Seriously?!

Is it SERIOUSLY January 31st and it's almost 60 degrees outside! I am LOVING the weather here at the moment! I think it's kind of bittersweet because I feel like I should be winding down the school year and getting ready for summer, but alas, it's still only January. So I have kind of a love/hate relationship with the weather. I love it obviously because the dogs and I have been getting in some nice walks, my room is warm, and it makes for a good drive home. I am NOT loving it because I feel like school should be almost over, it's still only January, and the dogs have muddy paws. Give and take!

This past weekend I went to the Lady Antebellum concert with some of my girl friends. It was a lot of fun - they were really good and do was Darius Rucker. It was nice to just get out and do something with just the girls for a change; I feel like I haven't done much with anyone besides Josh (which is alright too). Alex just found out last week that she got a job offer in Omaha and is thrilled to move there. I am super excited for her and I know this is a great opportunity for her, and I'll get to see her a lot visiting my family over there as well as seeing her, but it does suck she won't just be a block away to go out for dinner and drinks. I will miss her at aerobics and Zumba as well, and just picking up and going shopping on the weekends. SO, we made the most of it this weekend before she moves. We had a blast, some good heart-to-hearts, and most of all we laughed all night long. I happen to think we were the funniest people in the whole bar. It was an excellent night had by all. I will post some pictures once I get them uploaded to my computer.

That's it for now. My February is BUSY. I have to take a coaching class for 6 days from 5-10p.m. towards the end of February, right during conferences. So I'm going to be packed teaching, conferences, and then class for about 6 straight days. Ugh, not looking forward to it. The only sunrise on the horizon is knowing that Florida is a little over a month away now! It'll be here quicker than I know it...and I can't wait! :)

Happenings Lately

I can't believe it's already getting closer to the end of January...and by that it's getting closer to Florida trip, my birthday, nice weather, and summer! I feel that January-March always take so long to get through. The kids are always crazy, the weather is crazy, and it drives me crazy. We had a 2 hour delay today because it was icy/snowy last night. I like 2 hour delays; you don't have to make them up at the end of the school year. Although a day at home with the puppies and hot chocolate is pretty nice too. :)

Well, we haven't done much lately. Last weekend I went to Omaha with Alex to visit our friend Zach who came home to visit from China where he's staying for a year. It was nice to go out on the town and dance all night long. I got to visit with my grandparents the next day and that was awesome. Any time I get to spend with them is a blessing - I can't describe the way I feel at their house. It's just...peaceful. I love it.

This weekend Josh and I just stayed home. Friday night we watched a movie and ordered some food from the diner in town. Saturday I went shopping to get some stuff to clean the house since the appraiser is coming this week to see if we can drop our PMI insurance on the house. So I cleaned all afternoon Saturday and then Saturday night we had some gift cards to use so we went out to eat at On The Border. Pretty good...I'm more of an authentic Mexican food person, but the sopapillas were DELICIOUS!

Fingers crossed the appraiser tells us our house passes the $108,000 mark so we can drop our PMI insurance. He comes on Tuesday so maybe we'll know this week. This upcoming weekend I'm going to the Lady Antebellum concert with my girl friends - I'm pretty excited! I love them and it should be pretty good! THEN next week is already the start of February! I have a day off at the end of February so I'm excited for that. Then it's MARCH and time for FLORIDA! :) So much to look forward to in the next few months. I'm so blessed! <3

Vacation #2

Josh and I booked our trip to FLORIDA this week! I was super excited, because we've been talking about going to Florida to visit some of his family, and it just worked out that we'd be able to. A giant THANK YOU for everyone who "donated" to the cause so we could go out and visit! I am SO excited! I've been to Florida once, when I was younger, to visit Disney World, but haven't been back since. We're going to stay in Naples with some of his family for a few days, and then heading down to Key West with some of our friends for a few days and experience that. It's a good thing I asked for luggage this year for Christmas - I am more than ready to use it! Last year we went to Vegas and had a blast, so I'm sure this will be just as much fun. I am excited to drive across the bridges to Key West and to see the Florida Everglades. Not excited about seeing alligators since I hate them, but I will be anxious to see what it's like. Only 2 months until we leave so it seems like there's so much to do and get ready for, but I am more than excited! Weeee!!

It was also Josh and I's 6 year anniversary yesterday (1/11). We didn't do anything, but tonight we're going to go out to eat at Chips, which is where we had our first date. I am extremely happy with where we are in our relationship. If you would have asked me the same question 3 years ago it would be a completely different story. I am glad we were able to grow up and make it through some of our growing pains as crazy early 20-somethings. Everything just seems to "fit" and I feel content. I am getting very anxious for a wedding...but I have a good feeling this year is "the year". I know it won't be before Florida since we're both saving for that..but maybe later this year.

That's about it...we had the FIRST snow of the year last night. Only about 1 inch and some crazy wind. By now we had at least 2 snow days last year. I don't mind the warmer weather, but I know by mid-March/April the kids will be super ancy (perfect time for Florida! :)). So maybe just a little more snow or ONE snow day would be nice this year. Fingers crossed!

End of the Year Book

I love to scrapbook. But what I don't love is taking the time to actually do them. That and I'm not really that creative. SO...a couple of years ago I stumbled across this website called Mixbook and I was in love. It was easy to navigate, easy to create things with, and, best of all, it was fairly cheap. So I made a "book" for Josh and I to remember the year and from then on I've been doing one every year. This year I think I out-did myself since I had all summer off and could work on it and it turned out SO great. I love just having the nice binders displayed under the coffee table or on the bookshelf. It's something I know I can show my kids down the road, and every once in a while I love to just sit and thumb through them. If anyone has kids or pictures they'd like to display, I highly recommend the site (and they just added a bunch of new elements to their scrapbook making section!). I made a book for my grandma and grandpa for Christmas and everyone LOVED it. Here is the book I made for Josh & I's 2011 year posted below. You should just be able to click to go through the pages. I'm already started on 2012. :)

*Note: The width for my template isn't wide enough to see the ENTIRE pages on the book, it cuts them off a bit. So you can go click on the link right here to see the whole book!: http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/interests/josh-rachel-2011-5426641

| Learn About Mixbook Photo Books | Create your own Photo Book

Game night

Taytum got a slider dog puzzle for Christmas...and wasn't into it.  It said it was suppose to stimulate dogs who are bored to think and decide how to get the treats out.  The little circles slide up or down and they have to figure out whether to push it with their nose or pull it with their paw. While Taytum wasn't thrilled with it, Tyson LOVES it! I put little treats in there and we play twice a night (since he doesn't need too many treats!). It's so funny to watch him try to figure it out. He likes to scratch it more than anything. Pretty nice toy though for those of you out there with dogs! :)

Night night!

apparently a king sized bed isn't big enough. Where am I suppose to sleep? :) night night!

Year in Review

Well it's offically January 2012! There are so many things to look forward to this year: a vacation to Florida, a new niece, and maybe planning a wedding? (Fingers crossed this year is the year!) But it's crazy to think that another year is over. This year was packed with so many great things, we got to go to Vegas, I got to spend the whole summer off, and we did a lot of house renovations. This past weekend I put the finishing touches on the ONE room in the house that hasn't been touched yet. It was the spare bedroom across the hall from us, and mostly it was dark, gloomy, and had all of my Scentsy stuff and our random things in it - we usually called it the junk room. Jane came over and we painted it on Friday and then I got some decorations and things for it and called it good today! Here are some before and after pics:
Before (who in the WORLD thought that color was nice, is freaking nuts. It was so dark, gloomy, and scary in that room before!)



After


I painted it a nice, light grey. I figured that if I used that color I wouldn't have to repaint it in 10 years when we're ready to have kids - I can just pair some coral with it if it's a girl, and leave it and add some navy/white for a boy! I hate painting, so that was a good way to know I WON'T have to touch it again haha.

We've been doing a lot of renovations this year, so here are a few:

Our bedroom before:


After:



Living room curtains before:


After:



The upstairs bathroom before:


After:

The downstairs bathroom before (I didn't get a chance to really get any pictures before Josh demolished it so I had to find a few random ones):


After




So we've been very busy! I am hoping 2012 has a lot of GREAT things in store! We didn't do anything last night, and neither of us minded. I hope everyone had a happy and safe NYE! :)