5 for Five- NYE Edition

The start of a new year means that it's time to set some goals for 2013!  Instead of doing the usual 5 for Five link-up, today Jessica @ Fantastically Average and Jenn @ Party of One are hosting a New Year's Eve edition of their link up!

 

 

So here are my "goals" for 2013.  I am not calling them resolutions because I feel like calling them that means automatic failure. 

 

1.  Get to my goal weight.  This is so cliché, but I only have 10 pounds to go!  I lost 15 pounds last year, and I am proud to say it wasn't even that hard! Unfortunately, I have gained about 5 lbs. over the holiday season.  So now I have to lose the 5 I gained plus 5 more. 

 

2.  Get my credit card balances down to $0.  I have two credit cards.  The balances on both of them are a little too high for comfort.  I want to get them under control before I get married (whenever that may be). 

 

3.  Obtain a garage.  Or any living space with MORE space.  My Pinterest crafts are taking over the living room area.  I would love to have a garage to craft in, so that I didn't have to worry about making a mess and have a place to store everything.  I would settle for more space.  We are beginning to have too many things for our apartment.  When we moved in it seemed so big compared to where we were living, but now....it's tiny tiny. 

 

4.  Get a full-time job!  I am SO close right now with this new job.  However, this new job is just temporary.  The permanent position will be open for next year, and I should get it, but you just never know what will happen!

 

5.  Get organized!  I always say this, and I always start out really strong.  Then I go through spurts of craziness when I couldn't be anymore unorganized if I tried.  Like I would lose my head if it wasn't attached.  Part of me thinks that no amount of planners or thirty-one organizational bins could help me stay sane.  But I will TRY. 

 

Hopefully I can meet at least 1 of my 5 goals. 

I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year!  See you in 2013!

 

 

Christmas Blizzard

Although this Christmas wasn't technically a "White Christmas", it was pretty darn close.  It started snowing here late Christmas night and snowed for about 12 hours.  We were under a "Blizzard Warning", which is my favorite kind of warning!  We woke up to our power being out, but it looked like this outside:

 

 

 

Snow is the best!

Christmas Dress-Up Day

The last day before Christmas break at my school is always a Christmas Dress-Up Day.  We dress up in whatever crazy Christmas stuff we can think of.  The best costume wins a $20 gift card to

Wal-Mart.

 

I won last year with this beautiful thing.

 

 

This year I was a Gingerbread Girl. 

 

 

Other costumes that made an appearance:

 

 A Snow Queen, Cindy Lou Hoo

 

 A Christmas Tree.

 

The whole group.

 

Not only was this the last day before break, but it was my last day at this school.  When school starts back up, I will be at my new school. :-(((

 

Glad my last day was a fun one!

Post-Christmas Post Part 2

Yesterday I posted about our pre-Christmas festivities.  Read about those here.  I left off at the part where we drove back down to Evansville with a car-load of presents. 

 

We arrived at my parents' house early in the morning to open presents.

 

 I got Kelly a BeerTender.  It's a mini Keg-erator for those mini kegs of Heineken or Newcastle.  My parents also got him some monogrammed mugs to go along with it.  He wasn't the only one that was excited about it. 

 

 

I got a new laptop from Kelly and a Nook from my parents.  Yippee!

I think the dog was a little overwhelmed by all of the craziness.

Then we got ready for the rest of our little family to come over.  We ate TONS of food.  My mom always makes a bunch of different appetizers to snack on throughout the day. 

I didn't gain a pound!  I weighed myself this morning, and I was pleasantly surprised.

After we ate we went outside for our second annual "Let's shoot stuff" event.  Last year my brother got a shot gun for Christmas (Why, I'm not sure.  He doesn't even hunt), and we all went out and shot some rounds at buckets.  This year we used water bottles and of course I missed big time.  Not my thing really. 

Things I am not good at ^^^^.  It scares me.  My mom didn't even come outside. I think it scares her too. 

When we got home that night we had to figure out what to do with all of our new stuff!

 

 

Post-Christmas Post Part 1

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  We sure did! 

 

We started out by heading up to Kelly's grandparents' house on Sunday night for a seafood dinner!  It was so yummy!  This year we decided to wear ugly sweaters.

Then we exchanged gifts and headed back to his mom's house to stay the night.  His mom and I drank lots of wine and I introduced her The Holiday and Jude Law. 

 

He is so nice to look at.  And his accent...Oh!

 

If you have never seen The Holiday, you should put it on you must-watch list for next year.  So good!

 

 

Then on Christmas Eve we drove up to eat lunch with Kelly's Dad and Stepmom.  Then we went back to their house to hang out and exchange gifts.  Then we drove back down to Kelly's mom's house where we watched more Christmas movies and drank more wine and ate some cheese and crackers. 

 

 

Christmas morning we woke up early and opened presents.  We ate a big breakfast and then we trekked back down here to spend Christmas Day with my family!  So much driving!  Good thing the snow waited until Christmas night to come!

 

I will share the rest of our Christmas fun tomorrow...Farewell for now!



Happy Last Wednesday Before Christmas!

It's hard to believe that this time next week Christmas will me OVER!

I'm linking up Christmas style with Jamie @ This Kind of Love and What I'm Loving Wednesday and Michelle @ The Vintage Apple and Oh How Pinteresting Wednesday! 

 

I am still loving that a got a new job!  It is causing me a lot of stress and I have an unbelievable amount of work to do, but I will make it through just like I always do, and I will love it!

 

I am loving that Kelly and I's 3rd anniversary tomorrow! We have officially been together for a long time!
 

 

I am loving that the PTO is providing us with a yummy lunch today.  Yay for soups!

 

I am loving Pinterest and my many Christmas pins! (I apologize for the wonky pins in advance, sometimes you just get tired of trying and continuously failing to line them all up.)

 

Source: ellinee.com via Elyse on Pinterest

 Printable bottle labels for Christmas
 

Source: jamiliajean.com via Elyse on Pinterest

 Best Christmas card ever!  Their faces are priceless!
 

Source: etsy.com via Elyse on Pinterest

Source: fancynapkin.blogspot.ca via Elyse on Pinterest

Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur and Peppermint Schnapps.  Perfect Christmas drink!
 

Source: beaumondephotography.blogspot.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net via Elyse on Pinterest

Source: bostinno.com via Elyse on Pinterest

 Poinsettia- instead of a Mimosa.  Use Cranberry juice instead of orange juice.  Yummy!

And one last thing that I am loving:

 

I am loving this poem that was sent to me multiple times through my email yesterday.  Have you seen it?

 

Twas' 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38 when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven's gate.

Their smiles were contagious; their laughter filled the air, ...they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.

 

They were filled with such joy; they didn't know what to say, they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.

 

"Where are we?" asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.

"This is heaven." declared a small boy, "We're spending Christmas at God's house."

When what to their wondering eyes did appear, but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.

He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same, then He opened His arms and He called them by name.

 

And in that moment was joy that only heaven can bring those children all flew into the arms of their King As they lingered in the warmth of His embrace, one small girl turned and looked at Jesus' face.

As if He could read all the questions she had, He gently whispered to her, "I'll take care of mom and dad."

 

Then He looked down on earth, the world far below, He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe.

Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand, "Let My power and presence re-enter this land!"

"May this country be delivered from the hands of fools", "I'm taking back my nation, I'm taking back my schools!"

 

Then He and the children stood up without a sound, "Come now my children, let me show you around."

Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran, all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.

 

And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight, "In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT.

 

I can't help but to feel guilty about loving stuff when there are so many parents mourning the loss of their children.  It seems so wrong, but at the same time it makes me that much more thankful for each day that I have to spend with my family, friends, co-workers, and students. 

 

 Have a great day and don't forget to cherish every bit of it. :-)