Can't even think of a title for this one

I've been working, working, working and just enjoying my random thoughts. 

I was just thinking tonight thought about how long it's been since I printed one of our personalized travel books.  I have SO MANY, MANY, MANY photos of trips that need to be documented and put in albums along with my little souvenirs I get along the way.  I also like to print those little books of my favorite photos to remind us of some of our journeys.

We are so ready for a journey again.  I think one might be coming up soon......hopefully.  I really missed traveling with my favorite guy.  It was fun, but just not the same.

I still have lots of pictures to post from some of the adventures we've had lately.

So.......to keep you entertained, here's a couple for you.

Even when I think my life is boring, I can look back at these memories

and realize how darn lucky I really am. 

Why does time fly?

Remember when you were a kid and how it took FOREVER for Christmas to come

Now, as an adult, it seems like it's ALWAYS almost Christmas.

It also feels like it when I have so many things to write down and share about my life. 

There are so many ideas and pictures and stories and titles floating around in my head.....I just don't always have the time to get them chronicled here.

Life is good.  I've been having so much fun these last couple of weeks.  I want to get it written down here before I forget all the details.  I actually have been feeling absolutely wonderful lately (except for all the darn panic attacks I had in New Mexico....but that's going to have to be another topic.).

Business is good.  Really it is so busy anymore it's hard for us to find a spare moment to try and plan things.   How could you ever complain about having a successful business?

My kids are amazing.  I am filled with so much pride about those two.  And yes, I am going to take most of the credit for what amazing men they have become. 

My husband is amazing.  How in the heck did I ever find the most PERFECT person for me in this whole big universe?

I need to promise myself that I will find the time this week to sit here and remember all the great fun I've had the last couple of weeks. 

Thank goodness there are lots of pictures to help jog this old memory!

It's getting real

.....and I'm excited!

The youngest child is calling me everyday with the countdown until I get to Santa Fe.

I'm so glad he is excited to see me.  I think he's really going to enjoy having me all to himself.

Only 3 more days......gotta start getting the suitcases ready.

We don't really have a plan of what we are going to do.  He has planned a trip to the mountains to ride the ski lift.  There are also plans for momma to cook up a bunch of chimichangas for him.....since he always misses them when I cook them here.  There is also plans to watch the Texans game on Monday night.  And we also get to enjoy the lovely presence of Ms. Shaylene to hang out with us on Sunday.

Can't wait!

Counting down the days

Got lots on my "to do" list before I get to take off and enjoy my Santa Fe adventure.

I'm so thankful that the husband is gifting me some time off to go and enjoy it with my son.  I have some special Facebook fun planned for while I'm away to keep him entertained.  Stay tuned to my page while I'm away.

I received a phone call today from the youngest son who asked me if I was excited to come this weekend.  "OF COURSE" I answered.  It made me feel so good to hear him say that he was excited as well.

I figure this might be the last time I get to spend some one-on-one time with him.  Once he and Shay move in, she will be with us (and I will be glad to have her).  Also, I usually don't like to make plans without the husband  He's still my #1 travel buddy.

But this weekend, I shall go off and have some fun with my youngest son.  It will be nice to spend some time together just the two of us doing things that we love (drinking beer, eating, and hanging out in casinos).  Ha!

We're trying to get bigger

Not us personally (even though we are).....but our little teeny tiny 1200 sq. ft. pizza shop.

Sometimes I just sit back and am totally amazed at what we've created.

I think back to how scared I was when we all of a sudden made the decision that we were going to buy the equipment, Paul was going to quit his job, and we were going to open a pizza shop with Alan and Tricia.  Well, actually it wasn't quite like that. 

All of the above is true, except that I was not for it.  I was afraid that we were jumping into something too soon and we weren't ready.  It was scary.....the husband quitting his job and I was going to have to be the sole income provider for the family (if the business couldn't pay him a salary).  Not only did I have to go and work full time during the day, I also had to work nights and weekends in the pizza shop so that we could get it off the ground.

Almost 15 years later and look where we are:

In 2003 I was able to quit my full time job and survive off our shop (wow....that was a little scary).

In 2009 we were nominated as a finalist for Small Business of the Year (that was exciting)

We opened a second shop in 2009......which we were so thrilled and proud about.

We finally hit a million dollars in sales in 2012, 2013 and on course to do it again this year!

Our customers voted us Best Pizza in Houston in 2012, 2013, and 2014

We sold our second location in 2014......which we were thrilled about.

And now we are looking at expanding our first store.  We're cramped.  The customers on busy nights are cramped waiting for their pizzas.  The drivers are cramped trying to get their deliveries bagged up and get through the mob of customers.

And after meeting with the contractor again this morning to discuss all the plans for our expansion.......I'd say that me and the husband have done a really great job together and that we are an amazing team.  I'm just really looking forward to retirement and not have to work as hard!

Wow......if a fortune teller had ever told me that this would be my life, I wouldn't have believed her!

Rough weeks are hopefully behind us

Wow......it's been a rough couple of weeks.  The husband has closed 8 nights of the last two weeks and has worked every single day.

I personally have worked in the store more in the last two weeks than I have in the last 6 months.

Remember that weekend get away trip that I was getting all excited about?

Yeah......well you can forget that.

No, really it's not that bad.  The husband doesn't want to be gone away from town so that he can keep close tabs on the store and go work if he's needed.  Although, we did write the schedule with the intention of being gone this weekend......but what can I say.....the guy is really really dedicated.

With a new manager starting and our "so so" shift managers coming back from their 2 week vacation, we're hoping that we're a little more staffed to handle our extremely busy busy business.

Our plan now is that we are still going to make every attempt to be off Saturday and Sunday and have decided to try and do things around the house......we're talking LONG NEGLECTED items that are on our "to do" list.  I'm not sure if we really know how to act like homeowners that have weekends off and do things around the house.  That's not us.

Probably what's going to happen is we're going to be bored just being at home and we'll think of someplace that we need to go.  The weather this weekend is supposed to be awesome and good convertible top down days.

Boo on doing things around the house.  I just wanna have fun.

We REALLY REALLY REALLY need a couple of days off.  But you know what....no matter what we do, it will really be nice to spend some time with the husband.

Glorious glorious days off are coming soon

Hallelujah.....there is a light at the end of our long dark tunnel.

We are going to try to take Saturday and Sunday off because our last day off was August 14th.

Whew.......we need a vacation.  Gotta be someplace close and somewhere we can drive.....so that we are in control of our own schedule.

I'm thinking about this place:

I love this city.  It's so beautiful and it would be so relaxing to get a hotel on the Riverwalk!
Yes, this is San Antonio and a short 3 1/2 hours from Spring.

The great news is that we hired an Assistant Manager.  He has a good pizza background and we're hoping that he's going to jump right in and do an awesome job from the start.

Then.......we are really trying to take a few days off and get some much needed time away.  I know it sounds crazy, but this is the next destination that we have in mind.

I was going to try and make you guess the location, but since it's printed on the picture you don't have to be much of a detective.  Yes......we want to go to Branson, Missouri.  Where else is there so much music in one place and tons of shows to go see?

And since we'd like to really make this another adventure.......we've talked about going there in once of these:

We could rent one of these babies and travel in style.  The drive from our house is about 10 hours.  But we really do like road trips......and who wouldn't like a road trip in this?

So once again, it looks like we might be able to get a little time off and enjoy ourselves.  Of course, I am lucky enough to be able to take a trip to visit Santa Fe in 3 weeks.

Oh how we've missed traveling!