That darn checklist...

When planning a wedding there are a lot of things to think about!  There are lists and lists of what to do first, second, third...and so on!  On one level I find these lists helpful!  I like to check things off of a list, so when I can say that I have talked about the budget with my fiance...I get very happy!  What I don't really like are the things that I can't check off!  "Announce Your Engagement"  What does that even mean?  Facebook?  Twitter?  The paper?  I don't know...so I have not checked it off!  We have not had engagement photo's taken, so therefore we have not announced anything to the paper.  Oh well, we don't even get the paper to see that our announcement was in there!  Maybe I should just say we made the announcement on Facebook and I had blank amounts of likes.  Ha ha ha!  Another annoying checklist thing..."Registerr for Engagement Gifts"  Do people really do this?  I think it's just lame!  I mean, get me a present for getting engaged?  If someone wants to do that, that is awesome...but do registrar?  That seems extreme!  Maybe I will just put a line through it "Register for Engagement Gifts".  The last one I'm going to complain about is "Subscribe to wedding Magazines"  I mean come on!  What?  I don't even think I have to say anything else "Subscribe to wedding magazine"

So far I have only complained about the list, but I really do like it!  It will keep me in check when I'm thinking about the small wedding reception details and don't have a venue yet!  I am a jumper when it comes to this...so the checklist will help me out.  For example, one thing says "Decide what type of wedding you want".  I had not even thought about that...because I was too busy looking up centerpieces for the tables.  So, I am really going to enjoy the checklist, once I can get over the few items that don't apply to me!

Here is where I am right now with the wedding planning!

Square one!  Ha ha ha!  We know what month (April), we know what year (2015), but that is about it!  I have talked to the Pastor at my church and he is available that month!  Yahoo!  The next thing on my list is Venue's!  I have been looking up, emailing, and printing off information about the venue's around the Kansas City Area.  I am only looking at the ones that will hold the amount of people we might have, that aren't too far away, and that are in our budget!  I would say I have about 10.  On Sunday we are going to Arrowhead to see what they cost (I have been waiting for such a long time and am so excited!!!).  Then on Monday, Curt and I have a wedding date.  We are going to sit down with his new IPad and look at all the places I have contacted.  Discuss the price, location, and feel for each place!  My dream would be to pick our top 3-4 choices and plan an actual visit.  Then we narrow it down and pick a venue and wedding date.

Here are my thoughts- Once the venue is planned everything else will fall into place!  I can tell my Pastor the date, and say Yes we need the church or no we do not.  We can pick the caterer or use the one they tell us we have to use.  We can call the photographer and get the date and times set for them as well!  We can even decide what type of wedding we will have based on our venue!  I mean we can't do country chic in a modern venue!  So, things are starting to move!  Yahoo!  And hopefully I will be able to check some things off the list!  

Oh January, I'm ready for you to be done...and some wedding talk!

This month has been crazy!  The nurse at my school said it feels as if the kids are spiraling out of control.  And I said, I feel as if I'm spiraling out of control!  And that was the truth!  I was not feel all that great and for some reason I felt as if I could not get a grip on what was happening around me.  Which is a very weird feeling, especially since not a whole lot was going on.

I was tired all the time.  If my throat had been sore, I would have thought I had mono!  I'm still tired, but not nearly as much!  I was not getting out of bed until 6:20...and it was just because I couldn't wake up.  I feel as if time was moving, but not moving.  Or that things were piling up, but there wasn't really anything to pile up.  It was just a very weird feeling.  This past weekend, I finally got sick.  I don't think I ever had a fever and I never threw up or even felt as if I was going to throw up...but I just slept!  A LOT!  I was out of bed for maybe 3-4 hours a day.  I might not be sleeping exactly, but I was at least resting and dozing!  I could still probably doze a bit, but once again...it's not as crazy as before!

I'm not sure why I felt as if everything was piling up, like I said...not much was going on.  This week is a bit crazy!  Dinner with friends on Monday, drinks with friends Tuesday, Basketball game and rehearsal for church Wednesday, BVM and WW meeting on Thursday, BVM and Wolverine Night on Friday!  Saturday is Ford and STAMP, and Sunday I sing at church, go to a wedding open house, and have a skate party!  So, this week is crazy, but I'm not feeling quite so anxious!  Thank goodness for that!  Ha ha ha!  I'm trying to enjoy this time and relax!  I'm also trying to not stress about stuff.  Ha ha ha!  I'm not sure when I got so nutty, but it happened!  So, I'm breathing and trying to do things on my time.  I keep reminding myself that I'm allowed to say no to people.  That I don't have to do everything.  That I have to take care of me before I can take care of others.  February of 2013 was a terrible month, I'm trying to avoid that and enjoy every month that I can!

Okay, wedding talk now!

Budget
So, the budget officially begins in February!  I have started working at Ford, because my plan is to have them fund most of it.  Ha ha ha!  And my fund, I mean I will work and they will pay me for my work and that money will go to the Wedding Account!  So, that started on Saturday and I worked on Monday!  My goal is to work 15 hours a week!  At least until the summer!  We shall see how that goes!  I have bought a few groceries but have not spent over $100 in the last week!  That is huge!  Go me!  Only 14 more months to go!

Guest List
Curt and I have put together the initial guest list!  We have around 300.  The bad thing is...is that I know we are missing people.  And my folks have not given me their list.  Yikes!  And I'm not so sure we can pare that down.  I mean, the people on the list are co-workers, friends, and family.  It's not as if I'm inviting random people!  So, finding a place to have the reception might be a little more difficult...or at least finding a place that I love might be more difficult!

Engagement Party
My sisters are planning one for me!!!  I was so surprised and shocked!  I can not wait!  Yahoo!  That is all!

Wedding DIY
So, I told you all that I was making a wedding planner cover and I did!  Is it perfect?  No, but it's pretty close!  I can't believe how well it turned out!  The only bad thing is that one set of pockets is upside down!  Okay, and the handles are different lengths!  But it looks great from the outside and I love the fabric!!!  Now all I need is a divider set thing from Office Depot!  Here are the pictures:

Up above you can see it from the front.  On the left you can see the Left pocket and on the right you can see the right pocket!  I really do love it so much and am so excited to put more stuff in there and to really make it my own!  So amazing!

If I were to make this again, I would get it right the first time!  Ha ha ha!  What you learn

Wedding Vlog
Also known as a wedding video blog.  I started this a few weeks ago.  I'm not sure where it's going or what the point is...but it's kind of fun to do!  I have done 3 entries thus far and you can watch them below.  Or subscribe to my youtube account!  Yahoo!!!

Entry 1:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUAo_MZehMk
Entry 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2DZqxuea3Q
Entry 3:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA17Gn4l_2c

Okay, I guess that is all!  I will update you more with my life and my wedding as it happens!  Happy Wednesday folks!

My first DIY Wedding Project

So, yesterday I started on my first DIY Wedding Project!!!  Before you roll your eyes and get annoyed that I am already doing projects for the wedding which is still 15 months away, let me explain!

So, this past week I said, I need a wedding binder to hold all of my stuff!  It was starting to get a little crazy with all of the postcards, business cards, papers...blah blah blah...the stuff was everywhere and it is only going to get worse!  Then I also wanted to get a checklist..and a whole bunch of stuff to help me get organized!  My sister, Megan, has this amazing notebook that has everything you could ever want!  I tried to go to Hallmark (I think that is where she got it) and they had nothing.  So, I thought...maybe I could just make it!

So, I went looking for a DIY Wedding Planner Organizer online!  I found one and printed it off!  Then I found a notebook, punched holes in the organizer (which I didn't have the papers in far enough and the holes got all weird!  I'm thinking about re-printing...it's so buggy).  Then I thought about how to cover my ugly, written on, 3 ring binder!  It was a student's at one point, but they gave it to us.  The reason why I love this 3 ring binder is the rings are so easy to open!  That is my favorite thing and the reason why I want to use that one!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV3sbllrZCE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvBrDLfw2Zg

Yesterday, I went looking online on how to cover the 3-ring binder.  I have a lot of extra fabric, so I am went googling "How to cover a 3-ring binder with fabric"!  And I found some awesome video's!  I found 2 that I ended up using!  The first one is an easy basic project that I felt I could totally do.  The 2nd one is a bit more my style (no measuring- I'm so lame) and it had a pocket!  So, I set off to make it!

I got home yesterday and got to work!  I started cutting the fabric and was so excited!  I messed up the first time, so I had to cut it again.  It was not a bad mess up, I just ended up wanting to do it a little different.  I ended up using the first cut fabric- go me!  I ironed everything (that is new for me-but I really wanted to do it right)!  I even had some fabric liner stuff that I ironed on!  I did cut the extra fabric a little too soon and a little too close...but it's still manageable!  I'm not a patient crafter!  I want it done and I want it done now!  So, that is so hard for me...and then it usually bites me in the rear later.  Ha ha ha!

Anyway, I was thinking that I could sew, when I remembered the pockets!  I am doing a side pocket on each side, and then some square pockets on the front cover.  I created the pockets, I lined the pockets, I sewed the pockets to make them work.  Then I decided to make handles for the binder!  Because it will be easier to carry that way.  Maybe.  So, I made the handles.  Then I took a dinner break!

Dana leaves today and won't be home until June, we my parents and I went out to dinner with her!  It was yummy!

Back to sewing!  4.5 hours after I started this whole project...I began sewing!  I started sewing and I wasn't sure about how it was going.  Half way through the first side...my bobbin ran out of thread.  I was not surprised by this and it was actually a great thing.  I put the binder in the part that I had already sewn...and I didn't not sew it correctly.  Am I surprised by this?  No, not really.  As i was sewing I thought, I feel like I have too much fabric on this one side!  Well, I did!  So, for the next 45min to an hour I took out all of the stitches that I just put it!  Wah Wah!

Curt kept asking what I was doing.  He kept saying it's time for you to go to bed...stop working on that.  I swallowed my need to finish it last night and said after I take all of the stitches out, I will put it away!  And I did!  This morning I put it together and I marked it with a marker.  Then I pinned the marked fabric to the other side!  I am pretty sure that I should be able to just sew it now.  Fingers crossed!  I did not take pictures, becasue that would have been too much!  But I will show the finished project!  Hopefully!

So, not bad for my first DIY project!  If I would just take the initial steps to get there, it would work out better for me!  Ha ha ha!  Happy Wednesday and happy crafting- sort of!

Budget's kind of kill me!

How come it seems that the moment you start working with a budget, that is the exact time you start needing to provide things?  Ha ha ha!  So, that is probably not true!  I just didn't realize when things were needed in the first place.

Oh well!  I will have to put a budget on my food spending as well!  Maybe actually eat what is in the freezer and the pantry!  Wouldn't that be a novel idea!  I have tuna, weird mac and cheese, some Asian food of some sort...not to mention the freezer full of stuff!

Okay, I can do this!  I can save the money and yet not feel as if I'm not allowed to live!  Yes, I will have to get up early on days when I don't want too!  Yes, I won't be able to spend money all willy-nilly!  Yes, it's true that I will have to go to the grocery store on a budget and not get every type of ice cream that I want!  But is that such a bad idea?  Shouldn't we all do a little bit of saving.  A little bit of not being a privileged spoiled person?  I am not sure I would ever say that I was spoiled...but I'm sure there are people that would say otherwise.  For example, in my fridge right now, I have chocolate chip cookies, snicker doodles, maybe an oatmeal...I have pillsbury cookie dough (the halloween style of cookie) and three different types of ice cream!  Now, this stuff has been in the freezer for at least a month right now...but it's still there!  I don't need to go out and buy cookie dough at all!  Let's be honest, I can also make more cookie dough...should I happen to go on a crazy cookie dough binge!  Ha!

So, I'm feeling a bit tied down with the budget...but I have had to work at it before..it's just getting back into the habit of doing it again!  Here we go!

Week One of Budgeting!  I started on Monday and it's Tuesday...and guess what: I have not bought anything!  Yahoo for me!  Ha ha ha!  I will keep you all updated as I go!

Wedding Firsts

This weekend I had my first wedding nightmare-
I was dreaming that it was the day of my wedding and I was getting into my dress.  And I was trying to tell people that I don't remember planning any of this.  They all assured me that I did.  But I kept saying, isn't it weird that I don't remember?  And they would all just laugh.  I remember my dress being pretty, but totally poofy!  I'm not sure I want a poofy dress.  I remember the bridesmaids dresses being white, black, and brown.  There was a ruffle that was supposed to tie at the waist, but it wasn't working.  So they said...let's just not wear them.  But then the dresses had a big hole in them where you could see their underwear!  Once again I said, I did not plan this!  I would not have picked those out.  It was just a hot mess.  The most nerve wracking part was not knowing what the wedding was going to look like.  When I woke up, I thought...it's January!  Your wedding is still a long ways away!  You have time...and you just had your first bad wedding dream!  Yikes!

1st bad dream- 16 months to go!

Last night Curt and I had our 2nd big wedding talk.  The first one was picking a date!  It worked out well, after I got over not getting married until Spring of 2015.  Ha!  April 4th was the date!  I told my sister and then my mom and was so proud of how well we picked it and it wasn't stressful or crazy or anything.  Then my mom called back and said that's Easter Weekend.  So back to the drawing board it was!  Now we are have a month, but are not settling down on a specific date until a little later on...like once the venue has been chosen.  My fear is that I'm going to fall in love with our date and then it's going to have to change again!  So, it's April of 2015 for right now!

Our second big conversation was budget and how we are going to achieve that budget!  My goal will always be have the most awesome wedding for the least amount of money.  I would love to be a wedding planner, so we might use this as the first wedding I'm doing!  Yay!  And I'm doing it on a budget!  So, I said...for us to save X amount for the wedding (our guestimation cost) we will have to save CA per month.  Out of that, I can save A and can you save C?  We both agreed to save that amount...and then we talked about where to open a Wedding savings account or checking account.  It was all so easy!  We are going to start saving next month so that we have a bit of time to plan...

The saving part is going to be a bit rough.  I just need to get into the mindset of "NO SPENDING".  I always harp on Curt because he is the spender...but I am also a spender if I don't watch it!  He just buys big ticket items and I buy a lot of small ticket stuff.  Or stuff that is not needed.  So, I'm going to really have to watch that!  It shall be interesting!

While looking at the money stuff today and trying to figure out who owes what on the CC (we put rent and cable on the credit card), I started to tear up and get really overwhelmed!  For the record, I was also hungry and was talking to a weird person on the phone.  But I started to tear up!  I took a moment, collected myself and then moved on!  I was slightly annoyed that I teared up.  I mean it's the first month!  I'm sure there are going to be more trying times...and other things that will stress me out more!  But, for some reason money just makes me tear up the most!

Okay, so I have now had my first wedding dream and cry!  Smooth sailing from here...right?

Christmas Pictures

So taking pictures in my family is not any big deal!  Our Christmas pictures have always taken at least an hour!  We have to take pictures for every combination possible!  This cousin with that cousin, grand kids with aunts, grandparents, couples, sisters, bloods, non-bloods...I mean it gets nutty!  So, we started the family picture session!

I always get nervous that people are going to forget about Curt and I!  I'm not sure why any more, but I think when we first started dating I wanted people to know we were a serious couple.  So, I was always afraid they would stop taking pictures before we were able to get our couple pictures.  Or that people are going to get bored and move on before it's taken.  These types of events are some of the only pictures we have as a couple.  I should make that a New Year's resolution...take more pictures!

Anyway, so the grand kids took picture.  We took a picture with Grandmother- this picture is actually a really special one!  We aren't sure how much longer she will be with us!  So, it's awesome!  We even took a selfie with her!  Ha ha ha!  Then it was the Thompson's turn!

Family Picture, family picture with Grandma Thompson, Drew Thompson family...and then people said...who is next!  I started to jump in, when another group got up.  Then Drew and I had to take our annual Christmas Cousin Photo.  Then Sarah had to take one with a fake cousin...then the younger cousins.  Then it was the Arnott Family!  So, up we went.  Family picture check!  Parent picture check!  Peterson family check!  Sarah and Mike check!  Here is the weird thing that happened with Sarah and Mike.  They got up there and they couldn't figure out what to do with their hands.  It was so goofy!  They have been dating since they were 15...they have taken multiple couples pictures...they have taken multiple prom/homecoming pictures...somehow for one picture Mike's hand ended up on Sarah's boob!  It was just funny/goofy/crazy!

Finally it was my turn!  It wasn't even the last picture to be taken!  Ha ha ha!  We get up there and took our couple pic!  I just felt relieved!  Then we were done and Curt says we have one more picture to take.  I'm sure my face was one that said..."Oh geeze...what are you going to do now?"  I thought he was going to do something weird like Sarah and Mike's thing...ha ha ha!  Boy was I wrong!

He Proposed!!!  He stepped forward and my BIL tossed the ring box to him!  He said, I have loved you from the first time I saw you dance, and I will love you for forever!  Will you marry me!  I of course said yes!  Actually I think I said "Of Course!!!"  it was amazing!!!!  My sister was being skyped in without my knowing!  My whole family was taking pictures and video!  People were tearing up all over the place!  It was AMAZING to say the least!!!  Everything about it was perfect!

Sending a picture text to a few people!  I was so happy and I couldn't stop crying!  I was in such shock!  He said he wasn't going to propose on Christmas!  My sister told me he wasn't going to proposed on Christmas and even hinted at a few days in January...when it might happen!  I just couldn't believe it!  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEF0feTDcfs

I just kept looking at it!  People were asking what's the date?  What do you have planned so far?!?!?  I literally have nothing planned.  I mean there are a few small things that I want to do, but nothing major!  I worked really hard at not planning anything!  In the bottom right picture you can see my nails!  Dana convinced me to get a "party nail" as she called it!  She knew I was getting proposed too soon!  

I was told that they had been talking about it all day.  That I was so clueless!  At one point my mom said...not so loud and he replied she is playing with a baby right now.  She is not listening!  To be taken by such surprise is not an easy task for me.  I'm a snoopy person.  If I thought he might do it, I would have had one ear open all day listening to him!  I did not suspect a thing!  

So, I am apologizing in advance if this blog gets to be annoying with wedding talk!  You all can go read something else!  I'm going to plan an awesome wedding with a tight budget!  So, hold on to your hats folks!  I'm planning a wedding!

April of 2015...here we come!

Christmas

Okay, on the Monday before Christmas, I thought I would go shopping with Dana!  We shopped Sunday afternoon and it was awesome!  But then she got sick!  So, now I was off to shop by myself for the rest of my Christmas outfit!  It was not nearly as fun!  But I did spend my Christmas Gift Cards to Nordstroms given to me by the Alderman's!  I got a whole bunch of stuff!  I was so excited about my new jeans that I sent a picture to Dana!

Okay, so it's not the best clear picture!  But the jeans are amazing!!!  I love them!

So, Monday night Curt got off work and we headed out to his parents house down at the Lake of the Ozarks!  We stopped first at Winstead's- which is so yummy- and then we were out of there!  We sang the entire way down!  It was so much fun!  I didn't know a lot of the songs, but by the end I was singing along and I tried to harmonize where I could!  Go me!

We arrived a little over 2 hours later and did not waste any time!  I litterally got out of the car, went to the bathroom and then it was like...let's open gifts!  Curt's dad is like a kid when it comes to Christmas!  He didn't want to go around in a circle!  He just wanted to open the presents!  It was a lot of fun!  I got some really awesome gifts and met Kylie's (Curt's sister) boyfriend for the first time!  We ate, laughed, and talked!  It was a blast!  I of course did not take any pictures of people...however I did take pictures of Chandler with one of his presents!

Chandler got a bow tie for Christmas from Ruthie, BJ, and Doug!  He loved it can't you tell?  Ha ha ha!  He also got some treats and a few raw hides!  I got a sweater, gift card to Panera, perfume and lotion in my favorite scent, and candy!  I made out like a bandit!  Curt got his Ipad (mentioned in a former post) and some awesome shirts!  He got a black sweater, which he wore on Christmas with my family!  It was just an awesome night!

On Christmas Ever, the whole Alderman clan came over for a yummy feast!  We all just talked, ate, opened gifts, and laughed!  It was an awesome time!  I love that family!

We left that night to drive back to Overland Park!  It was a short trip, but an awesome one at that!  On the way home we listened to my CD of duets that I made for Curt back in 2008...or maybe 2009!  Ha ha ha!  It consists of songs that remind me of him!  Another fun road trip!  We also discussed how we were going to open gifts!  Are we going to open them that night or on Christmas morning?  Or are we going to open them with my family.  We finally decided on opening them on Christmas Eve!  It was so exciting...I couldn't wait to open my gift from him!  I already knew it was jewlery...but what kind?!?!?!?  Here is what I was nervous for!  At the beginning of December, I told Curt that I bought him his Christmas gift!  He guessed right away that it was a golf club.  So to play a trick on him, I wrapped some movies in the golf club box!  I thought we would open gifts on Christmas morning and then go over to my sisters.  So the joke would last maybe an hour...but that is not how we did it!  He opened his gift...a lot of little gifts!  Then it was my turn!  I opened my jewelry box to find a beautiful aquamarine necklace!  It was beautiful!  I loved it and put it on right away!  I felt so terrible, since his big gift the golf club was at my sisters!  It was a joke, that kind of went wrong!  But at least my gift was amazing!  

It was hard to get a picture of it!  But there it is!  I love aquamarine stones!  They are my birthstone and Curt's as well!  It is so special to me that we share a birth stone!  Amazing!!!

So, the next morning I wake up and start getting ready for the day!  I take Chandler out and we sneak a few pictures before it's time to wake up Curt!

We had to take a few pictures!  Trying to get the right angle and the antlers is not the easiest thing to do!  Then it was time to head over to the Peterson's house!  It's a new tradition to have Christmas over at the Peterson's house!  It was a bit weird, but it worked out great!  The kids were so cute opening gifts!  Mishi was my Elfster!  I got a gift card to LuluLemon, the timer I wanted, and something else that I can't think of right now!  I was Mike's Elfster and he really enjoyed his hat (even though it was too small).  I found out that hats are like jeans, you have to try them all on.  Even if it says the same size...it might be different!  We opened stockings, ate breakfast, and opened gifts!  We had 3 lbs of bacon between the 10 of us!  That is insane!  Then it was time to get ready for the rest of the family to come over!  I made my mom take a family picture of Curt, Chan, and I before it got really crazy!  It was the first family picture we have ever taken!  I think it's going to be on the Christmas Card!

There you have it folks!  The first family photo!!!  I love this picture and I think we all look great in it!  I was so happy that I posted it on Facebook and Instagram...which also posts to my facebook page!  I updated my cover photo with this and just blew up everyone's NewsFeed with my obsession of this picture!  Ha ha ha!  

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!  Or Happy New Year!  Something like that!  

The rest of the family came over and we watched the little ones open gifts again.  We ate lunch!  I played with Ameila all afternoon!  So, amazing!!!  Isn't she adorable!!!  I love her!!!  We found out my other cousin's baby had to go to the ER because she was sick!  We all felt so bad for them!  She is better now, it was just that darn stomach flu!

Christmas Pictures are coming up in the next post!

My time before Christmas!

Holy moly, it's been forever since I have written!  I had planned to write a little over Winter Break, but my computer is making this terrible beeping noise whenever I turn it on!  I know I should just take it into the Apple store, but it's Georgy (we named our computers when we got them) and I'm afraid they will say...this computer is 5 years old.  It's time for a new one!  Which is fine, but I don't have money for a new one!  And I'm not even sure I want a lap top!  I have been playing on Curt's Ipad (he got it for Christmas- from his folks...remember the money thing I just said?)  And I like it!  My computer was sometimes bulky...and heavy when I had to carry it places.  It wasn't even big...but it just gets annoying!  So, now I'm thinking and deciding and blah blah blah!  But as you read above, I'm just pretending it isn't broken!  Ha ha ha!

Okay, so moving on!  I'm going to do a few different posts...since I have so much to tell you!  This rest of this post will be a Christmas post!

So, this December was a crazy one for me!  But it was a lot of fun!  Let's look back and see what I did!
I decorated for Christmas!!!  It was my first time to put up my very own full size Christmas Tree!  I loved it!  My apartment looks empty, now that I have taken it down!  It's missing some height!  So, I had a whole bunch of stuff written about my decorations!  I put up pictures and was doing the whole thing, when I decided to look back on some other posts that I had written!  I saw almost the exact same post!  I have already written about my decorations!  Wah wah!  Ha ha ha!  Next Topic!

I wrote the Christmas play for my church!  The kids worked really hard and it went better than expected!  It was awesome to see the play done!  To see an idea that had been in my head performed on stage!  It was just a great experience!  I sang the first weekend of December, the Christmas Play was the next weekend, then I sang the next two weekends at church!  It was a lot of stress to have that much stuff going on!  Yikes!

Next Topic, on the 21st of December the Peterson kids came over to my house for the 3rd Annual Holly-day of fun with Aunt Amy!  I still can't decide if I like that name!  Ha ha ha!  Oh well!  It was awesome!  We went to the grocery store to pick up a few items, they did great!  When we came out it had started to sleet!  So we headed home and stayed in the rest of the day!  We made crafts and hung out!  Dana came over with lunch and we ordered pizza for dinner!  It was such a fun day!

The next day I had to drive to church in a frozen van!  I had a spot the size of a watermelon to see out of!  It was a bit scary, but there was nothing I could do!  Ha ha ha!  Ryan got sick that day with started the stomach bug around the Peterson house!  Dana and I went and got out nails done!  This way they would look amazing for the holiday's!!!  Dana came over for dinner that night and we had Tostino's for dinner!  That night, Dana also got the stomach bug!  Yuck!

That was my weekend before Christmas!  I was able to start relaxing after singing at Church that day!  I am going to start another post about my Christmas'!

Here are a few pictures from my day with the Peterson's!

You can see Abby with her new Princess Water bottle!  Ryan with his guitar earbuds!  Luke after he made is rubber band necklace!  And then all three of the kids with their sock snowmen!  Such a fun day!  I love these kids!