Show and Tell Tuesday-Home Edition

It's Show and Tell Tuesday and today we're sharing about our hometowns!

Irving, TX is what I would consider home. 

 

My parents and 2 older sisters moved there when I was 1yrs old. I lived there all my childhood through middle school, high school and college, of course during the summers when I was out of school and was there until graduating from college and getting married. 

Irving is located right next door to Dallas and although according to 2013 records the city population was 228,653 making it the thirteenth most populous city in Texas, when I was there it didn't seem that big. Although its big there is a small town feel about it or was growing up. It is very centrally located, seems you can get to most surrounding cities within 20-30min. I feel like I run into people all the time that are Irving or know someone that is from there, us Irvingites get around. Sadly Irving has changed drastically over the years.

You have technically been to part of Irving if you have ever traveled to DFW airport. Jointly owned by Dallas and Ft. Worth, hence the name DFW Airport, (Dallas Ft. Worth), Irving is one of the cities it is located in as well as Grapevine, Euless, and Coppell. Which happens to the the very reason we moved to there. My dad was a pilot in the Navy, they were stationed in Virgina, where I was actually born, Portsmith, Virgina Naval Base and he got hired by American Airlines. I was born on a Saturday and on Monday he left for Dallas for training, my poor mom. I'm skipping a lot of time and details, but have to mention that from August 1979 until June 25, 1980 (that's a special day, I'll come back to) we lived in New York where my dad flew out of LaGuardia. Flash forward to June 25, 1980 the day we moved to Irving, TX, which also happens to be the very day Ryan Boozer was born, think that was a coincidence, I sure don't.

Most commonly known for the Texas Stadium where the Dallas Cowboys used to play that was up until a few years ago when they built their new stadium in Arlington. The city as since then torn it down and have big plans for something. I still can't get over the big empty spot every time I drive by. 

If you are a golfer you might have heard of Irving because every year, the Byron Nelson Golf Tournament is held at the Las Colinas Four Seasons. Las Colinas is an upscale suburb of Irving, where you might have heard of the if you listen to Kidd Kraddick in the morning. Their studio is right along the Mandalay Canal Walk. At one time the canals used to be a super cute area with shops and restaurants, now its pretty empty but used a lot for great backdrop for senior pictures or bridal portraits. 

 

Senior Pics I took of my nieces at the canals...

 

Family Pics we had done for my mom several years ago at the canals...

1409 Single Tree Trl was the house I called home until the summer before my 8th grade year. My parents thought it might be a good idea for each of their teenagers to be able to have their own room and bathroom. 3 teenage girls sharing one little bathroom was not a pretty sight. 

When we lived here there were two big bushes on front of the windows so it looks really bare here.

We loved this house and neighborhood, we had some wonderful neighbors, lots of kids to play with not just on our street but in the neighborhood. One of my dearest friends Jennifer lived across the street from us and we used to spend hours and hours together, sleepovers, doing hair, playing dress up, putting on plays, making peanut butter oatmeal balls, driving my sisters crazy etc. As much as we loved living here moving to our new house was so exciting, to say it was an upgrade is an understatement. 

The new house was in the hospital district which make then was a very nice part of town. We went from sharing rooms and bathrooms, to like I said before to having our own huge rooms with our own bathrooms and a pool, it was heaven for us! 

 Our new house was never empty or quiet. There was always something going on it felt like. It was the place to hang out! Whether it was just our friends or the college or youth kids from church it was happening. My mom loves to love, feed, and host which is where I get it. You knew if you were coming over you were going to get some yummy food, everyone always talked about my Mama's cooking, especially her Mexican food.

My parents still live there and I love it just the same, I walk in and it feels like home. 

My parents house is the backdrop to a lot of pictures. Every Easter my sisters and I take a crazy picture in front of the house as well as pictures with our families.

 One of the many events my mom's host is our our extended family Christmas, I love these people!

 

One of my most favorite things about their house is my mom's snow village, it's amazing!

Irving ISD

I went to WT Hanes elementary, Crockett Junior High (now Middle School), and Irving High. After graduating from college and moving back to the area (Euless) after a year of being married it was Irving that I began my teaching/coaching career. I spent all my 12.5yrs teaching in the Irving ISD, actually teaching at my junior high and high school, now talk about cool but weird.

All 3 our kids were born in Irving and up until just a few years ago we still went to Irving for dentist and pediatrician. Ryan and I still go to see our primary care doctor and  my girl doctor there. My in laws have been in Irving all these years too, although they recently sold their house of 31yrs and will be moving more towards our direction. So although its changed a bunch and I would never live there it was home and where we do a lot of life still.

Just some Crockett Throwback...

As a player...

 I mean check out this uniform.

As a coach...

This was my first year to coach and at least 3 that of know of these girls are married.

This year my girls went undeated and although we were really good thanks to two players who are playing college ball, Alexis Jones who was at Duke and now at Baylor and the other Aryiel Anderson, the girls drove me cray cray. One minute I loved them and one minute I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the year hence the funny pic we took below. Despite those crazy moments I had a great time coaching them and it will be one of my most memorable. 

 

A little Irving High Throwback...

 I was one of the original members of the Tiger Fever.

 Football in Texas!!!

 Loved watching Ryan play!

 Seniors win Power Puff

Homecoming Throwback...

Ryan and I went to every homecoming together, including me 9th grade year when he was in 8th grade, we were such babies.

 What mums used to look like until they started taking over your body!

 My prom

 We have been doing life with these two for a very long time and I LOVE IT!!!

Coaching at Irving...

I was there for 2yrs but not consecutively. My first year was not what I would call ideal other than the fact I got to coach and be pregnant aside one of my besties Tarenthia. I left after that first year and went back to Crockett, which happened to be the year we went undefeated. Then went back the next year to coach under Tarenthia who became the head coach. 

Plymouth Park Baptist church was another huge part of my Irving life. This is where I attended all my life until just 6yrs ago. I began my walk as a Christian here and grew to learn what it really meant to be a Christian once I got into the youth. When I say we had the best youth group ever I'm not exaggerating. Not only was it huge but we were super connected and we were led by two fabulous youth leaders Keith Smith and Todd Gaston. I would not be where I am today without these men and our pastor Bro Ken. PPBC will always have a special place in my heart. 

When Ryan and I moved back to the area we went right back and began working in the youth. It wasn't until Brady was almost 2 that we decided finding a church closer to our house, where he could development the kind of relationships Ryan and I had with our church/school friends was a good idea.

My parents still attend their and Bro Ken stills is the pastor, so every Christmas I get a chance to go back and it always brings back warm fuzzies.  

 Senior guys and girls at church camp

Keith Smith at our Senior banquet.

 

I always loved listening to Bro Ken bring God's word!

Todd married us, love this guy!

This blog post has brought back so many great memories, I only pray that my kids will be able to look back one day on their hometown and feel the same way I do about mine. 

We have definitely found an amazing place to plant our family. God brought us to a great city, has provided a beautiful home and neighborhood for us, a fantastic school district and most importantly a church that has taken the place of PPBC, which I never thought was possible. I think we are on the right track to building some memories for our kids that will last a lifetime!