Christmas 2009

It's been awhile since you last heard from me. I decided explaining all these events would be easier with a few props.

Our first Kappa Alumni Christmas party!

Since our freshman year of college a group of guys I went to high school with have thrown an ugly Christmas sweater party. Seems every year it gets bigger and bigger. Its always a great time to catch up with those that we graduated with. Here are a few pictures from it.

And the big event..

On December 22 my family and my Mom's side of the family packed it up and went to Telluride, Colorado for Christmas. I think I already told you this. I am pretty big on traditions when it comes to the holiday season. This year was a little easier than I thought it would be. Although, I have to say there were a lot of "firsts" that I never thought would happen on Christmas day! Ha, prepare yourself... And might I mention, the condo we all stayed in was rather "Calico Country," if you will.. which makes it even more of a laugh.

Our lovely stockings hanging from the mantel..

A few first were..

Going to a Catholic Mass on Christmas Eve (NOTHING at ALL wrong with this, it was just a first)

Crying through the entire Christmas service. Typically just during Silent Night. Not this year!

Not being at my church on Christmas Eve for the first time in my life.

Not having one present to open.

Not waking up in Fayetteville Christmas morning.

Waking up with all my cousins on Christmas morning under the same roof.

Not having a Christmas tree. Rather, a floor lamp that my Mom decorated. Ha! It worked.

I skied on Christmas Eve and day. Never have done that on Christmas.

Whenever I talk about Telluride to someone I always describe it as "Dickson St surrounded by mountains." Literally. Telluride is a very very small ski town in the very southwest corner of Colorado. There is one main street. One way in town and one way out. A very local and "hippie" town. So laid back. I love it.

This is looking down on Telluride from the ski lift.

Downtown..

The town is so laid back that there are several famous people that either do, or have, owned houses there. For instance, here is Oprah's..

One day on the slopes Clare and I met a little friend. Pete. Pete the Porcupine.

He was pretty cute. Ski Patrol was standing around him. Apparently their spikes aren't the problem, but rather their bites. And no, that is not neither Clare or I next to him, that is some lady.

My love for little kids grew even more when I saw this little tike on the slopes. He came up MAYBE to my knee. Precious. Hopefully I'll have a little one to do this with some day.

And yes, that is yours truly in the black night get up, posing so it wouldn't be obvious Clare was taking this kids pic!

We got back in town yesterday. It was a great trip! We had so much fun and had lots of laughs. I hope your Christmas was just as delightful!

2009, don't let the door hit ya from behind!! I will not miss you!!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

And as said back when I thought I was cool in 2nd grade..

"SEE YA NEXT YEAR GUYS!!!"

From Twitter

"Broken trust is like a broken mirror, it CAN be fixed, but you will always be able to see the cracks."

"Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future."

You only live once, right?

So why not make it memorable?

Why not go all out and laugh at yourself?

Why can't you take a bunch of pictures?

Why don't you get a group of close friends together for a Birthday, dress 80s, and have fun?

That's what we sure did!

Happy 23rd Birthday Kirsten!!!

Kids make me laugh

I watched the Clark boys for the chunk of my day today. At about 3:30 I looked at them both and said "Alright boys! Lets get out of this house!" Off to Sonic Happy hour we went.

If you have ever driven kids around you know, yes I am admitting to this,.. you kind of have to multitask. Drive and attend to needs all at once. So in the midst of doing this today, and getting drinks from the carhop, Cooper drops something as the lady is standing at my window with drinks in hand. I say "Hold on 2 seconds Coop, I have to get your slushy.".. I then hear from the back seat "ONE--- TWO-- K, I'm done holding, now can you pick that up?"

Ha! I mean.. really?? I love that kid. I just had to laugh and make that poor lady wait. And yes, he is three.

Some of my most favorite people..

.. 2 Nights in a row!!

Nights like these really make me miss High School!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend as well!

I mean.. HELLO!!!!

So I just realized that there are

DAYS until we leave for Telluride

AND

DAYS until Christmas!!!!!!!

Oh me, oh my!!!! So exciting!!

And.. I kid you not.. the main two verses last night were these. Yes, I wanted to throw my hands up and laugh.. Waiting for a "KENLIE!!! I'm talking to Y-O-U!" I do love that wonderful man who takes care of me, even when he speaks crystal clear..

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8

"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Colossians 3:13

Night friends!

All I need

Towards the end of January- beginning of February a good friend introduced me to this song. He burned it on a CD (Ha, yes, I know.. who does that anymore) along with several other "cling to/pick me up" songs. I am notorious for not get sick of songs. I listen to them over and over again. This particular song has been on repeat and blasting in my car throughout the majority of this year. It probably holds the prize for the one song I have listened to the most in my life. I turn to it on a horrible terrible no good day and also on those days that I can't seem to get a smile off my face. Its one of the many things that has helped assure that everything is going to be OK.

All I need

by Shawn McDonald

As I sit here and think
About all that You've done
About how You gave me Your one and only Son
And I'm trying to fathom
All that You are, but so far, Lord
You're so beyond me
I fall down in reverence
And I fall down in fear
And I'm asking You, Lord, won't You please draw near
Won't You open my eyes
So that I can see
The way that You are working in me
All I need is Your love
To come and fill this heart of mine
My heart is a desert that has gone dry
And I need Your love to carry me bye, bye, bye, bye, bye
To carry me bye, bye, bye, bye, bye
To carry me bye
And I lay down my life
And I put it before You
All that I am is in Your hands
And I'm not going to question, why You're so faithful
Why that You give me the blessing that You have
Let the glory be known, let the glory be shown
Lift You up unto the throne
You are my God, You are my King
To You I give, I give You everything
All that I need is Your love, my God

Its a beautiful song and I hope you find it comforting as well!

Have a fabulous day!

Lucky #50th Post

I'm in a writing slump. I don't even know what to begin to blog about, but I will leave you with this..

I hope you have kept warm! And if you need something to help keep you warm I just recently discovered the Gingerbread Latte from Starbucks. Um.. yeah.. you need to try that! Fabulous and will probably be quickly obsessed like I am.

Have a great day!!

So quit thinkin..

2010= TAGS

My original thoughts for tonight's post went out the window. Just can't do it tonight. So here is a fun fact about Yours Truly..

For those of you that have been in a car with me, been around me and cars, really anything that has to do with cars, you have probably caught onto something. Something VERY odd. Something very rare. Something that is pretty funny to even admit to.

I have a serious obsession with car tags.

I know you are laughing! But believe it! I usually ALWAYS say something about it when around a car, or notice something about a person's tags. I catch myself looking at literally every car that I am behind or walk past. I know when my closest friends and families all expire. I'm not kidding. If there was a job for someone that notices expired tags, I would be rollin in the BIG BUCKS! I promise.

I hope you are laughing. It is an issue I have tried to control, but I simply can't help it. Literally, is an obsession. Embarrassing, rather to admit.

And with it being December 1st and the new year just around the corner, I can't help but think of the current orange 2010 tags starting to be replaced. AND I WONDER WHAT COLOR THEY WILL BE!!! The last week in December becomes a very exciting time! Usually those OCD/over achiever people usually surprise me with a sneak peek!

Have an fabulous day!!

Bible Study tonight was focused on our hearts (I was originally going to post tonight about this, save it for later..)

"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.' "

1 Samuel 16:7