Happy Birthday Bloggie.

2 years yesterday! We've had a pretty good run, and this thing keeps me sane! : ) Thanks to everyone who stops by and reads, comments and the like. I'm grateful you care enough about my ramblings to check in every now and again.

More swearing, ranting bragging and blogging to come....

Much Love, homies!

save the best for last-

...and no, I am not channeling Vanessa Williams, here. Ahem. So, I believe, if my calculations are correct, that this is the last blog from me of 2010! Mark and I are headed up to Pigeon Forge this weekend with Courtney and some of Mark's work buddies to end 2010 on a classy note. You know what? Scratch that. We'll be drunken buffoons, someones probably gonna get naked and maybe, just maybe someone will be drunk enough to get married at the "little chapel drive thru" while we are there. Fingers crossed, right folks?

It's just been that kind of year, folks. The kind of year I am not super sorry to leave behind. The kind of year that has to win some sort of worst year EVER! contest. The kind of year you race to drink away on New Years Eve, in the vain hope that you won't remember all of the bad stuff! Though I haven't spoken on it here (or anywhere) super publicly, my family and some of Marks have had some major issues this year. I don't plan to elaborate anymore than what I already have, (you are swearing at me for being vague right now... I can feel it!) but it is safe to say "out with the old and in with the new" has taken on new meaning for me. I sorta felt like I jinxed myself in many ways.... First of all, I cooked a traditional New Years Day dinner, which I have never done before. Secondly, I didn't take my tree down until the 2nd or 3rd, and I am told that's bad luck... whatever the case was, this year I abandoned all rules and superstitions. I took my tree down on the 27th. I do not plan to cook a traditional New Years Day dinner. (maybe not ever again, as being hungover usually sets the tone for a great year.) I have also decided not to make any resolutions. Watching a few videos with other people's takes on resolutions kinda of sold me on that. A year is a long time to look into the future at, don't you think? Here are a few things I plan to do , not resolutions, mind you, just things what I would like to work on. If I make no promises, there is no one but myself to fail!

1. Blog more often
2. Get some cool home improvement stuff done.
3. Read LOTR, for crying out loud!
4. Take my nephew to the aquarium
5. Volunteer. SOMEWHERE.

So, those are things I want to do. Here are a few things I already did this year that were pretty awesome:

1. I played the lottery. Didn't win, but had so much FUN!
2. I made Avocado french fries. And loved them.
3. I tested a cold wax kit. And Lost.
4. I called the cops on our neighbors and their bajillion cats.
5. I took up photography.  And got a new Camera!

Like I said before, this year is one I'm not sorry to leave behind, but there were at least 5 things, (and that's a really SMALL number) that I can look back on and smile when I think about them.

For now, I tip my glass to you early. I say, bring on the New Year! May it be filled with truth and light.
Happy New Year! -from me and the best thing that has ever happened to me!

XoXo,
Heather

*Janis Joplin- Cry Baby

Christmas round 2

When I left off, it hand just turned Christmas Day. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that saint Nicolas soon would be there.

Well, he definitely showed....and then we ate all day long. I felt like I had gained about a hundred pounds since yesterday morning when I finally called it a day.... Here is a little more of my Christmas. Enjoy...

Opening my new camera.... told ya I cried!

Opening his new headphones... he was a pretty happy guy!

Christmas at the Walls house... Chaos as usual... : )

Christmas at Grannie Ellis' house... more chaos...

Sisters and nephew. Aw....

 Mark and his parents

Sweet baby...

His new John Deere!



Everything except the first two pictures were taken with the new camera. : ) I can already see such a difference! So, yes. All in all, I had a wonderful, merry Christmas. I hope yours was as awesome as mine was. MUCH love to all....

Love,

Heather

having myself a merry little Christmas

I feel beyond blessed this year, and at Christmas time to boot! The holidays have seemed really hard these past few years, mainly because my dad hasn't been here to share them with me and our family. This year, things seemed to happen all on good notes. My dad's birthday was December 23rd. Instead of laying around crying or feeling sorry for myself, I put all of my efforts into doing something he would surely approved of. Helping my sister move into her new apartment! : ) He was all around us, I am sure, otherwise she and I would never have been able to life that couch up to the second floor by ourselves! Today is Christmas Eve, almost Christmas Day, and I have to say again how blessed I feel. We started the day at my grandparent's house where I got entirely too many things! Ryan had a blast and even "helped" me open some of my gifts. : ) Mark and I left a little early and went over to his grannies, where we had (another) dinner and celebrated with good family and fun. Tonight we came home where Mom and Holly, Ryan and Wayne were waiting. We put together all of Santa's gifts, baked cookies, watched Christmas Vacation and had some wine. All in all, it's been a pretty great Christmas and we are just getting started!

Mark and I exchanged gifts on the 23rd, so that we could do it together, just us. Having Santa come here is easier for Holly and Wayne since they are divorced- it puts them both on common ground, and we have plenty of room and love the company. Mark got the Bose headphones he has been coveting and lots of clothes. I got a new camera! I am so excited, and honestly I couldn't have been more surprised. Pictures from that to come later. I was so happy I cried, and I haven't done that over a gift since we got engaged, and before that since my mom bought me a pair of really expensive Doc Martens when I was a freshman in high school. (Which I still have, by the way!) Anyway, yeah, I cried like a baby. I used it today and the pictures are phenomenal. I can't wait to post!

Anyway, as I end this post, it's officially Christmas. God has blessed me in so many ways this year. I won't say by any stretch of the imagination that this year has been easy, but my blessings are high in number, and in fact, too many to even count. I am so thankful for my family and friends. Have yourself a merry little Christmas. Let your heart be light......

with love, as always....

Heather

Gingerbread

Since it was icy today, and daycare got closed, Holly and I decided it would be a great day for wrapping presents and making Ryan's gingerbread Choo Choo Train.  Enjoy....

It's like, a week till Christmas festivities start. I'm really starting to get in the mood! : )

staying busy and warm

With all this cold weather we've been having, my nephew has need help staying entertained inside. We got out the Mega Blocks and Play Dough for a night of fun......

A garage (hanger?) for the firetruck...

Doing a little reconstruction....

Rotten.....

My favorite....



We did a little coloring too..... just for fun. Love you baby boy!

mother nature needs slapped

The weather here has been freaky. Superfreaky. There are Decembers where I can remember wearing short sleeves with a jacket of some sort, and that just hasn't been the case this year. It seems as though winter has arrived early. At the beginning of this week we got some snow. There was actually enough that Mark got the day off (which almost NEVER happens, since he works at the plant) so we spent the day working on our new closet! (Are we an old married couple or what?) So, the snow melted (I got no pictures, epic fail) and everyone went back to work and then today the weather called for ice. Now...... I am not one to enjoy driving in precipitation of any variety.... rain, sleet, hail, snow, fog, whatever, but when you say ice, I'm all "I refuse to go anywhere." I may not even use my legs as modes of transportation. Going to mailbox is just OUT. Whatever. Anyway, We've been dressing like this a lot recently.....

It's been COLD. I think you get the idea. : )

December, lately

We finally got our tree put up about two weeks ago. I usually like to get it up earlier, but time (as you can tell) has not been on my side. I do however like the finished product! It looks so pretty at night, but I had to use the flash to get the ornaments in there. : )   I got some new ornaments this year, and I think I like them...I'm very old fashioned when it comes to the Christmas Tree. I like The reds and golds (obviously) and the greens and silvers too. You can keep your hot pink and turquoise trees, they are pretty, but just aren't Christmas-ey to me.

I also compiled a list of my favorite Christmas songs.....The first one is my favorite, and the rest are in no particular order...

That Spirit of Christmas- Ray Charles

Frank Sinatra- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Mariah Carey- All I want for Christmas

Alvin and the Chipmunks- The Christmas Song

Animax Entertainment- Bob and Doug sing The 12 Days of Christmas

Gayla Peevey- I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

Bing Crosby- White Christmas

Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone- Baby it's Cold Outside

Marilyn Monroe- Santa Baby

John Lennon- So This is Christmas

The Waitresses- Christmas Wrapping

Twisted Sister with Leta Ford- I'll be home for Christmas

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Soundtrack- Main Title

And in case you have never heard 'That Spirit of Christmas, or can't remember it, here's a link.
 
 
This week I hope to tackle that Ginger Bread train and make my Christmas CD.

Why, Oh why...

is it taking me so long to blog these days? You know, I actually had stop and review what I last blogged about before I started. I feel ashamed. My poor little lonely blog. Out here in the middle of cyberspace with no one to love on it.....

Well, First things first, I guess....Pictures! Thanksgiving weekend was fast and furious.....but we made plenty of great memories....We had lunch at Gigi and Papaws and did some big playing out in the yard!

The next morning, Mark and I participated in Black Friday, where we completed all of our shopping except for one another. : ) Don't we look groggy great?

That Saturday, Mark and I went to the Tennessee/Kentucky game....and froze our asses off. NEVER have I been that cold at a ballgame before. They did have plenty of Hot Chocolate to keep me happy though. : ) and Petros. I can't go to Neyland and not have a petro. (Why, I don't know, because they aren't even that great.)

So, that's a super brief overview of the end of November. ......it's almost Christmas, so I've got a lot of catching up to do!

Free Stuff!

Colorful Frames Christmas

Shutterfly has classic, elegant Christmas invitations for your party.

View the entire collection of cards.

just because

I love these two pictures! I tried getting them into the previous post with no luck. Here's a Tuesday laugh.

These were taken inside the mirror maze. It took a few tries to get both of us mid flight, but we finally got it!

no excuses

Hey there! It's been nearly a month since my last post. That might be a record. Honestly, I have no good excuses for my absence, but I will fill you in on what's been going on here since Halloween.

Mark and I went to the mountains for four days of well earned relaxation. Holly stayed at the house with the fur babies. Even though we missed them, we definitely needed a break from Kingston, work, family and life in general. While we were there, we ate sushi, went to MagicQuest and did the vault, magic missions, the mirror maze and  pirate golf. We also got a little Christmas shopping done at Tanger. By the time we did all that, got a little hot tubbing in, boozed, ate and schmoozed....we were very relaxed..

                                        

When we got home, it was back to business as usual. Driving home one afternoon, I spotted this:

Double Rainbow!

I hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving. Look at my favorite little turkey!

*Simon and Garfunkel- Bridge over troubled water

Love,
Heather

trick or treat

This year, Mark and I decided we would travel back in time for Halloween. If you haven't seen the Series Rome, this probably won't make sense to you. If you have, you'll know exactly who Atia and Antony are.

Super hot, right?

and then of course, here's our take on it:

Here's hoping your Halloween is fun and candy filled!

another photo by moi

I rather like this one.

10 things I can't live without

First of all, a shout out to Lauren. I stole this idea from her blog. (HI, Lauren! I read you too!)

Here are 10 things I can't live without... (in no particular order).

1. Lip gloss. Oh, how I love thee. My personal best record for quantity of lip gloss in my purse at one time is fourteen. It's something I'm rather proud of.




2. Popcorn. It's my favorite snack in the world. Mark bought be a hot air popper one year because I kept burning bags in the microwave. You can't burn popcorn in a hot air popper. You can, however, make a huge mess if the bowl is too small.


3. Water. Yeah, that's a pretty basic thing for everyone, but I feel compelled to include it because not only do I love to drink water, I love swimming, long baths and showers and also, I love Macaroni. And you can't have it without water.

4. Animals. I LOVE animals. All varieties, no squirrel left behind. I actually took this one of Roo-Roo. Isn't she sweet?

5. My dear, sweet husband. Sometimes, he's the air in my lungs and others he's what roots me to the earth. I love him....

6. My family. They may be A LOT crazy, but I wouldn't be here without them. They are my people.

7. My friends. Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends.....The ones I have are the very best.

8. Music. The soundtrack of our lives, right?


9. A good series. I've always loved to read, but series are my favorite. Harry Potter, Twilight Saga, and The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, just to name a few.



10. Can there be a two way tie for number 10? Sure, it's my blog, why not. Ironically....it's nature and technology. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. : D



Thanks to Lauren for the neat post idea. : )