Rattles

I haven't posted for a while.  I am sorry all my followers :)  I shouldn't ignore you like this.  It's just that I haven't had much to say.  So, I will just dot down some random thoughts for the day.
It is the wonderful time of year where the Cicada's come out to join us for a month.  As I sit here typing this, they are being rather noisy.  How rude of them.  It sounds like there are 1 million babies playing with rattles.  Rather annoying.  But at least they are only here for a month, right?  Yay, fantastic.
I cannot believe it is June already.  Lots of good things going on in June.  My hubby's birthday, our wedding anniversary, catching some baseball games.  :)  It's a good time of year.  My 5th anniversary is coming up next Friday.  I cannot believe it has been five years already.  It feels like it was just yesterday I was gearing up for the biggest party of the year.  I also cannot believe I will be celebrating living in Kirksville for five years.  Who would have thought we would still be here?  Not me.  But the town kind of grows on you, and we have made some great friends here.  Now if we could move the state next to Pennsylvania that would be even better.  Who needs Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana anyway?  And would it make a difference if we just moved some things around?  I don't think so either.
We got to go home a few weeks ago.  J's sister graduated from college.  It was really nice.  I got to hang out with my family, J's family and of course our friends.  Always a good time when we go home.  We went to a Phillie's game with J's sister and we had awesome seats.  We were two rows behind the Phillies dugout.  When I finally get around to loading the pictures on my computer I will post some. 
Finally, in 65 days we are going on vacation.  I am super duper excited.  We are headed to Jamaica for sun and beach and drinking.  Our good friends are coming along too!  It's going to be one week of partying.   I don't want to rush the summer by, but I am ready to leave for Jamaica!  Well, not really, I need my passport and to pack.  :)

Saying Good-bye

Today is Friday April 22, 2011 at 5:37 pm.  I have exactly three days left in my 20's (weird, because I was born at 5:23 pm - so I guess a little less than 3 days).  Three days of being 29.  Then I embark on a new adventure...my 30's. 
Last weekend my husband had a surprise birthday party for me.  So this past week, I have been reflecting on my last 10 years...that being my 20's.  Most people are sad and depressed when they turn 30.  I thought maybe I would be this way.  Especially now that my high school friends have started to have babies.  Babies, I think, officially make us old.  As I have reflected, I thought about everything that has happened in the past 10 years.  I finished college, which was a huge feat.  I was married, which was the best day of my life.  I moved away from everything I knew and all my family and friends in Pennsylvania to start a new adventure with my hubby in Missouri.  I made new friends, worked a few different jobs.  I became an Aunt (have I mentioned she is the most beautiful girl in the world?)  Started to think about going back to school.  I embarked on a huge weight loss/get healthy adventure.  I am still tackling this adventure today. 
People have asked me if I feel any different (which I don't yet because I am not 30 technically speaking)...but, I don't think I will either.  I have had so many great things happen in the past 10 years, I am wondering what is in store for the next 10.   I have decided I am going to welcome my 30's and be excited about it.  If my 20's were that good, it can only get better right?  I have many great things to look forward to.  I tackled my first 5K at 29.  Maybe I will tackle a 10K at 30.  I am healthier now and feel better about myself now, then I did when I turned 20.  I am married to the best person in the whole world, and I get to spend the rest of my life with him. 
To me, 30 is just a number - age is really a matter of how you feel.  I feel like I am still 21, ready to party at any moment.  So welcome 30...I greet you with open arms.  Hopefully you are as good to me as the 20's were.

My First...

Tomorrow is St. Patty's day.  A day to hunt for leprechauns and gold (I hope I find the gold).  Eat corned beef and cabbage and drink green beer (or Guinness if you prefer).  However, all those things will have to wait for me.  Tomorrow, I am running my first 5K race.  Its through downtown Kirksville and I am pretty excited about it.  I practiced the route yesterday, it's a pretty tough route with lots of hills.  I think I should be okay though.  It's sponsored by a bar downtown, so that is where the start and finish point for the race is.  So I guess I have green beer to keep me running to that finish line.  I will be dressed in green as I run through the streets of Kirksville.  Then have a green beer to re-hydrate myself obviously...and to finish off my  night, well its bowling night of course!  I am sure there at the bowling alley is where I will find all the little leprechauns and their gold.  Happy St. Patty's day.  I will try to get some pictures of this historic event and post after race day.

Lazy Days

I love lazy weekends.  This weekend started off fantastic, and I am sure it will continue that way until it ends.  Yesterday I only had to work 2 hours.  So, by 10:15 am I was home in comfy lounge clothes on my comfy couch.  It was nice to not have anything to do on a Friday.  I did some laundry, got some other work done, caught up on my favorite show Glee (which I can only watch when my Hubby isn't home).  Then I felt a little ambitious and decided to make a yummy dinner and dessert.  It turned out fantastic.
I love Gina's Skinny Taste blog.  It has all these great recipes and they are healthy for you too, or weight watcher friendly.  Last night I tried this recipe from her site http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/02/sicilian-rice-ball-casserole.html.  It was delicious.
For dessert, I made her Cinnamon Apple Crips, served warm with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt!  Another success.  I highly recommend anyone using her recipes as they are so good, and good for your weight loss goals.
Today, frozen pizza...but that is why I like lazy weekends!

It's Here...Almost

It's Friday!  Which happens to be my favorite day of the week, well not really.  But, I do get excited because it means it's the end of my work week.  This Friday is extra special.  Why you might ask?  Well, for starters the Justin Bieber movie comes out tonight, and I am just that excited to see it.  Wait, no that isn't it.  It's the start of a holiday most women love, and men hate.  Valentine's Day weekend is here.  Yup, I said weekend.  My hubby might kill me for it too. 
Valentine's day is really on Monday.  I love Valentine's day.  Not because I need flowers or gifts, but it's a day where you get to show the person you love, that you love them.  I know, I hear my hubby in my head as I write this...but what about every other day?  Don't you get to show them your love every other day?  Does love only really get one day?
My answer to that is, of course not.  I love showing my love for him every day.  But, I like the fact that on this day, we try to make it more special.  I remember the very first Valentine's day with J.  He brought me roses, took me to dinner at an awesome Italian restaurant and then we went to see Save the Last Dance.  Which at the time was a movie I really wanted to see.  It was perfect.  That was 10 years ago.  It is hard to believe we have been together 10 years.  As I think about our first Valentine's day together, I think about how every Valentine's day after that has been perfect too.  We were not always together for Valentine's day, but we would celebrate it when we got together.  This year I am doing something special for him.  Making him dinner and dessert on Sunday, because Monday I am too busy to cook.  With work and class, and then I have to work out somewhere in there, the day will just escape me.  So I will show him how much I love him on Sunday, and then again on Monday too.  And every other day of the year for the rest of my life.
I am so happy to have such a fantastic husband, I love you honey.  Happy Valentine's Day! xoxoxo

Snow storms and brownies

I have been slacking on my posting, and because my hubby and I bowl on Thursdays, I am just posting something really quick. 
This week was our first huge snow storm since I have lived in Missouri.  We got about 14 inches of snow.  It was in fact a blizzard.  The wind was 30-40 mph gusts and blew the snow around like crazy.  My car was buried under a huge snow drift!  It's about time we get a good snow like this.  I love one big snow storm.  My hubby and I made a good meal of spaghetti (we both got out of work early) and then we watched tv all night.  J even made a pan of brownies for us (that is love right?).  They were chocolate chip cookie brownies in a box.  They were awesome!  We ate brownies and drank some chai tea (my obsession) and just laid on the couch and occasionally looked outside at all the crazy drifts of snow. 
Our road was drifted shut, the snow was waist high on the one side, and only boot high on the other.  Truman, the university in town, actually canceled classes for the first time since the 70's. 
My hubby also dug out my car for me.  Isn't he the sweetest, what a good way to start the month of February.  It is after all, Valentine's Day and Heart Month.  Wear red tomorrow to celebrate your heart!

Holidays are all about ...

Welcome Back!  We have been gone on vacation, or our annual trip home for the holidays.  There is something so wonderful about going home for the holidays.  I love flying, but that isn't what makes it so wonderful.  I love seeing all my favorite people.  Our families, siblings, friends.  It's just a fantastic time of year!  In 2010, we cut it close and went home the day before Christmas Eve.  Then we stayed until Jan. 2nd.  It's funny, you think that is a really long time to go home and you can get everything done you want to do, see everyone you want to see.  It's not.  It never seems to be enough time.  Some times our week is booked before we even step foot in the wonderful state of Pennsylvania.  Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Family party.  It gets to be a little hectic.  I love it!  It is the only vacation where I am up early (usually) and to bed as late as I can stand it.  I try to cram as much stuff into 24 hours as possible.  The thing I hate most?  The first week back.  Ugh, my desk is a mess.  The week tends to drag on and on.  My days seem so long.  Some people wonder if vacation is worth the heachache you come back to.  I think it absolutely is.  Everyone needs to take vacations, get away from the stress.  Our vacation home just tends to be a different kind of hustle and bustle than on our normal days.
Reflecting on 2010, it was a good year.  We did a lot of amazing things.  The years always seem to go so fast.  It was nice to end it on a good note, home with family and friends, ringing in the new year.  Here is to a fantastic 2011, I hope it can be at least as good as 2010, if not better.  Things to look forward to?  Lot's of trips home this year, our big "We are turning 30, and let's celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary and our all hard work/weight loss in the Islands somewhere" with our great friends (I am going to have to shorten that title somehow).  And of course, we will end the year with our annual trip home for the holidays.  May all my family and friends have a fanstastic 2011 with lots of happiness and health.