2015 In A Blog

Is it already the last day of 2015?! 

I'm flabbergasted at how fast this year has flown by.

I wish time would slow down, because the slower time goes, the longer I get to be here in this glorious state of mine.

I try not to think about the inevitable move that is coming our way in a few years, but it's tough not to when time just seems to speed by.

But this is the life I chose, and the man I love has a career that he loves that takes us all over the place. 

 

So here are some of my favorite highlights from this year!

There were honestly too many to choose from, but I managed to narrow it down!

 

 This was our very first photo of 2015 as a couple after counting down the clock.

My neighbor Kayla and I right before the New Year.
We've become such great friends this year, and I am so grateful for her friendship.
She's also added a baby to her life since this photo was taken...crazy!

Dannika celebrated the 100th date of school, and had to dress like a 100 year old person/
She pretty much nailed it.

Nick got to chaperone a field trip!

Lots of fishing trips in the Spring

Took Nick to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo!

I celebrated my 31st birthday, and my friend drove all the way down from Dallas to celebrate with me!

Friends since the Marine Corps.

 My sweet Dannika Jane graduated from Kindergarten!

The First Lady of Aggieland came to hang out at our house!

Nick and I took a quick trip to Boston for a commissioning ceremony, and got to see all of our old neighbors and friends!

Dannika brought in SIX with a bang!

Miss Emilee came out to visit and even camped out in the backyard with Dannika!

Nick and I went to Cancun for Nick's 32nd birthday!

 My little man turned 2!

Our family tailgated Aggie football season away, and even got to hit up a few games!

Our first ball in College Station!

Trick or treating on the cul de sac!

BIG NEWS!

I OFFICIALLY got the banner.

I got to chaperone a field trip to the zoo!

OC Ash came to visit us in Aggieland!

Nick dragged me out to go see Star Wars...

I got to spend Christmas with mi familia!

2015 has been full of many blessings.

Too many for me to count. 

I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store.

And for those of you who had a rough 2015, I pray that 2016 is full of life, love, and happiness.

Love,

Us.

I Hate Star Wars (Merry Christmas!)

You know what bothers me?

People who look at me in disbelief when I tell them I've never see any of the Star Wars movies.

ONE...

I'm not a "movie person".

TWO...

It's never interested me.

The worst is when some Star Wars nerd/geek tells me, "OMG...You are not AMERICAN! That is SOOOOOOO UnAmerican!"

I have to step back...do my breathing exercises, and control my 'veteran anger'...

I'm actually about as 'American' as it gets.

I am a a first generation American...born and raised in Texas...

I am a daughter to immigrants who became naturalized citizens...(my parents took a test that most Americans would probably fail)...

I served TEN years in the Marine Corps as an enlisted woman...

I've been to the middle east...

oh...and I own guns....(you know...just for good measure...haha)

I'm pretty much more American than half of those who call me "unAmerican" for not liking or have watched any of the Star Wars movies.

Nick won a bet with my brother in law.

The Aggies beat Vanderbilt (the school my bro in law practices medicine at), so my bro in law bought tickets to watch the movie with Nick.

My bro in law and sister couldn't make it down to Texas from Tennessee over Christmas due to some stuff that came up, so I was stuck being Nick's date to go see the new Star Wars movie.

Nick got these awesome socks from stance.com. 

They're big in the Crossfit community!

We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant next to the theater called "Cafe Adobo" before the movie.

I had their avocado shrimp cocktail....DELICIOUS!

Heels, Nikes, and Stance socks...beauty and the geek...

So...

I fell asleep during the movie.

Within the first scene, I was unimpressed and underwhelmed.

It's not my kind of movie, and not the type of genre that interests me.

I got a great nap, and Nick enjoyed it very much.

He's not one of those "mega fans" who are dissecting and analyzing every bit of the movie.

He enjoyed it for what it was, and I love him for it.

So, I hate Star Wars...

Sue me...

I promise you, I won't lose sleep over the fact that you are AMAZED I've never seen any of them or fell asleep through the new one...

ONTO CHRISTMAS!

My family takes turns hosting Christmas at their homes every year.

Since they all live in Houston, no one has to drive very far (except for those of us who don't live in Houston? lol).

This year, Christmas was held at my Uncle James and Aunt Hanna's home in Sugarland.

My mom made her signature dish...jap chae (a Korean side dish).

I can't even describe it, but my mom's is the best....

I'm not saying that because it's my mom's either...she get SO MANY compliments, and people are always asking her for the recipe.

It's amazing.

Mattis finally got his very own Razor for Christmas.

He's been wanting one ever since he discovered he could ride his sister's Razor.

He's only 2, but can ride a 2 wheeled Razor!

Crazy!

My Uncle Scott and Mattis

My cousin Ashley, Dannika, and my cousin Sophie...

The women of my fam.

None of them are lookin in the right direction...

I'm the oldest cousin out of the 5 of us in this photo.

From L TO R: Cousin Michael (in LSU Medical school), Cousin Sophie in 8th grade, me, Cousin Daniel (McNeese St. Grad), and Cousin Josh in high school... 

My grandpa...

Reverend Dr. Samuel and his great grandson.....

Christmas was fun, and I LOVED spending it with my family.

I realized this year how much more time with family meant than anything.

I noticed a lot of people posting photos of the presents under their trees, and all the gifts they received. 

A part of me feels that if you're "showing off" everything on FB and IG about your extravagant gifts or what you got for Christmas....

It can really make someone who doesn't have any thing feel bad.

No one needs to see the thousands of dollars worth of gifts you got your child or what you received...

Keep it to yourself and make sure your child knows to be grateful.

I am guilty of IG'ing my gifts and my children's gifts in the past...

It just took me to be 31 to realize that...

"hey...not all your friends are fortunate. Stop flaunting it!"

 

So I leave y'all with this...

 I hope y'all FULLY got to enjoy Christmas in the presence of family and the people you love.

I hope that beyond the gifts, the money spent, etc...you truly celebrated the birth of our Lord and Savior...

Jesus Christ.

Without Him, there would be no Christmas, and no "us".

Merry Christmas, y'all!

And HERE I AM!

Rocking my Texans leggings given to me as a gift by a family member...

My whole family are Texans fans except me..cause I'm a rebel and love the Cowboys...

But...

since the boys are out of the playoffs, and I and a die hard Texas girl... I'll root for a Texas team!

Mall Santas

Who doesn't love a good old fashioned, cheesy "mall Santa" photo?

I love them.

I am a sucker for the bad quality and overpriced photos with the local mall Santa.

It's become a tradition in our family to take the kids down to the local mall to get a photo with Santa. 

Here is the photo from 2 years ago...

 And the 2015 Romer kids Santa pic...

drumroll...

So much change in just two short years!

We were hoping for a good "crying kid" photo of Mattis with Santa this year.

He ALMOST cried, but didn't.

I think because he had his brave sister to protect him from this strange man in a red suit and beard.

He asked Santa for a "moto-cycle" and skipped happily on his way.

Merry Christmas from the Romer kids!

Introducing...

The Romer Family annual Christmas card!

Our cards have been mailed out, so I guess I can share!

Courtesy of Shutterfly!

#OCAshinCSTX

Back in the good old days of recruiting duty, I tried to recruit this young man from Laguna Beach, CA.
If you remember the MTV slightly scripted reality show, Laguna Beach, you would know this area of Orange County is one of the more affluent areas (more affluent amongst an affluent county that is).
It's a difficult area to recruit from.
What 17-18 year old kid wants to join the Marine Corps when their parents offer them a brand new BMW to NOT join the Marine Corps?
Anyway, this young man I tried to recruit starting dating this young girl named Ashley from another high school in our recruiting district.
Whenever he'd come to visit us at the office, she'd accompany him.
I knew I liked her when she complimented by Vince Camuto patent leather heels I wore with my dress blue delta uniform.

**The issued uniform "pumps" are hideous, so I chose a more stylish black heel to wear with my uniform**

The young man never joined, and him and Ashley broke up.
Ashley, however, kept in touch with me over the years mostly via social media.
I watched her go from a little "high school" kid to a young woman all on Facebook.
I had been asking her for a while now to come visit us and my kids.
She works as a nanny, and is great with kids.
I always used to half-joke about her coming to nanny my kids for me here in Texas.
Well she finally took the plunge and came out to visit us this past weekend!
It was a short visit, but we packed it full of adventure and lots of Aggieland!

I wanted Ash to feel at home when she got to our house, so I arranged a toiletries basket for her!
I know as someone who travels a lot, I oftentimes forget the essentials like shampoo and toothbrushes!
I also came up with a clever hashtag to use for her trip here as we documented it on Instagram.
OC Ash in CSTX!

She slept in Dannika's room, and Dannika slept on the trundle bed.

The first night she came, we had some wine and watched reality tv on Bravo.
I was pretty excited to see her!

Of course, Mattis loves the pretty girls.
He was attached to her hip.

We took lunch to Dannika on Friday at her school.
I know she felt really special to have her guest from California have lunch with her!
I took her the College Station's famous Freebird's, but she didn't get a world famous burrito like she should have :-\ She ended up with a tomato filled burrito bowl. 

Then we took her on campus to show her around Texas A&M!
I FINALLY got to see Johnny Manziel's heisman!

I took Ashley on TAMU's sacred grounds...Kyle Field...Home of the Fightin' Texas Aggie football team!

We hit up the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

Mattis for Prez 2016....
Frankly, I think he may be a better President than any of the candidates we have running now.

Same kicks.

We took her to a new local taco join, Mad Taco, and had tacos (of course) and their famously delicious beet Margarita (tastes way better than it sounds)!

She got her first pair of Cowgirl boots....

Took her to Rudy's to have some fine Texas style BBQ...

We took her to the famous Dixie Chicken....

Bottle cap alley...

On her last night, we went to have drinks at the Saltgrass steakhouse.

Although it was a short visit, I think our little Aggieland can be packed into two days to experience it.
I told her she has to come during football season and tailgate with us to fully experience CSTX.
I know she had a great time, and we really enjoyed having her!

Until next time, Ash!