One fish Two Fish red fish Blue fish

I love fish

As far as I can remember we have had fish tanks in our house. Wait let me repharse that, multiple fish tanks in our house. I think fish are beautiful and I love to watch them.

I have been wanting a tank since Austin and I fisrt moved in together, but the apartment we had last year was too small.

Now that we have a house of our own and extra bedrooms I was finally able to get a tank!!

Austin helping fill it up

All the decor that will soon fill it

Final product!!

Christmas

Christmas was a blast this year! we had many stops to make in one day and were tired when we were finally home.

Austin "not" getting ready for the day because he just opened his PS3

Started the day at my mom's. She always spoils us!

Little Emily ready for gift time

Funny story behind this gift, Brooke's power went out at school the night before finals and she panicked because she needed to study and had no power! Mom took care of her if it ever happens again

Emily's sweet snuggie

Later we went to Austin dad's, then finished up with dinner at Andrea's

By then time we got home all Austin had energy for was this....

2009

Wow, a year has past already?!

Where does time go?

This year was Austin and I's first year together married. It was a great, fun filled year.

Austin got laid off in the beginning of the year but we managed through

We bought our first house and love it!

We got a new little puppy and he and Cheech are best buds

We were able to welcome a little nephew into the family, Jaxon

Austin and I both started new jobs

I continued working on my college degree

I learned the couch doubles as a bed when your husband is a master snorer

I gained great respect for Austin and all the hard work he puts in

I learned to read recipes twice and then again before starting, I must have messed up a "few" different dishes by thinking I knew how to make them

Austin will fly fish rain or shine. Snow or sleet. 7 am or 4 pm. 1 hour or 6 hours

I learned to be patient, things happen when it's the right time

Finally I learned to not buy your husband a PS3 unless you don't expect him to move from in front on the television for the next 7 hours

This year has been a blessing and we are thankful for all the family and friends we have. We look forward to another great year together and cannot wait to see what it brings :)

Ginger Off

Sunday Austin and I decided we wanted to build a gingerbread house. We asked my sister Brooke to get one too and we could have a contest.

Let me start by saying that Brooke is not the craftiest person I know, and Austin is a perfectionist.

Brooke started off on the wrong foot when she cut the hole to the frosting too big, it all went down hill from there.

After we got the foundations up we had to let them dry for 15 minutes. We went and played Rock Band, as the 3 of us always do. I would have pictures of our sweet band, Salt Horse Soul, but it was too hard to play guitar and take pictures.

After the houses were dry we began decorating. Again Brooke went about it differently than Austin and I. Mid way through decorating her roof came off! She even put the wreath on upside down. She went with the snow storm look and put frosting everywhere.

Brooke also claimed that her house was the future of gingerbread houses.

Austin's house

Mom declared that in the end we both won, Brooke for creativity and Austin and I for following instructions.

It was a fun night and I was happy to spend time with my sister. Even though she is back for a little over a month, its hard to find time to spend with her with work and separate schedules.

4 am

This is what 4 am looks like

4 am is NOT a fun time

It is dead, quiet, cold, and dark

How do I know?

Austin has to be at work at 4:30 everyday. Last week he worked 14 hour days and was beyond tired. One day he turned off his alarm but never got up. I woke up at 4:10 am to find him still sleeping. As he showered and got ready I was a good wife and got up to help. All I could really do was make coffee and his lunch but it was better than nothing.

Even little Cheech was not happy to be up :)

He took his bone, went under the table and fell back asleep

I try not to complain as much about being up at 7!

Easy Banana Bread

I found this super easy Banana Bread recipe!

* Melt 1/3 c butter

* add 3 bananas


* mash

* Add one egg

* 3/4 c Sugar

1 teaspoon both Vanilla and baking soda

* Lastly add 1 1/2 c flour

Mix and bake for 1 hour @ 350 degrees

Cool and ENJOY!

Playlist

Just thought I would throw a few of my "at the moment" favortie songs up here for you all to try!

• Casting Crowns -American Dream
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DumlIIHSrsQ
• Lady Antebellum - Need you Now
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB7T3lJ3dZ4
• Boys Like Girls- Two is Better Than One
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E231TF4CzU0
• Luke Bryan- Do I
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5GVa1yWYZM

Winter, How I love you!

With the colder weather moving in everyone is talking about how much they hate winter...Why??

Because it get a little cold?

Nobody every mentions all the wonderful things that come with winter.

This is my response to Kyle's blog :)

I love winter because.....

I love snow

I love watching it fall

I love the look of winter, the snow and the greys

I love decorating for Christmas

I love Jesus Birthday children's plays at church

I love bundling up in sweats and a blanket

I love snuggling, watching movies, and drinking hot coco and coffee

I love playing in the snow

Making snowmen and snowball fights

I love seeing family...I especially like my sister being home for 5 weeks

I love baking and when it is hot out I do not like baking

I love the smell of cinnamon and pine

I love the holiday spirit

I love Winter

Irritation

We all have them, small things that just irritate us to no end.

We don't mean anything personal by it but some things we simply can not stand.

Austin thinks I am the most easily annoyed person EVER! I wouldn't say that is true but I do have my erks.

1. Small, rather unnoticeable sound....Dogs licking, Heavy breathing, lips smacking.... I could go on for days.

2. A Dirty House... If a messy house bugs me. If you take something out put it away, simple right?! Not so much, even I tend to leave things laying around and later can't believe the mess I have.

3. Aggressive driving... A certain somebody,who will remain nameless, ALWAYS drives crazy. Is it that much of a difference to be at our destination 5 minutes later? I also dislike the crazy drivers weaving in and out of lanes. Maybe you should have left earlier.

4. Group Projects... These drive me up the wall... We are in college, working and have families. Do teachers truly believe we have time outside of class to meet with 5 other busy adults? And there is always the people who know you will do the whole project so they put forth NO effort.

5. Computers... I hate computers. They sure do make things easier on us and we can do anything on them BUT they never work right, always freeze on me and half the time I get so annoyed with them I don't get anything accomplished

Three Inventions I take for granted

Ever stop to think about the things you use everyday and think nothing of it?

Well lately I have realized I have a lot of "tools" I use daily that would absolutely stink if they were not around

1. Washer and dryer - Simple I know but think about spending hours hand washing and hang drying your clothes.

2. Flat Iron- I have the CRAZIEST hair ever. Only my family has seen it air dried and wild. Austin makes fun of it every night after my shower. I don't know how I dared going out without doing it when I was in elementary and Middle school

3. Hot water Heater- I always think about the days when people boiled water and poured in tub for their bath. Way too time consuming.

Wordless Wednesday

Preparing for the Holidays!

This weekend I finally got my rear in gear and decorated for the Holidays!!

Andrea and I took a class at Johnson's Garden and made wreaths! Fun and easy

Got the tree up and decorated.

Cheech and Rockie's Christmas picture :)

Our home finally looks like the season

I made our Christmas cards this year. It took A LOT of work and about 3 hours but it was fun and I am happy with how they turned out!!

College Hill Bed and Breakfast

It was about 3:15 pm on Saturday and Austin had just woke from his nap, he told me I needed to pack an overnight bag. I was confused, we hadn't made any plans and I didn't know where we were going. He told me we had 1 hour to get there and I just couldn't think of anywhere an hour away. I packed my bag and anxiously waited to see where we would be spending the night.

Austin had booked the College Hill Bed and Breakfast Cottage for our Anniversary!

It was cozy, relaxing and simply amazing,

We stayed in the Cottage which was a separate little house away from the main building with the other rooms. We had a huge king size bed that was the most comfortable bed we had ever been on, a Whirlpool tub that was more than relaxing and in the morning we enjoyed a delicious hot breakfast.

One of my favorite parts of the room was the bathroom sink, it was a glass bowl that just looked really beautiful.

It was so nice getting away and staying in such a wonderful place for our anniversary. It was the best surprise Austin could have planned. We both really enjoyed just being together for the day and getting away from our normal environment. Who knows maybe we will make that our annual getaway!!