Friday, January 22, 2010

Babies Galore!

Last Saturday I headed back to my stomping grounds for a baby shower for my one of my high school BFF’s, Carla! She is due the 12th of February. It was so fun to see her and her growing tummy! She is having a little girl! DSC05743

Another high school friend, Kim, hosted the shower at her house! She is due in March with her 2nd child!

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Carla got all kinds of great gifts!DSC05732  

High school BFF’s & neighbors! Mylie and I used to ride to school together everyday! She is expecting a girl in June!DSC05736 

Me and all the pregnant girls! Jill (2nd from the left) is also due in June, this will be her 2nd child as well!DSC05739   

Kim and Carla with their cute tummies!!DSC05744


Sunday, January 10, 2010

My Guardian Angel…

was working extra hard tonight!

I was on my way home from work and just made it past the hospital. I heard this huge thud and lost steering control and headed right through the other lane of traffic to the curb piled high with snow.  Thankfully there weren’t any cars coming that I could have hit or hit me! And also thankfully there was snow to stop me from going down the embankment straight for the river. Eeekkk!!!  Thank God for all those things!!!

All shaken up, I called Kyle right away and got out of the car to survey the damage. My front passenger tire was completely GONE!!! No wonder I couldn’t steer! All of the studs that hold the tire on were gone, but one! Kyle picked me up and we had a tow truck get the Explorer and take it to a local tire shop. DSC05691

 

Kyle and I are both thanking God tonight that I am safe after this scare and no one else got hurt! Too much excitement for my Sunday night !DSC05692


Saturday, January 9, 2010

First week of 2010

It’s been definitely a different week.

  • Monday was my first day back to work after being off for Christmas break.
  • I worked part of the day Tuesday and I came home not feeling well, but still cheered on the Hawks.
  • Wednesday I was home sick and we had carpet installed.
  • Thursday and Friday (and I was feeling much better) we closed our offices due to the blizzard that set in across central Iowa.

Kyle had the day off on Thursday too so we slept in together, cleaned the house, watched a movie(don’t watch World’s Greatest Dad w/Robin Williams…it’s horrible!), napped together, and then while Kyle was watching the National Championship I got to work in my clean craft room!

I made a birthday card for Diego, he is the son of our friend’s Melanie & Robbeye. His 3rd birthday party is today (Saturday)!DSC05680 And I also made a baby shower card for one of my high school friends, she is due February 12th and her shower is next weekend.DSC05681

 

Friday Kyle had to go back to work. :( But I got up when he did and made chocolate chip waffles and sent him on his way and then I headed right back down to my craft room and whipped up a few more cards. Kyle surprised me and got off a few hours early so we ran a few errands around town and decided on our plans for the night. We figured out that we could have a free date night! Can’t beat that, huh?!?!?

We had supper at Applebees using a gift card we got from some friends a while back!

And then we rented a movie at Redbox using a promo code I got in my email!

We ended up not watching our Redbox because my sister Mindi called and wanted us to come down and watch a movie with them! So we decided to wait on our free movie and headed down to their place. It was fun to chat with them, it had definitely been a while.

Signing off for now, headed to a birthday party! Have a good rest of your weekend everyone!


Thursday, January 7, 2010

New Carpet!!!

The carpet layers showed up early Wednesday morning and were here till about 2pm. I was also home on Wednesday feeling a tad under the weather, no fun. I hid out in the basement so I didn’t spread my germs to the guys. Kyle worked just over lunch rush then came home and started to work putting the rooms back together!
Here are a few pictures, pre-furniture!
Guest RoomDSC05657 DenDSC05661 Master  Bedroom – good job hun!DSC05667
I know it doesn’t look like it, but they are all the same carpet! As you can see there are a couple different colors in the carpet. Depending on what direction you’re looking from and how you vacuum it, depends on how it looks. I would say the most true color is what you see in the guest room and master bedroom photos!
Abby doing a thorough review of the carpet!DSC05666
One thing you can’t tell of the pictures is that it is SO soft and plush! That was part of my test when we were picking out what kind we wanted. We brought home samples and I walked on them bare foot to see which one I thought felt the best, and this one won!     
And finally, here is the final look w/furniture and all!
Guest RoomDSC05674 DenDSC05677 Master BedroomDSC05673
The guest room is the one room we didn’t paint. The den got a whole new color, called cliff diving (dark tan) and the master bedroom got a fresh coat of the same color of light blue. I washed all the bedding, bed skirts, and curtains. Everything feels SO fresh and clean! LOVE IT!!! Kyle and I are both very happy with the result.  What do you think?

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Ready for New Carpet

Sunday night Kyle and I tore up the carpet in the guest room and then on Tuesday night his brother Travis and Travis’ friend helped tear the other two rooms and then pull all the staples from the carpet pad. We were thinking we maybe had nice hard wood floors under the carpet, but nope just plywood.
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After they got the floors all ready we all headed to the basement to cheer on the Hawkeyes in the Orange Bowl. It was a great game, where the Hawks pretty much dominated, winning 24-14. Too bad we weren’t in Miami cheering them on!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Change & Disarray

Happy Monday everyone! Kyle and I were SUPER busy on Sunday. We are getting new carpet installed on Wednesday this week and with the Iowa game on Tuesday we figure we need to get as much done to prepare for it before hand as we can!
We cleared out the “room formerly known as the office” (we don’t know what we call it now) & the guest room. And we also took everything out of our bedroom except our mattress (yep we’re sleeping on just the mattress on the floor…like one of those low, modern beds!) and the TV. Where did all that stuff go you ask? Our living room! It’s jam packed! I’m so glad it’s only temporary…I couldn’t handle all that stuff around me while I’m trying to relax on the couch!
Since the rooms were cleared and it didn’t matter what we got on the carpet, we decided this would be the perfect time to paint! The “room formerly known as the office” has never been painted since we moved in. We picked out a darker tan for that room. We also wanted to put a fresh coat (same color of blue) in our bedroom. So after we got all three rooms cleared out we taped the trim and got to painting! It went really smooth and fairly quick. Kyle “cut in” and I did the big jobs with the roller.
So here is the result after we finished our paint job in the “room formerly known as the office” .  (Ignore the “work bench”,aka our desk, in the middle!) What do you think? I’m anxious to see what it looks like with our new carpet because I’m sure it will have a much different look then!
BEFORE                                                                            DSC05638 AFTERDSC05643
Well I’ve put in about 11 hours of work today (8 @ the office and 3 @ home). It was my first day back after my 12 day break. I’m ready to hit the hay! I’m going to wake my sleeping hubby from the couch (he was watching the Fiesta Bowl…btw, tomorrow’s the Iowa game!!!) and go to bed.
Good-nite all!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Organized!

This is what I spent my Saturday afternoon doing, organizing my craft room! Like I said yesterday it looked like a tornado had went through and you can tell from the before pictures that I wasn’t kidding!
BEFOREDSC05621DSC05622
AFTERDSC05623DSC05625
I also moved our printer to my craft room. I think it makes most sense to have it there because the majority of the printing we do is for “crafty” purposes. Eventually we won’t use one of the bedrooms as an office (one will be a nursery and one will have to be the guest room!) so I’ve been trying to ponder on how to incorporate the office into another part of the house. I think I still have some organizing to do, but should be able to make it work. And don’t get any ideas for the mention of “nursery”…there aren’t any buns in this oven! ;) Just trying to plan for whenever that day does come!
Once I got the craft room all organized I had a splendid idea while I was trying to shove all my wrapping paper & bows into a tote that would never come close to fitting it all….instead of storing all of our gift wrap supplies in a 2 totes why don’t I create a “gift wrap station”. And that is just what I did! So if you are looking at the oak table w/2 lamps on it and turn 180 degrees you will be right at the gift wrap station!DSC05631
Now I know the furnace and water heater make a great background to the area…but this is what I have to work with! {we would eventually like to put up a wall around those 2 things, but it really isn’t priority right now}
I am super pumped about this little $0 “make over”! Yep you read that right, I spent zero, zip, zilch, nada on the project! I used a spare metal waste basket to store all the wrapping paper {left}, found a cloth basket to keep the gift bags in {middle}, and used an old bookshelf we were thinking about selling to hold bows & a basket of gift boxes {right}. The table {came w/4 chairs} was a Christmas gift from Mom & Dad B.
DSC05633 DSC05630 DSC05628
Side-note: Notice we have our router and other internet box thingy {i’m not too techy!} on the bottom shelf. Since we were transferring the office to the basement, this place worked perfect for those two little guys because it was right by the internet cable. Perfect!
Too bad I didn’t get this whipped up before Christmas so it could get some good use! I know it’ll $ave us since now we can see everything we have instead of re-buying stuff that we can never seem to find.DSC05632
And I finished my day by moving everything that was “office-y” {is that a word?!?!} to the basement and organized in this perfect little cubby, behind the bar, that I think was made just for our stuff! It’s hard to believe that almost all the things from our office can fit there. I did go through and re-organize everything and throw out a few things and moved other things to more “sensible” places. This was completely unused space before {maybe a picture frame or two}. Overall I am quite happy with the result. DSC05636

Whew, what a day!! Feels good to be productive! Kyle had to go to work so I am going to finish up a few things in the office and hit the hay! One more day of my “Christmas” break and I don’t want to be too tired to enjoy it!
G’nite all!

new year thoughts & hopes

With a new year many choose to make “resolutions” to better themselves and have a better year than the one past. I have done this in years past, but usually by May or June it isn’t sticking so well anymore. I was reading a favorite blog of mine yesterday and had a thought. Just because the “resolution” won’t stick all year long doesn’t mean I can’t at least strive to do better in a certain area(s). It can only make me a better, well rounded person.

One year I joined “Lighten Up Iowa” to get myself in better shape and I’m pretty sure it only worked for about a month or so. Even though it was short lived I know learned important things about being healthier.

Another year I said I was going to talk to God every morning on the way to work, this was a perfect time when nothing else could interrupt me. But I know I didn’t do it for the whole year, but it is something I often do now…no not everyday, but it is something that, if I’m not leaving the house 7 minutes before I’m supposed to be at work, I just do because for a few good months it was a habit of mine.

Even though I didn’t keep those “resolutions” they are part of what I am today. And for that, I’m thankful. So just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean this is the only time you can choose to make a change for the better. For this new year, new decade, I have decided that anytime, not just January 1st,  is a great time to reflect on what I could do greater and better.

 

so for today, looking forward to 2010 i hope:

to love more {husband, siblings, parents, grandparents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc}

to make attempts {even if they are one sided}

to give more {not just monetary, but any other way i can find to help others}

to diligently seek God’s will for me & kyle {in all situations: our jobs, our marriage, our family, our finances, etc}

to do random acts of kindness {paying for one’s meal behind me, putting away someone’s cart for them, simple. kind.things}

to pray more {and not just when i’m rushing to work!}

to be more frugal {spend less. save more.}

to cherish each moment {because you are never guaranteed another one just like it}

to be healthier {exercising and eating}

to live each day to the very fullest.

 

Now I know that is a great list to live up to, but you know when expectations are high is usually when people “perform” their best. And for now, that is my hope. And if/when I don’t meet each one of those things throughout this next year, I know that I didn’t fail, but I get the opportunity to try for it again and again.

 

this is magnet i have on my fridge and try to keep it in mind.DSC05608

 

what are your hopes/resolutions for 2010?


bbbbrrrrrr!

 

abby and i are thinking warm thoughts today.

she is snuggled in our bed.DSC05603

i’m sipping on some hot cocoa. DSC05610

because this is what it is like outside as of 10am today:DSC05611


New Years Day

Kyle had to open at work this morning so I slept in till 9ish, but when I got up I got right to work! I made Kyle some muffins to munch on when he got home from work and sliced a tray of pepper jack, colby jack, and summer sausage. New Years Day is probably Kyle’s favorite day of the year because of the following:

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A whole day of college football!! In Kyle’s  book it doesn’t get too much better than that! I caught a few highlights…but wasn’t about to watch 12 hours of football! So did a few projects around the house! Tuesday I got all the Christmas taken down, but didn’t get my “regular” things put back & do a good clean. So that was my focus today!

I finally got Mel’s wedding pictures printed and put in frames(she got married in June)!DSC05590 

And added a few other new pictures around too…one of Stef & me from Thanksgiving and one of me & Kyle from Mel’s wedding! And I couldn’t let the “pops” of green be gone when I put the Christmas away, so I purchased some vase filler from Target and it worked out perfect!DSC05592 

When I took my Christmas decorations down I wasn’t ready to put everything away. I left up a few snowmen, snowflake, and other winter things up since it still is winter in Iowa!DSC05600

Now hold on to your horses ‘cause this gets pretty exciting…I also organized my sock drawer! I know that sounds crazy, but this way it easier to grab the right pair of socks that I need…ones for work, casual, or working out!

DSC05593 DSC05594

 

If you stop reading now, I understand, ‘cause it doesn’t get too much more exciting!  One of my goals over my time off from work was to organize the front closet and that turned into a little more, I also organized my purses & bags. Before our bags & purses were stored in multiple places and now they are all neatly together in 2 separate labeled totes in the basement. DSC05595

My next “to-do” is to attack my craft room. It looks like a tornado went through! We also need to start clearing out the 3 bedrooms because we are getting new carpet installed on Wednesday. We want to paint 2 of the rooms before the new carpet is put in, so those are a few big projects on the horizon!

Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year’s Eve

Our friends, Robbye & Mel, hosted a party at a local restaurant here in town for New Years. It was a fun night with friends! We ate some yummy Mexican food, played games, danced, and chatted the night away!DSC05589 

Mel and the HUGE burrito she ordered!!DSC05556  

I think this is when Kyle stole the camera and was taking random pictures! This is quite deceiving…Robbeye is never serious!DSC05559 

It was a formal party, fun to get all dressed up!DSC05560 

Not only our neighbors, but also our friends!DSC05561 

My favorite guy!!DSC05562     

This was Kyle’s spot the majority of the night. Ever since losing all the weight he is ALWAYS cold. So he was planted under the vent rubbing his hands together to keep warm!! DSC05572

By the way, don’t you love his vest?!?!

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   Like our hats??? :)DSC05579

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We even had a disco ball!!DSC05582  

Happy New Year!!!DSC05588


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