Oh baby, baby, it's a wild world

 My friend, Crystal had her beautiful baby boy today!  I haven't seen him yet so it is very surreal to me that my best friend since childhood now has a child herself!  Regardless, I couldn't be happier for her and Jordon, or more antsy to get up there and hold him! He was born at 5:28pm, weighing 8lbs 10oz and 20" long.

Jackson Randal

Proud Mommy and baby

Proud Papa and baby

Like I said, I haven't met him yet, so there isn't much to say (yet).  But I wanted to share the good news!!

Thanksgiving weekend

I have been off work for five days, and I feel like I may need just one more day to recuperate from this weekend! Wednesday I took off work to get an extra day and to do things around the house.  It rained ALL day!  I had to go to an Insight (cable company) store to exchange our remote.  Lucky for me it was right beside a Kroger, the day before Thanksgiving. In. the. rain.  Let's just say, it was a mad house and I was so thankful that I didn't have to grocery shop!

Thursday was Thanksgiving and we were super busy.  Our first stop was 10am at Billy's mother's house in Louisville.  I helped her cook a little and then we ate around noon.  We left there and went to Frankfort for my mom's get together.  From there we went to Shelbyville for Billy's dad's get together and then finally to Lawrenceburg for my dad's get together.  It was exhausting, but great to get to see everybody. I'm glad our family is close enough that we can squeeze everybody in! 

My sister, Leah, came home with me Thanksgiving night and we went Black Friday shopping. It was pure madness!  Here we are getting ready to leave my house at 11:30pm.  It was SNOWING at this point and I was seriously considering just staying home.

At midnight we were in line to get inside Old Navy in the mall. We actually didn't buy anything there so we walked around the rest of the mall and shopped at places that were open. We killed some time in Brookstone until Kohl's opened at 3:00am.

Here I am in Brookstone trying out a massager that made me look like an ox in a harness or something.  It was really awesome feeling though.

And here's Leah trying out some weird head massager.  Strange!

There were people as wide as the sidewalk wrapped all the way around Kohl's waiting to get in.  We waited in the car until 3 because it was just freezing!!

See all those people?  I'm really not sure how we all fit in there, but we did.

After waiting in line at Kohl's for probably an hour, we met Tiffany and Vicky at Target around 4:30am.  While they stood in line there Leah and I ran over to Meijer's around 5:00 to grab a Wii for myself.  I got one! I'm super excited about it.  At this point I had been awake for almost 24 hours and I realized it was time to call it quits when I almost lost it on our cashier.  He was being ridiculous, but still.  I restrained myself and we went home after grabbing some breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  I can honestly say that I shopped til I dropped.  I was awake longer than 24 hours and I was so tired that I couldn't fall asleep!

Saturday Billy and I put up our Christmas decorations, did some shopping together and ate at Outback.  It was the best meal I've had in a restaurant in a lloooooong time.  We will be going back!  Here we are waiting on our food.

Today, we did some more Christmas related things (secret!) and just tried to chill out from our busy weekend.  If this post wasn't already a million miles long I would say everything I'm thankful for, but I'll keep it short.

I'm thankful for my husband who has loved me unconditionally for about 9 years now!  Marrying him 2 years ago was the best decision I've ever made, and the best decision I will ever make.  He makes me happy everyday and never ceases to amaze me with his humor and compassion.

I'm thankful for my two fur babies, Laney and Cali.  Since we don't have children we treat them like our kids.  These dogs make me laugh daily!  Of course they're spoiled rotten.

I'm thankful for my family.  I have the best immediate and extended family.  On a related note I'm thankful for my husband's family.  I love them like my own!

I'm thankful for my friends.  We are all miles apart now, but all it takes is one phone call and I feel like no time has passed!  I am so lucky to have so many close friends.  I love you all!

Lastly, I think we're all thankful that this post is over :) 

The good wife

Today, my friends, I was a good wife.  I didn't cook a marvelous dinner, clean the house or touch a piece of dirty laundry...

All I did was call Insight, our cable company, and sign up for ESPNU.  On the very day that the Tennessee Vols played on, you guessed it, ESPNU!  I had been meaning to call and add this channel and cancel HBO for a few weeks and just kept forgetting.  Something today made me remember to call and in turn I got wife of the year award!  Not really, but it was much appreciated.  I can tell because my husband has been glued to the TV since the game came on at 9:30!

It's the little things, really.

Let the Christmas madness begin!

It seems to me that all things Christmas started much earlier this year than usual.  I started seeing Christmas commercials the day after Halloween!  One of my close friends has already put out most of her decorations and a house down the street is already decked out in full lights.

I should admit that I've jumped on the band wagon of Christmas-ing early.  My decorations aren't up, but I already started trying to get the perfect picture of Laney and Cali for our Christmas cards!  They're going to be cute, so be prepared!

I don't have a picture of last years Christmas card, but we had a picture of Laney on it and the message read "peace, love and pawprints"  I really love sending and getting picture cards so much more than boxed cards.  I even keep all the picture cards we're sent and sit them out the following year before we start getting new ones in the mail!  It is really neat to see how children have grown and families have changed year to year.  Plus, it feels much more personal to me to get a photo card.  Although the family may not write a single word, they sent a picture!  Pictures are so much more fun!

This year I'm using Shutterfly for our cards.  Their designs are beautiful and their prices are reasonable.  Here is a link to their Christmas cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery

Here are some of my favorites, not including the one we will be sending!

I like the next card because it is a folded card so you can still write something.  I know some families include a letter that summarizes happenings for them throughout the year.  Cards such as this one allow for that.  Also, I like that this one has pictures that aren't necessarily 'holiday.'  You could add pictures all throughout the year to share.  That way people can see you and your family as you really are, not just decked out in holiday gear in front of a tree.  (Not that that would be bad either!)

Shutterfly also has great gifts such as wallcalendars and canvas wall art.  Whose grandmother or mother wouldn't love a calendar or wall canvas? 

No matter what kind of card you send, you can't go wrong with photo cards!

Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly… sign up:  http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/

Our newest addition

I have neglected my blog in the worst way possible.  It's been MONTHS since I've posted!  I know, terrible.  No excuse!  Since I last posted we have added a new fur baby to our family.  Meet Cali...

Her and Laney had a love-hate relationship at first.  Specifically, Cali loved Laney and Laney hated Cali.  For the first week or so Laney seemed to be pretending that Cali didn't exist!  Slowly but surely, Cali has grown on her though and they can frequently be caught doing cute things like this...

We were told Cali is a Yorkie, but now that she's grown up a little bit, it's obvious she is mixed with something.  She is Yorkie-ish and just too cute. 

The day we got her we were trying to think of a name and Billy was sick of playing that game.  He started naming things he saw such as 'mailbox, sign, car.'  Then we were home and the TV was on ESPN.  They happened to be talking about the one and only John Calipari.... and Billy said 'Calipari.'  I suggested Cali and it just stuck.

We are so happy with our two doggies! I can't imagine life without them!

Moment of Silence for Cohen

T minus 30 days

I am in my cousins wedding in about 30 days. I think it is a great honor to be asked to be in someone's wedding, however it causes me great anxiety! All those people looking at me! I know they aren't really ALL looking at me, but at some point people will be looking.
The dress for this particular wedding isn't all that flattering. (Which is fine, it's not my day.) I have, however, been dieting and exercising and hoping! I've lost 6 pounds so far, but it's not at all what I'm shooting for. I have set some goals for myself and they are as follows:

10 lbs: pedicure
20 lbs: haircut
50 lbs: tattoo

OBVIOUSLY the tattoo is a long, long way away. As it seems, even the pedicure is a long way away! I'm being realistic about the weight loss by trying to lose 1 pound a week. Losing weight is hard work. Unless you're my husband. He eats whatever, whenever and doesn't gain much. He is trying to lose weight too though. And by 'trying to lose weight' I mean he cut out a couple large fries from McD's a week. Sheesh! It isn't helping my mood that I'm currently watching a show on TLC where they are making crazy things out of chocolate. Who do I do this to myself?

The day after my cousin's wedding we leave for vacation at the beach. I love the beach, but again, there are people looking at me! Maybe not as much as in a wedding, but I'm much more exposed so it feels worse. I ordered a swim suit from newport news, which looked a bajillion times better on the model. Who would have thought, right? It didn't help that I ordered it one size smaller than I am right now. Can you imagine?! haha! The goal is to fit into that swim suit by vacation. I'm not sure if that will happen, but I'll keep you posted.

Tomorrow is a primary election day so the hubby and I get off work 1/2 a day to vote! I would vote anyway, but it doesn't hurt to get 1/2 a day off! :)