Hollie on the Porch

Cool Daddy

The love of my life. My one and only for all time. I'm so thankful we met on that train.

He also knows how to make a really good pizza...or augment and enhance and existing pizza from a box.

Awesome Matt

My Angel...Matt who saved me from my teenage angst, made me happy, gave me confidence and a reason to do something with my life. Matt's a cute and funny kid, which can lead to opportunities which distract him from his studies (luckily not as distracting as being a pregnant teenager like I was). But he's got a really good brain (his chemistry tutor has never seen anyone pick up the math so fast) and knack for business. He's been running this or that little business since he was little. Selling lemonade and used toys and books at first, then on to mowing the lawns of little old folks, then his own teenage painting business. Now he is studying business and doing very well. He had a little teenage angst of his own, but now he's really doing great. That kid's gonna be just fine!

Update - I sorta quit "doing something with my life" if that's what being an accountant is. But I got a great education and now I'm very fulfilled helping my husband with work and at home and having plenty of time to do the little extras for the rest of my family. I'll add volunteering next.

Oatis the Showdog

I never knew I loved dogs until you came along! It would be difficult to list all the many ways that Otis is cool. He is an excellent frisbee dog. He's very obedient. He can play hide and seek really well...he has an amazing sniffer and is trained to find things. He's a good swimmer. Everybody that meets him loves him. He's practically the neighborhood mascot. He's super friendly...but just protective enough to keep anyone with bad ideas away from me. But mostly he's just a really cute buddy dog!

This is Austin

Let's take a moment to enjoy some beautiful pictures of downtown Austin and Sixth Street. Ooh, la la! C'est magnifique!

Soco and Hotel San Jose

If you come to Austin to enjoy the nightlife, The Hotel San Jose is a neat place to stay. It's a old hotel that has been refurbished and has kind of a Tokyo meets Austin flavor. It's right on South Congress (SoCo District) where you can enjoy the live music scene, eat great food and shop the funky little shops. Although we live here we spent a couple of nights there just for fun. The next morning we had breakfast down on Congress Avenue and sat next to Kyan Douglas from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

If you look down Congress Avenue, you'll see downtown and the Texas State Capitol. Take Congress straight down to Sixth and enjoy the famous Sixth Street party scene!

The Beautiful Smokey Mountains

We went to the Smokey Mountains in July. It was like paradise. So green and lush. So cool up in the mountains. We were in Transylvania county which has something like 250 identified waterfalls. It's so humid it's almost like a rainforest but just gorgeous with such a variety of plants. This picture is of sliding rock.

More things I love about the Smokeys!

I love these tunnels through the Smokeys. I remember driving through them as a kid and I still feel a surge of excitement when we pass thru them.
I also love the green, green trees that come right up to the road in Hendersonville, N.C.

From the set

Because Ryan works in film, I get an opportunity to go to the sets (and meet movie stars)!
Did you see "The Alamo" with Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Quaid and Jason Patric? Well, that was filmed here in Austin. Here are some pictures of the set which is just outside of Austin on a ranch. It is a surreal experience being on it because it looks so real. All of these buildings will eventually (soon) crumble because they aren't permanent structures. It's funny to see Ryans work van in the middle of this old western town. I have lot's of neat pictures from this set.