2011-My Year In Review!

So, 2011 has been a rather interesting year for me. I met people I never thought I would meet. Enjoyed experiences I never thought I would have. I weeded a few more people from my life. I saw old friends get married and held newborn babies. I reunited with high school friends. I finished my degrees. I lost weight and gained it all back. Exciting, huh?!? Well, it is for me. This is my life. This is my year in review.

Max playing in the first snowstorm of 2011

Eric turned the big 2 5!

Our first Valentine's Day together

Our first time at the circus (sorry for the blur!)

Senator Faust-Goudeau and myself. ( Interned with her during the 2011 legislative session for those of you who don't know/remember)

Yep, I had the opportunity to play Speaker of the Senate for a couple of seconds :)

In March, we traveled to Six Flags over Dallas

My nephew!

Celebrating our friends' graduation. She however, is somehow NOT in this picture!

Michelle welcomed baby Abraham into the world in May!

Templeton went to Heaven after an unsuccessful round of pneumonia

Eric & I went to his friends' wedding in Kansas City. It was beautiful!

At the end of July, WE MOVED1

I reunited with 2 of my favorite girls from high school!

In September we spent lots of time taking walks!

Max at Halloween

I attended my first KU/OU football game, courtesy of Eric. AND, I became a proud owner of "The Little Mermaid"

(Ignore the pudge! I met extended family I had never met over Thanksgiving!!!)

Mom and I in front of a cupcake factory 2 days after Christmas

Although there were some down parts of the year, such as saying goodbye to 3 of my pets and getting sick, The year was good. God continued to shower myself, my family, my friends with multiple blessings. I can only hope that 2012 offers the same.
Happy New Year, Y'all!

No Creature Was Stirring, Not Even A Mouse...

My last post before Christmas! I hope everyone has a wonderful and very blessed Holiday. Spend it with the people you love and make the most of it :)

Eric and I won the Christmas decorating contest. Whew...a lot of hard work and creativity between the two of us. We (I) were super pumped when we got the news!

Milk, cookies, and a letter for dear Santa :) The cookies were cut from cardboard and a black permanent marker was used to make the dots for "chocolate chip cookies". White paper was used for the "milk" in the glass.

candy canes I made from "scratch". I cut a cane shape out of a cardboard box, wrapped white yarn around it, then wrapped red tulle for stripes. I attached some crystals and spray painted glitter onto them. I also attached an ornament to each then hung from the ceiling with the red fabric.

These pinecones were practically free. I collected them from a field, spray painted them silver, then glued silver glitter onto the tips.

Porch during the day, minus the table

Porch at night

 I finished and started my Christmsas shopping today! Okay, that's kind of a lie. I purchased several stocking stuffers and smaller things a few months ago. I also went in knowing exactly what I was getting everyone on my list! I decided to get creative with my wrapping and chose burlap fabric to wrap gifts. At first it was hard but I decided not to let the fabric intimidate me. I eventually got the hang of it and I'm excited to "show off" my gifts!

Thankfully, I didn't have any gifts to wrap that were huge! The fabric is very tricky to work with!

Wishing all of my readers, family, and friends the merriest of Christmas wishes.

Lots of Love,

Eric, Susan, and Max :)

What I'm Loving...Wednesday

In case you didn't notice, my What I'm Loving...Wednesday post is BACK! Since this is my favorite post to do, I will NOT abandon it again :)

The first thing I'm 'loving' today? Yup, good guess...Christmas Vacation! My job at the elementary school is done as of today (until January 4th, the same day I start teaching!). What exactly does this mean? Well, it means that I can drink as much vino as my little palette desires! Don't.Judge.Me. The thought of this makes me happy, and I write it with zero shame.

I'm really loving the fact that real "winter" weather hasn't quite struck us here in Kansas, yet. It's actually been nice enough to not wear a heavy coat most days.

My third graders have asked my age since I began working with them. I have always told them that I am 100! Today, I broke down and told them my age. They were a little shocked since they had me pegged at 19...oh to be naive again :) One of my students then said "so you're 30". I replied with my age again. She said "well, if you round up then you're 30". I immediatley told her that I am not 30. I am simply my age...it's not nice to round up a young woman's age! But hey, I'm still loving it!

I made my students cupcakes today. Yes, I'm loving it. My group has been a little rough around the edges, which is why I was brought in. They have responded well to their new structured routine. Today, one of the boys who I have struggled with started played with my hair :) So sweet, so yes, I'm loving it!

This was the first time I had used an icing bag. I loved it and feel like it turned out well :) Room for improvement, though.

Today when I got to work, the school Principal was standing in the main office and said to me, "we are really happy you're staying here in the spring. You should change to elementary ed." Then he turned to the secretaries and said, "she just does amazing with the students". Was I flattered? Yes. But, I'm definitely not changing my major now!!! It does make me feel great that the Principal has noticed my work. I only hope that I can catch the attention of the Principal at the school where I'm student teaching. Honestly, I just feel so incredibly blessed and lucky to know what my passion is, be able to attend college to help me develop that passion, and make money doing what I love and what I'm meant to do. I can truly say that teaching is my calling. It's what I am meant to do. When I first got this position my boss told me it would be rough. Let me tell you, there hasn't been a "rough" day yet. Nothing is "rough" when it's your passion :)

I have to give a SHOUT OUT my lovely friend, Michelle! Her husband just got a promotion to the position of Police Sargeant. How wonderful is that?!

I'm all out of loves, well off the top of my head, right now.

XOXO

'Tis The Season

Okay, now that I have time to breathe and enjoy a lot more than studying and writing papers, I've been up to none other than...CHRISTMAS DECORATING! Tonight, my apartment is having  a Christmas decorating contest. I've successfully (almost) finished putting up everything, now I just have to add the final touches. I snapped some pics of the Christmas decor inside my apartment. Tommorrow I'll post pics of the outside. Cross your fingers and wish me luck! If we win, we get $150 off our January rent. Whoop whoop :)

Our "tabletop" Christmas tree. I'll be looking for a big one after Christmas, finally!

The bar area

Empty wine bottles & lights

Charlie Brown tree :)

I don't think Max knew what to do with me being home all day yesterday, so he randomly started climbing on furniture and running around.





 Merr Christmas, Y'all!