You were so beautiful.
Until next year...
Monday, November 29, 2010
Michigan Thanksgiving
{this post was imported from my old blog}
We arrived home safely after a whirlwind of a week. It feels good to be back in Charlottesville and get back to normal routine, at least for a few weeks before Christmas holiday hits!
In addition to spending time with family & friends, we almost finished our Christmas shopping, Kyle caught a monster steelhead, we feel like we gained some respectable poundage and we grieved over the miserable season Michigan football presented to us.
Let's breeze through the week:
Michigan vs. Wisconsin Game in Ann Arbor
We arrived in A2 at 4:00 am... we didn't realized how much we missed this town until we came back. It was a pitiful game but oh so fun to be with Sarah, my mom & sister-in-law.
Saturday Night we had a wedding in A2. One of my friends got married! Bec & I met playing summer tennis together in 5th grade and have been through so much together over the years. It was a joyful night to see her & Steve so happy!
On limited sleep, we arrived in Bloomfield Hills. Pops & Grams decided to make their way to Florida a bit earlier this year, so the family got together for an early Christmas celebration!
Thanksgiving with my Dad & Cari in Traverse. Cari, you are always the star of the pictures.
Second Thanksgiving downstate
Whew. I'm off to order our Christmas cards & decorate our home:)
We arrived home safely after a whirlwind of a week. It feels good to be back in Charlottesville and get back to normal routine, at least for a few weeks before Christmas holiday hits!
In addition to spending time with family & friends, we almost finished our Christmas shopping, Kyle caught a monster steelhead, we feel like we gained some respectable poundage and we grieved over the miserable season Michigan football presented to us.
Let's breeze through the week:
Michigan vs. Wisconsin Game in Ann Arbor
We arrived in A2 at 4:00 am... we didn't realized how much we missed this town until we came back. It was a pitiful game but oh so fun to be with Sarah, my mom & sister-in-law.
On limited sleep, we arrived in Bloomfield Hills. Pops & Grams decided to make their way to Florida a bit earlier this year, so the family got together for an early Christmas celebration!
Traverse City... Kyle & Dad caught a steelhead off the bay at 7:00 am
HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!
Thanksgiving with my Dad & Cari in Traverse. Cari, you are always the star of the pictures.
Second Thanksgiving downstate
Whew. I'm off to order our Christmas cards & decorate our home:)
Friday, November 19, 2010
It has begun...
{this post was imported from my old blog}
It is officially that time of year. Oh the insanity and joy of the holidays!
I LOVE IT. Again let me say, I LOVE, the holidays. The smells, decorations, giving gifts, sharing memories, homemade recipes, laughing hysterically around the apple pie, eating leftovers for days, wood burning fireplaces, snowfall... I could go on and on. It could also just be the overall cheerfulness that seems to increase around this time of year.
Kyle & I cannot wait to go back to Michigan to see our families and catch up with friends.
I especially love our little tradition of screaming and jumping up and down in the car as soon as we lay eyes on the "Welcome to Michigan" sign... (The excitement is a mix of thankfulness for getting out of the dreaded state of Ohio (insert eye roll & disgusted look), and also entering our beautiful home state(insert music & fireworks)!
We are always in need of a vacation from the "running-around-like-chickens-with-our-heads-cut-off" mode we get into every time we visit the mitten. Like every other newlywed couple, planning holidays are difficult for us. Since our parents live two and a half hours apart, we make it a point to try to stay a few days at each place. The result: exhaustion and a week of much needed recuperation (although very worth it).
Here's a lil sneak peak of what our Thanksgiving "vacation" entails:
Driving overnight to make it to the Michigan vs. Wisconsin Football game, 5 different towns, 3 thanksgivings, a wedding, a shopping spree, and a Christmas party.
...Let the feasting & Starbucks indulgence begin!
It is officially that time of year. Oh the insanity and joy of the holidays!
I LOVE IT. Again let me say, I LOVE, the holidays. The smells, decorations, giving gifts, sharing memories, homemade recipes, laughing hysterically around the apple pie, eating leftovers for days, wood burning fireplaces, snowfall... I could go on and on. It could also just be the overall cheerfulness that seems to increase around this time of year.
Kyle & I cannot wait to go back to Michigan to see our families and catch up with friends.
I especially love our little tradition of screaming and jumping up and down in the car as soon as we lay eyes on the "Welcome to Michigan" sign... (The excitement is a mix of thankfulness for getting out of the dreaded state of Ohio (insert eye roll & disgusted look), and also entering our beautiful home state(insert music & fireworks)!
We are always in need of a vacation from the "running-around-like-chickens-with-our-heads-cut-off" mode we get into every time we visit the mitten. Like every other newlywed couple, planning holidays are difficult for us. Since our parents live two and a half hours apart, we make it a point to try to stay a few days at each place. The result: exhaustion and a week of much needed recuperation (although very worth it).
Here's a lil sneak peak of what our Thanksgiving "vacation" entails:
Driving overnight to make it to the Michigan vs. Wisconsin Football game, 5 different towns, 3 thanksgivings, a wedding, a shopping spree, and a Christmas party.
...Let the feasting & Starbucks indulgence begin!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Dog Search
{this post was imported from my old blog}
** Edit: I removed all of the photos because google was tracking them to my account, call me paranoid. **
Yes, it is true.
Since we have gotten married (& even before) Kyle has been begging for a dog. Relentlessly. He has been very obvious about his "need" for a canine, and has become an expert at throwing in this "need" in any possible situation.
Example # 1:
"wow my blood pressure is way to high, " - Kyle
"I know, you need to start exercising. Let's ride our bikes more" -Me
"No, if I had a dog I'd start jogging with her daily." -Kyle
(add in the background of pure whining every time he ran a mile with me;)
For me, I would never consider myself a "dog person". We had a few dogs when I was little. I've seen numerous pictures of my three-year-old self playing with them, however, I have no recollection of this happy time with dogs. My memory consists of being attacked by a dog in 7th grade and having my clothes ripped to shreds while the parents tried tearing him away. Needless to say, I'm a bit weary.
I know how much it means to him to have a lil' hunting companion, so I began researching different breeds to get an idea of what to expect if we just so happen to adopt. I finally admitted this to Kyle because even though he'd love the surprise, this is definitely something that would be more fun to do together.
So we narrowed down some things that are important to consider: (as you can see, we have some differences of priority here;)
Kyle - trainable for hunting, friendly, female
Me - little shedding, little drooling
Both- medium size (25-45lbs), good with kids, middle ground on the active scale.
My priorities of choosing a dog stem from my concerns. 1) We aren't home enough during the day to have a super active dog (cross off Brittany Spaniel from the list). 2) One of my biggest pet peeves is going into someones home only be to trampled by a large dog shedding & drooling all over you. I would feel awful if that happened when someone walked in our home. 3) We travel a lot so we would need a lower maintenance dog if she comes with us or if we have a friend watch her. 4) They are expensive. 5) Kyle's schedule is crazy until his surgery rotation is complete (aka March), and I don't know a darn thing about training a dog.
After numerous conversations with friends who are lovely dog owners & taking the fun "find the right dog for you" quizzes, we narrowed down our potential future family member.
Since 99.9% of puppies are ridiculously cute, I'm trying not to fall in love with the puppy- but it's future older self!
If anyone has ANY advice, we will welcome it with open arms!
** Edit: I removed all of the photos because google was tracking them to my account, call me paranoid. **
Yes, it is true.
Since we have gotten married (& even before) Kyle has been begging for a dog. Relentlessly. He has been very obvious about his "need" for a canine, and has become an expert at throwing in this "need" in any possible situation.
Example # 1:
"wow my blood pressure is way to high, " - Kyle
"I know, you need to start exercising. Let's ride our bikes more" -Me
"No, if I had a dog I'd start jogging with her daily." -Kyle
(add in the background of pure whining every time he ran a mile with me;)
For me, I would never consider myself a "dog person". We had a few dogs when I was little. I've seen numerous pictures of my three-year-old self playing with them, however, I have no recollection of this happy time with dogs. My memory consists of being attacked by a dog in 7th grade and having my clothes ripped to shreds while the parents tried tearing him away. Needless to say, I'm a bit weary.
I know how much it means to him to have a lil' hunting companion, so I began researching different breeds to get an idea of what to expect if we just so happen to adopt. I finally admitted this to Kyle because even though he'd love the surprise, this is definitely something that would be more fun to do together.
So we narrowed down some things that are important to consider: (as you can see, we have some differences of priority here;)
Kyle - trainable for hunting, friendly, female
Me - little shedding, little drooling
Both- medium size (25-45lbs), good with kids, middle ground on the active scale.
My priorities of choosing a dog stem from my concerns. 1) We aren't home enough during the day to have a super active dog (cross off Brittany Spaniel from the list). 2) One of my biggest pet peeves is going into someones home only be to trampled by a large dog shedding & drooling all over you. I would feel awful if that happened when someone walked in our home. 3) We travel a lot so we would need a lower maintenance dog if she comes with us or if we have a friend watch her. 4) They are expensive. 5) Kyle's schedule is crazy until his surgery rotation is complete (aka March), and I don't know a darn thing about training a dog.
After numerous conversations with friends who are lovely dog owners & taking the fun "find the right dog for you" quizzes, we narrowed down our potential future family member.
English Springer Spaniel
Field Spaniel
Lab/ Springer Mix
Viszla
This dog was at the top of our lists on numerous quiz results. I've ruled this out after seeing pictures. But, believe it or not, this is was Kyle's first choice.
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Since 99.9% of puppies are ridiculously cute, I'm trying not to fall in love with the puppy- but it's future older self!
If anyone has ANY advice, we will welcome it with open arms!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Currently Enjoying...
{this post was imported from my old blog}
This is an overkill of small things I'm currently loving...
Since it is Fall, Kyle's list is the following: hunting, hunting, hunting, and... some football ;)
My girls small group is reading a book called "The Praying Life" by Paul E. Miller. It grabs at the very parts of your heart and mind that distract you from praying to your Father; not only teaching intentionality but also why prayer is so vitally important to our walk with the Lord.
I'm a article nerd. Completely and Proudly. You can find me saying "I just read an article about that!" and then getting into conversations about the most random things. Why? Because I am miss.curiosity. I love to learn. I need to improve my blog searching abilities, but currently I view forbes.com, and cnn.com at least three times a day- catching up on the news, health, money management, you name it. (I especially enjoy the ForbesLists)
Photography blogs take up way to much of my time. I blame them solely on my ever-decreasing vision.
My body has done some strange things since my marathon endeavor. I had a small stress fracture on my left foot, my right IT band is not behaving and my ankles have proved a little weaker than ever before. Thus, I have needed to become creative towards working out (and re energizing myself to work out!) My mom subscribed me to Shape magazine a while ago, so I use many of the articles to help motivate me as my body heals. I'm also a big fan of Jillian Michaels... [now that you're done laughing]... she has some great advice on taking care of your body.
Healthy Baking. Yes, that's right- I'm attempting the possibly impossible task. I've tried Greek yogurt, apple sauce, egg whites, low fat milk, etc. but my taste buds (and certainly Kyle's) have not been completely satisfied with the outcomes. My eyes and ears are always peeled for new recipes. I'm a frequent visitor of cookinglight.com & joyofbaking.com.
DIY home projects. Currently on the radar: Guest bedroom office area and [since drake passed away] redoing our backroom downstairs. Here are some ideas I love:
White Frame Collage (I also just love this blog. The couple is adorable, so talented and fun to follow)
Old Door (I like the idea of reusing old doors or windows to give character & texture to a room)
Etsy. The never ending minds of creative everything. Ahhh it's a wonderland of fun! I am bais to the paper goods section:)
Castle. Ever seen it? You should. Kyle and I have Monday night dates watching Castle together from across the state. (only 2 more weeks and we can watch it together in person. Much more fun.)
Marriage !!! (sorry had to throw that in there)
(...or not so much enjoying) Patiently waiting for a Trader Joe's to set up shop in Charlottesville
Hunting for & testing cleaner cleaning products. AKA ones that will not harm us or the environment; no bleach or harsh chemicals. Even the smell of bleach makes my head spin.
Stalking real estate websites in different cities in anticipation for the possible move for residency. Real estate can be an addicting venture- but oh so fun. It's also fun to drive around with Kyle looking at different styles of homes- it reminds me of something my grandparents would do on a brisk Sunday afternoon.
I'm pretty sure I need to become a contributor to RealSimple Magazine. It has my name written all over it ;)
The gorgeous fall foliage that is quickly fading
CHRISTMAS shopping!!
This is an overkill of small things I'm currently loving...
Since it is Fall, Kyle's list is the following: hunting, hunting, hunting, and... some football ;)
My girls small group is reading a book called "The Praying Life" by Paul E. Miller. It grabs at the very parts of your heart and mind that distract you from praying to your Father; not only teaching intentionality but also why prayer is so vitally important to our walk with the Lord.
I'm a article nerd. Completely and Proudly. You can find me saying "I just read an article about that!" and then getting into conversations about the most random things. Why? Because I am miss.curiosity. I love to learn. I need to improve my blog searching abilities, but currently I view forbes.com, and cnn.com at least three times a day- catching up on the news, health, money management, you name it. (I especially enjoy the ForbesLists)
Photography blogs take up way to much of my time. I blame them solely on my ever-decreasing vision.
My body has done some strange things since my marathon endeavor. I had a small stress fracture on my left foot, my right IT band is not behaving and my ankles have proved a little weaker than ever before. Thus, I have needed to become creative towards working out (and re energizing myself to work out!) My mom subscribed me to Shape magazine a while ago, so I use many of the articles to help motivate me as my body heals. I'm also a big fan of Jillian Michaels... [now that you're done laughing]... she has some great advice on taking care of your body.
Healthy Baking. Yes, that's right- I'm attempting the possibly impossible task. I've tried Greek yogurt, apple sauce, egg whites, low fat milk, etc. but my taste buds (and certainly Kyle's) have not been completely satisfied with the outcomes. My eyes and ears are always peeled for new recipes. I'm a frequent visitor of cookinglight.com & joyofbaking.com.
DIY home projects. Currently on the radar: Guest bedroom office area and [since drake passed away] redoing our backroom downstairs. Here are some ideas I love:
White Frame Collage (I also just love this blog. The couple is adorable, so talented and fun to follow)
Old Door (I like the idea of reusing old doors or windows to give character & texture to a room)
Etsy. The never ending minds of creative everything. Ahhh it's a wonderland of fun! I am bais to the paper goods section:)
Castle. Ever seen it? You should. Kyle and I have Monday night dates watching Castle together from across the state. (only 2 more weeks and we can watch it together in person. Much more fun.)
Marriage !!! (sorry had to throw that in there)
(...or not so much enjoying) Patiently waiting for a Trader Joe's to set up shop in Charlottesville
Hunting for & testing cleaner cleaning products. AKA ones that will not harm us or the environment; no bleach or harsh chemicals. Even the smell of bleach makes my head spin.
Stalking real estate websites in different cities in anticipation for the possible move for residency. Real estate can be an addicting venture- but oh so fun. It's also fun to drive around with Kyle looking at different styles of homes- it reminds me of something my grandparents would do on a brisk Sunday afternoon.
I'm pretty sure I need to become a contributor to RealSimple Magazine. It has my name written all over it ;)
The gorgeous fall foliage that is quickly fading
CHRISTMAS shopping!!
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