2008- In Pictures

Here's my year in review- it's a long one!

January- my trip to New Orleans- what a blast!



February- Pinkie's 2nd birthday:

our trip to Tulsa to see Annie:

March- Mike looking thrilled with his Easter basket:


April- our first outing to an Arkansas Naturals game:


May- We head to Dallas for the Radiohead show:

Jack Bauer comes into our life:



June- we celebrate my 29th birthday in Tulsa:

we see some "interesting" characters at the Trek Expo:

my little Blackie passes away :-(


July- we bought our first home!

the home improvement projects begin:


August- my Mom & I head to the American Idol concert (twice!):


Dad spends some time in Iraq:



I join a book club (and a Bible study). I meet some fabulous women!


September- I become obsessed with these two:
October- Connor heads off to Marine Corps boot camp:

Halloween:
Dad comes home!


November- We celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary:



Thanksgiving (I'm lame and only have a picture of our table):


Our first glimpse of Connor at boot camp:
Jack Bauer is growing up!



December- Christmas 2008:


Mike's 30th birthday!


Hope everyone has a great NYE. We're having dinner & drinks with another couple. Should be a great way to ring in the new year. I am so excited for 2009- Connor should be home in a few weeks!

A few of my favorite things

Lots of blogs I've read today have been posting their favorite things of 2008. I'm not that ambitious and my list would be way too long... so instead I'll post a few of my favorite things from Christmas-from my hubby & fantastic family:





Christmas was great. Mike and I shared a nice Christmas Eve at home and my mom, dad & grandma drove up for Christmas day. We opened gifts, ate too much and played some games-so fun! Connor was missing this year- he's still at Marine Corps boot camp, but we plan on celebrating Christmas again in January after he graduates! (I'm even leaving my tree up until he returns.) :-)

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

“And he puzzled and puzzled, till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!
‘Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, ‘doesn't come from a store.
Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more.’”
-How the Grinch Stole Christmas

night on the town

Mike and I went out for sushi & sake tonight. a perfect 30th birthday for him.


the birthday boy:


his wife:

the happy couple:

Happy Birthday Babe!

It's official, I'm married to an old man!! :-) Yep, my dear old hubby turns 30 today! Happy happy birthday Mike!

I'll add some pics from his little birthday celebration tomorrow, but for now- here's a glimpse of our 2008 Christmas card:


Hopefully many of you have already received it, if not please accept the internet version! :-)

(and a big thanks to my awesome friend Allison for designing the card. You're the best!)

Finally using our guest room

Mike's brother Rob will be here tonight. :) Mike has really been looking forward to his visit- it's been a year since we've all seen each other. In preparation for the visit, I finally had to set up the guest room. All of our extra moving boxes have been taken out, I've taken a load of junk to Helping Hands (it's like a goodwill or salvation army), and the bedding is in the washer. I've got my fingers crossed that Jack Bauer will be on his best behavior- he's never had an overnight house guest before!

3 months, 2 week, 1 day.

until this:

(that's my good friend Allison holding our tickets!!)

it's snowing!

we had some freezing rain last night- nothing too terrible, but I just looked out the window and huge fluffy white snowflakes are falling. :) So pretty.

happy saturday

today was a great day:

Mike finally bagged up all our leaves (they were like 3 feet deep, seriously)
I got a Christmas card from my little brother in boot camp!
we played board games and watched a movie on the couch
jack bauer snuggled in between us and snored during the movie
i'm finally over my cold
i found a pair of earrings i've been looking for forever!
all our Christmas shopping is finished

i love days like today! :-)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Some of my Christmas decorating:

our tree & mantel-

I added a diy wreath- it was a Martha Stewart kit and it was such a mess!! I'm still vacuuming glitter.

but I think it was worth it- lots of sparkle!

new stocking holders from Hobby Lobby:

new nutcrackers- love these!

and my new favorite ornament- yes, it's a biblical iconic image... but Twilight fans will get the extra meaning behind it (and so the lion fell in love with the lamb...) :) I couldn't help myself when I found it- also a Hobby Lobby find.