let the countdown begin

Happy new year, friends!

Love,
Two people very very very happy to have college diplomas.
And a guy not so anxious to start up again in January for the big MBA finish. And a bun in the oven.

p.s. Still shocked that we didn't win the balcony light decorating contest. I mean come on! Just because it accidentally looks like a Christmas robot doesn't mean it isn't the coolest balcony ever!

Note to self: next year, go downstairs to look at the finished product before it starts to look like a christmas light face. heh.

Mele Kalikimaka

Today I feel like Clark Griswold.

Because I've been daydreaming about this all day....

And to think that I was complaining last summer about the pool water being too warm. HAH. HAHAHAHA.
Remind me of this miserable 25* day next July when I start to whine again.

pump up the fun

Isn't it weird that I was allowed to be put back on my parent's insurance despite being married, 22, and living across the country?
Its a ridiculous thing, it really is. but we'll take it (FREE!) for the next four years. we calculated the amount we'll save during those years and it comes out to around $8000. so we booked an $8000 cruise to celebrate.
hah. I kid, I kid.

Sooooo new insurance meant that I finally got an insulin pump. its actually the 2nd one I've had, but I stopped using my first one after I graduated high school. little did I know that my health pretty much depends on it :)



Now if I could just get everyone I know to read this blog so that nobody ever wonders why I am wearing a pager. unless you think its cool to wear a pager. in that case, yes, I wear a pager.

thankful, y'all.

This thanksgiving I am thankful for my husband, our families, friends, and many blessings from God too numerous to count. :)

Also, I am thankful for Paula Deen.


She's sassy,


She's sexy,


And the girl knows how to partay.


BUTTER. MORE BUTTER, Y'ALL.

This just in.

In response to my post below, it has been brought to my attention that overalls will never go out of style. Because here is my mom wearing them in the 80's before I was even born:


Still hate overalls. But definitely love that picture of my mom & dad back in the day!

Oh no.

Tonight at Target.
My worst (fashion) nightmare came true.

Overalls, really?


This is living proof that overalls used to be cool.
I mean, obviously this picture makes them fashionable.
Because I am holding my hermit crab.

Year 2000: cool. (don't argue with me.)
Year 2010: NOT cool. or sexy (if you choose shorteralls*)


And then...WHAT? In the swimsuit section? In November?


*short overalls = shorteralls.
thank you, thank you very much.

jazzerween 2010

Halloween 2010...good times with my man, richard simmons.


We went to two halloween parties. The first party was at Emily's house with lots of adorable kids and stupid me who didn't remember to take my camera out of my purse. Obviously I was having too good of a time almost winning at cranium (next time!). Then we went to another party in Nashville where a lot of crazy singles were pumping the jams and enjoying the wonders of a fog machine.






Me and "Ke$ha" are bff:


Around the time this guy started shaking it in the kitchen, we ditched the party and went to waffle house with mike and jennifer...


And this picture sums up exactly why I dug through my mom's "going to goodwill" bag last summer and found the most wonderful jazzercise tank of all time.

blue raider homecoming

Last weekend we went to MTSU's homecoming parade and game...
I don't have any school spirit for MTSU, but I wore this shirt that I got for free and Joel was a happy camper. If only the school colors were pink and glitter...



Fall in tennessee is always gorgeous...I just wish I had a better camera to capture it all.


Mainly I just enjoyed the cutest niece ever:

And these girls who twirled fire:



we won!

Fall Break twenty ten

We had such a fun fall break! We drove to Raleigh, NC and stayed with some wonderful friends (thanks kikka and travis & fam.!!) and we all went to Dave Ramsey Live. It was five hours long...and I was thoroughly entertained until about hour four. Which is really good considering it was a seminar on finances.
He pumped us up to get on a budget and save money and never be in debt. All good things.
And then during the break Joel bought a budget-breaking $4 bottle of water and a lady in front of us got in a fight with a cashier about how the cinnamon rolls were $5 each and it was too expensive. Good times. This is why I loaded my purse with snacks.



We drove through Asheville and wanted to see the Biltmore Estate (AKA: the mansion where they filmed Richie Rich?). We got about this far and realized that we were going to have to pay $60 PER PERSON just to see the estate.

So we turned around and I found something...er, someone...even better to look at.

Introducing, T BEARS.


I especially love his collage of teddy bears of all kinds. Such diversity.


He drove the teddy mobile AKA: giant manly-truck. At first I thought he just put these teddy bear pictures over a previous lawncare or business logo, but then he drove off and I realized that this was a much bigger situation.


Please note baby teddy hanging on inside of truck.


Such a fun trip! We love you Q family! Good (hilarious) times playing Mexican Train!

my wittle socksy wocksy

I love this seeing-eye dog that sits in front of me in class.

His name is socks and he is my crush. so, so, so cute.
He helps his girl walk...but he secretly loves me more because he stares into my eyes all class long. I want to cuwwdle him and squish his face.
Its like romeo & juliet...except I can't pet him because he is on the job and his girl would get mad, and he can't be my dog because duty calls 24/7.
We are in love. every monday, wednesday, friday from 11:30-12:30.


*this is me trying to be discreet while taking his pic on my phone*

may I suggest

to those of you who are like me and like to keep hair ties everywhere...and I mean everywhere.

this:

I saw it on another blog that I don't remember...its a carabiner.
You. are. welcome.

things like this

make me laugh and laugh and laugh.

it really is a tragedy when you spell assets wrong on a test, dear.


[I love the question mark from his professor. hilarious.]

piece of [frustrating] cake

I got this patio set from my sis-in-law emily and I thought it would be a piece of cake to re-do the cushions and re-paint the chairs and table.
Boy was I wrong.
Really it should have been a simple process, but everything either fit wrong, wouldn't pull tight, wouldn't staple in, etc. etc.
After more trips to Hobby Lobby than I care to admit, I finally got 'em done. Just in time for crisp fall weather and eating dinner on our balcony. :)

before




after!






Even the chair-backs look nice on this GORGEOUS day in Tennessee!

watch your back

Fall semester has brought out the ninja within.
I can thank MTSU phys.ed. 1400 (aka: beginning karate) for this recent entertainment.



Obviously he takes it very seriously:


Also, if you're wondering what Joel's karate teacher sensei looks like, Joel has described him as this:

Apparently he is pretty hard core. The other night he made everyone (even the girls) do 70 push-ups because they kept doing their "moves" wrong. Also, he makes them learn Korean.
HARD. CORE.

pretty pillows

thanks for attempting to teach me how to make these, emily! you are the pillow-making master. hands down.



p.s. can you find the "monster" in this pic? my nephew is sooooooo cute! love love love.

branson day 2

we woke up early saturday morning to catch our train!
arkansas, here we come!
it was a 2 hour train ride with breakfast on the train. Neither of us had ever been on a train so we loved walking through all the cars and exploring.

all aboard!




Obviously we were in good company.


Some of the cars were completely empty


there were two huge tunnels that we went through. It was cool because the whole train went pitch black while we went through.
And then, the light at the end of the tunnel! Hah, hah.






After our train ride we went to the water park. Remember how we had those free tickets and drove all the way to Branson for the water park? Well it was TOTALLY worth it. I had a blast. I think I laughed on every single water slide. And I also laughed because you could hear Joel in the water slide tubes WAY before he actually splashed out. Apparently he has this notion that screaming on water slides makes them more fun. I concur.

I loved it all except the super tall one (on the left) that somehow Joel talked me into going down. It was pretty much like falling to your death in a swimsuit.

I screamed louder than I think I've ever done in my whole life. It was horrible.
Needless to say, we only did that slide ONCE.

The end.