FABULOUS!!

Today has started out to be a FABULOUS day!!! This morning I woke up and got on the dreaded scale only to find out that I lost 6 POUNDS!!! Yep ... 6 POUNDS!!! I am also 0.1 away from my "wedding goal" weight. I'm not sure if I made it to that goal since we left before the wedding for a few days but I do know I was almost there back in May. When I called Phil and my mom they both asked me "how did you do it?" and I think its multiple reasons ... Levi has more energy so I've been taking him on runs with me instead of just a walk, I started taking my thryoid medicine again (stupid me forgot to fill the perscription, now I've been taking them daily as I should), I've been snacking on grapes instead of chips, and cutting back on my coffee/fruit punch/teas and drinking more water. Go ME!!! haha...

Reason #2 why this day is FABULOUS is because today is the last day of Mr. Annoying in the office beside me! No more listening to his conference calls because he has his speaker phone on full blast, no more helping him with projects and then having him take all the credit, no more "tweaking" any of his documents ... NO MORE! I am so excited!!!!! Bye Bye Bye ...

Reason #3 why this day is FABULOUS ... its the LAST day of November! Tomorrow is December and full of some awesome things! I go home in less than a week!!!! I haven't been home all month and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll also be dropping off safin for his winter vacation (he's a snowbird hahaha) even though I'll miss him I know he won't miss me with all the fun he'll have in Florida! Phil and I have 2 christmas's to go too (one with his family and one with mine) and we get to go to Florida for a week ... maybe more, so that will just be AWESOME! I can't wait to run in some decent weather instead of freezing my limbs off in the dark! It'll be nice to get some time away from work to spend doing fun stuff too. Plus I LOVE Christmas and I can't wait for everyone to open there presents ... I did good this year!!! haha...

And possibly Reason #4 for this being a FABULOUS day ... I'm supposed to have my "raise" meeting today. I've been a bad blogger this week because I was really busy at work. My boss asked me to finish this contract 2 WEEKS early, so that he and the president could do a read through today. I ended up finishing it yesterday before lunch, binded, printed, tabbed, and looking great (I hope). I know if I did a good job on that then it could go well for my meeting. I'm hoping I get a "decent" raise and not just here's another 10 cents an hour type deal. I get paid next to nothing for my education and now my experience here in the company. Hopefully I'll feel more appreciated by the end of the day.

Oh and I am getting my "holiday highlights" tomorrow! :) Bye Bye November ... its been fun!

Thanksgiving Day Wrap up

Phil, Levi, and I had a nice Thanksgiving day at phil's parents house in Hartwell. Levi had a blast playing with their two dogs and playing soccer with Phil. Here are some of my favorite pictures for the day, and I think this first picture of Levi is my favorite picture of him! He almost never looks like right at the camera!!

My oh my ...

Check out my PECAN PIES!!!!

Christmas Cards!

Last night we went to the mall and got our picture with Santa ... all of us! Levi and Safin included :) It was pet night and I was really surprised with how many dogs were there, Safin was the only cat I saw. Anyways I really like how it turned out so I started designing some Christmas Cards for this year. I'd like to pick one, but reality is I'll probably pick my top 2, unless Phil has a clear favorite. Here is what I came up with :)

TODAY IS THE DAY!

And how could I forget what I am MOST thankful about TODAY!! hahahaha...

Keith Urban's Greatest Hits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm Thankful ...

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching on Thursday I think today is a good day to stop and reflect on all the things in my life that I'm Thankful for ... (in no particular order)

1) My family ... a lot of people fit in this category (mom, dad, pat, grandpa, phil, levi, safin ...)

2) My mom's health - Last year in the fall my mom was having her second surgery and she was def. still in recovery mode a year ago. Cancer is such a rollercoaster, not just for the person battling but for everyone who loves that person. Everyday I hope that I'll be able to move back to Florida to be closer to her and things will just magically fall into place, I know someday they will and I just hope someday is someday soon. The good news is she's doing great and she can probably bike more miles than me on any given day.

3) My dad - He fits into the family category but this would be a subcategory. My dad is such a positive person, I know he can always cheer me up when I'm feeling down. He taught me how to cook some killer ribs. And we have all the same ailments so whenever I'm not feeling good I can call him up since we're just alike. oh and he also gets some great pirated movies :)

4) My husband - Sure he fits into the family category too but I am thankful for having him in my life and I just feel like naming everyone individually! Getting married in the Bahamas this year was perfect and I wouldn't of changed a thing. This year we'll be spending our first Christmas together and I'm really looking forward to it. I love you Phil and I'm not telling you what I got you for Christmas this year - but just know its pretty fabulous - as always!! :)

5) My animals - I think life would be boring without pets! So I'm thankful for my two wonderful, too smart for there own good, crazy wild, cuter than life pets ... Safin and Levi :) I'm also thankful they have each other because I think Safin was getting lonely being an "only child". Levi has been a great addition to the family and also to my exercise program. He forces me to walk him on the coldest days and even when I don't feel like getting my butt off the couch. After a walk with him I end up doing extra exercise that I probably wouldn't of done.

6) Breezy - I'm thankful for my mom's new horse. Although the loss of Dusty was one of the saddest things that has happened in a long time, I am happy for my mom that she is embarking on this new adventure. Breezy will be a nice addition to the family and I hope he will be a great horse for all of us. I can't wait to meet him in a few weeks :) And finally ride again!!

7) My life and the future - I'm thankful and grateful for the life I live. Phil and I have a beautiful townhome in a nice area of town. We both have nice jobs, although it would be nice if I got paid more (of course). I'm thankful for the great friends we have in our life from college, tennis teams, and work. And who knows what the future will hold ... I hope that it will take us someplace warmer, but most of all I just hope that we're happy.

I'll stop at #7 since its my favorite number, but there are def. a whole slew of things I am thankful for and one blog entry could not hold them all. I'm looking forward to some days off this week, shopping at the outlets Friday, getting my hair highlighted next Saturday, and going home for a nice long weekend in December :)

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy Birthday Grandma ... November 18th. I did the math on my calculator and today she would of been 89 years old, one away from the big 9-0. There's not too many days that go bye that I don't think about her, almost thirteen years since we last had a laugh or a big hug. I get sad when I think about all she has missed in the past thirteen years, and how things might be different now if she would of beaten cancer, or what if she had gotten it now when so much more technology and medicine has developed. I know I look back and think about all the great things she was able to be apart of, especially watching and spoiling pat and I as we grew up. But then she's missed highschool graduations, one college graduation with one more to come in May, she's missed helping my mom through her battles the past few years, my wedding, and so much more. I guess I can't quite say she's "missed it", because I believe she's our angel and she hasn't missed a day of anything, I always feel her with me when I'm feeling sad or even when I'm happy, when I see a rainbow and during a warm day. I know she was there at my wedding and I swear I could see her sitting on the beach with a big straw hat and some tropical white pants, and probably a signature pink shit too, just smiling and enjoying the day. On my darkest sadest days and my happiest days I always feel her with me more, but everyday, even just normal days where I wake up and go to work with nothing exciting happening, she's around ... I know it and I believe it. She's looked after my mom during her surgeries and her constant battles. Somedays I've believe that she's my cat safin re-incarnated, and I'm sure if my grandma could chose to come back it would be as a cat. haha.. So today just like every other day I remember her, and I miss her and even after all this time I still love her and wonder why she had to leave our lifes so early. So I treasure the moments we had together and all the pictures in the albums that I can look at anytime I miss her. Happy Birthday grandma ... love you and miss you always :)

Cat-astrophe ...

Georgia wins! Georgia wins! Phil and I went to the GA vs. Kentucky game today and had a great time (despite the very very cold weather). I hadn't been to a game all season and this was the last home game. I was able to google and find a puppy day care for Levi to stay (Pawtrapolis). It worked out great and he even got a nice bath :) We had a fun Saturday visiting with friends before the game and then watching the game in our great seats! Thanks for the taking me to the game Phil :)

Not sure who missed who more :)

How many weekends left!

I can't believe there is only 6 weekends left until Christmas (41 days!)! And once December hits I am pretty much "booked up" for all of them (see posts below of crazy December). This weekend is really our last weekend before the "holiday rush" hits. I have to say I'm pretty on top of things this year with Christmas shopping. I haven't "gone crazy" rushing to every single mall in the area or hit up the outlets multiple times. I've been to the mall of GA once, I actually only went in one store and mostly hit the TJmaxx around the mall. I plan on going to a new mall this weekend if I have time and the outlets for there mega-day after thanksgiving blowout sale next Friday and that will be my last two stops (in GA). When I go home in December I think my mom and I will try to do a little Christmas shopping but again not too crazy! Online shopping this year has def. saved me some major stress, and I also started thinking of ideas before Halloween. All my presents are wrapped (ahead of time) ... and once thanksgiving hits next week I'm ready to drag down my decorating stuff so I can decorate once December hits ... am I martha stewart or what!?!?!! Ok not that bad but I'm impressed with myself this year :) We've got thanksgiving at work on Thursday and then next week a 3 day week because of the holidays. December will be here before I know it ...

The Golden Road ...

Levi had quite a fun Sunday of playing! We took him over to a work-friend of Phil's who has two golden retrievers to play with each other. Levi loves to ride in the car and stick his head out the window. Since he's too big for my lap in the front now, phil has rigged a leash to the backseat which allows him to still move or lay down and barely stick his head out the window. With the cold weather now I'm not sure how many more car rides we'll be riding with the windows down this winter!! He had a good time with the two big dogs, playing and chasing them for a little bit, and then eating some sticks in the backyard. We always know when he has fun because as soon as he got in the car he was asleep and for the better part of the afternoon.

He's getting so big!

Sweet Dreams!

My 1st Coffee Cake

I attempted to cook my first batch of blueberry coffee cakes yesterday. This is one of the few things I think my mom cooks from scratch and the cakes were only made during the holidays. But they are so delicious that she has started making them at other times and thanksgiving as well. It was a lot harder to figure out without my mom telling me what to do next! The very middle is a bit gooey but other than that I think they turned out pretty well and I really enjoyed my piece this morning :)

Presents Wrapped ... Check!

I guess I didn't have to wait for Hobby Lobby to put there wrapping paper on sale after all! A quick look in the closet and I saw I had 7 rolls of christmas wrapping paper! Whoops! I had some time last night and got to wrapping all of my presents. After the first few presents the "skill" just came back to me! I was done in no time :) I'm ready for Christmas to come!!!!