Cheers to the Freakin' Weekend

Drink to that, yeeaaaah.

How about a flashback for ya on that song?

Okay so this weekend flat out ROCKED my socks off. Gosh I just love weekends that are relaxing, filled with awesome people, and getting a few things knocked off of the to-do list.

I guess it always makes things a little better that I had off two whole days from school. It was pretty glorious. No really, like it was something that I needed so severely bad.

It's been a rough go at times this year and I think these few days off are just what I needed to recharge. Get back on track. And ready to go go go again.

I filled the days off with deep cleaning and just enjoying putting my ever thinking mind at rest for a few days. Oh how that is good for my soul. And sanity. And complexion. And a million other things I'm sure.

On Friday night my parents came to town and got to hung out with us for the weekend.

Somehow we always have some kind of project going on and on Saturday Jeff and my dad put new doors on the main level of our house. The doors are finally gone that have driven me absolutely INSANE since the day we moved in.

I feel a sense of relief now that the horrid things are gone. ha ha ha. No, but really. It's awesome.

I think it made a HUGE difference. The left picture is from last year when we were painting the entire upstairs. It wasn't completely painted in this picture, but you get the idea. I am pretty much in love and they aren't even painted yet.

While they were hard at work, Jeff surprised my mom and I with a manicures and pedicures. Mani/Pedis/Shopping > Hanging Doors.

It was a beautiful thing and I really loved that I got to spend that time with my mamacita. Just relaxing, having fun, doing our thang. Now my fingers and toes are ready for some KU football (and basketball) and Christmas. Too soon? No...never too soon.

We also went to a Japanese Steakhouse, Kobe, and it was de-flippin-licious.

Nothing like watching your food get cooked right in front of your face by someone else. Thank goodness my hair is all still intact from the big fires.

Unfortunately all of the other pictures were completely blurry, but what can ya do. All I know is it was the bomb and I can't wait until we can go back again.

It's weekends like these I wish I could just bottle up because they are just so awesome. Simple weekends with good company tend to be my absolute favorite ones. It almost makes me sad when they are over. Okay, it totally does. But I GUESS I have to go back into the real world now.

Okay now I'm ready for the next one to get here :)

gingerbread contest 2012

Traditions are one thing I really, really love about the holidays. It's something special you get to share with your family. The ones you look back and always remember. You share those traditions with your children and then it really becomes something really special.

Ever since I can remember we made cookies with my grandma. It was always one of my best memories of Christmas. She was always one of my best memories of Christmas.

The smell of cookies in the oven. Watching grandma whip up baked goodies. Watching the timer to make sure grandma didn't burn a spatula or something else nearby. Laughing. Listening to music. Sweet, sweet memories.

We always cut out and decorated cookies as a family. The cousins and my brothers were usually the contestants. Somehow over the years it turned into a competition. And somehow I always lost. Other than the year I sucked up to the judge (my uncle) and made a birthday cake cookie for his birthday.

This year my niece was the cookie decorator and it was precious to see her and my mom doing the same exact thing we did with my grandma for years. Those memories she will always hold just like us. I don't give a poo what anyone says, Christmas IS magical. For real.

Anyway. This year was our second year to add in a gingerbread contest. Last year got a little wild and people were adding wrap around porches, camp fires, and real fire. But of course this year didn't disappoint. And we didn't get last. Cheers to THAT.

I have got to say I am way better at the quick cookies. Somehow Jeff ended up making our entire house and I just worked on the back yard. Let's see if you can tell which one is ours. I'll just say it's mighty....sugary.

easter at the lake

So this past weekend ended too soon. Or maybe I just always say that on Monday? Probably. Either way, it ended and I sure didn't want it to.

We spent the weekend at a lake near my home town camping Friday - Sunday. There is just nothing like camping to me. Maybe it's because I've grown up going every year since I was in the ol' diapers, but I just love it so darn much.

The weekend consisted of eating, fishing, lounging, church and more eating. We had a fish fry Saturday and the best ever Easter meal on Sunday {cooked by none other than the best Momma Easter bunny}. Just because we were camping she was not about to let Easter slip by without some home cookin', even if it was made inside the camper.

Summed up, it was a big ball of happiness that I want to do over and over and over again. I think we should keep this whole Easter camping thing. Nothing like spending time with the people you love doing something that makes you smile mile wide. Nope, nothing like it.

Friday- Grilled Shrimp + Asparagus + Baked Potato + Wine

Mr. Pro Fisherman on the right!

My brand spankin' new pink lover.

How was your Easter?

HAPPY MONDAY!

mini vacation

Feet have currently touched back down in Kansas. 

I must say, that 4 day vacation was pretty great and I really wish I could just fly around the United States every weekend. How great would that be?!

So a few things went down while Jeff & I were in Boston visiting my oh so fabulous aunt. One item was even crossed off of the bucket list {celtics game}.

I would have a lot of pictures but sadly, I left my camera behind on accident. Story of my forgetful life. However, here are a few to recap our mini vacation to New England. A big {huge} thanks to my aunt for everything. She is a pretty darn special woman!

Day 1

Celtics v. Pacers
New York Style Pizza
Drinks/Music

Day 2

Newberry Street
Dressed up  & went to dinner @  a fancy  restaurant to celebrate our engagement with my aunt's {uh-mazing} friend

(pictures locked away on the camera that resides in Massachusetts at the moment...sad, sad)

Day 3


Traveled up to New Hampshire & Maine
I married the IPhone 4S & Siri. Our love is undeniable.

iphone quality-sorry!

hahah. love it.

Day 4

Packed up & headed home to God's country

It just amazes me every time I travel how nuts it is that you can fly anywhere...ANYWHERE in the United States in just a hop, skip, and jump. It blows my mind.

P.S. does anyone else count swimming pools and baseball fields when they are flying?

Feels good to be back and can't wait to catch up reading blogs and get busy with mine!

traditions

Today I'm linking up once again with Becky @ From Mrs to Mama for some holiday traditions!

I am kind of obsessed with traditions, almost as much as I am obsessed with the holiday season. Everyone is so...happy.

But ultimately traditions is one of my favorite parts about the holiday season, along with spending mucho time with my family. Love me some family time, 510%. So today I'm going to share one tradition from my past, one current, and one for my future.

{p to the s this is going to be uber long...don't say I didn't warn ya!}

My Past

Christmas Eve

A tradition from my past that I hold pretty close to my heart is our tradition of Christmas Eve. {Every single Christmas Eve since I can even remember} we would go to my great grandmas house for mass, dinner, and presents. This was not just any "normal" family gathering. It was....huge. Like ummm over 150 I'd say. Our WHOLE family...extended to the max. The house would be jammed packed, and smell of delish food and treats.

My great grandma and her daughter would get every single person in the entire family a gift. Obviously they had to buy them year around because there were hundreds of us so to me, they are kind of the definition of Christmas spirit. So giving. So kind. So full of love.

My mom &  I would always help wrap the 150+ presents a few weeks before and I have to say it is one memory I will never forget. We all loved it and loved helping out. Plus the sword fights we had with the wrapping paper were pretty fun too.

random christmas photo just to break up all the words :)

Then on Christmas Eve we gathered together had mass {which I might add was the longest mass in mass history-we are Catholic, btw}, ate a huge dinner, passed out gifts to the adults, and then Santa came and passed out trash bags full of toys to the kids {when I say trash bag I mean like the biggest trash bag you could ever image}.

After this we would go to my grandmas and show her all of our presents because well, Christmas Eve just wasn't the same without her. Actually, no day was really the same without her. She was the most beautiful woman inside and out, and now the most beautiful angel looking out for us.

The tradition ended when my great grandmother passed away a few years ago. It was sad no one continued the tradition, but it will always be one I hold dear in my heart and will always be thankful for her kind soul. It showed me that Christmas is not only about the presents, but most importantly about giving, being thankful, and spread the Christmas joy.

This is just one tradition from the past, if I said them all you would be snoozing by now, if you already aren't.

Present

Since the above tradition of Christmas Eve does not occur anymore, my parents started a fun little tradition a few years ago I hope to continue with my kids. On Christmas Eve we get to open one present, and one present only. The best part is that it is always pajamas of some sort and we sleep in our PJ's we get.

A couple years ago my oldest brother actually got a good idea to get my parents PJ's too. If only I had a picture. They were feety pajamas and the most hilarious thing....ever!

Other than that we always, always have a cookie decorating contest. I usually lose, but always gain brownie points in the "I make my cookies to attract the judges". This year we are making gingerbread houses AND cookies. Maybe I'll win this year..doubtful, I'm way too impatient.

Future

This is kind of present but this year is a trial run so it technically doesn't count. Since I am {obviously} obsessed with traditions I get these ideas in my head and then usually forget about them come this time of the year.

However, this year I thought of {okay already purchased and may or may not have showed Jeff} exchanging ornaments with Jeff on Christmas Eve and then hanging them up on our tree. My "thoughts" are to have them be personal and have the year on them so we always know when we exchanged them.

This is the one I got this year, which I think it pretty adorable minus the fact she kind of messed up on the date but whatever. I love it anyway.

So hopefully this tradition carries on into the future with many more as our family becomes one, and continues to grow.

HAPPY 5 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS!! May your days be filled with Christmas (or whatever holiday) joy :)

daddy

Today is a pretty special day. Involving a certain someone in my family.
As you know...they are my everything. The reason for me, and who I am.

But today is for my dad. My hero.

 

I read an article and literally bawled through the entire thing. So many memories flooded through my mind of childhood, growing up, and how big of an impact my dad has always been on me. The sacrifices he has made, the promises he has never broken, the love he never stops showing to me, my family, and most importantly my mother.

Go here  if you would like to read it as well. Bring tissues, you will need them.

So on this day I would just like to say the happiest HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the man who loved me first, and will always be my hero. I will be forever grateful and thankful for you daddio. You mean the absolute world to me.

love always
your kiddo

no more turkey

If I see one more little piece of turkey anytime in the near future I may possibly get sick. I swear I ate my weight in food this Thanksgiving and loved every little second of it. However, I don't think I'll be hungry again until next Thanksgiving...or in 5 minutes. Dang it!

I absolutely love this holiday. There is really nothing better than gathering your family and all the people you love into one place and sharing your blessings together. It really is a special holiday and I think we all have many things to be thankful for.

I also can't believe that now Christmas is about to jump out around the corner! Craziness! Even though Santa Molly is on it and has most of her Christmas shopping DONEZO.  I did have about 4 less people this year so I guess that could be why..but either way I did it and did it on a nice tight budget. Win!

I did learn one very important thing during Thanksgiving Break....Black Friday is some crazy sh*t. Oh my WORD. My parents, brother, Jeff, and I all were sitting around playing a game on Thursday night....harmless, right? Well when it wasn't my turn to play I was searching through the Wal Mart Black Friday ads. A vacuum for 36 bucks? Jeff needed one so I thought it'd be quite fun to just "watch" the craziness and if it worked out slip out with a vacuum.

Watch my booty. We walked into the store and it was insane. Really insane. I seriously think that the ENTIRE town was at Wal Mart. The parking lot was packed to the brim. Nuts I tell ya. I guess I have just never known what Black Friday was all about. So we walk in and see someone we know right in front of the vaccuums. Score. Jeff gets in line with her and I thought I'd join the madles

Where did I end up? In front of the rubbermaid, ready to pounce. I was all excited and when it reached 10 PM (actually some crazy started 5 min before) everyone started grabbing, running, pushing, and here I am in the rubbermaid line just standing there...not fighting off a soul. I  grab (4) off of the stack. Then I see Jeffro coming through the crazy crowd with goods in the air. Crock Pot, Vacuum, Coffee Pot.

I couldn't stop laughing. I have freaking 4 (26 piece) rubbermaids, he had all his stuff, and I was like let's get the heck out of here. before we really go nuts! Then we tried finding my dad and brother and guess what? They found some goods too! A Garmin for my little brother and a sound bar for my dad's new T.V.

Needless to say we went in to just "watch" and came out with {two garmins-one little brothers x-mas present, coffee pot, sound bar-dad's, 4-26 piece rubbermaid container sets, 1-20 piece pyrex set of glassware, playdough set-gift, remote control helicoper-gift, and a small bit of sanity}. I think we have enough containers to last um....a lifetime.

It was actually a good time watching the electronics get ripped open at midnight. I may or may  not have been standing on a chair trying to see it all go down at once. I really don't know how people survive this event every year. Definitely wanna catch the madness again though, hopefully without all the random goods next time.

I hope everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving, and I sure know I have a lot to be thankful for.
Now for the next month of holiday cheer. Can't wait!

so fresh & so clean clean

After a day full of wild kiddos ready for the weekend it was so nice to get to spent the evening with the
familia. If only they all lived CLOSER.

This fam including two of my aunts, uncle, cousin, and her hubs.











After work my Aunt Janet and myself went to pamper ourselves a bit and got some mani's and pedi's.  Thank you times a million for the nice and needed treat :) Really, my toes were looking ROUGH. And rough not as in little paint chips, rough as in ummm it had been so long that half of my toes were painted, half not. Awful. But they are looking fly and fresh once again. Thank goodness.

Plus, after being on your feet all day it really felt like heaven! Too bad I can't have someone do that to my feet every day. They should would be a lot happier!

And it's definitely always a good time to enjoy trying to figure out what the heck those people are saying to each other in Vietnamese. They talk a bazillion miles per hour I don't even know how they know what each other is saying. Whew, wears me out trying to figure it out.

 I still think they don't talk in English so they can make fun of us. Especially when they talk sometimes in English. Those tricky boogers.









After we were feeling so fresh and so clean we picked up a few last minute party assesories for my little cousins first bday party tomorrow and then headed for some grub at none other than OTB. I could barely walk out of the place I was so full. Probably was the three buckets of CHIPS we had. Gets me every.single.time.





Then we just got to hang out, watch the aunts put together some birthday stuff, and just chatty chat chat. Now time to pass outy out out so I'm awake to hopefully find a WEDDING DRESS tomorrow and party on for little Packsons birthday.

Oh happy days and HAPPY WEEKEND.

Beyond Thankful

To say the least, it's been kind of a rough week.

{good thing wisdom teeth are one and done}

And I give all thanks to my mom for helping

take care of me all week and even feeding

me when my mouth was completely numb. haha.

She even took the time to drive me two hours back to my "other" home

yesterday because she didn't think I'd feel up to driving.

She planned on staying the night and then heading

home in the morning while I went to meetings all day.

Well, surprise surprise nothing is that easy with me.

I woke up to the most insane migraine of my life.

I was lifeless. Done for.

My mom stayed with me the entire day and did everything in her power

to make me feel better.

I can't quite put into words my thanks and love for my mom,

and I have tried plenty of times.

For someone to be so selfless is just beyond me.

& my daddio is the exact same way.

Needless to say, I feel extremely blessed and lucky.

but anywho before I go on & on & on thanks mom for nursing me back to health and being

the best mom in the entire universe.

I only hope I can be the same to my kids some day.

You always continue to amaze me....

Surprise, Surprise

Remeber Momma J's birthday last Tuesday?

Well this past weekend my Dad & Little Brother put together a

surprise party for her on Friday night in honor of the big day.

Even after plans changed, they were still able to pull off the surprise

and really get my mom. Little Brother only had a few hours to pull off making the food,

setting everything up, and even had to work that day.

{i would have helped but i had to work in a town 2 hours away so I wasn't able to

get there until an hour before mom got there}

He deserves the "child of the year" award.

Surprisingly as well, mostly everyone we invited for the shindig showed up.

Jeff even showed up at midnight after driving 8 hours from Minnesota just to make

it for the party. Ya, I think I'll keep him. :)

It was a blast celebrating her big day with her closest friends and family

and obviously partying the night away.

Saturday my older brother & his wife showed up and I got to see

my adorable little niece.
 She can "pound it" and quack like a duck. She's legit.

Later in the day we all went to the

Interstate Fair & Rodeo in a town near by.

I stinking love fairs.

Especially this one because it means so much to Mr. Fiance.

Jeff got the ol VIP and we were able to park behind the stage for the concert.

Two Steps Back, Casey Donahew, & Joe Nichols were the acts for the night.

Pretty awesome line up and we practically had front row seats

without having to deal with the crazy teenagers screaming for 4 straight hours.

Minus the fact that right when the leading act {joe nichols} came on it started raining and lightning.

Guess it was time for us to leave and hit up the town.

 

Then Jeff, his friend, and I went out to boogey the night away at a local bar.

I, however, decided I would drink about 50 beers too many.

Always a bad idea.

Oh, and to make it all peachy....we had to meet with Father in the morning

to talk about what we had to do in order to get married in my church.

Fail again.

The good news is we made it to the meeting with Father on time

and it went really well. Or in Jeff's words "that was cake".

I was stressing for nothing.

Then we had a fabulous home cooked meal by my Mom,

and slowly the crew started to depart and head back to their homestead.

If only we could all live in the same place....

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend!

Red, White, & Blue

Happy 4th of July!

& Thank you troops for letting freedom ring.

It has been the fastest weekend in history.

{and the longest blogpost in midwestern history..whew.}

Three day weekends seem to go faster than two, how does that work out?

Maybe because I was with some pretty special people that time always flies with.

Jeff came into town Friday night after a long, not so fun month of being away.

He ended up surprising me and getting to my house a few hours earlier than he said

he was. However, I had just gotten out of the shower so I wasn't looking quite my spiffiest. Whoopsie.

So.good.to.see.him though. And that is the longest I'll ever have to be from him again.

Yahoo.

So Friday night we went to our "place" which so happens to be On the Border.

Don't ask me why, but something about it made us go there like once a

week when he lived in the same town as myself. Maybe it's the gigantic dos equis?

That could definitely be it.

So we ate and then came back home and watched a movie {I forget the name...Varsity Blues? maybe}.

Perfect, simple start to the weekend I have to say.

We both got to sleep in {well, I tried but Jeff was shaking me to get up..the usual}.

I woke up to him saying "mmmm...these are so good"...he had already eaten a cupcake.

haha. I knew they wouldn't last long.

So Saturday we spent the day wondering around the main street in town and doing a little shopping.

Shopping led to hungry stomaches so we ate at the Ingredient, which has the

most amazing flipping salads that I cannot even describe. ahhh. Yumm.

After walking outside in the crazy hott weather, we decided it was time for the

Mexican beer and limes.

After downing a couple we decided we would hop in the truck and head

to my hometown to see the fam and shoot off fireworks.

We seem to not stay in one place for long.

So Jeff grabbed his brownies and beer and we headed the two hours homestead.

That night my Dad grilled some burgers and brats and we had a mean homecooked meal.

Something about food on the grill is just the absolute best. Get.in.my.belly.

After we were full to the very brim, we headed out to get some fire works and blow some stuff UP.

After having a few turtles and tanks on fire, we went out to our old land where you can see the whole town and everyones big fireworks.

So so cool. You could almost see three towns worth of fireworks going on.

Sunday we woke up, went to church, checked out a few wedding venues, had to break into our house, and tried to keep cool in the blazing heat by dad rigging up the hose to spray {or soak} us on the front porch/patio. Little brother and I then thought we'd get everyone cooled down by buying some water balloons and having a water balloon fight, but we were the only participants so that died off all sorts of fast.

Then the rain came, the breezy weather appeared, and we sat outside enjoying not wanting to pass out from the heat exhaustion.

Dad once again cooked up a delicious grilled dinner with bacon wrapped chicken with some bell beppers and jalepenos. holy heaven. It was amazing. For sides we had chips, corn on the cob, salad, bread, cheesy potatoes, pasta salad, mac and cheese, and veggies. Ya, I think I gained 500 lbs on that one. Who cares though it was amazing!! So A+ work to Dad for the grilling, and A+ work to Mom for all the side dishes!

When the rain didn't stop we decided it was just not gonna be a firework blowing up things kind of night, dad and Jeff got an ice cream fix from Braums instead. I just enjoyed my popsicles. On the way home we stopped and grabbed a Red Box DVD of The Dilemma. Pretty funny movie. Never fails with Vince Vaughn in the house!

Today Jeff & I headed back to town around noon so we could enjoy having out with each other for awhile before he headed back. We relaxed at the house, Jeff got a Sonic Happy Hour drink {Route 44 lemme tell ya}, and we walked around downtown where they were having a little "shindig" in the park. I have no idea what to call it but they had tons and tons of vendors from local restaurants set up selling food and beer, live music, a comic artist, and I'm sure a lot more I couldn't see.

As usual... the fun has to end at some point, Jeff went on his way, and I am finishing up packing, listening to fireworks, and getting ready to start another week. {4 day one I must add..whoop whoop}. Although the weeks aren't too shabby because I get to watch the most adorable & fun loving little boy in the world. He makes my days without Jeff much easier.

Hope everyone has a HAPPY & SAFE 4th of July.

And if you are at the lake, ocean, or anywhere near water...you suck & I envy you.

:)

XOXO.