Weekend Recap and Snow

Well, first off, it is snowing like crazy here, as predicted. I got up and around fairly early this morning so run some errands and grocery shop before the storm came in. The snow started around 10:30 and we for sure have several inches. At this point, I am not sure that I will be getting out tomorrow at all, but if I do, it will not be early at all. Guess it will give me a chance to get started on my readings. This afternoon, I was doing more organization.

So, besides having to leave town yesterday, the weekend went pretty well. Friday at work was super busy. The day flew by. I didn't get to snack all day like I usually do and there was even times that I was running around so much that I couldn't even use the restroom. But time flew by. When I left the office, I headed to my moms to check on my little boys. Both were doing fantastic after the surgeries. They were even jumping around at the vet's office. Chris and I headed to town around 6:30. We picked up a quick dinner then headed to play pool with Chris's cousin Matt. Those boys are pretty entertaining to watch. I don't play much because I am terrible, but I love to shoot the easy shots. We didn't stay out late. We were back to the house around 9:30 and I was in bed by 10:30.

Saturday morning, my mom and I headed to town early. We met my grandmother for breakfast at Jimmy's. It was yummy. I love breakfast and going out is about the only time that I get it anymore. Chris isn't big on breakfasts. Most of the time, it is too big of a mess for just me, so I don't bother. My french toast and sausage was really good. Mom and I then ran a few more errands and did her grocery shopping. I got back to the house and helped Chris pick up the house and his truck. We headed to Springfield about 1:30. We didn't need to go too early because there wasn't much to do. I had wanted Chris and I to do registering at one store, but he wasn't interested. Guess I'll have to do it by myself (well, I have a few special ladies who said they would help). I just remind Chris that he cannot complain about what I get since he choose not to have an opinion. We went into Home Depot to look around for a bit. Then we headed to dinner at Nakatos. It was my work Christmas dinner. We go every year. This year, the service wasn't so great. Despite having reservations for 5:00, we didn't get a table until 5:45. It was crazy. Chris isn't crazy about the food and then the combo about the wait, I am not sure if he will feel up to going next year. We shall see. We got home around 9:00, picked up Boots (yes, we have a babysitter for our puppies), then headed to the house to watch a little TV.

Sunday morning I got up early. I watched the weather forecast and knew that I needed to start packing. I was all packed before anyone else got up. I spent a little time with Chris and the pups. I had to make sure the house was clean and laundry caught up for him before I left. The only thing I didn't get done was grocery shopping for him (which is why he got take out tonight). Hopefully he will get that taken care of soon. We loaded up the car and I got on the road around 1:30. I got to Columbia unloaded the car, unpacked, ate dinner and was in bed by 9:30. My life is so boring.

Well, that is it for now. I'm looking to heading up to read a little bit before heading off to bed early again tonight.

Back in Columbia

Well, it isn't what was planned, but it is what I got. During all the years that I have been in Columbia, the weather has hated me. I have been stopped or planned have been changed due to ice, snow, thunderstorms, and even tornados. Needless to say, I wasn't too shocked to see that there was a forecast for snow on the days that I thought about leaving (Monday or Tuesday). So, to be on the safe side, I headed up to Columbia today.

It was hard to leave but not as bad as many other years. Pomona is my home and I always hate leaving. There is just something about being there that makes me happy and puts my mind at ease. I love being near my family. I love seeing my puppies. And most importantly, I love seeing Christopher every day.

But on a positive note, graduation is just 4 months away. This semester like all the others should fly by. I try to stay busy with school and work and then now wedding planning is more intense, so I have plently to keep me occupied. I will be officially moving home the last weekend in July. Sooo looking forward to that day. Then we should have a busy couple of months before the wedding.

Yikes, so much ahead of us in the next few months.

Off to go relax before heading to bed. I hope I can sleep tonight without Dozer in the bed. He is already lost at home without me. Poor guy!

I'm such a sap

The boys are getting neutered this morning and I didn't take it too well when I dropped them off this morning.

Last week when I set up the appointment, they first told me that I had to bring the boys on Wednesday for them to stay the night before the surgery. Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. Neither one of them have been away from people for more than 8 hours, Dozer less than that. It just would have been extra rough for them to be away from us last night. So, I convinced the vet to let them stay at home. We just had to cut off food at 7:00 pm last night. Chris had a hard time dealing with that. He loves giving the pups treats. He kept telling me he wanted to give in last night when the pups would come inside and want a treat like they always do. Then Chris was trying to tell me that getting them neutered was mean and he wouldn't let me do it.

This morning was rough. Both the boys were excited to go for a ride: Boots rode with Chris and Dozer with me. Chris says Boots started shaking when they pulled into the vet parking lot. We got both of them in the office. Dozer started barking.  He would only calm down when I held him. We had to put them in kennels to even fill out the paperwork. Neither pup liked getting put in the kennel. The look on their faces broke me heart. I teared up. Luckily Chris was there. He looked at me, smiled and grabbed my hand. (Gotta love that boy) We walked back up from to finish paperwork and I could hear both boys crying three rooms away. We hurried signing papers and got out of there.

We were both heading off to work. Chris kissed me on the forehead smiled and told me that they would be okay. Now I am counting down the hours till I get off at 4:30 to go pick up my babies.

Let's just hope after we have children that they don't have to have any kind of surgery. I don't know what I would do!

2010 in Review

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before? I set a wedding date with my dearest Christopher

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions? I never make new years resolutions - people don't typically keep those.  I just make goals for myself during the year

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My sister gave birth to an adorable little boy in October. I  had a few other friends who did as well, but no one really close other than my sister

4. Did anyone close to you die? I don't recall attending a funeral during 2010 but I know of many who passed away, some harder to deal with than others, especially the young ones

5. What countries did you visit? I stayed in the United States all year long

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010? A husband, my juris doctorate, my Missouri bar license :)

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 5 - we bought a house, May 17 - we set our wedding date
8. What was your biggest achievement(s) of the year? Finishing another year of school. We are down to just a few months til graduation and I couldn't be happier

9. What was your biggest failure? I don't know that I would say that I failed at anything last year.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope

11. What was the best thing you bought? The house - I love our little farm

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Christopher - he has been amazing working on the house while I was gone and he has always been wonderfully supportative for me to go to school. My parents were also great during the whole house deal

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I am so disgusted by the way some people treat their committed relationships. I know of more than one person who was cheated on by their spouse. I know of one person who was physically and verbally assaulted by their spouse. It's terrible to think about people behaving such a way. It makes me sad when people think that having a baby willl fix marriage problems. I hate when people continue to have kids when they cannot afford them and choose to live off the government. I hate when people complain about their life but aren't willing to change things themselves.

14. Where did most of your money go? Bills mostly

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Wedding planning :)

16. What song will always remind you of 2010? Eh, I don't know that any song will always make me think of this year
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier!

b) thinner or fatter? About the same, maybe slightly thinner

c) richer or poorer? Likely a little poorer, investments aren't doing quite as well

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Exercising

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Eating

20. How will you be spending Christmas? We always have many Christmas celebrations. Besides our respective work ones prior to Christmas we have Christmas Eve at our house with the Upton family. Christmas Day in the morning, we were with my parents. Christmas afternoon we spent with our puppies. Christmas Day evening, we spent with the Shannon family and the 26th was spent with the Gabel's. We have one more celebration this coming Saturday in Springfield for my work
21. Did you fall in love in 2010? Every day I find new reasons to love Christopher and we welcomed two new puppies to our family in 2010 that I love

22. How many one-night stands? None
23. What was your favorite TV program? No doubt about this one, Glee

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't know that I would say that I grew to hate anyone this year. I lost respect for many people and discovered reasons to distance myself from other. I have hated actions people have taken but I don't think hating anyone

25. What was the best book you read? John Grisham's new book - The Confession
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? No one new this year

27. What did you want and get? I wanted to start planning the wedding and that I am doing

28. What did you want and not get? We didn't get the garage finished before winter

29. What was your favorite film of this year? I don't even remember what all movies I watched this year. Recently we watched Easy A, that was a good movie

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 23 on April 30 - Went out to dinner on Friday night with girlfriends, went to lunch on Saturday with girlfriends - celebrated jointly with Maggie

31.What was one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not having bills - that would make every year better

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Classic - I wear a lot of basics and try to look classy and not skanky

33. What kept you sane? Friends, Christopher and my mom

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Um...I really don't know.

35. What political issue stirred you the most? I cannot really name a particular issue that fired me up, but I will say Obama isn't my favorite person and I am not thrilled about things Congress or our President are doing

36. Who did you miss? I have been missing grandparents a lot lately, expecially around the holidays because you are more aware they aren't there. It makes me sad we won't have grandfathers at our wedding
37. Who was the best new person you met? I met several new people through school and at work, couldn't really pick the best one though

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010. No matter how you much you know something needs to happen, you cannot force it upon someone else. You can only help people who are willing to help themselves

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Love like Crazy - Lee Brice - "Be your best friend, tell the truth, and overuse I love you. Go to work, do your best, don't outsmart your common sense. Never let your prayin' knees get lazy. And love like crazy"

Gabel Family Christmas

Sunday, the 26th was the biggest Christmas we had. It was Christmas with the Gabels. All my siblings were here along with thier children. Then my grandma came and my Great Aunt Pauline and her husband Terry. Here are a few pictures of the day.

Christmas Day

Christmas day was a pretty day for us. We spent the morning with my parents. We had breakfast and opened presents. Then for most of the morning and into the evening, Chris and my dad spent visiting. I was in the kitchen getting things ready for the afternoon Christmas with the Shannons (Chris's mom's family). We also gave Dozer and Boots their stockings. The boys loved Christmas. Here are a few pictures of the day. I didn't get any pictures from the morning.

The greatest joy of Christmas came that evening. As many of you know, Chris's neice Sadie has Spina Bifida and has no feeling or control over the lower part of her body. She has been going to physical therapy and with the assitance of a brace and a walker, her present to all of us was to see her walk. Seriously a moving event that brought tears to my eyes. God truly blessed us and it brings everything in perspective. Here is that precious girl.

The Christmas' (a little late) - Upton Family Christmas

Christmas Eve we spend with Chris's dad side of the family. I was off that Friday and spent most of the day cleaning and cooking. We had a pretty untraditional meal. I cooked a huge pot of chili (and it still wasn't enough) We also had a veggie tray with homemade dip, piggies in a blanket, and baked Christmas goodies. The kids had a blast too. Here are a few pictures of the evening.