Baby Brynn.

A big shout out to one of my besties who had her first baby this past Friday!

She had a beautiful baby girl, Brynn Margaret!

I can't wait to meet this sweet little thing and love on her! 

Tis the season to have babies! 

Crazy Days.

It has been a crazy past few days!
This weekend was exceptionally eventful...
Hubs and I closed on our house!! Yayyyy!
Hubs and went crazy buying new things to put in our new house!
We had fun with friends who we hadn't seen in a while and had a great time catching up and playing games!
We had a baby scare (my sister is preg) which led to little sleep.
We headed to Bloomington for Hoosier Hysteria, which was super fun! It was also fun to spend some time with Coy's best friend and his gf who we just don't see often enough!
And most importantly:
My sister then went into real later about 18 hours after the first dismissed hospital visit. It was a crazy birth. My sisters have invited me into all of their children's births and I have been there for all but two of them (both missed because I was too far away to get to the hospital in time). All of the experiences have been wonderful and this was no exception except that my sister didn't get to the hospital in time for any meds so it was all natural - quite a difference an epidural makes : )
Here is my beautiful new niece Elayne Debra. She's just about the sweetest thing out there and I love her so much already!!

Since then it has been nonstop. Seeing the baby, shopping for the baby etc. And then of course painting our new house, tearing our backsplash and dry wall, trying to figure out how to fix our destroyed wall, etc. And then events don't stop there - this weekend is moving weekend! I will post pictures once we are all set up and ready to go!

life lately.

Yep - I'm a boss now! It's not quite as glamorous as it may sound...in a few short weeks I have become quite the pro at adult babysitting. We are still working out the kinks, but hopefully the transition will get easier soon...let's hope so because my blood pressure can't handle much more!

Hubs and I are closing on our new house on Friday! This will be our first time being homeowners! We are both so excited to get into it...it has been long overdue. We have our final walk through today and I am counting down the hours to getting our new keys!  Once we are all settled in I will post pictures.

My sister and my best friend are both about to have babies. I am going to be aunt times two in the next few days. I can't wait to spoil both of these babies rotten.

Hubby is trying to kick Sophie out of our bed at night. It is true that she is like 95 in people years. And it is true that she has regressed to the baby days and occasionally (very often) goes to the bathroom inside. And it is also true that Coy has woken up the past two days only to have to clean up her mess in our bedroom. But in light of it all it is just not an option to kick her out of our bed. She has been there longer than Coy. She is in her final days (which hopefully final = years and years to come) and I just can't bear to kick her out now, she (more so I) would be heartbroken. I am in the process of trying to figure out a better plan in order to avoid this...

I have started trying to clean house in my mail. This essentially means that instead of simply deleting all of the million junk emails I receive, I am trying to one by one unsubscribe. Hopefully this works because my email is out of control!

Basketball season officially started last week. How do I know the exact time? Because my husband made sure to watch IU on tv at their televised first practice. In other words the start of basketball really translates into my hubby departing our lives for the next few months only to be replaced by an obsessed and energized to the point of alarming person. I need to start increasing my book list immediately so I don't get too bored.

Fall is my favorite time of year. I haven't gotten to enjoy it as much as years past because life has been exceptionally crazy the last weeks. Hopefully we can squeeze in a few fall activities before dreaded winter arrives.

Happy Birthday Nicole!

Happy 29 years to one of my dearest friends!

Nicole and I first met in middle school after I worked my way up the social ladder : ) 

Although we remained friends through school it wasn't until senior year that we became joined at the hip. 

Senior year of high school was one of my favorite times and we had some of the best times! We have continued to make memories through the years...from practical pranks and jokes, to Florida, to our time in the real New Orleans and then time at Munciegras, from Avril Lavigne in concert to bachelorette parties to weddings and baby showers, and the list goes on! 

I have loved watching Nicole grow from the person she was in high school to the beautiful, compassionate, caring, motivated, and loving friend, wife, and mother that she is today. I am so thankful and blessed to have her in my life and although we don't see each other as often as I'd like I cherish the times that we do have together. I know that wherever life takes us we will always remain friends and always have each other. 

"I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of 

God that was given you in Christ Jesus."  

1 Corinthians 1:4. 

Here's to 29 more years to come! 

Colts + Tailgating

If don't have tickets to the game the next best thing is tailgating! This was actually my first time tailgating at a professional game! It was so much fun and I can't wait until the next time! Although we tried to find tickets on the street, at the beginning of the first quarter they were still running $165-200 we opted for the Slippery Noodle instead. It was a great, but super exhausting day!

 

 

High School Reunion

A few weeks ago I wrote about my upcoming 10 year high school reunion. Two weeks ago hubs and I headed up north for reunion festivities and other nostalgia. It was a great weekend and a good excuse to get back to hometown, which I seldom venture to!

 I got to visit with one of my favorite people in life and her family. 

She saved me during my youth group years!

 We enjoyed a high school football game!

I reminisced about all of the parties I threw in high school while driving by my old house 

I took hubs to the cheese factory where we stuffed ourselves with cheese samples 

and then later stuffed ourselves at the infamous Rise and Roll Bakery.  

 I LOVED being with some of my best friends!

 Hubs enjoyed seeing all of the Amish and actually couldn't stop staring at them from the time we 

drove into town until the time that we left. 

 I laughed, and laughed, and laughed some more. 

 We remembered senior prophesies. 

Me = Most likely to live a thug life....what?!

 Best eyes...I'll take it!

 We drove around town and saw the sights of our old stomping grounds!

 I loved being a Redskin.

It was a great weekend full of so many great memories! 

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy 59th Birthday

Mom!!

Happy Birthday to the greatest Mom a girl could ask for! 

Not only the greatest mom but one of the most sacrificial, giving, selfless, loving, energetic 

person that I know. My mom always wants to best for her children and grandchildren. When she says she is going to pray for something, she means it and follows through. Her heart breaks with yours and she rejoices right along side of you. She is always our number one biggest fan in all areas of life. 

I know we never say things as often as we should, so on this day, I hope that my knows just how much I truly love, adore, and appreciate her and all that she is and does!

Love you Mom! 

Things I hate...

- when the rain is too hard that you have to use your wind shield wipers, but at a slow enough pace where they are swishing too frequently.
- on that same note...when the rains stops and I am in the car someone who doesn't turn off their windshield wipers.
- liars.
- shaving my legs in the morning only to get cold, and have my hairs grow by the end of the day.
- On Demand shows that don't allow for fast forward.
- an unmade bed.
- asking someone to do something for me at work to find out later that they either didn't do it at all or did it completely wrong. This ends up taking more time to correct then if I had just made the time the first go around.
- chocolate milk.
- when hubby and I switch cars and his is on empty...or when he has my car and brings it back on E!
- 'Amanda', who is actually Emily in real life on Revenge. She makes my blood boil.
- people who double and triple call my office phone...if I didn't answer the first time I am either screening or not sitting at my desk. Seriously? This shouldn't be confused with double calling for personal reasons because I habitually double call hubs and he habitually answers the second or third call from me.
- poor customer service.
- when people don't respond to text messages, emails, Facebook messages, etc.
- when people return a phone call with a text.
- folding laundry AND putting the dishes away.
- people who act or dress unprofessional in professional settings.

I think that's it for today. Maybe another day we will focus on love...

10 years ago.

10 years ago I realized what true heartbreak really was. 

I experienced the loss of someone so dear to me that to this day my heart still aches. 

 I often replay that day over and over again in my head; sometimes it feels like yesterday that I got the call that forever changed my world. To this day it has been the single most 

devastating news I have ever received.

Chad was an amazing friend, son, and brother who was taken from this life long before his time. He loved life to the fullest and had a smile that was contagious. He was compassionate, hilarious, and loyal. 

Although I miss him, especially when this time of year rolls around, I am so very thankful for all the memories that I have. I am thankful for the laughs and the friendship that we experienced together. 

I will forever cherish those memories in my heart.

 I look forward to the day that I can see his face again.

I will always remember. 

Chad Allen Culver

1982-2002.