So our computer has died. Crashed and burned. I know this sounds silly but please be praying for it. All of our pictures are on that stupid computer and I just want them back. I think my little heart will be crushed forever if we can't retreive our pictures. Not to mention the financial strain this time of year with "SURPRISE!" you have to buy a new computer. Nick went to turn it on the night before Thanksgiving and it was just a blue screen...nothing else. So I will write as soon as I can more about Thanksgiving and everything but until then please just be praying that we can get our pictures...I know I should have been backing them up but I was always just too busy. Right now I would just give anything for my pictures.
And....Break!
photo by sugaree_gdSorry if you've all been wondering where on earth I am...I've been on a bit of a blogging holiday. I will write after Turkey Day...promise. Love to you and yours
Deal of the Century
I thought I would show you all my wonderful deal. I went shopping at the outlet malls on Veteran's Day and got some huge deals! I may blog about all of them a little later but I couldn't wait to share about this one. Above is my new light weight jacket from Brooks Brothers. It was originally $199.50 and I got it for $11.99 plus tax! That's over 90% off. Truth be told I actually got it for Nick and since it is only a medium I thought the sleeves might be a little too short for him. When he tried it on though it became very clear that it is a ladies jacket...and what a surprise...it fits me perfectly! So I thought I would share my terrific deal. Did anyone else brave the cold winds on Veteran's Day...any good deals?
Well The Weather Outside if Frightful
But our fire is sure delightful. Oh I love my three snowbunnies! Today it actually snowed here for the first time this year...winter is definitely on its way. Thank the Lord we are prepared...our savings account is somewhat ready for the bills, we have hats, gloves, and coats, and our cars are equipped with proper tires and batteries...God is good all of the time. Bring on the snow!Like Mother, Like Daughter
Well here Emma and I are together...doesn't she look like me? Nowadays this family of four gets told how much Emma looks like me and how much Calvin looks like Nick...it is kind of uncanny. I love my little mini-me taggina along everywhere...I am wearing my pearl earrings by the way...if you want to say how nice they look. Can You See It?
There's a tooth there if you look close enough...I am so excited! He hasn't tried to bite me while nursing yet...we'll see how long until he tries that! He even has another tooth next to that one but it keeps peeking in and out...I cannot believe how fast he is growing up!Halloween was Fun!
Halloween was so much fun this year! Emma was a kitty cat because on a Dora the Explorer program, Dora dressed up as a kitty cat too. So that’s what hooked Emma. Calvin was a chick which was absolutely adorable but had no significance other than when I was pregnant I bought the costume at Children’s Place for .99. Yes I am a bargain hunter, thank you. We picked my mom up and then went to my Grandma’s church for Trunk or Treat. My cousin and Gram were there passing out candy and I think that Emma had a lot of fun with them and my mom. After that we went to the mall and caught the tail end of the halloweening there which was okay because Lord knows we don’t need a lot of candy hanging around our house. It was also wonderful to go to the mall because I had some shopping to do and it helped that my mom was there to assist in baby wrangling. Of course now I am on the lookout for clearance Halloween items for next year and am excited to start planning for Thanksgiving!
Yep, Its my Birthday
Today is my Birthday! Yeah for me! Over the past couple of years I have had a tendency to be somewhat shy about my birthday. Either I thought that no one cared or I was trying to avoid it, I don’t know. But I am excited about my birthday this year. I have decided to embrace my day rather then be upset about the looming fact that I am getting older. And I have decided that everyone can help me celebrate my birthday…if you don’t like it then too bad! Ha! (okay sorry if I hurt your feelings!, sheepish grin). I think this birthday is going to be spectacular. I was already surprised by pearl earrings from Nick. Which he couldn’t have given me at a worse time by the way. Last night (birthday eve we’ll say) I was yelling at him…I mean yelling. He had left me out of the loop on plans being cancelled which subsequently meant that had I known I could have made it to a party I had been wanting to go to, and I don’t know, I guess I just snapped. After my rant he came up to me with a jewelry box. Boy did I feel bad. Oops. There’s a secret about the pearl earrings that I am not sharing with anyone, except that I love them and they make me feel even more June Cleaver-ish…so thank you Nick. Everyone knows how much I would love to have the ideallic 1950’s household and the pearls just brought me one step closer.
When I had got home from work Nick's mom and him had put together a birthday surprise. Nick's mom had the kids decorate a card for me and bought me flowers from them which I thought was just the sweetest thing. There was also a card from my in-laws and from my terrific sis-in-law which I thought was just so sweet. Nick's mom got me a gift certificate to our fave spa so I will definitely be taking advantage of that soon! Nick bought me my favorite lunch of sushi which was just so sweet.
Tonight my parents are coming over with pizza, cake, and my Grandma so cue up the birthday music. I am sure presents will fall from the sky and giant announcements will be made on the news that today is in fact, my birthday. Tomorrow night Nick and I are going out to eat to a Japanese restaurant we haven’t visited since I think when I was pregnant with Emma…seems like a lifetime ago. Then Saturday we are going to my in-laws for another birthday celebration. So I am super excited about the entire day and my birthday week…yeah!
Sunday's Symphony
Sunday our local Symphony had a children's event so we decided to take the children. I must admit I was fairly apprehensive about taking them but it proved to be a wonderful afteroon. Before the symphony they had a "petting zoo" with the instruments so Emma got to play all of them. She seemed to really enjoy herself. I was so proud because after watching Baby Einstein's Meet the Orchestra she knew all of the instruments and even what section they belonged in. I could tell the performers helping her were impressed as well. After the petting zoo the symphony performed and Emma had a wonderful time. She enjoyed all of the songs, "read me" the program, and clapped politely at the end of each piece. She also showed me how to bow like the maestro did. She is so cute. Poor Cal was just along for the ride on this one but he seemed to be interested looking at everything and was very well behaved.
Playing the drum
Emma with a small violin...the funny thing about this was that she slung the violin under her chin like she's been doing this for years.
Awesome Website
I would like to draw your attention to this new website I found, 6pm.com It is amazing! There are a ton of awesome deals! I have not bought anything from there so I don't know how their return policy is but they have a ton of really detailed pictures, which I love. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Too Surreal To Talk About
I have not mentioned the new events in our life on here because I simply have not wanted to talk about them: it just doesn't seem real. I keep waiting for someone to pull the rug out from underneath us and for the walls of the World to crumble before us. But alas, this still hasn't happened. Nick got a new job: a REALLY good new job. Excellent benefit package and he will be making more plus he will actually be doing what he wants to do. They will send him back to school if he wants to...which may mean we would move to Rome for 6 months. In taking the new job we are needing to turn in the company car, so we bought a new SUV. All of this is amazing to me and what we have been praying for for months. Seriously, his interview process with this company started when I was in the hospital having Calvin and he is now 9 months old. I know this is God answering prayer and working in our lives but I can't help but feel that it is just too good to be true. How do you get past this? I have even been carrying somewhat of a chip on my shoulder and being kind of angry about it. Nick told me to knock it off because it isn't too good to be true. I am working on rejoicing: Really, I am. I know that God is amazing, I guess sometimes it is a hard bite to swallow to realize he is this amazing, you know?
Our First Date
I would like to tell you about our first date. It wasn’t a date with just Nick and I, so it wasn’t our first official date, but it was a double date, or a group date you may even say. We went bowling together, along with my roommate Jess and Nick’s friend Brady. I was so flipping excited…this boy actually likes me! So we went and what do you think Nick did? He flirted with my roommate the entire time! What a little weasel! He defends this by saying that he didn’t know me that well and that it wasn’t actually a date. Creep. After bowling we went back to the dorm to watch a movie and while we were watching a movie he refused to hold my hand. Now if you didn’t know a girl why would you try to hold a girl’s hand? I just don’t think that his story is adding up. Anywho, he later told me that my hand was sweaty so he didn’t want to hold it. Thanks a lot mister. So that is what happened on our first date…just wanted to set the story straight. If it sounds like we were on a double date to you, please let me know.
Christmas Shopping
In other news, we are done with our Christmas shopping for the kids. We are also almost done with shopping for all but three people…I am so excited to be this close to being finished. Actually now that I think about it I haven’t gotten anything for Nick either but I will... I promise. How do you do Christmas Shopping? Last year I made everyone Christmas gifts which I loved doing but I couldn't think of any good ideas for what to make so I decided to buy everyone something. Next year I am going to be making things though as I have thought of a good idea that is going to take a ton of time so I will need the entire year to finish. I say this now but have a sneaky suspicion that I won't be able to finish...wishful thinking, wishful thinking...that's what I need. I just think it is really important to teach kids that Christmas isn't all about getting stuff that people buy you...its about showing your love because God showed His love for us. I had a problem with this lesson while shopping for the kids. Nick wanted to get the kids a big gift (not an elephant or something, but something that would be around for a while) while I wanted to get them a bunch of little presents to fill out the tree. I finally saw things from Nick's perspective...if the kids don't have tons of presents under the tree now then they won't come to expect tons of presents under the tree. We got them a train table with a train and then a few small gifts. So when you get a chance, tell me about your Christmas shopping. Do you make homemade gifts? Do you buy your kids lots of stuff? What is your take on Christmas shopping?
I Heart DSW
I would like to tell you again how much I love DSW! I got a pair of Kenneth Cole Reaction shoes there and spent under $20.00. And since I shop there so much they had sent me $20.00 in reward certificates to use so I had to get something else to even get to $20.00…pretty neat huh?