Resolutions

Wow, is it New Years already?!?! I can't believe we will be ringing in 2010 in a mere two days. TWO days. Wow.

2009 was a major growth year for me. Sometimes you have to walk through the fire to see the beauty that comes out in the end. I am thankful that '09 brought me real love with an amazing man. The future may be unknown, but I am blessed to have someone who wants to travel through the unknown together. So...moving on to 2010. What will it bring? I know a few things I am resolving for the year, and I would like to share them. As Bobby says "be about it, don't just speak about it". Sharing my goals/resolutions will help me to be about it, and hopefully you will want to be about yours as well.

1. save, save, save ... buying a house & filling it up with furniture is not cheap. time to build back up the savings account.
2. love deeply ... everyone needs love, even those who seem unlovable. I hope in 2010 I swallow my pride more & am able to love those who need it most.
3. give big ... it's not about money & it is not about us. I pray in 2010 I will find ways to serve others more.
4. run a 1/2 marathon ... I stole this goal from my sis Elizabeth, but it's a goal we're running to complete together (pun intended), so I want to include it.
5. play more ... watching my nephews & niece over Christmas made me think of this. whatever it is.....Wii, taking Gus to the park, going to Six Flags....doesn't matter, I just want to forget I am a 'grown up' all of the time & remember to have more fun and play in 2010!
6. learn ... after I finished school I stopped being obligated to 'learn' because I wasn't getting a grade. in 2010 I want to soak up more knowledge.

Well, that's it for now. What are your resolutions? Will you be bold and share them so you can be about it as well? I think you should ;)

xoxo

Cookies, Cake Balls & Christmas Lights

This Saturday was a very fun day.....mom, sisters & I baked loads of goodies to share with family & friends (if you didn't get any it's because Bobby ate most of them!). We had so much fun & enjoyed some yummy treats for ourselves. I did not take pictures of my new favorite treat, Cake Balls, but I did snap some fun pictures!

Then Bobby & I went on a fun date night to eat Chinese at our favorite place & go look at Christmas lights. Thank goodness we went to Lights of Life first, or we would have seen very few lights....Atlanta was such a disappointment this year! We had a great time driving around, and Bobby let me borrow his awesome new gloves, which gave me man-hands....and then he surprised me with one of my Christmas presents...new gloves for me! They are much smaller than his & I love them. He's thoughtful ;)

Happy Birthday Sisterssss....

So it's one day late, but considering I haven't blogged in over a month, I guess it's ok ;)

Yesterday was my little sisters' birthday......24 years old. Crazy how time flies. I wish I had old pictures of me with my sisters, but here are some good ones.....

These two ladies are two remarkable women that I simply could not live without. I love you both so much and I hope you had wonderful birthdays yesterday with all of your boys....(there are a lot of men in your lives ;) ). Not a day goes by that I do not thank the Lord for you both. Who would have thought ten years ago when I tried to kick you out of my car (yes, I know, I was a horrible big sis for a while) that we would be so close. I used to think that I wasted so much time being a bully big sis that I missed out on great time with you. Now I look at it as good stories in the making, and I take the time we have now to make up for that 'lost' time. Watching the two of you with your families is such a blessing. You are both so beautiful, and such wonderful mommas and wives. Your husbands and sons are oh-so-very lucky!! I pray this next year is filled with many, many blessings. May your joys be multiplied even more and may you have your best year yet. I love you so much!!

xoxoxo,

sis

Birthdays, Apples, Cone Head & Grilled Cheese

Bobby's 32nd Birthday was last Sunday...we had a great weekend celebrating!! I had everyone over Saturday for grilled 'dogs and chili & it was so great to have a full house!! Bobby's mom & dad came by as well, so it was a great time to catch up & have our parents get to know each other better...I loved it! I made Bobby a carrot cake to celebrate (it's his favorite) and I have to say I am in love with the recipe I found on CookingLight.com....it's awesome! Sunday, on his actual bday, we went to church and then drove up to Ellijay for some leaf-viewing & apple fritter eating!! It was beautiful up there :) The day was finished with some yummmmmy P.F. Changs!!

pretty trees

showing off the apples he picked!

Happy Birthday Bobby!

...just along for the ride!

My poor pup has to wear this terrible headgear these days. I feel so bad, but he has some mystery gash on one of his hind legs, and he will not stop licking!! ....speaking of, I need to give him some more 'cone time' today. Hopefully it will be better soon :)

awwwww...

Not much else going on these days, but I did think my dinner at Souper Jenny was worth mentioning. The first time I went there I was not impressed at all, but Beckster & Rebecca talked me into trying Thursday's Grilled Cheese night last night....and I am glad I did :) We ended our meal with make your own s'mores, which made me feel like a kid & made me a very happy girl...haha.

This weekend is Halloween...if all goes well & we attend a party we will be dressing up as a funny pair...let's just say Bobby would be cutting me off all night to tell me that someone else is the greatest of the year ;)

Happy Fall Y'all

WOW, can't believe it's the middle of September! I made it to the ripe age of 26 at the beginning of the month and enjoyed celebrating with friends and family. Just a few years ago, I had a lonely birthday month in our immediate family, but now I am so blessed to share the month with a sister-in-law, a brother-in-law and an adorable niece! I loved having a birthday dinner with all of us celebrating together. Anyone who has been around our family long knows we like more people around for any and EVERYthing....it just makes it more fun :)

birthday princess Natalie

loving her new shades...hahaha :)

dinner with friends!

bowling with the fam!

I think at this point it's safe to say we're headed for the end of September. I put out a few 'autumn' decorations last night & thought about how this is just one step closer to my favorite time of the year.....CHRISTMAS!!! I will try my best to not say that word again until at least November, but no promises :)

Our family is making plans to go to the North Georgia State Fair in a week and I am super excited! I remember when I was a little kid, mom & dad would pick a concert for all of us to go to, and we would bundle up & head to west cobb for the fair....corn on the cobb, funnel cake, mullets, what more could you ask for?!?! It should be a good ol' time with everyone :)

In other news, I have had a minor (ahem, not really so minor) water damage problem in my living room. Seems my washer has a [very pricey] leak and it flooded my bathroom, which then caused water damage to my living room ceiling. So now not only do I need a new washer, I also need a new ceiling, or at least ceiling paint :( Bobby & I tried the DIY route, but it's not really working. On a positive note, Gus loved having the living room covered in drop cloths - he had beds everywhere!!!

THE END......for now.

Hopefully I will have some pretty ceiling pictures to show in the near future!

It's been too long....

I can't believe that is has been so long since I have been in the blog world! I assure you, I have still been reading, just have not written any myself. SO...welcome back, to me!

So much has happened in the last ten months...

I am settled into my house & loving every single minute of it!! The picture below is from my first snow in my new home...what fun!!

I have a wonderful man in my life, and I feel so blessed to have someone like Bobby to share life with!! He is a really fun guy, and he brings so much joy into my life :)

I have been to the beach three times since my last blog....

1. One was the most amazing trip of my life with my parents and BFF Lindsay "Faber" over Christmas. We went to a different island every day...man, am I ready to get back on that boat!! I got to zipline thru the rainforest, swim with sea turtles, and relax on some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. Seriously, can I go back now?!

2. Second trip took me to a new favorite place - MAUI, HAWAII!! As is I needed to be reminded how beautiful the planet is, I got to see more fabulous beaches, and shoreline! This trip also allowed for ziplining, although this time it was from the top of the island - what a view!! I went to my first luau, and saw beautiful sunsets!! I am very blessed to work for a company who would treat the employees with such a trip!

3. The most chill beach vacation was the most recent with my family. It was so great to be in a house right off of the beach with my family...we just missed Andrew, Tonya & the kiddos!

I have taken on a new position at work in the last 10 months as well!! I am now an account manager on our Hartford account. I love my new position and the new challenges it brings. It's exciting to take a new step forward in my carreer, and I am looking forward to many more big steps ahead!

WHEW! That was a lot to catch up on, and I merely scratched the surface. Let's see if I can get back into the swing of the blog world & update more often (more often than every 10 months is an easy task, I suppose...)!

Until next time :)