The obligatory New Year's resolutions post

I usually don't make any big deal about resolutions...but here are mine for the upcoming year.

1. Control my temper.  I know I can let things get to me.  Sometimes I will let it go for the sake of others, but I need to let things slide for myself as well.  

2. Be more assertive when it comes to make decisions.  I rely on Ben a lot to help me with decisions.  With him gone, I'm going to have to make some for myself with him gone next year.

3. Put down my phone/computer more.  Sometimes I get so distracted with the wonderful world of the internet (after Delilah is asleep), that I miss out on opportunities to actually get some crafting done.  

4. Continue to love with all my heart.  There's almost nothing more important.

5. Continue to build my relationship with God and keep praying.  I can't tell you the number of times prayer has saved my behind.

I think that's all for now.  I'm still working on not biting my nails (yes, it's a nasty habit...but I'm working on it!)

Happy New Year to all of you.  I truly hope that 2013 is a blessed year for you all, even those of you who have treated me poorly in 2012.  Life went on. So it goes.

Relaxing

We had a fantastic Christmas here in New Mexico.  It was our first year not being in Missouri with family and friends.  Although that was a bit sad, I really enjoyed starting some new traditions with Ben and Delilah. 

Christmas Eve, we all got new pajamas.  Once Delilah went to bed, Ben and I watched Rare Exports (a Christmas movie) and then I put together Delilah's princess ATV (foot powered).  

Yay, stockings!

Christmas morning came and we had  a LOT of presents to open.  It was nice that even though we weren't there, people still sent us stuff.  

She was a little apprehensive of this.

Taking a break from opening presents to give Daddy a hug.

Delilah was super sweet and shared her new blocks with Otis.

We went over to a friends' house for a get together with some people who were still in town.  We ate, played games, and hung out.  Lots of fun, good group of people!

It was a very merry Christmas.

Other than that, I've just been trying to keep packing for the big move.  It's just a month away, believe it or not...I can't believe it.  I'm so ready!

Phew.

Well, Delilah's first birthday has come and gone.  It was such a huge success.  I'm going to estimate and say we had over 40 people show up to celebrate her special day.  The decorations turned out great, and my mom was a HUGE help in getting everything ready and set up.  I had a photographer there, and am waiting to see pics from the party.  I hardly had time to take any myself, I was so busy visiting with everyone!  Delilah relished the attention (when people gave her time to warm up), and was a great sport the whole time. She's such a happy sweet baby. 

A couple people showed up that I wasn't too pleased to see, but I knew they'd be there.  A couple people weren't able to come that I'd like to see, but that's ok.  One of my family members was invited out of courtesy, but I knew she wouldn't come.  I'm not surprised.  Didn't come to my birthday celebrations, didn't expect her to come to my beautiful baby's!  No worries, it's the last time I'll invite her to something.  Waste of my AWESOME invitations...and I'll post them now (with some of the private information blocked out)

Front side

Shout out to ART IS DUMB (on facebook) for making the invitations!

It was a super fun time, and I'm so glad we were in Missouri to celebrate! 

Spent that evening with friends playing the game of things and being silly.  We always crack up playing, and I miss that!  Landon and Chip played a new pool game with weird rules and ended up dressing up with a basket and the pool table cover.  hahaha it was great.

We went out for breakfast at the Big Biscuit in Independence the next day with Falco, Nessers, Dayly, Chip, Chelsea, and my brother.  Landon joined us later.  We drove around and went shopping, got coffee, and ended the night with dinner at Chipotle!  YUM.

Delilah did amazing on the plane rides.  She didn't cry, didn't fuss, she was a great little passenger.  I was actually pretty thankful that I still nurse her, because I did so on takeoff and I think that helped her ears not to pop.  

I am super excited to move back to KC for awhile.  It feels more real now, and I've started to pack up the house!  I'm ready to put this place in my rear view mirror!

As soon as I get pictures from the photographer, I'll post them!

What has been going on?

I've been so stinking busy for the last 2 weeks.  I didn't realize that our trip back to Missouri was coming up so quickly...and I'm really glad I've been working on stuff for awhile. I still have a bunch to do, but I'm slowly getting it done.  

I've had 2 orders for letters, so I've also been working on those. I got one finished yesterday, and hopefully the second order will get done tonight.  

First time working with rhinestones!  

I know that there were a couple girls that started to try and sell letters like I do, but all they were doing was putting scrapbook paper on them.  I just took it as it was...imitation. It was flattering, but as far as I know, I'm still getting orders frequently, and I haven't seen anything from any of them.  

I've got my friend Mary picking up party stuff before I get there, and then when she picks us up from the airport, we're going to put stuff together at my parents' house.  We're gonna make some record food stands, an octopus, and some other fun stuff.  I've painted the centerpieces and have labels for the food.  PHEW.  I'm also in the process of making diamonds out of paper and glitter to attach to the strings of balloons that are on the ceiling.  (in the sky with diamonds...)

We took Delilah to see Santa.  Suffice it to say, she was not a fan.

He was a very realistic Santa though, even had a real beard!  I saw a Miracle on 34th St moment when he let a kid tug on his beard.  I felt like I had witnessed a Christmas miracle!

We also had a fantastic Thanksgiving.  

Had a great time with friends, drank wine, played the Game of Things, and as usual...Delilah charmed everyone.  She was such a good girl.

I decorated the house for Christmas, and Ben humored me by playing Christmas music while doing so.

I love Christmas.

Crafts, packing, and friends

I forgot to mention that I'm on week THREE of couch 2 5k!  I'm truckin' through it.  I want to finish it, I want to run a 5k.  I want to be able to do something that I never thought I'd be able to do.  I CAN do this.  I can.

Made some crafts this week:

I don't know if I mentioned it, but I follow TrueBloodHBO on twitter and retweeted something they had posted.  To my surprise, I won the True Blood cookbook!  I love winning things!

One year (I believe it was 2004...maybe 2005), I won:

16 tickets to the KC RenFest

$20 in food tickets to the KC RenFest

4 tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet

2 tickets to a Thanksgiving dinner on top of a hotel to watch the Plaza lights come on

4 tickets to Flogging Molly

2 dinners to the Thai Place (a fancy Thai restaurant in KC)

All of my friends reaped the benefits of my luck that year.  I made sure I spread the wealth!  

Each day ticks off the calendar and it feels so good that we are getting closer and closer to being out of this town.  It feels amazing.

Some updates in my life

This is the week that Delilah has decided that she's ready to walk.  She has taken a couple steps here and there, but never more than 2.  On Saturday, she decided to just let go of the chair, and take some steps.  I've been helping her practice by bribing her with her organic puffies.  It's working.  

I honestly can't believe it.  Last year at this time, I was getting ready for her to be here...and now she's starting to walk.  

I was shopping in Bath and Body Works the other day, and like always, I was visiting with the employees there.  I always like to chit chat with people, I like being friendly.  While I was checking out, the lady asked me if I was looking for a job.  I told her no, that I stayed at home with my daughter.  Plus, with Ben's work schedule, it would be impossible to even sub except once every 5 days or so... She told me she was looking for someone just for holiday help, and then told me that I'd get a discount there AND Victoria's Secret.  I filled out an application, and told her that I'd want the bare minimum hours, and that I didn't really want/need a job, so I wasn't looking for anything serious.  

I worked my first shift there yesterday.  Basically, it was just me talking to people and helping them.  I ran the register a bit, I just need to practice the coupons more.  It was fun.  I talked to a lot of nice people.  It's weird working, especially since I'm not teaching!  It's nice to know that if I end up not liking it at all, I can just quit...I don't NEED to work.  

I've been spending my freetime working on stuff for Delilah's party.  It's coming up soon!  I've finished the labels for the food/drinks, I've done the centerpieces, and I'm working on the huge project that started the day she was born.  That was is very taxing and has taken a lot of work.  

Thanksgiving is this week, and I'm making the turkey!  I make an amazing turkey, so moist and delicious.  I'd love to share the recipe on here, but I still have some people stalking/lurking on my blog since I've deleted/blocked them on facebook.  It's really weird.  (Yeah, creepers, I still have a tracker on my blog!)

We're having a fun dinner with some friends, and I'm really looking forward to it!

Anyway, I'm going to get ready for bed.  I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the holiday season so far!

Started C25K!

As a personal goal for myself, I started Couch 2 5K.  Being born with a heart condition made it hard to run/jog, and it was always an embarrassment in school when I was so far behind everyone else when we had to run the mile.  PE teachers didn't take me seriously, and that made it even harder.  Because of that, I grew up HATING to run.  I dreaded it.  I would do anything I could to get out of it.  It wasn't enjoyable, and I got it in my head that I couldn't do it.  Now, I want to prove to myself that I CAN run a 5K.  I want to do it, and I'm going to do it.

I took pictures and weighed myself before, just to see what kind of difference happens.  

I don't want to lose weight, because I'm happy with where I am right now, I want to do this because I want to be able to run and know that I can do it!

San Antonio and other news

Went to San Antonio to watch my brother-in-law graduate BMT!  It was a very fun trip, minus a few little hiccups.  

Ben finally picked cotton!

Waiting for Flig to get his BMT coin

It was FREEZING the day he graduated!

My handsome SSgt

Brought back memories of us from 5 years ago.

Spending some time with Pop Pop

Brothers!

Tuckered out on the way to the Alamo.

Monument

On the Riverwalk

Lovin' her Uncle Flig

At the Alamo

Well traveled baby!

Alamo

The Ward men

These are supposed to be the Twilight people...

And that's supposed to be Michael Jackson.

David is sceptical

Yay, Disney!

Proud Pop.

We all had a lot of fun.  My only regret is that we didn't get to go to Sea World. :(  One of these days, I WILL get to pet a dolphin.  I WILL.  

Halloween was yesterday, and we were gone for all the parties and what not.  We took Delilah out in her costume (not trick-r-treating), and then stayed home and passed out candy.  Next year will be different, because I'll be able to take her out and go out with friends as well.  

Now the Christmas planning begins.  I'm actually excited about spending Christmas with Ben and Delilah this year (because we won't be able to go back to MO).  It'll be nice to start our own traditions.  Mom said that we'll have a celebration when we come back in Jan.  The last few years, we've done Christmas Eve at my parents' house, then gone to Ben's parents' house to stay the night.  We do Christmas morning with them and then go back to my parents' house.  Back and forth!  We each have traditions, and it's only fair to split it.  This year, will be our little year though.  

I've started to get Christmas cards ready (I know, SO EARLY), but it's because we will be SO BUSY during December...moving, Delilah's birthday, etc...If I can get them all addressed and signed, that would make things easier on me.  We typically send out about 140 cards...family+friends.  We've got a lot of people!

I'm gonna go work on the house a bit more.