Reese Marie

Reese is just getting so big.  She is changing so much everyday.  I can't believe she will be 4 in January.  Sometimes she crawls into our bed in the mornings if we tell her it's too early to get up and she falls back asleep and it's the cutest thing in the world...she is such a peaceful, quiet sleeper!

She has been in dance class since the Fall and she has started to really love it!  I don't think there are too many things cuter than a bunch of little girls dancing with legwarmers!!  

Friday Face changes and some technical info

Happy Monday friends!

I have a few quick comments that I would like to share.

First - Friday Face is not gone forever, I am just trying to get more people to respond and answer my deep dark interview questions!  I do have a new idea though...

I will still continue to do a Friday Face when I have someone to interview.  On the Friday's that I do not have someone to interview - I am going to have people do guest posts on something that they are involved in in their life that is of importance to them.  For instance - my Mom has agreed to do a Friday Face post about her upcoming 3-Day Susan G. Komen walk.

I think this is a great idea - I especially like that I will have other people writing on my blog!!! 

Fan to the Tastic!!!

Also - a few technical comments:

1.  If you ever want to steal a picture from my blog, all you have to do is right click on the image and select save image as - and then save it to your computer and it is yours!

2.  I have added a new widget to my blog - on the right side under the "About Me" section there is a spot where you can add your email and you can be emailed when I post an entry!  I currently have this set up through my profile to email people - but it only allows 10 people.  This way has no restrictions!  Personally, I would rather you all go directly to my blog - so you can get the full experience - banner, music all of it :)  But this would be a nice reminder to go out and look!

Well - I hope you all had a good Monday.

P.S.  The best part of my day was when my employee told me that she was going to turn down a job offer that she had received because she thinks I am a great boss and that she is loyal to me and that she wanted to stay working in our office. 

This weekend

This weekend was nice and . . . . s . l . o . w . . . .

Really, the most we got out of the house this past weekend was to go grocery shopping on Friday night (we are so lame!) and Shaun's basketball game in Peoria on Sunday night.

Our weekend included this:

this:

this:

and finally this:

Yes people, Shaun and I watched count it 4 movies this weekend!!!

We caught up on some house work, laundry and plain old relaxed!  It was so nice.  It was a good weekend for it too.  It rained a lot.  At least we didn't get all the snow like they did up North!

Good - news...

I am not getting too excited about this but we have someone who is "very interested" in our house.  He has not been approved for a loan yet - so we will see.  I am not getting my hopes up...yes I am :) shhhh...

Shaun was a trooper and watched a few of these girly movies with me! Charlie St. Cloud was especially corny - but I still liked it!

We get to go up north next weekend for Tracy's birthday!!!  I am so excited :)  We haven't been up there in quite awhile!

Well - that's about it from our weekend.  I am sorry if I have put you to sleep with this post :)  

Next weekend will be more exciting!  I'm not going to lie though - a boring Monday post means that we had a good relaxing weekend, which is just what I needed.

Happy Monday!

Check this out...

This is  AWESOME.

I do not know this woman but I feel like I do.  I have been following her blog for a couple of months now and I think she rocks.

I have blogged about her story previously but I have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting to hear the news.

Libby Ryder was diagnosed with lymphoma and has been getting chemo for the last 6 months.  Libby was 26 when she was diagnosed.  she is married and has a one year old daughter.  The story is heart breaking.

Today Libby found out that she is cancer free!!!!!!!!!!!

Like I said, AWESOME!!!!!!

Check it out -

http://www.libbyryder.blogspot.com/

P.S. Stay tuned for today's Friday Face!  Who will it be...who will it be?!?!?!?

Cheers to Friday - It's been a long one :)

It really is about enjoying the small things

This will be a short post today.  I just want to share a story that really warmed my heart the other day.  

Let me first preface this post with this 

This is one of my most favorite blogs to read.  The name of the blog is enjoying the small things and the lady that writes it is Kelle Hampton.  I don't know who Kelle is but I stumbled upon her blog through Nie Nie Dialogues (check it out on my side bar) 

Sidenote: Can I just say that blogs are now becoming like Us Weekly or People magazine to me?!?!?!  But in a way healthier (and free) way.  The people on the blogs I read about are not perfect, not super skinny, not rich...just normal.  So I think it is better than being celebrity-obsessed.  And man......some of these people can REALLY write!

Ok...ADD...back to the point :)

So....on Kelle's blog she talks about her children a lot and takes TONS of pictures about them.  They are so cute.  She has 2 daughters and one of them is about a year old and has Down's Syndrome.  Kelle didn't have the testing done to determine if Nella would have an extra chromosome - she said it wouldn't have mattered.  Read Nella's birth story here.

So again - my point is what you ask???

I was at Walmart the other day in the Valentine aisle and a family walked past me.  There was a Mother pushing a cart with a small child in it and there were 2 other children walking along with her.  I turned to look at the small child in the cart and this most precious little girl turned around with the world's biggest smile on her face, like I had just given her a giant ice cream cone or something.  The little girl had down's syndrome.  No on else in the family made eye contact with me but this little girls was all smiles...ear to ear.  It was the cutest thing ever.  I don't know if I will ever forget the look on her face.  She didn't know me and she didn't care, she was just happy to have someone smile at her.  Cutest. thing. ever

This may be a slightly random post...ok, really random but who cares, I didn't want to forget the moment.

One day, I will look back on all of my posts labeled "random" and reflect happily on them!!!  Life is really made up of a bunch of random acts anyway right?!?!?!?

Happy Tuesday!

P.S. Sorry no pics! 

A Little Comparison

The other day I stumbled across this blog and I felt very.....small.

Not that my problems and issues aren't a big deal...because they are to me but in the big picture, the BIG scheme of things, they are very small issues.

The blog is called Don't Waste Your Cancer.  This woman sees her cancer as get this....

A GIFT

That's right, you read it correct. 

Libby Ryder is a 27 year old woman who is married with a little 1 year old daughter named Ava.  

This is an excerpt from her blog:

this blog is going to tell our story of some recent news that changes everything. justin and i were talking about this yesterday...we decided nothing will be the same again, ever. but in the best way possible. we are excited for this new path in our journey as a couple and as individuals. i told him this past week that i was thankful this was all happening now and not in 60 years when we were older and had missed out on loving Jesus this much, or each other this much, and everyone around this much. since we never saw this one coming. i guess that is what you sign up for when you decide to give your life...we are talking your life here...to Jesus Christ. it means trusting him with everything. i thought i did though. but now i know that i didn't. i mean i did a little. but not like i do now. this is our story and since we are not writing it, God is...we have to trust that he wanted this part to be in ours.

 

Libby has Stage 4 lymphoma.  Cancer.  

 

She is less than a year younger than me.  So, while I am worrying about when we can move up to north, get out of debt, have kids, get more money in savings; this woman is worrying about having enough energy to make her daughter's Halloween costume, being able to get out of her own bed to put her daughter to bed, being healthy enough to see her daughter grow up, scheduling her life around chemo treatments and trying to find a cute way to cover up her thinning hair.

 

I have so much.

 

Sometimes it is so easy to take your life for granted, to think of the negative and not the positive, to always want MORE.

 

Today I am thankful for my health.

It shouldn't take a diagnosis of cancer for us to be thankful.

So....think of everything that you have in your life, not what you don't.  We can all have bigger houses, less debt, more savings etc...

That doesn't get you anywhere though.  Things could always be better but let's be thankful for how good things are NOW.

 

So - cheers to a new week and hopefully no more snow!!!!  

 

 

What are you thankful for today?

 

Happy Birthday to me

Today is my birthday.

I am 28.  

This is what I wish I was doing right now.

Me sitting on Curtis' bike out by the barn drinking a Stella...in case you couldn't tell!

A few reasons why I am happy on my birthday:

1.  I have gotten to talk to most of my favorite people all in one day

2.  My Mom and Dad got me a Vera Bradley Messenger Bag in purple punch which I have patiently been waiting to open for 2 weeks now!!!

3.  I went on a little Target shopping trip with my birthday money and didn't feel one bit guilty!

4.  I got free BWW for lunch at work from a drug rep.  They also brought me a turtle ice cream cake that I couldn't eat (pecans) but the thought was so sweet!

5.  Shaun is making me dinner tonight.

6.  Our house is clean (which means I can actually feel relaxed tonight as Shaun and I watch a movie and I will not be thinking about the other million things I could be doing instead of sitting!!!)

7.  Nothing tragic happened at my office today!  It was a pretty good day!

8.  So many people have left me Happy Birthday messages on Facebook and it makes me feel very special!  Even though I know they are reminded on their profile page...but who cares, right? :)

9.  I have lived for 28 happy and healthy years - with not much to complain about.

10.  And finally - I am happy today because I feel content.  I am not worried, not anxious, just happy!

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes.  I love you all.

Oh and P.S. As always, thanks for reading my blog :)

Cheers to birthday shopping and Buffalo Wild Wings!

Friday Face

 Aunt Dawn

 I love my Aunt Dawn!  Can you tell that we are related in this picture? :)  Aunt Dawn is my Dad's sister.  Our family grew up near theirs - about 20 minutes away and I have many memories of our families getting together and playing with my cousins as we grew up.  I also remember going to Great America with Aunt Dawn and my Grandma.  I remember riding the train through the theme park....really I do, I don't know how old I was but I remember that!  

Weird the things that stick with you huh? :)

  Aunt Dawn is a faithful reader of my blog (thank you!!!) and she always leaves really sweet comments which makes me sooooooo happy!!!!

Oh and Aunt Dawn thank you so much for my homemade purple sparkly scarf you gave me for Christmas, I really like it and it meant a lot to me!  

So - after my 2 week hiatus with Friday Face - I'm bringin' it back. 

Here we go...

What are you thankful for? 

Being on the right side of the dirt,my children,my husband,and my dogs. 

What is your favorite item in your closet? 

All my shoes and sandals.

What is your favorite holiday? 

It has always been Christmas used to be for the presents not so much now I just love it.The lights the trees and the children's faces.

What is your worst habit?

Humming all the time or whistling both of these drive my family crazy. 

I think that is a good habit, it means you are happy!...just sayin'!

What is your favorite time of the day and why?

When the sun comes up because it's the start of a new day.

What is your favorite vacation spot? 

I'm really not sure about this one.

What are your goals? 

I just want to be the person I was meant to be.

What makes you laugh? 

Our dog Rosie she does some very goofy things.

Who is your best friend?

Aud

What has been your happiest moment in life? 

Giving birth to our children.

What are you most proud of? 

Quitting smoking and other things

I am so proud of you!!!!!

Who would you love to meet? 

Bette Midler

What is your best advice to give people? 

Whatever is happening in your life right now it won't last forever. Whether it is good or bad.

What is the craziest thing you have ever done? 

I'm not to sure that I've done it yet

We should go skydiving, that's pretty crazy and SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!!

Describe yourself in one word...

 

Grateful 

Happy Friday everyone!!!!!  This weekend we are celebrating mine and my friend Andrea's birthdays and going out to dinner, getting the house ready to go on the market for Monday, watching the Colt's play-off game (yes Shaun I promise to wear my jersey :)) and hoping to relax a bit.  

Cheers to getting to sleep in on the weekend,

Hold the door open

Last night as I was picking up dinner for Shaun and mine's date night (I know I should be cooking some home made gourmet meal but we all know I can't cook and it was already 5:30 - so thanks Mama Herchenbach for the Panera gift card, you have contributed to date night and it is much appreciated!!!)

So...I was picking up dinner for us last night and as I was leaving, I saw this parade of people coming through the doorway.  There was a couple who looked to be in their 50's who were helping this elderly couple into the restaurant.  The little old lady was being held up by the younger man whom I assumed to be her son or son-in-law and the man was hobbling in on a walker being helped by either his daughter or daughter-in-law.  

I was walking out as these people were walking in....

I couldn't help but think of Shaun and I with his parents.

This brought me back to a few weekends ago when I was bringing Shirley (Shaun's Mom) back from Gurnee (they came up to spend Christmas with my family) and we had to stop at the rest area.  Since it was just her and I, we probably looked like we could use a little help!  As we were walking into the building a gentleman kindly came up to us and asked if he could help her get over the curb.  I happily accepted the help and he held her other arm as we helped her up and over the icy curb.  I thought...what a nice guy.  

Then as we were walking out back to the car a woman (not with the other guy) came up to us and offered to help take her other side and help her into my car.  I was very grateful for this because when we were in the rest stop Bear thought it would be a good idea to jump in the back seat.  So - I would have had to get Bear out of the front seat while leaving Shirley there, got Bear in the back seat and then came back to help Shirley into the car.  Thank God for that woman!  She was a savior.   

So, this brings me back to the couple at Panera...

Even though I was in a hurry, I could see that these people needed help and so I did a simple thing, I held the door.

As the woman walked through the door with the elderly man, she gave me this look of thank you so much...the same look that I give people when they help us...

like - thank you so much for helping us and I am sorry that they are slow and probably in your way but I really appreciate the help, it makes it easier for me.

So - moral of the story - no matter how big of a hurry you are in, you always have time to hold a door open or help someone who is less able than you are.  There are plenty of people in this world who rush around and only think about themselves but there are also a lot of people who will stop and help you - so - be one of THOSE people who hold the door open...it matters a lot to those who are taking care of them.

Thank you :) 

Isabella Grace turns 1

Good evening my friends!  I hope you all had a good Monday and are gearing up for all of the Holiday festivities that will soon be upon us!  I cannot wait to go up to Gurnee to see my family and friends!!!  

I just love Christmas!

This is going to be somewhat of a random post but I have been meaning to blog about this for awhile now.  My college roomie and good friend Erika had her daughter's birthday party the weekend after Thanksgiving and it was SO MUCH FUN!!!  Miss Isabella is growing up way too fast, I cannot believe that she is already a year old.  Man....times flies.

She was soooo hamming it up with everyone and she was so good while being passed around all day.  She was so photogenic :) Such a cutie!  It seemed like she liked all of her presents...especially my "purse" I got her which had sound effects....it was pretty awesome!  

I wish I lived closer so that I could see this princess more often!  

Well, Happy Monday.....

and P.S. I will be giving this little boy a million kisses in T-3 days!!!

Cheers,

Frosty the Snowman - and happy 100th post to my blog!

We have this singing snowman in our office and I would be lying if I didn't say that I found it hidden in storage about a month ago and I decided to leave it there because the kids LOVE it and LOVE to push the button like 1,000,000,000,000 times a day.  I hear Frosty the Snowman in my dreams.

So, I just want to say thank you to our new Medical Office Assistant who found Frosty and said, "what is this doing back here" in a Woah - this thing is cool kind of way.

So there you have it....Frosty is out and about, singing for the whole office.   I thought, Oh geez...this is going to be so ANNOYING!!!!

However, I heard Frosty's jingle jangle start from back in my office and I heard a little girl squeal with laughter and I thought, Ok, maybe it was worth it to bring Frosty out :)

 I do love the Christmas season.  It is white outside and a chill is definitely in the air. Maybe we will have a fire this week.

Also - on a side note....happy 100th post to my blog.  I can't believe I have posted 100 times to this little online world of my thoughts.  Thank you all for reading and I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have writing.  

I have to say I do feel like an amateur in the blog world.  Some people are SOOOOO good with their pictures and words.  I wonder if I will ever be that good.  Well practice makes perfect, right?!?!?!  Well, we'll see :)  

Only 9 days until Shaun, Harold, Shirley, Bear and I bundle up to head up north for Christmas.

I.can't.wait.

Down to the village,
With a broomstick in his hand,
Running here and there all
Around the square saying,
Catch me if you can....

Christmas, Dinner with friends & Barkley

Well, I finally finished decorating our Christmas tree.  We only had the lights on it for the last week and it was looking a little sad.  So - I jammed out to a little Mariah Carey Christmas and up went the ornaments.  

I just LOVE all of the hand made ornaments I have from my Mama.  It makes me happy to put them up every year.  

Christmas is by far my favorite time of year.  I love feeling cozy in our home with a fire burning, cinnamon simmering on the stove, Christmas music playing, gifts under the tree, stockings hung, snow on the ground.  I could go on..and on...and on...

On Friday night we went out to dinner with Doug and Jackie - aka - Mr. & Mrs. Surratt...I had to throw that in there...they just got married :)

We went for some steak at Alexander's and then for a few drinks at Martini's, it was so much fun!  I decided to switch it up from my normal Bomb Pop martini and try the Mango martini....good choice, it was very tasty!

Then on Sunday night Blake and Ashley brought over their new puppy, Barkley.  Let's just say that Barkley could fit inside Bear's mouth...not that he did :)

He is so cute and cuddly...

Here is a video of them playing.  It is kind of dark but it is cute :)

There are only 19 more days until Christmas my friends...that's right 19 ... at this point I would say I am about half done with my shopping, which is pretty good I think!

I hope you all had an enjoyable and relaxing weekend.

Here's to getting all of the Christmas shopping done!

Good luck,

Breath of Heaven

This is how I have felt all day....LIKE A CRAZY WOMAN!!!!!  

...I'll get right on that...

...I'll get that to you as soon as possible...

...I can take care of that right now...

...I will get that to you first thing in the morning...

...I can help you with that in 5 minutes...

...do you need any help with that....

and on...and on...and on...

However, I have a job and I am thankful for that.  AND - Shaun andI are going on a date night tonight, I don't care how bad of a day I have had :)  

It was so weird though - one of my most favorite, favorite, favorite Christmas songs is Breath of Heaven by Amy Grant...

While driving to work this morning I had one of my nurses call in sick, she had a fever.  I had the PRN coordinator on the phone trying to find someone to help us.  I had accidently passed the gas station that had my favorite fat free vanilla cappuccino wake up call.  I was now running late to a morning meeting because I was trying to do my make up and figure out our staffing for the day while on my cell phone at home.

And I hear...

Breath of Heaven...

Hold me togehter...

Be forever near me...

Breath of heaven...

  Then I get to work to find out that I had completely forgotten about a different meeting that was supposed to start a half hour before the one that I was already 7 minutes late for!!! I will spare you the details of every other little thing that went wrong this morning but then I sit down at my computer and because I have been playing Christmas music on Pandora since October 1st I hear...

Breath of Heaven...

Lighten my darkness...

Pour over me your holyness...

For your holy Breath of Heaven...

Really???  I am taking it as a sign.  I was so glad and happy that that song came on TWICE for me today when I needed it.  Plus - you know when you are really busy and you don't even hear what song is playing in the background of your day???  That is how busy I was and for some reason, I heard the song BOTH times :) 

and that makes me happy...

Happy Thursday to everyone!!

Plus, here is a funny pic!

Thanks Tracy for telling us the jumping idea was funny and not stupid :)

 Totally random post, but whatever...again it's my blog and I write what I want!!!

 

Relaxing Weekend and late Halloween Pics!

This weekend was really nice for us.  We got to relax, catch up on house work and lawn work :)  Bear had a lot of fun today trying to catch the falling leaves in the yard!  He is such a doof.  

I am getting really excited because in a week and a half we get to go to Gurnee for Thanksgiving and we have 2 days off of work!!!  This year Colin and Tracy are hosting Thanksgiving at their house and we are bringing Shaun's parents up with us.  It will be a full house and I am very happy that we get to spend Thanksgiving with BOTH of our families.  

There is so much to be thankful for this year.  Here is my list off of the top of my head :)

1.  My husband

2.  The support of my family and friends

3.  Our warm and cozy house

5.  Buddy Bear

6.  The ability to pay all of our bills and put food on the table every day

7.  Our jobs

What are you thankful for this Holiday season?

These are soooo late but I had to post - here are some pictures from Halloween...

 

Friday Night out by the barn

I just LOVE LOVE LOVE when Shaun and I get the chance to get up to Gurnee earlier than 9:00 or 10:00 pm and we can hang out back by the barn and have a few beers with my family!

Last Friday's drink of choice for me was Stella Artois - compliments of Mama Herchenbach - thanks Mom, I love you :)

Check out this cool pic I took of myself sitting on Curtis' bike with a Stella in my hand:

 

We had such a nice night.  Later we hung out with Joelle and Ryan and went to the local establishment - Cottage Tap, you have to live in Gurnee/Wildwood to know where this place is - trust me you probably don't know of it unless you live in the area.  It has a juke box - come on - what else do you need?  Joelle and I had a good old time dancing like a bunch of fools :)  

Then on Saturday I got Joelle ready for a wedding they had to go to - she looked so perrrrrty :)  I am so mad at myself - I did not get any pictures of Friday night OR Saturday :(

Then Saturday night we went over to Curtis' house and had a bonfire.  Here are some awesome pictures that I took with my phone on different settings:

This is Curtis by the fire

Curt again...

 

 

This one is my favorite - Curtis is by the fire on his phone and this is how it turned out!

 Then on Sunday Shaun, my Mom and I went over to Colin's house to watch the Bears and the Colts play.  Then we were on our way back to Pekin!  

We had a wonderful, wonderful weekend!!!  It was nice to see everyone and the weather was AMAZING!!!

Happy Thursday to everyone!