2009- A Year In Review

Often one year ends and the typical resolutions for the upcoming year begin.  Everyone wants to lose weight, quit smoking, make more friends, get a better job, etcetera.  My resolutions for 2009 were no different than the standard resolutions.  I only made one, and it was to lose weight.  By the end of this blog, you will find out if I made that resolution.

We kicked off the year by ourselves in our basement apartment, just Josh, myself and our cat, Tibby.  We watched movies, and drank Baileys, and did the BT New Years Eve countdown.  I remember telling Josh that I felt 2009 was going to be a special year, and he felt the same. 

See You in the New Year!

I haven’t written in a few days.  I’ve been sick for one week now with the worst sore throat I have ever had.  I’ve been coughing (up), and trying to get better but I’ve even lost my voice two days ago and it hasn’t returned yet.  I have a throat infection and an ear infection and tomorrow is Christmas Eve.  We had plans for supper at Josh’s brother’s house with his family, and then church with my family, and a rappie pie get together afterward.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we will be able to do either since I’m sick.  It bothers me very much, to be honest.  But what can you do, right?  I am taking antibiotics that so far are not helping, and I can’t stay up long at a time without feeling miserable. 

I am trying to stay positive, even though being sick over Christmas has put me down in the dumps.  No one will visit because I’m sick, I’m sure.

The blog will be quiet over the holidays as I try to get better, and celebrate the holidays (as much as I can) with my family.  I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and best wishes for 2010.  We have so much to look forward to in the next year!

Until then….see you next year!

Lucky

I’ve been thinking of music lately.  For the wedding, that is. 

I’m wondering if it’s appropriate to use ‘Lucky’ by Colbie Caillat featuring Jason Mraz at some point during the ceremony?  We both really like that song (Hello! It’s Mr.A-Z!) and it seems fitting.

If you’ve never heard it, you’re in luck:

first snowstorm and baby talk

Today we had our first real snow storm of this winter.  Snow was dumped on us, and high winds are making themselves known as we speak.  It looks like a winter wonderland out my window, and I am very thankful to be at home, inside where it is warm.

J has a big cold and his bronchitis seems to be flared up.  He is coughing, and is congested quite badly, and has no voice.  He says he feels fine, and he looks fine, just tired.  I hope it’s nothing but a cold, and that it goes away just as quickly as it appeared.  I hate to see him not feeling well, it makes me worry. 

When I think of how much I worry over his well being and health, it makes me think of how much I’ll worry when we have kids.  There was a day when the thought of having babies was far away, but now the thought seems much closer. Almost just around the corner, really.  And we’re both really excited for that day, it’s something we talk about very, very often.

Because that’s what it’s all about, right?  Getting married, having babies, creating a family.  Without family, where would we all be?

a postage whine

Today I went out on a spur of the moment shopping trip, and after my first stop at Canada Post, I couldn’t afford to buy lunch or continue shopping.

The End.

**
No, just kidding.  But over $7 to buy a pack of stamps to mail out Christmas cards? That’s highway robbery, in my book.  That’s crazy! I completely understand why people like to send electronic holiday greetings instead.  Phew..

Postage is going to kill us when we send out wedding invitations and thank you cards. 

I should start saving now.

December Goals

I’ve been fairly out of the loop when it comes to blogging trends these days.  I haven’t been participating in any of the fun trends I’ve noticed, but I do want to partake in this latest one.

This latest blog trend has to do with goals, particularly goals you set out for yourself. 

Usually, I blog about New Year Resolutions when the time comes, but this December blog trend of setting goals got the wheels turning in this [27 year] old noggin’. 

Being such a busy month, December starts off with my birthday.  I just turned 27 yesterday, and spent the day at outpatients with my fiancé whose feet have been swollen, red, and bruised looking.  If you knew what public health care was like in our area (outpatient waiting rooms overcrowded plus wait times of 6+ hours) you’d know it gives a person plenty of time to think. Which brings me to my first goal:

christmas and weddings

Nothing new to report these days, hence the lack of blogging.  No new wedding decisions or plans have been made, though we are very excited to have chosen our date. 

We’ll be getting married on October 2nd, 2010.  We are discussing having the ceremony and reception in the same venue, which means looking at decorations and deciding on the food.  We are thinking of doing a potluck, which is something that is quite popular at wedding receptions in this area. Not to mention it is far more economical for us to have a potluck, rather than buy 50 people a $20 meal, plus the additional costs that come with a wedding.

I have a few fun ideas that I can’t wait to put into action.  I’ve been reading some DIY sites for ideas, and have found some doozies.  There are so many great ideas out there, if you take the time to DIY, you could save yourself a bundle.

I do have to admit, things are quiet on the wedding planning front.  With the holidays just around the corner (23 days!), we have decided to focus on that and in the New Year, we’ll begin with the official planning.  The bookings and all of that fun stuff. 

Not to mention my diet.  This past summer, I lost 24 pounds by watching what I ate and walking 45 minutes to an hour (at least) nearly every day of the week.  I lost it in about two months total, but, something happened over the summer (we made a gruesome discovery under a bridge on our walking route) and I stopped my fitness and diet regime and have put back on some of the weight I’d lost.  In any case, the diet will start back in the New Year.  The fitness regime will go into full force once the snow clears or the sun stays out long enough for me to hit the pave after supper.

So, this Christmas, we’ll be giving gifts to our families, but because we have a wedding to pay for the gifts wont be big or fancy.  They will be useful and thoughtful.  Well, that’s what I’m aiming for anyway.  Christmas shouldn’t be about the gifts, anyway.  It should be about family, being together, being happy and healthy and enjoying one another’s company.  But, now I’m rambling.  Anyway, Christmas=not about the gifts this year.  Next October=our wedding.  Next Christmas=our first Christmas as a married couple!  How exciting!

So, until the New Year, I’m not sure how much wedding blogging I will be doing.  Y’all will just get to read about other stuff instead.

P&G BrandSampler

A few months ago I signed up for Procter & Gamble’s brandSampler.  They have a selection of free samples, and if you sign up they will mail you the samples of your choice.  All offers are available until they run out.

My first sampler was a pack of Tampax, Head & Shoulders dandruff shampoo for dry scalp care, and Head & Shoulders dandruff conditioner for dry scalp care. 

I was pretty impressed with my first free sample box from  brandSampler, so I headed back to the website and checked out their new samples and ordered more.

My new samples arrived in the mail today!  This time they sent me Ultra Downy April Fresh fabric softener (1 load use) and a bottle of Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 body wash (that smells amazing, I might add). 

I just checked the website, and all of their samples have been requested and new samples will be available in Spring 2010.  It’s worth the free sign up, and if you can request samples in time they will mail them out to you between 6 and 8 weeks.

Offer is limited to ordering once per household.

New wedding plans in the works.

We want to keep wedding costs down, and with that in mind, we have decided not to have an outdoor wedding on labor day weekend 2010.  Because with outdoor weddings you have to take the weather into consideration. 

What if it rains?  We could rent a tent (meaning, blow money for a ‘just in case’, or rent a hall, which would then mean having to buy decorations, centrepieces, etc.

So, if we’re spending the money for alot of ‘maybes’ and ‘just in cases’ and that it turns out we didn’t need them, then we will end up spending more money on those instead of the actual wedding.

We have decided to get married in the village where I am from in October 2010.  I’d love to have my bridal party wear dark colors, such as brown.  We will be having finger foods, punch, and cake. 

We want it to be simple & official.  A special day we’d like to share with people we love, and who love us.  It’s not about having the biggest, poufiest, most expensive ‘perfect’ dress or the fanciest hall. 

 

Excited!

We’ve decided what we want to do for our wedding. We’ve also decided where, when, the date (finally!) and a few other details.  I’m so excited! 

Now it definetly feels like the planning can begin. 

Will update soon on the new plans!