This Clip Made Me Homesick

ps..Please excuse the swear word in the title...He never says this word in the clip.

Family Vacation

Joel and I visited my family at the beach this week! It was fun seeing everyone!

Hunting for sea glass despite the wind and chilly weather

Can you tell that Joel takes all of the pictures?

Joel deserves "the best husband award ever" as he drove many many miles to see my family for a short period of time

Some (notice I did not say ALL) of my favorite kids learning to play the wii.

Kalen is as blue-eyed and bubbly as ever!

Looks like Luke is getting the hang of it.  He's also very good at hiding rocks (wink, wink-only my family will understand this joke)

Renee!  

Dad catching a few zzz's!

I missed this furry little face while I was gone.....but nothing changed!  She still snoozes in her favorite spot all day.  

Again, I wish we had taken more pictures. I should have snapped a few shots of my sisters and their hubbies as I do not see them often! Next time, folks!!

Since We Have Been Home...

We enjoyed a fun holiday with friends and family, but we were both ready to stop living out of our suitcases (although, we love the luggage we received for Christmas).  Not much has changed since we returned home, but here is an update:

1)  I'm still volunteering for an inner city after school program.  Unfortunately, it is closed until January 9th.  I wish I would have known that BEFORE I stood outside in the freezing cold for 35 minutes the other day.

2)  We are figuring out how to spend our Christmas money.  (I feel like we have been trying to decide this since my mom sent us our gift in October!)

3)  I am reading at least one classic novel per month.  I am currently flying through Peter Pan.  Anyone have any good suggestions for future months?

5) We are getting ready to see my side of OUR family soon.  I'm excited!

6)  I'm still writing.   Blogging helps keep me busy during the day. I miss my old job.  boo- hoo.

That's all for now, folks.

Christmas in the South

This Christmas:
1) We visited friends and family in NC, SC and VA.
2) I tried fried chicken for the first time (unless you count KFC). I finally understand why people rave about this meal.
3) I ran two extra long runs because I missed my turn two days in a row.
4) I misunderstood someones cue to enter their home.  I thought they were opening their arms for a hug...awkward.  I'm still a bit embarrassed by that:)  Maybe they think I'm one of those people that hugs everyone.
5) I began to crave oatmeal, beans and any food without sugar or fat in it due to the large volume of food we were given over a weeks time.  I refuse to weigh myself after this vacation!  Maybe in a few weeks.
6) We met our niece, Sally, for the very first time.

Here are our random pic's.  Apparently, we only snapped photos one morning.  If you or your kids are not in these pictures, please don't be offended!  We are not always the most organized picture takers!

I look like I just woke up and Sally seems a bit shocked

Our fancy feast at Linda and Milt's house

I think this is a better picture of both of us

Annie opening gifts

Hope patiently waiting to unwrap her gift

Joel's brother Josh

There you have it folks!  Our Christmas in the South.  Too bad there are NO pictures of my dear husband!  

Eyelash Tinting Escapade

Joel and I received a bunch of coupons from local businesses when we moved to NJ. A free haircut and an eyelash tinting session were included in this little batch of savings.  Joel encouraged me to make an appointment.   I put it off because I'm still recovering from salon mishaps I've previously endured.

Joel asked me every month, "WHY don't you use the FREE haircut?"
I always replied, " I don't trust that salon.  I KNOW nothing about it.  I don't know ANYONE that goes there.  This is my HAIR.  Obviously, you don't understand women and their hair.  _____'s wife completely agrees with me!  Don't you remember when I had fire engine red hair?" So on and so forth...

We quibbled about the free haircut for three months.  Finally, he appealed to my thrifty side.  I gave in and made an appointment.

Today was the big day.  I made it through the haircutting session unmarred, I think.  I still haven't seen the back of my hair AND I was charged $20 for the blow dry.  WHAT?  How is that not part of my hair cut?  Who lets their client leave the salon with dripping locks and no clue of what their wet hairdo looks like from behind.  I digress...

Anyway, then came the eyelash tinting session.  DUN DUN DUN.  I started getting a little nervous.  All sorts of questions started popping into my brain.

"What if they tint my eye-lashes hot pink? Or leopard print?"

"What if the tint leaks into my eye?"

"What if I look ridiculous?"

The tinting lady calmed my nerves.

"Relax.  It will look great!"

It did until I got home.  Somehow, the dye leaked from my eyelashes to my skin during the drive.  An angry dark streak of dye decorated the skin of my under-eye.  So, I scrubbed.  I rubbed.  I steamed.  I panicked.  I called the salon.

Me: "I have a HUGE ring of black under my eye."

Salon: "Relax.  It comes of with soap and water. Rub it in a circular motion."

Me: "OK."

So, I tried rubbing my under-eye with soap in a circular motion.  The black MARK still marred my eye.
I tried again.  I rubbed counter-clockwise, up and down and stood on my head (just kidding).  I still looked like a raccoon, only worse.  NOW, my eye was pink, puffy and tinted.  GREAT.

I called the salon again.

Me:"Yeah, the soap and water definitely is not working."

Salon: "Okay, why don't you come back in."

I returned to the salon. They started the rubbing process all over again.  It burned, stung and hurt like heck. In fact it still smarts...Luckily, the black streak has vanished.  My fear of trying new salons has not, though.

Do you think the free haircut was worth it?  The whole escapade ended up costing me $40 plus gas.  Blurg.  I want my old hairdresser back.

Couch Cushion Day

I hate cushion-cleaning day! Before you freak out and blame my adorable dog, I want to state that this was my doing.

See.  Maddie is harmless. 

I'm the one you should worry about.   I was able to de-stuff this cushion in mere seconds.  It took a few hours to wash/dry the covers.

No worries, though.  Things were back to normal in no time at all..

Christmas in NYC!

Yesterday we met a friend in the city. We took exactly TWO pictures.  Here is ONE of them.

Here is a shot of us 4 years ago in (almost) the exact same spot!

We have spent our first Christmas season in NJ starting new traditions. So far, we have:
1)  Gathered supplies for an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox
2)  Visited NYC
3)  Baked special Christmas cookies
4)  Watched Christmas movies every weekend.  We have enjoyed, "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story."
5)  Planned to donate chickens to a needy family through World Vision.
6)  Partied with our new church family.  Joel wore a suit coat and tie. I dressed up in a cocktail dress.  We should have taken pictures!

We are really enjoying our new life in NJ.  It still doesn't feel QUITE like home, but it's getting  there.