Saturday, December 31, 2011

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

This year has been filled with LOTS of great things for me and my family and friends!

2011 Recap:
February 27: Dustin and I got engaged! (Can't find a good picture of my ring but this is where we got engaged.)

March: Baby nephew Carter was born!

May 12: Dustin and I got married!

June: Completed first year of teaching. Packed up my life in NC.
July: Dustin and I moved to Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. 
August: Dustin and I moved into our first apartment.

November: Rissa got her first job!We went back to North Carolina to VISIT family. Got to see Breaking Dawn Part 1 with my BESTIE!
December: First Christmas on our own.

As you can see this was a BIG year for me and mines!! While this was a very great year I am looking forward to 2012. There are several things I would like to happen this year which is where some of my New Years Resolutions come into play!! I made a huge LONG list of resolutions last year and only accomplished one, kinda. Well, technically I have no idea where that list is but the only resolution I remember is: To read as many books as I can. I accomplished this by reading 68 books! I am not sure if I can read this many next year but I will try to do at least 50!! (Resolution UN-numbered!)

My New Years Resolutions for 2012 are as follows:
1. To lose weight. I want/need to lose about 100 pounds. Seems like a lot and seems like it is unreasonable but it is necessary. I want to be healthier and we want to have a baby this year. (At least be pregnant by the close of the year). I want to take better care of myself as well.
2. I want to travel. I want to go on a cruise this year and travel to at least 3 places I have never been. (In state or out of state).
3. I want to be a better wife/homemaker. I want to learn to cook more meals and bake more. I want to try several new recipes. I also want to be better organized throughout my whole house.
4. I want to blog more and start my book. I want to blog about my weight loss, new recipes, books I have read and anything/everything.
5. Last but not least I want to get a teaching job. If I do not get a teaching job then I am going to look into the military thing again. I would rather teach BUT I need to think of a career.

I invite you to follow me this year!!!! I hope 2012 is as good as 2011!!! Happy New Years

P.S. Smaller New Year's Resolution... I need more pictures of me, me and Dustin and me and Tiffany! I was trying to find some for my blog... None of me and Tiffany. None at all.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight!

Well, this is me and Dustin's first Christmas without our families. It was literally just me and him, all day long. It was also our first Christmas as a married couple. He has been itching to open presents since we got sent home with them during Thanksgiving. (He did open one on the drive down, though I am not suppose to tell. LOL) Last year we spent Christmas with our friends who are like family but this year they went to Virginia.

Our first Christmas day as follows:
10:00 am- I woke up (Hey, I took a NyQuil last night, I'm sick!) I yell to Dustin to wake up because it is Christmas and I want to open presents now. He moans and goes back to sleep. So I come out to the living room and watch Christmas movies.
11:00 am- I eat a pop tart and yell in to Dustin. He doesn't budge. I keep watching my Christmas movies.
12:00 noon- I finally go in and jump on the bed for him to wake up. He gets up and we open gifts. We made out like fat rats. We got a crock pot, George Foreman grill, some casserole dishes, towels and pot holders for the kitchen. We got some things to decorate our house as well. Dustin got some stuff to go camping with. I got stuff to make me smell good and look younger. Guess they're trying to tell me something. LOL. I got a gift certificate to get a manicure and pedicure. I cant wait to get it! We are both thankful for our gifts, thank you everyone!
1:00 pm- Start laundry, argue, do dishes, Dustin takes down tree, argue some more (can you feel the love, lol)
3:00 pm- watch Christmas movies, make lunch
4:00 pm- watch more Christmas movies
5:00 pm- see above
5:45 pm- watch Christmas movies and cook Christmas dinner together (Dinner consisted of Ham, mashed potatoes, veggies, bread and pie)
6:30 pm- Eat dinner watch footage of Packers vs. Bears Rivalry
7:15 pm- Watch Green Bay vs. Chicago Bears game  (Go Green Bay)
8:45 pm- Still watching game... while I am blogging. Green Bay is winning!!

The best thing about Christmas is being off of work. The next best thing is the Christmas movies. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Christmas movies. I could watch them all day, every day. Thank goodness for Dustin's sake, they're only on around this time of year. Also, cannot forget the reason for the season... Jesus. Happy Birthday!!!

Update on life for us:
Dustin is still loving his job. I am still hating my 2 part- time jobs with full- time hours. I have asked one to cut my hours though so I am getting more sleep BUT, I am sick now. Seems like now that I have slowed down I have gotten sick. Booo. Stuffy nose and ears, bad cough, wheezing in my chest, sore abs and sides from a horrible cough= NOT COOL. All this coughing gives me a headache. Hopefully I will be better by tomorrow. School starts back not this week but next week and they will be seeing my white behind up there. I want/need a teaching job ASAP. I want to make a difference and want to feel like I am doing something with my life.

Last thing before I sign off: I have been hearing about people paying other peoples layaway's off and it has just melted my heart. One guy in California paid $15,700 to pay off everyone's layaway. Another guy in Destin paid off  $2,700 worth of layaway which was 20 peoples stuff. Those stories are amazing to me. But should Christmas be the only time we do that? I don't think so. And so with this I am going to try and do things like this for people when I can. While I can not spend $15, 000 or $2,000 I can buy someone drink or dinner at a drive through. Dustin and I have come up with some other things we are going to start doing. Think about what you can do to make someones day and do it!