The End and The Beginning

Today is my last day off before 3 days of work and then I'm back to school on Monday. Today is the last day of 2009. Today is the last day of the decade. Goodbye 2000's, Hello 2010's (or whatever the heck we're calling them).

2009 was a good year. I won't go into the whole decade, because honestly, I can't remember all that. I love New Years because of the celebration of things past and the hopefulness of things to come.

This is what I am looking forward to in 2010:

-Graduating! This is numero uno on my list- being done with my Bachelors in April. Although I am stoked to be almost done with school, the nerves have started to kick in a bit about job searching. Hopefully I will be able to find something good by May. Going along with this is quitting my current job when I graduate, so I won't be working weekends anymore.

-Buying a new house! We want to put our house up for sale sometime in January and buy something by April. The house we live in now is actually the NewlyHusband's. He has owned it for a little over 5 years and I just moved in here before we got married. It's not a bad house, but we would like something a little newer, in a different part of town, that we can really make ours.

-Getting healthier. Notice this one does not have an exclamation point, because I am not really looking forward to it. I like good food and I don't have a whole lot of motivation to work out. However, I do not like myself when I look in the mirror. I get depressed about this body that I've never had before. It's hard getting rid of all your jeans because they no longer fit and donating all your shirts that are too fitted. The NewlyHusband is doing a Biggest Loser competition at his job, so we are planning on getting up early together every morning to hit the gym. Getting healthy will also include drinking less soda and way more water and thinking a bit more about what I put in my mouth. I will never be a health nut when it comes to food, but I can at least make a little bit better decisions.

-Being more responsible in my walk with God. I do not currently go to church because I work every Sunday, but I need to make an effort to actually read my Bible and talk to God more.

-Learning to cook more. I would love to make something new at least once a month to put a little variety in our meals.

-Seeing our good friends get married in May.

-Celebrating our first anniversary in August with some sort of vacation.

So, here's to 2010! May it be a great year for us all!

Lessons on Cherry Pie

Well hello again! Christmas is over, the in laws have left, and I'm enjoying my last couple days of freedom before school starts again (my last semester!!)

Christmas was wonderful. We spent Christmas morning at our house with my in laws. The NewlyHusband and I then went to my parents to exchange gifts, where eventually we were joined by the rest of the family, including his parents. It was wonderful to be able to spend Christmas with both our families in the same spot, so we didn't have to worry about splitting our time. We had 17 people total at my parents house!

As this was my first Christmas as a wife, I do believe I was allowed some kitchen mishaps...and I had one. I decided to make a cherry pie. How hard can that be, right? I bought two pre-made pie crusts in the tins and took them out of the fridge to get them to room temp (that's what the directions said to do.) What they don't tell you is that if you are using one of the pie crusts as the top, you should probably take it out of the tin before you thaw it or it will just crumble in your hands. It did crumble. But I wasn't going to just give up! I filled the bottom with two cans of cherry pie filling and pieced together the other crust on top. It was ugly as hell, sure, but I thought it would still taste good, so who cares. I put it straight in the oven (mishap #2- apparently you're supposed to put it on top of a cookie sheet first). Checked it 15 min later and half of the top had fallen onto the bottom of the oven. At this point, I decided to give up on the pie and throw it away. I put on some oven mitts, grabbed the pie, and went to throw it in the sink.

Right before I got to the sink, the pie folded in and fell. Covered the sink, the counter, the cupboards, the floor, and the new Christmas socks I was wearing. I really wish I had a picture of our kitchen covered in cherry pie. So there ya go. This is the life of a newlywife.

In other news, my nieces and nephew's mom found out she is pregnant again, so I will be getting a fourth niece or nephew. And.... the guy that was the best man at our wedding proposed to his girlfriend at Christmas. So that was really exciting news!

Hope everyone reading had a wonderful holiday. I am off to find a dress to wear tomorrow night!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

It's almost Christmas, guys! I seriously love this time of year and just like a little kid, it feels like this week is taking forever. Our house is decorated, all my shopping and wrapping is done. Although the NewlyHusband's is not...he's out finishing right now. The in laws are here to spend Christmas with us and our house is currently full of cookies.

I really don't have much to say today, but just wanted to say a very Merry Christmas to all of you! I hope your holidays are amazing, full of friends, family, and food!

Shopping, Grades, and Breaking Up With Friends

I shopped till I dropped yesterday. I went to the Town Center here, which is this huge outdoor mall. I shopped for about 4 hours! My shopping for the NewlyHusband is completely done now. I can't tell ya what I bought though, because the NewlyHusband makes his way over to this blog every once in a while. *Hi honey!* I think I may be done Christmas shopping altogether. It feels good. Now for all the wrapping. We also put our tree up last night and decorated.

Great news guys! (Not that anyone really cares but me, but it's my blog and I'm happy, so I shall post)- I got my grades for this past hellish semester. In my American Revolution and Constitution class, I got a B. In my Irish History class, I got a B+, and in my Modern China class and Global Environmental History class, I got A-'s. I'm sooo glad that semester is done and over with and so stoked that I got all A's and B's.

Now, as for breaking up with friends. Have you ever had this come up before? You have a friend that you used to be really close with, but for some reason, you're just not anymore. In all harsh honesty, you would be okay just not talking to them anymore. You don't want to catch up, you don't want to hang out, you certainly don't wish them ill or have any dislike toward them, you just don't click with them anymore. But the friendship just won't go away. Don't you wish you could just call them up and say "Ya know, we had some really great times together. It's not you, it's me, but I think we need to break up as friends. No hard feelings. I really hope you have a great life without me in it."

I have a "friend" like this in my life. We were really close for a while, but not so much anymore. The things he says and does kind of annoy me. I just don't see a need to keep up with each other anymore. I think we are in two very different points in our life.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you ever had a friend you wanted to break up with, not for any particular reason, just cuz you didn't want to be friends anymore? That sounds so kindergarten, I know. Are they still in your life or did you break up with them? Lemme know!

Christmas Break!

So I know I promised to write my dream Christmas list on Friday. But Friday sucked and I had no time to blog as I was writing a 13 page paper all day. Seriously this last week seemed like one of the longest of my life. Researching and studying Monday-Wednesday. Two finals on Friday which consisted of a total of 3 essays and 5 short answers. Boy, was my hand hurting by the end of it all.

Buttt now I'm officially on Christmas Break! Woohoo! I have lots of planned blog posts coming up, so look for me to be much more blog active in the next few weeks. As for today, I am going to share an award I got from the fabulous Brittany over at Tales of a Southern Belle and her Beau. Her blog is one of those that I look forward to reading every day. Thanks Britt for the sweet award!

For this award, I am supposed to list 10 things that make me happy and then tag 10 blogs that make me smile.

So, 10 things that make me happy:

1. The NewlyHusband. I know, I know, how obvious. But it's true. My life would certainly be less amazing without him in it.

2. Great conversations. I love it when you get into a conversation with someone and neither of you can stop talking. There are no awkward silences, but plenty of "I know!"'s and "That is SO true!"'s cuz you are on the exact same page.

3. The Christmas season. The reason for the season, Jesus' birth, makes me incredibly happy. I also love the music, the shopping, the crisp air (something we don't always have here), the general hustle and bustle, the wrapping, the decorations, seeing the look on someone's face when they open a really great gift.

4. Keeping with that theme, New Years Eve. New Years Eve is my second favorite holiday. I love the celebration that comes with ending one year and beginning a new one. Celebrating memories from the past and goals from the future. And it has become even more special, since that was the night that the NewlyHusband proposed to me.

5. Game nights. Game nights are my fave, especially the ones that end with me on the floor laughing. Give me some snacks, a drink, fun friends, and a board game (or card game), and I am a happy camper.

6. Dinner. Dinner is my favorite time of the day. The NewlyHusband and I do not get much time together, but we make sure to have dinner together pretty much every single night. I start thinking about what's for dinner before I even eat lunch. If something gets in the way of my dinner plans, I get very dissapointed.

7. Blogging. It's not something I ever thought about doing or wanted to do until I read The Heir to Blair and and Live it Love it. These girls were my blogging inspiration and gave me hours upon hours (ok I lie, days upon days) of entertainment reading their archives. I now really enjoy putting my thoughts out there for others to see and enjoy the connections I've made.

8. Music. I work out better with my IPOD, I clean better with my IPOD. I need music to get me going. I need music in my car. And yes, I sing and jam along. I sing my heart out in the car, I dance in the shower. Music just makes me happy.

9. Church. I have not been since the middle of March, because I work every Sunday, and this kind of depresses me. I am so so excited that I can go to the 11pm Christmas Eve service. I cannot wait to be done with this job and start going every Sunday again.

10. Vacation. My favorite thing in the world is just getting away. I love the feeling of being away from home, experiencing new things, having no responsiblities, even if it's only for a few days. The feeling of being on a trip is a feeling that nothing else compares to.

I am going to be a rule breaker today and only tag 5 blogs, because I need to get my butt off the couch and get moving. Along with the 5 below, don't forget to check out the 3 great blogs mentioned above.

1. Carissa Jaded. Heeeee-larious! Her blog makes me laugh out loud daily. I love it.
2.It Starts With Us. I have only recently started following Nate's blog, since joining It Starts With Us, but I highly recommend it. It will make you think and if you like what you see, it's easy to join in!
3.More is Better. Another blog to make you literally LOL.
4. Not That Kind of Girl. This chick has some bravado and is a complete inspiration to get out there and try something new.
5.Strawberry Swing and Other Things. A newer blog with some yummy recipes and some even yummier fashions.

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Only a hippopotamus will do...

Ok I don't really want a hippo for Christmas- they're violent, aren't they? When I was little, I wanted Shamu for Christmas. My mom told me we didn't have a big enough backyard...ahh the dissapointments we face as children. Anyways (yes I know there's not an s on "anyway" but that's how I like to say it), let's get to the point...My Christmas list! Lots of bloggers have posted their Christmas lists lately and who am I not to jump on the bandwagon? Today, I will post my realistic Christmas list. The stuff I actually want, ya know, in case anyone's paying attention. Tomorrow, I'll post my dream Christmas list (the stuff I'm not near spoiled enough for).

My Christmas List for 2009

Cashmere sweater from Kohls- they're on sale for 30 bucks people! And 100% cashmere. Score!

Knee high socks- I need socks to wear with my boots, so my boots don't rub against my legs. I like fun socks, not plain socks.

Scarves (Or is it scarfs? I never know)- It doesn't get too cold here in Florida, but I do need a scarf every once in a while and I only own one. This one from AE would do, but I'm not picky

A nice coat. I have one leather jacket for when it's really chilly and a bunch of hoodies. A nice pea coat would be fab, maybe this one from Aeropostale or something similar but a bit longer would be better.

A study guide for the PHR, which I plan on taking after graduation

A cookbook for beginners or for picky eaters.

And of course, gift cards so I can go shopping myself! My favorite part of after-Christmas is getting to go shopping with the gift cards I got for Christmas. I also like getting restaurant gift cards, so the NewlyHusband and I can go out to eat without feeling guilty.

It Starts With Us- My First Mission

Go here to see my post on joining It Starts With Us.

The first mission I received was this:

Give someone a picture that you know they'll enjoy.

I was excited about this one. I knew this would be really easy for me, since we just got married and had really great professional pictures of some of our friends.

How I accomplished the mission:

I found professional pictures of 4 couples that came to our wedding and sent them to the couples through email.

Response/reaction to mission:

I knew that I would love to receive a professional picture of the NewlyHusband and I from someone, so I figured others would too. I got really great responses, such as "Thank you for thinking of us." "That was so sweet. "I love the picture." It made me feel good that something so small and easy to do put a smile on someone's face.

It also gave me the idea to frame some of the professional picures we have of my aunt and uncle, grandma and grandpa, etc and give them as Christmas gifts. A cheap, personal gift, that I think they will love.

So join in if you'd like. Give a picture to someone that you know they'll enjoy. It's quick, it's easy, and it may just brighten someone's day.

4 Months

It's December 8th- the NewlyHusband and I have been married 4 months today. On November 8, I showed you all a glimpse of our fabulous honeymoon. So I decided to carry on the tradition and on each one of our monthiverssaries, show you a little part of our wedding or wedding events. Since I started at the end with the honeymoon, I decided to come back to the beginning today- the proposal.

The NewlyHusband proposed to me on December 31, 2008. For New Years Eve, him and I and my best friend and her husband went to the Comedy Zone to celebrate- they do an hour comedy show and then dancing till 1 am. I certainly was not expecting a proposal. The first slow slong to come on was Tiny Dancer by Elton John. So we went onto the dance floor and he started telling me that he loved me and how he wanted to marry me. And I'm like Yeah I want to marry you too one day. We've had the talk before, so I thought we were just talking casually about it again. Until...He got down on one knee in the middle of the dance floor!! I couldn't believe it. When he said "Will you marry me?" I said "Shut up!" Haha- I was just so shocked. I then nodded my head excitedly and ran off the dance floor and hugged my best friend.

It was just the absolute best night. People were congratulating us, the dj made an announcement, and since we didn't get a picture someone offered to take a re-enactment photo. So the NewlyHusband got down on one knee in the hallway outside of the bathrooms and we got a picture. We ran into a lady that worked there a couple months later and she said "Oh yeah! You're the ones who got engaged in front of the bathroom!" Poor NewlyHusband was all romantic and proposed in the middle of the dance floor and this lady thought he pulled out the ring for the first time in front of the freakin restrooms.

Pictures from that night for your viewing pleasure:

Beginning of the night

Re-enactment photo

NewlyHusband, Me, BFF's Hubby, and BFF

Coming up on our 5 monthaverssary: Professional Engagement Photos!

It Starts With Us

If you are a member of 20SB, you probably got the email about their partnership with It Starts With Us. Because, ya know, I totally needed yet another website to join, I decided to join their A Team. Basically, the goal is to participate in small weekly missions to help people out, make a positive impact in people's lives and maybe make a difference. They email you a mission each week (that should take less than 15 minutes to complete). You do the mission and then you can discuss the impact in their forums and/or blog about it.

I will be starting a weekly post about whatever the week's mission is and how I accomplished it. I find myself being selfish more often than selfless and I believe this is at least a little something I can do to think about someone other than me. Join in if you'd like!

It's not a way to brag about doing something good. It's a way to bring attention and get people involved in doing something nice for others. Read more about It Starts With Us at the links above.

Christmas Spirit?

Where is it? Do you have it? How bout you- do you? A lot of the bloggers I read have written posts lately about how they are just not in the Christmas spirit this year. I feel the same way. I've been listening to Christmas music, but it just feels wrong. I've worn Christmas socks. I've shopped (some) for Christmas presents. I even wrapped a present today and mailed it out to my Secret Santa (If any Nesties are reading this- yes I sent it out a day late, but it is out!)

But... still no spirit. When the NewlyHusband gets home tonight, we are going to watch Four Christmases with Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon. Maybe that will help. We can't put up our tree until the 14th (when I will be on Christmas break). I'm sure that will help. And it has gotten a little cooler here, although I think it's 78 degrees (F) right now. It may just be that I am so concentrated on getting done with the semester that I have no room left for the holidays. Holiday shopping is the best thing to get me in the mood and although I've done a bit, I just really don't have the time. And I need a shopping buddy. Going by yourself just isn't as fun.

Are any of you feeling the Christmas spirit yet? What gets you in the mood for the holidays?