Putting Away Christmas

I do a lot of thinking on my drive to and from work. 

That can be a good thing, but also a bad thing. 

One thing I have thought a lot about this year is how Christmas truly doesn't start until Christmas Day. 
There are twelve days of Christmas and the first is on Christmas Day.  Growing up we did not take down our tree until the 6th, and sometimes a few days after that. 

I hear so many people saying Christmas is over.  But it has just started! 

And then I got to thinking about those that take down their Christmas the day of Christmas or the day after, and I am not bashing or saying bad about anyone, and I know people who put up their Christmas at the first of November, so in that case I would be ready to put it all away on the day after Christmas. 

But what I wondered was when we put away all of our Christmas, are we also putting away our love for Christ.  We build up during Advent (which is actually the time before Christmas Day), and we light our Advent candles at church, we talk about the birth of Christ and the angels and the wise men coming to visit, but after Christmas, we seem to put all of that away also.  Our cheer is gone, our getting together with family is done, our diets start, our resolutions are made (which I don't think I kept a single one of mine from this past year). 

I decided to do an Advent devotional this year, and it really opened my eyes to what Christmas is really truly celebrating.  I have always known it was Jesus' birthday, and why we celebrate, but this year it was different.  It was more meaningful.  It makes me want to study the Bible A LOT more.  I am so intrigued by it all.  I don't want to put away Christmas because I feel like we will forget.  Not really forget, but you know what I mean. 

I had a really good point to all of this, and of course it will hit me when I am not at my computer, but I guess what I want to say is that Christmas is not over.  We should really celebrate Christmas all year long because if it were not for Christmas, we would not have a Saviour! 

There is a video somewhere that goes into detail about what the 12 Days of Christmas song really meant, and I will find it one day again.  Just wish we could have Christmas spirit all the time.  Now the Christmas grumpiness and car honking can go away for good, but we should spread cheer all the time.

I will stop my rambling now. 

Expectations

Lately I have been thinking a lot about expectations and not meeting them.  Mostly expectations of things I want to do and how I want things to turn out.

I told myself over and over again that Christmas this year was going to be better than ever.  Lou and I would take Jake out one night and go look at Christmas lights and all smile at the beauty.  That didn't happen.  Either Lou was sick, Jake was sick, or I was sick, or I had to work late, or we didn't have Jake on the weekend.  And the season slipped by once again.  I did want to go out one night, but it was rainy, so on Christmas Eve we took the non-interstate way home to take Jake to his mom's and I saw lots of lights.  That was our lights moment :)

I also told myself that one Friday when Jake was here we would bake chocolate chip cookies and all sit on the couches with the tree lit and watch Christmas movies.  See reasons above as to why that didn't happen.  I made some pumpkin bread, but that was about it.  And it wasn't my best.

I feel like I build things up so much in my mind and when they don't happen just the way I want them to, I feel like everything is ruined.  But it's not.  There are so many other moments that are happening around that make those missed ones seem unimportant.

I want to have a tree that is overflowing with presents wrapped in brown craft paper and a homemade tag that I saw on Pinterest with twine or ribbon wrapped perfectly around the package.  I used to LOVE to wrap presents.  The gross amount of wrapping paper that I still own will attest to that.  I LOVED to sit for hours and find the perfect sized box to put the present in and then wrap and make it look all pretty and then lay it under my tree.  Well this year, Lou did all the wrapping except for a few gifts, and at first I couldn't handle how he wrapped, but had to get over it.  Jake wrapped Lou's present, and at first I wanted to jump in and help, but I had to tell myself that it honestly does not matter what it comes in.  My mom always uses bags.  I couldn't stand it because I wanted to literally rip the paper off.  Now I like bags.

I feel like I always set myself up for failure.  I set my expectations so high that no one can obtain them.  There will never be a perfect Christmas, that happened over 2000 years ago.  There will always be lights to look at....stars in the sky, well once all this rain goes away.  There will always be cookies and movies...Chips A Hoy Reduced Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies are always on the shelf, and movies can be watched any time, not just at Christmas.  Wrapping paper isn't important...and the presents aren't either.

If you had talked to me last Christmas, I sounded like a complete and total spoiled brat.  I knew how much money I was getting and I was going to spend every penny on myself.  No one else.  And I threw a big ole fit when Lou suggested we pool our money together.  I'm talking heaving crying.  But all I knew was to spend my money on myself.  Now I have to share?  How dare anyone ask me to share?  Yeah.  Not my proudest moment.  Really can't believe I wrote it on here, but I want to be open and honest.

This year Lou and I unanimously agreed to take the money and pay off our only credit card.  We don't owe much at all but we don't want to owe.  And I was excited to get it paid off!  I don't need anything.  Lou and I exchanged gifts, but for once in my life I could not think of one single thing that I needed or wanted.  I was a little shocked myself.  Of course now I can think of a few things....but then on the Monday before Christmas our washing machine decided to stop working, well stop draining and then violently jerk.  So the money we were going to use to pay off our card now went to a new washer, thanks to my incredibly gracious parents.  We gotta have clean clothes.

I wrote in another post how devastated I was that Christmas was not going to be how I pictured it in my head.  And I have really let that get me down.  But why?  The parents and my coworkers all asked me how my Christmas was and I said pretty good.  But it was a good Christmas!  Was it how I wanted?  No.  But did I get to do all that I wanted and see who I wanted?  YES.  Were there times I wished I was at home with just Lou and I?  Of course.  But just because my expectations don't turn out the exact way I picture them doesn't mean everything is ruined.

I don't need the most expensive car or purse or piece of jewelry wrapped perfectly in brown craft paper with a custom bow from Pinterest.  I was happy watching Jake and Lou open their presents and my parents open theirs from each other.  I need to stop setting myself for failure, and it's not really a failure if I don't do all of those things, but they happen in their own way, even though it's not the perfect Christmas I picture in my mind. 

Just getting some thoughts out. 

Christmas at the Mills' House

I LOVE Christmas.  Love everything about it - except for the drama - haha!

I LOVE to decorate and pull out all of my Christmas goodies!  

Here are a few pics!

Even though all of the decorations are put up, except for the tree and ornaments, I am still celebrating.  Christmas actually starts on Christmas Day!  We have 8 more days of Christmas!!

I am excited for the new year and want it to be a positive year!

Liz

Christmas 2014

I'll be honest - this was not one of those Christmases I will be raving about for years and look back on.  It had some really really good parts, but there were other parts that were just down right not what I wanted to happen...

I have always dreamed what Christmas would be like growing up...and I will be honest, in years past it met every expectation...I loved spending the night at my parents house and since the boys had moved away they were always at mom and dads for Christmas and we would wait til they went to sleep and put out the presents and then wait until they woke up the next morning and everyone would open their gifts and we would all go out to the Opryland Hotel and eat brunch, then come home and fall into a food coma.  Nothing better.

Last year was my first year to not wake up at my parents house, but it was my first Christmas being married and we had Jake on Christmas Day.  It was a really good day because we opened presents, then my parents, sister and her family and my aunt and uncle came over and we had Christmas lunch.  Then we went to Lou's grandparents for Christmas Day night.  It was different, but it was a good different and I was excited to wake up on Christmas morning with my still new husband and step-son and see Christmas in a different way. 

So this year Lou had to work on Christmas Day.  I have known that he would have to work every other Christmas Day since we started dating, and it does not bother me because we do our Christmas with Jake on Christmas Eve Morning. 

I had in my head that we would do all the Christmas Eve festivities with Jake in the morning and then head to my parents, maybe hit up a Christmas Eve service and then eat the traditional finger foods at mom and dads.  We would take Jake home that night, and Lou and I would go to bed early because he would have to get up and go to work the next morning.  I would head over to my parents and the boys would arrive and they would open their presents from Santa, we would eat lunch, I would hang out until it was time to go and meet up with Lou to go to his family's Christmas celebration...it would be perfect!  I was so excited because this was probably the last year that Braxton would really believe in Santa, or hopefully he still believed.  Thatcher is still at a good age.  So I was so thankful that I was going to be there when they got to see what Santa had delivered. 

I texted my sister a few weeks before Christmas and asked when Jaime would be dropping the boys off and she said 4pm.  My heart immediately sank.  I would have to leave before they got there to go home and meet up with Lou.  I knew this would be the first Christmas since they were born that I would not get to spend time with them.  I could see my perfect Christmas unraveling.  I knew that Susan and her man friend would also be leaving sometime early the next morning with the boys to go to Minnesota.  It would be early early the next day, so I was not going to get to see them at all at Christmas.  They were not here for Thanksgiving (I was banned due to flu exposure), and now Christmas.  The one holiday I love more than anything.  The one holiday I would do everything in my power to make perfect. 

There was no talking anyone into staying so my parents and I could see the boys.  I begged and pleaded and bawled my eyes out because I was absolutely devastated that I would not get to see them on Christmas Day.  I could not bare the thought.  I was told that if I wanted to see them, I would have to call my ex-brother in law.

So I did.  And he was incredibly gracious enough to meet up with Lou, Jake, and myself to have lunch on Christmas Eve so I could see the boys.  I cried as we left the restaurant because they are growing up so fast and I know that they won't really want to hang out with their Aunt Liz for much longer.  Those are my kids, those are my boys - not really, but you know what I mean. 

Christmas Eve morning Lou made breakfast and then we opened presents and it was just perfect.  We turned on Christmas Vacation and then got ready to head to Shelbyville to meet Jamie and the boys.  Then we headed to my parents house and did Christmas presents and finger foods and we skipped going to a Christmas Eve service because we needed to get Jake back so he could spend Christmas Eve with his mom and step dad and then Lou would have to go to bed early.  It all worked out, but the boys were not there and it was weird. 

Lou woke up early and went to work and I woke up a little later and finished my Advent devotional for the season.  I really enjoyed doing my devotional and it really opened my eyes and made me more aware of Christmas. 

I eventually got up and ready and headed to my parents house for brunch and then watched them open presents.  (We opened ours the night before.)  It just didn't seem like Christmas Day.  I took a long nap and then headed back home to get ready to go to Lou's family Christmas.  It was good, just still didn't feel like Christmas.

Maybe I have been expecting Christmas to always feel a certain way and go a certain way and I have such high expectations that I am crushed when they don't go the way I planned in my head.  Maybe I am seeing how it is going to be from now on.  Family scattered, no one is together, running around from house to house. 

I have resigned myself to the fact that Christmas will never be like it was.  There are going to be lots more where I don't see my nephews, where my parents won't see their grandkids, and no one gives a second thought.  I kept thinking that maybe I was just being selfish because I wanted to spend Christmas day with my nephews and parents if I couldn't be with my husband.  And I got to be with my parents, so there is always a plus side to it.

I was just happy to get it over with.  And I know it could be a lot worse and that I did get to see my nephews, but I am also allowed to wallow in my self pity for a few.  There are so many changes happening that I just can't wrap my mind around and certain actions that just make me shake my head.  I won't ever know why people act and do certain things, but I have always said that family comes first, and I have learned that family changes and families dissolve, but you always go back to family. 

I am so thankful that Lou and I have our family with Jake and that we find joy in celebrating with him.  Those moments made my Christmas. 

I needed to get this out.  I needed to talk about it and not have anyone say anything.  I am tired of explaining why I am upset and being told I shouldn't be upset, but I am allowed to be upset.  I am allowed to vent my frustrations.  It's Christmas.  It's supposed to be about spending time with family.  And I got to do that, just wish things would go back the way they were.  With Lou and Jake included. 

Just needed to write. 
It's just the second day of Christmas, and I am going to start looking forward to the new year. 

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!

Last Saturday, October 18th, my parents celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary!!

 Sorry about the glare on your face mom!!  

Words cannot express what y'all mean to me!!

Love you!!

Happy Birthday Lou!!

I'm a day late posting about Lou's Birthday, but better late than never!!

There are so many things I love about Lou, it's hard to put them all down, but here are a few...that rhymes.

Lou is an amazing cook.  

I like to blame his cooking on the reason I can't/won't lose weight.  

He puts hot sauce on EVERYTHING. 

And not just hot sauce, Dave's Insanity Sauce.

He is a wonderful dad to Jake.

He cares so much for him and wants nothing but the best and will stop at nothing to give Jake what he needs.  He works hard to instill values, morals, and general things that kids should know.  It's not always easy, but he never quits.

He is a wonderful husband.

He puts up with me, so he has to be.  

We agree to disagree on things and he respects my opinions and differences. 

There is never a dull moment and he is always texting or saying something funny.

Sometimes I would like for him to be serious, and he is when he needs to be, but he likes to laugh.

He likes to go to hockey games and loves to go hiking and camping.

He is definitely an outdoorsman!  And I like hockey also, so it's a good fit!

I do stay home when he goes camping.  No bathrooms, no thank you.

He can quote Star Wars like I can quote Steel Magnolias and Dumb and Dumber.

He says he met his soul mate once I started quoting Dumb and Dumber.

What can I say, I got a good one :)

Happy Birthday Lou!!

Liz and Lou Said I Do...One Year Ago

October 12, 2014 was our FIRST Wedding Anniversary!!

What a year it has been!  It has flown by!!

Now it hasn't been all rainbows and butterflies, but I know we are stronger and better and have learned A LOT from this first year.

In true Liz and Lou fashion, we celebrated on Saturday by going to our favorite Mexican restaurant and then heading to a hockey game!!  It was so much fun and the game was awesome!

We slept in on Sunday and went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  (That's what we did the Sunday after we got married, so we thought we would start a tradition.)

Our cake topper was at my parent's house, so my mom brought it over and we took a bite.  It still smelled so sweet, and if we had let it thaw a little longer, it would have probably been pretty good, but one year old cake ain't gonna be fresh.

People say the first year of marriage is the hardest, and if you can get through the first year, you can make it through anything.  It was hard.  It was hard to take two very independent, strong willed, stubborn, bull headed individuals and mash them together.  We did not live together before getting married, so it was truly a learning experience.

Who takes out the trash?  Who does the dishes?  Who cleans the toilets?

I know everyone has expectations of how they want their marriage to be, and I know I had my thoughts and ideas, but it is nothing like I thought it would be.  And not in a bad way.  Sure we had our days, but who doesn't? 

We laugh all the time.  He snores all the time.  We both need our time to be by ourselves, and we have learned to respect that time and tell each other when we need it.

I bug him about certain things and I know there are things that I do that get on his everlasting nerve, but we have learned to just look past those little things and enjoy the time we have. 

It's been a really good year, and I hope that every year after this first one is even better.

Happy Birthday Jake!!

Today is Jake's 12th Birthday!!!

I met Jake when he was only 8 (almost 9).  It has been fun to watch him grow!  

He is extremely smart and funny and loves to ride fast roller coasters!  

This year he is in the 6th grade and is currently a purple belt in Karate!

I have learned that eggs with maple syrup is good to eat at Cracker Barrell, and Pokemon cards are pretty cool.  I can't wait to see what they future holds for you!  

Happy 12th Birthday Jake!!  

Happy 39th Birthday Susan!!

Today is my sister's 39th birthday!!  She is ALMOST 40!!  

But seriously she looks like she is 25.  Lucky.  

I always say that we are completely different, but the same in a lot of ways.
We have completely different views and ideas about lots of things, but that's what makes it fun.

We don't look alike at all, but we are definitely sisters!

Not only is she my biological sister, she is my KD sister!

She's pretty great!
We used to fight - and may still sometimes do - like you would not believe, but the first person to say something or hurt her would get the wrath of Elizabeth.

I would play tricks on her growing up and one time she threw a hair pick at me and I pretended I was blinded and that I couldn't see and she started to run down to call 911 and I had to stop her.

She also used to burn my head with a curling iron on purpose.  Still scars me to this day - hahahahahahaha!!  (Kidding about the scarring.)

She gave birth to my nephews who I love more than life itself!

 She doesn't half do anything, she does it 2000 percent.  She won't say no, and she will do whatever it takes to get a job done and to do it better than right.

She's a dedicated hard worker, and she's my sister!

Happy Birthday!

The countdown to 40 is on!!!

Friday Night Is All Right for Writing

So it's about 9:30 on a Friday night, Lou is already asleep as he has to be at work in Nashville at 6 am, and I keep telling myself I am going to clean tomorrow, but we shall see if that happens.  It actually has to happen.

This week has been weird.  Weird in a good way and weird in a bad way.  Not really sure why.

I have been really bothered by all that is going on in Iraq and stumbled across a video that I will never ever be able to erase from my mind, and cannot believe what I saw, but I know that is happening all the time and it is so hard for me to just sit here and not be able to do anything.  But I have been praying.  Not really knowing what to say at all, but telling God that I don't know what to say.

I was driving out of school and at a stop sign looked at FB really quick and saw all of the posts of Robin Williams death.  I literally gasped and yelled NO in the car.  It's just shocking!

Two, TWO!! tanker trucks carrying gasoline wrecked and exploded here around Nashville in the last few days.  Not connected in any way, but still so random.  One driver lost his life and I cannot imagine what the family is going through.  The traffic is going to be horrendous for the next few months because it was under two bridges - one new and one old - and the new one was not complete, but they both have to be torn down.  In an already horribly congested area with construction, this is going to be nightmarish for months.  But someone's life was lost and it was not intentional and it could happen to anyone, so we have to remember the family and deal with what happens.  Thankfully I don't have to travel this way on a daily basis, but most of the families in my program do and every back road imaginable will now become clogged with more traffic trying to fight it's way into Nashville.  It's so easy to think about how our lives are going to be completely turned upside down, when this man's family is being turned upside down also.  I need a new mindset.

A mom I know is battling cancer.  She said I could ask for prayers for her.  The chemo is making her sick and I am just heartbroken for her and her family.  She has an amazing support system, but it is so hard to know she is fighting a horrible battle.

Here I am complaining that our HOA had made a new rule that we can't have our charcoal grill anymore, and there are people who are literally fighting to stay alive.  

There are just so many people and situations to pray for right now.  I don't even know what to pray for, but again God knows. 

With school starting and all of the school supplies being out everywhere, it literally makes my heart ache.  The thought of never being able to teach in my own classroom again is painful.  I know there is a reason I am not in the classroom, and I know that there is something bigger and better than I could ever imagine around the corner, and I am really learning to be patient and wait.  It's not easy, but what else can I do?  It's not in my time. 

In other news, work has been good!  We started our first full week of school programming and the response has been great!  I have kids whose parents come to pick them up and they are upset and don't want to go home, so the parents let them stay!  Our enrollment has skyrocketed!  I am truly blessed with a great staff and great kiddos and parents!

I am still washi tape cray cray and saw a roll on a fb page and looked through 35 pages of product on Etsy to find it and eventually did, but it was pennant banner/flags, so it was worth the hunt.

I got a much needed cut and color this week, and trying to be a little more brave with the cuts, so I got a cute bob, but you really can't tell, but I know so that's cool. 

I showed restraint at the Wal-Mart (on a day I actually went to 3 different Wal-Marts) when wanting to buy the stuff to make new living room curtains, but knew that I needed to wait.  Gotta clean first before I can make new ones.  And my reasoning for going to 3 Wal-Marts in one day???  Went to the first one for work, the second one to see if they had the grosgrain ribbon decorative adhesive tape that I found at the Wal-Mart by my house (that I despise going to with all of my being), and then finally had to go to my Wal-Mart and found what I wanted.  In my opinion, the best places to buy washi tape is Michael's.  I'm not really sure why Hobby Lobby hasn't jumped on the bandwagon and really taken stock in that.  They could make a killing!  I do however get my really cute stickers there. 

Trying to wrap my mind around a kind of emotional roller coaster of a week, but I know it will all be okay.  It will all get figured out.  That was my motto for the summer - We will figure it out.  And we always did and no one suffered and all was well.

So this Friday night has been a random modge podge of stuff, but that is how my brain has been for the last week.  I hope to clean tomorrow to get that out of my head and have every intention to, but after I catch up on my DVR'd episodes of Unsolved Mysteries, though I must say Robert Stack will always be my first pick for host.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy 9th Birthday Braxton!

Yesterday was my nephew Braxton's 9th birthday!!  

What can I say about this kid other than he changed my life. 

 I was an aunt for the first time.  

I was the biggest baby hog you have ever seen. 

 I probably took more pictures of him than his parents.  Not kidding either.  

Words can't even begin to describe how this child made my life completely different.  

I acted as if he was mine, but of course I didn't do the all night feedings, so it was even more perfect!  

I can't take credit for him, but I would if I could.  

He captured my heart the minute I saw him and hasn't let go.

My heart hurts that he is getting too big to come and cuddle up with Aunt Wiz (as he used to call me), and it embarrasses him when I want to give him a kiss, but there are those times when he looks me in the eye and asks me not to go that just make me want to cry, like I am doing now.

 I worry about Braxton and Thatcher growing up and making the right choices, and will they be careful when they start driving, and I know I have a few years, but I still worry.

I'm a sucker for them!

This pic is about 2 years old, but it's one of my favorites.

Braxton, always know that Aunt Liz loves you and will do anything for you!

Thank you for making me an aunt!!

StayCation 2014

Every summer Jake stays with Lou for a week...Lou takes the whole week off, and I have lots of vacation time saved up, so I decided to take a week off also!! 

Monday we went to meet my mom for lunch at a place in Nolensville that Lou and I had eaten at before and it was soooooo good!  I highly recommend Amico's New York Pizza! 

Mom and I went and ran a few errands where I got lots of washi tape and cute stickers for my planner!!

Yes, I am a 34 year old lady who likes stickers.  Don't judge.  You know you do too :)

Came home and spent the rest of the day working on my week layouts :)

To me it was a great first day - relaxing and a good meal - what more could you ask for!

Tuesday I ran a few more errands that consisted of buying more washi tape.  Yep, it's an obsession. 

Took Jake to the bookstore, where I ordered him a book and bought one for me that I had seen lots of bloggers that I follow endorse.  I haven't read a bad one yet that they had suggested, so I knew this one would be good also.  So far, so good! 

 I got the four rolls above at Office Depot.  I also had a coupon so it was cheap! 

So cute!!!

For weeks we had planned on taking Jake to Six Flags in Atlanta, so we were up by 5 am and out the door before 6!  We were ready to go! 

Now I am the first to admit, roller coasters are not my first pick for a trip, but I wanted to go and I was determined to ride some rides.  (My last ride experience was at Hollywood Studios at Disney riding the Start Wars ride thing, and I about lost my stomach.)

Lou had bought the tickets online, the parking pass online, and the flash pass online, so we didn't have to wait too long to get in.  We got our flash pass and went to the first ride and it was not working at the moment, so we went to the Scorcher.  We got right on, and the seats were like bicycle seats and you had to climb on it and then push down.  My buckle would not connect to the harness so the lady had to help me.  She pushed the harness in and at that moment it was not a good day to be a girl.  And I couldn't breathe to well, but off we went.  About 2 seconds in I could feel my stomach churning.  I just had to pretend I was at the beach and pray that the ride would be over soon.  As soon as I got off I literally stumbled over to the rail and sat down.  The workers came running over and I was fine, just was about to puke everywhere.  But, I didn't!!!

The next ride Jake wanted to ride was the Dare Devil.  I took one look and decided that I would really puke if I rode that one, so I opted out.  Of course I sat where they were starting karaoke.  Fun times!  

We grabbed lunch and then headed towards the MindBender.  I was going to ride this one, even though it had a few upside down loops.  It was AWESOME!!  I kept my eyes open and I really let myself enjoy it!  

We then headed to Gotham City to ride Batman, but again I took one look and knew it would not be good.  This getting old stuff is not good.  I used to ride rides all the time at Opryland!  

I took a pics of the guys in front of the Bat Mobile...

We then headed to ride a water ride, similar to the Grizzly River Rampage at Opryland.  It was pretty good, my kind of ride.  HA!  

Next ride was the Ninja, and again I opted to sit out.  Of course I want to ride the old, rickety wooden roller coasters that don't flip or twist like the new ones, but we were going to ride the Superman, but decided to ride the Georgia Cyclone and then let Jake play some games.  

We got right on the Georgia Cyclone, and this was the one we tried to ride as soon as we got there which was closed for maintenance or something, that should have been my first sign not to ride it.  We hopped on, started up the incline and stopped.  Yep, we got stuck.  It was maybe a total of 10 minutes, but still, it was scary.  And then once the ride started, I understood why Lou doesn't like the old wooden ones.  I was never so glad to get off a ride in my life!!

We took Jake to play some games and then headed home.  Getting out of Atlanta was fun because I missed the exit, and then Lou navigated us back to it, and I missed it again.  Never a dull moment.

We made it home at a good time and I was beat.  But we had a great time!!  Jake loved it and that was what mattered!  It was a successful day!!  

Thursday we didn't do much of anything, I slept a lot, Lou grilled out hamburgers, it was a good day :)

Friday, Lou took Jake to a zip lining/ropes course at Nashville Shores and mom and I went to eat at Olive Garden and then did some running around.  We had Jake's karate belt graduation last night and we were so proud of him for graduating to his purple belt, and becoming a member of the black belt club!!  He is doing great!

Today is a lazy day.  Of course having to get up at 4:40 on Monday morning won't be easy, but it won't be as bad since I have had a relaxing week!

Happy!

 

Inside My Erin Condren Planner

I have had lots of people ask me about my planner, so I wanted to post some pics of the fun things I have done to it!!

Here is the front cover.  You can get them personalized with your name, family name, a picture, etc.  

I just wanted my name :)  I have ordered another cover because they are inter changable! 

 

This is what the normal weekly page layout looks like.

 

 I covered up the wording with white out and then added some washi tape to decorate it and make it look pretty!  Then my friend Ashley said she was making a line between Friday and Saturday to distinguish the weekend and it was a great idea!  

 This is this weeks decorations!  It also comes with stickers that you can use that say Birthday, Vacation, doc appt,. etc.  

This is next week's! 

I found some cute free printables on Pinterest and printed some out on a full sheet label.

 

 

 

This is what happens when you put the washi tape in, but it is worth it!

I bought washi tape at Michaels, Hobby Lobby, Joann's, Target, Office Depot, Wal-Mart, and off of Etsy.  

There are so many cute things to do with the planner!  I'm like a kid in a candy store when I get to decorate it!!  

Enjoy!

Looking Back...

I love looking at everyone's "Throwback Thursday" pics on Facebook and Instagram, so when I was at my parents on the 4th of July, I grabbed some old photo albums and started taking pics of the pics. 

I posted my first one last week.  It was horrid, but I must have been in the 2nd grade (I think) and had huge glasses.  Who knows.  I had lots of funny comments and then others told me I should take that off, asking why would I ever put that on the internet.  Why not? 

I don't think that any one person will judge me today based on what I looked like in 1987.  And if they do, they have bigger problems. 

It was fun for me to look back at some of the pictures I forgot about (or maybe purposely pushed them out of my mind.)  There are some dance pictures where I literally cringe when I look at them.  But I love looking at my early years dance pics. 

Wasn't I just precious!!

Look at those bangs!!!

This is my absolute favorite dance pic :)

 

I was also looking at my mom's pics growing up and all I could see where my nephews!!  Both of them!!  This is my oldest nephew Braxton, but that picture is about 5 years old, but he looks just like my mom!!

This is my younger nephew Thatcher and again, this picture is a few years old, but I think he looks just like my mom also!  And Thatcher does his hands the same way a lot!  

Here is a pic of my mom's parents.  How romantic do they look!  Old Hollywood! 

This is a pic of my dad's mom and stepfather.  I love the old glasses!!  

 My mom's sisters and parents in Arkansas.  I'm guessing 1976 because Jennie is pregnant. 

I loved looking at my grandparents and parents from many years ago. 

 This is my dad's dad.  He died in 1947. 

 This is my mom's dad.  He served in the Army and was in WWII.

 My grandpa in Alaska in the Army.

 Grandpa (far left) in Alaska in the Army.

 My mom's mom. 

I also love the pictures of my grandparents in their years before kids.  My grandparents would go to Washington State to pick apples and eventually got married there.  They have pictures of them on the beach and in front of old cars.  I love them!

My mom and I love to do genealogy, of course she does it a lot more than I do, but I want to know the stories of the lives of my ancestors.  These pics just help me imagine what life was like back when they were growing up.