Thankful

That's right, I'm a copycat.  My two cousins wrote a thankfulness post, and I couldn't resist.  I always get so excited for Christmas, that I completely skip over Thanksgiving and don't take a single second to reflect about what I'm thankful for.  I have so many reasons to be thankful this year.  I'm thankful for Ross and our happy marriage, our dog that amsues us to no end, my job that has (for the most part and w/ the help of Ross working part-time) paid the bills until Ross was done with school, the health insurance my job provides me & Ross (it may sound dumb to mention, but after seeing all my friends struggle with this issue and hearing about it so much in politics these days, I certainly don't take it for granted....even IF my work doubled the rate for next year!! thanks for that, by the way), and lastly I'm thankful for Ross graduating with his master's degree in a just a few weeks and finally being done with school.  I guess it doesn't hurt that he carried a 4.0 gpa as well.  Hopefully that will help in the job hunt :)  And lastly, I'm thankful for all the family and friends we have to celebrarte with this Thanksgiving.

Christmas Materialism

I'm so excited for christmas this year, that I'm thinking of actually putting up our christmas tree this weekend.  Yup, that's right, but maybe don't mention it to Ross b/c he'll just call me crazy.  I've really gotten into the whole christmas shopping experience as well.  Usually, I hate christmas shopping...b/c I hate ALL shopping, no, really, I do, my mom & sister can vouch for me, since they usually had to bribe me with food (yup, just like a 5-year-old, but heck...it always worked! and still does!) to get me to go shopping with them.  Anyways, I always looked at it as a materialistic thing, and hated that Christmas revolved around shopping and that last minute trip to the mall on xmas eve and how much we all spend (which is a fortune!) (of course, I never minded receiving gifts! Shout-Out to my mom & dad!). But I think I finally got the hang of it this year.  So far, all the presents we've bought for people (I started xmas shopping last weekend) I can say truly have heart and thought behind them or that I know the person will really like them.  I can't wait to give presents this year! This is definitely a first.  NOW I am starting to understand the whole meaning behind Christmas (aside from that small little event that took place in Bethlehem all those years ago!!) but that it's also about being around the people you love most, sharing gifts from the heart and not about how much you spent, and truly appreciating what God has given you in life.  Sorry, that was probably a little sappy (or just insightful!), but you get my jift.  I can't wait for christmas (especially since i won't be one of those last minute shoppers!)...now that I understand it as more than just a materialistic holiday. (Sorry it took me 23 years....i'm just one big snob, what can i say?!) So Merry Christmas! I can't wait :)

Halloween Pics

Ok, so just a few cute Halloween pics I thought I'd share....

Yup...our dog looks mildly p***ed off.  At one point, the hat slid all the way down over her eyes, and she didn't even flinch...hil-ar-ious.  We didn't shell out the money to buy her the bumblebee costume I wanted to get her (not worth $30! + s&h) so we dressed her in her Mickey T-shirt and Mickey ears....courtesy of Ross' parents who were just at Disney World this past week. 

Ha! Imagine what we'll do to our kids one day if we get this carried away with just a DOG?!?! Mwahaha.

Again, she's not too happy about the get-up.  But don't feel bad, she got even with me yesterday by chewing holes through 4 pairs of my underwear!  So I'm giving her the silent treatment.  I think it's working.  ...maybe...  I haven't thrown her ball in over 24 hours. Yup...  I think she knows why.......

Blog Baby Neglect

I see that I've been neglecting my blog lately, and not keeping up-to-date on everyone elses.  My bad.  Apparently I had some of your URL's set wrong, and I didn't get the appropriate updated blog list like I had intended.  O well.  No harm done, all is fixed! 

Anyways, I have a few cute 'family' (yes, me, ross & the dog ...I consider us a family because it makes me uncharistically and uber-excited-happy (yes, i have a fondness for the word 'uber') to have a family to call my own, even if there are no lil' ross' (O MY!) or lil' kristin's (YIKES!) running around. Scary image...i know, but dont' worry, that's a super long way down the road!) (....what was i writing about?!)  o yeah, family Halloween pics I keep meaning to post, but of course, as soon as I get home from work, I forget b/c the last thing I really want to do is go on the computer, since I just finished an 8-hour day of being on the computer all day. (Which, by the way, has been freezing a LOT today, so i'm even more annoyed by technology today than I am on other days.) 

I'll post those in no time...er, maybe....if I remember.  Well, keep writing, because I love to see updated pictures and posts about what everyone else is up to!  Always good to keep in touch, via technology, with family & friends :)