Category: American (Texan) Life

33 Weeks 5 Days Pregnant – Update

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 3 Comments

Nesting-brain is REAL.

No joke. It has literally overtaken my life the past few days.

My husband and I made a deal that I wasn’t allowed to purchase anything for the baby until after my baby shower. I felt like that day would never get here.
(I only cracked once with a 4:00AM 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond purchase on the most amazing product ever – the Doona carseat.)

Two weekends ago, the board of directors for the organization I work for, surprised me with an amazing baby shower! I was so excited to have teeny tiny clothes and blankets to wash, and supplies to put away! I went out and bought special baby detergent (I really tried to justify using our normal detergent, because i’m sure my baby clothes weren’t washed with a different detergent… but apparently baby skin is super sensitive, as all of my mama-friends preached to me when I asked their opinion) just to wash it all with, and finally the mini chest of drawers in the corner of our bedroom was not empty!

I am forever grateful for the love and support of so many people in our lives, and even more so for a supportive work environment and co-workers/bosses (of a sort).

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The planned baby shower was this past weekend and put on by my 1st cousin (our mothers are sisters, although I think we are closer than your average cousins – she’s more like my sister).

It was amazing! We decided to forego the corny baby shower games, and instead just mingle. ..and of course open up presents! There were so many!

That afternoon when I got home, I started un-packaging and putting away everything, and yet again washing teeny-tiny clothes and blankets in special detergent, and then continuing to put away and organize. Husband put together the mini-crib while I sat nearby with encouraging words. (Honestly, I think building put-it-together furniture should be a marriage pre-requisite. If you can survive that, then you’re good to go.)

Putting away all of those gifts must have set some serious suppressed hormones in motion, because since that point I have been on an unending spree.

A shopping, buying, preparing, scouring, organizing, crazy spree.

I bought shelving for under our kitchen sink (and it’s beautiful).

I have re-folded and re-arranged every drawer in our dresser.

I have scrubbed our baseboards and vacuumed out my car.

I have an amazon wish-list that scrolls for days with all sorts of items to organize our life with.

I made a rash decision and bought an extremely heavy antique buffet I was convinced was a good price and could be refurbished into a changing dresser and table. ..and then spent the difference of what I could have bought a brand new one for online, in paint and painting supplies… I am my mothers daughter, evidently. 🤦🏼‍♀️
(Husband has since made me see the light of my mistake and thankfully the antique store owners are letting me return the piece tomorrow. This experience has also inspired him (after a he witnessed a few hours of crying and freak-out nesting-brain) to build a changing table for me! (and i’m holding him to it. Update on it to come (hopefully) very soon!)

The nesting-brain is strong, y’all.
It has overpowered my every thought for only four days, and it feels like a month.

Don’t. mess. with nesting-brain.

Vermicelli

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

Vermicelli.
It’s also called Fideo.

Original Vermicelli

Faraon Vermicelli

Now, i’ve only eaten Ramen Noodles a handful of times (I know, shocking). But Vermicelli/Fideo…
I was practically raised on it.

This may come as surprising to anyone who knows me and might be reading this, because Vermicelli, like its Asian cousin the Ramen Noodle, is not just known for being a staple food item for the ‘lower class’ –  in my area of Southwest Texas, it is commonly associated as a meal for ranch day-hands.

It’s been over 10 years since i’ve last eaten it, and I made it tonight. Continue reading “Vermicelli” →

Out With The Old

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

As I sit here in the fresh, cold air-conditioning of Cavender Toyota in San Antonio (while husband drools over a few trucks and we wait for my car to be serviced), I can’t help but think of my contentment. Mostly for life in general, but also productivity and work-wise.

We have had an iPad mini for a while – but bought it as a toy without really a purpose and haven’t used it very often. We recently were at our local AT&T store and noticed the awesome ZAGG Folio Keyboard/Case that one of the associates had and thought it would be easier to use our iPad mini with a keyboard attachment than the LifeProof case we have always had it in. Googled it – yes, they do make them for mini’s!

‘lil Mini iPad with ZaggFolio Keyboard Case

Found one for half-price on EBay and a few days later… we have an adorable mini-laptop that is super user-friendly!
It had been set-up on my husbands iCloud account, but he realized how much more I would use it with the handy keyboard (he is a chicken-pecker-typist) and told me to set it up with mine! I did – and now… all of my amazing apps sync seamlessly with my iPhone, iPad Mini, MacBook Pro, and iMac at work. I LOVE it so much!
I have been trying to avoid adding my work emails to my phone to encourage healthy ‘switching off’ habits, which I really have a hard time doing, and now with ‘lil iPad in the mix, I have found a happy solution! I added my work accounts to the iPad, and only have them on a manual fetch instead of push, so I can have access to them if I need to – and honestly who would rather type an email on a phone than full qwerty keyboard anyway? No one, that’s who. Continue reading “Out With The Old” →

Bietjie bietjie, y’all.

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

6 weeks into the new job and things are lookin’ good!
I did survive the voicemail system (thank goodness for phone technicians) as well as our annual banquet, and am getting a handle on all things ‘Chamber’!

If you are wondering what the title of this post means (or whether I just made up some words), the Afrikaans translation of ‘bietjie bitjie’ is ‘little by little’ – and y’all translates from Texan to ‘you all’. ;)
Little by little, I am making 2017 progress. From new job tasks to joining a new church, to improvements on our little house, things are going well and I am so thankful! Now if only I could start a habit of working out. Ha. We just can’t win everywhere. :)

While there is still a huge mound (Huge. Major. *in Trump voice) of general work to get through at the chamber, I am focused this week on working through the logistics of implementing a new spring event: Corks and Kegs Queso Fest.
Yes. I know. It’s awesome – and I hope it will be a roaring success!
Food trucks, Vendors, Music, Texas Hill Country Wine and Craft beer, and a Queso Competition?
Sí, por favor.  Sí.

While they have big ol’ wine fests farther north in the Hill Country with German themes, we are going to South-Texas-fy it and have mariachi music, folklórico, Mexican imports, enchiladas, empanadas, queso, and a fiesta of a good time. (Matter of fact, Fiesta winery is on my invite list.)

Stay tuned for updates on this amazing event! Logo, Facebook page and all, coming soon!
(Date set for Saturday, March 25th, 2017)

In the meantime, check out this video for a briefing on some of the things that make Uvalde County great!

Event Coordinator? Why, that’s me!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 2 Comments

Hello there, long lost blogging world!

I can’t believe I haven’t posted in almost five months!
Life can certainly get busy and change – and quickly, too! Continue reading “Event Coordinator? Why, that’s me!” →

Cowboy Mardi Gras!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

In case you didn’t catch my Instagram feed blow-up: We went to Cowboy Mardi Gras this past weekend, and almost needless to say with those words put together- it was so much fun! Although Mardi Gras is traditionally done by those over in that coastal area of Louisiana, when you give us Texans a party theme- we’ll probably do it bigger (and maybe better).

So, should you happen to find yourself in the San Antonio, Texas area during the next Mardi Gras time- I strongly suggest moseying on over to the little weekend town of Bandera. (The town has a resident population of 861- until Friday afternoons when it can skyrocket up to the thousands.)

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Cowboy Mardi Gras was originally started by the famous 11th Street Bar – which they argue is the ‘Biggest Little Bar in Texas’.

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This year’s festivity marked the 11th annual Cowboy Mardi Gras! Each year there is Cajun food cooked by food trucks hauled in from Louisiana, Costume Contests, Live Zydeco and Country Music, and the ever-anticipated Mardi Gras Parade. This year marked the first Gumbo cook off- and man did that food look good. Continue reading “Cowboy Mardi Gras!” →

Happy 1st Day of 2016!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ Leave a comment

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Except for the fact that it is today instead of tomorrow, and it’s a leap year this year, Brad. ;) so 366 pages.

Oh, happy day! A whole year has come and gone, and a new one has taken its place. People all over the world for the next couple of weeks will be using that eraser to scratch out the ‘5’ and replace it with a ‘6’ for 2016 – I know I will be! I have to remind myself for weeks on end that it’s a new year- almost until the point that it’s the end of that year with a new one on the way again!

Did you notice on the home page? I changed the year on the copyright! It looks like i’m entering my third calendar year of blogging! Whoop whoop! I can’t wait for all that 2016 will bring- good and exciting things indeed- and I wish the same for you, too!

 

As far as resolutions are concerned, I can’t remember the last time that I sat down and wrote some out on a January 1st, so why not now? I am sitting, after all…

Victoria’s 2016 Resolutions/Goals:
–Be more patient.
–Be more kind.
–Be less critical of myself and others.
–Develop better time management. (Although i’m sure this will come on its own as soon as this school semester starts- yep, you read that right- school semester- stay tuned for that update..)
–Bring pilates back into my life as a daily routine. – this will require the purchasing of some mat equipment.
–Start running. (cliché, yes, I know… i’m sure that of all of the lists written across the globe today, this is probably the most common one, but it’s always a good one!)
-Hunt more. (duh)
-Join a Texas IDPA group
-Get my concealed handgun license.
-Curse less. (it’s a problem, i’ll admit)
-Take. More. Pictures!!
-Become a more confidant swimmer.
-Take a beach vacation.
-Read more (going back to time management…)
-Wake up earlier
-Stop settling for throwing my hair in a bun- appearances matter!
-Eat out less.
-Plan our meals- and buy accordingly.
-Create a financial budget.
-Get more crafty.
and last but not least,
-Blog more!

What are your New Years’ resolutions or goals? Do we have any that are the same?

Until next time!
I hope you had a most blessed and wonderfully refreshing January 1st, 2016!

P.s
As previously mentioned (again), I have been absent as of late due to the crazy busyness of life. A couple of things that I (we) have done in the last couple of weeks, includes remodeling a small house, surviving family encounters throughout the holiday season, and going hunting (although unsuccessfully) a couple of times. It even snowed while we were in the blind- in Del Rio of all places!

The air was so pretty filled with all of the dainty dancing white specks, and the Whitetail Deer looked to be having some fun with it, too.

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Update; NaBloPoMo Results

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 1 Comment

Well hello, hello there, long-lost friends!

As previously mentioned in my last post – we have been so busy since landing back in Texas- and I mean exceptionally busy! We have done our own tiling, flooring, paving, and all sorts of other remodeling projects. We are still getting our clothes out of a suitcase every day, but I do finally get a kitchen sink and cabinets installed in TWO days!
Bietjie bietjie maak baie! (← one of my most favorite Afrikaans sayings, and it translates to ‘little by little, makes a lot’!)
Moving to another country always has its little battles! Still on my list is to sort out medical insurance and university documents- but I am registered for classes! Bachelors of Arts of Interdisciplinary Studies, here I come! ….but give me a year and a half. :)

As for NaBloPoMo: Continue reading “Update; NaBloPoMo Results” →

We Are Here!

~ Victoria Dühring ~ 1 Comment

So, as it turns out, there was zero airport entertainment in the way of quirky passengers or otherwise during our travels this time. So sad.

I apologize for my lack of posts- and yes- I technically failed at NaBloPoMo since my last November post was on the 23rd, and only managed to crank out one post on the ‘Thankfulness Challenge’. Whomp whomp. :( NaBloPoMo was still a really great try and a wonderful experience! My upcoming stats post is going to be pretty mind-blowing!

We literally hit the ground running once we landed back in Texas and have been excessively busy ever since- and there is STILL so much to do! We did make the wise decision to get away from all the madness this weekend and visit some friends at the coast- Baffin Bay. I’m so glad we did!

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It’s just past 11:00pm here now, and everyone except for me and a very attention-seeking Maltipoo (Maltese/Poodle cross) named Honey are outside fishing off of the pier. Continue reading “We Are Here!” →