New Year's 2011

Where did 2011 go? I sear it just felt like yesterday that I was sitting here typing a list for 2011 before heading off to Korea.  There are so many things I am thankful for in 2011, then there are also those things I want to forget from the year, and well as I look forward to 2012 there are so many things I hope happen, things I cannot wait to do, and another year I cannot wait to live!

So I have never been big on making New Year's Resolutions but I made a list last year and so I figured why not make on this year. 

So here are my 12 Resolutions For 2012:

1. Read! 36 books of any kind I like.  At least 1 book a month that is nonfiction about something I would like to learn about, be it about travel, crafting, a person, or just to learn some of that stuff I probably should of learned in college.
2. Have at least 2 successful camping trips and get outside more!  Travel more over all and take advantage of the mountains I live right at the foot hills of.
3. Get into a workout routine and keep it.  Notice I didn't say get in shape or lose weight because I want this to be something that I work into my life and keep there.  I have lost weight before or gotten in shape only to be happy with my results and start getting slack.  Someone one time said that fitness was not a destination but a journey and well I really like that. 
4. Find a job that: A) Allows me to move out and be independent B) I like C) Can help me build towards a long term career.
5. Blog at least once a week.  I was on blogging FIRE in November and I loved it, in December there was a lot I wanted to blog about but didn't have time, and now I am just in blogging sleep mood I guess and have yet to snap back into it.
6. To take my vitamins every day to use lotions and take better care of my skin.
7. To not be so lazy when it comes to my appearance.  I can look cute when I want to but if I am not in the mood I am just not even bothering and the jeans and t-shirts come out.  It really isn't that hard to put on make up and something other than a t-shirt. 
8. Keep my life a little more organized on a day to day bases so that once a week...er maybe month I am not scrabbling to re organize and get my shit together.  I can probably add to this one work on finishing some of the many craft projects, and scrap books I have already started.
9. Play more board games!  This might sound crazy to you but I had a great childhood and board games take me back to it!
10. Go visit Chris in Germany!
11. Start a Bucket List!  It seems like almost everyone has one, how can I be so behind on this?
12. Take tons to photos, make tons of memories, and make sure to document them in some way shape or form so when I am old and gray I can look back and enjoy the story that is (or is it was?) my life.

That might seem like a lot but really it is just stuff I have been saying I am going to do for weeks/months/years now so why not just do it. I think I am going to print out this list and stop once a month or so to look at it and see just how I am doing.  I won't lie I always get overly ambitious on my list but better to aim to high than to not aim for anything at all!

And the same resolutions I try to keep from month to month:

• As always enjoy life, make sure everyone in my life knows how much they mean to me, smile more, and make lots of amazing memories with those I love!
• Love my family and take in a much time with them as I can before life takes me off on another adventure!

What are your resolutions this year?

The Polar Express

So I finally gave in and watched The Polar Express a few nights ago with Ryan.



And it was cute but I just didn't LOVE it. 

I really can't just pick one thing that I did or didn't love about it. When I was in 5th grade in Ohio the 6th graders every year would put on like a little Polar Express show and I don't know why but sitting in those chairs pretending to be on a train in the dark has always just stuck with me.  I really don't remember much about it, I mean they gave us all little bells, we heard the story and pretended to be on a train but other than that I have no clue why it has always stuck with me to the point when I hear "The Polar Express" I just jump back to that. 

This movie is not what I think of at all when I hear "The Polar Express".  I have always found the over animated characters to be a little creepy.  I found the movie to be a little darker than I remember the book being, and maybe even scary to smaller kids.

 I just...I don't know....did I already say I didn't LOVE it? I will most likely add it to my list of Christmas movies (which I crossed off like none of this year thanks to work and just life) to watch every year.

Have you seen it?  If so what are you thoughts? 

Hope everyone had a great week, I am still trying to figure out where it went and even better yet where 2011 went. 

Hey It's Okay

It's Tuesday and that means it is time for Hey, It's Okay Tuesday with Whispering Writer over at Airing My Dirty Laundry, One Sock At A Time.


Hey It's Okay...

To have just about skipped a whole moths of "Hey It's Okay".

To still be wondering how Christmas came and went so fast.

To not be ready to take down my Christmas tree.

To be already trying to think of cool places to spend Christmas next year...maybe a beach? Maybe a beach bar? Maybe if I get a better job!

To miss blogging but really just not be "in the mood" to blog...if that makes any sense at all, I mean if I miss it I should be in the mood.  I think I am just out of the swing of things.

To really need to catch up on life but it's really yucky and rainy today, so instead I might slack off on my day off and just read, do some wash, and sleep.

To really want a new job, you know maybe one that isn't minimum wage, and has some sort of career path attached to it. 
To wonder why people gather up all their gifts and take a 100 photos of them to post on facebook? I am very thankful for everything I got but really now.
 
To be super excited that Ryan got me a new camera and taking pictures of everything as I try to figure out how to use it.  My parents got me my first digital camera for my 18th Birthday, then when Ryan and I went to Jamaica he bought a used one off a friend who needed some cash...I think that was about 4 years ago now? Anyways so I have been using it and well he thought it was time for an upgrade, and now I am trying to figure out how to use it (you know beyond just point and click) because I am not really a photography person, just a picture person.
 
To have just gone on a little ramble that probably makes no sense to anyone but me.
 
To most likely be using this next week to catch up on all of the Christmas movies I didn't get to watch because I was either at work or sleeping. 
 
To have a brain that is just not working because it is over loaded with all the things I need to do, projects I want to start, and random other things dancing around.

Merry Christmas!

Hey ya'll! I hope you had a great Christmas!

I got to spend mine with Ryan and my family.  To me a day like today is still one of the best gifts in the world because I know one day something will happen and one of us won't be able to make it home for the holidays. 

I know I haven't blogged much lately due to being busy with work, and well just lack of holiday jollyness (is that a word?) I guess.  Thanks to life Christmas this year was just kind of hard to pep up for, but my family and Ryan are all so amazing that today was truly great.  We spent time together, made memories, exchanged gifts, laughed and smiled.  It just goes to show me that even with everything that happened this past month, or even this year we could all still be happy to just spend the day together, we could all take a few minutes to stop and think of something to give each other, and that life was not going to stop us from enjoying this amazing holiday together. 

I could go on and on but due to a busy week at work my brain is a little jumbled and I am not even sure this all makes sense right now.    So for now this will just have to be it, hopefully this week I can get back in to the swing of life, blogging, working out, reading, and maybe even catch up on all the Christmas movies I missed this December. 

Tacky Sweater Party

Last Saturday night Ryan and I went to a tacky sweater party that some friends of ours were having.  It was fun, Ryan and I almost won a game of beer pong (he is good, I more or less stink so he wont ever play with me, but for once it was his fault we lost....maybe....or it was just the beer pong gods making it so I could never win, no one really knows), and the food was good. 

Here are the only two photos I took from the night.  Sorry I look a little sleepy in the one of Ryan and I, and yes Ryan did make his sweater all by himself...it even had lights. The 2nd photo is of Ryan and one of his really good friends Josh...they have a really special relationship.





This post could of been longer, had more details, way more photos and even some jokes but my brain is only half way working and I am saving that half for work!

Hope everyone is having a good week and has a good weekend.

Life....

I really am not too sure how personal I get on here from day to day. Some days I think I get a little deeper into things then maybe I should, and other days I think I do too many random post about blog challenges. I more or less suck at getting my thoughts and feelings out there most of the time on anything personal because I worry how it comes off, or how I sound, or if I said something right, or if I look weak, or like a mean person, or blah blah blah.


Tonight I just want to say that every now and then life sucks. Like really kicks you when you’re down sucks.

For many years my grandfather (papa) has been sick. When I was younger he had a heart attack, they gave him maybe 6 years. When I was a little older he had to have part of his lung removed. Then in high school he started having strokes, then in college he had another bad stroke, and so on and so forth. He more or less always bounced back, we thought he was invincible and just too stubborn to leave this world.

After my grandma passed we were really worried he would go shortly after not knowing what to do without her. He did ok but his dementia seemed to progress rather quickly and a year or so ago he was placed in a home, then moved around a bit, then found one that seemed to be a good fit. Sadly I could talk about all the things wrong with nursing homes, the staff makes good money, they knew what they were going into when they signed up for the job, and they know when they are doing something wrong or just aren’t doing something they should be doing, like taking good care of the people as if they were their own family. That is not the point of this post (really if you are wondering what the point is...maybe we will get there maybe not...who knows...I don't).

I guess the point is that today we all learned that he is not in fact invincible, that he maybe just not as stubborn as we all thought he was, or that he was just sick of this world and finally let go. Either way one of the strongest, and best men I know is now gone. He always went above and beyond to be one hell of a grandfather and.....well I really just don't know what to say.

I have never been good at these kinds of things. I have lost a dog and a guinea pig as far as pets go and both of those were tuff. I have lost great grandparents but I was young. A few years ago I lost my grandmother almost out of the blue to cancer (she made it 3 months) and I have to say it really sucked to lose her. I kind of thought that losing grandpa wouldn't be so sucky. You know because my whole life I had been ready to lose him because of, well just everything he had already been through (and I only named a few). Yet today when I heard the news he was in the hospital with congestive heart failure and maybe pneumonia I just couldn't really digest it. Then I went to work a little before 10:30 to start my day and just was kind of...avoiding it. Then Ryan called me and asked if I called him from the house....this didn't feel right. Then I started pushing to know if I needed to ask off of work and what days and it finally came out that sometime between 10 and 10:30...I guess sometime on my drive to the mall grandpa passed. I don't know if it is because I was still stuck at work till at least 9 that I just became numb, and a throbbing headache set in. My boss is amazing and all day long just kept telling me she loved me as I think she waited for me to bust in the tears but I held it together. I just didn't think about it....that makes it not real right? Sadly if only I was 5 and this was the monster in my closet. Damn if I am not 24 and this is real life.

When I got home Ryan came over to see how I was, help me pack, and find out what he needs to do the next few days to help take care of the dog and house sit. He really is a sweet heart some times and I love him dearly for it. Sadly as Ryan went to leave all the sudden I started to feel really alone. My mom had already left to fly to MI today and tomorrow (or well today now) my dad and brother will leave to drive up. I know I have a great family and boyfriend who loves and cares deeply for me but two of people who take up some of the best memories of my childhood are gone. Suddenly I am 5 again and just want to hug my mom and cry and cry and cry. Sadly I know crying doesn’t fix anything, but it still feels kind of good to just let it all out.

Life sometimes sucks....however I don't know if it would be any better just because I had a "real" (or non part time retail) job and was being a big girl out on my own in the world...nope I still think it would suck just as bad.

Ok so wow I worry this makes no logical sense but it's personal. I really cannot wait to get to Michigan to be with my mom. I feel ripped off because I lost both my grandparents, they were such a huge part of my life and there is still so much I wish they could be around for. My mom lost both of her parents, and that is a feeling I hope I don’t have to learn to deal with any time soon. My mom is a very strong woman but I know she still is going to need lots of hugs, and a shoulder to cry on so I just hope that maybe this week I can be there for her.

Dear Blog....

Dear Blog,

I have not forgotten about you, in fact you run across my mind quite a few times a day when I think about something I would like to tell you.  Please forgive me but you won't be getting much love until after Christmas, well unless it is something I am dieing to share.  You see I work retail and in this country people celebrate the holidays by exchanging gifts, lots and lots of gifts.  Everyone knows that this special day called Christmas is coming, yet they wait to buy their gifts till the very last minute.  Why I don't know I am pretty much done shopping, the Internet really is a great thing!

So this leaves me working more than normal (my bank account loves it) but what small social life I have doesn't agree.  So it was either you or my social life and I am sorry but I have yet to become that big of a dork where I chose you dear blog over my family and friends.  But don't be sad I hope to maybe do a photo a day (or really ever few days) just to update you on how I am doing and what is going on with my life. 

So until next time I will be at the mall, everyday until Christmas (well except for 2) selling things and trying to spread Holiday Cheer! 

Now off to decorate my sweater for the Tacky Christmas Party tomorrow night!  If my phone and computer are getting along maybe I will upload some photos Sunday or Monday of the festivities.

Hey It's Okay

It's Tuesday and that means it is time for Hey, It's Okay Tuesday with Whispering Writer over at Airing My Dirty Laundry, One Sock At A Time.


Hey It's Okay


To really be wondering what happend to Monday...and most of today. Is it really Tuesday?

To really not have any clue of what is going to pop out of my head tonight and on to the paper thanks to work right now.

To wonder why people think that I shit fairy dust and can magically make what they want to buy appear out of thin air.

To be thankful to the Hope Coffee people for giving me free "samples"

To have not really done anything Christmas-y yet besides watch a few movies

To not really care if Christmas-y is not really a word

To hate the South for being so warm right now...really 64 today? It is December now.

To know that I have to wait and be calm that God will always give me what I need but still hate having to wait and all the stressing that comes with it.

To wonder how people can beg for hours then call in or show up and after an hour want to go home.

To always be shocked at what is going on in Showtime's Dexter...I mean really?  If your watching it did you ever see that coming?

To really hope that next week I can remember half of the things I wanted to say for this week's Hey It's Okay and get back to you with a better list.

October & November Books

So it is already December 3 and that means that I never got around to updating my book list for October so I am just going to go ahead and clump it in with November, because there really aren't many.  Really don't judge I do love to read.

October:


Amber Fox is a late 30's chick who acts like she is 20 and seems to be all over the place, but hey there is nothing wrong with that now is there? At the same time....I just didn't quite like her but the story wasn't half bad but not thrilling either. 

This was a free Kindle book so I thought I would give it a try. I didn't hate it, it wasn't one of those "can't put it down" books either it was just ok. There were some things I liked and others that I just found well strange about the writing style of this book. If I see the 2nd one on Amazon for free I might pick it up but I don't think I'll pay to read it or go out of my way to find it.

November:



I really don't have too much to say other than that this was a cute book.  I was kind of distracted when she would say things that didn't seem to add up. Like she told her friend her mom's bachelorette party was tomorrow but then she had to be there that night and her friend was there. So just little stuff like that.  Over all the story line was simple, and a quite read.

Yep told you that there really weren't many.  Sadly I just haven't found anything to read that I love and can't put down. 

What are you reading?

Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge Christmas/NYE Outifits

Happy Friday Ya'll! I hope everyone had a good week and is ready for the weekend! I currently work retail so I really don't look forward to the weekends or week days because well I work really random hours; however I love the weekends because my whole family is home and I know for sure I am going to get to see everyone.  Any who....

Today's topic for the Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge is one I really thought I would have fun with because lord knows I own way to many shoes, dresses, and just "girly" stuff in general, even though I am really not that "girly" I just love to shop.  Last week when I saw what the topic was for today I started thinking of some of the fun, cute, but yet budget friendly (thanks Ross and TJ Max) outfits I could put together that would be appropriate for things I might really be going to this Holiday Season....but well then life hit and I never got around to it....so maybe I can just describe it....maybe.  Later after some of the events have happened hopefully I will update you on what I really wore, if I take any photos, I have gotten so bad about that now that I  am back home. 

 Ideal outfit for Christmas/NYE festivities:

Yea now that I am trying to describe the picture in my head it is not working so well this way....can I get a rain check on this post? Please? I was never that great at creative writing so "painting pictures with words" is just not my thing. 

Fine then here are a few things I thought were cute but maybe just not quite there yet:

Source: polyvore.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Megan on Pinterest

Source: weddingstyleguide.blogspot.com via Megan on Pinterest

This one is there, my figure is just not back there yet.

Source: calypsostbarth.com via Julie on Pinterest

I think this could help out the second outfit and maybe switch the cardigan out for a red one, the first one I think might be ok for a faimly dinner or party...really we are cute around here but not like really dressy.

What about you? I really do have so many ideas in my head now....I might have the itch to go shopping even though I said I didn't ever need to go shopping again just...wow last week? Really? Well, hey a girl can change her mind!

Really? Try to be a good person and...

*Disclaimer this might be all jumbled up and crazy….I am kind of peeved

Today I was out with my mom trying to find some gifts to ship to some of our co teachers in Korea for Christmas. We needed 4 things that were kind of the same if not the same, not because I don't want to take the time to think about them each as individuals but because Ryan one time gave one a cigar box and the other some other type of box and they fought over who got which one. Really I love these girls and that right there is just one of the many reasons.


Anyways so after a few places mom and Ryan did a trade of and mom headed home as Ryan and I kept looking. After a few more places I remembered that I saw 3 of the same...items... at TJ Max and 1 at Ross making 4. I finally made up my mind to go with these and headed back over there. Ryan and I checked all over the place to make sure there wasn't just a 4th at TJ Max before heading down to Ross. When we went to check out my brain was so many places other than where it should of been as Ryan and I talked about everything going on right now and how we wanted to box these and ship these (in cigar boxes if you’re wondering because they love those things for some unknown reason). So I swiped my card and walked out. Half way down to Ross Ryan looked at me and was all the sudden "wow that was a great deal on those items" and I was like yea _____ a item is a great deal. Ryan stopped me and looked at me and was like "what do you mean a item" you only paid _____ for 3.

Wow so I had been run up wrong, way wrong as in only paid for 1. This had never happened to me before and I was instantly upset and confused and all like oh man what do I do? I sadly wasn't too upset to keep from heading to Ross to make sure I could get a 4th matching item before going back in to TJ Max, waiting in line again, getting a clueless girl who wouldn't stop giggling and dropping things, and trying to explain what had happened. So for some odd reason she calls the manager, after a few minutes she said something and all the sudden I knew we were on totally different pages. I once again tried to explain that I wanted to buy 3 items but I was only charged for 1. She still didn't get it. So I slowed it down for her by saying, "I am sure I look like an idiot for coming back but I brought 3 items up to the checkout in hopes to buy them all, the other girl only rang me up for 1, I left with 3, I need to pay for 2 more" at this point she gave me a really dirty look like I was some kind of common criminal, rang me up, and was quite rude. Really? I came back in here to pay for something once I realized that one of your fellow co workers f*ed up and you want to be rude, snippy, mean, judgmental about it?

I didn't want any kind of "goody two shoes award" or anything just maybe like a "wow we are so sorry, thank you for coming back" or something...or you know a gift card for the trouble it caused me would of been great too but really not why I went back. I went back because someone made a mistake and I didn't think it was right for me to benifit because someone wasn't paying attention to what they were doing and I got treated like shit.

Is this what people get when they try to do the right thing? If so I can see why less and less people do it. Would I go back and do it again? Yes but this time I probably would of waited a little longer for the manager to come and make sure that (s)he understood what happened so that maybe they could keep it from happing again. Really I was trying to not only do business in your establishment but to also not rip you off and do the right thing.

Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge Day Movies & TV Speicals

Happy December 1st! I am officially streaming Christmas music!  I really need to get on this whole Christmas thing this year! Last year I did a 25 Day of Christmas blogs count down because I just couldn't wait to be home and spend it with my family, but this year I am home and I think that has made me slack on the whole Christmas things....well that and I think it is going to hit 60 today.  Really I have a hard time getting into to the Christmas mood when it is warm outside but I am going to try to dig out some of the stuff I use to decorate my room, and rap some gifts today.  I really do love just about everything Christmas, well minus the whole spending a ton of money of gifts, I love to give gifts but I am more about the thought than the price tag. Anyways moving on to todays Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge!

 

Today's topic is: Favorite Holiday Movies/TV specials

 

This list could be long, I love just about all Christmas Movies/TV specials.  I just can't get enough of them and will watch them all...maybe even more than once sometimes.

 

So far this year I have watched:

 

• Elf
• Four Christmases
• Santa Buddies
• The Search for Santa Paws
• The Night Before Christmas (Hallmark)
• The Santa Clause
• Lifetimes Dear Santa
• Scrooged

 Both Santa Buddies were cute, Dear Santa might get put on my list of things to watch again, and I am pretty sure that The Santa Clause is getting watched again tonight because Ryan has never seen it...I know I was shocked too! I saw Scrooged (with Bill Murray) for the first time ever with Ryan the other night and it was odd but funny. 

 

Some that I am hoping to catch this year and some of my all time favorites are:
Charley Brown's Christmas

I could watch this movie any time of the year. Ask Ryan I made him watch it a lot last year when I was home sick.

Rudolph The Island of Misfit Toys

If I could only watch one movie this year, I would have to say this would be it!

Santa Claus is coming to town

 I love the penguin in this movie

Miracle On 34th Street

Saw this all the way through for the first time last year and fell in love with it. 

Sound of Music
Badder Santa (one of Ryan's favorites)
The Muppet Christmas Carol

I am so happy they are back with a new movie!

A Christmas Story
Home Alone (1 & 2)
How The Grinch Stole Christmas (both but the cartoon is really the best)

It's a Wonderful Life
Jingle All The Way
T'was The Night Before Christmas (the one with the mice and the broken clock)
Shrek the Halls
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Elf

The Santa Claus (pretty much all of them but the first one is still the best)

As a kid this movie was the best thing ever, as I grow up it still just may be one of the best things ever.

Really when it comes to Christmas movies I love the older ones, with the puppets, the old cartoons and clay figures.  Newer ones that they are coming out with these days just don't hold the same excitement for me as the old ones.  I could watch the older ones over and over and fall in love every time. 

What are you watching this year?

 

 

 

NaBloPoMo Is Over!

Today is thankfully the end of the NaBloPoMo Blog Challenge I deiced to do.  I think this is the first blog challenge I have finished that I started.  Most Monday's I do a Meaningful Monday, and I have started linking up for a Hey It's Okay Tuesdays but other than that I don't have a normal blog.  I had a ton to post about in Korea but now that I am home it was kind of nice to have some topics.

I am kind of sad it is over, but very happy at the same time.  I blogged everyday this month with the exception of one day and I really don't even remember what happened that day.  The last prompt that Blogher.com posted for this challenge is:

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

What did you learn from doing NaBloPoMo?

Simply the only things I really learned from this past month was that I can blog everyday, and that it really does take time but that if I stop and jot down thoughts as they come to me then sit down to post about it later it is not that bad.  For some reason when I sit down to post I can never think about what it was I wanted to say or how I wanted to say it.  I also learned that post are never going to be perfect and sometimes you just have to let go and post it.  I have so many drafts sitting around right now because I started them, kind of sort of said what I wanted to say, or just got the idea down but then never finished it because it's just not right (read perfect). 

I didn't always go with every prompt they had, some of them just didn't relate to me or really weren't interesting but others were things that I had so many thoughts about that well I am still working on them and can't wait to post them as soon as I finish with them (some of them are long and are more like books than post, full of memories).  It was nice to just have a topic every now and then when I just couldn't think of anything to blog about or my life was seeming just kind of dull and I didn't think anyone would care to read about it. 

I recently found out that they do NaBloPoMo every month over at Blogher and I have yet to decided if I am going to take part again or not.  I worry if I don't this poor blog will go back to getting updated every few weeks or often, but...well I really can't think of a reason not to other than the month of December is going to be quite busy, but when is life ever not busy?  I guess I will check in ever few days and see what the prompts are and if I want to do any of them but at the same time I wont stress if there is a day I can't post. 

Do you post everyday? Do you ever write your blogs in advance and then just schedule them to post? I started doing this and I love it, but then some days I some how get 2 or 3 post...oops!

On a side note I really don't know what to do with my profile on Blogher. Most day's I don't remember to go and post a link back to my blog, or ever update my profile, and it's anyone's guess as to if I will ever blog on blogher.

Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge Day - Decorations

Today is the 3rd day of the Fabulous HOliday Blog Challenge.

Wednesday November 30th: Holiday decorations/decor

For today I thought I would just show some photos from years past, and some photos of projects I want to try and I would say this year but really I don't think I can get it together that fast.

Lets start with Christmas last year:

Home

Our tree in Korea

The tree Ryan painted on our window



From down in the parking lot.  Really the Koran's loved it.

Years Past:

Grandpa decorating his tree 2 years ago.

The tree Ryan and I put up about 5 years ago now. 

Fingers crossed we have a normal non blue tree this year.  As always I know mom will have an amazing tree decked out in all the Hallmark ornaments.

I really wish I knew where more of my year's past photos are (really putting it on my to do list to figure out where all these great photos are on my computer, on the Internet, or on a flash drive...hopefully not a lost flash drive) but anyways now its time to move on to things that I have found and want to try. I almost never post about Pinterest but today it just seems like the perfect way to share:

Source: allyou.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: beneathmyheart.net via Megan on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Megan on Pinterest

And there are still a ton of DIY ideas rolling around in my head that I am trying to find on the Internet. 

How do you like to decorate for the holidays? 

Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge- Traditions

Ok so today is the 2nd day of the Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge and it is one of my favorite topics!

Tuesday November 29th: Fave holiday tradition, new or old

I have a few favorite Holiday traditions (as you can see from yesterday I really have a hard time when it comes to picking favorites).

For starters when I was younger my favorite thing about the Holidays would be going to grandma's, because not only did she have snow, but she also had Santa, family, apple dumplings, and well it was just grandmas so it was always full of LOVE. Also if you read this post (enter link when finish post) you know it has always been one of my favorite places.

In the past few years Ryan and I have made it up to Blitmore to enjoy the lights, tour the house, sip some wine, and just enjoy some time together.  This has always been something I look forward to, this year we are changing things up and heading to see the Christmas Lights, feed the reindeer, roast some marshmallows, and pet some baby goats at Hollywild. We went a few years ago with my grandparents and had a great time, so I really cannot wait to do it again.

I also always love watching Christmas movies, even better are the oldies from my childhood like Home Alone, The Santa Clause, Charlie Brown Christmas, Santa Clause Is Coming To Town, Rudolph, Miracle on 34th Street, and many more. Even better is when I can sit in the glow of Christmas lights, playing board games with Ryan, or baking Christmas cookies as we watch these.

Christmas breakfast with hash browns, biscuits and gravy and (now that Chris and I are old enough) Bloody Mary's! Then everyone getting together in the living room, passing out gifts, and then going around the room one at a time opening a gift and seeing what everyone got. I love how our family does this, I really do hate just the madness and chaos of everyone opening gifts at one time.

Another one I love that is new as of last year was decorating cookies together as a family after opening gifts.

Decorating Christmas ornaments with Ryan, we did this the first year we dated but haven't gotten to do it the past few years so I am really looking forward to doing it this year, fingers crossed we can find the time to do it.

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

P.S. I know this post needs some pictures but I am still working on finding them.

Hey, It's Okay

It's Tuesday and that means it is time for Hey, It's Okay Tuesday with Whispering Writer over at Airing My Dirty Laundry, One Sock At A Time.

Hey, It's Okay:

-To be sad that Thanksgiving some how already came and went. This time really does move way to fast.

-To pre-blog some days when I just get in the "blogging" mood.

-To be really wishing that it would cool off just a little bit outside, I mean really I did buy some new sweaters and would love to wear them soon!

-To have been way beyond excited when some of my cloths showed up from Korea last week! Some of them got left behind and well I am just happy for anything that is finally back!

-To be excited for the Tacky Christmas party Ryan and I are going to. 

-To have a crazy DIY itch these days, and seem to only be thinking of Christmas decorations.  Need to get on that becuasee it is comeing up soon!

-To be getting more than my fair share as offten as I can of Christmas movies (I missed them so much last year that I am trying ot make up for them and get ready for next year in case I some how end up back over seas)

-To not be doing great with the whole "working out" kick but doing better than nothing at all.  I started over again yesterday, you know becuase Monday's are like a whole new fresh start.

Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge- Favorite Gift

Due to it being a crazy time of year, my brain has got all kinds of ideas bouncing around in it that I want to blog about, yet when I sit down to blog they all seem to go and hide.  So I thought I would link up and take part in the Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge over at A Complete Wast Of Makeup, and maybe even keep up on some of those thoughts bouncing around.  So sorry if you get two post some days, but really blogging once a day is pretty good for me right now!






Monday November 28th: Fave gift received EVER

As far as my favorite Christmas gift ever received goes it is a toss up between:

-The Snoopy (Charley Brown) summer camp glasses that I always use to drink out of at my grandmothers house growing up!

-My kindle, because last year when I was in Korea finding books was really a pain to find, or ship, and even better yet store! So the Kindle made it so easy for me to enjoy one of my favorite things! My parents gave me the gift of reading, no matter where I am!

My Kindle in my line up of things to do one Friday night when Ryan went to see friends in Seoul.

- Some of the Christmas ornaments off my grandmothers Christmas tree.  I grew up looking at her tree, and have memorized some of the ornaments, so getting some of those was great!

An ornament from grams tree! It is one of my elementary school photos in a school bus frame (grams always drove a school bus, and sometimes I got to go with her!)


-My Jim Shore Rudolph "Island of Misfit Toys" ornament set, and really not just becuase I love the "Island of Misfit Toys" but becuase my mom hunted them down for me becuase she knows I love them.

-And so many more, amazing gifts.  I really have always been lucky in getting thought out gifts from my family.

-Oh and I can't forget coming home last year to a white Christmas, in S. Carolina! And not just normal S. Carolina snow flurries, but really snow! I would like to think that maybe Grams was sending us all some love from above on those few white winter days. She always knew that I loved a good white Christmas.

The front yard.


Some of the back yard.


Now when it comes to giving gifts that is a whole different story, I love to give gifts, sometimes I slip up and give them early just because I am about to burst with excitement. I have a gift giving problem and just love to give gifts, what can I say.

What is your favorite gift? Or if your like me gifts?

Meaningful Monday

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and is ready for the crunch, crazyness, excitement, and joy for Christmas!  I work in retail and this past weekend was not as bad as I remember. I oddly love watching people shop for Christmas when they take the time to put thought into a gift.  I even more so like helping them pick out the perfect gift, decided what message they want engraved on it, and just make it special for them to give and the person to receive.

Today I am wrapping up my "I Am Thankful For" list.  For past list click here and here.

I Am Thankful For
25. That I have my own room where I can go and get away from life sometimes.
26. The amazing food and company this past Thursday and again Sunday.
27. Holiday movies that take me back to my childhood.
28. For Toys for Tots, The Angel Tree, and all the other organizations that help children in under privladged homes get gifts and help me give back.  Ryan and I already picked up some toys that we hope will make a child smile this year.
29. Flu shots so that I don't end up getting really sick, becuase I don't handle sick well.  I am kind of a big baby.
30. Gift giving! I love to give gifts to loved ones!

Those are just a few of the things I am thankful for, I really do need to slow down and take note of all I have.

Happy Monday! Hope you have a great start to your week!

My Favorite Place

Hey ya'll! Hope everyone is having a great weekend! I thought I would use today to catch up on one of the NaBloPoMo prompts.  I know the 15th was a few days ago but better late than never right?

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Describe a favorite place. Focus on how that place affects your sense of taste, touch, sight, sound, or smell.

Growing up my favorite place always use to be my grandmothers kitchen table.  There are so many things I want to say about this place, memories I have, feelings it brings, but I really don't know if I can get it all out in any sort of way that even comes close to how great this place really ways growing up.

I remember walking in to her house and after hugs and kisses seeing the table and sunlight pouring in from her big back windows. I remember eating many bowls of oat meal, playing board games as a family, eating dinner on Christmas Eve, coloring when I was young, sitting under it playing with her dog, and just sitting there talking. That table was one of the places I love best. It was always a warm inviting place, with snacks and food, or a cold drink in the hot summer in one of her Charlie Brown cups, or a cup of hot chocolate in the winter, it was always a place where we all gathered, ate, gave thanks, and made memories.

I can clearly remember the poinsettia table cloth she used every winter, the oil lamp that set in the middle, the green china dishes with the holiday scene on them. I can still picture everyone around it so easily, and smell the turkey, mash potatoes, stuffing (without giblets), pumpkin pie, apple dumplings. I can still feel the bubbles from the sparkling grape juice my brother and I had every year until we were old enough for wine.  I remember the prayers and thanks that was given before each meal. I remember wrapping gifts, putting hooks on ornaments, studying, watching TV, and so much more at that table.

 I can see the praying hands on top of the TV, the family photos on the shelf between the dinning room and the living room, the picture of a praying man on the wall, the coffee grinder we use to love to turn as kids, the old style tiles on the kitchen floor, and so much more.  I can see it all so well that I almost feel like I could touch it.

Over all I would have to say that my grandmothers house as a whole is one of my favorite places.  I remember decorating the tree, seeing Santa every Christmas Eve, finding candy canes and $2 bills in our stockings hanging on the stairs, watching movies crammed together on the couch, playing out front/back in the snow, everyone rushing to use the one and only shower before Church, and the smoke detector going off from all the steam in the winter, and looking back it all makes me smile and miss it so much.

In my mind I had a ton of photos I wanted to share with you but I could only fine one for now.  Guess I need to work on organizing my files on my external hard drive this winter. 


Where your favorite place?

I could go on and on aboug grandma's and I could also list off a few other places that I love, but there is kind of some other stuff I need to do.  That box of Korea stuff is just about all washed and air dried....so now it is just about finding places to put it all!

Thanksgiving Recap

It was so nice to be home this year for Thanksgiving, and not just because Turkey in Korea is hard to come buy and really over priced.  The day started off with Ryan making mimosas and ham omelets for us to enjoy as we watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  I love the parade, it is my favorite way to kick of Thanksgiving however this year I just didn't really love it.  For starters it seemed like no one really sang, when the music started many weren't even read yet they were "singing".  I normally like all the singing and dancing but this year the Spider Man one was kind of strange, the one where all the men were dressed in drag was very interesting and I wouldn't mind seeing that play, and I sort of liked the one about the news paper boys.

Moving on thought. We headed over to Ryan's grandma's for a great Thanksgiving lunch of turkey, mac & cheese, green beans, rolls, deviled eggs, stuffing, pie, and I think I got it all.  After lunch Ryan and I helped her get her Christmas stuff out and put up her tree, talked with family and then headed back to his place before heading over to my parents for an amazing Thanksgiving dinner of ribs, chicken wings, slaw, corn bread, sangria, and pie! After dinner we Skyped with my family up in Michigan, watched Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving, and then the one where Charlie Brown and his friends came over on the May Flower.  Then we said good night to my family and headed back to Ryan's to watch a special on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and talk about maybe one day going, getting a great room, going down the night before to watch them blow up the balloons, and then watching the parade from our balcony as we eat breakfast and drink hot coco, or mimosas, who knows.  Can you get a room with a balcony?



Not the best tree we have ever done but Ryan's grandma was happy with it.




Mom's cute little Pilgrims guarding the wings and ribs!

 Earlier this week we got some boxes from Korea containing all the stuff we left behind back when we thought we were going back. It was like Christmas as I went through and found things I hadn't warn in over 5 months.  I told Ryan that I couldn't believe everything I left behind, and as I try to find places to put it all I realize that I need to go on a shopping un-spree (is that a word? No? It should be) for at least a few weeks. At the same time it was really bitter sweet, it was like reality hitting me smack in the face saying "your never going back to Korea, your never going back to Korea" in that annoying 5 year old kid voice.  This makes me sad, because if you read my blog often you know that I tend to miss a lot about Korea yet at the same time I love being home with my family.  Now off to wash all my cloths that have a....lets just go with funky smell, even the ones in zipper sealed bags.  I never realized how many "hand wash only" items I had until now. 

How was your Thanksgiving?  Fell the need to go shopping? Just box up some of your cloths, hide them, and then find them in 5 months! That shirt you were on the fence about is now the cutest thing you have ever seen!

NaBloPoMo Update Part 3

Ok so I wanted to post about Thanksgiving, my thoughts on Black Friday, and just my thoughts on people and how they sometimes act but really my brain isn't up for all that tonight so I am just going to catch up on some of the NaBloPoMo prompts.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Do you like to buy presents ahead of time or right when you need to give them?

This one is simple for me, I always buy presents ahead of time because I LOVE to give gifts!  I think I might have a love of giving gifts that is just a little odd, I mean I already gave my mom her Christmas gift when it came in the mail.  I love to spend time to search around and find just the right gift for my family, Ryan, or friends. I want to know that whatever I give them is something they will use and enjoy.  I don't like to just give ordinary gifts, or something that I saw on sale as I was walking through a store the day before a party or a birthday.  I also don't like to buy things just because they are on sale and stock pile them like a crazy hoarder and keep them on hand for "just in case" because then it is not special, and not for any certain someone.  Really giving a gift that someone loves makes me happy.


Thursday, November 24, 2011
Do you enjoy being alone? Would you rather be around other people?

This one is a little harder for me, because I love spending time with my family, Ryan, or my closets of friends but at the same time I love my alone time. I say closest of friends because oddly over the years I have started weeding out who I really enjoy spending my time with, in high school and college I would hang out with any of my friends just to have something to do, but as I get older I really don't want to waste my time just hanging out with anyone. I have some friends that I love getting together for breakfast, lunch, dinner, shopping, movies, or just to chat on the phone every now and then, but then I also have friends I oddly find myself avoiding as I grow up. I am not too sure why, they didn't do anything, I guess the connection is just not there anymore. I find I no longer like the same things, like partying all night, like shopping at the same place, talking about the same things, ect. It is an odd feeling, but then on the other side of it I have a few friends that I love to see, talk to, and keep up with. For instance I miss my Korean friends like crazy, and I never thought that I would make such great friends half way around the world or in such a short time. However they were always there for me, almost like I was family.


Time with my family is something that I wouldn't trade for anything. Growing up I hit that age where I didn't want to do anything with my family, because it wasn’t cool. Oddly now I love it, it is one of the best things in the world.

Time with Ryan is right up there with family. I love how we can be together and and one of us be on the computer, reading, watching TV, ect and the other one doing something else but still be in the same room. Other times I love it when we are both in the same place, doing the same thing, and spending time together that way. One of my favorite things to do together is cooking.
Now on the other hand I love having time to myself to read, veg out, blog, organize my closets so that I can plan out outfits, and just not have to worry about everyone else.
I guess it is about 50/50 when it comes to being alone or around people. Really just depends on the day, my mood, and the people.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am so happy to be home this Thanksgiving to be spending the time with family! I really have so much to be thankful for this year and every year!

I just wanted to start the day off with a list of 24 things I am thankful for. Sorry if you have read my past two Meaningful Monday's this is the same list, also Monday I will be adding 9 more to my list to round out the month of November.

I Am Thankful For:


1. The gym membership that my family let's me piggy back on so that I can work out and hopefully have a long healthy life.

2.  My family for not only being supportive but also supporting me at a time when I cannot support myself.

3.  Mom for always cooking, cleaning, and making our home a nice, loving place to grow up in.

4.  Dad for always coaching my soccer teams growing up and teaching me the importance of being active and how to be a good winner and a good loser.

5.  For my brother Chris who always makes it so that there is never a dull moment in this house.

6.  For little Miss. Clair who knows how to cheer me up with I am down just by poking me with her cold wet nose until I pet her and start to smile.

7. To have found a Church that I look forward to going to every week again.

8. To not have any student loans or other debts to pay off.

9. To have maybe not the best job, or even a full time job, but at least a job right now.

10. That all of my 5 senses work and I can enjoy even the littlest things to the fullest.

11. My education and the doors it has opened up.

12. That I have never had any needs that were not meet.

13. For music!

14. All the memories I have with my grandparents growing up and that they were always there to make holiday's, spring breaks, summers, and just life special!

15. Being home to spend the holiday's with my family this year.


16. To have a nice warm bed to sleep in every night, hot water to shower, and food to eat.

17. To have a family and boyfriend who love and care for me.

18. To have a few true friends who hear me when I talk, trust me to listen when they talk, pray for me, worry about me, and love me for me.

19. For the chances I have been giving in my life and for the ones that I hope are still coming.

20. For books and the fact that they can teach us so much and take us to faraway places.

21. For firefighters, cops, solders, and all those people who take on the dangerous job of protection me and my loved ones.

22. Rainy/snowy days with movies/books, a blanket, tea/wine, and just relaxing.

23. That my parents pushed and encouraged me as a child to go out and try new things.

24. That I always have clean clothes to wear.

Make sure you take a minute to stop and think of at least 1 thing you are thankful for this year!
 
Now I am off to drink Mimosas, eat breakfast, and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with Ryan before we head over to his Grandma's for lunch and then my parents for dinner! I cannot wait for the day ahead of me, and even more so the rest of Holiday's and family time that follows!
 
What are you doing today?
 
 
Ah I almost forgot to add in that I will be watching the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Speical.  You know the one where Charley Brown serves jelly beans and popcorn to his friends around a ping-pong table? If not you need to check it out! 

 

Just in case you were wondering how Ryan and I spent out Thanksgiving last year when we were in Korea you can read all about it here: http://bart-megan.blogspot.com/2010/11/happy-thanksgiving.html. I won't lie sometimes I kind of miss that small apartment, and just life in Korea!

 
 

Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bread, and Cranberries oh My!

In less than an hour yesterday (not counting baking time as we waited for the oven to finish one thing so we could move on to the next) mom and I whipped up:

Easy Pumpkin Pie:
(From: Recipe Lion http://www.recipelion.com/)

Ingredients:
-2 3.75 ounce packages vanilla instant pudding
-1 1/3 cups of milk
-1 16-ounce can pumpkin
-1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
-4 cups whipped topping (9-ounce container)
-1 baked 9-inch pie crust, cooled

Instructions
1. Add pudding mix to milk and beat whit hand mixer or lowest speed until blended; about 30 seconds
2. Blend in pumpkin, spice, and 2 cups of whipped topping.
3. Pour into pie shell.
4. Chill until set; at least 4 hours.
5. Garnish with remaining whipped topping.

Cranberry-Nut Bread Minis:
(From Kraft Food's Food & Family Holiday 2011)

Ingredients:
-1 package (2-layer size) white cake mix.
-1 package (3.4 oz) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
-4 eggs
-1 cup water
-1/4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
-1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
-2 Tbsp. butter, melted
-2 Tbsp. cinnamon sugar

Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat first 5 ingredients in large bowl with mixer 2 minutes, or until well blended.
3. Add cranberries and nuts; beat just until blended.

4. Pour into 5 foil mini loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray.
5. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.
6. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks.
7. Brush tops with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (2 Tbsp. sugar and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon mixed).

Pumpkin Bread:
(From Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book- Celebrating the Promis Limited Edition)

Ingredients:

-3 cups sugar
  *We used Splenda
-1 cup cooking oil
   *We used Coconut Oil
-4 eggs
-3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   *We used 2 cups of all-purpose flour, and 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
-2 Tsp baking soda
-1 1/2 Tsp salt
-1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
-1 Tbsp. ground nutmeg
   *We used fresh nutmeg and just took the zester over it about 10 times
-2/3 cup water
-1 15-ounce can pumpkin

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the side of two 9x5x3 inch, three 8x4x2 inch, or four 7 1/2x3 1/2x2 inch loaf pans.
3. In an extra-large mixing bowl beat sugar and oil with an electric mixer on medium speed. Add eggs and beat well; set sugar mixture aside.
4. In a large bowl combing flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. Alternately add flour mixture and the water to sugar mixture beating on low speed after each addition just until combined.
6. Beat in pumpkin.
7. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
8. Bake for 55-65 minutes.
9. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack completely.
10. Let sit over night before slicing.

Sadly I didn't take an photos because, well I was busy cooking with mom, and ya'll have seen pumpkin pie and bread before.  Give these a try and let me know what you think!

What are you cooking up this Thanksgiving?

Dad is smoking ribs and chicken wings for dinner on Thanksgiving (Ryan's grandma is making a turkey for lunch) and then mom is grilling turkey breast (because we just don't have enough people to need a turkey, we don't eat dark meat, and so everyone just ends up eating the breast anyways) and making sides later this weekend for our "traditional" meal.

I'm getting really excited!

Hey, It's Okay

It's Tuesday and that means only a two more days till turkey (and ribs and chicken wings if your at this house!) but it also means it is time for Hey, It's Okay Tuesday with WhisperingWriter over at Airing My Dirty Laundry, One Sock At A Time.

-To wonder sometimes if the people that I have to try to help at work are on drugs, crazy, or think they are trying out for Jerry Springer and just happen to be in the wrong place

-To be thinking about planning out next spring’s camping trip....I mean it will sneak up on me before I even know it and well if you read my camping blog you know that planning is a must for the next trip.

-To have not really done that much on my November To Do list.....

-To not feel guilty for having already done some of the things on other people's bucket list

-To not shop or really support the Black Friday trend that seems to be growing more and more out of control each year.

-To not really need any more sweaters but Old Navy was having 75% off sale on all of theirs the other day and my really good friend Chelsey just happened to invite me.

-To be more than ready and maybe even giddy with joy about the holidays this year!

-To have been really all but thrilled with the past few free reads I got off of Amazon, but yet I keep downloading them. I mean really they are FREE!

-To really hate job interviews due to the fact that I always feel like I never say the right thing.

-To have watched "Santa Buddies/Santa Paws" last night.

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Meaningful Monday

Welcome to another Monday, and the week of Thanksgiving! Last Monday I started my I Am Thankful For list and today I want to add another 7 things I am thankful for to that list.

I Am Thankful For
15. Being home to spend the holiday's with my family this year.
16. To have a nice warm bed to sleep in every night, hot water to shower, and food to eat.
17. To have a family and boyfriend who love and care for me.
18. To have a few true friends who hear me when I talk, trust me to listen when they talk, pray for me, worry about me, and love me for me.
19. For the chances I have been giving in my life and for the ones that I hope are still coming.
20. For books and the fact that they can teach us so much and take us to faraway places.
21. For firefighters, cops, solders, and all those people who take on the dangerous job of protection me and my loved ones.
22. Rainy/snowy days with movies/books, a blanket, tea/wine, and just relaxing.
23. That my parents pushed and encouraged me as a child to go out and try new things.
24. That I always have clean clothes to wear.

What are you thankful for?

NaBloPoMo Update Part 2

Friday, November 18, 2011
What has been the happiest moment of your life thus far?

I would have to say that my life so far has been pretty happy and the past few days I have been tossing around different times in my life trying to think of the "happiest moment" and well I really can't pick just one.  I am sure it is easy for those who are married, or have kids and would say "Oh that's simple! The happiest moment of my life was when I looked down to the end of the church and saw my best friend and love of my life waiting to take my hand in marriage for the rest of our lives, and blah blah blah blah" or "Oh that's simple! It is the day I brought home my little bundle of joy from the hospital and she grabbed on to my finger and smiled, and so on and on and on and on". As great as the experiences both have to be, I just haven't had them yet so that leaves my list to have things like this one it:

Happiest Moments:
-When I walked into my grandmother's living room and surprised my grandpa by being home in Michigan for Thanksgiving and his birthday 2 years ago.  It was my last year of college, I had just lost my grandmother earlier in the year, and well everyone was still taking it really hard.   I left Thanksgiving early and was in Grand Rapids Michigan and in the living room before the parade was even over!  My mom was up there for a few weeks spending time with her brother, sister and my grandpa and hadn't told my grandpa I was coming because we didn't want to upset him if something came up and I couldn't make it.  So when I walked in and he saw me, he just started to cry, and then hug, and lots of hugs.  It was so great to have someone so excited to see me, so happy to have me there.  He has always been so happy to see my mom, brother, dad or I and so for it to be a surprise it was even more emotional for him, and well maybe even all of us.



Papa and I



And there is the whole family, I promise grandpa is happy he is just still crying some of those tears of joy!

-When I:

A) Found out that I was going to be able to graduate early. There had been a few things that were possible standing in the way, but then a few days before I found out that I was in face going to be graduation college a whole semester early!

B) When I was talking with friends after graduation and all the sudden my friend Lauren said "Is that Ryan?" Now this really wouldn't be that big of a deal except for that fact that Ryan was supposed to be in Korea for another week, but as I turned around there he was. He flew home early to surprise me, and man did he ever.



There may of been some tears!

-Flying in for Christmas last year, landing in CLT to find a white Christmas, and my family waiting for us! Last year would of been the first year that I wouldn't of been with my family for Christmas, and seeing as how we couldn't get time off for it to come home until the day of Christmas (thank you Korea for being ahead of the states and not behind!) so many things could of gone wrong, but everything went so right to get us home to be with family! Nothing beats seeing someone you love at the airport waiting for you after a long trip.

-When my parents told my Chris and I we were going to be getting another puppy. And then when we brought that sweet little, fuzzy, brown, milk smelling puff ball home.


-When my grandpa survived his heart attach and we learned that he was going to be ok.

-When my soccer team won state when I was little, and when my soccer team won state my senior year of high school.

-My first few weeks in Korea, and when I realized that Korean kids weren’t going to hate me!

-I could go on and on, really my life has been quite happy!

What about you? What is your happest moment? 
 
Hope everyone had a great weekend!