Our Christmas Card 2010 MERRY CHRISTMAS

I know I am a little late, but Merry Christmas!!

Quick Giveaway Post!

I know I have told you guys this before, but I really want to win a silhouette! SO I have entered a few more silhouette giveaways!
 Here's a chance to win!

Very SORE! {P90X Day 4}

Yesterday I completed the shoulders and arms which I didn't think I could do but I did it!
I used 2lb weight but it wasn't enough. I think I might ask Angie if she has some I could borrow for a bit.
It was still a struggle but I think I could have handled a little more weight. I wasn't really sweaty.
But then, I did the ab ripper again and OWW.. that one is soo hard. I have improved already. I know it is not going to kill.. I dont think.

I have been eating very well, not going for any seconds. Eating correct portions and such. I still struggle with night time snacking. The last two nights I just felt so hungry since I haven't been eating desserts or anything. So I made a smore. mm delicious. I am not going to have a smore tonight tho. Maybe two smores a week.. haha.

OH and I almost forgot. I am trying an experiment with tea. as I have said before I love tea. I drink a LOT! I am trying to switch out caffeinated for decaf. Actually I am going to try to drink a lot more Green Tea. I thought I hated it but i don't. So I will tell you how that makes me feel. This morning I felt a bit groggy without my morning tea..

Later today I am going to do the Yoga X. I am excited for this one. I need some good stretching!

Chicago Memories! (check out the giveaway in the middle of my post)

I've been to Chicago twice and both times were to visit my dear friend Mandy. WHO, the way found out she is having a BOY!! yay! Her intuition was right! Congrats!!!!
Anyways..
Here are a few pics from our Chicago adventures. I don't have any from the first time I went since I went with boys and they don't bring along cameras. So here are some from when I went with Brittney on the train to Chicago.

As I said Britt and I took the train from Jackson to Chicago. We got bored and made up lip syncing videos using her camera and computer while eating a bag of jellybeans I had.

 This is the order of Jelly beans best to worst.



This is the Hancock building.


Going up to the 96th floor in the Hancock building. I think our ears were popping.
Notice the scarf... which I bough at H&M in Chicago. I also bought cute green gloves.. which have since disappeared but Buzzbee bought me ones similar two Christmases ago.


Here's Mandy and Britt.


the view from the restaurant




We made dinner. A big bowl of spaghetti, garlic bread.. oh it was delicious!

Me in Mandy's dorm room. Side note: I am wearing these exact jeans today! haha.
I didn't realize I have had them this long.


Brittney sporting her new gloves while she straightens her hair.


Yum.. Starbucks. The time before in Chicago when we went to starbucks was where I first learned to play euchre with Mandy, Matt, Matt and Josh. Since then I have REALLY learned to play euchre. We play every sunday afternoon against Abbey and Seth. They were on a winning streak, but now we have won the last two times.


Shopping


We watched Matt's (Mandy's fiance at the time, now husband) intramural football game.




Here it is. The three of us went to the cheesecake factory!! YUM! This was the second time I went.
I definitely would go to chicago just for the cheesecake factory.


Hot fudge sunday cheesecake. I believe this was Britt's. I am SO getting this one next time!

My Carmel Apple Streusel. yumm. I believe Mandy had the same. Perfect with coffee or tea.


SO. Over at Jessica's Coupons is a giveaway that I definitely hope to win! Check it out! 25$ giftcard to the Cheesecake factory! 5 winners! So I could win.. and so could you and we could go together.If I win, I am definitely going to chicago soon!



Yay Chicago! We took engagement picture ideas with Mandy haha







One final cheesecake pic. It loos like Mandy did get something different.. maybe peanut butter something! looks good whatever it is.

Do your best and forget the rest!

That is Tony Horton's motto. (not to be confused with Tim Horton the player or the coffee shop)
Tony Horton is the guy from P90X and yes, I am attempting the work out.
I am doing my best and for that to happen I need to have 3 ways to keep accountable and one of those ways is going to have to be my blog. Sorry folks but if I know that SOMEone might read it and think, "uh oh.. Melissa hasn't posted about her workout or progress.." then hopefully I will feel some sort of responsibility to my readers.
So I will do my best. I will report a couple times a week. at least once. Probably every Tuesday.

Here is what has been happening so far.

Day 1- Monday: Arms, Chest and Ab ripper. It went well, I have never done so many pushups in my life combined! My arms are STILL very sore. I couldn't do very many reps.. an average of about 10 per set and I still do the "girl version" on my knees.
Ab ripper was intense. Abs still hurting as well.

Day 2- Tuesday: Plyometrics. Now I have done the plyo a few times at Jaspreet's house. This is quite the work out for the lower body. I have a hard time getting up after sitting down. I am indeed sore.

Day 3- Today: Shoulders and...arms.. I have no idea how I am going to do this when my arms are so sore still. but I will push through and do my best.

I heard the first 3 weeks of this program is the hardest...so it will take quite a bit of endurance.

Please keep me accountable.
Thanks!

Our First Christmas

I can't wait to celebrate Christmas with my husband! Make new traditions and celebrate the birth of our Saviour together!









We took a picture for our first Christmas card we are sending out! I didn't post the picture because I didn't want those who will be receiving a card from us to spoil the fun.. kinda haha.

Shape Ups!

Sketchers shape ups would be one thing on my Christmas list this year if I had a list. I definitely do not NEED them, but they would be nice to have seeing as I need new shoes anyways!



So Songberries is having a giveaway to win some Shape Ups. Check it out Here!

A Barney Thanksgiving Weekend

Thursday

Buzzbee and I woke up to a rainy Thursday but this thursday is special because, yup you guessed it, it's Thanksgiving! First I must finish sewing my sweater because I want to wear it today! I am not really sewing a sweater but just adding some embellishments to it. I shall post a picture later. Now it's off to Grandmother Rose's house we go! Buzzbee and I ride with his parents and sister. I seem to remember last year being rainy too. We drive about 45 minutes and then we are there!

mmm.. it SMELLS delicious and rumours have it that Grandma Rose has made every traditional Thanksgiving food you can think of. Buzzbee and I venture downstairs after our coats are hung up nice and neat. (no leaving a mess in Grandma Rose's house. Don't even think about it) My eyes are huge! They have to be to take in the sight of all the wonderful, aromatic, tantalizing thanksgiving feast around me! Thanksgiving indeed has arrived. Buzzbee could really care less about food.. which is hard for me to imagine but I can tell by the slight drool on Buzzbee's face that his salivary faculties are working overtime.

We play with our little nephew Drew until it is time to eat. Well, I eat some appetizers and play with drew before we eat. Drew loves all the new toys at Grandma Rose's house that he has not played with. So does Buzzbee.

Finally, it's time to eat. We say blessing of course and give thanks to God for alllllllll that he has given us and the wonderful food and now onto the meal.
Buzzbee and me are still at the kids table. Go figure. It's okay though because we are still not the oldest at the table. We all notice that Grandma rose did not set out the traditional butter shaped as turkeys. Oh well. I love stuffing. now THAT is something I could eat every meal every day. Maybe a SLIGHT exaggeration, but only slight. I leave room enough for one piece of lemon meringue pie. okay a piece of pie as well as a tiny piece of carrot cake just for the cream cheese frosting. :)

All this to say, I actually did not feel stuffed. I did not go back for seconds and I think the walk up and down the driveway with Buzzbee helped before we ate our big meal.

Friday


Black Friday that is. Buzz Bee and I decide we should stay at Nick and Angie's Thursday night so we would be in town come EARLY Friday morning. This was good in theory. There I am at 3am STILL awake alongside BuzzBee who is also, STILL awake. I blame this on the tiny, tiny bed (like kid sized) we are sleeping on with one pillow and one blanket to share. The alarm goes off at 3:45 am and I have that sick feeling you know you get when you stay over at a friend's house and stay up ALLL night and then have to go about a normal day and you regret not getting at least a little bit of sleep. Well, Buzzbee and I want to hit the stores early for Black Friday because you know we want to get cart. A cart I thought would be attainable only if we got there early and being that Target was our first stop and it being so heavily advertised this year I convinced Buzzbee that we should get there a couple minutes early so that we can get.. a cart.
We arrive at Target at 4:02am. The doors had opened only 2 minutes earlier. Our jaws drop at the sight of it. people....mounds, hoards, piles, swarms of people. Not regular people, but the crazy deal shopping, don't mind waiting in the FRIGID (it really was freezing and snowy) cold air for...hours. We are in shock that this was really happening. The line of people went all the way around the store and after waiting in the mall for an hour the line of people had gone in. FINALLY. We decide to go in and to our suprise.. the line to the checkouts went all the way around the perimeter of the store and doubled back. Nuh uh! No way am I standing in that line for maybe 20 dollars off of my total. I do love me a great deal. but THIS? let's get real.

So we leave. We hit Best Buy which isn't near as busy as Target, but the thing I am planning on getting Buzzbee for Christmas isn't on sale anyways, so we leave.
We go back home and hit the sack at about 630am. We fail.
4 hours later we head on over to meet Buzzbee's family for breakfast at the Sack where they tell us about their experience which was a lot more successful than ours since they waited till later in the morning.

Moral of that story: Never again will I go to black friday sales shopping...at least not right when stores open.

Saturday
Saturday I was able to sleep in while Buzzbee went off to work. I had a nice warm shower and rested. I can't seem to recoup. after the craziness of friday. I decide to do some laundry and hang up our clothes. Buzzbee suprises me when he gets home from work early and I don't remember much after that. haha. I was too groggy to remember Saturday.. so now on to Sunday!

Sunday
After church we had a nice family dinner with Buzzbee's Aunt and Uncle to Celebrate Buzzbee and his brosef's bdays! It was a lovely meal and Angie and I will benefit from the gift to the boys: Applebees!
I give Buzzbee his present which is a Bamboo Pen Tablet thing! Bethany had one and I thought Buzzbee would like it because you can do a lot of graphic(y) kind of stuff. I was disapointed that he wasn't more excited when he opened it but I guess he didn't know what it could do. Now he loves it so thats good.


After they opened gifts we went to a Christmas Tree farm.







FUN PICtures BELOW!!!!

Silhouette Giveaway!

Okay I know this is the second silhouette Giveaway I have blogged about! but guys! I am SERIOUSLY excited about it!! I hope to WINN!!!!!!!!

check it out!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Psalm 107:1 "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; His love endures forever"

To all my american friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving!!! Well tomorrow! but I won't be blogging tomorrow so I will wish you one now.

I have SO much to be thankful for this year!

Here's a quick list off the top of my head of some things that I am so thankful for.


- Wonderful first 3 months of marriage
- Immigration process started
- Place to live
- Jobs
- Great Church
- Health
- God's overflowing grace and mercy
- Friends and Family

Thank you to all who read my blog. I love reading comments and blogging. As soon as the internet is fixed I will blog a lot more regularly.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Silhouette Giveaway!

Hey guys!
SO I have been wanting one of these silhouette machines for a while, but I don't have the extra money!
I found this great giveaway! it's so awesome!! So if you are crafty or you want to enter and win it for me if you happened to not want it.. haha.. doubt it. but here is the link! 
Good Luck to you and me!

Nurseries





Being that everyone and their mom, yes that makes sense, is pregnant I thought I would post some pics that inspired me. Not that I am planning on having a nursery or anything that you would place in a nursery soon, but for my friends. Angie has said that I can help her decorate which I am thrilled to the core about! yay!
And Mandy, I know probably has a theme already in her head but she may have to tweak it a little since I am sure its going to be a girl (she's thinking boy) and Lita who is having a boy!



(http://blog.barnfurniture.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/baby-nursery-decorating-ideas-33-297x300.jpg)
This one I really love. It's about as girly as I would get. I love the clouds and the airy feel. It would allow a great deal of "scope for the imagination". This would transition well into a toddler room easily. I really love the blue/yellow combo. seems so happy and soothing.



(pic from  designdazzle.blogspot.com/2009/08)

This just looks so comfy! I know Buzzbee would LOVE the carpet in the room. I would never think to put that kind of carpet in a baby's room but it does remind me of soft grass without it looking too...themed. I don't think I would put the grassy carpet with the cloudy room. This looks elegant and comfy. I don't think it would transition well into a toddler's room though.





I love these trees!! If I could paint like this..hmm Rachelle can, I would have these in my nursery!

I think Mandy would like something like this too. It's always nice to bring a little of the outdoors indoors





(http://www.decorpad.com/photos/2008/01/28/526a6becf173.jpg)
This isn't a nursery, but again I love the tree design. The pillows and cushions are cute too. You could incorporate this into a nursery.





Ok I know! enough with the trees already!







An Owl theme? I think yes! I think Mandy would do something like this.. but a little more modern feel. A little Ottaway Owl.

 

Angie's nursery is peach. I think this would be very whimsy and cute little border.  peach and grey..I love these elephants.



( http://spunkyjunky.blogspot.com/2010/10/tutorial-tuesday-owl-bunting.html)
Love this owl bunting!

Okay. I could do this all night but Buzzbee should be here any minute now to pick me up. Then its left over Pizza time!!

Peace!

Pizza and Shopping!

Today Buzzbee and I went to Pizzahut for lunch! we had a giftcard so it makes it that much better!
We went to Joann's where I purchased some felt. I might have to go back for more, but I will wait till i find some coupons.
The felt I bought is for two things. A Christmas gift for someone.. which I will show you later
and a "Merry Christmas bunting!" I plan to start that tonight or tomorrow!
I've already started decorating! we have ALL our lights up.. we went a little overboard haha.
So I should have pics up of that on the weekend so stay tuned.

Nature Walks

Buzzbee and I have discovered that I am more in the a better mood after we go for a walk or do something out of doors. I feel more energetic and hmm.. I don't know.. just better.
So Buzzbee takes me for walks now. I love it! It keeps us young. Looking under logs for living creatures, following deer trails, taking funny pictures, and talking about life on the way.


Me being silly on one of our nature walks.



Mushrooms on our nature walk



Some Fluffs on our nature walk.

Deer. They ran across the path and we tried to get a photo. Once Buzzbee gets a new lens for Christmas we will be able to get a better picture of deer in the distance but for now this will do.