So I didn't want to be one of those people who gets engaged and is instanly obbessed with wedding planning. However, Steve and I are thinking that September 2012 would be a wonderful time to have the wedding...that is however only 9 months away!

EEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!

Where to start??

The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer Is Singing Loud For All To Hear

Let me start out by saying that I love the movie Elf. Like un-healthy obsession wise!

I seriously can not believe that Christmas is over already!

It seems like yesterday I was rushing to buy last minute gifts and get them all wrapped and ready to go. And now it's over. I do however have loads of pictures for you and some HUGE news! We'll save the best for last though :)

So we spent Christmas Eve day with Steve's family. It was wonderful to spend the time with them and see his sister and her family again. They live about an hour away so we don't always see them too often. 

 Steve's parents tree. (They are in the middle of renovating their home)

 Wouldn't be Christmas without festive socks! 

Steve's youngest nephew, Owen. Isn't he adorable?

 Renee and Nate

 Steve and I with Millie :) 

 Kyler and Brady waiting to open gifts

Brady: Age Three

Kyler: Age Six




 Christmas day was spent with my family. Steve and I headed out to my parent's early Sunday morning and then my grandparents house after. It was a wonderful day filled with many laughs and good family time.

Noah: Age Eight opening gifts

Mom opening his Kitchen Aid mixer

Dad and Steve 

Kaitlyn and her boyfriend Cody 

After Steve and I got home from my grandparents I was busy washing dishes & cleaning the house up. At one point I'd wandered into the living room looking for something. Steve grabbed my hand as I passed him and sat me down on the love seat. He said "You know I love you right? Because I do. Will you marry me?" I was in complete shock as I didn't expect it in the least and replied "Is this really for real?" After about 10 minutes of asking him if it was for real, if this was a joke and if he was messing with me I said "Yes, I'll marry you!" I'm so excited to be engaged and know that I'll be spending the rest of my life with someone as handsome and wonderful as him :) 

I'm ENGAGED!!! 


We're looking at September for the wedding date. Hopefully I can get everything planned before then! Can't wait though! I'm so excited to be his Mrs! And because I love my bloggers I'm showing you a picture of the ring before either of our families (haven't seen them yet to show them but they did get pictures!)
Isn't it beautiful?!?!
I'll get you some better pictures soon! :)

Merriest Christmas & Happiest Holidays

 

Wishing each and every one of you a wonderful Christmas! Hope that you all get to enjoy time with your family, friends and loved ones! 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day Four

Don't get too used to this people. I'll probably drop off the face of the earth and stop blogging again sometime soon. It's happened before! 

 

 Day Four:

A picture of your night

 

s Alright, let me start this answer out with an excuse explanation because I feel it's necessary to defend explain myself. I started my Christmas shopping in August. 

That's right. 

August! 

Four long months before Christmas. 

I had full intentions/hopes of getting it all done nice and early to avoid the rat race (does that make sense in this context?) of the stores around Christmas time. 

I'd love to tell you mission accomplished. 

But it was a fail.

Some of the gifts I've known since last year that I wanted to give. For example, the KitchenAid mixer for my mom. Wanted to give it last year...couldn't make it happen. 

Others, like my sister I have no clue what to buy and here I am still trying to come up with the perfect gift. Ugh!

Mission failed! 

So, I figure next year I might as well not even try to get ahead.

Tonight I shall spend the night finishing up the Christmas treats for all of the get togethers we have coming up.

 

However, 

Back to the question. 

  I shall put together the last minute elements of my Christmas goodies. 

I shall furiously wrap last minute gifts. After I shop for them. Haha.

I want to attempt to get my house clean so I don't have to worry about that with all the hustle and bustle.  

And then the boy and I are headed to his parents for the night for a Christmas get together!

Back To My BA Brunette Self

My wonderful hairdresser squeezed me into her schedule today so I could have my hair sexy-fied for Christmas! Love her! 

I've been having it done blonde. I mean blonde. I like to connect with my inner ditzy Barbie side as much as possible. Don't judge. Anywho, my hair was growing out. Can you say hideous, ugly, nasty root growth? And to top it all off in my old age my hair has gone from (naturally) beach-y blonde to mouse. That's right mouse. Like a field mouse. One that's been running around in the dirty, cow shit covered field all day. Ick. I actually don't hate it as much as I'm making you believe right now. I just don't love have my head covered in what appears to be mouse fur. I merely went in today to have my roots touched up and a trim done. 

This is why:

See that outgrowth? 

Not to mention it was looking dull. 

So, I get to the salon and think to myself "Hell Stormy, do something fun and different", I however am not a person to deal with change. I know the blonde looks good on me so why in the world would I change it? Somehow I convinced myself it was time for a change. Or maybe it was telling my hairdresser to make me a "warm" brunette and don't listen to me when I change my mind. Either way....Viola! 

Simply Having A Wonderful Christmas Time :)

I couldn't contain my excitement any longer.

I had to let someone open one of their Christmas gifts. 

Steve was the only one around so I let him open his gift. An iPad! :) He's been playing with it all night! In exchange, he let me open mine. It's a Canon EOS Rebel T3i...aka....heaven! 

I've been snapping photos all night! 

I'd share some tonight but I've got to get back to taking them :)

P.S. Excuse the phone picture! I was too excited to get my actual (other) camera out! 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day Two

Day Two:

A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

That award would have to go to my bestie, Amber. We met when she started working at Culver's about six months after I did. She hated me at first. Like full out hated. She thought I was a bitchy, stuck up snob. So what if I am? Haha. Kidding of course. After working together she found that I'm pretty awesome and I learned the same about her too. 

And so began a wonderful friendship.

We're so much alike. Both terribly sarcastic. Both skeptical of things unknown. Both pro-life. Both photography addicts. Both our biological time clocks are racing along three times faster than our actual age. Both mouthy, rude, and bitchy at times. We both swear like truck drivers. We both have wicked road rage. Both love getting "snail mail". Both love to bake.  We both dream of wonderful beach vacations with fruity drinks. :)

Yet, we're so different. I love handbags. Amber doesn't carry a purse. I'm a blonde. She's brunette. I drive Ford. She drives Chevy. She likes men with long hair. I think they look like freaks. I love dressing up. She loves jeans and t-shirts. I've got green eyes. She has brown.
I love cappuccino. She loves Mountain Dew. I'm a lover of county music. She prefers stuff that hurts my ears. I have to wake up two hours before leaving the house. She rolls out of bed and just goes. I wear too much makeup. She wears (usually) none.

I think our differences balance us out though. I couldn't ask for a better friend. She's someone who has stuck by me through everything...bad boyfriend choices (many of them!), bad hair days, the days where I opened my two closets of clothes and groaned "I have nothing to wwweeaaarrrr!". She was also there during the nursing school days when I was buried up to my ear lobes in books and homework and didn't have time to hang out. I was a bad friend for those four years...she didn't mind. Or, if she did she never mentioned it. Regardless, she's the best. 
She's funny, intelligent, caring, giving, beautiful, understanding, patient and kind. She's the type of person that will go out of her way to cheer you up on a bad day. She's the type of person that will do her best to make everyone happy when she might be having a bad day herself. I wouldn't/couldn't be who I am today without her. 

 

30 Day Blog Challenge

I'm going to give this 30 day blog challenge a try. Who knows if I'll actually make it through all 30 days..we shall see. 

Here goes nothing...

 

Here's how it works:

Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of your night
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 - A picture and a letter
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 - A picture of your day
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

Day One:

A picture of your self with ten facts

1. I get asked nearly everyday about my name. Yes, it is my real name No, my parents are not hippies. No, I'm not a stripper. Yes, I've heard (and hate) the song "Stormy Weather". In high school I was in the band (French horn rocks!) and the band directer 

taught the band to play the song "Stormy Weather" upon my entrance...

let's just say I learned never to be late to band again! 

2. I loving giving gifts. I realized just how much this is true just today when I literally wanted to jump up and down when I found the perfect Christmas gift for a friend, Amber! I called my mom right away to tell her my find & then called Amber. Can't wait to see her open it! Actually, I'm excited to see everyone open their gifts!! :) 

3. I grew up in a town of just over 1,000 people. While I wasn't crazy about it at the time I'd really like to move back there now!

I love the thought of a quite neighborhood where you know everyone. 

4. I can't wait to get married and have kiddos. I obsess think about it all the time. 

Every day. My biological clock is ticking furiously! In all honesty though I want to have 3-5 children and want to be all done by the time I'm 30. That way I'll still have energy to keep up with them all and will have a chance to travel and such after they've grown.

5. I'm obsessed with decorating my house. I could spend hours a day on Pinterest looking at ideas. I love watching House Hunters and spend lots of time researching homes for sale in the area.

6. I push myself too hard & never feel accomplished. My parents always pushed me to be the best I can be and I think that morphed into "you need to be perfect" in my head. Let's just say it causes a ton of UN-needed stress. My boss was just telling me the other day how she's had so many compliments on me and the care that I give. While I appreciated hearing this my mind was busy thinking of more extra special things I could do for my patients. 

7. I am/have OCD. I try to forget about things when they are out of order but it doesn't work. There are times I'll notice that the ruffles in the curtains are a little off...but really how much to the ruffles in the curtains matter?? I mean honestly. I'll lay down in bed thinking "Stormy, the curtains don't matter. Who cares if the ruffles are 1/16 of an inch off?? They are curtains! No one will notice. Go to sleep!)." It never fails though...during some point in a sleepless night I'll have to get up and fix the curtains...then I can rest just fine. In writing this I realized I sound like a mental basket case. 

I assure you I am not crazy ;) 

8. I love making friends. After high school my friends and I got so busy that we're lucky to see each other once or twice a year now. It's the same way with my college friends. We're all new nurses...working 40+ hours a week, attending meetings and trying to relieve stress in what little free time we have. Which means we never see each other!

I'm hoping to make some new acquaintances through blogging!! 

9. I've known Steve (my boyfriend) since I was about 8. I'll have to tell you the story of how we reconnected sometime. It was fate :) We've been dating now for nearly 3 1/2 years. 

10. I wish I could hire a stylist. That would make my life so much easier!

Inspiration

Isn't this the truth? I think I need to make a point to make sure I do at least one 

thing each day that I will be proud of in one year! That sounds like a

good New Years goal to me! What did you do today that 

you will be proud of in one year??

I'd love to hear your stories!

Sleigh Bells Ring...Are You Listening?

I've read many blogs lately where people are listing what they'd like to recieve for Christmas. I'm much more of a giver so I thought I'd change it up and list what I'm giving for Christmas. I love giving gifts to people...it's one of my favorite parts of Christmas :) 

Dad's getting a new pair of Nikon Monarch binoculars for hunting. Yummy venison! 

 Mom's getting a Kitchen Aid mixer. I got one from Steve's family a couple years ago and she brags about it to everyone...now she'll have her own to brag about! :) 

 

Kaitlyn's getting a subscription to US Weekly. She loves to keep up with the celebrtiy gossip. Not sure what else I'll get her yet. She's a hard person to buy for! 

 

 Noah's getting a K'nex super cyclone set. He loves to build things and destroy them. (What little boy doesn't?)

 

Steve's getting an iPad 2. He's been talking about them FOREVER! 

 

Steve's mom is getting a Ninja blender. 

Steve's dad is getting a new drill holster, a Wii Mario game and chocolate 

covered cherries ( a Christmas tradition). 

 

  Steve's sister, Renee is getting the Twilight movies.

And the Percy Jackson & Olympians movie.

  

Renee's husband, Nate wanted a few movies too...

 

 Renee and Nate have three kids

(meaning when Steve and I get married I'll have FIVE nephews!)

I let Steve pick out the boys gifts as they are his nephews...

Kyler (who's 6) is getting a Hot Wheels Track 

Brady (who's 3) is getting a giant set (466 pieces) of Lincoln Logs. 

Even at 23 I love building with Lincoln Logs. Thank goodness for having a little brother and lots of nephews/future nephews! 

 

Owen (who turned a year in November) is getting a talking Cookie Monster toy.

He talks/sings when you squeeze him! 

 

My bestie, Amber and I decided against buying each other gifts and decided to treat each other to a mani/pedi date day :) Sounds like a plan to me! 

And there you have it. The gifts I'm giving this Christmas. 

What are you giving this Christmas??

A New Little Project

I've seen all of these adddooorraabblllee mantels lately. Like too freaking adorable.

Can't even handle them. Adorable!

Such examples include: 

The Frugal Homemaker's is beyond beautiful! 

The ornaments hanging off of this one is amazing! 
 

The Fickle Pickle sure knows how to decorate gorgously fun mantels! 

So in love with hers! 

The colors in this one are so different but SO gorg! 

All pretty mantels aside...I have an unhealthy obsession with mantels! I could stare at pictures of them ALL day! I actually have been lately...when I have been stalking...err...reading blogs. I, however, do not have a mantel. I considered buying a fake fireplace just for the mantel but I don't have a place to put that either. Enter plan B. Shelf mantels. I saw this on a blog (which one though I'm no longer sure) where they had multiple shelves hanging up and used those as a mantel. 

Perfecto! 

So, Steve and I spent last night searching for shelves I liked and hanging them on the wall. Stay turned for pictures of my newest project! I've got to find the perfect decorations for my new shelves! 

 

Inspiration

Weekend Catch Up & A Lil' OOTN

You know what I love?

Weekends off of work! I wish they never ended! 

Yesterday, I headed to my cousin's for an annual Christmas breakfast with the ladies. A couple of my cousins where there, a couple aunts, my mom and grandma. It was a good time. This specific cousin and her husband LOVE christmas and had something like 15-20 trees up decorate all different. Such as:

 An adorable Americana tree. They also put red lights on the top, white in the middle and blue on the bottom. Can't even handle it.

 A giant snowman tree

And my favorite by far. A tree covered in Santa's. I'm in love. 

I spent some time out with my family then and came home and did some laundry. Wonderful day! Steve even took me out on a date last night. I didn't even think he knew what a date was anymore! Haha. I decided that this was one of my few and far between chances to dress up and look cute. (Dressing up for work isn't possible and why dress up to look nice while I'm home aloe all day?) So I put on my new sweater dress & new boots and headed out for some fun. Not before taking a picture for my fellow bloggers though :) 

I am in love with this outfit. First pair of boots I ever bought and first sweater dress=a win if I say so myself! 

So we ate and drank too many drinks. Well alright, not many just enough to get a nice buzz going. Darn margaritas!