.

Come Follow!!

2011-01-21T15:04:00.000-05:00

I've moved....here is my new blog address!!! Become a follower :)

http://dash-of-sparkle.blogspot.com/

Hmmm.....

2010-12-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

Exciting changes to come!!!!

STAY TUNED!!!!

Fabulous Finds for my Lovely Ladies

2010-12-01T13:55:00.003-05:00

Today we're shopping for our:

Culinary Divas

Barefoot Contessa

I just got this book for myself a couple weeks ago and...I love it! Great recipes and lots of entertaining ideas.

Williams Sonoma

This is an Ebilskiver Pan. I got this for my mom last year and it has been a yummy gift. Super easy to use and you get some pretty amazing filled pancakes. I highly suggest the recipe book that is available for purchase!

Pioneer Woman

Do you follow this blog? If you do not....please go read it here right now! She is hilarious and an amazing cook. I'm hoping Santa has gotten my hint that I really want this cookbook for Christmas ;)

Anthropologie

Who doesn't want to look beautiful while they're cooking? Fun gift for any gal who loves spending time in the kitchen. Anthropologie has tons of designs!

Fabulous Finds for my Lovely Ladies

2010-11-30T08:47:00.003-05:00

Tis' the season...can you believe it?!?!

Where has this year gone?

Though this past year has gone by ridiculously fast, I am over the top excited that the Christmas season is upon us. It is my favorite time of year and for so many reasons but that's another post for another day.

I started my holiday shopping earlier this month and finished up most of it on Black Friday (great deals)!

Thought I would pass along some ideas for those wonderful friends and family of yours. This week...we'll focus on those lovely ladies in your life.

Today, let's shop for:

The Hostess with the Mostess

Crate and Barrel

How fun are these little name card holders? Perfect for those hosting lots of holiday get togethers.

Crate and Barrel

Cute Cute Cute. Enough said!

Anthropologie

Cute book for a fun gal. Takes you back to those Mad Men days.

Anthropologie

LOVE this pitcher. Take note: they have the entire plate set to match!

Anthropologie

This smells amazing! Perfect to set the mood for all those guests.

Captured by Me

2010-11-12T09:18:00.003-05:00

Took my sister out for a photo session earlier this week.

Here are a few of my favorite shots...

Don't Forget to...

2010-11-02T10:04:00.002-04:00

Your vote counts!!

Captured by Me

2010-10-29T15:16:00.003-04:00

Just sitting here enjoying this beautiful fall day and daydreaming (and being totally envious of all who live there!) about NYC...

Thought I would share some of my favorite pics from our last trip up north...

LOVE the Big Apple!

Do the Work!

2010-10-22T13:29:00.001-04:00

Had to share this incredible devotion from one of my favorite sites, Proverbs 31.

Enjoy!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Do the Work

Marybeth Whalen

"Then David continued, 'Be strong and courageous and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the temple of the Lord is finished correctly.'" I Chronicles 28:20 (NLT)

I pushed the computer aside, convinced that the task I was attempting was impossible. I couldn't fathom completing the work I had ahead of me and I needed a mental break. Picking up a Christian book I was reading, I carried it upstairs to the treadmill, deciding to pound out my frustration and read at the same time. I had no idea I was about to have my own personal revival.

Several pages into the book I read today's verse. Have you ever had a verse jump off the page at you? Well, this one did. I thought back to my frustration with the work I was facing earlier and felt God speak to me through this verse. Quit telling me how impossible the task is and just do the work, He said. Don't forget I will show up each time. Not so you can boast about your abilities, but so you can boast in Me.

After my time on the treadmill, I raced downstairs to email a friend of mine who I had complained to earlier that day. I told her how the verse had ministered to me, and how I was going to simply do the work. She wrote back that she had been praying for God to speak to me about the task that was overwhelming me. I had a new motto as I recommitted to the task at hand: Do the work. Whenever I started to get discouraged or overwhelmed by the hugeness of the task, I reminded myself: Do the work—three little words that got me through one of the biggest challenges of my life. Perhaps you need to hear those three little words today.

Are you facing a challenge in your job? Do the work.

Does your marriage need to be rebuilt? Do the work.

Are you worried about your ability to be a good mother? Do the work.

Are you dealing with a personal hardship that just seems too big to overcome? Do the work.

Are you struggling with debt and financial issues? Do the work.

Do you want to eat healthier, commit to regular exercise or lose weight? Do the work.

Is there a dream that God has planted in your heart that seems too big for you? Do the work.

Make no mistake: sometimes the work will be hard. Note that our verse today didn't say "Lay around and hope things get better." The challenge we face is not in focusing on how hard the work is, but in seeking the God who has promised to show up as we work. We offer our best efforts and trust that He will multiply them. We will see Him supply the words, the resources, the energy, the time, the patience, the grace we need. But first we must do the work. Just like the priests had to first step into the water before the Jordan could part in Joshua 3:15-16, so we must begin working before we can see the solution appear.

What work do you need to start doing—or keep doing—no matter how discouraged or disheartened you feel? I pray that you will see Him at work on your behalf today as you do the work He has called you to do. Do the work, and He will be with you.

Dear Lord, help me to look to You and not to the hugeness of the work I have ahead of me. Help me not to be afraid or discouraged. I thank You for Your promise that You are with me and that You will not fail me or forsake me. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

TGIF

2010-10-22T08:42:00.003-04:00

Yay yay yay!!

One of my best friends is coming in to KY for a visit....

so so SOOOO excited :)

B and I are looking forward to a fun weekend with Shawn!!

Hmmmm....

2010-10-20T14:34:00.003-04:00

Currently suffering from severe writer's block....

Be back soon...

PS....is it Friday yet?!?!

Had to Share...

2010-10-15T11:58:00.003-04:00

(Photo by Brooke Slezak)

"Chaos is a friend of mine" ~ Bob Dylan

My daily thought from Real Simple Magazine...

This week has been full of chaos and I'm looking forward to enjoying a beautiful, crisp fall day...

Happy Friday!!!!

Captured by Me

2010-10-14T09:36:00.002-04:00

This is one of my favorite shots from our CT trip....

So peaceful and serene.

Captured by Me

2010-10-12T10:44:00.002-04:00

Ok, well...not really captured by me but by our tripod!

This was on Bayview Beach in Milford, CT.

It was chilly and windy but it was still a gorgeous setting in a quaint town.

We feel so grateful that were able to have a whole week to explore our new "home", Connecticut. It was absolutely stunning up there....changing leaves, water surrounding you, apple orchards buzzing with locals.....great trip!

More pics to be posted throughout the week....

Back to the Grind

2010-10-11T13:49:00.002-04:00

Last week was spectacular!

B and I enjoyed an entire week together...just the two of us.

Details (and pics!) coming soon about our trip....for now just trying to get back in the swing of the things.

I definitely have a case of the Monday's!

How I Love You So....

2010-09-29T14:25:00.003-04:00

Real Simple Magazine....

How I love you so....

I have about an hour before I'm headed back to teach more classes (what?? time to unwind??)

I know....rare!

Back door open....cool breeze coming in and Real Simple Mag in my hands...

GREAT afternoon!

T.I.L (Things I'm Loving)

2010-09-29T12:14:00.002-04:00

Changing leaves....

Chilly mornings....

Sweater....

Boots....

I LOVE Fall....but of course the changing of the season also comes with allergies, sore throats, colds....and the worst....chapped lips.

This lip scrub could possibly be one of the best things ever created....I'm not kidding! I use it every morning and so far....no chapped lips. It makes your lips so smooth and it tastes yummy too. If you do not own this you MUST go purchase it right now at your nearest LUSH store....seriously....go now! It's amazing!

Enjoy....

Sorry!

2010-09-28T15:44:00.001-04:00

I have done a poor job of blogging the past couple of weeks.

It's been crazy busy lately....

Promise to write soon!!

Weekend Update

2010-09-13T11:38:00.003-04:00

The weekend started off with a bang....B completed his written board exam! He studied and prepared so much and for so long. I know he was relieved to have the test done and over with. And we celebrated by going to Harry's for lunch....yum :) We'll find out in a just couple of weeks how he did....until then.....we wait!

Saturday was a fun day with my mom and sister. We spent most of the day in Louisville shopping, eating and of course more shopping ;) It's rare that we have a day to spend the whole day together so it was nice to take advantage of that time. We had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory....it's ok....you can be a little jealous. Haha! When I got back to Lexington, B and I had a fun night just lounging around and watching our new season of The Office. Love that show!

Big things were on the agenda for Sunday....church, I was going to a high school to set a piece on a team, and we had a guest teacher at the studio. Too bad I did nothing but lay on the couch.....the stomach bug finally bit me. It's been going around and I guess I was bound to catch it at some point but I wish it hadn't been yesterday and today. I really hate missing work but today I'm down for the count. Thankful for my hubby who took great care of me yesterday :)

Until yesterday...my weekend was great! Looking forward to another productive week (well...after today!) and counting down to next weekend (is that bad?!?!).

Happy Monday!

Fall is Right Around the Corner...

2010-09-09T11:34:00.001-04:00

65 degrees and gorgeous outside...

My kind of weather.

I LOVE this time of year!

Captured by My Hubby!

2010-08-30T13:07:00.005-04:00

B and I haven't whipped out the camera in quite some time, so yesterday we took advantage of the gorgeous weather and an afternoon off...

Love these pics that were captured by my hubby!

Thought For the Day

2010-08-20T16:33:00.001-04:00

Agree with each other,

Love each other,

Be deep-spirited friends.

Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.

La Mia Cucina: What's Cooking in My Kitchen Tonight?

2010-08-18T15:59:00.004-04:00

On the menu this evening.....a yummy Chicken and Rice Casserole!

Ingredients:

3 cups diced cooked chicken

1 onion, diced and sauteed

1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

2 14.5 oz. cans French green beans, rinsed and drained

4 oz. pimentos (optional)

1 10.5 oz. can cream of celery soup

1 cup mayo

6 oz. long grain wild rice, cooked (I used Uncle Ben's)

1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in large bowl and pour into a 3-quart casserole. Bake for 25 minutes.

And most importantly.....enjoy!!

Cozy Morning

2010-08-18T09:05:00.003-04:00

I love days like today....

No rush, nowhere to be at any specific time, no obligations.

A day for me...to just do what I need to do.

It's been a crazy and busy past couple of weeks so I'm looking forward to doing some things around the house and spend some time reading (something I always wish I had more time for)!

Looking forward to a productive yet peaceful, cozy, rainy day.

Procrastinating...

2010-08-16T10:17:00.004-04:00

My to-do list is out of control.

No...it really is.

Finish laundry, grocery shop, gym, finish choreographing for my dance team, respond to emails, etc,....

But instead...I'm sitting here wondering aimlessly around the internet world looking for new bedding.

That was not on my to-do list!

Ok, back to work I go.

But I did want to share this cozy bedroom I found. LOVE it!!

Happy Monday :)

La Mia Cucina: A Taste of What Was in My Kitchen the Night Before

2010-08-11T08:20:00.003-04:00

Fettuccine in Asparagus Cream Sauce and Peas

Ingredients:

*about 8 spears of asparagus

*1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

*2/3 cup heavy cream

*Minced zest and juice of 1 or 2 lemons (I only used 1 and I thought it was perfect)

*Kosher salt and pepper (Kosher salt makes ALL the difference)

*3/4 cup freshly shelled English peas

*1 lb fettuccine

*Fresh basil

*Shaved parmesan for garnish

To prepare the asparagus, snap off the tough woody ends of the spears. Cut the asparagus on the diagonal into pieces about 1/8 inch thick. In a small saute pan, melt the butter (yes...I chose to use butter!) over medium heat. Add in the asparagus and saute for about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add in the heavy cream. Heat until warm. Add lemon zest, salt and pepper to taste. Make sure the cream mixture does not boil.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add in peas and cook for 30 seconds. Add in pasta and cook until tender rises to surface. Stir occasionally so that the noodles cook evenly. Drain the pasta and peas. Reserve a few tablespoons of cooking water.

Return pasta and peas to the large pot and season with salt. Pour the asparagus-cream sauce over the pasta and toss to coat thoroughly. Add in the reserved water to loosen the pasta if necessary. Add in basil and lemon juice to taste as well as additional salt to balance the flavors. Serve in warm pasta bowls and garnish with cheese.

This was absolutely wonderful and you can add in other things as well for added flavors. I plan on throwing grilled chicken in next time but I have also several recipes that use pancetta. This is a super easy meal to make. It took me a little under 30 minutes to have everything prepared and cooked. SO good! Will be keeping this recipe towards the front of my recipe binder......Brian had three bowls last night ;)

Enjoy!!!!

T.I.L (Things I'm Loving)

2010-08-09T15:24:00.003-04:00

I know it's only August but....

Fall is right around the corner and it is my favorite time of year!

Here are some (early) fun, fall finds..... (of course from Anthropologie)

(These boots are my favorite...I love them!)

I'm looking forward to crisp days, changing leaves, warm cider and all the other fun things that fall brings with it.

I Needed This Today

2010-07-29T12:55:00.003-04:00

"We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience and endurance you need." Colossians 1:11

In a heart that values instant gratification like mine does, patience seems hard to come by.

In the last several weeks I've raced through a yellow light because I didn't want to wait at a red light – that's dangerous! I've looked up my symptoms on the internet because I didn't want to sit in a doctor's waiting room – that can be dangerous too. I've paid extra for an item off the internet because I didn't want to stand in line at the store – that's wasteful. I've also eaten dessert first, because I didn't want to wait until it was "time" for dessert – well, that's just called for sometimes! Though I can't recall a specific instance, odds are high that I lost my patience at some point and fussed at my kids.

We want stuff and we want it now. We want results and we want them now. Yet the Bible repeatedly says that patience should be a way of life for followers of Christ.

God is love and patience is part of His character. For you and I to love like God loves, patience will be required (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Loving as God loves is the ultimate goal as we walk through this life seeking to please God and become like Him.

I define patience as the ability to endure graciously. We all have to deal at times with people or circumstances that try our composure – an ungrateful child, an inattentive waitress, a slow moving line at the cash register, a spouse or friend taking our efforts for granted. How graciously do we behave in these circumstances?

The Bible says God will be faithful to complete the good works He began in us (Philippians 1:6). That implies there's going to be some "in the meantime" when we're all less than perfect and less than easy to love. This is where patience comes in. The apostle Paul instructs us to "walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph.4:1-3).

We also have to exercise patience with God as we wait for His full plan to unfold. At times we must wait for answers to prayers, for deliverance, for provision, or for Him to dispense justice or reveal His will. We really have no choice but to wait in these circumstances, but a woman developing patience will endure the wait graciously. It helps to remember how very patient God has to be with us on a daily basis!

Exercising patience isn't just an exercise of the human will. The kind of patience Paul is talking about is a fruit of the Spirit developed in a woman's soul in tandem with God. It's a virtue that grows from her confidence in the sovereignty of God and His ability to bring all things to completion, in His timing, in a way that benefits His children and glorifies Him.

This patience-thing may take some time to develop, but I've decided to graciously endure the process. I started today by stopping and waiting at a yellow light. As I sat at the intersection, I thought about God and about developing patience. The light turned green a mere minute later, and I went on my way with a smile on my face, happy to be a woman who is embracing patience … even if in a very small way.

Dear Lord, thank You for being so very patient with me. Help me to develop patience, and display that quality for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen

T.I.L (Things I'm Loving)

2010-07-28T16:30:00.001-04:00

Today I'm Loving....

Fun and chic office spaces!

(My personal fave!!)

Captured by Me

2010-07-14T13:53:00.002-04:00

Here are some pics that were captured by me on our recent vacation...

Ummm....Road Trip???

2010-06-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

Spending some time today preparing for a random road trip with my hubby.

Exciting things are about to happen...

More details soon :)

Dance Overdose

2010-06-17T22:32:00.002-04:00

I am so thankful for my job and beyond grateful that I have been given the opportunity to do something that I really LOVE each and every day. I’m surrounded by sweet kids who share the same passion as I do and I’m surrounded by life long friends who support and truly care for one another…..but lately I have been suffering from a dance overdose!!

It has been non-stop for the past month! I’ve gone from competitions (DESOD and dance team) to dance team tryouts, planning a dance team banquet, rehearsals for DESOD’s recital, DESOD’s 4 night recital, to choreographing 4 routines for another high school in KY (2 hours away….4 hours round trip!!!), choreographing 3 new solos for my students who are going to Governor’s School for the Arts (so proud and excited for them), help a Miss Ky contestant and a JR. Miss contestant, choreograph my own dance team’s camp routine (this is where we qualify for nations…eeek!), edit music for all above dances…..and do this all while trying to keep the house clean, have the laundry done (this has not been successful!), spend quality with my hubby, take care of the dogs, have down time with my family and spend time in His Word each day ( He is the only thing that gives me the strength and motivation each day….)…..to be honest…..I’m a bit exhausted!

But….at the end of the day…..it’s rewarding to know that you’ve made a difference in someone’s life or helped out another dance coach who is in her first year (which was me last year), made a new friend or created new memories with your old ones J

I have however started my official countdown to our family vacation…15 DAYS!! Can’t wait to have this time with my husband, mom and sister!

Today I’m Feeling…

2010-06-12T23:49:00.001-04:00

THANKFUL!

T.I.L

2010-06-11T09:22:00.004-04:00

Things I'm Loving:

This cute clutch from Coach!

My new hat...I can't wait to wear this at the beach in just a few short weeks! Amazing hat at an amazing price. $14.99 at Target.

Of course I always find a pair of shoes that I love :) These are perfect for summer.
Cute dress from my favorite store Anthropologie...
Fun finds on this Friday morning!

Dance Pics...

2010-06-09T15:14:00.001-04:00

Captured by Me

2010-06-07T17:04:00.001-04:00

Things that caught my eye today...

T.I.L (Things I'm Loving)

2010-06-03T13:33:00.001-04:00

It's officially summer time...

These dresses from Anthropologie are so fun for this time of year!

I have recently come to admire the color gray/grey...

And I would love to have a room like this one in my future home.

It's hard to do this color right but this living room, from Crate and Barrel is perfection!

This cute keychain from Coach has summer written all over it!

It's official....

I've fallen in love....with....

the new designer, Prabal Gurung

This dress is fabulous!

TGIF

2010-05-28T11:27:00.001-04:00

Love these mugs from Anthropologie.

Even more....I love how they're used to hold these beautiful flowers.

What a cute idea...

Happy Friday!

Ode to Brian (haha)!

2010-05-22T19:25:00.001-04:00

This week has been absolutely crazy...

So much going on in both of our lives.

Today was the first time (in a long time due to Brian's work schedule) that we were able to spend ALL day together and I am feeling so blessed right now.

We just got back home, from our evening service at church and from spending an awesome afternoon with my family to celebrate my Papa's 90th birthday (he is an amazing man)! After such a wonderful day together....I can not help but smile when I think about my husband. He is beyond incredible!

I am so proud of him and all of his accomplishments...I'm just so proud and blessed to call him my husband. We've been married a little more than a year now and that word....husband...never gets old. He loves me unconditionally...inside and out (flaws and all!!) but yet we are continuing to build each other up in Christ and live our lives according to His Word.

Brian makes me laugh every day and I am truly honored to be his wife and to have him as my best friend. I pray that our marriage continues on the path it is on...we are certainly not perfect but I love the time I spend with my husband and I pray that never gets old :)

I am also very thankful that he never has to do night float ever again! Maybe that's why I'm in such a good mood...hahaha!!

Hope everyone enjoys the rest of this beautiful weekend...

Lucky Girl

2010-05-12T21:29:00.000-04:00

I got to spend all day with my hubby today...

I'm such a lucky girl :)

Days Like Today

2010-05-11T17:32:00.000-04:00

I absolutely love days like today....

Cloudy with a touch of rain and not a whole lot overtaking my usually crowded "to do" list.

It's been nice to run a couple of errands, after the rain this morning and then spend my afternoon taking care of emails, phone calls and all of the other fun work stuff....

It's really nice to do all this curled up on my own couch.

Looks like we have another day like this tomorrow....and I'm looking forward to it!

Found this earlier....

2010-05-09T19:34:00.001-04:00

"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past."

Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to John Adams (Aug. 1, 1816)

Daydreaming

2010-05-08T19:52:00.000-04:00

I can't wait to live right around the corner from Lake Sammamish in WA.

How much fun to pack a picnic, load up the pups, go for a boat ride and soak up some sun...

Ahhh....like I said...daydreaming :)

Rise and Shine

2010-05-01T05:38:00.001-04:00

For some reason I am awake bright and early on this Saturday morning...

Why can't I ever seem to have this energy during the week?

I took advantage of this quiet time and decided to spend this precious time with our Lord.

What a wonderful way to get the day started...

Just to sit and read and pray...no "to do" list to worry about yet....just nice meditation time and time to study His Word.

This morning I really focused on reading and praying about marriage....

Brian and I are truly blessed.

I thank our Lord everyday for bringing Brian and I together...I am so grateful :)

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Thankful for....

2010-04-28T16:37:00.000-04:00

.......the sunshine that has come back out to play!!

No more rain for the next few days.

Love the sunshine.

So refreshing.

Happy Monday :)

2010-04-26T14:11:00.001-04:00

The past couple days have been dreary and rainy so here some things that help brighten my day:

The beach

Bright flowers

And....these Christian Louboutin shoes!

Have a Bright and Happy Monday :)

Happy Thoughts

2010-04-23T16:51:00.001-04:00

Found this earlier today....

I feel like this is a good way to live life.

However, I would move "Build Faith" all the way to the top.

I should also take note of the "Exercise Daily".

Road Trip!!

2010-04-21T21:28:00.000-04:00

The sun....the ocean....the sand.....flip flops.....seafood......ahhhhhhh Hilton Head, SC!!!! The room has been booked and we're headed back this year. We are so excited to sneak away to Hilton Head again this summer. We absolutely LOVE South Carolina and Hilton Head has always been one of my favorite places to spend time at during the warm summer months. Brian and I spent our honeymoon in Hilton Head last year and have so many wonderful memories from our trip together. This year my mom and sister are joining us for our road trip to the beach.....it should be A LOT of fun and I'm so happy that they are getting to come with us for a vacation.

The countdown has officially begun.....now, back to daydreaming of the sun in between our toes and sun kissed skin :)

Redeeming Love

2010-04-12T10:09:00.000-04:00

Since I seem to have come across some free time (gasp....what's that?!?!?) during the week (my husband has spent the past four weeks in D.C. for work) I have a lot more time to do one of my favorite things. Read :)

I absolutely love to read....I'll read just about anything but nothing is better than curling up with a good book that helps you understand the Word more deeply and grow closer to the Lord. I'm very thankful that a mom, from the dance studio I work at, suggested the book "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. It is INCREDIBLE!! I'm not done reading it yet. I'm more than halfway through but I have fallen in love with the characters and every girl deserves to have a "Michael" in her life. Read the book and you'll know what I mean ;)

As I said before, I'm so thankful this book was recommended to me so I just thought I would pass the recommendation along. Happy Reading!!

One Year Anniversary

2010-04-04T21:05:00.001-04:00

At this time last year Brian and I were dancing up a storm and celebrating our marriage with our closest friends and family. We had an intimate ceremony, at the beautiful Berry Hill Mansion, and spent the rest of the evening in a daze. The whole night went by so fast and it felt like a dream! We were riding to our hotel, after the reception came to a close, and just kept talking like we were heading home from a regular night out. I may have been sneaking a few bites of some country ham wontons along the way...thank you DaRae Catering!! I remember looking over at Brian, while he was talking and it hit me....this is my husband!! He looked so handsome in his suit and I looked down at my wedding dress and felt my veil still tucked gently into my hair and that's when it finally dawned on me....I was married!! Everyone had warned me that I wouldn't remember my wedding....I would be so caught up in everything else. They were SO right....I was overwhelmed by excitement and emotion ( I mean....if you were there you know I cried during 99.9% of our ceremony!) and the day really did feel like a daydream.

It wasn't until we were away from the crowd, away from the music, away from the hustle and bustle that I realized that we were married. It was by far the best feeling that I've ever had. To know ,that for the rest of my life I was going to to be married to my best friend....I can't even describe the happiness that overcomes me. I feel so blessed to have Brian in my life and I am honored each and every day to call him my husband.

The year has been a whirlwind. We have been fortunate enough to be able to travel, we have started Brian's journey for a neuroradiology fellowship, we have adjusted to married life and we, of course, have had some up's and down's along the way. Whoever said that the first year of marriage is the toughest clearly didn't marry their best friend ;) We have been richly blessed and we are forever grateful for those of you who who have supported us and continue to support us. Because of you all we have grown, not only as individuals, but as a couple. We are looking forward to what the future holds for us and we just continue to pray for our relationship to continue to grow and bloom every day.

I am still in disbelief that it has been a year since my dad walked me down the aisle and I said "I Do" to Brian. I am truly a lucky girl!

The pictures at the top are some of our favorites from our wedding day. Jim and Carla Winn, of Winn Photography, were absolutely amazing. We are thankful that we can call them our friends and that they were able to share their talents with us on our special day.

Leaving on a Jet Plane....AGAIN!!

2010-03-29T17:55:00.000-04:00

March 21- April 16 is a very long time for someone to be away from home. Unfortunately, these are the dates for Brian's 4 week AFIP course in Washington D.C....which is required for his radiology residency. I've moped, complained, and dreaded this month for about a year now,when the dates were finalized for his trip. Now...the time is here.

The first week wasn't too bad and it actually went by fairly quickly but that was probably because I was counting down the days until I was able to fly out and meet him here! He happened to plan his attendance to this conference during my spring break...(and our one year anniversary!!!!). I arrived here on Friday and we have had a blast together. Saturday was spent exploring most of the monuments and we ended our day with a visit to the Natural History Museum. Sunday morning consisted of hunting down the closest Panera....hey! When a girl needs a bagel, a girl needs her bagel! We found one....outside of the city and a few metro stops away. After getting back into D.C. we walked to the National Air and Space Museum. It was so fun to watch Brian in that museum. He absolutely LOVED it :)

Brian had some lectures this morning, that he attended, and I've been battling the horrible internet connection in our room. I'm trying to be quick because before I know it it will go out again. It's been rainy most of the day so we've stayed in but I'm looking forward to the rest of the week....beautiful weather with high's in the 70's!! Ahhhh.....sunshine!!

Here's some pics from this past Friday:

Taking a walk :)

The Natural History Museum had a display of coal from Hazard, KY!

Brian at the Natural History Museum

Washington Monument

On our way up to see the Lincoln Memorial

Whoa....Heat Wave!!

2010-03-17T14:18:00.000-04:00

So I went and took my first REAL Bikram Yoga class. I've heard of several other people try it and fall in love with it. I've been doing a lot more running, cardio, and strength training and I've noticed that my muscles feel much tighter than they usually do.....and I also need to face the fact that I'm not 16 years old any more so it takes a lot more effort to get my body to bend the way it used to! I actually have to work to maintain my flexibility. What could be more helpful than yoga? Well.....Bikram Yoga.

It really is a full body workout. It's not just stretching....and the atmosphere you're in is much more harder. Not only are you twisting, turning, stretching, and balancing your body in 26 different poses ( that's for beginners!) but you're doing all of the above in a 105 degree heated room. It sounds absolutely crazy but it is wonderful. I was excited to try out the class but a little nervous because I had no idea what I was about to get into. After dropping my bag in the locker room and talking with the instructor a bit (who was oh so kind and even set up my mat, towel, and water for me....she had it waiting for me in the room) I walked into the yoga room and immediately started sweating. Sad thing is....I'm not kidding. We hadn't even started yet!

The lights were out and the room was quiet so I laid down and got "focused". Except I wasn't really focusing...I was just trying to get used to all the heat and talk myself into staying for the class because I was already hot!

An hour and half, and 10 tons of sweat later, the class was finished. I have never sweat so much in my life....I was sweating from places from my body that I didn't even know existed. After gathering up my things and making my trip to my car, I felt AWESOME!! I found myself feeling energetic, stretched, lengthened, and cleansed. I am so so SO looking forward to taking another class on Friday. It was definitely tough but I never stopped and I was proud that I just kept pushing myself.

If there is a Bikram Yoga place near you....you MUST try it. Enjoy the pics below....I thought I was pretty flexible until I saw this guy. Haha :)

NAMASTE

My Old KY Home

2010-03-10T13:13:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was a long day but we're glad to have made it back home safe and sound. Brian and I were so excited to see our dogs. We missed them so much while we were gone :( We landed in Louisville, KY a little before 7:00 pm, made a stop at Skyline Chili ( I promise I started my new diet today!) and then got on the road. We got home around 9:00, after picking Carson up from my mom's place, and started catching on all of our TV shows that we missed while we were out of town. Priorities right?!?!?

We were not tired at all because of the time change. As soon as we got used to Seattle's time difference it was time to hop on a plane and come back home. Haha....the lack of sleep is just now starting to hit. I'm pretty lucky...I don't have a full day of work today. I just had to go in and teach for a bit this morning but poor Brian still has over 3 hours left. Hope he's hanging in there!! I'm sure we'll be exhausted by tonight.

Well....we already miss the Emerald City and we can't wait to go back! I think it's time for a nap before hitting my "to-do" list.

Pics from Yesterday's Adventure

2010-03-08T16:30:00.001-05:00

Brian captured this amazing shot...that's the Kingston ferry in the background.

My handsome hubby :)

What beautiful views!!

Walking down to the beach.

Hanging out by the boats

Hidden Gems

2010-03-08T12:57:00.000-05:00

Brian and I started our day yesterday by doing some shopping at Pike Place Market and grabbing a quick breakfast at a local bagel shop. We decided we wanted to go more north of Seattle and explore some of those areas...Lynnwood, Shoreline, Woodinville, but our favorite place that we stumbled upon was the small city of Edmonds. It was such a quaint town but it was absolutely gorgeous. We found the port and walked along the dock and dreamed about one day having a boat to take out to all the lakes. As we kept walking along we realized that we were on the verge of a beach so we decided to go check it out. And I'm so glad we did....it was amazing!! The water, the sand, the views....I could keep going but my words do not give it justice. We wanted to stay longer but the wind got to me and my ears started hurting so I had to head back to the car!

Brian and I spent the next hour or so just driving and we found some great wineries and other local gems along the way. However we found ourselves back in Redmond. We grabbed a great lunch and then walked around the Town Center Shops ( and I didn't buy anything....how is that possible?!?!?)!!

To top off our incredible day we experienced our first Seattle rain :) Pictures to come soon....we haven't loaded them on our computer yet!!

2010-03-07T14:45:00.000-05:00

We started our day off yesterday by making a trip to one of our favorites spots in Downtown Seattle....Top Pot Doughnuts. They have got some of the best doughnuts EVER!! They've been featured several times on the Food Network Channel and the Travel Channel so of course we just had to try it the last time we were here. Two doughnuts, a cup of coffee and a sugar high later we headed to pick up our rental car so we could start exploring some areas outside of downtown. We went to Bellevue, Redmond and Issaquah. We loved, loved, LOVED Redmond and Issaquah. Both are cute cities with a lot to do but have that more suburban feel which Brian and I both really love. We checked some places we could possibly live, grabbed a quick lunch then drove out to visit some friends, Jim and Carla, (who happened to be our wedding photographers as well!) and go out for dinner and drinks. They gave us a little tour of downtown Issaquah and Brian and I fell in love with the area. It is absolutely gorgeous and I'm pretty sure driving over the lake and having the mountains surround you will never get old!

I was so tired by the time we got back to the hotel and I totally crashed so there was no blogging for me! Here's some pics we took yesterday....enjoy :)

Enjoying a walk along the Burke-Gilman Trail...beautiful!

Mmmmm...Top Pot doughnuts!

Before heading out for the day

The Seattle Public Library....the first thing I'm doing when we move here is becoming a member!

Sunset over Pike Place Market

Leaving on a Jet Plane!

2010-03-05T15:57:00.000-05:00

Whew...it has been a whirlwind of a day so far and in a way...it's just begun! Brian and I have had a looooooong day. We were up much later than we had originally planned on being. I'll blame it on "still packing" but I think we were just too excited to sleep. Remember, when you were a kid, how you would get on Christmas Eve???? Wondering what Santa is going leave for you and what surprises you'll receive the next morning....well, that's how excited we were last night. However, when my alarm went off just a few hours later (3:45 am!!) I was totally regretting all that excitement. We quickly got ready, loaded up the car and headed up the road to Louisville, KY to catch our first flight. Of course we stopped and got McDonald's along the way! I'm pretty sure those calories don't count when you're traveling ;) We were extremely blessed to have everything go so smoothly....no long lines at the airport, smooth flights, etc,...

We literally just checked into our hotel room and we're getting ready to freshen up and head out for a date with our favorite city....Seattle! I'll be blogging throughout our weekend trip so Brian and I can share what we're up to for our family and friends. Here's some random pics:

Getting ready to land....you can see the Space Needle right in the middle!

Apparently I was just overcome with extreme excitement :)

Long morning but happy!!

2010-02-25T11:58:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, the city of Lexington was blessed with another cake shop to tempt you to come in and indulge your sweet tooth....but this is not just any cake shop....it's a CUPCAKE shop! And it was good :) Gigi's Cupcakes (check out their website) kept teasing me every time I drove past. I was always pretty good about driving by and later feeling good about my decision and being so proud because I had defeated my HUGE sweet tooth. However on this particular Thursday afternoon....my sweet tooth won the battle and I finally gave in and stepped in to Gigi's for my first visit.

Oh goodness....there were A LOT of choices. Cookies n'Cream, Boston Cream Pie, Carrot Cream, Strawberries n' Cream, Midnight Chocolate, the list went on and on and on....I was amazed by the massive selection. Ultimately I chose the Wedding Wonderland cupcake. I really wanted chocolate but vanilla is healthier right???? Listen...in my mind it is!!!

The amount of icing on the cupcake was absolutely ridiculous....delicious but ridiculous! It was oh so rich and I got a fresh batch so the cake was so moist....it was perfection. It was so perfect (and rich!) that I couldn't eat it all at once. I'm pretty sure my blood sugar was through the roof and I was on some sort of sugar high because I got a headache about an hour later. But it was so worth it :)

There are so many wonderful bakeries and cake shops around town. What are some of your all's favorites? I'm pretty sure I've sampled them all!! Gigi's is worth a stop....cute shop, sweet treats and really sweet women who work there. So if you're craving sugar you know where to head!!

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful

2010-02-15T14:40:00.000-05:00

Well....it's another snow day here in the Bluegrass. I love the snow...I really do but enough is enough! I'm ready for some sunshine and warm weather. Ahhhh.....summer :) At least I'm not home alone today. Brian is home this week working on a couple of research projects for work so I'm happy we get to spend some time together. My work was cancelled due to the weather so it's a nice little extended weekend with my hubby. The dogs are loving running around outside....the snow doesn't bother them one bit. Here's some pics from their morning playtime:

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes....

2010-02-13T17:26:00.000-05:00

I feel like this past week has gone by in slow motion and like I'm walking around in a gaze. That's probably because I still haven't fully recovered and caught up on all of my sleep from our dance team trip to Orlando, FL. We went, we competed, we rocked....however we didn't make finals :( BUT......that's ok!!! Why?!?!?! Because my girls were AWESOME!!! I have never seen them dance with more passion and energy. We were in a tough semifinals group and I really feel that if we had been in the other group then we would have gone on to the next round. Every dance before us was the same....cookie cutter, happy, cheesy, lots of glitz.....and then there was my team. Black, plain, dark, deep, depressed....but refreshing! Our dance was so different from the others....as soon as our music came on, the crowd went silent. We performed at the Indiana Jones Theater, at Hollywod Studios, and there were hundreds of people there. Everyone literally stopped what they were doing just to watch us....what a great feeling! By the time our dance ended you could have heard a pin drop. The girls came off stage so excited and I was basically in tears because I had never seen them dance better. They were unbelievable!! I thought for sure that they would breeze into finals....the girls watched their video and were all so happy!! While backstage and walking back to my spot in the audience, I had several coaches, from across the nation, compliment me on my girls and on the choreography ( I was offered 4 choreography jobs...cool)!! Unfortunately, during finals announcements our school's name was not called. I was disappointed and I now the girls were too but to be honest....I wouldn't have changed a thing about their performance. Every girl went out there and danced to their fullest potential and they left everything out on the stage and to me....that's all that matters. They did the best they could! We made an impact on our audience and isn't that what dance is about? Here's the link to their jazz performance. Next year....we'll be finals....we were so close this year ;) So proud of my girls!! Though we didn't make finals we did get to have some fun times at the parks...all in all a very successful trip and one that I wouldn't trade for the world.

That's my name!!!!

Fireworks over the Castle at the Magic Kingdom :)

Just because we're in FL doesn't mean we can't condition ;)

Good morning practice/ run/ conditioning....

Ahhhhhh.......

2010-01-28T13:52:00.000-05:00

The above picture is quite scary but represents my state of mind for this past week.....STRESSED! Not a "bad" stress just an "I'm so busy I don't know what to do with my self" kind of stressed. Brian and I are in the process of moving and packing has taken up the majority of our time this week. It has been tough and we are the king and queen of procrastination....I mean, after working all day who really wants to come home and pack for hours?!?!?! We certainly don't!!! On top of the craziness that comes along with packing we are both going out of town this weekend, to watch some of my dance students at a competition (one of them being my sister)! Next week is work, work,work, unpack,unpack,unpack,work,work and then fly to Orlando. I bet you're thinking....oooooohhhhh Orlando.....sunshine, Disney, Mickey Mouse, magic and princesses. When I think of Orlando I become anxious, nervous, excited and a bit crazy! I'm taking my dance team girls, from Lafayette High School, to go compete at UDA's National Dance Team Competition. We have been working and preparing for this moment since July! It has consumed all our lives for months and we have all sacrificed so much time and energy and it all comes down to next weekend. Needless to say....I've been running around like a chicken with my had cut off for the past few days trying to stay somewhat organized. And poor Brian was planning on coming with me to help support my team but he has a long month ahead of him since he is on call for the majority of February.

I'm thankful to have so much going on and plenty of things to keep me busy but it sure does get crazy!! Ok, back to packing, laundry, getting dance stuff together,etc,....The list goes on and on and on and on and on and on..............

Enjoy your weekend :)

Sunday Fun day....

2010-01-17T22:57:00.000-05:00

Brian and I decided to make today a fun day for the both of us. After a busy week and recovering from a sinus infection, we enjoyed a nice breakfast together and spent some time with my family. We also finally got our new camera that we have been looking into for a few months now. We absolutely love to take pictures and document fun places when we travel, so we had been seriously considering getting a more "professional" camera. After A LOT of research and bugging friends about what they use we finally made our decision earlier this evening. We decided on the Canon EOS Rebel T1i. All we've done tonight is chase our dogs around and try to make them pose so we can take their picture :) We are so amazed at how clear these are!! Here's some of the pictures that we took tonight:

Jam Packed Weekend!

2010-01-10T18:40:00.000-05:00

The "big" blizzard of 2010 arrived in the Bluegrass this past Thursday afternoon and my work was closed, Thursday and Friday, due to road conditions. I'm pretty sure I developed cabin fever by staying in the house those two days. Since Brian still had to go into the hospital those days I did manage to get some things done around the house. I had planned to go for a run, to continue training for the upcoming marathons, but my gym closed early Thursday and I honestly just didn't feel like cleaning off my car and getting out on the roads on Friday. Instead, I busted out the trainer for my bike and did a 30 minute ride. I'm still a little sore from this!!

By the time late Friday night rolled we were itching to get out so Brian and I decided to go listen to one of his friends from high school, Chris Weiss, play down at Common Grounds. We braved the cold ( and the roads!) and enjoyed some coffee, a cookie, a piece of cake and some great music. It was great a way to end a snowy, cold day :)

Saturday morning, we woke up early and got our pups ready to go spend the afternoon over at the Drexler's. We all went over to celebrate Diesel's (one their pups) 2nd birthday. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed everyone's company while we shared lots of laughs and munched on some yummy food. It was great for the dogs to run around with each other and they got to enjoy some sweet treats too! They crashed as soon as we came home and slept for the remainder of the day. We watched the UK game (we won!!!!! 16-0 this season!!!!) and then got ready for a delicious dinner at Malone's. We met up with one of my closest friends, from high school and college, and her boyfriend. It was so great to catch up with each other and I'm already looking forward to the next time they are in town :)

Today was filled with lots of errands around town as well as some cleaning around the house. Brian and I finally fit in a run at the gym and it was bath day for the pups (which they never like)!

We've been on the go all weekend and I think we're ready to crash but....time to plan for the upcoming week!!! Lots to get done!!!! Below is a pic from Chris' concert at Common Grounds. Check him out....he's on Facebook and MySpace.

Happy New Year!!!!

2010-01-01T15:18:00.001-05:00

It's the start of the new decade! Can you believe it?!?!? This past year has flown by and I'm looking forward to what the Lord has in store for this upcoming year. Last night, I sat down and made my goals for the upcoming new year. I don't really like to call them "resolutions" but I focus more on what it is that I want to accomplish in the next 365 days. My list includes a wide range of things like competing in the Tri for Sight triathlon this fall (which I had planned on doing this past year but then got sick...boo!) to focusing and continuing to learn and grow in my role as a wife and as my husband's help mate.

This past year has been full of several up's and down's but 2009 will always be a special year, for me, because this is the year that Brian and I got married and began our journey as husband and wife. I hope everyone had a safe and wonderful New Year's celebration with their loved ones.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Our Adventure Down the Toothpaste Aisle....

2009-12-28T20:07:00.000-05:00

Have you ever walked down the toothpaste aisle and taken a look around you? I don't mean just walking down the aisle, picking up your regular toothpaste and just throwing it in your cart; I mean start at the beginning of the aisle and take a look at all the different products that are "dentist approved", "dentist recommended", made to "whiten your teeth in just 5 days", or made to "fight off cavities, strengthen your gums, kill gingivitis, wipe away all bacteria and give you minty fresh breath all at the same time". You probably think I am crazy right now but I'm not....I promise!!!

This all started last week when Brian and I were talking about how we don't visit the dentist often enough and we really need to get better about keeping our pearly whites healthy and strong. We've vowed to maintain our brushing daily (which hasn't been a problem!) while maintaining our daily mouthwash routine (which happens more like every other day or so) and floss daily ( I'm REALLY bad about this). We also decided we should change our toothpaste to one that would help whiten our teeth gradually. We didn't really think that this would be such a difficult decision or one that would turn a quick trip into an adventurous discovery while at Target.

We had a couple of items that we needed to stock up on so we made our typical trip to Target. Brian and I went through all the aisles and, of course, picked up more than what we originally had intended to buy. All that was left on our list was to pick up a new tube of toothpaste. We didn't do any research before we went....we figured this would be pretty straight forward. We knew we didn't want our usual Aquafresh (which has been great but we felt it was time for a break so we broke it off for a bit). We were SO wrong!!

I had no idea that there were so many different types of toothpaste. I guess I never really paid a lot of attention to all the different kinds. We were totally overwhelmed.....we really were! There were toothpastes that "made you mouth sparkle", toothpastes that "strengthens your enamel", toothpastes that had confetti like strips in it, I could go on and on and on. Brian and I probably looked absolutely ridiculous standing there comparing the backs of the toothpaste boxes and having intense discussions as to what was better and the different percentages of fluoride that each package contained. We talked and compared any extra "active" ingredients and I'm pretty sure we discussed the pro's and con's of each toothpaste that was for sale at Target (which was probably around 50 different types). Let me put it this way....we were there so long, I had to take a bathroom break in the middle of our board meeting. Customers continued to walk by and stare as we pulled up the internet, on our phones, and did some online research for our toothpastes that were lucky enough to make it to the final round before approval.

After much consulting, we finally decided on our new toothpaste................... and the winner is:

Crest Pro-Health Whitening Gel Toothpaste in Fresh Clean Mint

We are so confidant in our decision that we even bought two boxes.

Next time you make your trip to go purchase toothpaste, take a look around and look at all the products that are being sold to us. It is absolutely mind boggling. This blog clearly shows how random Brian and I are but it really did open our eyes to all the different items out there for consumers and honestly, they are all so different. Seriously....take a look next time you're out!!

Mama's Fudge....well not quite!

2009-12-22T15:02:00.001-05:00

My Mama (my grandmother) was the BEST cook/baker!! She loved to cook for us all the time and she always spoiled my brother, sister and I with sweet treats. Cookies, brownies, cakes,....you name it....she baked it. And, we ate it! Every Christmas, for as long as I can remember, she would make pounds upon pounds of fudge. Chocolate and peanut butter were our favorites and I am telling you that she made the richest, most sinful piece candy that I have ever eaten (and I've eaten a lot of candy)!

Needless to say, last year, which was our first Christmas without Mama we all sat around and shared our holiday filled memories of her. Of course, I brought up how much I missed her fudge during that time of year....very selfish but so true! Mama knew how much we loved it and she would send over who knows how many tins full of this holiday tradition. Last year, we didn't make any because no one knows her recipe. She never wrote it down...never told anyone. It was her big secret. Today, I decided to crack it and I was determined to make her peanut butter fudge (my brother's favorite).

I started by researching different peanut butter fudge recipes. Who knew there would be so many different ways to make peanut butter fudge?!?! I just kind of winged it and took note of the ingredients that I used. It was really simple and it turned out pretty good....not the same as Mama's because I think she just had the special touch :)

You'll need:

4 cups of sugar

1 cup of milk ( I used whole milk even though we drink skim....you can't have fudge made with skim milk!!)

whole stick of butter ( I was going to use just half a stick but then I went all Paula Deen and just threw the whole thing in)

about 7 to 8 oz of marshmallow creme ( I just used the jar kind)

12 oz of peanut butter ( again...we eat reduced fat but I used the real thing for this recipe)

2/3 cup of flour

Directions

1. I used a 9 x 13 in baking sheet and put wax paper on it to keep the fudge from sticking.

2. Mix your marshmallow creme and peanut butter together in a bowl.

3. In a saucepan, mix the milk, butter, and sugar.

4. Bring these ingredients to a boil and let it boil for a few minutes. ( I boiled mine for 5-6 minutes).

5. Remove saucepan from the heat and pour in the peanut butter/marshmallow creme mixture. Stir.

6. Gradually add in the flour.

7. Once everything is mixed well, spread the mixture on the baking sheet and let cool. I actually put mine in the fridge to cool.

I think next time I'm going to add a pinch of vanilla extract to give it something a little extra.

I can't wait to share this with my family and next up I'm going to start working on Mama's chocolate fudge. Yum!

My First Blog Award!

2009-12-20T15:32:00.000-05:00

How cool is this?!?!? My very first blog award....I'm so excited. Thanks to Courtney from, The Nitz Family, for this great award. I have known Courtney for a few years now and she is a glamorous young woman....a newlywed, a strong woman grounded in her faith, and a former beauty queen (we used to compete with each other in Miss KY and we were even co-queens one year....yay talent awards, haha)!!

Sooooo....I guess it's my turn to nominate some of the blogs that I think are glamorous. And the nominees are:

Always in Training

Small Town Crown

Mostly MEllen

Thanks again Courtney for this sweet award!!

Let's Go Generals!

2009-12-07T14:20:00.000-05:00

So proud to report that my girls received 1st place this past weekend and I was awarded with the Best Choreography award. I can not be any happier for my girls and for all of their hard work. They had one of the highest scores out of the ENTIRE day!!

Way to go Lafayette Generals!!!! Looking forward to our next competition :)

My New Hobby

2009-12-03T13:36:00.001-05:00

Well....I've found a new hobby! I am going to take up knitting and I am so excited to take on a new challenge. I was actually inspired by one of my dance students, Lauren H., and I am officially signed up for a knitting class. Lauren is oh so talented and so well rounded and she shared her love for knitting with me and I've finally got my supplies and I'm ready to go!

I'm looking forward to making gifts for others....mittens, scarves, hats, baby gifts, etc,....

I guess I shouldn't jump ahead of myself...I should probably learn the basics. Haha :) I found a great knitting store, here in Lexington, KY, called Magpie Yarn. Their website is great and that's where I found a class that was perfect for me...Basic Knitting. I'll learn all the things I need to know for basic knitting...how to cast-on, knit, purl, and bind-off. After this, I should be able to do a number of different, easy patterns.

They have a wide variety of classes that range from beginner ( like me!) all the way through advanced. They even have specialized classes where you focus on how to make a certain item, such as mittens or even sweaters. I can't wait for my first class and spending some of my down time, over the holidays, exploring my new hobby!

Y'All Ready for This?!?!?!

2009-12-02T18:55:00.000-05:00

We're ready for this!!! "This" being the Winter Jam Dance Competition that is being held here in Lexington, KY. My dance team girls have been working EXTREMELY hard this week and the hard work continues until Saturday.

This past summer, we qualified for UDA nationals. This will be held the first weekend in February and we started our two routines in September. We are competing one of our dances, for the first time, this weekend at a local competition. I am anxious to see how we do and to get the judges opinion on our routine. The girls usually compete a pom routine but when I signed on as coach I felt it was time for a change so we are taking a jazz and hip hop dance. This Saturday we will be competing our jazz dance.

This dance is....well....I guess the best word to describe it is.....unique. But....in a good way!! I choreographed the dance myself and of course I just can't help myself and I turn it into some bizarre dance with crazy music and with a crazy concept. But....that's what I hope will help my girls stand out. This is not your average, cookie cutter dance team!! These girls are here to leave a mark and to tell a story. Isn't that what dance is all about....expressing emotions and telling a story to captivate your audience??? That's how I grew up and that's what I hope to pass on to my students. Dance isn't just a bunch of movements thrown together ( well, it can be). To me, it's so much more than that and I'm looking forward to my team's first performance of this routine.

I'm keeping certain details to myself such as song choice, costumes, and choreography. I can't give all our secrets away!!! Maybe I'll post a video before we leave for nationals....don't want other teams getting any ideas right now ;)

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers this week. I'm praying all the girls stay healthy and confident this week and perform to the best of their ability this Saturday.

I can't wait to report back about how we did!!!!

Many Blessing to You and Your Family

2009-11-25T16:34:00.000-05:00

My New Favorite!

2009-11-07T15:05:00.000-05:00

I am a total sucker for candles! Our home is filled with candles.... I have at least one in every room but I have found some new favorites. We have a great store, here in Lexington, called the "Gift Box". I stopped in the other day to look at some of their Christmas decorations and of course found myself standing in front of 50 different scented candles,made by The Candleberry Co. I smelled them all...I'm being serious! I went down the row and smelled each one and they were all so fragrant and "homey". I fell in love with so many of them but narrowed my choice down to two. "Vanilla Crumb Cake" and "Home for the Holidays" (which is burning right now, as I write, and it is divine). These are pretty affordable and you can find them even cheaper online.

Candles are always so welcoming when guests visit and great to use when you just want to relax. This company has a scent for everyone!!

My mom surprised me with a little "Halloween treat" a few weeks ago and gave me a Scentsy. I had never heard of these before but it is a wickless candle. You get your Scentsy ( which is what you melt the wax in) and just flip the switch and you're ready to go. The wax melts and slowly releases the scent....my favorite is Mochadoodle. The wax never gets hot. You can, literally, stick your finger in the wax and it won't burn you. I know this because my mom showed me....I didn't believe her so she proved me wrong (mom's always right)! This is great if you have kids or pets and they have a TON of scents to choose from. These are totally affordable and last so much longer than a usual candle because you can keep re-using the wax. Scentsy's are great for gifts and they have a lot of designs for the upcoming Holiday season as well as designs for everyday use. Just go to their website and take a look! The picture below is my pumpkin treat, from my mom, and I'm so glad she introduced me to these.

I'm looking forward to getting my Winter Scentsy and setting it out as a decoration!

Looking forward to Spring!

2009-11-03T10:25:00.001-05:00

We have a busy Spring ahead for us and it is time to get busy! Brian and I have come up with this crazy idea to run, not one.... not two..... but THREE half marathons. Like I said, this is a crazy idea. However, we are really looking forward to doing these and I think it's going to be a lot of fun. First up is a half marathon in our town, Lexington, Kentucky.

This half marathon is at the end of March is a month before our other half marathons. We thought this would be a great way to find out where we're at before these other two big races. March seems so far away but I know that it will be here before we know it!

Next up.....the Kentucky Derby Half Marathon/ Marathon. I'm really urging Brian to run the full marathon. He's already to the point where he can run 13.1 miles, comfortably, once a week. ( I'm a little jealous of this)!! More than anything, I'm so proud of him because he just does it....no complaining, just goes for it. I need to be more like that! I really think he could pull off running the entire length of a marathon.We'll see what he decides. As for me, I'll be sticking to the half.... I'm just hoping to make it through that.

And last, but not least, the Flying Pig Marathon, in Cincinnati, Ohio. This half marathon/marathon is the weekend after the KY Derby race. ( I told you.... this is a crazy idea)! Who knows if Brian will run the half or the full. I know I will be doing the half and hoping that my legs don't fall off!

We're really looking forward to training for these. It will keep us busy and hopefully we'll burn those extra holiday calories in the midst of all this running! We have a lot of friends who are also running these races so we know we will have a lot support and some motivational shoulders to lean on. It's going to be hard, stressful, probably painful....but in the end....it's going to feel great to cross that finish line!

By the way....I started my training today and I only made it 30 minutes.... I have a lot of work to do!!

Finally....

2009-10-24T17:47:00.001-04:00

About six weeks ago, Brian took the first part of his board exams so that he can become a board certified radiologist. I can not even begin to tell you all how much time he spent studying and reviewing for this important test. He spent months and months and hours upon hours making sure he was prepared for this exam. In July, he even went to Miami, FL for a week long intensive review session. When I say intensive, I mean intensive!! 5 days of review courses that lasted up to 8 hours....and that didn't even include the time he spent studying on his own. His commitment amazed me and I tried to encourage him each and every day. I can not imagine devoting so much time to just one test but he did it and Brian's hard work paid off.

I checked the mail yesterday and there it was....the letter we had been waiting for, with the test results. I could hardly contain myself. So...I just opened it!! Don't worry, Brian said it was fine that I did...haha. I was just so anxious/ nervous/ excited/ worried, etc,...

When I saw the word PASSED, I screamed! Literally...I was so overcome by happiness and relief. I knew how hard he had studied and how much time he had devoted to this. We knew the results were coming soon and the past couple of weeks have gone by so slowly! He was so excited to learn of his results and I could tell a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

I was so impressed by Brian's dedication, calmness and perseverance throughout this entire process. I am so amazed by his hard work and he continues to amaze me every day.

Congratulations Brian :)

Hoping for Seattle!

2009-10-18T20:56:00.000-04:00

I have lived in Lexington, KY for my entire life. My family is here as well as my friends and my work. I've got deep Kentucky roots and I'm a southern girl at heart but I knew that there was a big chance that a move was in the near future, when I married Brian. When Brian first told me, that in order for him to do a neuroradiology fellowship, we would have to leave the state, he was worried about taking me away from my hometown but I was very excited about the opportunities that other cities had to offer. I'll never forget when Brian came home from work a few months ago and asked how I felt about Seattle,WA. I don't remember exactly what I said but I wasn't really thrilled about the idea. We had already visited Charleston, SC and I had fallen in love with the area....and like I said, I'm a southern girl! Plus, one of my close friends lives there and I was being totally selfish about that.

After some more thought, and listening to Brian speak so highly about the University of Washington program, I decided that I needed to be more open minded about this potential place to live. After all....after we visited we probably wouldn't like it and not really consider it. Haha....joke was on me!!

Brian had an interview at UW a couple of weeks ago and we decided to make a week long trip out of it....and I'm so glad we did. We flew out of Lexington bright and early, at 6:00 am. We changed planes in Detroit and then we were Seattle bound! After a 3 1/2 hour flight we had made it. We immediately went to our hotel ( which is one of the cutest places!) and found out that we had been upgraded to a bigger room. Hey, we weren't going to argue that! We stayed at Hotel Vintage Park on 5th Avenue and it is right in the middle of downtown Seattle. We were in walking distance to just about everything.

We got up to the room, dropped our bags and started our journey! First stop....Pike Place Market. I've seen this place a dozen times in pictures and movies but it was so cool to be there and experience the hustle and bustle firsthand.

It was so much fun to walk through and see all of the seafood, fresh fruit and veggies, crafts and most impressively all of the fresh bouquets of flowers. We ate at a fantastic restaurant for brunch. Etta's made such an impression that we went back later that week for lunch. We spent our first few days walking around downtown and exploring new stores and restaurants....and drinking A LOT of coffee! Haha!

Later that week, we rented a car so we could drive around some surrounding cities. We found some beautiful scenery along the way. We stumbled upon several lakes throughout the area.

After a few days of being on a caffeine high and eating ridiculously good food it was time for Brian to get serious and go to his interview for the UW neuroradiology fellowship position. The drive to UW was absolutely beautiful and the campus is a picture of perfection. Everyone was so friendly and we ended up spending more time, than we had expected, because one of the fellows took so much of his time talking to us about the program and Seattle. We were very thankful that Brian's interview went well...I'm so proud of him!!

The rest of our trip was spent going shopping, taking an Underground Tour of Seattle (which was so cool!!), drinking coffee, taking a ferry ride to Bainbridge Island (gorgeous!), walking through more beautiful neighborhoods, drinking coffee, going to the top of the Space Needle, visiting the Seattle Aquarium and finally... drinking more coffee!! I think I'm still having jitters from all the caffeine I consumed.

On our last day, we found ourselves a little sad about leaving Seattle. I know that sounds cheesy but there's just something about it that feels like home to us. There's so much to do there. We love being outdoors and this is a perfect place to hike, cycle, kayak, camp, ski, the list could go on and on. It is full of the arts and has a wonderful dance and performance community. We are anxious to get back out there soon and hopefully maybe move!!

This trip was so much more than I expected it to be. We had a great time and Brian is relieved his interview is over with. Of course...now we play the waiting game. We won't find anything out until later this spring. Ooooohhhhh the anticipation!! Haha. There's more pictures below from our trip.

Enjoy!

The above picture is of the public library in downtown Seattle. AMAZING!!! It is huge....11 stories tall and one of the neatest buildings that I have ever seen. This picture does not do it justice! If we move, one of the first things on my list is to go sign up for my membership there :)

Back to Reality...

2009-08-19T11:31:00.000-04:00

Well...it's that time of year again. Classes are starting back up at the dance studio and Brian is back to a normal schedule, at the hospital. We had such a wonderful time on our honeymoon. We got home on a Friday night and started working again Saturday! We were back on the road the next morning. Brian had to work a clinic in Hazard, KY and I was judging a pageant in Corbin.

We meant to post pictures sooner but we haven't really had a chance to slow down and do so! We will have them up in the next week or so. We enjoyed the time we were able to spend with each other and we really enjoyed not having to be on a schedule.

Pictures to come soon :)

It's Almost Here...

2009-07-20T18:34:00.001-04:00

Brian and I got married this past April but we have yet to take our honeymoon! Well...it's almost here...only 10 more days. We have been looking forward to this for so long. Just the two of us...on a beach...relaxing...it sounds so nice!

We had originally planned on going to an island, down near Florida but we decided to go somewhere a little more cost efficient. We are going to spend a week in Hilton Head, SC. Brian has never been but LOVES South Carolina so he is excited about seeing this part of the state. I fell in love with Hilton Head the first time I ever visited. It is such a fun town filled with great shops and WONDERFUL restaurants...oh...did I mention the beach?!?!?

Instead of spending money on 2 airplane tickets, a rental car and an overpriced hotel we opted to drive our own car to HHI. We have a great room, close to the beach, and we're excited to take our bikes with us and do some cycling while we're there. The trails are absolutely gorgeous!

We are going to take a day and drive into Savannah, GA. It's only about 30 miles away and we have never been. I've heard it's a great town and that there is lots to do. I'm excited to eat at Paula Deen's restaurant...that's why I want to go! Haha :)

I'm really looking forward to our trip together and spending time with my wonderful husband!

Our Goal for the Summer...

2009-07-04T20:23:00.000-04:00

What ever happened to the days of indulging yourself in a good book? Or, sitting down and really enjoying a good home-cooked dinner? We are all so guilty of over committing ourselves to countless things at once. Well...Brian and I have decided that, for the next month, we are going to SIMPLIFY our lives.

We are lucky that, over the next month, Brian does not have to take call and my schedule at the dance studio is much lighter than usual. So, we are really dedicated to committing ourselves to this new goal of ours. We want to simplify our home and our lives. It's time to throw out the stuff we don't really need and time to de-clutter!! No more scheduling twenty different appointments in one day. We want to spend more time with each other and with our family and friends. We get so caught up in our day to day lives that we sometimes forget about our relationships with others so we really want to make sure we are staying focused on the right things. So far...so good! July is going to be a wonderful month.

I've already enjoyed being able to read more and spend more time with the Lord than I usually do. This has been very rewarding for me and helps me get through the day with a lot more enthusiasm and energy. Brian and I now read TOGETHER...EVERY night before bed. We both read and study the bible on our own but it is so much fun to spend that time together. Speaking of reading...we have a pile of books that we've been putting off reading...we are looking forward to taking some time for ourselves and do things that we really enjoy doing! We have been working out so much more and the pay off has been wonderful. It's so great to feel more energized as we tackle our day. Brian and I look forward to finding more ways to simplifying our lives and we are excited to take advantage of the time that we get to spend together this month...before everything gets busy again!!

We Gave In...

2009-07-01T22:42:00.000-04:00

Well...we joined the rest of America and got an Apple iPhone!! We feel pretty lucky that we were even able to get one considering so many stores sold out pretty quickly within the first day that they were released. We've been looking forward to getting these and we've saved our money so that we could get the new version of the iPhone. Our AT&T store ran out of phones the first day so we made a day trip to the Apple store in Louisville! We know...it may seem crazy but we enjoyed the drive together and had a nice dinner while we were up there. June has proven to be a busy month for us and we really hadn't spent a lot of time together until our impromptu road trip so it was great to spend the day together. We are still in awe of our new gadgets...we are so amazed at how advanced technology has become over the past few years...it's pretty awesome!

Home Sweet Home?

2009-05-03T20:24:00.000-04:00

Only 18 more days and we are headed to Charleston, South Carolina. We are so excited and for so many different reasons.

First of all...we get to sneak away together for a few days and spend an ENTIRE weekend together. If you know us than you realize that this rarely happens! We are really looking forward to just relaxing with each other and enjoying our 8 1/2 hour drive with just the two of us.

We are also excited to visit one of our good friends while we are there. Brandon was accepted into the dental program at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). He's going to show us around campus and the city of Charleston.

The reason that we are really excited about this trip is because...we could eventually live here! Brian is looking into places for his fellowship in neurointerventional radiology and MUSC is way up there on our list. They have a great program for him and we both love South Carolina so this is really the main reason for our "weekend getaway". To meet some of his potential colleagues and to see if this truly a place that we could possibly call home. Brian starts the interview process this fall so we're trying in squeeze in some visits to places that he is really considering.

We are looking forward to see what Charleston has in store for us!!

Our New Experiment

2009-04-18T18:05:00.000-04:00

How many times have you gone to prepare a meal, only to realize that you didn't defrost the meat you needed or you had forgotten to pick up some of the ingredients at the store? If you're like us than this has happened countless times. And also, if you're like us, than you'll just hop in your car and drive to the grocery to pick up what you need. If you perform this same routine quite frequently, eventually your pantry, cabinets, refrigerator, and freezer begin to overflow and you run out of room to store everything. I don't know how many times we've gone to the store and brought back something only to find that we already had it and that we had just forgotten about it. Well...no more!

Inspired by another blog that we keep up with, Keeper of the Home, we have decided that we were going to create our menu plan, for the next TWO WEEKS, using only the items that we already have in our kitchen. That means NO trips to the grocery store...except for our "essentials". We consider these to be our milk, eggs, bread, orange juice and of course...Diet Pepsi. If you know us than you realize that we can not function without our Diet Pepsi :)

At first, we didn't think it would be that hard to come up with our menu ideas. When we looked in our cabinets and freezer it seemed that we had plenty to choose from. After sitting down and beginning to make our menu, we realized that this may be a bit more challenging than we had originally anticipated. We came to find that we may be cooking things and creating meals that we may have never thought of.

We're hoping that this little experiment of ours disciplines us and we're also hoping that this will lower our overall cost of groceries.

Breakfasts will consist of cereal, fruit or toast on most weekday mornings. Lunches will be eaten at home or taken to work. Lunches will be sandwiches or leftovers. That is another thing we are working on...eating our leftovers and not letting our food go to waste. We have gotten much better with this.

Here is our dinner menu plan for the next two weeks:

Saturday: Chili Dogs with Mashed Potatoes (Very healthy...we know!!)

Sunday: Turkey Melt Sandwiches with Asparagus

Monday: Eggs and Toast

Tuesday: Vegetable Soup with Cornbread

Wednesday: Chicken Swiss Bake with Green Beans and Corn

Thursday: Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Friday: Chicken and Corn Chowder Soup with Toast

Saturday: We are cheating this night and going out to dinner but it is for a good reason...we're celebrating our April Birthdays!

Sunday: Cheeseburgers with Homemade Hash browns

Monday: Pancakes ( can you tell we're starting to run out of ideas?!?!)

Tuesday: Chicken Noodle Soup with Toast or some sort of sandwich

Wednesday: Parmesan Crusted Chicken and Peas over Pasta with Light Alfredo Sauce and Garlic Bread

Thursday: Egg Sandwiches

Friday: Taco Night!

Saturday: Ravioli and Asparagus with Garlic Toast

We think we did a pretty good job at making this menu plan. Now let's hope we can stick to it!

Making It Work

2009-04-16T11:05:00.000-04:00

So last Tuesday I decided to pay my mom a quick visit at her workplace. I was driving on New Circle Road, two exits away from where I was supposed to get off, when a chunk of wood, about the size of a brick (a little larger), came flying out of the bed of the pick up truck in front of me. I was so worried it was going to hit my windshield...I couldn't swerve into the other lane because of the cars traveling so quickly and I couldn't swerve off the road because there was a ditch. I slowed down as much as I could but ultimately the wood hit the front grill of my car and continued to bounce and hit underneath. The lights on my dashboard flashed for a moment but my airbag light remained on. I pulled off to the nearest exit because I was so scared that the airbag was going to go off. Luckily...it didn't! I called my dealership and had my car towed to the body shop. They told me that I was smart to pull off and not continue to drive because anything could have set off the airbag. I'm so grateful that my airbags didn't go off...it would have made the situation so much worse.

After waiting for about an hour, the tow truck finally arrived! While I waited, I called my mom, who came and stayed with me, and told Brian everything that had happened. I was also two and a half hours late for work. I was on the phone so long that afternoon talking with the insurance people and the workers at the body shop...I was exhausted! There wasn't a whole lot that they could do so I had to wait until Wednesday to get an estimate. The girl working told me that she would call me back by noon on Wednesday with the estimate and we would take it from there. We were pretty sure insurance would cover most of it but we just had to wait and make sure. Sooooo...Wednesday rolled around and I hadn't heard anything so I called and left several messages...nothing! I was so frustrated! Thursday rolled around...still nothing! Again...I called and left several messages with the woman I had been in contact with. Friday rolled around...FINALLY, after I called, I got some information. They still hadn't completed my estimate!

All this time, Brian and I have been carpooling to and from work. I will get up early and take him to work and he will stay late, until I'm done at the studio, and then I will go back and pick him up. It was pretty rough the first few days but we've gotten used to it and it's nice to spend some time together in the mornings.

Well, I finally got my full estimate on Monday afternoon and they have been working on my car since Tuesday. Hopefully I will have it tomorrow!!

This entire situation has been less than ideal but sometimes God puts you in situations for a reason. I've learned to be more patient and Brian and I have made our routine work and we have adapted to our schedules. By getting up earlier I have actually gotten a lot more done around the house and, when Brian stays late at the hospital, he gets his dictations done for his clinics much more quickly. When he does them at home I feel like there are so many distractions so this has actually helped him stay more focused.

I'm just thankful that I, or anyone else, wasn't injured. Things could have of been a lot worse. Brian and I have come to enjoy spending our mornings together!

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T14:29:00.001-04:00

We hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!

A Day Off!

2009-04-07T13:23:00.001-04:00

We both had the day off from work yesterday so, after catching up on some must needed rest, we headed up to Cincinnatti, Ohio for some shopping and good food! We did some shopping in the Kenwood area and bought some things for our home. We are in love with our new towels from Pottery Barn...I'm so glad our good friend Diana suggested we check them out. We got some items to organize our bedroom and office and also got a new shower curtain for the master bath. Again...I got very excited about the shower curtain! It really brightnened up the bathroom. I introduced Brian to Crate & Barrel ( that's where we got our shower curtain) and I'm pretty sure he loves it as much as I do. After lots of shopping we headed to one of our favorite restaurants...Cheesecake Factory. Yum! It was a perfect day and it was wonderful to spend some time with each other. When we got back home we immediately started putting our things to use. Once we get everything organized and all of our wedding presents put away we will post some pictures of our place for our friends and family to see!

The Knot Has Officially Been Tied!!

2009-04-05T21:08:00.000-04:00

We're finally married!! Yesterday was the big day and we were so blessed to be surrounded by our family and friends as we shared our vows and joined in celebration. More pictures to come soon...we are too tired to write tonight! This past week has been a whirlwind and yesterday was a blur so we are still on cloud nine and can't believe that we are now husband and wife :)

Nap Time...Please?!?!

2009-04-02T01:58:00.000-04:00

Only a couple more days and we're going to be married! We can't believe it. So much has been going on this week. Last minute errands and making sure everything is in place for the weekend events. We have both lost sleep and we found ourselves dragging today. I mean...we are absolutely exhausted!! We've been keeping ourselves busy from morning to night but when it's time to go to bed, we find ourselves talking/ texting to who knows what time!

I think it's just because we have so much on our minds and such a wide variety of emotions. We're excited, nervous, anxious, stressed, happy...and TIRED!! Haha.

Actually, I'm writing this right now because I'm still wide awake and can't seem to sleep. It's been this way, for both of us, the past few nights. Any suggestions?

Maybe I'll try to read...that may help! I have a feeling we won't get around to blogging in the next couple of days so keep us in your thoughts and prayers and when we return...we'll be husband and wife :)

Stay Tuned!

2009-03-31T00:53:00.000-04:00

We have not blogged in such a long time. We really miss it but the past few weeks have been absolutely crazy! Between our work schedules and preparing for the wedding we haven't had a lot of free time on our hands. After this weekend is over we can't wait to share everything that has been going on with us.

We're looking forward to seeing all of our friends and family this weekend. We hope everyone has safe travels and let's all pray for good weather!

The Countdown Begins!

2009-03-04T20:46:00.001-05:00

It's official... only 1 more month until we tie the knot!!! We are soooo excited...now...back to the planning!!

Wedding Update!

2009-02-25T19:27:00.001-05:00

We have started to feel the stresses of planning a wedding! The past few weeks have been so hectic. It has been very difficult to stay organized and work around everyone's crazy schedule. But...not too much longer until...our wedding day!!!!!!! We can not wait to spend the day with our family and friends and finally be husband and wife. We have officially decided that we are waiting until August to take our honeymoon. Our work schedules right now are hard to work around so we would rather wait until we know that we can really enjoy ourselves and not be worried about work and everything we have to get done. We just want to relax and August will be a better time for that...plus...it will give us something to look forward to! So much to do and so little time...haha. Keep us in your prayers!

Getting Organized...

2009-02-19T12:36:00.000-05:00

When two people get married there comes the task of combining two homes into one. That is exactly what we are going through right now. We are trying to make room for all of our "stuff" and go through and get rid of things that we never use. As stressful and daunting as this is we are slowly but surely making progress. One of the first things we have done is hang shelves in some closets and rooms. This created a lot more storage space for us to use. Instead of spending money on expensive shelving we actually made our own. It was pretty easy to do...Brian was confident that we could do it and make it look it good but I was a little more hesitant! After a trip to Lowe's, to get our wood pieces cut into the size that we needed, we came back home and painted and stained our shelves. We had all of our shelves sanded and painted in one night and hung the next day. It was that simple! These are our pics of some of our shelves in our laundry room and in one of our bathroom closets. I know...this is a pretty random thing to be blogging about but...it was something that we did together and one of our first steps in creating a home together so we are very proud of ourselves! We made shelves for both walls in our laundry room but our other shelf was pretty messy so I decided to not post a picture of it for the whole world to see! Next up...the office! We have started to tackle this monstrous room and should be done with it by the weekend. We'll keep you posted!

Ready for Spring!

2009-02-12T14:05:00.001-05:00

We are so ready for spring! No more snow, ice, or cold weather! The weather has been quite nice the past few days...yesterday being the exception. We can handle some rain but not 50 mph winds...that was awful. We love cycling and we are itching to get our bikes back out on the road. Hannah took hers out for a little bit last week but it was still a little chilly so she didn't last too long! We're also getting a little bored running on a treadmill...we would much rather run outside where we can really enjoy running. With spring weather comes more opportunites for trips to the dog park. Our "kids" get a little restless when we don't take them on a regular basis. We've taken them a few times during the winter months but it gets so cold and we never end up staying for too long. Nothing is better than taking those leashes off of them and just watching them run! They have a blast and they ususally come home and sleep the rest of the day...which is kind of nice for us! Is anyone else feeling this way? We are so over winter! Let's SPRING forward! haha...we know...corny!

TGIF!!!!!!

2009-02-06T14:21:00.001-05:00

Haha...this is how we feel after this week! We are so glad it is the weekend and we are excited that we don't have too much on our agenda. We may actually get to spend some time together...what's that? It certainly hasn't been a bad week...just a long one. We haven't really seen each other a whole lot this week. Between Brian studying for his inservice exam and our work schedules it's really been hit or miss. When one of us is working, the other one is off! Other than our usual Saturday morning errands and a rehearsal Sunday afternoon, the rest of our time is all for us! Who knows what we'll get into...movies maybe? Gym? Dog park? We'll probably just be lazy and lounge around...hey?...what's wrong with that?!?! Haha...Have a good weekend :)

Lazy Days...

2009-02-04T11:53:00.000-05:00

The dogs were pretty restless after a few days of not being able to go outside and play. We had to make do with their toys inside. Carson got to the point where he would just hop in his toy basket and play in there! He usually doesn't do that...it was pretty funny! Then there was one day when we took the dogs out and let them run around for a while despite the ice and snow...apparently it wore Carson and Coco out. They were out for the rest of the day. Carson was so tired that he fell asleep in his basket while getting a toy!

We got pretty bored at night and tried find ways to entertain ourselves...one night we set up our camera and took random pictures. Apparently something was really funny...haha. We are thankful that the weather is clearing up and we can't wait for the spring!

Here's some pics from the Snow/Ice Storm...

2009-02-03T21:53:00.000-05:00

Ice Storm 2009!!

2009-02-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

We survived the ice storm of '09! haha...and today we have another snow day! I was out of work all of last week. The studio was closed because of the weather and the schools, here in town, were shut down all week. We were fortunate to keep our electricity...I know my mom was out for a few days. We did feel blessed that we could have her over and help her and my sister stay warm! The ice stayed around for quite a few days and finally began to melt on Sunday and Monday and today....it's been snowing for the past few hours! My work has been cancelled for tonight and Brian... is still working! He has to go in no matter what...a hospital never shuts down! We took a lot of pictures of the snow and ice but we will have to upload them later for everyone to see...there are some good ones...especially of our dogs...they love the snow!

And They're Off...

2009-01-19T11:22:00.001-05:00

We officially started our training for the Kentucky Derby miniMarathon! We are so excited to participate in this event and we are looking forward to spending the day with many of our close friends who are also racing. We were supposed to race last year but between our schedules and overcoming spring allergies we opted to sit out... but not this year!! We are doing it no matter what! The race falls on Hannah's 24th birthday so it should be an exciting day. We'll keep you posted on how training goes... right now we're pretty motivated but I'm sure we'll have our struggles. Haha!

A Very Cold Trip to the Dog Park

2009-01-12T10:18:00.001-05:00

Our dogs have been pretty restless since they haven't been to the dog park the past few days. It's been raining off and on and they have had to stay indoors and they were getting bored with us! We thought it would be a good idea to take Carson and Coco to the park so they could get out some of that energy! They loved it! No one else was at the dog park so they had it all to themselves... they ran and ran and ran! They probably could have kept going but it was freezing so we didn't last too long. It was 30 degrees outside so we only stayed about 20 minutes or so. Even though it was a short trip, the dogs loved it and it wore them out. We're already planning another trip later this week!

Brian's First Triathlon!

2009-01-09T14:33:00.000-05:00

This past fall Brian competed in his very first triathlon! Brian has always loved to run and cycle so he thought he would give this a try. We originally planned on competing together. I even bought my first "real" bike. I trained with him, and he usually out cycled me, but October turned out to be a pretty hectic month for me and I had NO energy by the time the race rolled around! Brian cycled all the time and ran almost every day... I think he forgot about the swimming portion... haha! We joke about how that wasn't his strongest area. Needless to say... he had a blast doing it and I am so proud that he met his goal of just finishing his first triathlon and not giving up. Our goal for next year? For both of us to do it together and for Brian to improve his swimming skills :)

Hannah