Cibilo Ranch

It has been said that if you can travel if someone you can remain friends. When Mr. ICU invited me to Cibilo Ranch, after a short courtship of two months, I accepted only to see if this adage was correct.

 

Cibilo Ranch is a working ranch with a deserted spa and airport landing strip. Which means that rich artsy type, who build custom homes in Malibu, flock to the nearby town of Marpha to view art; as well as the well-to-do CEO type that own their own airplanes, go here for a weekend get aways. 

 

Us being neither of those, went any way and signed the relase saying it was our fault if we were attached by animals roaming the property.  All the misters said was "massage" and I was sucked in; although not looking forward to the six hour drive we had.

What struck me most about the trip was the communal meals and being forced to socialize with people you do not know or would not socialize with in any other situation. It was during one if those meals, a fellow guest asked how long we had been married because we blended like we had been together for twenty years. We laughed and said two months.

We learned so much about each other during that trip. Stuff Like:

- Barbie does not like six hour long road trips.
- Barbie falls asleep in long car drives.
- When the mister says, "Let's take a wild life tour in a hummer", Barbie expects a hummer with doors and A/C, not an open door hunting vehicle.
-When Barbie says" Roxy is loose, help me find her" at two in the morning, Barbie is not kidding. Coyotes or owls could have eaten her.
-When there is a two and a half hour cocktail hour before dinner, we can easily drink fifteen glasses of wine through dinner.

-Barbie is willing to wear cheap underwear from the Dollar Store, as a bathsuite, just so she can sit in a hot tub for ten minutes.

Little did I know that those same artsy folk would take our first family picture and later e-mail it to me.  Looking back I remember thinking how easy it was to get away with Mr. ICU. I am hoping we can "star gaze" on top of the tool shed and flirt with each other in the hot tub- just like when we first meet.

 

BSF

My last night of BSF, Bible Study Fellowship, was harder than I thought it would be and I started to cry as I said good-bye to my wonderful friends.

Mom first introduced me to BSF, twelve years ago, and we attended the Wednesday daytime class while I was in college.  I have been lucky enough to attend the Monday evening class and Tuesday evening class.

While at the Tuesday evening class, I volunteerd to assist in the sound booth and start the music and give sound to the sanctuary during class.  It is an honor to be a part of an organization whose mission is to spread the word of God across thirty-eight nations all over the world.

This year’s study of Genesis was impactful on my life as I studied how Abraham was obedient to follow his faith.  It was a reminder that we all make mistakes- but God is a forgiving God and He always brings His people back.  Abraham lead a satisfying life, had a son Isaac when he was beyond his years, had a son with many descendants, and even found a faithful wife, Rebekah, for the son he almost sacrificed.

Bible Study is a large part of my week and it has grown over the years. I have met lifelong friends and have enjoyed countless hours of fellowship.  As life changes, I figured it was time to settle in to the house, life, and marriage.  Once the dust settles, I hope to be back.

Bikini Bod

In my head I am in my twenties and strutting my stuff. Is there an unspoken rule that one must stop wearing bikinis after the age of, let’s say, late thirties?

 

When the mister said something about wearing matching UT swim suites for spring break I started to seriously consider the thought of acting like a college girl (again) and wear a white and burnt orange ruffled bikini to chase da boyz around.  Come to think of it, things haven’t changed all that much expect that da boyz are an eight and a six year old.

It was fun remembering how to explain to my parents as to why I was wondering around the market in Mexico, without any shoes on and wearing just my bathing suite; only to blame my hangover on the ice from the margaritas.

These days I am much smarter about sitting on the beach. I can never get my youthful un-freckled skin back.  One thing is for certain: drinking piña colas from a coconut is a blast, no matter your age.

Another Race Weekend

This weekend was Tour de New Braunfels with races on both Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, we planned it such that I rode to the start of the race and the mister drove. Then I watched his race and then we drove back together followed by massages and pasta dinner. In short, the mister SAGed me. I SAGed the mister, and then we SAGed each other.

It is only that I ride that I can enjoy the excitement of racing. Basically, I sit around for an hour or two to watch the pack ride by for 1 second. If the race is long enough to where there is a feed zone, I do the above while holding water bottles.

I am super proud that Mr. ICU has entered the racing scene and is having fun with the experience. To show my support , I decided that Team Ricky needed a Garmin 5 Series and bestowed his Valentine's Day gift early- in time for race weekend. While at the bike shop getting the Garmin installed, he decided to order me a new bike verses getting a replacement cassette for my old worn one. Imagine my surprise when I discovered my new bike cost more than our wedding.

Once again, the mister has rocked my world and I am as happy as a cranberry merchant is on Thanksgiving Day.

3.14.13

This picture has nothing to do with the post only to show you my nerd glasses- that I love.  I'm sexy and I know it.

 

It occurred to me that I may not have told you about our wedding plans. The trip is booked, rings are engraved, dresses are hemmed and flowers have been ordered.

 

Over spring break, when Mr. ICU and I have da boyz, we will be cruising over to Mexico. On March 14th, when we dock in Cozumel, we will have an in intimate ceremony on the beach. Dad, Lydia, and Alexis will be joining us.

 

A beach wedding has always been a dream of mine and I still cannot believe that this is becoming a reality. I have to admit there were days that I did not think we were going to pull it off because the logistics and the legal aspect have been quite complicated. It was not until the mister's passport arrived, a week ago, that the wedding became actual.

 

A dear friend of mine once told me that I needed to marry a person that I could always carry a conversation with because when looks fade, I could still sit next to that person and at least talk to them. My dreams were confirmed when Mr. ICU and I spent every minute of the last two weeks together. By the end of the last week, Mr. ICU was still laughing at my jokes and not once did I wake in the middle of the night with the pillow just a little too close to my face. I knew he was the one when I could tell him that I loved him, even threw gritted teeth. Sure, he can get my blood boiling but it is love that binds us. Love and my new glasses.

Copperas Cove, 2013

Barbieandherbike provided SAG support for Team Ricky in his first bike road race on Saturday. The early morning started as any good SAG does and the SAG slept on the drive out to the race. Once the numbers were pinned and water bottles in cages, I drove to the feed zone. It was a cold and windy morning and I was glad to be standing on the side of the road rather than riding my bike in a strong and cool crosswind.

Watching the riders speed by was exciting and really got my energy going. Not knowing what kind of support would be provided; I was prepared with five extra water bottles and a zip lock full of energy blocks. I found myself guarding all the bottles for my rider. When the riders came by I would hold each bottle in my hand and cross my arms as if to say, “back up buddy these aren’t for you, don’t even think of reaching your arm out.”

Once the lap was complete, I drove to each corner turn and started jumping and waving my arms to make sure Team Ricky could see me. Before I knew it, I was doing jumping jacks to ensure Team Ricky could see my teal jacket. There was no crowd to mix in with and it was not the teal jacket that stood out; but the crazy girl yelling and jumping in the middle of the road.

Ten years of bike riding, racing has not been something that I wanted to venture in. For now, being the SAG for Team Ricky and me riding recreational rides will suffice.

Rock My World

A week into my two week stay-cation (a stay at home vacation), Mr. ICU is ready to send BarbieandherBike back to work.   We have not strangled each other, though we have gotten close a couple times, or taken the plunge to the JP’s office. I am happy to report that our passports have arrived and Mexico- here we come!  We are less than days away from a legal beach wedding.

 

 

 

To keep me busy, I have a make shift office, which consists of an iron board as a desk; and a yoga dojo/spin room that has been my retreat.  If it was not for the constant house shacking trembles, I would definitely feel a bit more relaxed. 

 

So I am in warrior pose…

 

breathing …

 

and there is a loud BOOM. 

 

The ground vibrates and the windows sway back and forth.  I stand and wait for the floor to drop beneath me. I look up and expect the ceiling to crack and swallow me into the soon to be collapsed house.  I think how will I ever peel myself out of warrior pose with bent legs and twisted arms.  Roxy and I quickly scramble for each other and I decide it must be all the frickin’ fracking going on.

 

 

Later, I find out that it is fighter pilots flying test flights and breaking the sound barrier. This can not be good.  Does the government know what is going on down here?  Do I need to call someone to get some quite around here?  Or/ at least get the house to stop shacking like a quake hit? 

 

On second thought, maybe it is Mr. ICU trying to show me that he can really rock my world.