tortillas, butter, and shout outs

For the first time this summer, I had tortillas and butter as a little appetizer last night at Mi Cocina. Why am I writing about this and other foods all the time? Because I just love it. That is why! If you don't ever eat tortillas and butter at mexican restaurants, (gooooood mexican restaurants)... you owe it to yourself to cheat on your diet just a baby bit. Pleaseeee!! For the love of your tummy!!

Okay, okay- I will stop talking about food for now, but not forever! Today I will dedicate this short blog post to shout outs! First and foremost I want to say hello to Megan and Ranger Ewing and congratulate them on the BIG news of having a little baby in December!! If you have followed my bloggy blog, you know that Megan is my Bible study leader and Stranger Ranger is my boss at Pita Pit- more importantly they are my friends. They are such exemplary role models to me and my siblings- it is a BIG God stop that they are in my life! Love you both and I can't wait to spend some quality time with y'all this summer.

2nd Shout Out- Remember Callie, the bff? She has parents. Kelly and Paul. I found out two nights ago while watching some hideous recordings of my youth at their house that Mrs. Gittemeier has been following my blog- this is truly an honor. I believe that takes my known follower count up to 9 or 10! Mr. and Mrs. Gittemeier have always made me feel welcome in their home and raised 4 pretty wonderful people that I have enjoyed knowing over the last 10 years. As promised- here is to you, Kelly and Paul! Love you guys!

(Callie's dad as Superman. It was on facebook, so I feel it is public information.)
3rd Shout Out- Embily--- Carlsbad and I miss you! I am dreading going back to our little house without you guys. That is really all I have to say. Come visit soon!

4th Shout Out- Hello to my future Zister In Law, Sarah. I recently (almost 3 days ago) attended an intense super workout class with this power lifter and I am still reallllyyyy feeling it. Even more today than before. Ouch. Lots of ouch. But now I am on a roll, and I owe it all to you, ZIL! We can't wait for you to be a Gillis! Thanks for including me in your quest to be super fit :)

Sarah in action, shortly after running a 2000 mile marathon.

Thats all for now, folks. Conroe and I will just be here enjoying some old 90210 if you want to join. You have all my love :)

Bye, say bye!

Whitley Athleen

summer bummin'

I am home- I am loving it! Do I have to go back to school next week?? Yes. Am I thinking about that right now? Nope! I am thinking about Dallas, friends, family, and all of the wonderful things I have already enjoyed on my mini vacation. What kinds of things you ask? I'll tell you.
1. Going to Hawaiian Falls with MB and Camper's school. Special thanks to guest chaperone Ryan! We had a blast bossing wet children around. I especially enjoyed catching up with the lovely miss Kelly Cole, she has kept me laughing since the ripe age of 4.

2. Waco- Baylor honored Emily and the Stuller family at graduation last saturday, May 15. It was really neat to be a part of it all and to see some of my other friends graduate. My Baylor friends are fun, and it is always nice to see Ryan and Mr. Nemec, too :).

3. Eating and snacking with Jan- my mom is the queen of good eats and good snacks. Lunch at 12, cookies at 2, sushi at 4?? Why the heck not?! We only live once and I have developed a strong appreciation for the good eats of Dallas over the years. Special thanks to you, Janpie for being my mother and the Queen of Snacking! Some of my favorite Dallas snacks are as follows:

Mi Cocina Guacamole- not the guac in that picture, but you get the idea.


I don't know this girl, and I hope she does not mind being featured on my blog. However, it looks like she works at the BEST little cake place in town, Nothing Bundt Cakes. Catchy name=addictive bundts. This is a new snack place that I first tasted over SB2010- people if you are in Dallas and you know how to get to Preston and Royal make your way over to this little bakery QUICK. They make these perfect snack size little "bundtinis"... I will let the cake speak for itself.



Sushi sushi sushi snacks- we just love em. Kona Grill in Northpark has a wonderful little sushi happy hour from 3-7 everyday of the week, but get there early. You will have to sit in the bar. Is it worth it? Yes!

4. Enough of food.. you guys are probably getting pretty hungry! Something else VERY cool and VERY fun happened on Friday. Ryan and I chaperoned ( yes, again) the Vista Academy's trip to the brand new Cowboy Stadium. That place is very beautiful and very large. I happen to be a dedicated and loyal Dallas Cowboy's fan, therefore being there in the presence of their new home connected us on a greater level.

Other awesome stuff I have been doing? Ping pong-ing with friends, Top Golf trips, lunching, churching... Typs home stuff. I am looking forward to continuing on with my leisurely summer attitude for the remainder of the week until I shift back into school/Pita mode. I am thankful for this break, but also thankful for summer school. It gives peeps like me some extra time to catch up. Being back in College Station without my best girl friends will be tricky, but I am 22 now. Time to be grown up and handle it!

I'll be back soon- this time for real.
Bye, Say bye!!

Whitley

terminar

That means to finish- or to end. In Español. Which I ended yesterday! Well.. until I start Spanish 3 on the 17th. Don't rain on my parade, I am celebrating these small scholarly victories. I just know I am going to get good at blogging again- and it all starts today! This blog is happy, sad, and hopefully enjoyable to read. Let's get this party started by giving a shout out to one of my favorite ladies: Audrey Marie Nardecchia.

also introducing "The Point"- this is Aud's signature move. Audrey turned 22 yesterday.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUU!!!! Celebrating her birthday was full of karaoke, laying out and delicious dinner. Audrey's birthday is especially special to me because SHE is so special to me. I became friends with Audrey on MySpace (yeah, I had one...judge me) after our senior year. We had some mutual Southlake/Grapevine friends that just knew we would be buds. We both went tri-delt, bothed loved to dance and be hilarious, and the rest is history. Cheerleader of ALL, Audrey is the person you want to have on your team. She is so sweet, SO easy to talk to, and she listens pretty well too. VERY well, actually. I can't say enough wonderful things about her, and I look forward to our many years of friendship. She moves to Houston this summer to take over all of the apartment complexes there, and I am going to miss her terribly. Love you, Audra!!

On another happy note- Congratulations to all of my graduating friends. For those of you that are SO out of the loop, my friends are seniors, so am I. The difference is they are leaving College Station in the dust, and I am not. But who is complaining? Oh wait, I am. Ha.. no really, I have come to terms with it. Obviously. Anyhow, I am so proud of them and seeing what God does in their lives in the "real world"- Go get em!

This is me with my sibs after my first graduation-don't we look like sharp little babies??

Aside from the celebratory nature of today, my family actually does not just love this day. Today is May 12, 2010. Ten years ago my dad's older brother Clay was killed in a plane crash in Houston. Now there is nothing light, good, or fun about that, but all of those characteristics are exactly what encompass our memories of Clay. Clay was the fun Uncle that we all would cling to, especially my brother and cousin Kyle. He left behind a lovely wife Pam, his daughters Jenny, Jill, and Kristen, and a whole bunch of sad extended family. We miss him. All the time. Clay's death was very hard on everyone, I know, but seeing what it did to my dad and Campbell was especially hard. He and Campbell both are so sensitive inside their grumpy shell, and I know it has taken a great work of the Lord to heal their hearts. If you are the praying kind- do me a big favor... Pray for Jenny, Jill, KK, Pam, and the rest of our family today. I know the Lord has worked in this heartache for the good of many within my family, and I know He will continue to in the next ten years. That is just what He does! A couple of my favorite pictures I have of Clay:

Clay and his brothers- look how skinny they are!

grilling out... typical me.

have a wahhhhhnduhful day, darlings.

bye, say bye!
whitley

PBB

helloooooooooooo to all my peeps! Let me just start off by apologizing to the 4 of you that check this thing every once in a while... I have been busy and negligent and I am sorry to just now update you on my very exciting life. My last post, about Carley Rae's big day was one that was sure to leave you hanging-alot has happened since then!! I will give a quick run-down of the "big stuff":

1. My sister MB turned 25 on Friday- Goodness she is getting old. And more miraculous every year! Love ya, sista.

(MB's homecoming outfit- Special thanks to Jan and the Dallas Costume Shop for this beautiful photo!)

2. Sallye and Jillian came and stayed at our house- I promised these 2 ladies a shout out, so here it is. I was inspired to know that my fame has proceeded me all the way back to LHHS. Go cats! Go Jillian and Sallye, as well :)

3. My friend Zack recently got accepted to Teach For America- this is a HUGE honor and our whole household is so so so so so so so so so proud!!

4. I went to Dallas this past weekend- celebrated MB, Anna, myself, and I saw my parents. It was a short but much needed trip home.

5. ANNA ZAPATA got engaged!! ON Friday!! Anna is one of my best friends from high school, who I have missed terribly throughout college. She goes to MIZZOU-RAH and will be getting married next year. She and Michael are so cool, so fun, and so hip. A true recipe for successful matrimony. Love you both!



6. I turned 22 on Sunday, which was yesterday. That's right, it was my birthday! Thanks VERY much to all of you who made it so very special, (you know who you are), it was one of my best birthdays yet!! A group of friends went to Lake Tyler and we stayed with the Tomlinson family who really outdid themselves when it came to hospitality. As Britt T's cups said.. "Live, Love, Lake."





7. I am officially done with classes for this semester as of today... just not quite done with the class-work. Boo.

I, unlike many of my friends, am not graduating within the next couple of weeks. I am very sad not to be done with school, because school is like poison to me. I am also starting to get very sad that certain people will not be in my life anymore. At least not on a day to day or week-to-week basis. I have complained, cried, and been very homesick and anti-Aggie plenty of times over the last few years, but God put me here for a reason. I just know He did, and a big part of that reason was so that I could meet certain people that have molded my life in big ways. These people are so loving and so fun- aren't friends the very best??? Mine are, I have decided.

Don't get me wrong, Shroomies. I'm glad to be in the place and stage that I am in. It is good for me and I am thankful. But I am also looking forward to a little 2 week vacay in Dallas next week! WOOHOOOO! Northpark- here I come! Can't wait to see my Dallas girls and lay around with Connie Roe Roe and JanPie. I really miss those two!

I will blog again tomorrow- this is too much fun. I am SO regretting my absence, but hey, what can ya do? Love you guys- hope you have a TARriffic Tuesday!

bye, Say bye!

Whit

a king size show!

Carl and I are just hanging out watching That Thing You Do. If you have never seen this or never watched it enough times to lovvveee it, watch it again! Please? Today is a great movie day. It has been a few days since I last posted, but let me be clear. I have been very busy! Doing what? I'll tell you just like I always do :)

1. Friday- JanPie, DD, and MB came in town! Carley Rae turned 20 20 20 20 on Saturday so we enjoyed some Naked Fish sushi that night, then celebrated even more at Ryan's ring dunk! It is very charming to watch a bunch of guys chug a whole pitcher of beer.. just take my word for it. Seriously, though. We had a delightful evening, wrapping it all up with The Question Game, an HDCDS favorite! Pics to prove it:



2. Saturday- Carley Rae's birthday is finally here! Was finally here. Either way, we partied. Lunch at Madden's, afternoon at the house, a much needed nap (poor Carl had been working herself to the BONE!), and then my family members from out of town had to go back to Dallas. That is always sad, because we love having them here. Really nice people. My mom is probably the very best person to have around on a birthday, she makes you feel like one hundred dollars. Thanks Jan, for being the birthday celebrating queen!!
The party was far from over. Carl's pals came over for some delicious appetizer style dinner, wrapped up with some Sopapilla cheesecake (thanks Hannah!). It was so chill. So CarlsBad. Perfect way to celebrate 20 years of my favorite girl who is my very best friend... and thats a fact!! The Gillis family is SO lucky to have her.


3. If you have not seen the movie Date Night, make that your first priority. That Thing You Do can be second, because you can rent it or buy it on DVD. Date Night just came out so it may not be out for a while, making it VERY important that you see it. It was laugh out loud funny and only a tiny bit crude. I hate crude things, I really do. A must see, I promise!!

This is all I have for now- another successful weekend. 2 week countdown until May 2, 2010. If you don't know what day that is... well I am disappointed.

all my love and bye, say bye!

Whitley A. Gillis

i love ya, tomorrow...

You're only a day away!
Do I love that musical? Yes. Was I in it one time? Yes. Did I play the red-headed orphan Annie? Well.. no. Neil Mcclung did. But I should have had the part. Whatever.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. It will be Friday. I am sick of this week. Too much school, too many papers, and today I wake up and my lip is swollen as if I have been stung by a monstrous bee. How does that happen? Beats me.
Don't get me wrong. There has been good in this week too- Carley Wednesday was yesterday! She will be 20 on Saturday, and we celebrated with Mr.Crewz. If you don't know who that is, it is because you are not in it. Gosh, we are so clique-y. Besides the delicious chicken sandwiches and fun times we all had, this week has been a real bore. But I have HIGH hopes for this weekend.
Why??

my mom and DD come in tomorrow. and maybe embreasty too??
Ryan, Bret, Cam, Kevin and some other guys are dunking their rings!
CarlsBad will be 20 on saturday... whoop whoop whoop!
No school on weekends- the very best part :)

Speaking of CarleyGirl, she wrote a funny post last night. Check it out! I have decided to post a picture of the little sister for Carley Thursday- enjoy everyone!


bye, say bye!

WAG

pusher

Ryan is a pusher. Not a drug pusher, a different kind of pusher. He pushes me to do things that I don't want to do, hate doing, but really should do. What the heck am I talking about?? I will tell you.

Today I had the brilliant idea that I wanted to go on a jog. For those of you who do not know me very well, I will offer a bit of my athletic background. I was a serious soccer, softball and volleyball player in elementary school, then put those things behind me to pursue my dream of being a Lake Highlands Junior High Cheerleader in the 7th grade. Before I saw this goal come to life, I anticipated that I would be a shoe-in for the track team. After continuous sprints to the stop sign and back the night before try-outs, I knew that my future as a runner was sealed. Goodbye, LH. Hello Olympics! The next day at try outs.. well let's not even go there! I did not make the cut, the girls that ran the 200 with me cheated... all 3 tries. I just hate cheaters, don't you? After this severe let down I dabbled in Cross Country but decided that was not a long term sport for me because Coach Cook had a chili-bowl haircut and ferrets that she carried in her pockets and I for one, am deathly afraid of ferrets.

From this point on it was short skirts and pom poms, then the glory days of Wranglers in my last years of highschool. I would jog here and there with my mom around the block, but I had decided then and there (in 8th grade), that I would never be a runner. I would have to work on my olympic cheerleading skills, or better yet, become discovered as the next Trisha Yearwood.


proof that the public school system will let anyone, no matter how many braces or how gangly they are, cheer in front of their fans.

What does this have to do with Ryan being a big pusher? I will tell you. Throughout my 4 years as a college student, my body has become a bit softer, I am slower, and I have become slightly(and only slightly) concerned for my health as far as my insides go: my heart, my lungs, my brain, etc. I realize the softer and slower is all apart of become a real grown up lady, and I have accepted that. Either way, I have also heard rumors that exercise cannot and will not hurt you, it may even help in these and other areas. If that is the case, I am interested! But let me get one thing clear: I hate it. The running, the exercise, the sweat, the weights, the crunches, the pain in my chest, the shortness of breath. It is all so sad for me to think about. But here is what I do like about it: The extra energy, the sore muscles, and the fact that I know it is healthy for my bod. I am too young to be this weak. Soooooo- The shrooms and I decided at the beginning of this semester we would be more active and we have been! I am at the rec on a fairly regular basis, taking speed walks around the neighborhood( I am a gooooood speed walker), and jogging when I can. Ryan, however, is a super runner. He can run at least 20 miles. Or something like that. It blows my mind. I wish I could do that... but I have accepted my fate that I probably have severe asthma and my lungs would collapse, so I just can't!

Ryan hates this kind of talk. Today I told him, "hey, lets jog!" And we did. We have only jogged once before, and it was beautiful weather around the beautiful White Rock Lake in Dallas over SB2010. He is good at saying things like, "Come on, don't stop yet, you can do it!" These things are so nice. However, when I am running, these things make me want to push him down. Ahhh I just hate pushing myself, and usually I don't until he makes me. If Ryan ever agrees to run with me again, I am vowing to the bloggy world that I will push a little harder and run a little farther. He says I can, and he says he would never let me run more than I could. I am not training for a marathon or anything like that, but I find that it helps to have a little push(or maybe a big push) in the right direction. In this way, and this way only, I am glad Ryan is a pusher. He knows I want to run, but he also knows I am not that motivated. So thanks Ry, I appreciate you extra today :)

In other news- GLEE IS TONIGHT!! It is back! I am putting on the DVD's of season 1 in order to prepare myself for this day of all days. One of my best pals Nicci is coming over to watch it so we can relive our choir days. Thank you sweet Jesus for such a FUN show that is so fun to watch. 8:30 Central time on Fox! Don't forget, y'all!

much love to you guys!
bye-Say bye :)

whit