2011 in Review

This year has been one carazy year. Tons of fun stuff to reflect on, so lets take a trip down memory lane, shall we?

January - brought in the new year right.  Spent it with family and friends drinking, eating, dancing, singing.  It was perfection.  I find that over the years, going out and going crazy lost it’s appeal.  Staying in and bringing in 2011 at home felt right.

Went on photography adventure with my mom in downtown Birmingham

February – Mom and I with the help of my wonderful husband who drove us to Ohio and waited anywhere between 5-6 hours for us to get through all the lines where we met the Pioneer Woman and got her book signed.

I also started my new job as an HR manager.  SCARY!!!!!!!!!

March – Started making my own Ice Chai Latte’s – YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!

April – I talked about my favorite things

 

May – Mike and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary by keeping it low key.  We went out to lunch, saw a movie, had some ice cream and had dinner.  YAY!

My mom won tickets to the Oprah show’s very.last.show. no joke.  So we took the train down to Chicago and spent 3 days there sight seeing and having a wonderful time.

June – We got rained out in a big way.

July – Did some more with my photography, once again using Birmingham and Royal Oak as my muse

Treated myself to a lovely massage

Saw a Tiger Game with Mike and Family.

- Took our first pregnancy test and it came back positive!!!!

August – We celebrated a bunch of birthdays including

- My dad
- Mike
- My nephew

We also found out we were officially pregnant!!!!!!! Due in March!

September – Mike and I visited Washington DC and some friends.

October – Celebrated my birthday by visiting Saugatuck on the west side of the state with the Hubs.  We stayed at a very cute bed and breakfast, walked around the town, had a delicious lunch and bought a painting for our kitchen.  It was lovely!

 

November – Celebrated our 4th Thanksgiving with one another, Prepared for the holidays

Got a shellac manicure for the first time that lasted like 17 days.

 

December – Celebrated our 5th Christmas together, started putting the nursery together, paid off 2 credit cards (woot) Saved more money for baby fund, and ate a lot!

2011 was amazing.  No joke.  I am so grateful to God that he has blessed me and my family with goodness this year.  I traveled this year, I met new people, I tried new things, I failed at others, I saw a lot of movies, didn’t read nearly half as many books as I wanted, started a new job, found out we were pregnant, found out we were having a baby boy, kicked ass with our finances, and learned to love more and truly be grateful for all our blessing because life is good.  Looking forward to an amazing 2012

'Tis the Season

It's right around this time we all decide to give a little more than usual, try a little harder to be nice, remember to send cards to those we haven't bothered to pick up the phone just to chat in months. I do it too. The whole year I get wrapped up in me, my life, my problems... and once again the season comes around I am reminded that this season is much more than the gifts under the tree, the perfect decorations we set up in our home, the gingerbread candle we burn on our coffee tables. It's about Jesus, who was born on this day to live and die for us. It's about giving than receiving.

I wish I was better at applying these things year round - remembering and actively participating in my faith on a constant basis rather than a holiday basis, being nicer throughout the year to those around me whether or not I know them, to giving more than receiving, to not being selfish and remember that I am only human. I am imperfect. I get caught up in "making memories" and building traditions. And while those are magical things, I have to remember it's not everything. Sitting down and reflecting on all my blessings. I have so many. And remembering that not every aspect of my life is going to be perfect. Nor should I want it too. I am seriously blessed. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with emotion thinking how God has blessed me. How am I so lucky?

We are doing an Adopt a Family at work. The family is going through hard times, hard times I hope I'll never have to endure. They have three small children and the parents want to be able to provide something to their children... I can't say I blame them. So I signed up to purchase a couple gifts for the children. They wrote out what they wanted (toys) and I went to Target to pick them up. I didn't think too much about it that day, just grabbed some stuff off the shelves, threw them in my cart and checked out. A couple days later, I brought them back out to wrap them and I just stared at the presents and almost started crying. I was able to do this for that family. Me. It's not like I am rolling around in the dough, yet I was able to provide those parents a couple gifts for their children to open on Christmas day. That's a blessing. That I was able to do that for that family. Now I am not looking for kudos on doing a nice deed, I am simply stating that at that moment in time I didn't realize how lucky I am to give this season.

I am going to make a conscience effort to do better not just this holiday season but year round because God has blessed me enough to where I can. Tis the season to do better to be better and to give!

Candy Cane Survey

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What is your favorite Christmas movie? - Oh geeze! I love so many! But I think Home Alone is up there and A Christmas Carole. But I love so many!

Favorite Christmas song? Josh Grobin's - Believe or Noel both are so good. Christmas Shoes gets me all emotional everytime I hear it.
Favorite Holiday Memory? Running around to the different grandparents houses when we were younger. Pure bliss.

What is your favorite cookie/treat to make? The classic Peanut Butter Kiss cookie. Total yums!

Have you ever made an igloo? Haha! I think we definitely tried!
Do you love Starbucks? Of course!

Favorite Christmas Decoration? Hmmm, I am a big fan of our mistletoe above our kitchen doorway into our hall.

Do you hang stockings? We sure do! But our little puppy is a big fan of barking at them and biting at it so they are tucked away till Christmas eve!

Where will you be spending Christmas this year? Mike and I both come from very big close families so we will of course be spending time with both.

Lists are my BFF

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I know I am not the only one with a crazy to-do list. This time of year sends everyone into a frantic spiral to whackytown. Heck, I just visited there the other day! It's not as fun as you thought. Anyway, with parties, traditions, cards, gifts, family, food... etc etc it's hard to keep it all straight. I always carry around with me a pad of paper to jot down a quick note and more importantly my TO-DO! In an effort to hold myself accountable I am going to share with you my To-do list that I need to accomplish in the next couple of weeks.

- Purchase Christmas stamps
- Finish writing Christmas cards and mail
- Finish editing photo shoot (sorry Jenn/Deuce!)
- Pick up toys for adopt a family for work and wrap them
- Go for 2nd Glucose test (wish me luck!)
- Pick up cookie ingredients for Pumpkin/Chocolate chip cookies and Pizelle's
-Finish Christmas shopping (only 9 more people to get!)
- Pick up wrapping paper
- Start wrapping gifts
- Clean out closest
- Clean out and wash car (oye!)
- Pick up gift/card for Aunt M coming into town
- Get oil change
- Get with Heather to give Bday gift/card
- Pick up birthday gift for a cousin's baby's 1st Bday party
- Pick up baby crib and (hopefully) put it together :)

Phew! That felt good to write out. In other news only 16 days left till im on a 10 day vacation (including weekends) Let me tell you, it will so nice to relax for the rest of the year after such a crazy but happy year. Tonight I plan on getting the house picked up and catching up on some laundry... it's never ending I tell you!

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!