It has begun...

Remember how I told you that I am officially a baseball fan now? I still am. No really! I am! The fact that Chris is now the baseball coach of the local High School makes it that much more sweet!

It's just that, well you see, I made that declaration during the fall season. Let me further explain: From the months of August until January I'm free. I'm free to go ANYWHERE (or nowhere) on the weekends, Chris gets home from teaching at 3:15 p.m. and takes the doggies for a nice long walk,  we watch football games, go to dinner, have deep intellectual conversations, etc.

Here is an example for you, dear reader, of a conversation, with Chris, during the Fall: 

**For some reason I'm imagining Chris looking like this fancy fellow when he's talking**

Me: Oh wonderful and attentive husband of mine, did you happen to see that most exciting article in the newspaper this morning? Wasn't it most intriguing?! What say you?

Chris: Why yes! Yes I did read it, my sweet and intelligent wife! I found it most enlightening. Especially the part where the President made his interesting quote regarding that major world issue....

... and here is what our conversations are like during his baseball coaching months:
 
 Me: Oh wonderful and attentive husband of mine, did you happen to see that most exciting article in the newspaper this morning? Wasn't it most intriguing?! What say you?

Chris: Why baseball! Yes I did read baseball, my sweet and intelligent baseball! I found it most baseball. Especially the part where the baseball made his interesting baseball regarding the major baseball issue.....

Honey? How did you get so round? Where did those red stitches come from?! What's wrong with your....uh-oh.

About this time last year I started to see a transformation in my husband. I was constantly being woken up in the middle of the night to him shouting: "GO! GO! GO! SLIDE! SLIDE! SLIDE!" or once he was arguing with the umpire in his sleep: "Aw c'mon that's ridiculous! There is NO way that guy made the tag! DO YOUR JOB!"

Chris is extremely dedicated to his craft. He loves it....

Rain

or 

 Shine

Shout out Mac County!

 and since he does does everything like the ultimate boss, I don't really mind losing him during those baseball coaching months. And even though deep intelligent conversations revolve around a little white ball hit with a round bat towards a group of men on a diamond shaped field....

To steal? Or not to steal?

I think I'll keep him. We'll always have the fall....

Besides, once you think about it.......it's really...... not all that.....baseball---aw crap!

Dear neglected reader:

Before I get to the actual blog-blog, please accept my apologies for my absence over the holidays.  I assure you I thought of you quite often, and took plenty of pictures for us to look and laugh at. The Holiday cheer finally caught up with my ass and I went down -I went down HARD. A week after gallons of snot, buckets of phlegm, thousands of tissues (If I owned stock in the klee-nex company I'd be a bazillionaire) and long hot sweaty baths, I'm starting to feel less like an alien drama queen sent to earth to be tortured by sickness for failing to bathe enough on her home planet and more like myself... 

Besides, Lady GaGa does the whole alien drama queen thing WAAAAY better than me:

And now to the first blog of the New Year 2012: 

On this universal day of resolution making, feelings of strong determination, and hope for something better to come; I reflected on what could possibly need such a drastic change in my life that required an absolute resolution, not just a general goal to shoot for in the future. Some people take this type of attitude when it comes to thinking about changing something for the new year......

 ....but I like the feeling of a fresh start the new year gives, even if I will write 2011 on everything, by mistake, for the next month......

 I have never been satisfied with the general and ambiguous resolutions like 'Enjoy life more', 'get organized' or the obvious 'lose weight.' I started to ponder what I stood for in life, and what is important to me....

and quite frankly, in no way does this show motivate me except to put more hot fudge on my ice cream when I'm watching it.

 I know I firmly believe in the power of acceptance and choice. Accepting your past because you absolutely cannot change it and ultimately, it helped shape your character (and really, if you had the choice WOULD you change it?). Accepting others because, again, you cannot change or control their emotions; you can only control how YOU react- so stop being upset with everyone else. And accepting yourself. Being human you can't help but have emotions, bad moods, jealousy, pettiness, mistakes, and regret. When you do finally accept yourself-the good parts as well as the emotional warts, scars, and baggage-you realize: it is what it is.  You don't need to constantly beat yourself up for not being someone you think you should be. Basically, you start each day being exactly who you are, and you can choose to strive to become better. Some days you achieve that and some days you don't, all you can do is consciously try your best. You don't want to be like this: 

 Holding on tight to the principles of acceptance and choice, I decided what my official "resolution" will be (which to me, is more like creating a new habit): Be kind to myself.  I don't mean looking in the mirror and telling myself how awesome I am  (let's be honest this is NOT hard to do...), but each day making choices that make me feel good. If I feel good, complete and content I can be my best and give my best to others. 

Realizing this was just as broad and ambiguous as "lose weight'' I narrowed down the 10 things that make me say, 'aahhh bliss: reached' and/or things I need to start implementing: 


1. Getting into a bed with clean sheets and freshly shaved legs - best feeling ever.

2. Eating healthy real food, not junk from a box- and for heaven's sake, not just salad, but whole grains, steamed vegetables, sauces, and cheeses galore- oh my! I think what I'm trying to say is not eat out so damn much.

3. A good, hearty, from the belly, made me cry laugh--if you know me, then you know this comes pretty easily.

4. A somewhat picked up house - I love feeling like everything is in it's place...why don't I do this more often and make myself happy!?  Because I'm good at accepting that's why!

5. Reading/researching/questioning--I already do this to a fault, which leads me to my next point:

6. Getting SOLID sleep--I feel amazeballs after a good night sleep, it's about time I got off the internet or put the book down to let my body rest properly.

7.  Being creative in some way-- I love the feeling of thinking out a project, creating art, writing a story, or moving the furniture around in my house for the millionth time.

8. When I am nice to someone and it kind of makes them feel a little better--I really like being friendly with everyone, especially employees of banks/stores/customer service etc. One time the workers at Wendy's told me I was their favorite customer and then they became my favorite fast-food workers, until I found a hair in my salad-TWICE.

9. Exercising--I've been doing this as of late and I feel like a boss when I'm done so I'm choosing to keep this up. 

10. Volunteering--I like people. I like helping. I like helping people. "People helping people it's powerful stuff (name that movie quote)."

I realize these are still broad; and I won't achieve them everyday, but I can totally accept that.

Happy New Year from the girl who takes a picture with her grandmother, doing this:

  

You can tell it's Christmas time......

The roads are absolutely crazy. I've seen just about everyone I know at the PACKED mall. I hear the Salvation Army bell ringing in my sleep. Christmas carols have been on repeat in my car. I've eaten a MILLION different types of fudge, cookies, chocolate covered everything. and drank puh-lenty of eggnog. I've watched every Christmas movie ever made, twice. Attended Christmas parties. Wrapped everyone's present and  even made and delivered my annual Holiday Chex Mix gift to all my neighbors complete with ribbon, homemade card, jingle bell, and ornament:

Don't you wish you were neighbor so you could receive this deliciousness on your doorstep?!

I'm about to head off to another Holiday/birthday party! I wanted to find a way to show you how I'm feeling. I couldn't find the perfect words, so I'm including this picture of this half-inflated once noble Santa to accurately describe what I feel like:

Or maybe he's just had too much eggnog...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

*Sigh.....

I'm so mad that my super awesome plan for you didn't work! Stupid technology! Take heart dear reader and have no fear! I have enlisted my dad (who is way more tech savvy than myself) for help....he said he would try his best.....which I said his 'best' better mean he would damn well figure it out (I really didn't say this....out loud anyways).

C'mon dad! Figure it out! You can do it!

 Chris and I had a MOST successful anniversary celebration. For our "first year being married anniversary" we did something totally cool...and slept in a tree house. Really it was just a house on stilts with heating/air, plumbing/fireplace and jacuzzi. It even had a t.v. with cable and 3 VHS films (yes, you read that right). I just asked Chris if he remembers which VHS movies were there, they are as follows: Sleepless in Seattle, Mystic Pizza and a Fish Called Wanda. CLEARLY, someone has flawless taste in cinema. Here is a picture of our very own treehouse love shack (or one very similar):

It was pretty darn cool but I must admit it was a little creepy being in the woods, surrounded by various woodland creatures who could possibly scratch on our door or window at any second looking for food.....or my body parts to munch on.

You probably don't know this, but I have a SERIOUS fear ....FEAR.....FEAR of squirrels. Isn't that so stupid? My phobia was at it's peak while I was in College and had to walk through my squirrel-laden campus. I SWEAR those squirrels could smell my fear and would stalk me, chattering to each other "There she is!" "Run by her to hear that funny shriek sound!" "No! No! No! Run by her so she'll drop her sandwhich." Jerk squirrels! I hate you!

No exaggeration.....some of them looked like this menacing creature.

I wasn't really willing to risk life and limb in a treehouse again, and was more than happy to be taken to a most DELICIOUS greek restaurant and chill at home with some supplies (aka booze) and "The Adjustment Bureau" with Matt Damon (totally recommend....way better than "Mystic Pizza"). It's ok that we had a low key anniversary celebration because I still have the great, wonderful, life-changing, fantastic memory of going to this place for our 2 year anniversary:

THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER!!

No big deal....

Nooooo!!!

I'm having EXTREME technical difficulties! Stay with me people! I swear I've got something that will knock your socks off and I'm not a liar! Stand-by!

Way back when preview....

Ok I know I promised you a spectacular "Way Back When" surprise to help celebrate mine and Chris' anniversary tomorrow, and it's still happening; but since you have been good, and have had to fight Christmas crowds I'm giving you a little preview.

I had a definite vision of what I wanted during the planning phase. The hard part is translating that vision to an actual wedding. I knew I wanted romantic and dream-like. I drew a lot of inspiration from what I envisioned the parties in "The Great Gatsby" would be like - beautiful, imaginative, unexpected, unforgettable, vivacious and a rip-roaring good time.

Fortunately, I had my mom to help me figure all this out and she wisely insisted I narrow the vision down to beautiful, imaginative, and a rip-roaring good time. On top of working with artists to create amazing center pieces, a cool cake tables and chic lounge areas, we had the best food (pizza, wings, stuffed mushrooms, etc.) in town. If you were there, you know the awesomeness I'm talking about. If you weren't, here are some pictures.......

THE LOVE BIRDS

THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN OUR WEDDING.

THE FAVORITE PICTURE

THE MAN WAITING FOR ME.

THE MAN WHO WALKED ME DOWN THE AISLE, AND WHOSE HARD WORK MADE THIS DREAM WEDDING POSSIBLE....THANKS DAD!

THE "I DO" AND THE KISS

THE: WE DID IT! DANCE

THE COLORS.

THE SWEETS.

THE PARTY.

THE MOTHER-SON DANCING.

THE FRIENDS.

THE LOVE.

Be sure to stop by tomorrow on our anniversary so you can see something TOTALLY worth seeing!

My week in pictures

In order to spare you from getting that annoying song:

"It's Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday. Everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend, weekend. Friday, Friday getting down on Friday. Everybody's lookin' forward to the weekend getting in your head, I won't post the video of it... Oh it's NOW in your head? Mwuahahahaha! *cough* I mean....sorry.

Who told her she was allowed to sing? I did NOT authorize that!

Here is my week in pictures:

For over 2 months I lamented to Chris that I could not find this necklace. Finally, he decided enough was enough and bought me a brand spankin' new necklace just like it, and I literally found it the next day. Isn't that how it always works?

I helped Andrew perfect his toga costume, and even made a Laurel Wreath for his majestic head.

Why is he wearing a toga in December? Because he and his friends dress up with a different theme every home basketball game. They are clever, really. Last year they all wore kilts for a "Braveheart" theme. However, after the mooning incident, they are no long allowed to have "Braveheart" night......

While on my parent's computer, I found this hilarious picture of Chris wearing one of my many Harry Potter shirts: 

 neither one of us remember this photo, but his power stance says he's ready to party!

I found this funny picture which makes me laugh...

Uh-oh Kitty! You got caught!

 I met my new nephew: 

 I decorated my new nephew's hospital nursery bed with St. Louis Cardinals decor while posing like 'Casey at the Bat'.....

Now THAT'S a home run!!

 I found this picture of my dad wearing an SO INCREDIBLE HOW COULD YOU THROW THAT AWAY IT'S MAGIC JOHNSON AND THE LAKERS shirt, while dancing with my mom,

...and because he likes multi-tasking: giving a peace sign.

 I found this picture of something that I feel really describes my life:

 Man you said it guy with the 80's hair and 'hip' outfit! You're totally awesome!

I discovered my crowd rage at a child's Christmas program; and when I wanted a picture of my niece's cute hair bow, I forced her to be still by holding her head awkwardly:

"Aunt Jess?? What are you doing?!"

I took a cool picture of a Missouri sunset...

As cool as this is, I find it rather sad because the trees are bare, and that means Summer really truly is officially without a shadow of a doubt over....

And finally, I came upon this creepy scene when I pulled up to return our movies to RedBox:

What tragedy struck here?! A naked little baby doll! How many more of you eerie things are lying around? Who left you there? Why are you naked?! Is this some kind of sinister message?! You know what? Chris can return the movies......