Goodbye 2011. HELLO there 2012!

Sorry my look-back thing didn't pan out.  I wasn't expecting to consume the amount of Nyquil that I have in the past couple days.

Consequently (and sadly enough), Jack and I will not be partying it up with the Mitchell clan tonight for New Years.  Maybe I can convince him to go see the fireworks, though.... him, me, and my trusty roll of toilet paper  "kleenex".  I'm so classy.

While 2011 has been fabulous, it will be nice to have a fresh start again.

So, here's to 2012!

Good intentions...

I did have good intentions doing this countdown to the new year thing.

But, frankly, I'm more interested in the countdown to when my Nyquil will kick in.

I'm sick.

If a girl bullfrog could speak, she would sound like me.

Sooo... nighty night!

Fall 2011

My plan is to "catch up" by doing a year review in stages.  Everyday I'll post pictures and a recap of a particular season.  Today I'll focus on the past 3 months.  OH we have had good times!

WARNING - this is a super long post.  Get comfy.

OCTOBER:


Jack and I visited Apple Hill in California for the first time.  It was fabulous!  We definitely plan on making it a tradition.  These apples were the best apples I've ever had -- so tasty!  We also got our pumpkins while we were there and they were beauties.  This month we also watched the kittens wrestle non-stop.  It was very entertaining!

NOVEMBER:


We ended up giving away the kittens this month, which was really sad for me.  They were fun to have around.  Jack and I went to Vegas for Thanksgiving and had SO MUCH FUN!  I haven't partied that hard for a very long time.  I surprisingly didn't take many pictures, but it was probably because I was too busy laughing.  My sister, D'On, cousin Kerri, and I went Black Friday shopping -- it was an over-12-hour adventure!  It's always a good time visiting my family!

DECEMBER:


This has been a fabulous month -- I love the holiday season!  I took a lot of pictures this month, so bear with me.  We went and got our tree with the Mitchell family, which is always fun.  Jack and I picked the BIGGEST tree... but we trimmed a little too much and it became the smallest tree I've ever had.  Oh well!  :)

We had Jack's family (the Townsends) over for Christmas Eve dinner.  Jack and I were on our feet for hours that day, but it was worth it!  That table was beautiful and we had so much food!  We spent Christmas day by ourselves, and had a lovely evening opening presents and going to the movies.  It's really exciting that I get to spend every Christmas with him, since he's so super cool.  :)

If you want to take a closer look at the collages, I believe you can click on them to make them bigger.  Don't quote me on that.

I know this was a super long post, but we did a lot of things in the past three months!  And the cool thing is: we get to have this much fun next year too!

2011 - A good year

So I declare it.  I have swished this year around in my proverbial glass, tasted it and found it good.

Not that I would know much of these things, not being a wine drinker.

2011.  It was a good year.

Not that it's over, but I'm gearing up for 2012.

This time last year I said, "I have a feeling that 2011 will be my best married year yet."  I think it was.  But I guess I don't really consider our marriage in individual years, but as one eternal great year.  So far, so good!  ;)

I also said my only goal for 2011 was to dig my fingers in dirt.  Let's see how that went:

Tulips and daffodils in the spring -

Places to dig into the dirt and a fence to keep in the dogs -

Basil that was -

Aaaand

Basil that wasn't - 

Tomatoes!!

And the hardest, but best way I dug into the dirt -

And next year I will take more and better pictures and DIG MORE.  Warm weather can't come soon enough.

a few resolutions...

Well, hello there.  I know, I know... what's the point of a blog (or following a blog) if there are never any new posts??

Which leads me to this post.

My resolutions for the new year and other various things.

First, I want to say that while I know resolutions usually don't last past January 15th, I have always loved making them.  Call me crazy.


Here are Jack's resolutions for the new year:
1.  Give up soda
2.  For the month of January at least -- exercise every day.
3.  Go back to school.

I told him I don't think the first two are realistic, but he said that people do harder things every day and that I should support him.  And you know what?  He's right.  But don't tell him I said that.  ;)

My resolutions for the new year:
1.  Blog AT LEAST once a week.  :)  Just for you.
2.  Play with my camera once a week.
3.  Focus on my health, because folks, it's getting out of control.
4.  Garden as much as possible.  :)

There's actually more, but I think 4 is good to write down.  Jack and I have a combined goal as well: work on our debt.  It's totally doable, so we shall do!

I know, a post without a picture is BORING!  If you've made it this far, good for you!  I will be sharing many, many photos soon.  For now, here's one from our trip to Apple Hill (more on that later).

Oh, and one more thing...

Merry Christmas!!!!

Keeping it real.

Yes, we keep lime juice on the floor.  :)


Here is an appearance of all the little animals, with the exception of Tuna.  She's lame.  I'm not joking.

a little sneak

Happy late Thanksgiving!  We went to Vegas and spent some days partying hard with my family.  It was a GREAT time!

I know it's been awhile.  I just uploaded about a gazillion pictures on to my computer.

Among them were a couple of these (that I have yet to edit) of my sister's family:

Adorable!

*sigh*  I miss my family already!

November!

Because daylight savings ended early this morning, I am having a very hard time staying up so late!

WEIRD.

I hadn't posted for awhile, so I wanted to give a little update.

We are good.

That is all.

Goodnight!  :)

Just kidding.

Not very much going on... here are the oh-so-exciting highlights:

-The kittens are 10 weeks old and we couldn't even give them away at Halloween.  It was sad.

-Our garage is clean for the first time in 2 years. 

-It's been cold and snowing on and off all weekend.  (Boo!)

-I've planted many bulbs.

-I'm getting more and more and MORE excited to go to VEGAS, baby!  Jack hasn't been down for TWO years!

-We actually paid off a credit card!  Now only 200 gajillion bazillion dollars to go until we're out of debt!  :)

-We love our heat dish!  Thanks Mom & Dad!  

The Zombie Song

happy halloween y'all!

Because I can...

so cute!

I could just squish 'em

These little kittens are so cute and sweet it's ridiculous!  MUCH better kittens than Tuna was.  We still need to find homes for them (though it pains me to think about giving them up).

 Oh gosh!  Makes me want to grab one and squeeze it.  They love being squished, you know.  ;)


I have another picture of one with its tongue sticking out.  Precious.  I'd post it up here, but the kitten is framed by one of Jack's bulging biceps.  I didn't want to make the ladies jealous.  (Seriously.  It's hot.)


The dogs have been very good with them.  They've only thought the kittens were little squirrels to eat a couple times... ahem...

We closely supervise.

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This isn't the best picture, but this is our tomato harvest!  YUM!  Let me tell you.  No wonder I'm thinking about 2012!  (see post below)

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The other night Jack was heating up a rice pack to help his sore shoulder (that body part just above his rippling muscled biceps)...

He has a tendency of putting too many minutes on the microwave.  Our house smelled like an ashtray for a week.

Okay, there's another post below, if you think you can make it.  :)

Thanks for stopping by!

I'm dreaming of next spring

It's still in the 70s here, but there are other things I need to save my gardening money for (like, say, a new back door...).

Spring, spring, spring... I wish we could just skip over winter and go straight to spring!

Here are some goodies from my Pinterest board on my mind for 2012:

Source: garden-artistry.tumblr.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Danielle on Pinterest

Source: None via Danielle on Pinterest

(I loooove that wall!  I have no idea where to get the bricks, though...)

Source: None via Danielle on Pinterest

Source: None via Danielle on Pinterest

Source: None via Danielle on Pinterest

There's of course a gajillion more ideas I love on my pinterest board -- this is just a little taste.  I made a list of all the things that need to be done next year to get our yard looking the way I want.  It's a lot.  But I love it!  :)  (and I'm so grateful for a husband that is good at watering, because THAT, my friends, is my downfall.)

it's way too late

but this week was really long, terrible, and wicked (in a bad way) and I just feel like staying up late and sleeping in late.  There's nothing wrong with that!!!

But there is something wrong with this:

 Uhhhhh.... weird??
Jack was given some clothes and most were really great!  But these bad boys... light blue pants?  For men?  This is not the 80s.

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I took some pictures of my "finished" bedroom the other day that I'd like to share.  It makes me happy because it feels so nice and serene... when it's clean.  :)

(love him!)

Painting over those red walls was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

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 And this is a terrible picture of the most amazing dinner we've ever made.

 - French toast topped with raspberries, blueberries, bananas, and NUTELLA!  hello.  I know.

 - Jack's delicious omelet ... seriously, he makes the best.  It had garden fresh tomatoes in it, along with ham, cilantro, and green onions.  YUM.

- Cantelope before I knew it was currently killing people.  It was delicious anyhow.  Hopefully we don't die.

AAAND on that note.
Goodnight.

Scenes from my computer

Hurrah!  I'm finished!  

More black and white --

ENJOY!  :)