Its been a long time... again

So clearly Im beyond AWFUL at keeping this up... I have tried and tried and somehow, it slips my mind... alot...

But here's a quick catch up from the last time I blogged! We had just returned from the beach... that was like 2 months ago!!

As soon as we got back I started my *NEW* job at Siemens!!! btw- I REALLY like it... I havent been able to say that in a LONG time!!

Before we knew it, August was upon us.. where did summer go? Michael started a *NEW* job the first of August at Oak Ridge.. i think he might REALLY like it too... and it sure beats hearing the alarm clock go off at 4:30am every morning!! He has a 20ish minute commute... so much much better!!

We are finally getting settled into the house.. the dining room is well... still the dining room and still not complete in my eyes... but since we have only 4 chairs at our table and rarely have "dinner parties" i'm not too worried about it!

Frills N Fluff http://www.frillsnfluff.etsy.com/, has really taken off.. I worked really hard on a back to school collection and a fall collection.. and FINALLY my hard work paid off.. I have consistently been getting orders... my dreams are coming true! WHOO HOOO!!

RECENTLY:
this past weekend it was FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!!!

This is us at the game!! this is before it started raining.. ok, pouring... but we have waited 2 years to be back in the south and back in the stadium, so we sat out in it!! GO VOLS!!
We snatched up some great parking spots this year so we could tailgate w/some of our friends!! we had a great time!!

michael teamed up with Slay in cornhole!

so we had a great day with some great friends!!! its def a great feeling to be back in the south, to see a sea of orange... well i could go on!! 

Then on Sunday we got a great visit from our nieces... They are crazy and we for sure had a full house!! but we miss them and love having them around.. and their mom and dad arent too bad either! haha



me and char char



Char and Milla

Check them out!



celieo!!





my lil hippie!!!

We heart those little girls!!!

Back to the work week!! whoo hoo!!

only a couple more days till it's football time in TENNESSEE...AGAIN!!!

GO VOLS!!

Day1 of Vacation Recap! SEA WORLD!!

I am going to recap everyday of our trip since I couldn't upload pics while we were gone!

Day 1 = SEA WORLD!!

On the first day of our trip Michael surprised me by taking me to Sea World to celebrate my 26th Birthday!! WOW cant believe I am 26!!!

I have been to Sea World in years so I was very excited for this!! He had arranged for us to have an all day tour guide to take us places and show us things while we were there! It was pretty much VIP service! Even when we rode the rides she took us right up to the front and we didnt have to wait in line with everyone else!! PRETTY AWESOME!!

So we started out going to see the dolphins at Dolphin Cove!! It was great! We got to fee the dolphins too!!

 A little scared I was going to get bit!

From there we toured a couple of other places then it was time to ride our first ride. She said " you wont get wet if you sit near the back" So I insisted that we sit near the back, I wasnt liking the idea of having been at the park only 2 hours and spending the rest of the day wet.. So I was determined NOT to get wet! The ride was cute and fun.. until the end!! We made it to the end of the ride and remained pretty much dry... then all of the sudden water comes flying towards me... and well I was SOAKED.. on the outside of the ride there are different cannons that you can put money in and spray the people on the ride as they come by.. someone obviously thought it would be an AWESOME idea to spray that water right at me.. needless to say I had a 4x4 square that was dry on my clothes and that was it!   As we exited the ride there were "drying stations" note to self, do not waste $3.00 on them, they dont work. You just get incredibly hot in them!

 the ride that soaked me!

pre-getting soaked!

We took SOO many pictures of the animals that day that it would take me all day just to post the pictures. But we had a great time! We saw 2 Shamu shows, 2 sea lion shows and fireworks!! They have 2 rollercoasters there too! One was called Manta and it freaked me out! but it was SOOO fun!!!

Hope you get a glimpse of our first day!!

Day 2!!!

I am blogging early!!! We are headed off to a fun filled day at Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios!!

We had a GREAT day yesterday, but were very tired when we arrived back at the hotel! We showered and headed to bed, we didnt even watch tv!!



I am very excited for Animal Kingdom because I have wanted to go for several years and I didnt want to ask if we were going to get to go! BUT Michael is such a great husband he does listen (sometimes) when I have said "I'd love to go to Animal Kingdom"


Hopefully there arent any water rides today because I spent a good portion of the day yesterday soaking wet! We had only been on our tour yesterday at Sea World an hour and we rode a water ride. I told Michael when we started I was not riding in the front because I didnt want to get soaked! So we headed up to the ride (skipping all the lines w/our tour guide!!) and I picked the 3rd row, thinking we were safe! We were safe UNTIL, the end and the patrons standing out around the park could pay 25 cents and shoot water cannons. Well I was the lucky target of some WONDERFUL person's child who preceded to SOAK me with his water cannon! There was a square on my shorts that was dry that was it! I complained for about 5 minutes. They had these drying stations.. NOTE TO SELF... they dont work!So I had to dry the hard way! and I spent the next few hours trying to get dry! but all in all, it was a fun day!

Looking forward to great fun and lots of pictures today!

ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!!! and....

and... We spent the day at Sea World!! YAY!! I havent been to Sea World since I was a little girl! Michael did such a great job planning this trip!


We spent the entire day at Sea World... We are actually JUST NOW coming back to our hotel.. For some strange reason we cant get our internet to work so I am using a 1980's computer in the hotel lobby!!! I will post pictures and most details when we are back in tennessee!

Tomorrow we are heading to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios!! I have no idea what the days after that will be!! BUT I should find out Monday's plans tomorrow!

I will post more when I can!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

I'm a slacker... again...

I know, I know.. I've been away for like a month! BUT this working 10 hours a day and trying to keep up with my ETSY orders and have some what of a soical life... well ITS HARD!!

That is why this is going to be a short post! Im doing it during lunch AND i'm not suppose to be on the internet! HA

anyway, MY BIRTHDAY IS IN 2 DAYS... the BIG 26!! that means i'm closer to 30.. not a fan!!

So we were planning a trip to Idaho Falls for Michael's class reunion during the 4th of July and my birthday... Well, me being the planner in the family, I found plane tickets like months ago, showed him and well that was the end of it.. So realizing last week we still didnt have tickets I started looking and that were, well ALOT of money!! needless to say, we arent going to Idaho. :(

BUT on the flip side, once that trip was canceled, Michael got into super planning mode (which never ever happens) and he has planned a 5 day SUPRISE trip for me, him, us to celebrate our birthdays (2nd, 10th) 4th of July AND our 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! We packed as much into July as we could! haha

So as luck would have it Watts Bar decided to shut down for a whole week next week so we are headed on our trip first thing in the morning! After we drop our "child" Erin aka Ebby off at the kennel..

I am basically having to let michael pack my clothes (prob not a good idea)

but i am SUPER excited to see where this trip takes us!!!

i will try to update you on our journeys!!!

2nd times the charm!!!

This is my 2nd post this week... doing pretty good!!! hahah

Its so very hot here in Tennessee again today, but i WILL NOT complain about that! i have missed this sooo very badly!

Michael is still plugging along at work... and i'm starting back to work on Monday!!! i'm kind of excited because I have been really bored at home... It has to be so much different when you have kids at home.. hopefully i can report back on that subject in a couple of years!!!;)

We had a great Memorial Day weekend.. My parents came down on Friday to see how the house looked... we sold my old living room and kitchen furniture to a friend from home.. they came and picked up Friday also. We then went and purchased our new living room furniture!! We love it!! its exactly what we were looking for and after going to ever furniture store in knoxville, finally found it!YAY!!

Then Saturaday we waited ALL DAY for the furniture to be delievered.. of course, we were the last delivery!! BOOO!! But i did get to lay out in the sun which was awesome!! I got a sun burn, and that's fine!
Then we went over to our friend Bobby and Emily's for a cookout! it was fun hanging out w/our friends again, playing corn hole and chatting! Then we went out downtown for the night.. i feel like i'm semi-too old to be doing that, but we had a good time! it was Brinley's birthday so we went out w/the O'connors and Brinley and her bf Nick and some other ppl.. it turned into a great night, topped off with some GREAT pizza!!! (i should not have eaten that at 2am!!)

Monday Michael and I went to the outlets.. it was fun!! I have missed Gatlinburg since we've been gone! We took the corvette and spent the whole day driving around w/the top down it was awesome!!!

Michael is working on Friday so I am hoping to get some time in at the pool before I have to deal w/the loves of my life.... COMCAST!!! i hate them!!! they have been here 8 times so far since we moved in!!errrrrrrrrr

hopefully a fun weekend ahead!!!

xoxox

A fresh, new, start in TENNESSEE!!!!

So, I suppose this post is a little late to fill you all in on what's going on in our world. I promised to keep everyone updated and to share my big surprise, but I forgot in the midst of everything going on.. But for those of you that DONT know already, Michael and I have moved back to TENNESSEE!!!

We have been here for 2 weeks now!!! It was a long process to get us here starting with a big moving trip from PA... That was a trip... So we had the bright idea that we would only need one Uhaul truck for all of our stuff.. YEA RIGHT!! we ended up with TWO Uhaul trucks and a trailer and that was hardly covering everything! We hired a crew to load the trucks and trailer and then we were on our way South! We headed out of town around 6:30, hoping to get to Lexington, KY at some point to catch a few hours of sleep before getting up and starting all over again... We were worn out and we hadn't even left town yet!

But we got on our way... with me leading the pack (scary thought, i know!) this was only because I was the only either NOT in a Uhaul truck or pulling a trailer (not safe!) so anyway, we head out on our merry way! Making pretty good time, we decide to stop and eating, remembering we probably hadnt eaten much all day! As we pull into the Cracker Barrel of our choice, the rain starts... We get some quick food in our bellies and we are back at it...

Around mid-night we are driving and I am a little ways ahead of the gang warning all of pot holes, or anything else that might danger our long procession of cars haulers, moving trucks and trailers. When something starts pelting my window! I quickly starts screaming into the walkie talkies HAIL HAIL HAIL.. of course everyone starts to panic because we have 2 of our prized items in tow! The Covettes, who dont even come out in rail let alone know what hail feels like... this was not good.. luckily it passes quickly, but the lighting and other aspects of the storm don't. we are forced to continue our travels toward KY with lots of "light up the sky" lighting and rain and thunder...

We make it to our stopping point for the night, crawl into bed and get a few hours of shut eye.. I was woken  up by Ebony a.k.a. Erin licking my toes... yes, she slept in the hotel room w/it... ha

We headed on into knoxville.. along the way Michael had noticed that the Uhaul truck he'd been driving had been having multiple "under the hood" problems. At this point, I think he was only in able to use 3rd gear... this was slightly scary and nerve racking due to the fact that we knew we had the big Jellico Mountain to pass before getting into Knoxville... I let Michael get in front of me and we prayed to make it to the top without the truck motor blowing up! The lord was with us, because we made it!!!

Honestly, from that point in the day until we did "house" things, i'm not really sure what we did or what happened. I believe i was extremely overwhelmed at this point! I do remember saying of multiple occasions that morning, "I think Im going to throw up" pretty typical for me though!

We did our Big Boy and Big Girl duties for the day and we officially had a place to live!!! WHOO HOOO!! it's a good thing because we had a lot of things packed in those Uhauls that needed a home!!

So we brought our parents over to show them our new residence for the first time! they are pleased with our choices!! yay!!!!

The unpacking/unloading would start early the next morning.. i was not looking forward to this.. luckily, Michael being the great husband that he is... let me sleep in while he and his dad got the unloaders started for the day!! I arrived around 11, to start unpacking! GREAT!!! i did manage to get the kitchen pretty much set up that day... but the sight of cardboard was pretty overwhelming and we decided to stop for the day! I was pretty excited to find ALL our wedding gifts that hadn't been out of the boxes since opening them last july!!!  IT WAS CHRISTMAS ALL OVER AGAIN!!

Lets jump ahead to NOW...
we are here!! we are moved in!!! Saturday we got the missing piece to make our house complete, NEW LIVING ROOM FURNITURE!! Thanks to some great folks back from my home town, we sold my living room furniture and were able to get a new set for ourselves!! we found exactly what we had been wanting AND Michael got a best buy gift card in the deal... which totally sealed it and we were done!!! The walls are still naked but for the most part we are moved in and life is GREAT!!

someone asked me recently if i was happy here.. and i couldn't really answer because it's quite moving to me... i have longed to be back here, likely since we left 2 years ago.. but it was a sacrifice we had to make... we headed to PA as 2 people, doing a lot of things for the first time.. living together, starting new jobs, living in the north.. i could go on, but you get the point... BUT as Michael would put it into perspective for you.. had we not done that and made the sacrifice, we wouldn't be married right now or able to be doing and have what we have now...  SO, that makes the sacrifices all worth it!

but to finally answer that question Am I happy? Happy doesn't seem like the right word to me... I am content and 100% less stressed than I have been in over 2 years... Living in Tennessee isn't going to be the fix to everything... but right now, life is sweet and we couldn't be happier.. more at ease or content with our new lives... things will change, as they always do... but we are fortunate and have worked hard to get to this point in our lives.. i know things will only continue to get better.. just like growing older!!

We have enjoyed our Memorial Day weekend to the fullest (one more day left)... I start working next week, which is bitter sweet! I am ready to go back to work.. only because I have been bored at home... I see that in order to be a "stay at home_____" I need the blank in there.. and we all know what that blank is... however, that "blank" wont be around for a couple of years, so until then I'll be content as a working girl!

Happy Memorial Day everyone!!!:)
XOXO

Long time... no blog....

WOWWWWW!!! I havent posted in months!!! this just goes to show how VERY busy we have been!!! and how very quickly time flies!!!

Michael and I have been into lots of things since my last post.. I am not sure where to start really... A couple of things to highlight: We made our bi-annual trip to Bristol for the Spring NASCAR race and had a great time as always. We missed a lot of our usual gang being able to get together, but we were able to grill out dinner w/Megan and Ryan and went out in Bristol w/Cally and Juddy. It wasn't as crazy as trips before have been, but we had good weather and had a good time!

Since we knew we have a busy month in May we have tried to stay home as much as possible the last couple of months!!

Easter has come and gone... my parents made the trip up to PA to spend Easter with me because Michael was planning to go to Keith's bachelor party. However, as our luck would have it in airports that didn't quite work out and he ended up back in PA by the time it was all said and done. He was sad he had to miss the party but I was "secretly" happy that we wouldn't be apart for Easter! Last year we started, what we hope to continue as a tradition of spending Easter with our good friends Ramon and Kesha and our favorite little boy, as we call him, "Deuce" Little Man. Last year we had such a good time coloring eggs, eating and watching the Teen Mom marathon. This year we spent Sunday at their place following the same pattern, minus the Teen Mom marathon---bummer :( My parents headed home Monday morning and Michael and I headed to work... Whooo HOO NOT!!!

Our busy month is vastly approaching with a trip to Knoxville for Keith and Kelly's wedding on May 7th and leaving the next week for SPAIN!!! I am SOOO excited for the trip to Spain!!! I have always wanted to go and I'm really excited to see what a wedding in another country will be like!!! Also, very excited for Keith and Kelly to get married. I feel like they are already married, but I guess they are one of the last of our "friend couples" to tie the knot! Only a couple more to go!!! So excited for them!!!

After that hopefully June will be semi calm... YEA RIGHT!!! not in our lives!! We have another wedding in June for Jud and Cally in Bristol!!! Very excited for this wedding too!! then we will have a break from weddings in July as I prepare to travel to Idaho Falls for Michael's high school reunion. It just happens to be on my birthday.. not exactly where I had planned to be spending my birthday at, BUT Michaels promises for a good time!! I have never been to Idaho so I'm excited for a new experience! and to get some TATORS FOR OUT OF STATERS!!! hahaha

Another wedding will follow in August for Drew and Katherine in Nashville (hopefully we will get to see the little Garza girls then too, because I'm having serious with drawls) and a trip to Chicago in Nov (brrrr) for Stefan and Catrina (I'm sure I just butchered her name) to tie the knot!! Then wedding season will be over for us until 2012 when we will see Bobby and Emily tie the knot in Feb!!!

Update: Michael parted with the excursion (YES!!!,.. shhh, don't tell him I said that) and is shopping for a new car, interesting I know!

ALSO, I will have BIG news to share with the blog world in a few weeks but for right now, that is all!

I promise I'm going to do better job keeping this up... starting... NOW!!!

Still getting used to this

So lately I have become obsessed with blogs.. finding new ones, reading peoples... i actually think mine, well it kinda sucks compared to some of these peoples... but i am also not a computer genius (i don't care to be), i know very little about graphics (I'm ok with that) I HAVE to spend 10+ hours a day starring at a computer screen so the last thing I want to do at night is go home and look at one some more!!!

This blog is orange (like me), ok I'm not orange, orange is a bright color, a happy color, and it represents so many things about my life... Orange was part of my life before I ever knew what it meant!!

Every time I get on here to write something, these random things just pop into my head, so that's what you are getting folks... but that's pretty much me a random girl, with TONS of ideas... sometimes they stop short of that and remain just ideas, other become actual things, and others well, they are just "hangin out"

Many things have changed in my life and I feel like you have to be able to roll with change and adapt to it. With change comes new beginnings and new adventures... Michael is likely going to read this and say, you should listen to what you just said..I really believe that, but I "might" have a small problem with letting that happen!!

I feel like now is the time to let you know alittle about me.. if you are reading this, you should know who is doing the "typing"

Im 25 years old---at one time that sounded old to me, but I really do feel young.. at least in a numbers aspect

I could stay up late with the best of them, and dance away into the wee hours of the night (those were my college days).. then i got a real job and real responsibilities, a husband and a house... THINGS CHANGE!!

I have become a huge clean freak... those who knew me in HS and freshman year of college would probably laugh at a statement like that... because, I didn't even know how to use the washing machine before I went to college... and I had zero interest in anything pertaining to wifey things or household things...

It took me 4.5 years to graduate college (which sounds good to me since it took my husband practically 6)

I do believe in love, I know I have found my one true love (too bad if hes not, haha jk)

I believe that the very time you aren't searching for something it will fall into your lap (just like Michael fell into mine, sorta ;))

I believe in taking chances, as long as I have semi control over the situation

I AM A CONTROL FREAK!!!!!

I know I am not perfect, I have lost touch with alot of people that I wish I hadn't...

I have so many things to be thankful for... and sometimes I think, I know, I take it for granted.. but in my heart I appreciate it more than anyone or any word will ever know.

I am basically healthy (minus a few aches and pains), I am happy (about 98%, that 2% is living in the north), I continue to see changes in myself and my family and I am so thankful for that... Michael and I really had to learn to give and take...

Alot of people are against couples living together prior to getting married, to each his own, is the way i feel about that. For us, we would not be together today had that not been out "OWN"... I didn't believe in long distance relationships, I think I really didn't want to take the chance on getting hurt, but either way... and honestly, we might have killed each other if we hadn't worked out kinks out prior to the day we came home from our honeymoon..

I believe that what's meant to be will always find a way... although i have to tell myself that prob. 10 times a day...

i'm nosey.. and i like to know what's "going on"

Ill be the best friend you can have, but as soon as you start to use me, we are done.
I pride myself on being honest and open to all things, good or bad...

You have to take the good w/the bad and the bad w/the ugly..

All in all, I'm just a country girl, that grew up on a farm.. realized there was life outside of that and followed my dreams.. I had two encouraging parents, that said, shoot for your dreams and don't look back.. they never told me no.. I met a man that fulfilled everything I had ever wanted in a mate. He completed my "list" ( i didn't really have a list) I know he will be just as soon of a father one day as he is as a husband to me.. with him I became an aunt 2 3 precious little girls in Nashville and an adorable girl and handsome boy in Dallas... Their parents are not just my brother and sisters-in-law, they are my friends and my family... I also gained a 2nd family in my husbands parents... I feel like I have someone watching out for me no matter where I am!!!

I have so many hobbies, I could write a book on my hobbies!!! I love crafts, sewing (a new one), shopping, buying shoes, spending time with Michael.. going for walks, touring places.. going on car trips.. exercising( that's not really a hobby, i just have to do it).. and just being me.. and being able to say, this is me i'm ok with it... if your not sorry!!!:)

live life and be happy!!:)

until next time!!!

2 Birds with One Stone....

so in my mind, writing at alittle past midnight counts for yesterday and today... that's ok right?
So yesterday, Was my 9/80 off at work and I must say only having to work 3 days after the holidays was the best thing I have had to do in a LONG time!! Michael was suppose to be off too, but he had to come in for afew hours! However, I didn't get to sleep in since our cleaning lady was coming sometime, but I had a doctor's appointment anyway!

Like i said before we have been in a major cleaning freenzie and I am not joking when I say that! So yesterday we made it up to the 3rd floor a.k.a. our bedroom. It was a sad day but our closets are so clean now and I am hoping that we will make some one's day at the Goodwill. I feel bad sometimes when we just give away stuff, but I know that their are others that are less fortunate and if I am not using it at least maybe someone can. At the end of the day we had a heaping pile of clothes, shoes, stuff animals and a bag full of hangers in the middle of our bedroom floor! That pile spent the night in that same place!

the bedroom pile

hallway pile

We decided we needed some good food after all our hard work so we headed out to Patron for some dinner. I think I was in much need of a margarita to make myself feel a little better about giving away so many of my beloved clothes and shoes. But we had a great dinner and then went to this little brick oven bar across from our house and listened to a live singer and learned a new dice game that was rather interesting. I had a slight hangover this morning.. .that's sad... and I am feeling very old!!


This morning Michael ventured down to the new fires station to work on his locker... i am not sure what that means... but that's what he was doing.. at least that's what I thought.... untillllll I am mid way through sewing my first project of the day when I get a phone call " hey Im going to need some help later" I am thinking, well ok! To make a VERY long story short Michael and his fire buddies (that's what I call them) had driven down to Dunkin Donuts for some breakfast ( i guess they had worked up an appetite after "putting together their lockers" Anyway, our beloved "Albert" had decided not to start back up for him. errrrrr I have alot of dislike for that automobile!!! anyway, they left it at DD and he was saying he would need me to come and get him later and take him to wait for AAA... AAA is usually really quick and I have had to use them before, today that was not the case! I'll save you all the pain and details and screaming... and well more details and just say I HATE AAA, at least today I hate them... We made the first dispatch call at 1:50pm, the truck didn't get loaded on a tow truck in til after 6pm tonight!!!!There went the majority of my day... sitting in the parking lot of DD waiting for a stupid tow truck!!!

the picture quality isn't too good, but there he is FINALLY getting loaded up!!! 

We were finally able to go take our 14 bags to the Goodwill (including 48 pairs of shoes.. only 4 of those were Michael's) then stopped for pizza and came home. Of course, I had to watch football, well kinda.. I watched while we ate then I decided to play Angry Birds.. stupid addicting little game! Michael spent alot of time on his brothers iPad playing that stupid little game and guess what is the latest app on our iMac.. Angry Birds.. and of course I couldn't not play.. it's so addicting I cant believe I admitted that I actually play it!!! shhh, don't tell! 

Then I finally got to finish my first dress of my 2011 Frills N Fluff Spring Collection. Its an Easter print dress... so adorable and I am so excited for it. I LOVE sewing... I don't know if its so much that I love sewing or just that I love seeing the finished product... but I do LOVE picking out and looking at fabrics.. I guess that's the fashionista in me!

what do you think?? i LOVE it?

But the night is getting longer and I am starting to get tired!

soo, until next time!!

Happy 2011

Well.. I am just getting around to sitting down long enough to post a blog since the start of the holidays!! we had such an eventful Christmas and New Years! We started out by leaving 12/22 and heading to Virginia to my parents. We were surprised by a snow storm starting in W.Va that slowed us down quite a bit! The roads were basically covered most of the drive... meanwhile, I could sense I was starting to get sick during the drive... it started out as a sore throat that I tried to ignore... that didn't work :(

by the next morning I was feeling pretty poopy.. I was in hopes of finding a Minute Clinic or something like that around my parents in VA but no luck.. and it was the day before Christmas Eve... and i really didn't want to go see some random doctor that I didn't know! So i toughed it out for another day. By Christmas Eve I was practically miserable. Michael was even threatening me that he was going to drive me to TN to a Minute Clinic! But I said NO WAY it's Christmas Eve.. And I didn't want to miss out on the big Christmas Even dinner at my Mommaw Garrett's. I love breakfast and this has become a family tradition and I love it. I am in charge of making the scrambled eggs.. I know, not really the hardest task, but hey, it's a job I guess... So I jumped right in and started making my eggs.. Pretty sure we went through at least a dozen and a half eggs.. My little cousins Paige and Kacey were wild as always and Michael just jumps right in as if he's 10 years old again with them! I wanted to choke all three of them by noon!! But all in all we had a good meal and then opened presents. I was able to get some meds from my "secret source" haha so we drove to the nearest CVS and got my prescription. That night we just hung out at my parents and watched TV... plus we had to get to bed.. SANTA WAS COMING!!!!

Christmas morning was unlike any other..at least any other lately.. we woke up to ALOT of snow on the ground!!! it was definitely a white Christmas! But even though Im not a fan of snow it was pretty to see outside.. My grandmothers normally come to my parents house for Christmas morning.. but with the snow they were NOT about to drive.. so me and Michael bundled up in what winter clothes we had (the boots and coats had been left in PA) and drove first to the small town of Belfast to pick up Barbara and then to pick up Doris.. This was a treat, they are not the biggest fans of letting other people drive them around! but we made it back and that was all that mattered! We then started to open all our gifts from Santa! I was excited because I had gotten Michael some lights for "Albert" that he didn't think I had gotten and I had hid them in my parents closet! He had some surprises for me too.. Some new perfume, my two favorites actually.. Dolce and Gabanna Light Blue and Jessica Simpson Fancy.. I am set to smell good forever! He also got me a charmed memories bracelet and some new earrings!! Im a lucky girl! My parents got us lots of fun things too!! Michael is set to buy whatever he wants from his favorite store in the whole world BEST BUY!!! and i KNOW he's pumped about it!! my big gift was my camcorder.. I have wanted one for awhile now and that's what "Santa" brought me!! I have put it to use since then too!! We are beyond spoiled and so thankful for all that our families do for us!

We continued to hang out at my parents and brave the continuing snow (it actually snowed for 4 days straight) until the 28th and we were headed to Tennessee. To Knoxville first and then on to Nashville. It just worked out that UT was playing in the Music City Bowl game in Nashville and we got tickets!! Plus we were getting to go stay in Nashville w/Beth, Beaver and the girls!!! I was so excited to see all of them!! I heart those girls!! but man, they are a handful!!

We got to Nashville the night of the 28th and were there through Jan 2nd.. We had such a good time, we went to the game on the 30th, Michael also went to the OR (yes, operating room) with Beaver on the 30th.. That was such a good experience for him and he loved it!! I was so proud of him. Beth and I went shopping in Nashville while they were gone!! The next day it was beautiful and like 50+ degrees so we loaded up the girls and headed to the park and then for yogurt!! Nashville is such a fun town! I cant wait to get back to somewhere in Tennessee:(
We decided to take New Years to rest! Beth and I went to a very fun fabric store (I got some new prints for the spring!! YAY) and then we got take out from this cool burger joint called Burger Up, it was pretty good... then we put the kiddos to bed and spent the rest of the night watching all the NYE specials on TV... We ended the night with a champagne toast at midnight.. This also marked mine and Michaels 3 year "boy friend/girl friend" anniversary.... That's where it all began, NYE in Tampa!!

Before we knew it, it was time to pack up.. and when I say pack up Im being SO serious! We had 5 suite cases between the two of us.. and yes one of those was mine and all that was in it was shoes.. what can I say, Im a shoe girl! We got on the road and headed to, as Michael refers to it "our rental property". We had decided before we left that we were going to take Monday off from work.. we needed the rest! AND we started some major Spring cleaning!!!! we started downstairs and worked up.. well we didn't make it too much further than the bottom floor but that room was in major need and we got rid of alot of stuff... and we have continued and made it to the 2nd floor and cleaned the kitchen, my sewing table and shredded 5 bags of bills!!!!!!

Tonight we are taking the night off and watching the VOLS play Memphis!!!

until next time..... :)