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Thursday, 03 December 2009

hello! wow, it's been a while, huh? here's a little picture update...

thanksgiving was pretty sweet. we spent thanksgiving day at steve's parents' house. it was a lot of fun because my parents and grandma joined us too. our families get along very well, which is awesome.

haha, i love the height difference between steve's family and mine!

on the saturday after thanksgiving, we had a family dinner at my parents' house with my relatives. it was kind of like a "tapas thanksgiving" -- everyone brought their favorite appetizer. yum! it was a lot of fun.

my cousin-in-law joelle, keri, and me

my favorite little buddy! i can't believe how big he is getting!

i love this guy.

on the sunday after thanksgiving, i had a reunion with my best friends from high school. it was such a blast! it had been 7-8 years since the four of us had been together!

50% of the adults in this picture are pregnant. how exciting!!
(not me, by the way)

and finally, i got my hair cut. a lot. i'm still working on how to style it best, but i think i like it!

here it is with the ends a little flippy...

and here's the non-flippy version.

so that's that! nothing else terribly exciting going on around here. i've pretty much put job-hunting on hold until after the holidays -- there's just no much out there right now. but i have high hopes for the new year!

anyway, gotta run. i have a few gifts to wrap, christmas cards to address, and scarves to knit! have a great day!

Thursday, 19 November 2009

so on a crafty and thrifty whim, i decided to knit a few christmas gifts. the problem, however, is that i don't know how to knit. i would love to learn, but it seems complicated and i'd definitely need someone with significant patience to teach me one-on-one. anyway, as i was wandering through the craft aisle at walmart a few days ago, i came across a little plastic knitting loom and decided to go for it. here's my loom:

after a few failed attempts, i completed my first scarf yesterday. i think i did a pretty decent job, using just basic worsted yarn:

then i decided to get a little more advanced, so today i finished my second scarf, made from fuzzy boucle yarn:

it's a fun little hobby! hopefully i can crank out a few more of these before christmastime! oh, and once you figure out the pattern, it's pretty easy. if you're looking for a crafty and inexpensive way to make some homemade gifts, definitely give this a try!

have a great day, everyone!

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

it's been a good day...

yesterday, i got a call to come in for an interview today. it was very sudden, but exciting. however, i woke up with a bad feeling about it. (i seriously had at least five restless dreams, all about horrible interviews / jobs.) i wanted to call the whole thing off, but i followed through with it anyway. and i'm glad i did because it was a nice interview, but it was abundantly clear that this was NOT the job for me in any way, shape, or form. i told the interviewer as much (he was very understanding) and walked out with my head held high. i'm still holding out for just the right fit!

after the interview, i decided to plan a nice Veteran's Day dinner for steve. i made his favorite spaghetti and meatballs and a loaf of garlic cheese bread. i even put on a nice dress and heels. steve was surprised and delighted!

it's nothing fancy, but i made the most of what we've got.

this is my favorite veteran.

he loves his country.

steve now has a belly full of spaghetti and is snoozing next to me on the couch. having a new job is exhausting -- mentally and physically! but he's in a good place right now, and i'm so happy for him. come to think of it, i'm in a good place too.

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

good morning!

yesterday was steve's first day at his new job. and.... he loved it! he got to dive into work right away, which he wasn't expecting. but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, as he really enjoys this type of work. i'm so happy for him! plus, it was so, so nice to have him home in the evening! we ate dinner together -- at the dining room table -- like a "normal" family! (i can't remember the last time that happened!) i just can't stop smiling...

in other news...
- my christmas shopping is well under way. in fact, i'm over half-way finished. and the gifts that i do have are already wrapped. (i can't help it -- i LOVE gift wrapping! steve just shakes his head and smiles...)
- i took a hiatus from my running in order to do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. i thought the workouts were good and i loved the muscle toning, but i missed the benefits of running. (i was able to manage my weight much better with running than with circuit training.) so, i'm back into running now. it feels great! i'm still trying to figure out a way to integrate some of Jillian's exercises, though...
- one of my very best friends from college, melanie, got engaged over the weekend. i'm SO HAPPY for her! i'm looking forward to being an allstar bridesmaid in the summer!
- my extended family has decided not to take our annual thanksgiving beach trip this year (because of my grandpa's health and a few other factors). initially, i was pretty sad about this decision. (the thanksgiving beach trip is, like, the highlight of my year!) but i'm cool with it now. we haven't nailed down our exact plans yet, but i'm excited to see what "newness" this holiday will bring!
ok, gotta run (literally)! hope you have a wonderful day!

Thursday, 05 November 2009

i've been up and moving since 4:00 AM. why?? because steve had to leave the house by 4:30 for a few days down at the air force base, so i figured i'd make him some breakfast and see him off. i know that this is very 1950-ish of me, but i'm absolutely loving being able to cook and clean for my husband these days. my primary job has become Homemaker... creating a neat and peaceful place for steve and me to live. i recognize that these days won't last forever -- i will inevitably have to return to the workforce. but. i'm relishing this time at home. i'm finding so much joy in what i do! a few days ago, steve commented that i just seem so happy, and he's right. i feel "restored," somehow. i thank the Lord for this period of my life, however long it may be!

yesterday i was at Target, and a handful of red-shirted employees were scurrying around, setting up the Christmas displays. i'm not gonna lie to you -- this thrills me! seeing the aisles of crisp, untouched ornaments and wrapping paper and wreaths and cards fills my entire being with giddy excitement! and don't worry -- i'm not skipping over Thanksgiving. i LOVE Thanksgiving! but in my mind, the whole holiday season is one, big joyous celebration, and i just love every part of it!

ok, i had every intention of going back to bed after steve left for baltimore, but i made the mistake of drinking a cup of coffee, so now i've got all kinds of caffeinated energy surging through my veins. i guess i should go clean something! i'll probably crash in a few hours...

welp, i'm off to be productive until nap time. hope you have a great day!