Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow...

There will be pictures posted later but it is snowing!! It is beautiful, despite being a bit treacherous driving home from church. Snow in Texas is amazing! Only here can it be 75 yesterday and 29 and snowing today!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Christmas Merriment...

Wow, how the month of December has flown by! I know you are all bored of my dumb posts about my life and my dog and my wonderful husband...I could be creative and blog about funny things but I am all out of creativity right now so here is a small update. Do you like how this blog has turned into "updates".

We have had some fun times sharing with friends and family. We have indulged a little too much at party after party. We have spent many a night looking at Christmas lights, choreographed to music (not sure I need to hear Mannheim Steamroller for a while), and endless baking (there are cookies on the counter cooling right now). The end of school before break went by surprisingly fast...and great! I have great students and we have fun celebrating the upcoming holidays. I did a 5 days before winter break my teacher gave to me...it was fun to see them so excited over things like taking their shoes off or having Hershey's Kisses!

For those of you keeping up with Wrigley's training...she now walks into her crate on her own! Not only that, as I sit here and type, Patrick is on the couch and Wrigley is in her crate napping! You heard you me correctly, I did not miss type! She loves her crate, remember way back in September when we never thought this would happen! She is an amazing dog!

With the last of the gifts purchased and wrapped and some sent to family and Christmas upon us I can't help but reflect on the joys of the year. One more milestone to share...I will be spending the first Christmas of my life without my parents and siblings. We will be at home just Patrick, Wrigley and me, making some traditions of our own. I am an emotional person but I am ready to do this, to be a wife (and not have "daughter duties" as well) and spend this time with Patrick, a little removed from the hustle and bustle. This blog has served as a journal or sorts for me so I thank all of you who have enlightened me with your comments and posts. Thank you for sharing in the milestones of the year. There will be more reflecting to come...

Merry Christmas from our home to yours! Enjoy your family, friends and most of all the reason for Christmas, Christ's birth, what a gift!

Twilight...

The inevitable happened today...I did something I said I would never do...so is that the inevitable? After much scrutiny from family and friends I succumbed to the pressure...I have officially been bitten. All housework, cleaning, laundry have been put on hold. I am engulfed in the latest teen drama/saga. Of course I am the last person on the civilized planet to jump on the bandwagon. I can't put the book down. If you are one of the unfortunate people who have not yet read Twilight (trust me you are not alone) go out and buy the book...on a weekend when you have time to read it. This book crosses all generations and all age groups. I don't care that you will have to dodge teenage girls in the TEEN section of Barnes and Noble. It takes you back to young love in high school, who doesn't want to relive that! As my sister said, it is almost a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Go get this book, don't wait until Christmas, do it now! Be careful, you might just find yourself thirsting for more!

Family, friends and food...Thanksgiving...

What an amazing Thanksgiving week we had! I am so blessed that I got to share this holiday with not only the love of my life but my entire family! For anyone who knows me or my family you know that we are freakishly close and we have a very unique bond. We see each other about twice a year and it is an amazing time! Well, not only did I get to see them I got to host them, here at our house!! I have always liked throwing parties and making people feel at home but this was truly an experience. I loved every minute of their week long stay. I will not bore you with details but...We did what every normal, slightly crazy family does over the holidays...eat, sleep and shop! The essentials! When I say shop let me assure all you shoppers out there that we did not miss a mall in the metroplex...and we were there on Black Friday at 7 am! That was a first for me and I WILL most certainly do it again! The energy and Christmas spirit was awesome!

A few highlights from the week...

Shopping with Mom is always such an experience. She often makes me try things on that I would never buy...well, this time I might have bought a few things. I know Christmas is soon but I don't get to shop with just my mom ever! We had a lot of fun and I look a lot cuter going to work! My students no longer make comments like, "didn't you already wear that?" Yes I did, afterall, I am made of money remember!

What Thanksgiving would be complete without a kitchen disaster! We have lived in our house for 8 months and have so far been lucky, until Wednesday...the disposal clogged. It was like something out of a movie. I'm pretty sure I was running around like a turkey with its head cut off. But my mother and husband are amazing and we got it all taken care of with a little help from a home warranty and what my dad called a "cowboy" plumber!

Another milestone over Thanksgiving week happened with our little love...Wrigley. We dropped her off at Doggy Day Camp! I am sorry and a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I got a little choked up when we dropped her off. She was so excited and had a blast! She has been there three times in the past two weeks! A happy, tired Wrigley equals happy, relaxed and rested parents!

Graduation and such...

For all three of you that read this blog and have been keeping up with Wrigley's progress...we have news...Wrigley passed beginner training! She has even been invited to join an intermediate class with another dog! Can you believe it! Let's go back to week one (seven weeks ago) when we were told that Wrigley should be in private classes...progress!! She has made huge progress and growth, by growth I mean she is now 51 pounds! Apparently, we adopted a horse...We are so thankful for her and very much in love. We love her more every day and can't imagine life without her! Thanks for all the support! We will keep blogging about the intermediate training with another dog, only one but still, baby steps!

In other news, Patrick and I are the proud new owners of "big kid" bedroom furniture! This was the first room of furniture either of us has ever bought...let me be the first to say...it is beautiful! And the new mattress to go with the new bed...wow! I have been sleeping on the wrong mattress for years! We have a hard time getting up in the morning, but no one cares about that so lets just move on. Why new furniture you may ask? We are hosting Thanksgiving!!! Mom, Dad, Brian and Brittany and some friends of ours from the area will be here, nine in all! I could not be more excited. Patrick is being a good sport as I can only imagine how he is feeling, one crazy close, a little out there loving family all under one roof, HIS roof! I love you honey and thank you for letting us host! Mom is of course helping me...well, I am helping her! I love my family and I am eager to see them! More on that...happy reading!

Engagements...

Last night, under the Vegas lights, my girlfriend

and college roommate got engaged. In May, on their couch on a quiet night, my other college roommate got engaged. In December 2002 the first of three amazing college roommates got married, I followed July 07. I was thinking this morning how awesome friendship is.

We started our journey as friends in August of 1996, (yes, that does make us in our 30's). We were fresh out of high school with lots of lofty aspirations but not a whole lot of direction. We were scared, homesick and completely lost. Some of us far from home in a completely new state. I knew that what we had that first month of August would be life changing but I had no idea that I would have three of the most amazing women as friends today! We have been through a lot together, since those tiny dorm rooms (really meant for one) and a not much bigger apartment. We have watched each other grow through breakups and makeups, family drama and trauma, career changes and graduate school. We have had an argument or two, we have moved across the country, some of us more than once. We been there from online dates and the scary meet-in-person to the "YES" and "I do". We have been in each others weddings and watched one us bring life to two sweet little boys. Despite all of life's changes and uncertainties one thing has stayed the same...the love we have for each other. I would not be the person I am today without the love and support of my three fearless roommates. Girls, you know who you are and I love you dearly. I am who I am because you are in my life.

As new engagements are celebrated reflect on what a ride it has been. We are lucky to have the special women in our lives. Tell them you love them, often. They matter to me and I know they matter to you!

Pictures...

I don't really have anything to post but I thought I would humor you all with a few pictures from the last month or so. I really can't believe that it is October. As a teacher, October is usually the month where you start to breath again! I can't believe it is already here! It will be Halloween before we know it and then Thanksgiving and well...the year might as well be over!

For those of you who are keeping track of Wrigley's training, Tuesday's session was awesome! She even got a compliment from the trainer! Wrigley will usually (not during bad weather) walk on a loose leash and sit on command. Keep the advice coming and prayers. She is still not crate trained and is eating the door to whatever room we put her in...anyone coming to visit will have to deal with some teeth marks on the guest bathroom door!
Have a great weekend friends...