K's *Right Now* Faves

I saw *Right Now* because these change often! Some of these faves "questions" were taken off of other blogs I have seen, in case some look oddly familiar! ;-)

Music:

First on the line-up is Ryan Star. No, he's not a well heard of artist, but I am in LOVE with is song "Last Train Home." It totally should be a top hit on the billboard charts. LOVE IT! Here's a link to the YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HoDRbZvOcM

Next we have Katy Perry. I feel like a high school kid saying I like Katy Perry's music ... but I really do! My faves are: Waking Up in Vegas, Thinking of You, and Firework. Her music always puts me in a good mood!

Restaurant:

Applebees. I know, right!? How boring does that sound!? But I really really really have a thing for the Chicken Fajita Roll Up! Pre-pregancy, I would pair it with their yum yum yummy $1.99 Long Islands, but for now, I'll just have to go for a caffeine-free lemonade!

Clothing:

This is one of my favorite pieces of clothing right now. It's so super comfy, and I pair it with dress pants for work, or jeans when I feel like chilling!

I just got this Simply Vera by Vera Wang shirt from Kohls. I LOVE how sparkly the detail on the top is! Super cute! I got it a little big, so I can wear it lots during the summer and fall when my baby belly gets bigger! There are SO not many options out there for moms to be, so I thought hey, this one will work - I had to get it! It'll be great for shooting weddings this summer!

Drink:

This is by far my favorite tea. I used to drink Trader Joe's pomegranate, but now in the early stages of pregnancy, the fruit teas make me queasy. This tea is plain and simple - the way my tummy currently likes it!

Stores:

Food:
Have you tried these!? Oh my goodness, they are semi (okay, sort of) healthier ... and seriously better than eating a candy bar! (They have to be a tiny bit more nutritious than candy, right!?) Anyway ... yum!

Blogs:

Creature Comforts -

http://www.creaturecomfortsblog.com/

Fashion, Art, Home Decor, Crafting - you name it, this blog has it! It showcases all of these types of items in a way that makes me feel SO INSPIRED!

Simplicity Photography -

http://simplicityphotography.com/blog/

I LOVE this photographer ... the colors in the images are SO vibrant! Also, she has products for photographers that make me drool!

Millie Holloman Photography -

http://www.milliehollomanblog.com/

I love love love the style of photography that Millie has. Her associates also have her same style; I think they have an in-house editor that edits all of the photographer's photographs to match a similar style. I am always excited to see a new post; the work is crisp, clean, and vibrant.

Beautiful Moments Photography -

http://beautifulmoments.com.au/blog/

This photographer is located in Australia. Again - crisp, clean photographs, but with a style all her own. I get TONS of wedding photography inspiration from this blog!

Pregnancy Update: March

Right now, I am 9 weeks.

In my initial post announcing my pregnancy, I said I was going to post a lot about it so I could look back at it someday. Here is another one of those posts!

Everyone keeps asking how I am feeling - my response is: TIRED! TIRED! Tiiiiired! I was reading on a website about pregnancy fatigue, and it made me laugh when the article said things that went something like: "You feel like you could fall asleep. Any time. Any where. At your work desk. On your mother in law's couch. In front of someone's garage. In a dirty alley!"

I about laughed out loud reading that, because for me, that is SO TRUE RIGHT NOW! I truly am exhausted! I could sleep anywhere! I usually get home, make dinner, eat, watch about a half hour of 'Two And A Half Men' and I'm totally ZONKED OUT until Chris wakes me up for bed!

I hear (and desperately hope it's true!) that the serious fatigue will start to go away around Week 12. I know I probably won't be back to myself tired-wise for, oh, about 3 years from now (LOL), but I'll be extremely grateful to be just a little less tired all the time!

On other pregnancy related symptoms:

• Morning Sickness: This really hasn't been too terrible. Around Week 7-Week 8, I had serious food aversions ... almost EVERYTHING made me feel sick and grossed me out. I never actually got "sick," but I was pretty queasy for a little while. Things are looking up though, and my eating has gotten back on track. Some foods still make me turn my head the other way (like anything chicken related!), but I really can't complain in this area! Compared to many women, I got off soooo easy in this department!

• Cravings: At first I wanted cheese and bubbly white soda like Sierra Mist. All day. Every day. That quickly went away, and I really haven't had any other cravings yet.

• Showing: I am not showing yet. When I was at the doctor's office the other day, I learned I have actually lost 2 lbs since being pregnant. I assume this is from the couple weeks when I didn't eat very much, due to everything "sounding gross." The baby book also says at this point, I really won't be showing yet, and any "showing" is really due to bloating. I did purchase a belly band from Target though, just in case one of these days my regular pants begin to get a little tight!

• How Big Is Baby? Right now, at 9 weeks, BabyCenter.com says Baby Filip is about the size of a green grape! The doctor said he/she is measuring at about 2 cm in length, from the top of Baby's head to it's bum.

More updates soon, I'm sure of that!

Let The Projects Begin!

It was such a nice day yesterday ... the high was about 50 degrees (or 10 degrees Celsius for my non-USA friends). SO much nicer than the 20 and 30 degree temps we've had lately! I think my husband had a bit of cabin fever this winter (who hasn't!?), and yesterday, he decided to do a little project outside. A new side entry door for our garage!

It look a little (okay, a lot) of effort on his part to dismantle the old structure, and re-structure for the new door ... evvveeeerrrrrrryyyyything is SO NOT level - both the garage and our house! That's what we get for purchasing a house built in 1909!

But, he kept at it, and now we have a new door! We (okay, HE) still needs to fix the siding above the door and paint and such, but looks good for a little Saturday afternoon project!

Here's a little visual of the BEFORE (taken almost one year ago ... March 29, 2010) ... before we scraped, primed, and painted the whole garage for the fabulous HUD requirements! I'd say that's quite the improvement!

Also to the garage, last fall, we (okay, again HE) installed a new garage door and opener! Upcoming garage projects:

• Fixing the siding on the back of the garage. A previous owner chopped parts of it apart for rabbit cages, and another previous owner decide to patch the "holes" with crappy-looking pieces of wood. Chris is going to repair it so it looks somewhat decent!
• We also have a huge shelf at the back of the garage's interior ... like, a good 5 feet high, and at least 5 feet deep ... he's ripping that out so we have more room in the garage. He's also building a work bench so he can use that space to work on cutting wood, etc for the house interior projects!

Watch for more house updates ... you know I'll be posting them! :-)

A Very Cool Picture

Here is the first snapshot of Baby Filip! We have this picture inside a cute little ultrasound frame that says "Baby to Be" in our kitchen. This is our 9 week ultrasound:

You can't see Baby very well, but he/she was moving around so much, it was hard for the doctor to get a good shot! Baby looks like a U shape here, but on screen, it was more of an oval shape with 2 tiny arms and 2 tiny legs than just a U shape. :-) Baby's heartbeat was 160 beats per minute, and a very very very cool thing to see. That heart was ticking away so fast! (Old wive's tale says over 140 beats per minute indicates a girl ... I have had a feeling all along it will be a girl ... but who knows! I'm not a believer in old wive's tales ... but you never know!)

Our due date is still October 22!

A Good Reminder: Life's Simple 60

Life is not complex. We are complex. Life is simple,
and the simple thing is the right thing.
- Oscar Wilde

1. Don’t try to read other people’s minds. Don’t make other people try to read yours. Communicate.
2. Be polite, but don’t try to be friends with everyone around you. Instead, spend time nurturing your relationships with the people who matter most to you.
3. Your health is your life, keep up with it. Get an annual physical check-up.
4. Live below your means. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need. Always sleep on big purchases. Create a budget and savings plan and stick to both of them.
5. Get enough sleep every night. An exhausted mind is rarely productive.
6. Get up 30 minutes earlier so you don’t have to rush around like a mad man. That 30 minutes will help you avoid speeding tickets, tardiness, and other unnecessary headaches.
7. Get off your high horse, talk it out, shake hands or hug, and move on.
8. Don’t waste your time on jealously. The only person you’re competing against is yourself.
9. Surround yourself with people who fill your gaps. Let them do the stuff they’re better at so you can do the stuff you’re better at.
10. Organize your living space and working space. Read David Allen’s bookGetting Things Done for some practical organizational guidance.
11. Get rid of stuff you don’t use.
12. Ask someone if you aren’t sure.
13. Spend a little time now learning a time-saving trick or shortcut that you can use over and over again in the future.
14. Don’t try to please everyone. Just do what you know is right.
15. Don’t drink alcohol or consume recreational drugs when you’re mad or sad. Take a jog instead.
16. Be sure to pay your bills on time.
17. Fill up your gas tank on the way home, not in the morning when you’re in a hurry.
18. Use technology to automate tasks.
19. Handle important two-minute tasks immediately.
20. Relocate closer to your place of employment.
21. Don’t steal.
22. Always be honest with yourself and others.
23. Say “I love you” to your loved ones as often as possible.
24. Single-task. Do one thing at a time and give it all you got.
25. Finish one project before you start another.
26. Be yourself.
27. When traveling, pack light. Don’t bring it unless you absolutely must.
28. Clean up after yourself. Don’t put it off until later.
29. Learn to cook, and cook.
30. Make a weekly (healthy) menu, and shop for only the items you need.
31. Consider buying and cooking food in bulk. If you make a large portion of something on Sunday, you can eat leftovers several times during the week without spending more time cooking.
32. Stay out of other people’s drama. And don’t needlessly create your own.
33. Buy things with cash.
34. Maintain your car, home, and other personal belongings you rely on.
35. Smile often, even to complete strangers.
36. If you hate doing it, stop it.
37. Treat everyone with the same level of respect you would give to your grandfather and the same level of patience you would have with your baby brother.
38. Apologize when you should.
39. Write things down.
40. Be curious. Don’t be scared to learn something new.
41. Explore new ideas and opportunities often.
42. Don’t be shy. Network with people. Meet new people.
43. Don’t worry too much about what other people think about you.
44. Spend time with nice people who are smart, driven, and likeminded.
45. Don’t text and drive. Don’t drink and drive.
46. Drink water when you’re thirsty.
47. Don’t eat when you’re bored. Eat when you’re hungry.
48. Exercise every day. Simply take a long, relaxing walk or commit 30 minutes to an at-home exercise program like the P90X workout.
49. Let go of things you can’t change. Concentrate on things you can.
50. Find hard work you actually enjoy doing.
51. Realize that the harder you work, the luckier you will become.
52. Follow your heart. Don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires.
53. Set priorities for yourself and act accordingly.
54. Take it slow and add up all your small victories.
55. However good or bad a situation is now, it will change. Accept this simple fact.
56. Excel at what you do. Otherwise you’ll just frustrate yourself.
57. Mature, but don’t grow up too fast.
58. Realize that you’re never quite as right as you think you are.
59. Build something or do something that makes you proud.
60. Make mistakes, learn from them, laugh about them, and move along.

Source: www.marcandangel.com/2010/11/01/60-ways-to-make-life-simple-again/

And we're officially a FAMILY!

How about that for a surprise? Yeah, us too! But definitely an AWESOME surprise!

We found out for sure on Wednesday, Feb 16, 2011. However, I personally knew for sure on Valentine's Day, a Monday, ... although I didn't test until Wednesday. On Thursday, I had a lab appointment at the doctor's office ... and sure enough ... PREGNANT! We are due October 22, 2011. My first real doctor appointment + ultrasound is on March 18. Seems so far away yet!

I plan to use my blog to help document this time in our lives. So bear with me!

Some things I am/had been experiencing early on...

• Super tired (as in, falling asleep at 6:30 pm!)
• Mild cramping
• Dizziness, shortness of breath
• Headaches (but I think it's from cutting out caffeine after finding out)

(Let's hope I don't get morning sickness!)

More updates to come - I'm very sure of that!

P.S. If you are also a friend on Facebook, please don't post anything quite yet! While I am okay with some people knowing, I am not quite ready to let "everyone" know all at once! Thanks! :-)

Books, Books, Books

A goal I had for myself for 2011 was to read more books -which I am doing! I really enjoy spending time reading, and I didn't have any time in 2010 to read much for fun.

So far in 2011, I've read these three books:

Storyline:

They say you can't have your cake and eat it too. But who would want a cake they couldn't eat? Just ask Emma Rae Travis about that. She's a baker of confections who is diabetic and can't enjoy them. When Emma meets Jackson Drake, the escapee from Corporate America who is starting a wedding destination hotel to fulfill a dream that belonged to someone else, this twosome and their crazy family ties bring new meaning to the term "family circus." The Atlanta social scene will never be the same!

Kayla's Rating:

3.5 out of 5

It was a good chicky-lit read, but I could have stopped reading at any point and not felt the need to finish it. The storyline never really went much of anywhere, and when it did, it was stuff you were expecting to happen eventually.

Storyline:

(I seriously didn't know this was being made into a Katherine Heigl movie when I picked it out at the library ... I'll for sure go see it!)

Workaholic attorney Samantha Sweeting has just done the unthinkable. She's made a mistake so huge, it'll wreck any chance of a partnership. Going into utter meltdown, she walks out of her London office, gets on a train, and ends up in the middle of nowhere. Asking for directions at a big, beautiful house, she's mistaken for an interviewee and finds herself being offered a job as housekeeper. Her employers have no idea they've hired a lawyer-and Samantha has no idea how to work the oven. She can't sew on a button, bake a potato, or get the #@%# ironing board to open. How she takes a deep breath and begins to cope-and finds love-is a story as delicious as the bread she learns to bake. But will her old life ever catch up with her? And if it does…will she want it back?

Kayla's Rating:

3.5 out of 5

Same with this book, it was entertaining, but not "amazing." It was an unbelievable storyline; there is no way the Samantha from the beginning of the book would turn into the domestic Samantha. It happened too quickly to be believable. Same with her and Nathaniel's romance.

Storyline:

Maddie Faraday's life would be perfect--if it weren't for — her cheating husband — her suspicious daughter — her gossipy mother — her secretive best friend — her nosy neighbors, — and that guy she lost her virginity to twenty years ago... — If you think small-town life can be boring--think again. There are complex social rules: there are certain people with whom you fraternize and those you don't, and, of course, there is the all-powerful gossip. Everyone knows everything about everyone else. Don't they? That's what Maddie Farraday thinks until she finds a pair of black crotchless panties in her husband's car that don't belong to her. That's it; Maddie's had it. She's ready for change, and the first thing she's going to do is divorce her no-good, philandering husband Brent. But then everything goes haywire: Brent turns up dead, Maddie's daughter wants a dog, her best friend is suddenly acting very strange, and Maddie's secret boyhood crush, bad boy C. L. Sturgis, arrives in town after a 20-year hiatus--and he's as sexy as ever.

Kayla's Rating:

5 out of 5

I absolutely loved this book. I was expecting a light chick-lit book, but it was heavy, deep, and made me think. It's filled with so many emotions, heavy situations, has mystery, and at times, humor! A good, good, GOOD read.

In The Process...

of making these envelopes to start doing the "cash-only" purchases as recommended by Dave Ramsey. I told you I was serious about this!

Here's the link to the envelope download. It's kind of a hassle to download (even though it's FREE), because you have to "order" it thru the online store, sign up for an account, etc ... but it downloads as a PDF when it's done ... so the actual printing isn't so bad.

http://kelleighratzlaff.com/featured/free-envelope-template-and-a-tutorial/

I cut my patterned paper down to 8 1/2" x 11" and then just ran it thru the printer. You will want to print on the BACK side of the paper, so keep that in mind!

I selected the lowest quality print, since I'm just using the printed lines to cut on.

Enjoy!

Here We GO!

I'm usually pretty skeptical.

And you would think I would be after reading this book, front to back, in less than 24 hours and coming away with a life-changing revelation.

But I am not skeptical - at all.

I am 100% confident in our financial future, something I was NOT a mere 24 hours ago.

I am taking the Baby Steps seriously, and I am so excited to do this!

The Baby Steps:

Step 1: $1,000 in an emergency fund.
Step 2: Pay off all debt except the house utilizing the debt snowball.
Step 3: Three to six months of savings in a fully funded emergency fund.
Step 4: Invest 15% of your household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement plans.
Step 5: College Funding
Step 6: Pay off your home early.
Step 7: Build wealth and give.

We have Step 1 done. We have Step 3 half done. We started Step 2 today. I learned that we HAVE TO TAKE THE STEPS IN ORDER, even if it doesn't make sense. Thus, Step 3's funds we already have will go towards Step 2, but I am confident Step 3 will be done in no time at all. I am hoping 18 months.

Now, I wouldn't say we are in total NEED of a money makeover - we do not live paycheck to paycheck, and already have a good amount in savings. However, I learned that we are doing it all wrong! OF COURSE it's good that we have savings, but the book made me realize how dumb we've been to be SAVING when we could be using some of that money to pay off our debt and student loans (the student loans make up 75% of the debt). And to help with some minor marital issues, the book has taught me that our debt is debt, no matter who acquired it. My new frame of mind is, "Let's just get this stuff all paid off for good and start making money from our money!"

Inside the book is filled with stories of everyday people, most couples who are making less than $70,000 a year combined, many of them far less than that...who are debt-free and who are investing and on their way to being millionaires 20-40 years from now. MULTI-millionaires.

My Total A-Ha We Have To Do This Moment:

One story hit me hard, and was so unbelievably inspiring, because the people are my age, and they've already made huge, huge, HUGE, gains. A young married couple, ages 22 & 24, a pastor and a nurse, who now have no debt (besides their mortgage) who are already investing ... and at the age of 65 ... their investments will have reached $12 million dollars if they continue to contribute as much as they are now ... and of course they'll end up making more and investing even more - UM HELLO! ... we CAN and we WILL do this!

It's so simple!

(Side Note: I am not completely blind to the fact that our money situation will change a lot when kids some some day, but at least we'll be more prepared financially, and can start preparing and making our goals happen NOW!)

We might not make the income to reach $12 million in investments by age 65, but we sure are going to try! We have advantages, still being young and starting our investments early. I'd be happy retiring with $2 million.

I do not ever need to be RICH/WEALTHY/etc, that is not why I am choosing to take this journey ... but what I do need is financial security for my myself, husband, and future kiddos. All I desire is enough funds to design a life where finances don't hold me back, or cause trouble. And, of course, I'd like to have a LITTLE FUN!

I seriously, seriously, seriously cannot wait to take part in this journey! And I guess I already have started, because Step 2 is already started. As in, a check for the full amount of what we owe on one item of debt is sitting in a sealed envelope, with a stamp on it, ready to be mailed and officially paid off forever...FOREVER! AND in the next week or so, we'll get our monthly Best Buy statement. We have a great purchase plan for our TV, and only have to pay $X a month to pay off $Z until December 2012. Weellll, since I am on a roll, I'm just going to write a check for that full amount too!

LOVE IT! THE DEBT SNOWBALL HAS BEGUN!

More Questions about 2010

Although the questions I answered already are similar to the ones I found on Nicole's blog, there were a few on her question list that weren't on mine. And since I LOVE looking back on my previous years' Yearly Q+A's, I'm going to answer the ones that weren't found on my original list.

What was the single most challenging thing that happened? I know a lot of my responses have to do with the house, but that's what is sticking out in 2010. I would say the challenging part was with getting all HUD work done on the house BEFORE we could actually buy it. We invested about $1,000 and endless hours on a house that wasn't even ours ... while having to keep a deadline for the inspection. Looking back, it really wasn't that terrible, and we got through it with help from our amazing friends and family, but at the moment, it was a big stressful deal.

What was an unexpected joy this past year? Dare I say it!? Our dog! It took me awhile to really bond with her because I honestly wasn't too fond of the idea of having a dog. It meant more responsibility for me. But, now that I'm not so crazy busy and the fact that she's settling down, I can't imagine her not being here! Love her.

What was an unexpected obstacle? Work. I became salaried this year, and was told I'd work 37.5 hours per week. I was soooo used to getting paid hourly, that it was a HUGE adjustment to work 50+ hours per week and only get paid for 37.5 hours ... it was a mind over matter thing, and now that I've adjusted to that, it's ok.

What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year? Hmm....good question. I guess I am not totally sure on this one. Nothing sticks out, but I guess I have begun to "really" settle into adulthood. The past couple years have been this transition of feeling like "grown-up" one day, and then totally feeling like I'm still a kid the next. (Gosh darn it, I'm going to be 25 this year, hopefully I have more grown up days than kid days, hey!?). I think with the house, and then the dog, I've really begun to think about the "bigger" things in life ... the idea of having kids has become more of a reality now than it would have been back in January.

What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home? Hmm ... I planted a very small garden this summer, and it was really fun to watch it and take care of it. Looking forward to that this coming spring ... I learned a lot from my little patch of zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes!

What was your most challenging area of home management? Oh, lots of things. I guess just general organization. With a house, there is more area to set stuff down and forget about it...aka the dining room or the table right where we come in as we get home. And this is kind of funny, but my last two living spaces (apartments) were "open concept," so the living space was directly open to the kitchen. There, I cleaned up the kitchen right away, so I didn't have to see the mess. But at the house, the rooms are separate, and I tend to forget about the dinner mess if I head to the living room after we eat. I know, how silly, right? So yeah ... hopefully I can get on that kitchen thing right away in 2011. (But I just want to sit and chill after work, lol!)

What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year? Ironically, the Internet! Must get off of this thing ...

What was the best way you used your time this past year? Makin' moola! I was SO stressed out when I had my 50+ hours a week school job PLUS 50+ hours a week photography work to do! BEYOND STRESSED! However, my bank account was nice and full ... and got replenished very nicely every Saturday as payments would come in. Totally stressful, but it really was worth it.

That's it! Happy 2011!

Bathroom Reno Inspiration

I'm in renovation dream land. Our upstairs bathroom is in need of some help.

We'll see what happens this new year. Possibly a reno?

The photo below is what the room looked like before we moved in. I'm too lazy right now to take a picture of it's current condition, but the difference now is that the walls are a dark latte color, all the trim has been ripped off, curtain down, flying fish down. We planned to replace the base after painting, but hubby decided not to put fresh trim on because "we're going to just rip it apart anyway." One sentence description it's current state?

--> Not much better, perhaps worse.

No, this room doesn't APPEAR to be in need of a complete re-do. And I agree with that partially...it's not a "must do right now" type of thing. However, I have a few points to make:

• The door you see leads to an upper deck. It's an old door, and if the wind blows hard enough, the door flies open. Not good if we aren't home. To replace the door, we would need to re-frame the door. Behind that wall is plaster. Plaster doesn't come off nicely...so we figure if we're going to make a mess, let's just make a BIG mess at all at once and get this room taken care of for good.
• The tub and surround needs replacing ... again, doesn't look bad in the pic, but its old and the paint is chipping away. The previous owners decided to paint (PAINT!?) the old tub instead of replacing. (Why OH why!?)
• Moving forward, those lights are hideous. Once we take those down, there will have to be lots of repair to that bulkhead, and from what we discovered in regards to the other bathroom's electrical situation, I'd say we have some electrical work to do under there, too.
• More lighting, there is a light/fan unit on the ceiling that you can't see in this picture. Again, from the condition the other bathroom was in, I'm sure this needs full-out replacing as well. I wonder if this one even vents outside? The last one just vented into the ceiling. NICE.
• The floor. After moving in, we found drip pans full of water in the drop ceiling of our kitchen. EEK. Which is directly below this bathroom. So, I'm willing to bet the floor underneath the nasty vinyl is not in very good condition. We wonder if the water came from A) The door blowing open and water getting in and leaking thru the floor, or B) The toilet, which we had a heck of a time getting to work because of leaking issues. Either way, my money is on the floor being just nasty under there.
• Lastly, can a girl just ask for a pretty bathroom? Marble or granite counter? Yes please! Double hung mirrors instead of an out-dated full mirror? YES PLEASE! New plumbing to accommodate double sinks? HECK YES! Open linen closet? Wooo hoo, see below for inspiration!

Hello, Inspiration:

And in case you're at all interested, this is our lower level full bath reno project from this past summer:

Ready for Another Year

I can't believe it's already been a year! I feel as if I just answered these questions!

2010 ---> 2011

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Earned a new job with benefits (March), bought a house (April), got a puppy (July), went to Washington DC (June), celebrated a 1 year wedding anniversary (July).

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm not sure if I made one - so there wasn't one to keep. I'm not really planning to make a huge deal about a "resolution," but I do plan to be more of a tight-wad this year. A penny pincher! I love seeing my savings grow. However, these are a few things I will glady spend money on, if they happen: vacations, 2nd full bath renovation. Picture is our main level full bath renovation that we completed this year:

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My friend Alanna brought Zayden into this world! My other friend Ashley is due any day now, so we'll see if she gets a '10 baby or an '11 baby.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries and states did you visit?
Sad ... no new countries this year. I did visit two new "states:" DC (does that count?) & Virginia ... Virginia was only for about two hours or so, when I went to Arlington.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Relaxation....haha, I said this last year too! BUT, I booked a certain number of weddings this year, which is 10 less than last year ... SO, I definitely will have a less-chaotic year - I hope!

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Hmm...is it sad that none stick out?

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through all 24 weddings! Pic is of me working at a wedding:

9. What was your biggest failure?
Having a negative attitude a lot of the time.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My house!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Nobody I can think of.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Home improvements.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Gosh 2010 sure was lacking in the excitement department! I can't think of anything! I think I worked too much and didn't have enough "me" time to have fun! Lesson learned!

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Miranda Lambert - "House That Built Me"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? fatter...the scale says I'm the same, but I feel fatter.
c) richer or poorer? the same


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Vacationed

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Spending money, working

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve: my mom's in the morning, and my dad came over in the afternoon. On Christmas Day: to Chris' parents during the day, and to my dad's side of the family in the evening. The week before Christmas is when we went to my mom's side:

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I'm still in love.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Two and a Half Men, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Get It Sold with Sabrina Soto, & Sarah Palin's Alaska

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

24. What was the best book you read?
I'm not sure I read many this year. This is definitely on the to-do list for 2011. I love reading. I have a few checked out from the library, and I can't wait to dig in!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
These weren't live changing or anything, but some new peeps on my playlist include: Katy Perry, David Gray, One Republic, Bruno Mars

26. What did you want and get?
A house.

27. What did you want and not get?
A house.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Valentine's Day, The Ugly Truth (saw it in 2010) ... and ANYTHING with Gerard Butler ...!!!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to the Iron Ridge Inn (I think??? Why can't I remember anything about this year?) with my family.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
This is minor, because I really have had a really good, satisfying, and happy year ... but I'd say getting the house remodel projects done ... some are half finished and they're driving me nuts. I need to learn how to use power tools.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
I pretty much wear a cardigan every day.

32. What kept you sane?
Coffee and those tiny bits of blissful free time (exact same thing I said last year).

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None!

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
None! I'm smart and stay out of that stuff now ;-)

35. Who did you miss?
Alanna who lives in Washington state. I missed seeing her at Christmastime this year, which has always been a tradition.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Maggie (who has worked some weddings with me)

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Life is too short & valuable to be a work-a-holic.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"The years go by and time just seems to fly, but the memories remain."

39. Will you be looking for a new job?

Nope! :-)

40. Will you be looking for a new relationship?
No way!

41. New house?
No! New stuff in this house though!

42. What will you do different in 2011?
I think you already know - enjoy life more!

43. Any trips planned?
Darn it, no! :-(

44. Wedding plans?
I will attend (at least) 15 weddings this year - 14 clients, 1 family!

45. What's on your calendar?
Spending time with hubby, weddings, work, weddings, work! :-)

46. What can't you wait for?

Some type of vacay - even if it's just somewhere close. Any get-a-way will do!

47. Do you plan on having a child?
Maybe.... ;-)

48. Wish for 2011?

Continued happiness.

49. Where did you go on New Years?

Out to dinner, and then home. I feel asleep before 11.

50. Did you change at all this year?

Not really.

51. Did you dye your hair?
I dyed my own hair to save money ... it doesn't look terrible, just a little more reddish than usual. I don't plan on doing it often - there are people I'll gladly pay to make me look good!


52. Were you in school?
Of course, school is my life! I was never a student, but I was a sub at the beginning of the year, and then in March, I got a new job, which is the Site Manager of 21st Century Community Learning Centers. I am the site manager for all of Jefferson Junction's program, and the AM Site Manager for Lincoln Station's program. That means two schools in one day (1.5 hours at one, and then 6 hours at another).


53. Did you have a job?

See above, and all of the answers that involved being a wedding photographer. :-)

54. Did you move at all?
We moved from our Knaup Drive apartment to our HOUSE on 615 Declark!

55. Did you go on any vacations?
No...boo!! I did go to Washington DC though for work. It was a neat experience. Also, we did go camping in White Lake, WI. Not exactly a vacation, but it was some good away time.

56. Did you break up with anyone?
No.


57. Did you drink Starbucks?

Yes! A few grande Pike's roasts, tall Java Chips, and 1 peppermint mocha could be found in my hand throughout the year.


58. What are your plans for new years eve this year?
We WERE going to the Dells to stay overnight and see a band at a casino, but I decided I wanted to save some money and stay in town (remember that penny pinching thing??). So, we are going to go out to dinner with Katelyn and Josh, and then probably come back to our house for some serious "festivity" time! Bring on the wine! Pic is from last year!