Rest of the night randomness...

I cannot believe that tomorrow is the first day of MARCH!!  And we are expecting snow.  Tennessee weather has to be the most random weather ever.  One day we can be wearing flip flops and the next day it is snowing!!  Never a dull moment! 

My new job, well I started in December, is going great!!!  I love working with my kiddos and have met some really amazing people!  Also, I am working at my home church's Mother's Day Out, and I absolutely love it!! 

My schedule is different, but I don't mind it at all.  I feel like I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing now. 

I started wearing foundation again.  I had stopped for maybe over a year, I can't even remember, but I have rosacea (sp?) and it flares up every once in a while, and I just need better coverage.  Also, my powder was not looking good, so I decided to start taking the extra time in the morning to put on foundation.  I have been much happier with my makeup lately :)

I started painting my bedroom so I can get some things done.  I really could not find something I truly loved for the bedroom that would not be too girly and not to manly for when Lou moves in.  Well, I was looking on pinterest and saw a color palette and I knew that was what I wanted.  I went to the Home Depot to pick out paint and got a few samples, and then Saturday just decided to go for it and bought the paint and started the process.  Half the room is done, and I plan on finishing the rest this weekend, because if it snows I won't be getting out, unless it is to Sonic. 

I am obsessed with scarves.  I have bought a few new ones and just love to wear them!!

I stopped at a new little store in the town I grew up in, and where I work at MDO, and they had these really cool non-slip headbands.  I bought a navy and white swiss dot one and LOVE IT so much I went back this afternoon and bought a black one!!  I have never liked wearing the hard headbands because I wear my reading glasses all the time and they start to hurt my head, but these are great!!  I have tried to squeeze my eyes and move my head in every which way to get it to come off and it hasn't!!  I can wear it all day!!  Also, these headbands benefit an amazing charity called AMAZIMA.  For each headband sold it provides three meals to a child in Africa.  The young lady who started this charity is from Middle Tennessee, but has done amazing work in Africa. 

I am soooo ready for Spring.  Ready to wear my flip flops.  Ready to wear capris.  Ready to sleep with my windows open.  Ready. 

I am also excited about finding a wedding photographer and finally picking an accent color for my wedding.  I just get excited thinking about it!! 

I have been tracking my calories and working out a lot more since I have got to get this weight off to fit into my wedding dress and I am proud of myself for really thinking about what and how much I am eating.  I want to do it right. 

I think that is all for the night. 

Valentine's Day 2013

Lou and I are not huge celebrators of Valentine's Day, but for Christmas I had bought him tickets to a concert in Nashville that happened to be on V Day.  I had not really heard any of the songs of this band, but was going to go to spend time with Lou.  

Well, the day before Lou called me and said he had free tickets to the Preds game.  I asked him what he wanted to do since they were his tickets, and he said he would rather go to the hockey game!  WOOHOO!!!  Not that I didn't want to go to the concert, but I was so excited we were going to the game instead!!  

(Even before we met I had gone to Preds games, but it had been years since I had gone, 

so once we started dating, I was excited to start going again!!) 

I met Lou at work that afternoon and we went to one of his favorite stores, and then went to eat at one of my favorite restaurants in downtown Nashville.  

We went to park the car and had about 45 minutes to kill, so I took a quick nap in the parking lot - Haha!!

Our seats were way up in the nosebleeds, and I am excited to have free tickets, but being up that high makes me so nervous.  I don't feel good about standing up and cheering when they score, so I usually just sit there and watch.  I know I am a chicken.  

Well, we went in and thought we would try to get our seats upgraded and to check about getting some engagement pictures done in the arena with the ice down.  Well folks, they put us 6 ROWS FROM THE ICE!!!!!!!!!  OH MY WORD!!!  Lou kept laughing at me because I was just staring at the players during warm-ups.  There are some good looking hockey players!!  It was just so cool to be that close!!  I will admit it was a little harder to see the whole game and my neck got a workout, but we were so thankful for the opportunity to sit so close!!

Mike Fisher - Carrie Underwood's Husband

Pekka Rinne at the goal!!

The Face-Off

Lou and me :)

We had a great time and excited to go again soon!!

Also, I told Lou that I wanted to buy him a new hockey sweater and get his name and favorite number on the back.  He told me not to, but he does so much for me and I wanted to do this for him, so I told him he could pick out which one he wanted and what he wanted on it, or I would have to guess and that would probably not be good - haha!!  

Here is what he picked out and I love it and he loves it too!!  He even bought a new shirt to go under the sweater.  It looks so good on him, and I am just happy to be able to do something for him!!

It was a great day all around and I could not have asked for a better Valentine's Day - even though we don't really celebrate the day - haha!!

My 33rd Birthday!!

Yes, I am well over a month late on posting about my birthday, but better late than never...
My 33rd birthday was on a Wednesday, and I get to work at 6:15 am on Wednesdays!  I made sure to get up and curl my hair so I would attempt to look cute, and I think I did - haha!!

On Wednesdays, I get off work around 11 so I headed to the restaurant I have been going to on my birthday for years!  Mom and Lou met me at the Franklin Chop House!!  Nothing fancy, but I love going there and it has become a tradition for me :) 

I went over to Lou's after lunch and took a good nap - another birthday tradition for me :)

Lou gave me my birthday present and I am SOOOOOO excited because he gave me tickets to see ELTON JOHN!!!!!!!!!  He is coming to Nashville in April and I am pumped!!  He is on my bucket list. 

The day after my birthday I went to dinner with Ashley and Miss Lyla and we tried a new Mexican restaurant and we ended up going on Trivia night!  We almost won!!!!  It was fun and we plan on going again soon!

All in all I had a great low key birthday.  Just the kind I like :)

Christmas 2012 - Part 2

After Christmas Eve Communion, the family headed to my parents house

(Lou was not with me because he had to work on Christmas Day).

I'm not sure when it started, but we have eaten finger foods for Christmas Eve dinner for as long as I can remember.  It is my favorite meal!!  We have turkey sausage balls (my bro-in-law is allergic to pork) and they are actually better and less greasy than regular sausage balls.  We also have a veggie tray (I stay away from the raw veggies), cheese dip with Rotel and tortilla chips, pigs in a blanket, and I can't remember what else, but it is always good.  We all eat and then usually hang out, but my aunt and uncle were there so we exchanged gifts with them :)  It was so good to have them because they were here for Thanksgiving and then moved down here a few weeks ago!

My sister and her family started a tradition a few years ago and they make Christmas shirts for their pajamas.  They boys could not wait to put theirs on and they looked so cute!!!  They pick a theme each year and this year was snowmen!!

The boys took Legos and on one added a Santa hat, and took Ninjago Lego snakes and taped them to two Lego men to make reindeer.  Creativity at its best!!

B put bows on T's rear end.

Santa stopped by!!

B with his HUGE Lego set from Santa!

My sister got a banjo.  We are in for some fun!

Part of the Monster Fighters Lego set. 

Lou and I at Opryland Hotel for Christmas Dinner with the family!

B and T with the finished Lego project!!  B was so proud!!!

Santa had to do a few flyovers to make sure the boys were asleep and they were so excited it took them a while, but they finally drifted off and Santa made his stop!!  The next morning the boys were so excited!!  We all opened presents and then hung out until it was time to get ready to go eat!  We have gone to the Opryland Hotel for years to eat on Christmas Day and each year we enjoy eating the food and sitting in the middle of all the decorations!  Since Lou had to work, I picked him up when he got off and we met the rest at the restaurant.  There were 12 of us who ate this time and every year the number is different, but we still have a great time!!

Once we got home we pulled out some games and had two groups of people playing.  It was a relaxing night and just a good time all around!!

It has been a great Christmas season and I am ready for what they new year has to bring!!  

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!!!

Love,

Elizabeth

Christmas 2012 - Part 1

The Sunday before Christmas, Lou, Jake, and I headed to church and then to my parents house for a Christmas lunch!  We also exchanged gifts for Lou and Jake with my family since they would not be there on Christmas Eve or Day, and it officially started the Christmas rounds :)

On Christmas Eve, I was up bright and early to head over to Lou's grandparents house to open gifts with Lou, Jake, and Lou's grandparents.  I made my normal stop at the Sonic to get my drink, and then headed to Lou's!  They made breakfast and as we were eating Jake was jumping to get to open his presents!

Bright and early!!  I called my mom and she had not even woken up yet!!

My addiction.

I sent this to Lou to mark that I can be on time and even early :)

Jake about to tear into some presents!

Lou's grandfather watching Jake! 

Lou smiling as Jake is handing out gifts.

Jake and Nannie

Beautiful surprise from Lou!!  Has earrings also!

Lou and Jake

Lou and I

My surprise!!  He does good!!

 That afternoon I headed home and took a short nap before heading to Christmas Eve Communion at my home church with my dad, sister, brother-in-law, and nephews.  Mom stayed home to finish up our traditional Christmas Eve "dinner".  I really enjoyed the service and was so glad that I went this year!  I just realized that we sat in the same seats we sat in every Sunday!  We were the preacher's family that sat in the back row - haha!!  Good to see faces I had not seen in a while :)

Part 2 coming up next...

Love,

Elizabeth

Christmas at My House 2012

I LOVE to decorate my house for Christmas!!  I kept collecting things over the years and unless I buy or build a new or bigger house, I am set with decorations for a while :)  I love bright colors and plates and platters, and ball ornaments!  Here are some pics of my humble abode...

Above my fridge

Little space of counter top

Larger view

Love my towels!!

Corner of counters

On top of cabinets

Lights off view

Nook at top of stairs

Corner display shelf

This went on my table

On TV armoire - says Merry Christmas!

My tree!!!

Right now everything is put away, except for my tree.  I keep it up until the 12 days of Christmas are over and I still have time to really enjoy just looking at it :)  I feel like it gets busy before Christmas and I don't really have time to enjoy my decorations and how it reminds me of Christmas and all it brings and means to me.  Great memories!!  Hope you enjoyed my tour!!

Love, 

Elizabeth

Pictures from Thanksgiving 2012

I'm a little behind, but I wanted to document it so now is as good a time as any!!

I try to take some pictures every year at Thanksgiving, but not always the best ones, but here are some from the day and days after!  I take horrible self pics, but I liked my hair that day :)