2011-2012

It's only fair that I jump on the bandwagon! So many things have happened this year and I feel like I've left so much out. I've been so busy this year and for that reason I set my "goal" for 2012 to be the year of Simplicity!

Let's do a quick recap, shall we?
January- the hubs was offered a job in AR.
February- the hubs moved to AR.
March- we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary and I moved back to my parents. HAAAA! I just realized how terrible funny that sounds.
April- the hubs turned 30! I had about 7 inches of hair cut off!
May- I turned 27 another year older too!
June- Brad was working about 100 hours a week and we rarely saw each other.
July- pretty much the same as June! We celebrated Independence Day at his boss' house with several people.
August- Chloe started Kindergarten, Jenessa got married, and we got our first offer on our house!!! Woot woot!
September-We closed on the Hinkle House and I said farewell. I broke my tailbone and Brad and I went to a huge airshow in TN. Chloe turned six!
October- We had a family picnic at Tishomingo State Park. We left on Halloween for Fort Pierce, FL AND we found out that Brad had won 2nd place for a scholarship!
November- We spent 10 days in FL while Brad was in school. It was awkward actually "living" with each other again, but so nice! We found out that Brad would stay in AR through the winter rather than coming back to MS like we had planned.
December- We were in Las Vegas for 6 days for the NAAA Convention for Brad to receive his award {and check}. We did a few touristy things, but decided Vegas isn't really our style. Chloe had her first school program and she was the cutest Sugarplum Fairy! She also said her long part without messing up or getting all nervous and freaking out! :) We had six Christmas gatherings {Brad made 4}.

How did we end 2011? We ate at a pizza place, then went to a friends house where the guys watched football and the girls watched a movie. We were home before 1130 and Brad and Amos were both snoring at 12. I told myself "Happy New Year" and did a little fist pump. Yeah, at this rate, I'm not sure how boring we will be in another few years!

What's planned for 2012? Not sure! Ha! Brad will be in AR and I'll be in MS and we'll probably be this way for most of the year.

My goals for 2012? I will not have goals this year. I have a to-do list, though!
To-do for 2012:
1. Save more, spend less
2. Get rid of baggage {clothes, shoes, house things, etc}
3. Do something fun more often {I hardly had time for fun things in 2011 so I want to change that!}
4. Save for a new-to-me car
5. Simplify my life in general
6. Get organized again

I plan on keeping this blog up to date as well. I might not have much to talk about, but I still want to remember the small things :)

WILW: Fall

Click here to read what others are loving today!

 What I'm Loving Today is all things Fall/Autumn related. I've never, ever been a fan of summer {except summer break in school}. Something about the heat, humidity, random showers that make the heat and humidity worse, and heat index just doesn't cut it for me. Fall is my favorite season! I've noticed more and more shops are putting out their fall clothes now and a few decorating stores are putting out all things "harvest" related. Yes, the girl in Kirkland's yesterday corrected me when I asked about the "fall" things. She asked "you mean the harvest things?" Whatevs. Moving on... most of these do not need captions, but speaking is not an option. I was born to talk/write/convey messages.

I want this. I need this. I love this.

I would have this in a heartbeat if he wasn't so darn expensive.

Ok, ok, this is slightly freaky looking, but I have a weakness for owls.

Cute doormat!

I wanted this pumpkin last year but didn't get it.

Not exactly "harvest" but I still love it!

Cute lantern! I love this color, but an orange one would be cute!

I have way too many jar candles and this would make them look even cuter!

Bath & Body Works candles are the best!

Smells yummy- not too sweet!

Possibly my favorite!

Probably my 2nd favorite!

Cuteness. Total cuteness.

Everything but the candles are from Kirklands. Candles are from Bath and Body Works.

What are you loving today?

Memorial Day/Weekend

Don't you just looooove three day weekends? I do! Instead of rambling on like I normally do, I feel a bullet-point list coming along! HA!

Friday:

• Worked til 5 then met a friend for dinner at Mike's. We ended up staying there and talking from 5-9! We haven't seen each other in a while so it was nice to catch up :)

Saturday:

• Cleaned the apartment {blah}
• Shopped for a dress to wear to an upcoming wedding!
• Grocery shopped
• Brad got in about 6ish
• Ate with Brad
• Went to a friends' house for a cookout/party. They just built their house and it was very nice!
• Stayed out too late- I think we're getting too old for that!

Sunday:

• Early service at church
• Ate lunch with Brad's parents and sister
• Grocery shopped for him
• Had ice cream as my "Sweet Saturday/Sunday" and it was yummo! Birthday Cake ice cream in a waffle cone :)
• Watched a little tv

Monday: {Happy Memorial Day!!}

• Slept late {8am} because Amos kept waking me up throughout the night which is not like him at all!
• Had McDonald's happy meal for "breakfast" since we missed the 10:30 cut off time
• Visited Brad's grandparents-- his grandfather fell out of bed and busted his chin open {OUCH!}
• Cut down and removed a large part of a tree in Brad's grandparents' yard.
• Grilled out with the in-laws
• Packed Brad up and sent him back to AR



Brad next to the limb he cut up and I hauled onto the trailer...

 

The limbs were down in the ground almost a foot deep!



Brad's cute grandparents! They both turn 86 this year!

For the record, I should tell you that it was hard work keeping up with Granny! She has more energy and stamina than a 20 something does!

That's all I did this weekend. What did you do? :)

Happy New Year

This year Brad and I didn't have any big plans for NYE. I was supposed to go into work for about an hour and a half, but that turned into four long hours. After that I came home and started taking down the Christmas things. Brad started burning boxes. We just couldn't make our mind up and finally Brad asked me to call Outback {our favorite place} and they could get us in at 4:30. I should tell you it was 3:30 and we live about 45 minutes from the restaurant!

We flew into hectic mode and was on the road in less than 20 minutes. I didn't have time to put together my cute NYE outfit I had in mind, but it all worked out. We had a nice meal then headed back home to play Wii for a bit. Then we watched Amelia {movie with Richard Gere and Hilary Swank about Amelia Earhart}. The movie was ok, but a little on the boring side. Brad and I both were asleep by 11:30. I woke up about 12:15 and said "Happy New Year" then dozed back off. I was so tired- I got in bed about 1:30. I even slept late! That was nice.

Today has been busy with taking down and packing away all of the Christmas things and cleaning my house- bedroom, bathrooms, living room and kitchen then catching up on laundry. Not exactly how I wanted to spend my Saturday, but at least I'll be free to take a much needed nap after church tomorrow!

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year. I have no idea what 2011 will hold! I do have a few resolutions, but I'm never good at keeping them! I looked back at my resolutions from last year and I don't think I kept any of them!

Just for fun, I'd like to go ahead and list...

• Take more pictures of life in general- one day we'll look back and our pictures will tell the story- our will be fuzzy!
• Take advantage of my new camera tripod and get some shots with Brad
• Learn how to use my sewing machine and create some things for Chloe {and maybe Amos} and use the embroidery function a few times
• Declutter this house!

I think those are all attainable this year. Anything else will be icing on the cake!

Happy New Year!