Christmas 2010!

Boy did we have some fun but VERY busy Christmas! I won't bore you with all the details because when I say busy-I mean BUSY! So I'll just post a lot of pictures. :)

Christmas Eve we did the traditional Ellison Christmas gathering. It was awesome like always! Great food was had-I loved the ham, tater mush, & rolls! It's always great catching up with all of your relatives & enjoying the Christmas spirit. We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus & celebrated with a delicious Red Velvet cake. Papa read Luke 2 while the youngest kids dressed up & acted it out. (it's weird to not be apart of that anymore-I'm growing up!) Then we had a couple of presents passed around. The greatest gift given was to Papa from my cousin Sundi. It was (drumroll please....) A Superman Snuggie! Oh it was so awesome!

Christmas morning started with a bang! I started waking up at 5am hoping the Jackson crew would be ready to rumble! Finally at 7:30 the girls were up & Santa did come! :) We loved spending the morning with them! The rest of the day was spent with my brothers going to & fro from Kevin's house to Aunt Renee's house. It was busy but fun. I loved reminiscing & making new memories with the family!

We can't wait to see what Christmas 2011 will be like with our little baby!! :)

A Bun in the Oven!

If you don't know by now-Kyle & I are expecting our first baby! The due date is May 29th! Will we have a May or June baby?! Either way we are incredibly excited but still a little in shock. Here's how it all began...

Kyle & I agreed that we would hold off on starting a family until Kyle was done with school. Well about January of last year something inside of me clicked & my desire to be a mom really kicked into overdrive. Kyle was set to graduate in December so I thought we could get the party started just a little (ok a lot) early. After lots of talking (& crying on my hormonal part) we decided to hold off a little while longer.

Finally around July of last year we decided to start the whole 'trying to get pregnant' process because you never know how long it could take.... Long story short it took just over a year for the stars to align & there to be a baby in my belly! ;) (One of the hardest & longest years of my life-I couldn't have made it without many prayers, my incredible husband & some amazing friends)

Sept 29th, 2010- I thought I would die when I the pregnancy test actually came back POSITIVE! (it was probably the 20th test I'd taken over the last year & the FIRST to be positive) I immediately started crying & I knew exactly who I had to call. Kyle you say? Nope. MinDee. (to my defense it was a Wednesday morning & Kyle was at work. After trying for this baby for SO long I needed someone could could scream & cry with me-not whisper 'oh nice but I have to go into the meeting'-no offense to Kyle but you catch my drift) Anywho! So I called MinDee but I couldn't say anything I just cried! FINALLY I get to say the 2 words I'd been praying to be able to say "I'M PREGNANT!" It was SO incredible to share that moment with MinDee. She was freaking out with me which in turn made her baby girl Khloee cry but it was totally worth it. After I got off of the phone I took a couple more tests for good measure & called my Dr to set up a visit. It was the longest day waiting for Kyle to get home! So I went out & bought a plain toddler size Tshirt & wrote "Big Sister" on it so Moose could wear it. :)

Moose looks thrilled huh? I don't know if she's ready to share the spotlight!

(I forgot to take a picture of the final product with the due date)

Kyle was in shock when he saw Moose wearing it. After letting it process for a few minutes & looking at each other in shock we hugged & spent the evening chatting about our future baby. (Btw Kyle hates surprises but I HAD to surprise him right?!)

Everything went great at the first Dr's appt. I have had 4 appointments total, loads of bloodwork, & 2 ultrasounds. Speaking of Ultrasounds-When I saw our little munchin & that tiny but healthy heart beat for the first time-I was speechless. Yes I got a tad emotional but how could you not?! It was awesome. I can't wait for Kyle to join me on my next appointment. We'll be finding out the gender & he'll be able to see our baby in real time for the first time! (He hasn't been able to attend any of my other appointments so I'm very excited for him & to find out if we're having a Boy or a Girl!)

Since this post is already crazy long-I will do another post on how we spread the word & my weekly belly pics. :)

FREE Shutterfly Christmas Cards!

So here's the deal. If you post about how amazing Shutterfly's Cmas card collection is you receive 50 card FOR FREE! How amazing is that? Here are a few of my faves...I'm going to have a hard time picking out just ONE! (Ok so I started typing this before actually looking at the card selection... can we say 'overwhelming with awesomeness?!' There are a bajillion SUPER cute cards to choose from! What a fabulous problem to have right?!)

"Holiday Wrapping" (isn't Cmas wrapping paper so fun?!)

"Love Hope Faith" (you have to remember the reason for the season!)

"Sparkling Tree" (what gal doesn't love sparkling things?!)

Not only can you make Cmas cards on Shutterfly but while you're at it why not make some Cmas gifts?! Perfect for parents or grandparents! Some gifts include: Calendars , Mugs , & Stationary! Don't celebrate Christmas? No need to fear! Shutterfly has Hanukkah Cards HERE!

So get out there, blog, & get some free Christmas cards from Shutterfly people!! :)

P.S.

Kyle & I have made photo book using Shutterfly & we have not been disappointed yet! Can't wait to see what the cards will look like... I guess we should work on a picture of us to put on it! :P

Days of Thanksgiving Session 5

So here it is! The final session of the countdown to Thanksgiving! (Sorry I was too lazy to add pictures!)

#21- I am grateful for Birthdays! (I guess mine to be specific) Today is my birthday & I am 25 years old! (I can't believe it!) I am so blessed to still be alive! I love spending my birthdays with friends & family. My most favorite part of celebrating is probably the cake! :) I have a major sweet tooth! This year Dad came to visit & spendt my Bday weekend with us. We had a great time! He took us out for my Bday dinner on Saturday night & man it was SO delicious! (I've been wanting a steak for quite some time but Kyle isn't a big fan & we've been on a tight budget so Dad took us out. I loved every bite of it!) I love looking back at pictures from each birthday. I laugh when I see the pictures from my 8th birthday because I was missing my 2 front teeth & of course there are the awkward teenage years. Anywho! I enjoy celebrating life & feeling so much love from family & friends! I am very blessed!

#22- I am thankful for Holidays! My favorites are Thanksgiving & Christmas! I love celebrating with our families & remembering 'the reason for the season.' It's great gathering around for some food, fun & family time! Since we've been married we spend Thanksgiving with the Ensigns & then Christmas with my family. I love decorating & getting into the spirit of season. I also love listening & singing Cmas carols! What a fun time of the year!

#23- I am grateful for Netflix. Silly you might say but it's true. Kyle & I have watched some pretty awesome shows thru Netflix! We like to watch documentaries, movies, tv shows, etc. Don't get me wrong-we spend a little more time then I'd like to admit watching everything but at least we enjoy watching the tv together right?! Some of the fun shows we've discovered thru Netflix: Arrested Development, Everest, American Pickers, No Impact Man, Man vs. Food, & more! Thank you Netflix for being cheap & easy! :)

#24- I am thankful for the Future. I am so blessed to share my present & future with so many amazing people in my life-especially Kyle! I can't wait to see where we are in 10 years. Where will we live? How many kids? Will Moose still be with us? (oh I hope so!) What will all of our nieces & nephews be up to then?! It's neat to think of what all is in store of Kyle & I. I love having the future to look forward to! :)

Days of Thanksgiving Session 4

#16- I am grateful modern transportation! How great is it to know that you can be ANYWHERE in the world in just a matter of hours?! Hop in a train, plane, boat, or car & you're there! I know I talk A LOT of junk about my car BUT I really am grateful that I have it! I love being able to visit friends & family, run errands, & more with a my trusty old car. I enjoy being able to go on a fun vacation on a cruise ship or fly in an airplane to explore a new part of the world. Can you imagine taking a horse & carriage from Charlotte, NC all the way to Guadalajara Mexico?! How about walking? Many thanks to the inventors of easy transportation! :)

#17- I am thankful for life experiences that have made me who I am today. I can't say that I've been thru "a lot" (who's the judge of 'a lot?') in my almost 25 years of being on earth but I have learned so many valuable lessons! I've had a couple of what I thought were 'hard times' in my life & I am grateful for the understanding & the knowledge I have gained from them. Obviously at the time they weren't fun but in the end we aren't given more than we can handle. I like to learn from other's perspectives by gaining a new understanding thru their trials they have overcome. I think of all the great knowledge & experience my grandparents have & I hope to one day have the same! Hopefully my grandchildren will be more eager to learn & grow from me then I was from my grandparents. (not that I don't/didn't listen to them-I just wish I would've asked more questions & realized they do know more & it may have prevented me from some of my many mistakes)

#18- I am grateful for MUSIC!! Who doesn't love music?! I love how moved I can be by just a few notes & words. One of my most favorite parts of church each Sunday are the hymns & now listening to the primary & nursery kids sing. I most definitely can feel the Spirit thru music. I also love being able to belt out lyrics with Kyle. Not a day goes by that we don't randomly break out into a song or a beat. Usually we are making up silly lyrics to a song & we're singing about Moose being the crazy dog she is. I enjoy most types of music but I'd guess Country is my favorite. Some of my favorite artists at the moment are: (no church music included) Jimmy Buffett (oh I heart his music!!), Sugarland, Grateful Dead, George Strait (my old man crush), Phish, Norah Jones, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Allman Brothers, the Format & MANY more!

#19- I am thankful for forgiveness. I have done a ton of dumb things in my life & continue to mess up therefore I am so very grateful for the opportunity I have to be forgiven-whether it is by others, myself, or from Heavenly Father. I have to remind myself that if I want to be forgiven for my mistakes-I have to forgive others. There are lessons to be learned thru our trials & mistakes & even from forgiving others. I am grateful for the opportunity to be forgiven & to forgive others.

#20- I am grateful for Black Friday! haha It's true! I really enjoy the excitement of it all! Kyle & I just started joining in on the crazy day like 2 years ago. We spend Thanksgiving with the Ensign crew so we have fun planning out our routes & all the night before. We don't end up buying much but it's we have a great time running around & helping other's in the family grab what they want. Kyle gives me a hard time because every year I HAVE to buy a set of sheets! There are always 500-700 thread count sheets for sale at a price we can afford. I love it! BF is so close & we can't wait!

Days of Thanksgiving Session 3

#11- I am so very thankful for veterans! I know freedom never has & never will come free. I am in debt to all of those who have, do, & will serve in the armed forces. My heart goes out to all of the military families-they sacrifice so much & are so strong! I am grateful for my Grandpa & my Papa that served. They are amazing! I have extended family members that have & still serve today. I am amazed at the willing sacrifice of these men & women for ME & everyone in our country. I love where I live. I love my freedom. I love all those who serve to keep us safe. Thank you!!!

#12- I am grateful for sleep! There isn't much better than a great night of sleep-am I right? I love getting into a cold (but not too cold) bed & snuggling down into the covers. This is one of my favorite part of the day-cuddling up to Kyle & just talking, laughing, winding down from the day. I love taking a little nap after lunch (could also be called falling into a food coma-ha!) & waking up so refreshed! I always have the most random dreams when I sleep. I wake up in the middle of the night & think "I've really got to remember that dream in the morning so I can tell Kyle!" I usually forget. Sleep is amazing. I'm blessed to be able to go to sleep every night in a safe & warm home next to the one I love (& sometimes with Moose on my feet).

#13- I am thankful for Saturdays! Who doesn't love Saturdays? Or the weekend for that matter?! I love the weekends because I get to spend some quality time with Kyle. Lately our Saturdays have consisted of camping, hiking, frisbee golfing, football, going out to eat (such a special treat for me since I don't get out much during the week), & napping. Sounds amazing right? I love the new adventures Kyle plans for our weekends. With the recent time change & the whole getting dark at 5pm-I know Kyle loves taking advantage of ALL the daylight on Saturdays! "Saturday is a special day, it's the day we get ready for Sunday!" We also take time to prepare a lesson for our fun little nursery class. :)

#14- (my favorite number!) I am grateful for Kyle's job! It makes me so happy that he has found a job that he loves! Georgia Pacific rocks if you ask me! I know Kyle enjoys a good challenge & he gets a healthy dose of it now. We are so blessed that his job provides for our little family. Kyle works so hard & I know he is a great asset to the GP team. The only con is that in order for him to work this great job-we have to live here in ATL. :P Thanks GP for seeing the greatness in Kyle & hiring him!

#15- I am thankful for traveling & vacations! Kyle & I have been blessed enough to do a good amount of traveling since we've been together! We have so much fun discovering new places! I love that Kyle is a major planner & wants to make sure we get to the most out of each trip. (sometimes this makes me feel like I need a vacation from my vacation but I love it!) Some of the places we've been (some are new locations & some are old): Mesa AZ, Orlando (Disney) FL, Savannah GA, Asheville NC, Tybee Island GA, Wilmington NC, Hilton Head Island SC, Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque & Manzanillo Mexico, Nashville & Memphis TN, Nauvoo & Freeport IL, Nassau Bahamas, Key West FL, Salt Lake City UT, & Atlanta GA (before we actually lived here)! We joke that all of our pictures from our vacations are taken from an arm's length away because we don't have anyone to take pictures of us. (If only we had a personal photographer to follow us around-NOT paparazzi though) We LOVE to travel. We are so blessed!

Days of Thanksgiving Session 2

#10- I am grateful for Skype. This awesome program allows me to speak & SEE my family located in different states! Skype also allowed Kyle & I to see each other when we lived separately for a month+ earlier this year. (I'm glad that's over with!)

#9- I am eternally thankful for my Grandparents. My love and admiration for my mother & my father's parents is unmeasurable. I wish I had had more time with Grandma & Grandpa (my father's parents) before they passed away but I carry their love in my heart & I know I will see them again. My Mama & Papa (mother's parents) are still going strong. They truly are amazing examples of unwavering love and devotion. I could never list all of what all they have taught me by their examples. Mama & Papa have been married for over 62 years. Amazing. I only hope that I can one day live up to their example of love & dedication. I also include my (great) Aunt Mary in this realm. She is not only my name sake but so graciously helped fill the void that was left when my Grandma passed away. One of the great things-she kept the Grandma Starburst tradition alive. :) I love her dearly! (I do not have a picture scanned in of my amazing Grandma. Ultimately I don't need a digital picture-I remember her like she was just here yesterday, her laugh, big brown eyes, her perfectly curled out hair, & her most amazing hugs. I miss you Grandma!)

#8- I am grateful for Food! Seems a little crazy-I know-but it's true! I love food! I'm grateful for the easy means of obtaining food here in America & I know that in itself is a true blessing. I may be 'selective' (that's what Kyle calls my picky-ness) when it comes to certain food but I love it! Some of my favorites are: extra sharp cheddar cheese, my aunt's potato salad, pizza, brown rice, grandma rolls, funeral potatoes, mama's peach pies, auntie ann's lemon pies, pat's pretzel salad, & the list could just go on & on! :)

#7- I am thankful for my health! As I get older I realize more & more how blessed I am to have been given such a healthy body! (sometimes it's a little too healthy to fit in my fav pair of jeans but that's another story! haha) I definitely don't take care of it like I should-sometimes eating what's best for me just isn't appealing so I'm glad my body kicks it into overdrive & takes care of me anyhow! I know I have much more of my life to go & many things can & will go 'wrong' but for now I know I am blessed!

#6- I'm grateful for everything that keeps me WARM! I'm a wuss when it comes to winter so bring on the blankets, sweaters, wool socks, jackets, down comforter, heaters, etc! We experienced a couple of rather cold days last week (30s-40s were the highs) & I realized how much I love fall but NOT winter! We've been living on the coast of SC for the last 6 year so this winter will most likely be a rough one! (I don't know how much it snows in ATL but I can only handle the white stuff for a couple of days-then I'm done!)

Days of Thanksgiving Session 1

Well I think that's what this is called... Anywho! I felt like I had enough time on my hands to jump in on the whole-everyday name something you are thankful/grateful for up until Thanksgiving. Obviously I am behind but I didn't feel the need to post something every day so I thought I'd compile 5 days in 1 post. So here it goes.

#5- I am thankful for our humble abode. We were excited to upgrade to a 2 bedroom/2 bath condo when we moved to ATL! I love having not only the extra bathroom (when ya gotta go you can't always wait for someone else to finish!) but I love having the spare bedroom & closet. We've enjoyed having the extra space to store our junk & it's nice to have a real room for guests. We love how the big (to us) kitchen opens up to the living room-although it is sometimes odd not having our dining room table-it's in storage (there's not a dining room or a kitchen nook for it).

#4- I am grateful for Moose! I can't believe she will be 4 years old in March! She's such a joy in our lives. We love having her around to brighten our day & get us moving when we're feeling rather lazy. I'm sure she's had to adjust to having me around all day now but she doesn't seem to mind. :) Most of her day is spent going from one pillow to the next-napping. (she has a pillow in the living room & one in the bedroom) We go on walks during the day but then it's back to the pillows or on my lap for another nap. Moose starts getting antsy in the late afternoon because she knows it's time for Kyle to get off of work. We go on a walk & meet Kyle just outside the train stop. I love watching her tail wag with excitement when she recognizes him from across the road. She definitely keeps us on our toes & we love her dearly. I wish I knew what went on in that little head of hers. :)

#3- I am thankful for friends! I have been so blessed to have so many friends that are dear to my heart. Some new & some old. I love being able to have girl time with these lovely ladies even if it's only thru a phone call. I miss many of my old friends & it's so hard living further away from them. (a bonus thankful: modern technology that keeps us connected) You ladies know who you are & I could never repay you for all you've done for me!

#2- I am grateful for the Gospel! I love the comfort I feel, knowing that I am a daughter of God & that He knows & loves me. I know He hears & answers my prayers- I couldn't ask for a more comforting thing in times of need. I've had to lean on Him a lot this year & I am forever grateful for the love I have felt & for the blessings he has poured out for me. I am grateful for the prophets of old, especially for Joseph Smith & for our loving prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. It's amazing how deeply we are loved & that we are always being guided-we just have to listen & obey. Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for me. I can't even begin to put into words what that means to me so I try (not always my best-I know) to show Him by my actions. I could go on & on about the peace & comfort I have be given thru being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints but I know you don't have all day! ;)

#1- I am eternally thankful for Kyle. He is my best friend. He is my rock. I truly do not know what I would do without him. I love him so very much & I can't wait to be with him for forever. (hopefully he feels the same about the whole forever thing. ;) haha) I am so grateful for all he does for me. I've had to rely on him so much this year & especially the last few months. Kyle is an amazing priesthood holder & is a great example to me. He works so hard to provide for us & I am so glad he has a job he loves! We love making each other laugh-what more could a gal ask for?! I am always amazed by his creativity-he built our bed, sewed a quilt & many blankets, made a mosaic table, put together a few family & funny videos, & made magazine bowls-just to name a few. I love spending every day with him & seeing the amazing traits that have been passed down to him from his parents. He is so great with Moose. I can't wait to see what an amazing father he will be to our future family. "Come grow old with me, the best is yet to be!"

Camping 2010!

Let me tell ya- Kyle LOVES this time of year! He loves the leaves changing & the cooler weather- especially now that we live closer to the mountains. (I like this time too but I'm more of a spring time-beachy kind of gal) Kyle planned 2 camping trips for us so far & both were a blast!

Our first trip was to Amiacola Falls State Park (an hour+ north of here) where it was just our little fam (Kyle, Moose, & myself). We had a great weekend just soaking up the outdoors, cooking over a fire, & just enjoying each others company. We did a little 'hiking' (we had Moose so we couldn't do anything too intense). It actually turned out being over 500 wooden steps up the side of a waterfall. Moose wasn't a fan so she was carried most of the way. Also that weekend we stopped at a pumpkin patch (my first experience ever) & loved looking at all the gianormous pumpkins (I felt like Charlie Brown), dried corn cobs, gourds, etc. It was probably a highlight for me. :) Oh & we did our first Geocaching!

Camping Trip #2 was to Hamilton Branch State Park near Augusta (a good halfway point between us & Hartsville) We had Marc & Pat, Karl & his 2 boys, along with Tiffany & her girls join in on the camping fun. It was a blast being able to enjoy each other's company! Our tent is always put to shame by Karl's cabin-tent & Marc's mega dome but I'm sure we will be investing in a bigger tent soon-this one is getting worn out. Anywho! We had 2 campsites-one was for eating, cooking, & the warm fire while the second was for sleeping. We played hang man with the kids, ate all kinds of yummy snacks, the guys played frolf (frisbee golf), froze our booties off at night, trekked it to the bathrooms, & enjoyed the sunrise/sunset right on the lake. All in all it was a blast & we hope to keep the tradition going! (This was our second year)

Happy Camping Everyone!

Dad's Visit!

The week after Labor Day Dad came to visit for a few days. I didn't have much planned for him because I had just started keeping my friend's baby & I knew Dad was cool with just hanging out. For a while Kyle had been begging me to go to our church Cannery so we could start up our food storage. I had never been & I didn't want to go alone but the friends I have here all have babies & the cannery isn't open on the weekends! So when I found out Dad was coming I knew I had a partner in crime! ;)

We went on Wednesday morning & it was fun! Upon arriving we met an older couple that were good friends with the Mary Lou & Ace Ensign crew! (Kyle's gma & gpa) Small world! All 4 of us teamed up to make the canning easier & faster. We donned our hair nets & went to work! I was the official labeler! Intense-I know! haha We were done in less than an hour & it was fun! I am constantly amazed at how well organized the church is. I love the order of everything & how simple it all really is!

Here we are with our goods & rocking our hair nets!

On Thursday evening Dad & I loaded up a bag of snacks & took the train downtown. After we met up with Kyle we made our way Dad's first Braves game! After arriving at Turner Field we got in line to buy tickets. While we were in line a guy walked up & offered us his extra 4 tickets for $40. We only needed 3 & we didn't have that much cash so he ended up selling us the 3 tickets for like $25. We didn't know where we were going to be sitting-we had initially planned to get seats up at the top so after we got in & found our seats we were 9 rows back on the 3rd base line! woo hoo! We walked around so Dad could see all of the sights & then settled in for the opening ceremonies & the first pitch. The first inning was AMAZING! The Braves came full speed & even hit a couple of homers! Unfortunately after that they totally stunk it up. We had a yummy dinner though because there is nothing like footlong hot dogs at a Ball Park!

Showing off our seats!

(If you haven't noticed-Dad is always talking during pictures! haha)

That was basically all we did when Dad was here. One day I did make some yummy sugar cookies from scratch! They were SO yummy if I might say so myself! :) There is no telling how many I ate! ha!

Some of the cookies are Star Wars shapes. & no it's not Christmas but I only had red & green sprinkles! :P

It was nice having Dad come to visit. I hope he enjoyed a few days of nothingness!

Labor Day Wknd 2010

Kyle & I couldn't wait for Labor Day Weekend to get here. We were SO excited to go home & see the fam! Since the last time We haven't been home since June & during that time some things have changed but the good news is there is MORE family around. Now Kyle has 2 sisters (& their families) living with his parents so Ensign Headquarters (EH) is packed but full of fun & love!

We rolled into the ville Friday night & hunkered down at Karl & Onna's house (which they recently purchased & fixed up-SO cute!). Saturday morning I headed to the big EH to dig into some yummy breakfast casserole while the boys played frisbee golf & the kids went to a primary water party. I felt like a hobo most of the day. I had my pj's on until dinner time & everywhere I went I had my bag of clothes & shower stuff with me just in case I needed to actually look presentable. (Don't you love that you don't have to dress to impress with family?! Maybe it's just me & I'm sure they hate it but it's too late because we'll be together for eternity! ha!) Anywho Kyle & I did get to spend some time with my mom, Kevin, & Trevor. Most of Kevin's family was battling sickness so by the end of our stay we were actually able to see the whole fam! It was great seeing Mom & Kevin. I hate being so far away from them.

Saturday night marked the start of BATTLE DIP Ensign style! Let me tell you-there was some fierce competition! Kyle & I made our usuals (you can't mess with greatness) pineapple cheese dip & Kyle's chili cheese dip. I don't remember exactly who won... I think Onna's Black Bean Raspberry Dip brought down the house. Some of my other faves were Bryce's (the dark horse) Buffalo Chicken Dip & Karl's (idk what it was called but it was hot as fire dip)! haha The top 3 will be showcased at Thanksgiving! Word on the street is a Battle Dessert is in the works... After stuffing ourselves with dips we played some fun games-Celebrity & the Couch Game.

After church on Sunday Kyle & I enjoyed 2 amazing home cooked meals. Lunch was with my family & some of the good eats were: brown rice, roast, peach pie & ROLLS! Kyle also had his friend, Tom, eat with us. He just got a job with Sonoco & is new to the area so he joined in on the fun. After eating way too much we waddled on over to the EH to have dinner. Some of the highlights were pretzel salad, funeral potatoes & ROLLS! Can you tell I LOVE carbs/starch?! That night we were supposed to go to Kev & Sue's house for games but their kids were still battling illnesses so we played some more games at the Ensign Headquarters. The games: Curses, Rukus & Murder (very Sunday appropriate huh?) haha

Monday morning started with the Ensign tradition of washing all the cars. It was good teamwork & we had some fun music to listen to while we worked. The boys played another round of frisbee golf & before we knew-it was time to pack up & head out. :( After spending some time with Mom, Mama, Papa, & Uncle Gary we grabbed Moose & made on our way back to ATL.

All the kids love Uncle Kyle & his iPhone!

Can't you tell they are closely related?! Just look that their Ensign calves! :P

Mom loving on baby Lauren!

This is just a peek into the fun we had!

I've Got a School Girl Heart...

Yesterday was a BLAH day for me & I'm not sure why. I got up & weighed myself-discovering that I had lost a couple of lbs! woo hoo! So what did I do to celebrate such a feat?! I ATE! ALLLL day! :P Needless to say I didn't weigh myself this morning & won't for a couple of days. ha!

To try & brighten my day I don my yellow Jimmy Buffet Shirt which I LOVE & wait for my hubby to come home. After the usual routine of meeting Kyle at the train & eating dinner we headed out to do some grocery shopping. I was still feeling a little blue but didn't want to be a total downer so I thought ice cream might do the trick. (besides I had been eating junk all day-why stop now?!) When we got home we grabbed Moose & walked down to the Frosty Caboose for a sweet treat. (I still haven't found a place that even comes close to the greatness of Leatherbys that my amazing friend Jenni introduced me to) Upon arriving I was starting to feel better because The little red caboose is pumping out waves of live Jimmy Buffett Music! While waiting for our yummy desserts one of my MOST FAVORITE Jimmy B songs came on: "School Boy Heart" I was all smiles from then on out! It was awesome! The next song was "Volcano" which is one of Kyle's faves. So we both enjoyed some awesome Jimmy B!

Nothing like some good music to get you out of your funk! Kyle was slightly embarrassed by my excitement but I was having a good time! The only thing that would have made it perfect (other than meeting Jimmy Buffett himself) is having Jenni there to enjoy the moment with us!

Man it would be amazing to have a bazillion dollars so I could throw away a couple thousand to enjoy a Jimmy concert UP CLOSE & to meet him!! I'm pretty sure that was what I was dreaming about in the photo below:

This is the shirt I was talking about.

(Picture taken over a year ago when Kyle & I went to Wilmington.

I got a little tired on our way home)

Take a hike!

All last week Kyle & I kept throwing out ideas of what to do this past weekend but nothing really stuck. We finally just left it alone & figured we'd just enjoy a boring weekend at home. As soon as we decided that it all changed-in a good way! We were invited to our new friends', the Malan's, house for dinner on Friday. I offered to bring dessert because as most of you know I LOVE sweets! I made brownies with toffee bits, topped with coolwhip, more toffee bits & syrup. (I forgot to take a pic! Rats!) Anywho! We had a nice evening with them. I have actually hung out with Erin & lil Finn a few times but this was the first time our hubbys got together. It was fun chatting & getting to know each other. Erin made some yummy food including corn on the cob because she remembered me expressing Kyle's love for corn. :)

Saturday Kyle & I decided to head to Stone Mountain. We heard you could hike up the 835 foot tall mountain made of stone so we thought we'd give it a try. I dressed as if it was a rather quick & easy walk/'hike' to the top telling myself that if it's quite the tourist attraction for ALL ages that it has to be easy right? So wearing my jean shorts & sneakers (a last minute decision because I'm usually rocking flip flops) we headed out. Upon arriving we couldn't figure out where to start up the mountain. (there was barely any talk of the hike on the web site nor with the actual people that work there-Kyle & I later agreed that it must be because it isn't a money maker). After finally getting some vague directions on where to start our ascent we head off into the trees. We walked on this trail thru the woods for about 20 minutes wondering A-why it felt like we weren't moving up the mountain B-why are haven't we passed anyone C-if the mountain is made of stone-where's the stone?! Another 20 minutes of trekking ahead, sweating like crazy & swatting mosquitoes ticked on before we actually came across people & the REAL trail to head up the mountain. Come to find out we were on a trail that took you AROUND the nearly 600 acre mountain! By this point I'm frustrated at myself for the way I have dressed, wondering if it's worth it, wishing I had a snack packed for a quick boost & bugged that after almost 45 min of hiking we haven't even begun to conquer this mountain! So to cut to the chase we made it up to the top!! (after plenty of rest stops) It felt amazing to have made it & boy was the breeze wonderful! After doing some sightseeing, reading some fun facts, & actually lying down on the smooth stone mountain, we decided to take the easy way down by riding the Summit Skyride & head home. It was quite an experience & next time we will definitely be better prepared!

Stone Mountain

Kyle being awkward because I wanted to take a pic of him. :)

We were pretty happy about finally making it to the top!

(Kyle took this with his nifty new iPhone!)

Resting & enjoying the view.

Saturday evening we were invited to the Crolley's to play some games. Kyle & I were excited to hang out with Paul, Mandy, & lil Olivia! We introduced them to some of our new & fun games: Blokus & Ruckus! (shout out to the Adams for hooking us up!) We had a great time playing & before we knew it it was 11:30. We are so blessed to have them so close! They are so fun & have helped in making our transition into a new area & new ward so easy! Major thanks to the Crolley Crew! :)

Overall we had a great weekend. At one point this weeekend Kyle & I were talking in the car about how much we missed our friends! Especially the Adams in Mt P & the Bartons in MB! They complete us-haha! We really miss the funtimes & familiarity of it all. But looking forward we are SUPER excited for next weekend because we are heading home to Hartsville! There are so many family members that reside in the ville now! We can't wait to see everyone & have some fun!

Month #1 Completed!

I have been living in ATL for over a month now! This whole moving thing still does not seem real... I guess if I had a job/calling that would help make it real! Kyle & I have done some fun things in our first month here but we are noticing that we have a lot more free time now then we've had in a LONG time. In Mt P we were so consumed with our jobs, church callings, family, friends, & mini vacations that we rarely had time to just be lazy-boy are we getting our fair share of lazy here! Not complaining-just interesting how it all works out. We were praying for more time while we were in Mt P & now we have the time but now in ATL!

So to recap we have:

-Visited the World of Coke

-Explored the largest Aquarium

-Spent some fun times with the Lusks (my sis & her fam)

-Walked around dwntwn Decatur & had some yummy burgers at Farm Burger

-Saw food we'd never imagine existed at a HUGE Farmers Market

-Walked down to the Frosty Caboose for some ice cream on a few too many occasions

-Painted our Bed & our Rocking Chair

-Had some weekend visitors: Mom & Dad

-Joined a weekly Ladies Lunch (that'd be me, not Kyle. hehe)

-Learned the MARTA system!

-Moose has had some fun at a few different dog parks

-Become addicted to NetFlix

-Too many IKEA trips

-Played some fun board games

-Celebrated Kyle's Birthday

-Skyped with Family

-Started sewing an Apron

-Tried to "Shoot the Hootch" & failed miserably

-Made all sorts of food: boiled pnuts, dirt cake, star wars cookies, & more

We have also been able to get a lot of couch time in-I'm sure our butts are imprinted in this thing (yes I'm sitting on it now). It has been fun exploring ATL with Kyle. We have SO much more to see & numerous roads to get lost on. Although it still doesn't seem real-I am glad that we are in ATL. I am grateful for this time Kyle & I have together-this could be a calm before the storm!

Birthday Boy!

Kyle's 27th Birthday was last Tuesday! (I'm late posting-I know) It was fun for me gearing up for his BIG day! He just wanted it to be a normal day but I had to make it special. :) Kyle came home from work to see the island decorated just for him!

Here are his gifts & some yummy homemade cupcakes!

After Kyle opened his gifts (I forgot to take a picture of all his loot) we headed to Mellow Mushroom for his birthday dinner.

By Friday ALLLL the cupcakes were gone (I'd rather not talk about it-ha!) So since Kyle has had a dirt cake for just about every birthday-we decided to make one! You can't mess with such a yummy tradition! We also had candles so I sang to him so he could make a wish!

I tried to make 27 out of candles & failed

(isn't he so cute!? i heart him)

Make a wish!

Some fun pics from birthdays past!

Last but not least on Saturday Kyle & I went to the Apple Store! (no Tiff, they don't sell fruit hehe) Kyle took his gift card & money from his birthday to get another gift- an iPhone! Kyle has been holding out on getting the iPhone for sooooo long! He's one happy camper now!

Happy Birthday Kyle! I hope you know how special you are, how much you are loved & how fun it is to have you in our lives!

It's a Rockin Chair!

A few months ago my fantastic friend Pam asked me if I wanted her rocking chair. I gladly accepted the offer & I was excited to repaint the chair a fun color! So since we've moved & gotten settled I decided to make the chair my first project post unpacking. I'd have to say I'm pretty proud of myself! :) I took pictures to document the process!

Before

During the sanding process

ALL painted!

Here's the final product! Moose wanted to be Vana White. After painting it-I made it a little antique/rustic. The color matches the blanket my (great) Aunt Mary made for me.

I LOVE the paint color I stole from Pam so much that I also painted a picture frame to match the chair. Kyle's scared he'll come home from work one day & everything will be Bay Mist! haha

I miss...

Today I'm feeling a pretty down on myself-just one of those 'woe is me' days so I thought I'd look at some pictures to cheer me up. I knew exactly which folder on my computer to go to: April 2008 Cruise Pictures! There are a ton & I'm mainly doing this for myself so feel free to skip this post all together.

I MISS:

These guys, the Bartons. They are amazingly awesome in my book.

Getting rained on with my honey.

Cuddling up for some entertainment on the ship with these guys!

I MISS:

The sweet hats & shirts we purchased.

This beach.

Eating Key Lime Pie in Key West, FL.

Getting my hair done everyday by the magnificent MinDee!

Realizing the cruise is over...well maybe I don't miss that realization.

the DELICIOUS food!

I MISS:

Jack Knife Geoff!

Being twinners with my bestie

Getting sea sick on the last day... ok so maybe I don't miss the whole being sick thing

but if I were sea sick that'd mean I'm on a boat & that'd be nice!

I MISS:

My toes in the sand.

The salty breeze on my face.

The scary "Independence Day" looking cloud.

The towel animals that surprised us each night.

I MISS:

Being 9o miles away from Cuba.

This bike ride around Key West.

These two waiters/servers-they were so good to us!

Snorkeling!

I MISS:

Being tan & wearing my swim suit all day everyday!

Dancing on the deck!

I miss our 'HUGE WINDOW' that turned out to be a small porthole.

Being the trophy wife of this Game Show winner & cruise ship celebrity! :)

I MISS:

This ship.

This drive.

& again-the Bartons.

In conclusion I also miss: "Sea Turtles", scoof scoof dancing, "My poney plays the mamba", eating ice cream cones at all hours of the day/night, & Celebrating Good Times with awesome friends.