Friday's Letters

 

Dear Summer (my brother's dog...not the season), I hope you know that even though we never met...I love you. I thought about you often and couldn't wait to meet you. You were only shy of your 2nd birthday when the tragic accident on the farm happened. I'm sad for you, my brother and for the great times we would have had. I had a date set to meet you and for you to meet Mya...I can't imagine what my brother is going through. He just got back in the USA from his deployment...and then you were taken so fast...he didn't even get a chance to see you yet!

My Brother said it best...

"You were my best friend, my child, my heartbeat at my feet...RIP Summer. You will be missed by many...may your last walk be to heaven"

Dear BIL, Love that you are staying with us. Gives Tate and us a feel of what parenthood is like...of a teenager. You've grown to be such a fine young man. I hope and pray for you to continue to grow and learn. Stay positive and make GOOD decisions!

Luke and Tate

Dear Fun, Love Love Love your song...Some Nights. I dance my butt off every time I hear it!

1:03 is when the actual songs begins...enjoy!

Dear Twitter, I am new and adding you to my social network has me feeling very overwhelmed. I'm trying to figure you out...hope I get the hang of you. So far...so good! Love following my fellow bloggers. If anyone wants to follow me on Twitter...CLICK HERE.

Dear Weekend, last but certaintly not least...so glad you are here!!! That is all :)

Street Ball 2012

My first Street Ball tournament was so much fun! Tate and I had a really good weekend back in his hometown visiting his friends and family!

When we got to town, we went straight to our friends house that we were staying at! We let the dogs meet and then hit up the local Mexican restaurant for some good grub. As soon as we were leaving the house, I realized I forgot my wallet at home in my golf bag so I didn't have my ID. They carded at the restaurant so I didn't get to have a margarita :(

After dinner, we headed to the same bar we always go to for a night of fun!

Tate with a few of his best high school buddies, Nick & Mark

Never too many pictures of my hubby and I :)

Meet Lola...Mark & Alison's puppy! Her and Mya got along great.

After a fun night, we headed home to get rest. The boys had basketball games to play the next day.

The boys lost their first and won their second game! Then on Sunday they lost their game so then they were out! The guys were pretty bummed, but they knew they didn't play their best.

Time out

In between games...good times with good friends!

After a hot day in the sun, Tate and I met up with his family and grilled food. After family time, we met up back with our friends to watch the NBA playoffs. After watching the game and the boys get all excited about the Heat winning, we busted out a new game.

Wits and Wagers...so much fun!

We played in teams since there were so many of us...but I don't think I would ever like to play alone. There are some very tough questions that I didn't have a single clue on what the answer was and it definitely made me feel dumb. So I will always want to play in teams...that's my vote :)

Overall...it was a nice weekend and I am so glad I got to experience Street Ball weekend. My husband looks for to this weekend every year...and now so do I. Only 360 days until SB 2013 :)



Friday Letters

Dear Weekend, So happy that you are here (I feel like I say this every week)! I am so excited to head back to Tate's hometown for the annual 3 on 3 Streetball tournament!

Dear Husband, Thank you so much for the best birthday! I had the best day...and it's all because of you! I also LOVE LOVE LOVE my Nook tablet...you are the BEST!

Dear Haircut, Love you. So happy you turned out and now I can have my short hair again...I've missed you! Your the perfect haircut for me for summer!

Taking pictures of myself is odd...so that is why I make such weird faces! ha

Dear Work, Thank you for freshly painting my office! It looks soooo much better. I now can't wait to hang my certifications and cool pictures!

Dear Today, Please go by very fast! I am so excited to leave work (early) and head out of town!

Hope you all have a great weekend! See you on the flip side!



Welcome to your late 20's

2011 was all about weddings. Tate and I had 10 weddings before ours last year.

2012 is all about the babies + 5 weddings. Tate and I have 8 friends expecting! Very exciting...what's even more exciting is that it's 8 friends...but 9 babies! Yup..we have a friend that is pregnant with TWINS!

I was talking with my co-worker yesterday and I asked her if she had any friends that were pregnant because I just can't get over the fact that we know so many people with a bun(s) in the oven. She said no, but she just had 5 friends have babies. She then proceeded to welcome me to my late 20's.

It never 'hit' me that we are now in that phase of life that is all about babies. I had friends have babies a few years ago, but it was only 2-3...not 8.

As I sit here and think about life in my late 20's, I find myself thinking about what I did in my early 20's that I don't do in my late 20's!

Getting drunk

The hangover is so not worth it! I need to be productive on my weekends and get things done around the house...hangover in your late 20's = being lazy ALL day and feel like crap until mid-Monday!

Shopping sprees

Let's face it...we have bills to pay that take priority over a shopping trip. I don't remember the last time I actually went on a 'shopping spree'. I will randomly buy things here and there...if it's on sale, but going to the mall hasn't been done in quite some time! I am big coupon lady and usually only buy things if it's on sale or I have a coupon for it!

Doing something EVERY weekend

Not going to lie...I absolutely love the weekends where nothing is planned and we get to stay home! Relax in our PJ's, get stuff done around the house and spend time with just us!

Going out to eat...a lot

It's fun...once in a while, but Tate and I rarely go out to eat! I love to cook and think many of my home cooked meals taste better! We go out to a restaurant probably once or twice a month, if that...which both of us are totally OK with.

Life has definitely changed...and all for the better. We go through these phases in life. My early 20's were my last few years of college and transitioning into my 'big girl' life. Those years were very fun, but as we grow older...so do our responsibilities. Those years can stay in the early 20's and I have created new memories and fun times in my late 20's!

Birthday Fun

I had a GREAT 29th birthday! It consisted of working...which is ok since I love my job and the people I work with. Oh yeah...I also got some fabulous DQ cake!!



After work...I headed home to wait for the hubby to get off! We actually had to go to dog training orientation before dinner. We signed up for Mya to take a obedience class and the first night happened to fall on my birthday! After learning what the class will entail, we headed over to Stillwater for a super yummy birthday dinner!

We went to Nacho Mamas! This is the second time we've been there and I would definitely recommend it. So good...great atmosphere and such a cute little place.

Of course we started out with giant margaritas!!! They were so good!

For food...Tate got the burrito! It was HUGE...and the waiter commented on how surprised he was that Tate finished it because apparently nobody ever finishes them! I got the chicken fajitas and they were soooo yummy! Definitely had leftovers from those to bring home!

Oh yeah...and the hubby got me the NOOK TABLET for my present!!! I was so surprised and I love love love it! I played around with it last night...trying to get the hang of it.

If anybody else out there that has a Nook and wants to share books...let me know! I am not even sure how to do it...but I will be figuring it out soon! If anybody has tips or tricks for the Nook...share them with me, please! :)

Overall...super great birthday! I felt all the love (how can you not with FB these days...so much love on there). I plan to make this last year in my 20's a very memorable one!

Birthday Weekend

So today is the big day...the day I came into this world back in 1983! So that means today..I turn 29!

You know you do to :)

This morning I woke up with post its all over the house from my lovely husband! We are both working today and then will be going to dinner tonight!

Our weekend was a really good one...they always are! We volunteered Saturday morning for my husbands work. We worked a food stand at the towns art festival. After that, we had planned a neighborhood block party. I was super excited for this. It was so fun to get to know all the neighbors I had not met. We talked, laughed, grilled food, shared stories, and had a nice fire to end the night...with smore's of course!

Ava and Lilli roasting marshmallows!

We slept in on Sunday...which has not been done in what seems like FOREVER! Went to 10:30 and then tried to decide what to do. We bounced around the idea to go to Grand Old Day in St. Paul, but I wasn't sure if I was up for dealing with all the people. I finally decided (Tate dedicated the day to do whatever I wanted) and off to St. Paul we went. I am so glad we decided to go. I had so much fun!

We watched Maiden Dixie..they were really good! Love my country music :)

Had lunch @ Jimmy Johns...yes we avoided fried food stands! But did indulge in some AMAZING ice cream! We watched a few other music entertainers and then came back to see Tim Sigler play. Loved it!

We also watched these drummers play...very good for playing on some buckets!

 

The weather was beautiful and there were so many people out and about! Great place to people watch :)

We got home and the hubby made dinner. We had whole wheat penne pasta, chicken and marinara sauce. Super YUMMY!

 It was a great weekend that went my way too fast! Can't wait for this weekend...we travel back to Tate's hometown for the annual Streetball tournament! I look forward to this since it's my first year going. It's always been a 'boys' weekend...but not this year!!!

Hope you all have a fabulous Monday...I know I am! DQ cake @ work for this birthday girl!!!



Office Space

Do you have a case of the Mondays? I hope not since today is Wednesday...but with my title being the same title of a very funny movie...I just had to ask :)

I wanted to give an update on our office I have been updating.

   

What it looked like @ the beginning of the year

   

After my first initial organization project

We decided to paint the office to match the new desk that I had transformed.

Here is the 2 painted colors up close with the fabric I used to upholster the chairs.

After the paint dried, we brought in the new desk and put the other items in place.

Before adding the mirror

Loving the mirror addition. Purchased from Ikea for only $50!!!

Having an issue here. We purchased new handles for the closet. The gold one...is the problem. The screw is stripped and we can't get it out. We've researched the internet and tried everything to be able to get it out...it's not budging.

In order to transform all our gold to a nice bronze...I've decided that we are going to keep the old ones...but spray paint them the bronze color that we are looking for. I will tape off the door all around the knob so I don't get any on the wood...and hope that it turns out. I still have the one from the other door, so I will return the ones we bought and spray paint that one as well.

This is the color I plan to do the knobs. I am also thinking about doing the file cabinet in our office in this color. As you see in the pictures above, it's just a ugly cream/tan color, it would be nice to have it blend in with everything else.

We changed out the door handle from an ugly gold to this nice bronze. We also changed all the outlets to the bronze. I love eliminating the 90's gold from our house...even if it is one room at a time.

This is the view from our new office desk. I love it :) It's so fun to blog and watch my shows. I hated sitting on the couch with my laptop and watching TV...not my thing. So now...I love that I am able to do both and be comfortable!

The list of items still needed to be done:

- Spray paint closet door knobs

- Find curtains for window

- Spray paint file cabinet

- Do pinterest project with mom that is wall decor for office

- Frames and pictures for desk

- Make small book shelf?! (undecided yet)