Best Friends

Amy & Paul came to visit last night! We oo'd and ah'd at the lights downtown, had sangria and ate dinner at Harry's. (MMMM she crab soup!) I'm so thankful for my best friend and am so happy that she found the love of her life that she gets to marry in a mere 3 months!.

Amy & I have been best friends since 8th grade... don't really remember how it happened although I'm sure she knows... I think we met at youth group and then played each other's volleyball teams a short while later. We hit it off and were quickly inseparable! Kelly joined us not long after that and together we created the trifecta known as the "Weenie Sisterhood" which may or may not have been inspired by the YaYas or "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" movies that came out in high school. We've been through a lot together and they know me a lot better than I know myself. They are beautiful, wonderful people whom I'm so proud of for pursuing their dreams, even if that meant picking up and moving across the world... I praise God for these girls to keep me accountable and know we will be friends the rest of our lives!

"A cord of three strands is not quickly broken..."

Yes, it's a picture of a picture. So what.

Yay for weddings!

Just wanted to document this moment. Amy asked the guy why he was wearing a fur coat, and he promptly put it on her and proceeded to dance next to her. 

<3 them! (but NOT loving how seafoam green the walls look in this picture. Need to repaint for the third time!) 

Mmmm.... PJs....

I think I could get used to this whole not-working thing. Having a week off by myself allows time for exercising, eating well and even reading grown-up books. It forces me to tackle projects, like organizing the clutter that has accumulated in the back bedrooms and putting up things on the walls that have been sitting around since we moved here. And finally, not working creates time for socializing and drinking wine, which I will do with Amy and Paul tonight when they arrive. 

Mike thinks we should be retired now, then work later. I think I'm beginning to agree. Too bad he doesn't have the week off with me. 

Lazy Aftermath

      Christmas in Melbourne was everything a girl could ask for, chock full of sappy moments & laughter.

    I loved when my mom reached for my hand while laughing over my favorite Sesame Street episodes on YouTube (does anyone else remember this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANQPlGmhAmA)

    I enjoyed spending time with my cousins & their precious baby boys on Christmas morning. I have to admit watching them open presents and screaming with delight stirred the baby itch that's hidden somewhere within me (but no worries- it was suppressed quickly.)

   I'll cherish the laughter we shared as Mike spent 15 minutes unwrapping his new fishing pole that I meticulously covered with tape and small shreds of paper, or as Bryan serenaded us with made-up accordion music, and Mike's mom schooled us all in "Sorry." 

   I was overwhelmed with memories and love as I spent time with friends who will always be in my heart, no matter how far away we end up or how much time passes between seeing each other. It was wonderful to share a Panera breakfast with Cheree, catch up with Jessica as our dogs played tug-a-war, and run around Amy's house with Paul as if I were in high school again. Kelly was missed but we'll see her soon at Amy's WEDDING!!

   It was topped off by the promise of a road bike from Mike so that we can go on long rides together. I love my husband and look forward to new adventures in 2011.

Diego didn't know what to do with the stuffed dead animals in Amy's den...

Oh December

Let's just recap the last couple of weeks with pictures.

Live nativity with the besties, complete with donkeys and camels and a real baby Jesus.

Gingerbread competition inspired us to recreate the birth of Jesus.

Amy's home! And is that Tim Tebow?

Annie's home! Did the old lady at Walmart know that asking Annie to take the cart back for her was the most exciting thing that will happen to her all week long?

I caught something on fire for the first time. Good thing Mike was there to stomp on it, cause apparently waving it in the air only made the fire bigger...

Love my 8th graders! 

I thank God for the loves of my life <3

Happiness is:

a warm cuddly lab

chili on the stove

Michael walking through the door 

tomorrow being Friday

conversations with best friends 

Secret Santa gifts and Christmas cards

teacher friends

old Christmas pictures:

 

no worries

Only good things to speak of tonight! Full of smiles as I sit here wrapped in a homemade quilt, sifting through endless sites on "A Christmas Carol" which I am starting tomorrow. I'm looking forward to working on it with the kiddos, but also am feeling slightly overwhelmed at the enormity of its theme. I feel like the story is an awesome opportunity to impart fantastic life lessons that will alter their very existences! Okay, maybe not, but it does share an important message that we are quick to overlook once the holidays approach. 

I feel like Britney on Glee when she loses her holiday spirit... like Cindy Lou Who when she sings, "Where Are you Christmas? I cannot find you!" I've been consumed with thinking about the perfect gifts, experiencing the right amount of holiday cheer and making my house look Christmas-worthy. But I can't help thinking about how much money is spent during the holidays on large quantities of gifts for people, most who don't need a single thing in the world. When I find myself grumbling that the heater's not kicking in soon enough in the old truck, my mind wanders to the homeless who are spending the nights outside. And my heart hurts because I feel like I'm not doing anything to acknowledge these injustices. Nothing's wrong with dropping x amount of money on a light-up penguin for the front yard, but donating to a toy drive will make me think twice. 

Let's face it; I'm a Grinch in need of a Savior. Thank God for grace. 

On a lighter note, last night I attended a redneck Christmas party:

Other good things? 

When I went to watch last night's "Glee" episode, I realized I forgot to watch last week's, too! Double whammy!

Our annual Christmas wreath from Antigen & Horace was waiting on the doorstep!

I got to talk to Annie twice today!

I ate my favorite dinner (pasta, olive oil, steak seasoning) 

and now i'm doing nothing but sitting on the couch.

Decorating with Sensory Details

Sounds: Charlie Brown's Christmas, following by Emmy Lou Harris

Sights: Ornaments commemorating my Christmases spent with Mike so far. All 2 of them. Needless to say, the tree is a little sparse. Can't take my childhood ones just yet from home. 

Tastes: Chocolate chip cookies

Touches: Christmas lights on house, tree picked out from the lot

Smells: Christmas candles pulled out of storage (partly melted?) & our tree

Let the Christmas festivities begin!!

Kicking the season off right!

It all began with assembling and decorating Ashley's tree in her new home! Who knew that there'd be that many "that's what she said" moments with something so tame? A new all-time record was set. Love the girls that God has blessed my life with!

The following days brought ice on the truck. We may live in Florida, but we live in the COLD part. It was exciting this week, but I know I'll be over it next month when I'm still freezing my buns off in a truck that refuses to heat up in an efficient amount of time.

And I think my fingers just accidently purchased Sufjan Steven's Christmas album that I randomly discovered this morning. His strange use of random instruments used to irk me, but apparently my tastes have changed. 40 Christmas songs for $16? I'll take it. Listen here to see what I'm talking about.

Today promises decorating the house & tree for Christmas, lots of holiday music, the fireplace hooked up, and plenty of time playing outside with Mike & Diego in the gorgeous Florida sunshine.