Thursday, November 10, 2011

It's a Gift to be Ordinary


Brian and I have gotten into a pretty normal married life routine.  He goes to work in the morning, I run errands throughout the day, he comes home, I cook dinner, then we usually have one thing or another to do.  I was recently thinking I wish we had more going on in our lives, something exciting to be looking forward to. Not to say I am not happy with my life as I am truly blessed, but every now and then I catch myself looking far off to the future and what could be instead of what is. There comes a time when things just become a bit boring and ordinary. Then I have to remind myself that being ordinary is a gift.  We are both blessed to be very healthy with no health problems.  We are blessed with two loving families who both would do anything to see us successful and happy.  We are blessed with a roof over our head and a very nice one to add to it.  We are blessed with many material things as well as the closeness the two of us share with one another emotionally.  Sometimes we are always looking so far into the future we forget to live in the moment.  We forget to slow things down and breathe and look around us and say "wow we have it good".  We surely do have it good.  Not to say we do not have struggles as we surely do as everyone does, but we are blessed to be ordinary.  Perhaps what we have is out of the ordinary as we are a married college educated home owning couple at the ages of 22, but to me we have this ordinary routine that I am on a mission to enjoy every second of it. 

So for today I am going to live my life now.  I am going to live in the moment and be happy for the ordinary every day things around me.  I am not going to look to the future or wish for things to come, I am going to be content and happy with where I am now and what is going on this very second.  Tomorrow can take care of itself.  I can't control the cards I have been given, but I can play them the right way by living each and every day to the fullest.  Each day is a gift and tomorrow is never promised.  The only time you ever live your life is in the present moment and so for today and hopefully for every day to come I will remind myself it is ok to be ordinary and it is ok to slow things down and live for each and every moment, each and every minute, even each and every second for time lost cannot ever be regained.

Monday, November 7, 2011

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

HALLOWEEN!!!!

Yes, Brian & I were "those" people.  Ya know, those ones who dress up their dogs?  What more appropriate day than Halloween is there to make your pooches that much cuter?!?!

Meeko sported a clown outfit that definately fitted his personality.  He is such a clown that when we saw it there was no question this constume was meant for him!


Sherrif Levi not only had a hat and bandana, but he even had a gun! 


Levi originally had a Mummy outfit, however Jessie (Mary Grace) insisted she needed a Sheriff Woody to trick-or-treat with hence Sheriff Levi came to be!


I even made fesitive cupcakes!

The pumpkins looked awesome all lit up in the pitch black!

This is sort of random, however while at a friends wedding we came across a landscape place that had this awesome bird/tree metal sculpture.  Anyone who knows me knows of my obsession with metal sculptures so when I saw this thing I KNEW I had to have it!  We lugged it all the way from Indiana to Cleveland and it now stands in my backyard.  I decided early on I was going to decorate it with corresponding holidays and this was my first go-at-it!  I hung small pumpkins and creapy spiders and loved how it came out.  I already have Christmas planned out and currently am searching for something for Thanksgiving.  I will try to put up new decorated tree/bird house pictures for each holiday as they come.

And to my surprise this morning after putting Meeko and Levi out to potty, Meeko came trotting into the house carrying one of the pumpkins! 

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Pumpkin Carving Extravanganza!!!!

On Friday we went over to my parents house to partake in some serious pumpkin carving action!  The whole family was there (except Arielle who had to work, therefore we will forgive her this time!) including Greg who came home for the weekend from college. 

Even watermellon's were carved!

Even G.T. was in attendance with his crazy hair-do!

Mary Grace going to work

And playing around.....

Baby George had some input as well into his pumpkin




Here are the final products!!!!!

Quinn's Tinkerbell & Ariel Massive Pumpkin!

Brians & My official house pumpkin!
(can you tell it's our first year of being married?!?! We still do the fun tacky things!) 

Elise's owl (that only she can see.....haha!) 

A George & George inc. traditional jack-o-lantern

Brians unique creation

Greg's Spongebob

Dad's watermellon carving

Mary Grace's witch and cat on a broom stick
(it was her idea!)
First pumpking carving for G.T.

The babies of the family


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

We Finally Have Brothers!!!!

Looking at these two you would think these guys were best buds.  This was not the case though as the first two days were pretty rocky.  The two went from enemies to acquaintances to friends and now FINALLY brothers!  Don't believe me, check out these pictures of the two snuggling.....


Monday, October 24, 2011

Fall Festivities have Arrived!

The house has been "Halloween-afied"
Scary Spiders and all!



We had our first trick-or-treaters!

My little sister Mary Grace and her friend Henna made a surprise stop by our house after going to the local mall trick-or-treating event.....don't worry, being sweetaholics we had some candy on hand to give them!

  
We went pumpkin picking with my family! 
We went to a farm that we have visited in years prior.  It not only has pumpkins to pick, but hayrides, music, food, games and rides for kids, and a shop full of apples and all other fall edible items.  We got lucky with a beautiful day and it was nice to have the whole family there!

A fun tube slide!



Even baby skunks were there!

Baby George's first pumpkin picking experience


                                             Brian literally running to find the best pumpkin!!!!

                                                           Greg hitched a ride with dad

Directing the way.....

                                                                        Baby George


                                                     Aunt Mary giving baby George a ride




Mary even made a friend 

It was a fun time for the whole family!