Merry Christmas Everyone

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

New Beginnings and Endings

With the New Year right around the corner, Jeff and I are wrapping up our year. We have had some new beginnings come into the family. Jeff's brother Jon and his wife Liz have a new addition to their family. Look at our new nephew... Carson Bradley Hawkins!

Jeff ended his first step to becoming a Registered Nurse as he graduated on Friday with his LVN (Licensed Vocational Nursing) Certification. So he will start in January with a few prerequisites to begin the RN program next summer. I am so very PROUD of him!!!

We celebrated by going to dinner and then a movie afterwards. Not the most partacious (I made that a word... think partying and then end with acious) Okay, so I'm not cool! Anyway we're married so we're aloud to do boring things and enjoy them.

I got him a money clip for his graduation gift. I had his initials engraved on the front and I had the nursing symbol engraved on the back.

We also added a new rule to the house and my very appreciative puppy is oh so happy about it. Nala is back on the couch! Not on the bed but she is free to snuggle with her mom and dad on the couch... ahh.. look we were sleeping together! Plus, she keeps me warm when its cold. Doesn't she look so happy???

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas!

So this year, I was disappointed and living in agony that I have not had a fall season and a winter season was looking bleak here in Texas! ... Then one day all that changed....

Can you believe it??? So I knew yesterday morning when I woke up that it was bitter cold and raining and had to be like 40 degrees out because it felt like home but this was totally unexpected.

I was working at the mall that morning and it was so slow... there was like no one in the store at all the whole day... and I knew it was because no one wanted to go outside in weather like that but it wasn't snowing.

Later that night I couldn't stay awake as Jeff and I were watching the "Dark Knight" so I got up near the end and crawled into bed which was much colder without Jeff's insane body heat to keep me warm. I pulled all 3 blankets over my head as we had no heater in that room and instantly fell asleep. Next thing I knew, Jeff was calling my name and I opened my eyes unsure of where I was because it was pitch black. That's how tired I was. I forgot that I had blankets on top of me. When I finally realized it I pulled them back and Jeff told me it was snowing outside. I didn't believe him. I jumped up, and this is what I found:!!!

Despite freezing my butt off, it made me feel as though I was back at home. I loved it!! I miss the seasons and this was awesome! The firehouse even had a snowman outside this morning. I guess everyone was out playing in the snow at 2 in the morning!

Even Nala loved it! I think she missed it... She began running around and eating it!

But it didn't melt immediately. This was Nala playing at 11 the next morning. It was great!

Thank Goodness for Open Restaurants!

Jeff and I spent our first Thanksgiving together here in Beaumont with just each other and no other family. Budgets got in the way. Go figure being newlyweds. We put up our Christmas lights around the house. I caught this shot of Jeff who just happened to be posing correctly when I called his name. Isn't he so cute?

But then I nearly had a massive anxiety heart attack because we had no ladder and Jeff wasn't smart enough to listen to me by putting on sneakers instead of wearing flip flops. I kept thinking he would fall off the roof and break his neck. The roofs down here are built really steep unlike where I'm from so seriously I could have killed him. Thankfully he didn't fall but I told him if he did and didn't die, I'd kill him. :)

Next, you might be surprised but as excited as I would have been to Martha Stewart it this Thanksgiving, that didn't happen with only my electric burners and small stove top oven. And neither of them can be used at the same time for long or the outlet will do the safety shut off thing. So we headed out to see if anything was open... and not much here in this small town. So Golden Corral it was! So this was our picture of our Thanksgiving dinner. Isn't it just grand? Its totally picturesque! So we headed home and took a nap to relieve our over-bloated bellies and then put the Christmas music on and finished decorating the tree and inside of the house. We are now ready for Christmas.

This is our half of the house all decked out. No boughs of holly though.. Ha ha ha...

We both did have a Martha Stewart moment however and took the Pumpkin I received at my Bridal Shower and made the recipe that came on the bottom of the pumpkin. It was seriously the best PUMPKIN PIE EVER!!! I don't even care that much for pumpkin pie or any kind of pie really unless its creamy but this was so fabulous. I wish they sold pumpkins year round so I could make this stuff more often. I am leaving you all the recipe. Use a little baby pumpkin for it.

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe EVER!!

Cut pumpkin in half w/out stem. Scoop out seeds and strings.

Place cut down on foil lined baking sheets. Cover with foil.

Bake 350 degree until tender (1 1/2 hours). Cool.

Scoop out flesh and mash with potato masher or place in food processor

until smooth.

1 1/3 cup smooth pumpkin

1 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk. (basically 1 can)

1 egg

1 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger ( I actually left this out)

1/4 tsp cloves

1 cup of hot water

Pour into 9" pie shell (we used a graham cracker one)

Bake at 375 degree for one hour.

The center will still slightly move when done.

Cool and enjoy.

In conclusion we loved our Thanksgiving day. It was fun and the best part. We spent it together.

The next day however, I got my hair cut. I tried the A-line style hair cut but the girl didn't do it with enough slant.. Oh well. Guess I will have to find another hair stylist... Anyway here are some shots of it. The first shot was the lady styling my hair. Apparently you aren't supposed to be able to see with one eye. :)

Barbie Transformation #1

Well ladies here it is... my first transformation into a Barbie doll....So what do you think? I am so in love with the shades and hat. hee hee....

Vanity is such a fun place to work and I love buying all the cheap stuff with my discounts... although we don't have any money so I'm not allowed to spend any more. Jeff jokes about how we don't even own the gas in our cars... ha ha...

We went to see Twilight at the midnight showing. Too many teenagers in the theater for my taste. But if you haven't seen Twilight and have read the book I recommend not seeing it. They kept mostly true to the book which was great but the director was horrible. She didn't do well at capturing the passionate love the two share. It seemed choppy and as though they were trying to hard with Edwards mood swings in the beginning. I was not pleased with it. But it is what it is. Let me know what you guys think.

Warning- Parts of this blog may be PG-17

So I haven't written anything in a while and well thats because I obtained a job as the Assistant Store Manager at a retail clothing store - Vanity. Which by the way I love the job and the clothing and a 40% discount for me is absolutely fabulous! Although I think I'm now paying them to work. Jeff laughs at me because I keep telling him my goal is to become more Barbie doll like... and I'm working on it folks. So I will take pics soon of my new outfits and we will watch my transformation... (Mwhah hah hah hah).

So topic # 1 is a warning to all who read this. This topic is not for those with sensitive ears.

Topic # 1- LOVE YOUR VULVA!!!

I was watching Oprah and the show was all about how women don't know their body very well and how they can achieve satisfaction in the "bedroom" too. So they gave us an anatomy lesson and suprising not many of the audience knew where everything was and even sadder--- I was one of them!!!! Then they gave all the women homework which was to go home and that night practice kissing your significant other and make sure he kisses you because that is the best way to turn a woman on. Homework assignment # 2 was to say to yourself that you love your vulva!!! Uh, okay. Now picture her hand making a circular motion because thats what she did (the doctor on the show, not Oprah). So ladies, we are to learn about and love our vulva. Make sure to tell that to yourself everyday. I LOVE MY VULVA!!!

Topic #2- Concrete hurts

I go running outside every weekday with Nala (only 1.5 miles) because I hate that there are hardly any sidewalks in this city and running in the road ditching cars sucks or nearly rolling your ankles running in the very unstable grassland areas. Anyway there is about half a mile that exists on my route with sidewalks and my equilibrium must have been off because I tripped and hurtled straight for the concrete. OUCH!! Please someone tell my niece I know how it feels when she gets her owies! I have an owie!!! My palms are scuffed up and bruised along with my hip. Last time I remember falling on the concrete I was like ten years old. No wonder kids cry. Adults always just think it doesn't hurt that bad. UH, WRONG!!!! That concrete stings. Oh and rinsing it off with water... that stings too!!! Don't think its water so it shouldn't hurt. So mothers when your child screams from you rinsing it off.... well STOP!!! It really does! I will take this instance straight to my motherhood and leave their dirty scrapes alone!!!!

Topic #3- Jeff is going to kill me for this one

So he will seriously kill me for telling this story but its too hilarious not to.. We were lying in bed, and I was turned on my side which generally means I'm about to fall asleep because I sleep on my side when Jeff all of a sudden in the dead silence says... "okay I'll make love to you". I just burst out laughing... What a way to ask for it...

Topic #4- Apparently, I'm not married...

Yeah this is my favorite. Yesterday my mom called me to tell me she just found our Marriage License which is supposed to be mailed within 30 days of the ceremony or its supposed to be void after that. Uh, we've been married for 7 weeks. I busted out laughing... Jeff and I both looked at each other and he was like, uh, we've been fornicating for the last 7 weeks! Crap! :) Everyone at my work couldn't believe it and whenever I said "my husband", they would correct me and say, you mean "Your Fiance". Ah, too funny. My mom is going to contact the courts so we'll see what happens... and no, I'm not returning any of the gifts. :)

The Stress Diet

So we were going through Jeff's things and I was trying to get rid of all of these unnecessary things that he owns and throw them away... :) when I came across this Stress Diet paper he has. It reads as of follows:

Stress Diet

BREAKFAST:

1/2 Grapefruit

1 slice whole wheat toast

8oz skim milk

LUNCH:

4oz lean broiled chicken breast

1 cup steamed zucchini

1 Oreo cookie

Herb tea

DINNER:

2 loaves garlic bread

1 large Pepporoni & Mushroom Pizza

1 large pitcher of beer (light beer- remember you are on a diet)

3 Milky Way candy bars

1 entire frozen cheesecake, eaten directly from the freezer

1 Diet Dessert of your choice

DIET TIPS

1. If no one sees you eat it, it has no calories

2. If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, they cancel each other out.

3. When eating with someone else, calories don't count if you both eat the same amount.

4. Foods, such as hot chocolate, brandy, or Sara Lee Cheesecake, which are consumed for medicinal purposes NEVER count for caloric purposes

5. If you fatten up everyone around you, then you will look thinner.

6. Movie related foods don't count because they are simply part of the entertainment experience and not part of one's personal fuel. These foods include Milk Duds, buttered popcorn, Junior Mints, etc.

7. Food that you do not have to pay for, such as at a party or any other social function where food is served free, is really FREE. This means that it is free of everything including calories. Remember, free food has no calories.

8. Cookie pieces contain no calories. The process of breakage causes severe and very rapid caloric leakage.