Crazy Times

I would love to say I’ve been gone for awhile because of some interesting things going on in our lives, however, I would be lying.

We’ve turned into a couple of bores the past few weeks and I feel like my life is on repeat of go to work, come home exhausted, try to get some packing done before collapsing on the couch in front of the television and then crawl into bed before replaying the schedule again.

Life at work is crazy right now; I have to keep reminding myself of the job security so I don’t get too frustrated. It just sucks that this is going on at the same time when I have so much to do at home. I’m banking on the hope that all will calm down once the move is complete… and then I remember that means the Christmas season will be really beginning and all hope is lost. Shoot.

I was able to get a few fun things in this past weekend and it is definitely helping my mood this Monday morning before I dive into my work pile. (Yes, I’m procrastinating at my work right now while I still can.)

An old high school friend came into town for a visit, which meant a small reunion for those of us who still live around here. We went to one of our favorite spots, Red Robin, where we would always go at the end of each semester to celebrate the end of classes. It was so good to see her and catch up, but a weird reminder of how much things have changed since we graduated 5 and a half years ago.

And I’m convinced it’s impossible to take a self-picture of four people. This is our best attempt; it looks like I’m trying to crash another group’s photo op sneaking up in the corner there.

Saturday was a busy one for me but fun-busy, not pull-my-hair-out-busy. I watched my brother-in-law’s volleyball team crush it at Regionals and now they are on their way to State this weekend!!! Caleb is such a great coach and you can see how much the team really looks up to him and listens to what he has to say. This is doubly special for me because my best friend, Kristen, coaches alongside him at the Christian high school and they invited me to come tag along with the team on Friday and Saturday. I get to spend the night in the hotel with them and be a part of the action. I’m SO excited to help cheer them on; it’s going to be a great weekend!

And lastly, I went to help celebrate another friend who is getting married on New Year’s Eve this year. We showered her with love, advice, and of course, lots of presents. Their story is really cute and involves Jeremy and I actually, so I cannot wait for their wedding!!! Let me just say, we totally take credit for their relationship. But that’s another blog post for later.

I am wearing my blue and orange Bronco shirt in support of my favorite team playing tonight, and I have a healthy dinner planned consisting of double layer nachos, leftover Halloween candy and lots of pop. Yup, it’s going to be a good Monday!

Now off to work…

The Most WONDERFUL Time of The Year

Winter is in the air and I can feel it!!!!!!! Which of course means that the best and most wonderful/incredible/magnificent/amazing/fantastic Holiday is right around the corner!
(I like to start celebrating a little early…)

Ha! Who am I kidding? Christmas starts in October.

I’ve also noticed that blog world is also in full swing Christmas spirit with some people already putting decorations up and getting their shopping done.

My aunt and her blogging partner started their ornament exchange for the years; which I can’t wait to participate in since I, of course, always love a good ornament.

My sisters and I are finalizing our Holiday Recipe Exchange for those interested in sharing their traditional foods for others to enjoy or if you are just looking to try out some new recipes for the season. Go on over there to check it out cause the rules are a bit complicated and my sisters explain it so much better than I can.

And… Starbucks broke out their Holiday themed drinks (hellloooooo gingerbread and eggnog lattes!) so if it’s good enough for Starbucks to start celebrating early then it’s good enough for me!

Jenn was again sweet enough to give me a new design for my blog that managed to add to my delirious excitement. Seriously people, you are going to get annoyed with this new attitude of mine very quickly. According to family and friends I get a bit too happy this time of year but everyone can get over it because I practically live for this Holiday!

I decided I wanted a throw back to my wedding and a design that would make me reminisce of that wonderful day while I’m on here. Jenn, as always, delivered better than my expectations and designed a similar look from our wedding programs and invitations. It warms my heart just looking at it.

Let the Christmas season commence!

Over It

I'm starting to realize some of the downfalls to moving out of our apartment. Especially the fact, that for the first time in my life, I no longer have free access to a gym. It’s not tragic I know, but I am NOT an outdoor runner. It’s not for lack of trying, I just can’t find the motivation to run long distances when I don’t have a meter in front of me telling me how far I’ve gone, how many calories I’ve burned, or how much longer to the next mile marker. The treadmill keeps me sane, and more importantly, it keeps me in nice room temperature conditions.

So my options are: buying a gym membership for $40-70 a month or learning to love the great outdoors for my workouts. And since Jeremy is somewhat hyper-ventilating over money right now (I guess we are making the biggest purchase of our lives thus far) I have a feeling I’m going to have suck it up and start training for cold weather runs. Ugh, I might as well just gain twenty pounds now and get it over with…

Also, I forgot how much I hate packing. Hate it. The past few nights we have spent our evenings in front of the television carefully organizing and packing everything into their appropriate boxes.

Ha!!! I’m sorry, did I say “we?” I meant “I”.
I have been packing all of our things into boxes while Jeremy sits and makes fun of my lack-of-coordination skills trying to make everything fit into a box like a stupid puzzle that won’t budge. He doesn’t believe in packing until the very last minute since he doesn’t like living surrounded by boxes. What a bum.

I guess I can’t be too mad since he did make time to label a few of our things.

No, there is not poop in there; my husband just has the maturity level of an 8 year old.

Trick Or Treat

Our first Halloween together, October 2004...

We have our bowl full of candy waiting by the front door, The Nightmare Before Christmas in our DVD player, and a bag of freshly popped kettle corn waiting to be devoured.

Hope everyone has a happy and SAFE Halloween!!!!

What's For Dinner?

I guess it was only a matter of time before this stupid bug hit me since my entire family and a good chunk of my co-workers caught it. I thought my immune system would be strong enough but here I sit, wrapped in blankets, trying to fight the coughing and chills, while my load at work gets even further behind.

Between this and a snow storm Colorado is currently enduring, my day is shaping up to be spent in front of the television watching movies and being nursed back to health by Jeremy. (He would much rather be at work instead of listening to my baby complaints, but the roads are too dangerous for him to go in either right now.)

Anyways.... Remember my idea for a recipe blog to help organize and simplify my cooking life? Welp, I decided to finally start one since my system was getting more chaotic as the weeks went on. I had cut out magazine recipes from Home Cooking cluttering my kitchen counters, ideas from other bloggers listed on my refrigerator for future reference and another list of recipes I’ve been wanting to add to the official cookbook my mom gave me as a bridal shower present. Too much, too confusing.

After briefly talking with Jenn about how I could organize a recipe blog for myself, my sister, as usual, took my idea and creatively expanded it with her own and now I am more excited than ever!!!!

Jennifer makes the most amazing enchiladas I have ever tasted but am too lazy to actually get the recipe from and Christine is a mastermind at healthy recipes that I am never asking her for. Allison is always experimenting with fruit shakes and different desserts that I’m not clever enough to come up with myself. Not to mention that my mother was born to cook and our family has selfishly been keeping her favorite meals to ourselves.

So this is where Jenn’s idea comes in… what if we just made one giant recipe blog for the sisters to add to and get ideas from when we try something new out?

Apparently I'm the snotty looking one on the far left...(I promise, I'm actually very nice in real life.)

When we make something worthwhile we can post on the blog for the other sisters to grab and anybody else who wants to try out new meals. It will be easy access when we need it again for future cooking adventures and will help make my kitchen so much more orderly.

We threw out ideas on what we were looking for in the blog. A few designs and suggestions later (of course with 4 girls, there were opinions all over the place) and What’s For Dinner? has been created (Courtesy of the genius sister Jennifer of course).

We have also created an e-mail so others who want to be generous and give us their favorite recipes can send them on over for one of us to give a shot. And if you are just wanting to find new ideas you are more than welcome to hop on over and try them out for yourself.

I'm trying to convince Jeremy to try out some of the homemade chicken soup to help make his poor sick wife feel better. Hope everyone has a better day than mine!