FeLiZ nAvIdAd YaLL!!

Hope Santa brought everyone everything they wished for! Have a very Merry Christmas!

~ Love ~

The Hawkins Family

Brandon, Jess, Brewster, Maggie, & Roxi

" Santa! Oh my god! Santa's coming! I know him! I know him!"

~ Buddy in the movie "Elf" ~

Roxi is an offical hiker!

Our little Roxi La Rue is an official wilderness dog! She got her hiking backpack in a few weeks ago and she loves it! When she goes backpacking with dad the pack will allow her to carry her own water and food! She feels so important when we put it on her to take her on walks! I think she feels like she has a "job!"

Her hiking boots came in this weekend and they are bomb dig! They have vibram soles, which are the same type of soles my North Face hiking shoes have! The company we got them from is http://www.backcountryk9.com/ and they have so many cool things for puppies! She was unsure about them for about 2.5 seconds but then was all over the place! Brandon is so excited and is just itching to get her out on a trail! I think she is going to be the best looking hiking dog in all the mountains! :o) Merry Christmas Roxi!

The house is STILL under construction so ignore the ugly walls and mess! :o)

Oh and I almost forgot! Our Cotton Bowl tickets came in! Woo Hoo! I am so excited! This will be our first time to ever attend a bowl game! I hope the Red Raiders kick some serious boo-tay! The game is January 2 and I can't wait!!!!

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing."

~ Helen Keller ~

I have been a bad blogger.....

I'M BACK! I am just now finding the time to catch up on my blog! Holiday time = CRAZY time! So here is what has happened in the life of the Hawkins since my last post.... I promise to try and stay more on top of blogging!!! :o)

October 22, 2008

My godson Caleb James entered the world at a whopping 10 pounds 5 ounces and 21 inches long! And he was almost 2 weeks early!! He is my chunky monkey! I am so excited to have the chance to be a part of his life and watch him grow into an amazing person! Mom was working at the hospital when he decided that he was ready to bust out of the belly, so I was in charge of rushing her to the other hospital and contacting all family members! I was not there for the birth because I was in charge of picking up Caleb's big sis Abby who would be spending the next few days with her Aunt Jess and Uncle Brandon while mom, dad, and Caleb where in the hospital! Abby loves her little brother to pieces! She is just too cute around him! I love those two kiddos...... :o)

My Life Partner...after her epidural :o)

He's finally here!

Me & Chunks!

Nothin' but cheeks!

Fro-Mama (the BIG SIS) & crazy Aunt Jess



November 1, 2008

TEXAS TECH BEATS TEXAS! We were there live in person for all the action! After all the Tech games I have attended over the years I would have to say that this game ranked as one of the most stressful ones! I seriously thought I was going to stroke out!! Watching them take in that thank you Jesus touchdown the last few seconds of the game and then everyone rushing the field was such an exciting feeling! I seriously almost wanted to cry! I remember my first time to ever rush the field (Freshman year when Tech beat the Aggies!) and how exciting it was!! It was such an awesome game and I am so proud of my Red Raiders!! GET YOUR GUNS UP!

The Fam ready to BLACK OUT TEXAS!!!

Me & the sis tailgating!

My favorite Red Raider!

We love the Red Raiders!

Final score!

Rushing the field!

November 8, 2008

Brando and I went with our great friends Karis and Wes to McKittrick Canyon in the Guadalupe Mountains! This was their 10th year to go and our first! It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen! You definitely don't think you are still in Texas! The peak weekend to attend was the weekend before the one we went, but that was the Tech vs Texas game....we have priorities you know! :o) The colors of all the leaves on the trees was just breath taking! The water was clearer than you could ever imagine! If you have never gone I would highly recommend it! This was my first real hike and it was harder than I thought! Altitude sucks! Brandon was making fun of me because I was having to stop to get air every once in a while (ok...ALOT!), but we made it to the Notch and it was amazing! We did not go all the way up to the peak because the sun was pretty intense and although I had on my special sun clothes we did not want to push it too much! All together we hiked approximately 10 miles and it was so much fun! I was so sore the next day! Man I'm out of shape! :o)

It was a chilly morning!

The Hawkins and Grahams

View from The Grado

Break time!

My cute little hiker!
We were surrounded by this all day - don't be jealous!

Bran going to down the mountain to pick some prickly pears for lunch....YUMM-O!

This is my Sun Goddess picture! :o)
We hiked up that mountain!

My favorite spot!

Brandon's survivor man pose!

Gorgeous!

This pic is not from a postcard - we were really there!

Karis, Jess, and Baby Graham - we think HE is a hiker!

Amateurs! Just kidding! :o)

We ate lunch here! And drank the water from the stream!

Beautiful!

The gang at the end of the hike! WE DID IT!

November 15, 2008

We had a baby! Baby puppy that is! The Hawkins clan is now back to 5......the way we like it! We had no intentions of getting another dog so soon after Raider, but this one kind of found us! We got her through a rescue called Animal Outreach, an organization where dogs are rescued and fostered until a home can be found. Awesome organization! They were at Pets Mart this day when we had gone to just pick up a few things for Maggie and Brew. We went over to say hello to all the puppies and there she was! An 8 month old Sheppard / Dobi mix named Roxi! (Her full name is now Roxi La Rue!!) She just melted our hearts! We walked around the store with her and just knew she had to come home with us! We went through an interview process and Brandon had to go home to get Maggie and Brew to make sure they would all get along! And they did! Maggie and Brew just gave her kisses right when they met! Her foster mom came to the store to meet us and interview us also and we were approved! She is such an amazing dog...already potty trained and knows multiple commands! We hope to get her started in her classes to become pet therapy certified! She is going to make a great pet therapy dog to take to the hospital! Brandon has also already purchased her a hiking backpack so that she can go hiking with him! She looks so cute in it, but she can't go until we get her hiking boots in (yes they make hiking boots for dogs to protect their pads!) She is a perfect fit with our family! We couldn't have asked for a more perfect dog!

She is not as innocent as she looks!

Yes...this is really how she watches TV in bed!


Helping mom get ready for the day!



She loves trips in the, car, long walks on the beach..... :o)

November 16, 2008

Caleb was baptized and did such a great job! He did not cry the whole time, but did almost throw up on the priest! :o) He is already a little goober!

Caleb in his baptism suit! So handsome!

The baptism

November 22, 2008

Texas Tech vs OU game day! We planned a football party at my paretns house so that we could eat, drink, and watch the game. This was going to be Thanksgiving for my side of the family, since we always spend actual Thanksgiving Day with Brandon's family! This is also the day Rach and I DO NOT speak! (she is an OU fan!) I wa so excited about the game...I figured it was going to be neck and neck....but apparently Tech did not get the memo that they were supposed to show up in Norman to play a football game! I mean seriously! They played horrible! Oh well...can't win 'em all! I just sat back and drank my margarita trying to pretend that what I was watching was not really happening!! :o)

Biggest Raider fans in West Texas!

My dad gets a little "crazy" over Tech football! :o) Or did he forget to take his meds?!?


Me and my momma :o)

I think he forgot to take his meds...poor mom!


For those of you who have been around me after a few beers...you now know who I get it from!

Michelle & Brian

Guns up daddy-o!

November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving was great! Brandon's little brother Justin got to home from Stephenville (he attends Tarleton State University) and we had a blast getting to hang out with him and all of our friends and family! We are so blessed and have so many things to be thankful for this year....especially our friends and family! That weekend before Justin had to head back to Stephenville for school we all had a get together at Tana & Jeremiah's house! We had so much fun! Jeremiah grilled and it was YUMMY! Ran & Samantha have a hookah from Egypt where Ran's parents live and we got to try strawberry flavored tobacco...DON'T WORRY it is totally legal! It was pretty cool! Brandon was addicted to the hookah!

The Thanksgiving dudes!

The Thanksgiving dudettes!

Jeremiah loves him some chicken! :o)


Hookah time!

Get on it Tana!

Brotherly love over the hookah!

Ran & Samantha showing us their hookah skills!

December 5, 2008

My mom and dad finally got to go to Lubbock with us for the 50th anniversary of the Texas Tech Carol of Lights! It is a tradition that Brandon and I do each year! The only difference this year was that our great friends James and Kellie were not able to celebrate with us becuase they now live in Dallas! WE MISSED YOU GUYS!! We did have a great time with my parents and ate some good grub and Cagle Steak House! It was sooooooo cold that night! Thanks goodness we were all snug as a bug execpt for my dad who is kind of a sissy when it comes to being cold! I love Carol of Lights becuase it is just so magical and helps to kick off my Christmas spirit!

Mom, Dad, & Jess

The big wreath at the end of the circle where the choir sings!


My mom really is an American I promise!

This is the face my dad makes when he is cold! Ridiculous I know! :o)

Warm inside Cagle's eating the best steak God ever created!

Mom making out with her first fried pickle!



December 11, 2008

Our students that work as Nurse Tech's on the Ortho / Neuro floor graduated with their RN! I am so proud of them! They have been under so much stress and worked so hard! We suprised them both with some pretty rockin' stethoscopes with their names engraved on them! They are going to be great nurses and I fell privialged to have them as fellow RN's!! CONGRATS ELIZABETH AND ANNA ROSA!!!!!!

Anna Rosa with the gang at graduation!

Elizabeth with the gang at her graduation party!



December 12, 2008

Imagine Christmas was hosted at our church, Stonegate Fellowship! The night was filled with bon-fires, hot chocolate and apple cider, hayrides through Grasslands and an AWESOME production about the birth of Christ put on by our church! They did such a great job! Afterwards we went to dinner with some of the people Brandon works with! I was so excited to meet them after hearing so much about them...and they did not dissapoint! They are a pretty crazy group of people.....which is what I like! :o) Thanks to all of our friends and family who came out and supported and particiapted in Imagine Christmas!!

Me with Brandon's "at work wives" Amy & Gracie! :O)

December 13, 2008

Each year as part of Imagine Christmas our church starting on black Friday works at the mall to hand out water and snacks to shoppers and to spread just some good 'ole Christmas cheer! This weekend was mine and Brandon's to work and I was so excited! I woke up not feeling good, but tried to just shrug it off becuase I hate not following through with commitments! I got to the mall and made it about an hour and had to head out! Apparently their is a stomach bug going around and I got it! Thank goodness it was only a 24 hour thing..hopefully none of you get it becuase it was HORRIBLE!! I hate being sick!



There now I am now all up to date! I promise to be more on top of things from now on! Hope everyone has a stupendous week!

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."

~ Abraham Lincoln ~