The Last Post of 2010

This crazy-busy life of ours has been totally ordinary lately.  I love it.  I probably tell B that too often, how much I enjoy being at home all day, spending time with Becks and doing house stuff.  I'm giving him a complex about me working and him being at school.  Which is totally not my intention. I just love being at home, and honestly, I'm a whole lot nicer in general when I don't have to stress about school stuff. {You wouldn't believe it, I haven't even so much as thought about teaching next week.  I haven't planned or even visited my classroom since before break.  And you know what I say about that: yay for me!  I just wanted to enjoy my time with these boys of mine.  And I have.}

The weather is bunches warmer and the snow finally melted away yesterday.  Becks and I took the opportunity to get outside.  He decided he wanted to be a fleece polar bear pj pants wearin' kinda fire fighter.  And I let him. 

He found a twigish branch in someones yard and insisted on carrying it home.  While riding his bike.  He said it was a reindeer antler.  It dose kind of resemble the one that the Grinch used to tie on top of his dog, no?

We also water colored yesterday.  And Becks became rather disenchanted when he splashed some water on the kitchen floor.  It was kind of cute how upset he was!

In other ordinary life-isms...

Becks and B play the guitar before bed...

I've written and mailed thank-you notes!  This is a huge plus for me.  I'm not the best thanker.

And, apparently, The Wiggles drank a little too much egg nog and wrecked the Big Red Car under our living room chair.  I'm happy to report that Murray, Greg, Anthony, and Jeff are still, well, happy as they always are...

To end our year on an ordinary note, we're hanging out as a family and toasting with Capri Suns at midnight.   If we stay up that late.  Happy New Year!

This is the "Cheeeeeeese" smile :)

Lessons My 2-Year-old Teaches Me...

Lesson #486:

Never leave playdoh, pretzels, and a toddler unattended for any amount of time...

Little stinker.



Soooo not an exciting post.

It took everything out of me to come out of my Christmas jammies to go to Target this morning.  I have been 200% content to wear them for four days straight.  They're comfortable, cozy, and Christmasy.  So, there will be no What I Wore Wednesday posts anytime soon, seeing that I would be posting this same picture for 4/7 of the week.

More humorously, Becks did wear Christmas jammies to Target {at his request} and he was still sporting a bedhead poof that rivaled Snooki's. Ain't no shame in our game. 

Despite being in perpetual sleepwear, I have had a rather productive and accomplished past few days.  I had to stage an immediate intervention upon returning from our holiday festivities because I could no longer take the chaos that was our house.  Please tell me that you can relate this disaster:

So I cleaned.  And cleaned.  And cleaned some more.  {It helped that a friend was coming to visit early on Monday morning!  Thanks, Kate!}  Then I organized, organized, organized.  

Hellllllllooooooooo, clean and lovely pantry. 

I even hung this spice rack my very self, thankyouverymuch. 



And then I decluttered.  And when I say decluttered I mean that I went through every closet in the house and rid ourselves of anything we haven't worn, seen, or played with in the past year.  Seven black garbage bags, y'all.  SEVEN.  Plus, two comforters that wouldn't fit.  I was going to save it all up for a garage sale, but I decided since I like Goodwilling for other people's stuff, someone out there might be Goodwilling for what I have. 

Amidst the things I sent to be thrifted were this pair of Abercrombie & Fitch Chelsea Jeans circa 2004. 

 They were a college relic that have been holding onto for posterity, I guess.  I contemplated keeping them and even tried them on yesterday before I tossed them in the bag.  The good news: they still fit!  The bad news: they did not look like anything I remembered them looking like when I was a junior at UK.  They sagged in the heiny and just looked pretty much awful {thank you, post-baby body}.  So, away they went. 

I'm out - this cutie pie is wailing through the monitor:  I wanna hoooooold you, mommy!

I'm Rebelicious!

I'm going to have to start referring to my life in B.C. and A.D. from this point forward...

As in, life before CANON and after DSL-R!  Ah!

I had absolutely positively NO IDEA that B's parents would be getting me us a REBEL for Christmas!  I was about 12 kinds of excited! If y'all thought I was the in-your-face-snapping-pics-kinda-gal before, oh let me just tell you.    I love her.  I think I'm going to call her Reba ;)

Anyway, my birthday {thanks for the wishes!} was wonderful and Christmas was spectacular. As every other parent of a child will profess, the holidays are just magical when you have a kiddo around.

Me and B pre-birthday date

Dinner at Bonefish with a Winter White Cosmo!  YUM.

On Christmas Eve, we exchanged gifts with B's family and attended our church's Christmas Eve service.  And, yes, my child chose an extremely inappropriate and quiet time to yell YAY! when one of our minister's was discussing the true meaning of Christmas with his daughter before the entire congregation.  Omiword, I was stifling laughter with much difficulty while trying to explain to him to be quiet.  Thank goodness it was a family-oriented service!

Following Christmas with B's family, we returned home to set out cookies, write a letter to Santa, and receive an early present from Santa...Christmas jammies for everyone!  Such a fun tradition to start.

Becks woke up on Christmas morning to Santa's sleigh bells, and  told us upon entering his room that The Polar Express was coming to get me!  {He looooooves that movie right now!} 

After a delightful Christmas morning at home, we ventured out to have Christmas with my side of the family.  We had a wonderful time. 

We had a very blessed Christmas and couldn't be more thankful for the very generous gifts we received.  

I hope that you had a terrific holiday and enjoy the last week of 2010!

Merry Christmas! 

Merry Christmas!

December 23, 2010

Today, I am 28-years-old {though, I'm fairly certain I will feel perpetually 23ish}. That number that begins with a "3" is approaching really quickly!

It has a been a blessed, fulfilled, crazy-busy, trying, wonderful and amazing year.

My 27th Year Top Ten Highlights...

1. My obsession and addiction to all things thrift. Though I haven't had the time lately to frequent Goodwill or St. Vinny's, they're both on my to-do list for post-holiday shopping!  I have had the best time over the past year piecing together outfits and finding housewares that cost next to nothing. 

One of my favorite finds - brand new boots for $10!

2. Redoing the hardwood floors and redecorating the living room.  We spent two weeks in February living with B's very hospitable parents, all while it was snowing feet outside.  I never thought the process would be complete, but when it was all said and done I was incredibly grateful for the time that B and his dad and brother spent over here.  Our floors look gorgeous.

3.  Starting Grad school for my Master's in Administration. 

4.  B quitting his job in August to persue the completion of his undergrad degree.  {This was probably the biggest change combined with me working fulltime!}

5.  Working full-time for the first time in my life as a First Grade Teacher.

6.  Wedding after wedding after wedding!

7.  Leaving B and Becks for NOLA with my best girls for three days - the longest amount of time and farthest distance I'd ever been from my boys. 

8.  The mouse that I touched in April and has significantly affected my life ever since. And I do not say that kiddingly. I do not enter the basement a) in the dark b) without shoes c) for longer than 35 seconds.  I am still convinced there is a mouse compound down there and they're going to attack me some day.

9.  Making memories with Becks. 

Becks' first day of preschool!  He's so big!

10.  Gatlinburg and Michigan vacations.

I can only imagine what my 28th year will hold??????

And a merry Christmas Eve Eve to you all!!!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday

Click the picture above to visit Jamie's weekly blog carnival!

{one}

My magnetic chalk board (thanks, Al!) which currently showcases all of our Christmas photo cards.  Such a great reminder of all the family and friends we have, near and far. {All of the other cards have a special place in our house too, don't worry!}

{two}

These comfy cozy babies that made their way into my Ugg-ly collection over the weekend (a b-day present from B!).  Love, love, love them!

{three}

All the extra time I have to spend with this little elf.  He has been an absolutely delight over the past few days. 

{four}

My cakeball success!  I channelled my inner Bakerella yesterday and after completely destroying my kitchen with sprinkles and dipping chocolate, I had created the must delicious display of these little treats to gift to friends and family.

{five}

I'm loving that my husband finished off the left-over cakeballs last night so I didn't have to be tempted by their goodness today!

{six}

My impending birthday date with B tomorrow to see this movie...

{seven}

The UPS man who brought me three new pairs of  long yoga pants yesterday from NY&Co who, btw, are having a 50% sale today!  The pants are now only twelve bucks.  Getcha some!

{eight}

The fact that the weather man is predicting a white Christmas!  Let it snow!

{nine}

Naptime.

{ten}

Drinking a Diet Coke and eating waffle pretzels during naptime, while watching Mrs. Doubtfire on AMC.  Love that movie! {"I do a great impression of a hotdog!" He he he!}

Happy Wednesday, friends!  Only three more days until Christmas!

And don't forget to join in on the last day of the Headband Headwarmer Giveaway!!!!