2011

It's seriously been another year. Another calendar full of birthdays and events. Dunzo. I was laughing at some pins on Pinterest last night that said things like, "I can't believe it's been a year since I didn't become a better person."

So since this is typically a time spent reflecting, let's reflect. For funsies.

January
Wow, looking at my blog it was a pretty dead month wasn't it? I did start the year off with a lot of reading. Which I really hadn't made much time for what with stressing about my first year of teaching. Of course, we also saw the return of the REAL Old Spice man. And there was much rejoicing. Not to mention the return of American Idol, which renewed my love for Steven Tyler.

February
Gotta love February at my private school. We have a week off. A whole week. YES. I went and had a fancy straightening procedure done on my hair. My Packers won the Super Bowl!!! Ready for a repeat performance coming up? Volkswagen put out the cutest commercial ever. And I posted adorable pictures of my furbaby. Plus Arthur had to spend some time in the shop right about the time hubby went and bought a new (to us) car.

March
I began recapping American Idol again. Not quite as faithful to it this year since I wasn't doing it from my laptop. I planned a lumberjack party for hubby's birthday. I unveiled my fancy pants gallery wall in my house. Which I still receive compliments on. I also started getting pumped for springtime.

April
I started crushing HARD on Brian Wilson. Which made my husband's beard all the more glorious to me. I got all riled up by our idiotic state and their "improvements" to education. ABC tore out my heart and stomped on it by cancelling BOTH of my soap operas. I was irate. Hubby and I celebrated three years of marriage by heading to the hills with some siblings and shooting targets. Started enjoying baseball season.

May
May is always such a crazy month. As evidenced by my whopping nine posts for the entire month. My baby turned seven. I embraced the fact that it was my last month of my first year of teaching. I visited my fist IKEA store! There was much excitement as we went to our very first Giants game with two of the nephews. Then there was devastation at that game as it's the infamous one where Posey was injured and out for the season. Hubby also went and got us a new furbaby.

June
June brought my first summer vacation!!! I began it with soaps, because what better way is there? I started the weekly manicures for funsies. There was much crushing on some certain baseball players. Thankfully hubby is an understanding man. I got the super news that my Leo would return to my soap. Happy sighs and goosebumps all around. I said another goodbye to my aunt that we lost last year. I dyed my hair PURPLE because I could. And I LOVED it. We finished the month with an Oakland game in which me met DAVE STEWART AND VIDA BLUE and my mom almost passed out from the excitement of it.

July
We celebrated the 3rd AND 4th of July because that's how we roll around here. We also headed out to a local ballgame. We celebrated again for the All-Star game and I had super cute nails. I started watching MLB network on a regular basis after discovering we already had it for who knows how long. I wrote a letter to Old Spice stating why Brian Wilson should be a spokesman. FACT: he's glorious. I went to the Harry Potter midnight premiere!!! Kind of. My theater had an epic fail and some people seriously lost their shiz. I discovered an insanely easy dessert that became popular around these parts. I can't count how many times I've made it since. We went to ANOTHER baseball game for which I made a sassy shirt. Then there was yet another game at which my cousin and I decided owling was necessary.

August
Sadly, I watched summer wind down. But I started the month with a manicure dedicated to Cody Ross because I got a freakin' winky face from him!!!! My bartender friend squealed with me over this. I had to get back into the classroom and then school started. I had a cute manicure and cuter students. Went to a game for my cousin's birthday and took the best family picture ever. Then I decided to show off my craftiness by posting my super cute headband I made for said game. The whole time I was wishing summer (and baseball) would never end.

September
September was a pretty mellow month. My cousin came and stayed with us Labor Day weekend. There was much fun and obnoxiousness had. Then of course I GOT MY FIRST TATTOO. A fitting Shakespeare quote. I got my kids back into the habit of being at school. Our Wednesday night program at church started up again. There were more manicures, and much cheering on of the Giants. Then there was one last game in San Francisco, which was fun even though they had already blown postseason.

October
The manicures started to get a Halloween theme to them. I started visiting my brother at work a lot, which turned into some awesomely random nights. My mom took our family dog to be put down and our hearts broke. Halloween started to make appearances in my house. I found out I'm a pretty good painter. I got my second tattoo, this one to match my grandpa's. Halloween finally got here and we had to say goodbye to my favorite month.

November
It was a slow month. Most of my posts were about my manicures. Oopsie. The days got shorter. We watched a lot of Walking Dead on Sunday nights. I went to a canned food drive and got to see one of my favorite local bands. Thanksgiving break hit and the hubby and I went to IKEA to buy our new couch! And I got closer and closer to my 30th birthday...

December
Even though my blog posts don't reflect it, December was the busiest I've been in a loooooong time. Well, I guess my blog posts do reflect it when you consider the absence of them. There was practice for our Christmas program at school. There was prep and cleaning for my party. I got my third tattoo in honor of my aunt. (Yes that's three tattoos in four months.) I finally turned 30 and had an amazing party with people I love. Christmas break hit and it was a rush to finish shopping, wrap presents and bake cookies. Everything was done with a little time to spare. Then it was off to Vegas for a couple days of vacation, including one of the final performances of The Lion King.

Thanks to everyone who was a part of my year. There are so many people I'm glad to have. And I hope next year brings more of the same love and good times.

Friday Photo

I hate undecorating. I actually haven't started yet because we just had more people over last night. And I probably won't start today either. I just don't like it. It's almost sad.

Las Vegas was still decorated. I was obsessed with the Venetian. Just let me show you their tree.

First is at night, then one during the day. Pictures cannot do this tree justice. It was gorgeous. My jaw dropped, I gasped, and I clutched my pearls. Okay, I wasn't wearing pearls to clutch, but my hand went to my chest like I was.

I wanted to bring it home. I want one for my front yard next year. I want one ALL THE TIME. But it might be a bit excessive for my town.

Two days left in 2011. I'm debating what I want to do with mine. Do I spend the whole day reading again? I have the house to myself so I could. I do need to get to the grocery store at some point. And if I'm out I may as well do a little shopping...

Tomorrow I'll probably recap the year in the typical style that bloggers do. For now, happy Friday!

Resolutions?

Let's face it - I am QUEEN of procrastination. I'm not about to make a list of resolutions that I likely won't keep. But there are some things I would like to work on this year. No pressure or judgement on myself if I don't do it.

Hubs and I are discussing a beachy vacation over the summer. This would obvs require swimsuits. Which would obvs require some weight loss. So I want to get back into running. I don't care about the number on the scale, but I would like to wear a swimsuit and show off my tattoos without feeling like a whale.

This is the year I want an organized sewing room. The sooner it gets organized the sooner I can have a television in there. And with a television comes a DVD player. Which means I can watch/listen to movies while I work.

I want to give more. Whether it's time, or money, or whatever. I feel like we were so blessed this year that I need to give more next year. Not grudgingly either, but with a happy heart. I think I can do it. I would love to find a couple organizations that I can really get into.

I want to make more. Over vacations I have the time, but sometimes I just get lazy. I need to be motivated. It's fun when I start, just the getting started takes a little extra oomph.

So instead of resolutions, what are some of the things y'all would like to do? Focus on?

"Don't you forget about me."

Sorry, at time of writing I am honestly reciting the movie in my head. Soundtrack included.

I give you some cousins today. And my brother. With new, shorter hair!

Top is my Jules, she has memorized Easy A with me. And we frequently recite it to each other. Middle is my cousin Micah. She's all around amazing. With gorgeous eyes. And the bottom is little brother and our cousin Carson. Back off girls. The odds of my letting you date them are slim.

Good Genes

If my mom and aunts are any indication, I have years of looking fabulous ahead of me.

"A gentleman caller, oh happy day mama!"

I love that movie. If you don't know the quote, it's from Easy A. Amazing movie. You must watch it. In fact, I just got it for Christmas. Come over and have a beer with me while we bask in its fantasticalness.

Oh wait, you can't come over. Because I'm going to Vegas for a few days. So no manicure post today (let's face it, was I really going to have time to do my nails ON Christmas?), but I'll have one for you when I come back.

In the meantime, I have three days of picture posts. So you can peek at my Christmas. Think lucky thoughts for me, not that I plan on gambling a bunch. But maybe a little bit.

I leave you with my tree skirt. Very Nightmare-ish. I hand-painted it. Want proof?

I enjoy painting. It's kinda relaxing. And I love my tree skirt.

Merry Christmas!