It's 16 days into 2010...

Well there has been a lot that has happened since I last posted because I never have time to get on the computer let alone update my blog. But I find that today I have plenty of time for myself. What was supposed to be an extra day of work for Nathan will end up being almost 24 hours of overtime today. We have been keeping busy. The summer consisted of trips to the lake, beach trip for labor day weekend,

fishing adventures, concerts/musicals (Blink-182, Wicked),

trips to the Temple, baby and bridal showers,

birthday bashes

and other things I can't remember.

Nathan started back to working on finishing his college degree at University of Phoenix and it has been fun helping him. Ahh college days!! He had his 1 year mark in August of working for Dominion VA Power and he loves it!! I had my 2 year mark of working at my job in September, and am still loving it. I will make the world a happier place one clean smile at a time, ok maybe not, but I like to think that way!!
OCTOBER- Nathan's dad came down to help us build our fence, and after he left, Nathan finished it up on his own. It is so nice to have some privacy in our backyard now. This spring we can actually make it look nice and furnish it with some patio furniture!!! I also went apple picking in Charlottesville this year for the first time with April and Victoria. It was quite the adventure. Lots of apple things were made to use up the apples I picked. Apple crisps, apple butter, apple w/ pork chops. It was a lot of fun.

I talked Nathan into carving pumpkins this year for Halloween. He got to pick out the pumpkins and all of our equipment. It was fun, although I kept getting frustrated because I kept breaking all the tools. But in the end, they turned out great!

We celebrated our 2 year Anniversary. I took the day off of work and last minute Nathan did too. We hung out, ran errands and got ourselves a fabulous Dyson Vaccuum. We both totally love it. We had been through 2 cheap $75 vaccuums in two years, so we thought let's splurge and got a great deal on an expensive Dyson. It's fabulous.

Ahh THANKSGIVING in WV for the first time ever. What an adventure. So we got up early Thanksgiving morning and went to Nathan's G-ma's house and had early dinner with his dad, bro, g-ma. Then we went to his mom's and had some dinner with her and jess and sherry. Sophie did not know what to do with the cats, but she chased them around and let them know who was boss. Then Black Friday we went up to Morgantown to do some shopping and then go to the WVU vs. Pitt f-ball game. It was a fun drive through the mountains with snow coming down. So we got ready for the game and headed over when Nathan's phone rang. His mom called to tell us that Sophie got out and they couldn't find her. WHAT???!!!???

So we were freaking out, after all she is our baby girl, closest thing we have to a child. So we got in our car and drove 2 hours back down the mountain in the snow and ice, not knowing where we were going, as all the signs were covered in snow. We made it back at 8 and drove all over that town looking. I just kept praying she would pop up somewhere, and she did. I flew out of the car and ran after her down the street, but she was so scared that she took off running. She was gone. We continued driving around in the freezing cold weather, about to give up when we pass Nathan to see if he had any luck, and there she was in his lap. He had found her in someone's backyard. So all in all she went missing around 3 and we found her a little after midnight. She has not left our side since.

We had our work Holiday dinner at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens at the Tea House and we got to bring our spouses this year. It was a very quaint place amidst all the lights. I enjoyed it and yummy food!!!

We were blessed with a wonderful snow storm, that I just totally loved. I was able to watch movies, read books, wrap presents, and just enjoy being at home and not having to go anywhere. It was great! Nathan enjoyed shoveling the snow as we haven't had to do so in a long time. There is actually still a little tiny bit of it left in our front yard. Crazy. Here's a little video of us trying to see what happens to Sophie when we throw her into the snow. We thought she would sink and disappear because it was over a foot, but she was too light and the snow was too frozen.

Christmas was great. Everything went well. We went up to WV Christmas Eve morning and hung out for a bit. Then we went to his G-ma's house for the big family dinner/gift exchange. It was a fun time. The night concluded with the men trying to put together a play kitchen, that took about an hour and a half. Next morning was Christmas with his mom, and that was a lot of fun, as Haley reminded me about the joy of Christmas as a child. We heard "it's just what I wanted" about 30 times. Too funny. Then we waited for the roads to warm up a bit to thaw out the ice and headed back to VA for my family get together. It was a great time, full of laughs and food and gifts. The night ending with a fun game of Dominoes.
Some of the gifts I received were an amethyst necklace, sperry shoes, twilight bookset, gift cards, fleece, yorkie stuff, handmade snow sled. Nathan received some WV stuff (chip/dip platter, clock, glasses), clothes, gift cards. We also received a laptop. We have really enjoyed our gifts almost as much as I enjoyed wrapping everyone else's. That is my favorite part, wrapping them and watching people open them up.

I then enjoyed a week off of work. New Year's came and we spent it at my parents playing Catch Phrase with them and Lacey & Matt til 3 am. Crazy.

2010---started off with wedding stuff

My friend Stefonia and Julius had their wedding rehearsal and dinner on Jan. 1. The dinner was at Tobacco Co. I've never been there, so it was a neat experience for me. Good food, she-crab soup yummy! The wedding was Jan 2 at Main St Station. It couldn't have been a more cold night, that's for sure. Everything was beautiful and it went so well. In the end we sent them off with sparklers as they came down the steps and got into their limo. They are awesome and I'm so glad to have been a part of their wedding.

Then it was back to work. And here we are now at today. One of my New Year's resolutions is to find the time to at least blog once a month, hopefully I will exceed that, but I set my goal low in hopes of doing better!! 2010 HERE I COME!!!

Monument Ave 10K 1h24m

I know I'm really horrible about actually updating our blog, sorry. So yesterday was the 10th annual Ukrop's Monument Ave 10K. Way back at the beginning of the year, April suggested that I do the 10k this year. She has done it many times and loved it. So I thought hey, why not. There was plenty of time to train to run 6.2 miles. I hate running on treadmills and so with the weather being cold or rainy most of the weekends, I found that my training for the 10k basically became non existant. I can't remember that last time I ran a mile let alone anything more than half a mile. I like to walk or do other types of exercise. But running to support cancer research and in honor of my grandmother sounded like a good idea. So a week before the race, April and I set out to do a little run, or so I thought. 4 miles later we stopped for the day. Later that evening I could not walk down the stairs, I had done something to my leg. Eventually it subsided and everthing was back to normal. Then yesterday was the actual race day. We got ourselves all fueled up and headed out. As we approached the starting line i started to get excited and was glad to be a part of it all. And it began. About half way through the first mile my leg started hurting again. By the time I reached the first mile it became almost unbearable. I spent the rest of the race doing intervals of running until it hurt too much, then stopped to stretch and walk a bit then ran again. I did this for the remaining of the race. By the time the 6 mile mark came up I knew I was almost there. I pushed through it horrible pain to the end. I had done it! I completed the race in 1 hour and 24 minutes. I was proud of myself for pushing through it! With lots of heat and ice my leg is feeling better today, but not 100%. I'm looking forward to doing a monthly run of atleast 4 miles and actually training for it next year. Lots of thanks for everyone who comes out and cheers all of us on. It really makes a difference. And congrats to everyone who participated yesterday!!

Christmas 2008

So we started out December by buying our first Christmas tree, artificial from Target. It had pinecones on it too. We got a few more ornaments to go with the teal ones we got last year, some white twinkling lights, snowflake stocking holders for our teal stockings, a wreath which I decorated for our front door. A pretty white tree skirt with snowflake beading on it. and some white snowlooking garland. We really like our star we got, but unfortunately it was too heavy for our tree, hence it is kind of crooked.

The only other Christmas stuff prior to Christmas week was my work's Christmas lunch at Maggiano's which was a great time and of course great food! Then I helped out at the Ward's Christmas Party/dinner. We made candy cane reindeer and wrote letter to our ward missionary. Then for Cub scouts we made edible snowmen, did mazes, talked about christmas symbols and stories as well as fav songs. The week before Christmas we went Christmas caroling and had hot cocoa. Everyone had a blast.

Then that friday December 19 at noon, started what was and is still until tomorrow, my Christmas Vacay! I was way excited to have time off from work, very much needed. I didn't have to many exciting things planned. Nathan's brother and sister were coming in from WV that night and staying for the weekend, then just shopping, wrapping gifts, and other stuff. They arrived around 10:30 in the evening safely. The next day was full of stuff. We went to breakfast at Boychik's deli. Normally it's a great place to go, but with a grouchy waitress who was impatient, to discovering a hair in Nathan's food, we were quickly ready to move on with our day. Poor Nathan always finds a hair in his food when we go places, and sadly to say sometimes when I make dinner there is one in there too, though I try my hardest to make sure it doesn't happen. Then it was off to do a little sight seeing. They haven't seen Short Pump in awhile, so we gave a tour of the newly added things, then a brief stop at circuit city and off to Williamsburg. We went to the outlets, Jess's first time and not too busy for the weekend before Christmas (probably do to the economy). Then we ate at the ever so famous Captain George's. Man was it some good eatin', expensive, but well worth it. We finished off the evening back near home at the bowling alley. Then took some pictures and exchanged some gifts. Then they got up early the next morning and headed home to beat the snowy weather. Wish we had some. So then I started planning some things for the week ahead.

First, for our little Sophie, i took her to the Vet on Monday morning and she got her teeth cleaned and got spayed. What a Christmas present to her!!! I picked her up later that evening and she just slept for a day and a half. Poor little thing. But she is up and bouncing around again.

I visited the gym almost everyday it was open but Sunday. I tried out a class I've been wanting to do that is only offered in the mornings during the week when I am normally working, (Awesome Abs) whoah buddy did I feel my abs the next day! But it was fun. Christmas Eve was spent wrapping presents, which may I say is my fav!!!! I made fudge this year and it was yummy. Chocolate-Oreo and also Peanut Butter-Chocolate. Christmas day was spent at our house unwrapping gifts and getting ready for my family's christmas dinner and gift exchange with my aunt, uncle and cousin too. Always promises to be a fun time. Sophie even enjoyed it as she was passed around and given food from everyone's plate. What a mooch.

Of course there was a little after Christmas shopping and some bowling fun again, and now it is Sunday and I have to go back to work tomorrow for two and a half days before New Year's vacay!!! Sorry such a long post, but it was a busy time.

I should be an interior decorator

So I promised photos of my newly renovated master bathroom that Nathan wanted to have finished in time for our anniversary, but didn't quite make it on time. Well it is done, minus a few little homelike touches, like putting up pictures and such. Anyways...so while I didn't do any of the hard work to get it to look the way it does, I was the brains behind it all. My job was to pick out the paint color, the tile, which I picked a main tile that was a light tint of green marbled with cream colors. then I made it a little harder with green accent tiles that weren't the same height. Since my dad does all kinds of remodeling, Nathan and my dad went to work on the floor as a collaboration. Nathan did all the painting and replacing of old crappy sink faucets, towel rod, and wood trim. We all make a great team! I really wish I had some before pictures to compare it to. All the hard work is complete and luckily I picked colors that went with the bathroom accessories we already had (shower curtain, floor mat, toilet cover and towels)! So I 'm not sure if you agree or not, but I really should be an interior decorator.

So here you can see some of the tile and the pretty green paint., great improvement from the nasty yellow-brown color and linoleum floor.

Here's just showing the shower curtain with the new pretty paint!

A close up on the tile. see the pretty accent tile bringing out the green and tying it all together.

A look at the vanity, should have probably cleaned up a little before snapping this photo.

We have matching his and her sinks with new pretty brushed nickel faucets! we have a stand alone toilet paper holder, trash can towel rod, all in brushed nickel. It just looks so much better than cheap stock accessories.

So what do you think? Interior Decorator in the future????