Excitement of 2010

Yes, I'm a little late but like the late people always say, "Better late than never"
2009 proved to be a great year! There were definitely struggles but there were also many great moments that made it all worth while. Let's recap:

• Late January/Early February we were hit with a mega ice storm. Our part of the state was declared a disaster area/state of emergency. We were powerless for about 14 days (10 was my breaking point), others for longer than that! No major damage to my house or my parents so we'll just be thankful for that :)
• March 7 Keil and I got engaged!!!
• May my favorite (and only) nephew was born. He is absolutely amazing and pretty handsome too!
• June I bought my wedding dress (okay, maybe not a great big deal but this is my list so only my vote counts)
• July we vacationed with my future sister-in-law and her husband to Jacksonville FL (my first trip to the east coast of FL)
• August had a great girls trip with 4 of my best friends to shop for BM dresses. First time ever that the four of them had met and been in the same location all at once! It was a glorious day :)
• September I cut ties with someone who had been a great friend for many years. It was tough but necessary.
• December Keil quit his job and I freaked out about it (and still do occassionally) But, ended the year with lots and lots of family time, which was great!

I've learned a lot from this past year. Most importantly, people will suprise you, in both good ways and bad. So, learn to roll with the punches, stay positive and life will be good, eventually :)

Okay, so I've never been one to make resolutions but I thought this year I'd set some goals (not resolutions) for myself. There are some areas of my life that could be improved so we are going to focus on those first. Here ya go, my 2010 Goals:

Fun –

• To spend at least one night a month out with girlfriends
• To really have date night with my fiancé at least once a month, just the two of us!
• To have a “personal day” and destress once a month
• To get organzied, really organzied! One thing at a time :)
  

Family –

• To spend more time with my family, quality time!
• To put my family above work, no matter the reason
• To be more forgiving of those around me

Faith –

• To work on my relationship with God
• Spend more time being grateful and thankful for the blessings that I have
• Share more of myself with those who are in need

Financial –

• To shop less and save more

Happy 2010!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

This is my favorite time of year! I love to drive around look at the Christmas (not holiday) lights and decorations, listen to Christmas music, wrap presents (yes, I love to wrap), and decorate my house with my millions of snowmen! The other day on my lunch break I went to the mall to have a link taken out of my new watch that Keil bought me for my birthday and I ventured into The Red Wagon. They have all kinds of antiques, little signs, wreaths and now they have Christmas decorations. I came across this little grapevine snowman and just had to have him.

He has found a home under our Christmas tree, making sure no one peaks before Christmas Day! Probably the best $12 I've spent this week :) And, speaking of things under the Christmas tree, look what caught my eye this morning... I cannot wait to open this one!

On another note, my Christmas vacation started today...woo-hoo! I'm offically off until January 4th. I'm planning to work a little for my dad, just to have some extra cash but other than that no work until next year!

Keil and I have planned a date night to see "Did You Hear About the Morgans?". We saw a preview back in October and he hasn't stopped talking about it since.

Hope you all have a great weekend and a Merry Christmas!

Adventures In Babysitting

Yesterday, I made plans to pick up my nephew, Davin, after I got home from work. So, I left the school and rushed (without speeding because I try not to do that as much now) home to pick up the car seat and go get him. My parents usually have him on the weekends but they aren't great about sharing him! I always make sure to see him when he is there but we never get any good, quality Auntie/Nephew time.

When I picked him up, I mentioned to his mom that I didn't have to work today and she said I could just keep him overnight...YAY! Sleepover time :) I always have so much fun with him! We first went to visit my neighbor and one of my best friends, Kristen, who loves Davin almost as much as I do. She offered to watch him while I carried all of his stuff in (the jumper from moms, clothes, and food), who knew a baby could need so much?!? After Keil got home, he cooked dinner, which he has been doing more and more lately, I could really get used to that! We spent some time playing in the jumper, on our tummy time mat and with the puppies, we had some baby food, a bottle and then got good and comfy and ready for bed. Most of my friends who have kids tell horror stories about how their baby doesn't sleep at night and is up every hour or so and I don't know if Davin is just an exception or if I always get really lucky. He always sleeps all night long. I put him down at 8:30 and he slept until 6:06 this morning! I changed him, feed him and we took a nap for about an hour. I've gotten so much accomplished today, dishes, laundry, dusting and sweeping...I think may be able to handle life with a baby around...DON'T WORRY, no plans for one in the near future, I'm just saying, if needed, I could totally do it!

He's napping now so I'm taking a little break too! Here are some pics from our sleepover: He loves my snowman!

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...and a little thanks!

well, it wasn't just a today...here is the back story: A few weeks ago I was driving Keil's truck and practically ran it out of gas. No, the truck didn't turn itself off but I had been 324 miles on a tank of gas that usually only lasts 300. I was still about 25 miles from a gas station so at 10:30 on a Saturday night, I had to call Keil and beg him to come and get me (he was great though, he didn't complain, he just laughed a little), a few days later I locked my neighbors keys in her car. I was trying to be a good neighbor, really! I noticed her doors were unlocked and she wasn't home and Keil and I were leaving to go out of town, so I kindly opened her passenger door, made sure the keys were not in the ignition and locked the doors. The next morning, I learned that she keeps her keys in passenger seat and she didn't have a spare! CRAP! Last week, I got a speeding ticket on my way to work and the best part was I didnt even have my wallet containing my license with me! The nice officer only wrote me a ticket for speeding...DOUBLE CRAP! Then, last night Keil and I went to workout after work and then to dinner. On the way home I hit a MAJOR pothole and it not only flattened my tire but it bent my rim...on my new car! And when I say flattened my tire, I dont mean it caused my tire to loose air, it punctured my tire...no repair possible! So, I called my local tire dealer...$255 for one freakin tire! Plus, I have to buy a new rim...lowest price so far...$185! CRAP, CRAP, CRAP!
Luckily, I have an extra car to drive while I figure out what in the world to do with my mess. On a positive note, I read "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day to my students this afternoon, it only seemed fitting! I have always really liked that book and my kids found it to be super funny...although, it didn't make all the CRAP go away, it did lighten my mood :)

Now, enough with the ranting! With this month bringing us Thanksgiving and reminding us of all the great things we have to be thankful for, I have been challenged to write down one thing each day that I am thankful for. It seems that in the midst of our chaotic lives, we sometimes forget that we have so many things to be grateful and thankful for. So, with today being Veterans Day, I thought it was a perfect day to start writing down what I am thankful for. Today, I am thankful for all of the great men and women who risk their lives for our amazing nation and to their families who sacrifice birthdays, anniversaries and holidays with loved ones so that we may live freely.

All Kinds of Wonderful

Yesterday was GREAT! Not only did I get an extra hour of sleep yesterday morning but I got to lay in bed with my puppies and enjoy the peacefulness of a quiet house and a great cup of coffee. Nothing beats Sunday mornings (unless I'm running late for church). Keil was gone to clean the Rhino from his excursion on Saturday so I went to my moms to for a little while before church. Mostly so she could get ready and I could spend some quality time with Davin. As I was getting ready to leave she said to me, "Do you wanna see one of your birthday presents?" and I thought, "Really, does she know who she is talking to?" Of course I told her yes! And out of her closet she pulls a Gander Mountain Bag...I thought to myself "What in the world have they gotten me at Gander Mountain?" In she reaches and pulls out the AMAZING whiteness...A new Northface Coat. Music started to play in the background and the sun began to shine :) It is PERFECT! Now, my birthday isn't until December 14th so I asked her if she was gonna let me keep it or if I had to wait...she let me take it home! I was so excited, I couldn't wait for Keil to get home so I could share the good news. He thinks it great because now he doesn't have to get it for me! I was really hoping it would be cold enough to wear it this morning but no luck, I'll have to wait until another day. Anyway, my Dad washed my car while I was there too! And it really needed it.
After church, Keil and I had our engagement pictures. We decided to have them taken at Pennyrile, the same place we are having the wedding because it is super pretty, especially in the fall. Upon arrival we met our photographer, Ashley and her husband, Brandon. We were both a little nervous because we had never had professional pictures taken but Ashley was great! We had so much fun & can't wait to see the proofs!
Later in the evening we had dinner with some friends, Chad & Heather, who are expecting in December. We hadn't seen them in a few months so it was nice to catch up and we even got to see ultrasound pics of the baby boy! I think all of our friends are on the "baby wagon" now...but we love them anyway :)
A week or so ago I bought a little wooden sign to hang in my bedroom and it says "LOVE is what makes the world go 'round. Yesterday was a great reminder of how true that is...

Hope you all have a great week!

Choose Me

This morning I was cleaning out and organizing our closet and I had a "moment". Keil is at work so it's just me and the puppies (and a warm cup of coffee) working on our disaster of a closet. I had the radio on, and being Saturday morning the Jeff Foxworthy countdown was in full swing. I always listen to it because not only is there great music but Jeff Foxworthy has some great commentary and I love the interviews he does with country music artists. Well, as I was listening I heard him start an interview with a new artist, whom I had never heard of, Tim Johnson. The interview was funny,as usual, and they were talking about this new song that Tim wrote. He said he and his team of writers were trying to do something different and so they decided to write this song from a dogs perspective. I thought it would be a funny song...Boy, was I wrong! It was a song called Choose Me (the Tim Johnson Band) and it was about the life of a stray dog. Now, most people would have thought, "oh, that's a sweet song" or "that is so sad" but me, being the dog lover I am cried uncontrollably through the entire song. I actually had to stop what I was doing and sit on the bed and cry! I was kinda glad Keil wasn't home because he would have made fun of me. I have 3 lovely (well, most of the time) dogs and 2 of them were rescues. One from the Humane Society and the other was found during the big icestorm last year and needed a good home. Keil says I'm a big sucker, I just think I have a big heart!
Anyway, if you have a minute it's most definitely worth listening to.

Check the Calendar!

Boy, it has been forever since I've blogged! Mainly because I just haven't been able to find the time. I've been working like crazy for the last few weeks, I was a little behind on my office work since the battle with mono and my programs are in full swing. I told my mom the other night I was thinking of subleasing my house :) At least then someone would be getting some use out of it.

So, a lot has been going on since my last blog. Keil and I selected our wedding invitations and ordered them...they are adorable! I'll have to put up a pic for you all to see. We also selected our wedding photographer and set a date for our engagement pics!! This past Friday was the one year mark, everyone says it will fly by now. Hopefully, I'll be able to stay on top of the planning and keep my sanity. I think I've done pretty well so far, most of the bigger things are checked off my list. Something else that I must brag about is this: the other day our church was having this rummage sale and I noticed a little white dress, after giving it a closer look, I noticed that it was an Alfred Angelo flower girl dress...priced at $1.50 yes, you read that right, ONE DOLLAR AND 50 CENTS! It had a small stain on it but my mom went to work and it came right out. Now, we just have to get a sash for it and the flower girl dresses will be complete!

Now, I need to vent a little! Last night as I was driving home from a meeting I drove past Lowes and something caught my eye...it was lights from a Christmas tree, well several trees actually but you get the point! Really?!? It isn't even Halloween! I love Christmas and I love nothing more than to decorate for Christmas but not until December. I would feel so much better about it if it were November but seriously, it's October 7th! Put the Christmas trees/decorations away!

We're thinking of going to the pumpkin patch this weekend...I love the pumpkin patch! I would have really liked to have gone this past weekend but we simply didn't have the time so we're a little behind but we'll get there :)