My Favorite Pics of 2010

January 2010- Heather and Aunt Sheri. My aunt posted this on my facebook wall on my birthday

February 2010- Katie's Bachelorette Party

March 2010 - Katie and Louie tie the knot

April 2010 - Lauren's Birthday

May 2010- Gulf Shores, Alabama trip

June 2010- Girls Night to see Sex and the City 2

July 2010- Billy's Birthday, the picture says it all

August 2010- Girls Night Out

September 2010 - Family at OSU game

October 2010- 3 Generations go to Rome

November 2010- Zach's Birthday in Dallas

December 2010- Christmas Book Exchange

I just found a tiny piece of chocolate on my palm and instead of using a napkin, I licked it off. At my desk. At work. Tis the Season!

So, this week is going to be nuts. My roomie and I offered to host book club at our house (what were we thinking) and that event happens tonight. We have a small home, so it doesn't take much to clean, but I would give my right arm for a house cleaner right now. And we don't just set out crackers and cheese, we are little chefs. Just the two of us are proving hashbrown casserole, brussel sports gratin, and cranberry pie. A quick cleaning of the house after work and then baking the mentioned foods, and 7 o'clock will be here before you know it!

I thought I was completely finished Christmas shopping. Until my sister-in-law text me and said Lauren and Allison received presents last night from a family friend, the exact presents I purchased 1.5 months ago and have had wrapped under the tree for weeks. Now, normally I would say, sorry I know you already got this and here is a gift receipt. But I can't show up with presents that they have already received. So now it is off to Target or some other crazed store to look for something else. That will probably have to happen tomorrow night. Like everyone else. Kill me.

Thursday, I will be attending my first Tacky Christmas Sweater Party. I am wearing a sweater that I wore in the 6th grade to the Christmas Eve service at church. I am not sure how I wore it then, because it still swallows me. And I am rocking some jingle bell earrings.

At some point, I need to finish wrapping presents and pack and get items at the store to make cookies and casserole.

Last weekend was our 3rd annual Christmas Book Exchange. Dinner at Sonoma and then White Owl for drinks.

Christmas bulb pen that lights up. Spreading cheer throughout the restaurant

I felt so Blake Lively in this outfit. Dress, belt, blazer, tights, heels

Christmas Book Exchange Crew 2010

Holiday Favorites

Can you believe I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping?! I have one big present still to get (which I have NO idea what I am going to get him), and a few other small ones that will be easy as pie.

* My new favorite place is Etsy. I know this has been around for a while, but I easily get overwhelmed at sites like this, so I tend to browse quickly and then leave the site.

But here are a few finds on there that I am craving:

Wire Wrapped Ring
Vintage Paris Blank Cards
Owl Bookend

I realize the Owl Bookend is somewhat random, but for some reason I really like owls. I think I will decorate one of my kids rooms in owls. Hope they are ok with that.

These are just a few of the things I want. I could post more links, but then I would be on Etsy all day and not be productive at work. Like I am right now.

* One of my other holiday favorites is making cookies. A few years back, I got the recipe to make those famous cookies with peanut butter, Ritz crackers and almond bark. They are so easy and so delish.

It's this simple:

1 box Ritz
1 jar peanut butter
2 packages almond bark- chocolate or white

Slowly melt the almond bark. Put a good helping of peanut butter between 2 crackers and lay out on wax paper. Using tongs, dip the cookie in the almond bark and place back on wax paper.

It's really that easy. I made a batch the other day and took them to ______'s house and he said all the guys loved them and wanted the recipe. I used pretty red crystals to garnish with, but they didn't show up on the chocolate like I hoped they would. But a Christmas tin makes it all very festive!

* And last. I love Christmas cards. I love browsing them at the store and seeing all the cute designs. And then I love writing a personal message to my friends and family and sending them holiday cheer.


Anybody else have any holiday favorites they would like to share?

Thoughts for the Day

Here are the thoughts running through my head:

1. Is it ridiculous to think I could ever have a job where I worked from home?
2. Framing those 6 pictures from Paris is way over due.
3. I need to wrap those Christmas presents so Sophie has less tree skirt area to possibly pee on. (She hasn't so far).
4. Where oh where could my black coat be? It is just missing.
5. Pioneer Woman amazes me. I wish I wasn't scared by recipes that have ingredients I am not familiar with.
6. How long does it really take for nails to dry/harden and be safe for activity?
7. I wish we had a doggy door.
8. I wonder why I get headaches so often. (I know, Laina, go to the eye doctor!)
9. I hope it isn't freezing next Sat for the Jingle Bell run.
10. What should I wear tonight and how should I do my hair?
11. I wish I would have more time to watch TV AND read. Which means more hours in the day would be nice.
12. Christmas is the jam.

Turkey Day is over. My pants still fit. And it is time to Christmas shop. I already have the nieces finished and I know what I am buying my mom and my dad. I feel much better about my gift-giving this year. Last year, I waited too late and wasn't pleased.

I love the wood paneling in our den. It looks so 80's Christmas!

I am totally feeling the holiday cheer. But that's no surprise. I always feel the holiday cheer. I decorated the house this weekend and realized I could use more decorations, even though my house is smaller. The tree is up and twinkling. Well, the lights don't actually twinkle, but my heart does every time I see it.

Thanksgiving was spent at my Deeya's house in Claremore. The whole crew was there, 12 adults, 3 kids, 5 dogs, one TV. Thursday, before the real meal, we had dips and appetizers to munch on. My corn/avocado salsa was a hit. I also made a chocolate pie topped with crumbled Reese's that seemed to go over well, except I was told it was really sweet. My mom's cheesecake is still divine. Ask Sophie. I foolishly ran into Wal-Mart on my way home from Deeya's and left Sophie and a slice of cheesecake in the car. One of them didn't make it.

I was too busy chasing the girls around or cooking or cleaning or cutting or something to take lots of pics. I did capture a few of Jordyn because that face is like an angel. And she is at the most fun age.

She calls herself "Jordy" which is adorable. She will walk into the room and say "Header", I reply "Jordyn", she replies "Header", and it goes on and on. She also has this "so big" saying. See video below.

I got home Sat morning and had all day to prepare for the OSU game. But nothing could have prepared me for the intensity of that game. Still bummed about the loss. But we ended with a 10-2 record, nothing to be sad about!

I only have one Christmas party to attend between now and Christmas Day (of course it falls on the same night as my nieces Christmas program) so it looks like I will have plenty of time to light some holiday candles, read a book, and turn up the Christmas tunes!

Turkey Time

With so much going on, I want to just take a minute and remember the things I am thankful for. I did this same post last year, and I think I will make this a blogging tradition. There are reminders everyone to be thankful, but rarely does anyone take the time to do it.

I am thankful for my home. It may be small, but it houses all my belongings and is very cozy.
I am thankful that my mother taught me to love reading.
I am thankful that my family actually enjoys spending time together. I hear too often about families that don't get along.
I am thankful for my job.
I am thankful for thoughtful people.
I am thankful for my health.
I am thankful for my Cowboys having such a great football season.
I am thankful that I got to see Rome and all of the history there.
I am thankful for cheap Southwest flights so I could spend time with my cousins.
I am thankful for a few days off work.

Now, on to the lastest and greatest happenings in my life.

Last weekend, I flew down to Dallas to celebrate my cousin's 30th birthday. We had a pub crawl for Zach that lasted 8 hours. Started at 3 PM and we got home at 11:45 PM. It was Thanksgiving themed and I didn't dress up (didn't want to fit a costume into my tiny carry on) but lots of others dressed up as pilgrims, indians, and turkeys. Well, just one turkey, the birthday boy himself.

Heather, Kristin, Katie

The Birthday Boy dressed as a turkey

My look alike

Austin, Kristin, Heather

A couple of weekends ago, Bryan and Erin came to Tulsa for a baby shower and then stayed the night at Grammy and Pappy's. I had a couples baby shower to go to that evening, so when I got home the next day, I asked the girls what they did last night. Their answer: Rode Pappy's lawn mower. They are entertained so easily.

The video below is hilarious. Make sure you have your sound on. The girls asked us which one we would want to fight and then demonstrated their fighting abilities:

Last but not least, we got 2nd place AGAIN in kickball. Lost by 1 run in the bottom of the 7th (we only play 5 innings) and the league had a end of the season kickball party for us.

Kickball ladies

Ozzie and Billy

Meghan, Amanda, Heather

Co-workers, Co-kickballers

Sporting my 2nd place medal 

 Team Mooseknuckles- minus a few

Now, onto Thanksgiving prep. Headed to Deeya's Wed night and the whole fam will be there. I am making fresh corn and avocado salsa to munch on before the bird is cooked and no bake chocolate pie for my brother, since he doesn't like my mom's homemade cheesecake. He has lost his mind. I am going to be nice and crumble Reese's on top for a little extra oomph.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and cheer on the Cowboys for Bedlam Sat at 7:00 PM!

Just Call Me Kate

I don't know if you were aware or not, but Prince William asked Kate Middleton to marry him. Hearts broke all over the world as soon as that was announced. Mine did not break. I never really had a crush on Prince William. So while I am not obsessing over the fact that he didn't propose to me, I am obsessing over how cute Kate is.

That dress she wore to announce their engagement was gorgeous. And worth almost $600. And sold out in days. I also read that a dress she was photographed in from TopShop sold out in hours. Girls got style.

Here are some tidbits of info about Kate:

1. This soon-to-be princess grew up in a suburb called Buckleberry in Berkshire and attended a private grammar school. Kate later attended a Catholic all-girls boarding school, Downe House, for two terms and graduated from another boarding school, Marlborough College. While there, she allegedly once mooned a group of boys out the window! The Middleton family owns an apartment in the posh Chelsea neighborhood of London.
2. Like many British teens, Kate took a “gap year” before college and visited Italy and Chile. In a bizarre coincidence, both William and Kate underwent the same adventure program in Chile, just not at the same time.
3. The couple met in college at St. Andrews University in Scotland — allegedly after William saw Kate walk in a fashion show, during which camera flashes accidentally revealed her dress to be see-through. She had on a black bra and panties underneath. The couple lived in an apartment with a group of friends at school and were both dating other people before they got with each other.
4. In 2007, the couple split for three months. Some say it was because William was having doubts, others say it was because he was photographed at a nightclub with his arm around another woman. There were also rumors that the Queen thought Kate was enjoying being photographed on the London nightlife scene too much. In any case, after a few months, William invited Kate to be his date at a military dance and the couple was back on.
5. Kate’s a regular “Sporty Spice”: She’s played basketball, tennis, hockey, netball, badminton, swimming and run the high jump while at school. As a teen, Kate also starred as Eliza Doolittle in her school’s performance of “My Fair Lady.” These days, the royal couple loves to go out clubbing at London nightclubs like Boujis. They also ski, suntan in swanky locals like Ibiza, and shoot pheasant.
6. Friends claim Kate has had a crush on Prince William since she was a little girl and hung a poster of him on her bedroom wall. “No, I had the Levi’s guy on my wall, not a picture of ­William — sorry,” she told reporters at the couple’s press conference yesterday. “It was me in Levi’s, honestly,” William joked.
7. Unlike Princess Diana, who was related to nobility, Kate is a “commoner” with no direct royal lineage in her family — recent ancestors include a grocer and a road sweeper. But she is related to 1500’s King Edward III, through his second son, Edmund, and that makes her and William 15th cousins.
8. Her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, met when Micheal was an airline pilot for British Airways and Carole was a stewardess. They’ve gone on to become self-made millionaires running a mail order party supply company called Party Pieces, which sells items like goody bags and pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. Kate has a younger sister Pippa, 27, and a younger brother, James, 23. After college, Kate briefly worked as a buyer for the clothing line Jigsaw. These days, all five members of the Middleton family work for Party Pieces — Kate, most recently, as a photographer.
9. Kate’s new engagement ring is an oval blue Ceylon sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, set in white gold. It was chosen by Princess Diana from the then-crown jewelers upon her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981. According to the Daily Mail, however, the ring is not an exclusive piece of jewelry and anyone else could have purchased such a ring from Mayfair. Princes Harry and William inherited the rock from the late Princess Di’s estate; although Harry originally took it — and William took her yellow gold Cartier watch — William somehow ended up with the memento. The handsome prince proposed in Kenya in October, although the couple is staying mum on those deets!
10. No word yet on what Kate’s wedding gown will be, but she’s said to be partial to the Brazilian designer Daniella Issa Helayel and her brand, Issa. At the couple’s press conference yesterday, Kate was a knockout in a sapphire blue Issa dress.

 And her are some pics of Kate and her adorable style! P.S.- Kate dated William for 8 years before getting engaged. Patience is a virtue.

I would like to add to the list below....

13. The dress Kate Middleton wore when she announced she was engaged to royalty. Must be a tough life

Things I Love Right Now / Am Excited About

1. OSU Football: 9 wins, 1 loss. Yes, you read that right.
2. Revisiting our love, Trivia at Joe Momma's now that kickball is over
3. Blankets and house shoes
4. Wine / Happy Hour
5. Leggings
6. Thanksgiving: food and hanging out with the family
7. Flying to Dallas for my cousin's birthday for less than $100. Thank you Southwest
8. Gouda cheese
9. My gray, zip up jacket from Gap that I wear too much
10. Pictures from my Rome trip
11. Christmas shopping: Free shipping would make this even better
12. The little things in life

I feel like I have been in a whirlwind since I got home, wait, since before I left for Rome. After packing up most of the clothing that I owned and traveling to Rome with 3 kickass gals (Mom, Aunt Sheri, and grandma Deeya), I came home sick and left with little to wear until I did laundry.

I have my last load of laundry washing today and then I will be caught up. I know, it has been plenty of time since I got home, but I am busy.
My bag is unpacked but still in my bedroom floor. I spent last Sunday doing laundry and switching out my summer to winter clothes. That is what a girl has to do when she has limited closet space. I could have made more progress if I hadn't taken an extremely long nap. But I don't regret it.

Kickball finals are tonight. We have a tough game at 6:45 that will determine if we make it to the finals. I am pumped up.
Lunch with the family on Sat in Tulsa and then a couples baby shower on Sat eve followed by watching the OSU Cowboys take on Texas in Austin. Goodness, we need this win!
Sunday, I will head to Muskogee for lunch with the family and church family and spend some time checking my fantasy team, also hoping for a win this week since my roomie beat me last week.

The holidays are approaching verrrry quickly and my weekends are filling up. Christmas parties, book exchanges, birthday celebrations, Thanksgiving. What a wonderful time of year.

Rome!

It has taken me all week to find the time to post about Rome. I accidentally left my Rome journal at home so I may have to go back and edit with better details when I have time.


I will give you a quick rundown of our 6 day Italian vacation via pictures. And some quick details:

Who: Heather, Mom (Cindy), Aunt (Sheri), Grandma (Deeya is what we call her)
When: October 23-30
Why: Why not, right?
Where: Rome, Italy

We left Tulsa at 7:45 AM on Saturday morning. I got up around 5:15 that morning so I was already tired and knew I had a long day ahead of me.

Our flight went from Tulsa to Houston to Newark (where we met my aunt) and then 8.5 hours to Rome.
The flight to Rome wasn't full so we were able to get a middle section of seats (3) and lay down and sleep. Apparently, I was the only one in the group that actually went to sleep. I slept for almost 5 hours. And thankfully so, because we hit Rome at 8AM and had a whole day ahead of us.

Our driver was supposed to be at the airport with our names written on a piece of paper. After waiting at the airport for 30 min, we decided he wasn't coming and I called the hotel. She just kept saying, "the car broke." We found another driver, Salvatore, to drive us to our hotel for 60 euro. Finally made it to the hotel and the vacation begins! Deeya is so sleepy she can barely hold her head up.After laying down in the room for a little nap, the sightseeing begins!

I would outline this trip day by day, but I am not sure I would have any more readers! Here are some pics to enjoy!

Our spacious hotel room

The girls inside the Pantheon

What flavor would you like?

Lemon/wild berry for me. Orange chocolate/dark chocolate for Sheri

Vittorio Emmanuel

Spaghetti Carbonara

Sweety Rome, out neighborhood pastry shop

St. Peters Square

Dome of the Pantheon

Sistine Chapel

St. Peters Square

Mailing our postcards

3 generations at St. Peters Square

Peita by Michelangelo

Inside of St. Peters Basilica

My Swiss Guard boyfriends

St. Peters at night

Bridge over the Tiber

At the top of Castel Sant Angelo

Trevi Fountain at night

Colosseo

Deeya and I outside the Colosseum

Roman Forum

Hanging out on the top of a column

Piazza Navona balconey

Being touristy

Inside the Colosseum

Arch of Constatine