Tis the season...

So this morning I got into my car, turned on the radio as I do every morning & imagine my surprise when I heard "Silver Bells" playing!

*gasp*

What? Is that Christmas music??? Why yes it is! I immediately got all warm & fuzzy inside & turned the volume way up & enjoyed holiday music all the way into work!

Thank you Star 102 for being the only radio station in Kansas City to start playing holiday music the day after Halloween! Oh how I love you so....

Halloween

Tonight everyone in our cul-de-sac gathered outside around the driveway for our Annual Halloween Gathering. We all brought a dish to share, enjoyed tons of food & a few adult beverages while handing out candy to all the "ghosts & goblins". Julie, Heather, Melissa & Gael

I look forward to this event every year & just LOVE Halloween & all the fun the fall season brings. Lucky for us, Shane didn't have to work this year & got to participate with us. He had fun handing out candy while checking out all the cute costumes the kiddos were wearing. Although, I think he ate more candy than he handed out ;)

Gael, Dave & Teri keeping warm in front of the fire

We all stuffed ourselves silly on chili, taco soup, goulash stew, cornbread, chips & cheese dip, cookies & LOTS of candy. It was a beautiful night to be outside gathered around the firepit with such great neighbors.

Hope you all had a fun & safe Halloween!

30 Truths - Day 30

Day 30 → Write a letter & tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself

Woo hoo - I have finally reached the very last "truth" in this 30 Days of Truth Challenge. I am surprised I actually stuck with it & finished it - only because I know myself! I do think that this last "truth" is kind of dumb, but it is my very last 30 Truths post so I gotta finish what I started! So here goes...

Dear HT,

On how I love thyself! Let me count the ways....

I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Okay, so I took the easy way out & quoted a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning only because I honestly sat here for like 20 minutes & had NO clue what to write - so forgive me. I am just glad to be done with this daily blogging about the "truth". It was beginning to be quite the chore sitting down every night trying to figure out what to post.

Hopefully you learned a little bit about me these past 30 days!? I actually have a blog challenge similiar to this one called "30 Days of Me" which I plan on doing later down the road. But for now, HT is in need of a break...

30 Truths - Day 29

Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself and why.

Lose 10 lbs - why? for the sake of my health, my wardrobe & my mental status

This last year, I have been battling with my weight. I contribute it to all the hormone injections from the fertility treatments & my state of mind from month after month. My weight will go up, then comes down, then goes back up. Since I basically wear "PJ's" everyday to work (scrubs) I try to do a "jeans check" once a week to make sure I'm not gaining too much weight. When the jeans are snug I try to watch what I eat for awhile. When they are loose I eat everything around the house. It is a constant battle.

If I threw some exercise in the mix I might have a better handle on my fluctuating weight. But if you recall my "truth" from Day 1 I am a huge procrastinator. It is one of my flaws & I am working on it....maybe I will start next week?! :)

30 Truths - Day 28

Day 28 → What if you found out you were pregnant, what would you do?

Since we have been trying to conceive for the past 4 years now, I would most definitely cry. Then I would do a happy dance all around the house & would feel SO very thankful & blessed.

30 Truths - Day 27

Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?

My marriage.

It is the only rock solid thing I am absolutely sure of at this given moment. With my husband, I don't have to guess. Our relationship isn't childish or insincere or fake nor do we play games. It's the most perfect, honest, challenging thing I could have asked for in a relationship & I love it. I wouldn't trade him or our relationship for anything in the world.

Family's can have their own sets of issues, my friends may grow distant or just plain write me off but the one thing I am sure of is that my marriage is there. Thriving away even in the bad days. With Shane I know I can do anything, I can be anything because he's the only completely honest person I have in my life. He doesn't play games or lie, he's a wonderful, loving, sincere & truthful person - even when I don't want to hear it. And as cheesy as this line may be it is SO true....he completes me :)

30 Truths - Day 26

Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?

I can honestly say I have never experienced anything that has been so bad that I had wanted to give up on life.

When the chips are down & times are tough, & no matter how bad today may be, there is always a chance for a better tomorrow.

BBQ Gathering

*was waiting to post this until I got the pics from Melissa - thanks girl for being our photographer once again :)

This last Saturday turned out to be a busy day. I had an annual eye exam first thing in the morning, then Holiday Mart with Jilly, ran to the grocery store afterwards, came home to make Homemade Mac-n-Cheese & a chocolate bundt cake for a BBQ at Michelle & Rob's & made my way over to their house at 6:30 pm. Shane was still sleeping when I left (since he worked all night Friday) but promised to come over after he woke up.

Michelle & Rob were awesome hosts & had quite the spread in the kitchen & out in the garage. They provided smoked meat (ribs, shredded pork, chicken & brisket) while everyone brought a side dish to share. It turned out to be a fabulous meal & everyone made sure to leave room for dessert. Rob had even set up a flat screen TV in the garage so that is where most of the boys gathered all evening to watch college football & the baseball game while the ladies hung around in the kitchen. That is where the desserts were - we are not dumb.

Throughout the evening, we shared many stories, many laughs & had many glasses of wine & by the end of the evening, things had gotten a little crazy. By now Shane had made his way over to the party & was in rare form cracking us all up with his stories & commentary. This is how he usually is when he has had one too many glasses of scotch! (see glass in pic - yes that is all scotch :)

At one point in the evening, things got out of control. I'm not sure how or even why, but Keri & Jill got it in their heads that they were going to try & fit themselves through the doggie door downstairs! I guess that is what drinking too much wine will do to you!? LOL
These girls are both tiny & fit through the door no problem! Then everyone was pressuring HT to go through the door. Not sure why I thought I could fit my dumb ass through there but everyone else thought I could so why not try!

Um - let's just say that this sister is big-boned & has too much "junk in her trunk"! My hips got stuck & Michelle tried her hardest to push me through. By this point I am laughing so hard that I am crying because my big ass got stuck. Needless to say, I managed to wiggle myself free but not before some pics & lots of laughs from the peanut gallery. Did I forget to mention that there were jello shots??? (And yes syringes may or may not have been used in the making of the jello shot) And alot of wine???

And delicious desserts???

A fun evening seemed to be had by all & a lesson was learned: Dog doors are meant for dogs. Not people.

And I definitely have the bruises to show for it!

Top 2

Top 2 Favorite Halloween or Fall crafts/decor/party ideas

Sorry I haven't posted Top 2 the last couple of weeks. I have been a bit busy but this is one Top 2 that I didn't want to miss out on! Decorating for Fall around the house is something I LOVE to do & am always looking for new ideas! Here are a couple of my favorites:

1) I made something similar to this last year. They are super cute & SO easy to create. They can be used for Thanksgiving table centerpieces or placed on a coffee or end table or even displayed around a fireplace or on the mantel.


2) This is what I am going to do to the pumpkins that are outside displayed on our front steps. A little spray paint, some letter stencils & some glitter & you got a super cute idea for the front entryway.

30 Truths - Day 25

Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.

Because God isn't finished with me yet.

I truly belive that God has a purpose for every single person & you won’t die until that purpose is fulfilled. If you are still alive, then you haven’t completed what you were put on earth to do. If you haven’t completed what you were put on earth to do, then your very purpose hasn’t been fulfilled. If your purpose hasn’t been fulfilled, then the most important part of your life is still ahead.

I guess I have yet to make that most important contribution & I haven't completed what I was put on this earth to do.

'Nuff said...

30 Truths - Day 24

Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, & explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles, artists & letter)

“Just” post the titles AND artists AND letter. AFTER you explain why you chose ALL the songs.

"F" that.

No.

Going to have to pass on this one.

I don't have the time nor do I have the energy today to do all that the question asks of me.

30 Days of Truth has now become 29 Days of Truth & 1 Act of Rebellion.

Sorry to disappoint people!

Holiday Mart 2010

It's that time of year again - time for my most favorite shopping event of the year - Holiday Mart!

This morning I met my girlfriend Jilly for our annual holiday shopping extravaganza at Holiday Mart. I hadn't seen her in forever so it was really nice to be able to spend some one-on-one time with her catching up. We walked up & down all the aisles checking out each & every booth that was set up & managed to spend a little money as well.

The highlight of my shopping experience had to be when I stopped by a booth that was displaying Kristian Alfonso's jewelry line.

For those of you who don't know who Kristian Alfonso is, she plays Hope Brady on Days of our Lives. I have watched this soap since I was a teenager - well over 25 years - & Hope has been on that soap even longer. I just love her!

For the last couple of years, she has been wearing these beautiful custom pieces of jewelry on the soap that she has designed herself & I just love her line.

So as I am admiring a few of her necklaces, I hear this lady say to me "Do you have any questions about any of the pieces?" Imagine my shock when I look up & right next to me is Kristian Alfonso herself. I was literally starstruck! She is even more beautiful in person & I was amazed at how very tiny she was! She was maybe 5'3" at the most & can't be any bigger than a size 2! I chatted with her for a few minutes asking her about a certain necklace she always wears on Days which wasn't on display & she told me I could order it online. She was so nice & very down to earth.

I was going to pull out my camera & ask for a picture but thought it might be rude so I didn't. Besides, it was SO very crowded where we were at & I didn't want to make a spectacle of either one of us. Kind of wish I would have gotten a pic now :(

It ended up being a great afternoon spent with a very dear friend & I am so very happy that we were able to go! Thanks Jilly for such a fun shopping adventure!

Until next year....