Sunday and New Years Eve

My iPad is weird and will only let me type so much before it cuts me off. 

Sunday recap:

Got up and barely made it through 2.25 miles at those darn trails before giving up and heading home. We went to church and had a quick lunch at Meagan's house before heading our separate ways; Matt and I left to visit with his other set of grandparents before going back home to Bluffton. 

We ended up just staying with his parents when we got back and spent the rest of Sunday working on a really fun family photo puzzle after eating some yummy soup and cornbread for dinner.

This morning Matt and his dad got up to hunt while his mom and I stayed inside and warm. We helped take down Christmas decorations before coming back to my place for our big New Years plans. I took myself on a highly enjoyable 5- mile run...wayyyyy better pace than whatever happened at those evil trails! We took Macie for some ball throwing to tire her out before we went on our dinner date. 

We decided to keep New Years low key this year and hang out watching football and cooking desserts. I'm making a peanut butter cup trifle for tomorrows lunch and it looks awesome! 

See you in 2013!!

Playing catch-up

I know I always say this, but weekends fly by too fast. And I never have time to post anything during them...mainly due to the fact (this weekend) that Matt and dad rediscovered Angry Birds and therefore my iPad was hijacked all weekend long. 

Now time to play catch up. 

Thursday morning I got up and did my long run for the week- 8 miles. I think I remember it being a pretty decent, but very chilly run. After a much needed shower, Matt and I met up and took Scott and Megan lunch. They started moving into their new house and it is gorgeous!

We headed home shortly after and made it in time for dinner and Riley's birthday gathering. I enjoyed seeing my whole family together.

Friday morning I forced my way through a 4-mile run, Matt and papa left to play golf; Meg, McKenzie, and I had a lovely lunch date; mom had a doctors appointment, McKenzie and I did a lot of shopping (and ice cream eating), and dad made pizzas on his smoker for dinner.

Saturday morning I hit the trails (which I don't like anymore) for a 5-miler before Matt and I went to visit with his grandparents, mom, sister, and niece. We had lunch at Chick-fil-a, spent a lot of time working a puzzle, and enjoyed good conversation. 

Meg, McKenzie, Matt, and myself (all those m's!!) then headed to the zoo. We got there about 45 minutes before it closed down for "Lights at the Zoo", so we hustled our way through to see as many animals as we could! Of course we went to my all time favorite exhibit first...the gorillas!

We left and had another meal at Chick-fil-a before bundling back up to see all the lights. We had so much fun!! I think that it may become a Christmas tradition. 

Merry Christmas!

Happy birthday, Jesus!

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Last night we got in our jammies and cheesy Christmas shirts right when I got home from work. Matt helped me make a corn dip to bring to work today and then we settled in on the couch and watched a few episodes of Moonshiners. I didn't last long and was fast asleep by 10. This morning Matt and I got up at 4:30am so we'd have Christmas morning together. We made breakfast and coffee, did stockings, and exchanged gifts "from Macie." Matt's mom also left us each a gift since we were left alone for Christmas ;)

Work was fine, but went by entirely too slow! I'm ready to be done for the week and for the six days off I'll have! Thursday we're heading home after I crank out an 8-mile long run. 

Excited to see the family!!

Loved this picture Meg sent me today!

Merry Christmas Eve!

What a whirlwind, fun-filled weekend we just had!

Lindsey got into town around 6:15 Friday night, which was right when Matt came over for a visit also! We had a grand time re-creating our "family dinner" that we used to have every night. I made some cajun chicken pasta that turned out pretty yummy. Matt left shortly after and Lindsey and I spent the rest of the night catching up and watching Home Alone 2.

Saturday morning I got up and went for a quick 4-mile run before taking Macie on a walk and rather long ball-throwing session. My attempt to tire her out worked quite nicely :)

After showering, Lindsey and I headed into Savannah for lunch and a little Christmas shopping. We were hoping there would be decorations up around the town, but sadly there were zero.

When we got back from our shopping spree we took Macie for another ball-throwing session...she didn't tire out as quickly the second time. Matt came over and we all had another delicious dinner at Kobe, a local hibachi grill. We went home and spent the rest of the night making gingerbread cookies and watching the Falcons game. Matt even participated in the gingerbread decorating fun..only he made his man have a shotgun wound- typical hunting male.

Sunday morning we got up, made a batch of muffins, and headed off to church. Afterwards we ate at Spanky's and then they both left shortly after arriving back in Bluffton. Macie and I enjoyed the rest of the afternoon walking, throwing the ball, cleaning, running errands, and doing a 5-mile run before turning in for the night. We had a great weekend! Now I'm looking forward to having Matt over for Christmas Eve tonight and for spending time in Augusta this coming weekend!



Merry Christmas Eve!

Happy Friday!

Happy windy Friday!! It was awfully cold and extremely windy this morning for my long run of the week! Macie and I were so very sleepy last night, so we were asleep by 9:30, and were therefore very refreshed this morning. I finally left the house right before 8 to tackle a 7-mile run. The first 3.5 miles the wind was at my back, but the last half it was whipping me all over the place!! Glad it's over. I cooled down with a little mile long walk with Macie, who apparently gets a little nuts with windy weather. 

I came home and showered up while popping cookies in and out of the oven for our Seaside Christmas lunch. We ate at Truffles, and the southwestern salad I had was yummy!

After lunch I ran a few errands before heading home to relax, clean, and wait for Lindsey to get here!

Macie got her Christmas treat a little early :) 

She's a happy pup right now!

Weekend visitors

These past few days have flown by it seems!

Friday morning I picked up Macie from Matt and took a quick 3 hour nap on the couch. I then got up, ran some errands, and headed into Pooler to go see The Hobbit with Molly and one of her friends. The movie was amazing and totally brought back my dorky Lord of the Rings memories. My siblings and I love those movies! We've tried many times to have a Lord of the Rings marathon, but we always end up falling asleep at some point.

Saturday morning I got up at 7 to start lunch for my family, went for a run, walked Macie, and frantically vacuumed the apartment (I'm not really sure why I do this anytime I have a visitor). My parents, Meagan, and McKenzie got to my place around 11:30 and we had lunch before Meg and I went shopping for a bit. We were supposed to take McKenzie to the zoo, but opted to make the trip when Matt and I are in Augusta after Christmas. It's only a 45 minute drive from Augusta to Columbia, whereas it's a 2 1/2 hour drive from Bluffton to Columbia...it wouldn't have been a fun trip for Meg and I. Instead, we tried to build a gingerbread house with McKenzie...and totally failed, just like last year. McKenzie had a lot of fun eating the icing and freaked out when the house started falling apart.

We had dinner at Longhorn and then the 4 of us watched the latest Batman movie while McKenzie was watching movies, cleaning my room, playing with stuffed animals..pretty much everything but sleeping (she snuck chocolate candies all day and was wired!!)

Sunday morning we took our time getting up and going before power shopping at the outlets. Matt came home from his weekend at the hunting club and met us at a Mexican restaurant for lunch before sending everyone back home. Then Matt and I caught up on some quality time. We made my parents' Christmas cards at Target, rented a movie (that ended up freezing multiple times), and grabbed some dinner. Bedtime was nice and early since I was starting day shift back at the hospital (yipeeeeee!).

The past few days have been uneventful...it's been nice being back on dayshift. I just feel sorry for Macie since it's dark and I can't walk her for long when I get home..and I'm not much fun and like to go to bed early :)

Tomorrow afternoon I'm working at the peds office, back at the hospital Thursday, but have all of Friday off! I haven't had a weekday off in awhile, so it'll be so nice! And Lindsey is supposed to be coming, so I'm really looking forward to the weekend!

Holiday survey

25 Questions: Holiday Style

• Eggnog or hot chocolate?

Hot chocolate by far, with maybe a little peppermint flavoring added in. It's the only thing I know to order from Starbucks

• Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?

We haven't done Santa at our house in years, and I've worked so many of the past Christmas's that I don't even know what my siblings do for their kids! I will definitely wrap the "from Santa" presents to my kids though, because wrapping paper is so much fun!



• Colored lights on tree/house or white?

I like white

• Do you hang mistletoe?

Nope

• When do you hang your decorations up?

I used to do it the first weekend of December, but this year I might've started a new tradition of doing it the weekend after Thanksgiving. I got way too excited about picking out a tree!



• What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)?

Hmm, I don't know. We don't usually do the Christmas meal the same every year. Meagan makes a mean broccoli casserole, and her rendition of Grandmas sugar cookies and icing are delicious.

• Favorite holiday memory as a child?

Taking Christmas pictures in our pajamas, waking up together as a family and waiting for mom and dad to let us out of our rooms and into the living room, stockings, making the trip to Atlanta to see Grandma and Grandpa. I really, really, really miss being with my family for Christmas. I usually get to go home right around the holiday, but I never get to wake up and experience it like I did as a kid anymore. Growing up is tough stuff.



• What is on your Christmas wish list?

I didn't have anything jump out at me that I wanted/needed this year. I am super pumped about the gift I'm getting from mom and dad though- a Happy Everything platter with some mini attachments! And Matt and I went on a mini vacation as our gift, which was nice.

 

• Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?

We used to get to open one gift every Christmas Eve. I think when I start my own little family I want to implement the tradition of giving new pajamas every Christmas Eve so that you have some to wear on Christmas morning! In fact, I'm going to buy some for us this year and start the new tradition pronto! And we have to wear the shirts below too...he'll be so please :) Now, if only I could find a matching one for Macie



Totally ordered these for Matt and I tonight!

• How do you decorate your Christmas tree?

I collect ornaments from every significant place we go, so I have a lot of special ornaments. We do the lights, then I get all nostalgic as I hang up each ornament. Matt hangs the lights (or he has the past two years anyway), and then watches football while I decorate.

• Snow? Love it or dread it?

Indifferent probably. I like snow as long as it doesn't freeze and become ice. I was stuck in a huge ice storm in Atlanta a few Januarys ago and it was torture. Atlanta wasn't equipped to deal with it! And I had to work which probable didn't help matters.

• Real tree or fake tree?

I used to only have a fake tree when I lived by myself in my little box apartment. But now I LOVE real trees, and I can honestly say I remember to water it every day. Can't say the same thing for all my other plants/flowers (which are currently dying on my porch).

Christmas 2012- Macie's first! (And she has an ornament that says exactly that!!)



• Do you remember your favorite gift?

I'm not sure I ever had a favorite gift. I have many memorable ones- like Adam giving me underwear (that Meagan helped pick out) and our trip to New York last year.

 

• What’s the most important thing about Christmas for you?

Showing people what the season is really all about, family time, giving.

 

•  What is your favorite holiday dessert?

I like all desserts, all the time...I really like Reece's Peanut Butter Christmas trees. I'm not fond of the jello dessert my dad insists on making every year! I think I might try to make a triple chocolate peppermint trifle this year.

• What is your favorite tradition?

Stocking stuffers, Christmas Eve service, waking up together Christmas morning and having breakfast together while opening gifts. Mom used to take us riding through neighborhoods closer to Christmas with hot chocolate to see all the lights.

• What tops your tree?

Nothing this year, I'll probably order a star after the holidays.

• Do you prefer giving or receiving?

I LOVE giving!!!! I love thinking of the perfect gift and how they'll react to it when they open it (and yes, sometimes I'm totally disappointed because they didn't react how I had imagined). I'm terrible at receiving, though I am grateful for it.



Christmas 2011

• What is your favorite Christmas song?

Silent Night

• Candy canes, yuck or yum?

Yum? I usually don't have them on my tree and I don't crave them

• Favorite Christmas movie?

Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone 1 & 2, The Family Stone

• What do you leave for Santa?

We never did anything growing up, but I'll probably leave cookies from my kids to Santa



Christmas 2007

• Do you have a Christmas morning tradition?

Ha ha, go to work. Really though, we used to get up and make breakfast and head out to the living room with mom and dad. Unless it was a year we were traveling to Atlanta, usually those years we'd open up all our gifts Christmas Eve.

• Do you prefer to shop on-line or at the mall?

I've become quite the on-line shopper over the past few years.

• Christmas letter or Christmas card?

Love, love getting Christmas cards!



Christmas 2010

Grumpy week

So, I totally failed at that whole December photo challenge I said I'd do. I looked at the pictures I was supposed to have taken up to this point and I knew there was no way to catch up! Oops.

It's been an uneventful past few days; I'm actually having quite the grumper-ific week. I worked Monday night at the hospital, woke up after a 3 hour nap to work at the peds office Tuesday afternoon, and got up again this morning to work there some more. I went to bed at 9:30 last night and didn't get out of bed until 7:15 this morning! And somehow I am stillllll tired! It's definitely true that you can't "catch up" on sleep.

I'm at the hospital again tonight and tomorrow night and hope to get some gooooood rest tomorrow!

Friday night I'm planning on seeing The Hobbit with Matt's sister-in-law, Molly, and some of her co-workers. Then Saturday mom, dad, Meg, and McKenzie are coming for the day/night! Meagan wants to do a little shopping Saturday before we take McKenzie to the zoo to see the Christmas lights. I believe Christopher, Jimi, Riley, Cal, Steven, and Caylee will also be meeting us there, so I'm super excited to see everyone before Christmas! I work Christmas Eve, Christmas, and the day after, so we're going home for the weekend...but it's just not the same as being home and seeing everyone on the actual holiday. Sunday the tentative plan is to wake up and go to church, grab a little lunch, and see the folks/sister/niece off so they can make it home at a decent hour. It'll be a quick and fun weekend!

Macie enjoys helping me stretch after a workout

The jammies that were way too snug and have already been returned; she was not pleased!

Last year

This year

I would post our family picture, but we're using them in our Christmas cards so I don't want to spoil the surprise!

Kiawah Island- the Ocean Course

Sunday morning we slept in until 8(!) and grabbed a delicious breakfast in the hotels restaurant before checking out. Since I ran the Kiawah Island half marathon Saturday, the golf courses were running special deals, particularly on the Ocean Course which was where the 2012 PGA tour was held. Matt jumped at the opportunity and so we had a noon tee time to round out our weekend vacation. 

The course was absolutely beautiful and although Matt didn't play his best, we still enjoyed the experience and views! We had a caddy and played with two older gentlemen who weren't very good, so it was an added bonus to watch the comical viewing of terrible golfers! 

We got back around 7:15 last night and picked up Macie from Craig and Molly's. I was in bed by 8:45 and didn't get up this morning until 7:10! Great weekend :) 

It was also our 2 year anniversary yesterday, and I'm thankful for Matt and the joy he brings to my life!