Special Delivery!

All my life I have enjoyed the thrill of getting the mail. It started when I was very young. I would look forward all year to the month of April when I knew there would be brightly colored envelopes addressed to me, filled with birthday wishes and often a 5 dollar bill. I looked forward to getting the friend magazine and those mini cereal box sample. My Grammy was unparalleled at sending cheesy cards for every holiday. Even though my anticipation was only indulged a few times a year, that didn't ever stop me from hoping, or from running down to the mail box in my bare feet.

As I grew up I got more mail, cards from far away friends, the random college letters and credit card offers. Even now that I am an adult and my mail usually consists of grocery store circulars and insurance offers I still get excited everyday when the mail comes. I never quite get over the exhilaration when I hear the distinct sound the mail truck makes as it comes up the street stopping every so often and then slowly passes by my house. I went through quite the phase of ordering free samples of random things last spring, and isn't the purpose behind online shopping to get a package on your doorstep a few days later?

Even though getting free samples is fun, I have a packet of NatureMade Sunbutter (sunflower seed peanut butter) still sitting on my counter from June, and my income can't support regularly ordering books on Amazon that cost more to ship than the purchase price. So, one of my new year's resolutions is to write more letters. I figure if I write letters, I'll get answers to letters, and then I will actually have a reason to look forward to picking up my mail. Besides, I've got to do something about that box of stationary under my bed that's been accumulating for the last 20 or so years.

So, friends far and near...anyone want to be my pen pal?

Hazel sings Christmas carols

For your viewing enjoyment, a video of Hazel singing Christmas songs! (She gets better toward the end.)

Yesterday on our way to the children's museum we had to stop and take pictures with these festive displays!

This is Bryce's favorite present this year. A custom-made pair of flannel pajamas made by yours-truly. Doesn't he look cute?

Merry Christmas to you!

It's that time of year...

When Hazel sheds A TON!


In accordance with the changing of the seasons, Hazel's internal alarm clock goes off and says' "it's time for all of your hair to fall out!"


A few weeks ago there were just a few strands here and there, you'd barely know we had a 70 lb. lab. This week, she walks through the kitchen and I have to sweep. She gets up from a the carpet and it looks like a squirrel perished there.


She's still the best dog in the world and I love her lots, but my vacuum and I are worn out!

Happy Christmas Break!

I'm so excited, I feel just like a kid getting out of school for Christmas...oh wait (I basically am!) There has not been a single year of my life I have been more happy about getting out of school for two weeks than I am this year, not even in high school or college.

I can't wait to sleep in, do some sewing projects, finally finish painting my upstairs and spend time with Bryce. This will be the first time I am not with my family for Christmas, and even though I'm definitely sad about it I'm also excited for a relaxed holiday here in Indianapolis and to have our first Christmas with justour little family.

Bryce finished his semester last Friday and has been livin' it up all week long. Let me re-phrase that; He's been diligently waking up early to drive me to work, then coming home and checking things off my honey-do list. Thanks Lovey!

What are you doing for Christmas break? Are you as excited as I am?

I ought to get up off my couch and do something productive like shower, put away laundry or finish something on the two mile to-do list. But is is so much more cozy to sit here with my dogs browsing blogs, internet window shopping, planning vacations to warm places and finding recipes for amazing meals I don't have time to make.

My job has kept me in a constant state of anxiety and hyper nervous activity for the last few months and I haven't just vegged for a long while. So this morning I'm JUST SITTING. I think I deserve it.

Jena ate a little lamb

Tonight some friends invited us over for dinner. Lamb was on the menu.

Now, lamb happens to be just about my favorite food, but it is especially tasty when it is home-grown, like this one was.

YUMMY!

Goodbye October, hello cold!

We love Halloween, so October is basically the best month of the year. Unfortunately our camera is just about the worst one ever made, so I don't take many good pictures. Sorry.

We started off the month apple picking out at Anderson orchard.

Round 1 of pumpkin carving with our friends the Nehrings

Mine

Bryce's

Bryce and Lindsey carving away

We had homemade donuts with the Jones family.

We carved a second round of pumpkins with our friends the Brooks, and made you typical pumpkin sugar cookies.

You know Bryce loves his dog.

Do you see the resemblance?

We saved our milk cartons for two months to make these cute front porch ghosts. I think it's going to become a tradition.

We went to Hanna Haunted Acres on a very wet night.

This is what a haunted hay ride during a downpour looks like. All of the haunted attractions are a lot more fun when you have to squelch through 4 inches of mud the whole time!

We had Halloween themed food

We had fall break

And the highlight...

Our 2nd annual Halloween party with our dental school friends.

Everyone is so creative. There were great costumes

Juno and Bleeker
Pillsbury dough baby

Me being and emo creepster

Bryce looking way too good as an emo boyA scarecrow and a crow

A ninja turtle and swine flu

Pippi long stocking, the other turtle, and my personal favorite, the pregnant 50's housewife (her husband was dressed as the milkman!)


The show stoppers, batman and joker. Jenna worked on those batman abs for months

And of course it's not a Halloween party without Halloween treats!

Purple People Eater Punch

Vampire Apples

and a cheese Mummy

Goodbye October, I miss you already!