's been a nice change from the slow winter months. Othere than that nothing too exciting in the Perry world.

I chopped my hair off and got blonde highlights...this isn't the greatest picture but you get the idea.

We got a storm door! And I LOVE it!

We got a rug for the living room, now all we need is a coffee table and some side tables.

We have also hung curtains in the living room, guest room and our bedroom. I just haven't taken any pictures of it yet. We have almost been in our house for a year and finally it's starting to come together.

For easter Zane, Quetta and I went to church and went to Zane's cousin, Jack's house to eat and hunt easter eggs with his family. So Happy Belated easter...

Tony on Jay Leno!

Update: Tony didn't make the show!! So disappointing!

So Tony went to South Padre Island for Spring Break 2010....I went to South Padre Island for spring break 2003....7 years ago!!!!!!!!!!! Good lord, that makes me sound old. As soon as Tony got back he called me "Erica...i'm going to be on Jay Leno"..."Tony...quit lying you got too much sun"..."no really Erica, against three Texas A&M Aggie girls"..."Whatever Tony". He continues to tell me the story of how Ross known by most as "Ross the intern" picked him and his buddies to go against three girls. Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M. They had to put the United States together out of cardbaord cut-outs. I won't tell you who won because you can watch it- Tony will be on Jay Leno Tuesday March 30th at 10:30pm. This was his facebook status:

"Tony Finlayson: Airing Tuesday, March 30th at 10:30 on NBC...yours truly will be making my national television debut, kicking some Aggie ass! Seriously...tell everyone, tell your mom, tell your neighbors, tell your dog. JAY LENO SHOW!!!"

The Owls

Preface 1: My dad was given two white porcelain owls with bright yellow eyes as a christmas gift from his grandmother when he was younger. I'll be honest they are ugly and creepy.
 

Preface 2: Sam Barnes. Sam grew up in Chesterfield, MO where my aunt Susan was his middle school principle. He moved to Southlake, TX in high school but in the middle of our senior year Sam moved back to Missouri. Random: He flew back to Southlake to be my prom date and ended up getting food poisoning that night.  

I wish I was a decent writer so I could portray to you the love/hate relationship we have with these birds. I have mentioned before- my dad's family all lives in Missouri and we rarely see them. But one thing was constant. The owls. The owls became a 25+ year game between my dad and aunt Susan. No matter where we were living the birds would magically show up on our door step or in our mail box. Neither of them wanted these birds so whatever it took to get the birds out of their house and into the others was done. I still don't know how the birds ended up at our doorstep in Nashville one day.

The day that Sam moved to Missouri I asked him to do me a favor and deliver the owls to Susan. I remember specifically telling him "Do not let her see you! Just put them in her mailbox and leave" I handed him the box and he left. As soon as he arrived in Missouri I called him and asked if he had delivered the owls. He told me that he could not find them and they must of been lost during the move. I didn't believe him so I waited a few months and asked again and he said that he never found them. I was mortified! My dad was so angry with me for losing the owls and to this day he still gives me a hard time about it. I just wanted to help with the game. Fast forward 9 years as most of you know my granddad Bruce passed away a month ago today. It's been really hard on my dad and Susan. While in Missouri for the funeral I apologized to Susan about the owls again and she said don't worry about it! I did worry about it, they are a family heirloom no matter how ugly they are and it was just a fun game that I ruined.

These aren't the exact owls but they are pretty close.

Last night I get a phone call from Susan. She and Doug had been at the lake all week and randomly decided to come home yesterday. She was laughing and crying, mainly crying. Her words exactly to me "Erica, 28 minutes ago a woman came to my door. The woman said to me 'You don't know me but my name is Mrs. Barnes I have had this box for you in my basement for 9 years' and she handed me the owls. I HAVE THE BIRDS!". Mrs. Barnes is Sam's mom. I shouted "SHUT UP!" ( I know that's so rude, sorry Susan) I kept saying "oh my god" over and over. I still can't get over it or wrap my head around it. So many questions. I have always said that everything happens for a reason and I swear it's fate. Life is entertaining and fate is a powerful thing! Susan was so happy and I am so relieved! So now the owl game is back on after a 10 year hiatus. My dad is a little worried.

Happy blog

Wow. So I was reading through all of my blogs the past 2 months and they are depressing. Although life has been very hard the past few months. I wanted to do an update. Nothing really special or that exciting going on in Lubbock. We have a great summer planned though!! I cannot wait...Our 3 year anniversary is coming up (April 29th) and we are going to be in Fort Worth, going to a few rangers games checking out Sundance Square and the Stockyards and celebrating my 27th birthday. And then at the end of June we had an amazing opportunity come our way that we could not pass up. My old co-worker Leslie who just moved to Florida...her husband Greg works for Applebees...Applebees has a condo that he can rent out for free and all he has to do is pay for the cleaning fee....so we are going to Destin Florida for a week with Leslie and Greg! I'm so freaking excited for that!

 Here are a few pictures of what has happend the past month...

Had a going away party for Leslie

Threw Melissa a surprise 30th Birthday party

Lindsay, Dianne and I at Delta Gamma Founder's day brunch

Had an awesome BBQ! Zane's Ribs are delicious!

At the BBQ we did a bon voyage tequila shot with Leslie and Greg and used our Chimnea from Robin & Tommy!

Ran into my cousin Blair

and celebrated not having a Spring Break 2010!

Aunt Alice

Update: Alice went home yesterday and is recovering in her own bed!

Zanes aunt Alice has been in the hospital since last week. Today she will be having surgery so please keep her in thoughts and prayers. Thanks guys!

-- Post From My iPhone

365 Project

Jenn introduced me to the 365 Project. Knowing how much we both enjoy photography I thought it was a great idea! So, Today I started the 365 Project. Basically it a photo journal for the year. I know it's not January 1st but better late than never. And I will do everything in my power to update it daily. I hope you enjoy it!

 http://365project.org/ericalane

I will also put a link to the right so you can access it easier.

March 1st!

Finally!! I didn't think that February was going to end and it was the shortest month! It was a very hard month on me. Moving on...In this post i'm going to share pictures of our Ruidoso trip and also pictures of my trip to Carrollton Missouri for Granddad's funeral. As sad of an event as it was, I was so happy to see my Finlayson family! It had been 6 years, too long!! They are all just so amazing, I don't think I stopped laughing the entire time we were there. It was a celebration for Granddad Bruce. He did some pretty amazing things in his life.

Granddad Bruce as a Referee. I think these were NFL days...

The Burger Bar he opened in Carrollton. Motivation for Johnny B's?

The Finlayson crew. Front row Andy, Eva, Jimmy, Molly, Susan, Me, Mom & Tyler

Back row: Doug, Tony, Julie and Dad

Susan and Doug dancing!

I hope that Susan and Doug...maybe Molly and Jimmy will come to Lubbock for the Tech Mizzou game in November, which Susan I found out it's our homecoming game so it will be extra fun.

Now...long overdue Ruidoso pictures!

Feeding the deer

Our cabin named "Little John"

Me and Zane tubing!

The whole gang back row guys: Logan, Zane, Adam and Taylor

Front row girls: Erin, Court, me, Britt and Jenn

Click on this for a videos of us on the tube...

Bring it on March!!