Lent

Growing up Catholic, Ash Wednesday always marked the day of, "What to give up for Lent". Even though our sacrifices pale in comparison to what the Lord gave up for us, I think this tradition reminds to turn to the Lord for satisfaction.

Almost every year since high school I have given up cokes. This used to be a real test and challenge for me since I used to drink 2-3 a day. I don't drink cokes anymore, so that would not be a good enough challenge.

One year in college I attempted to give up chocolate. That didn't last long...after a long, rough day on the golf course I grabbed one of the free chocolate cookies and devoured it.
So, this year I decided to give up fried food. This means no tortilla chips (I eat a lot of these), no donuts, no chicken tenders. Not that I'm saying I eat a lot of fried food, but I do enjoy an occasional fried treat. Especially with the travelling coming up, I am going to be extra cautious not to forget and accidentally slip.

What is everyone else giving up for Lent?

2 Years Ago

2 years ago today, I was getting ready to marry my best friend!Do we look young (and a lot skinnier) or what?

After barely seeing my hubs this Vday weekend (that's what happens when you work in the restaraunt industry), he gave me my Valentine's Day present late Sun night:

A subscription to US Weekly and Women's Health! This is kind of a guilty pleasure of mine :)
It will be absolutely perfect for the upcoming travelling...

Justin also made me homemade chocolate covered strawberries (they are amazing) and will not tell me where we are going to celebrate tonight...I am not good with surprises!

Ya, Mon

Last week we headed to Jamaica to celebrate our 2 year anniversary! I love getting to go to tropical places and celebrate our anniversary when it is freezing at home (last year we went to Miami). We had an amazing time and definitely took advantage of the all-inclusive food and drinks. We really relaxed, read a lot, and took lots of naps by the beach. Besides a few cancelled and delayed flights, the trip was a success. Of course, I did not take enough pictures. And why is the wife always the one to take the pics? I noticed I am not in too many of them...

Back to reality - looks like I am going to be travelling all over the country for the next few months with work. I am not 100% sure on all of the exact locations yet, but I do know that I will be on the road for 9 weeks straight...sigh. Hey, hopefully I can rack up enough frequent flyer miles for J and I to go on another vaca after all of my travels!!

What Do You Call the Past Decade?

Seriously though. What do you call 2000-2010? The o's or the 0's? I am so confused.

I started thinking last night about the past decade and I couldn't believe how many milestones were accomplished.

• Got my first car (the Altima is still alive & kickin!)
• Graduated High School (class of 2001!)
• Attended college at Mississippi State University on a golf scholarship (probably the most fun 4 years of my life so far) and I successfully broke 4 school records!
• Turned 21! My friend, Ashleigh made sure we had a fun night even if it was before the SEC Championship.
• Graduated college
• Turned professional and played for a year and a half on the Futures Tour (toured the U.S. and basically lived out of my car~awesome experience!)
• Met my future husband
• Got my first big girl job (in sales at the Commercial Appeal)
• Moved out of my parent's house into an apt on Mud Island with 2 of the best girls ever!
• Got engaged
• Left the CA for FedEx as an Account Executive
• Planned a wedding & got married Feb. 16, 2008
• Bought a house!
• Started my MBA at the University of Memphis (graduating Aug 2010!)
• Got another dog (who is the cutest thing ever, I may be partial though)
• Promoted to Sales Development & Education at FedEx

Who knows what 2010-2020 will bring? Do we call this decade the 10's? This is what I envision...

• Graduate with a MBA
• Maybe start my PhD (that is if I get accepted!)
• Continue working at FedEx
• Becoming parents (CRAZY!)
• Altima may have to be put to rest
• Learning to cook more
• TRAVELLING (booked a trip to Jamaica today! we will also be going to the Caribbean with friends late April and Aspen for my cousin's wedding in June)
• Hopefully travelling to ITALY
• Becoming stronger in faith (an everyday prayer!)
• Moving on from 1602 wolf ridge? Who knows?
• Turning 30! Oh no!

I am so excited for the next decade to begin, but seriously this one involved a ton of changing! It's crazy how fast it seemed to fly by.

Happy New Year!!

2009 in Review

2009:

1. Celebrated Christmas [actually late, late 2008] in Breckenridge, CO with my family. Drank a lot of hot chocolate and skiied down a black [the most terrifying thing I think I have ever done]
2. Got an iPhone [just a tad bit addicted]
3. Started BSF [awesome bible study]
4. Travelled to DisneyWorld for our 1st anniversary
5. Attended Tina & Rhys Lloyd's wedding in Miami, FL [awesome!]
6. Girl's weekend in Oxford, MS [soooo much fun]
7. Started giving golf lessons [actually have a small clientele, not sure if this is the correct sp]
8. Turned 26 [blech]
9. Started participating in Bunko [thanks, Leslie for inviting me!]
10. Finished & survived a Half-Marathon [beat my hubby!!!]
11. Spent Memorial Day on a lake in Missouri
12. Survived the Spring '09 semester
13. Bridesmaid in Catherine & David Nail's wedding [beautimous]
14. Became a MOMMY! [ha, not that kind, a dog mom to a bouncing lab puppy girl, Joey]
15. Volunteered in the St. Jude Classic
16. Visited my Miss State teammate Ashleigh in Orlando
17. Played as a Professional in the TN Women's Open [made the cut, thanks to my sister caddying!]
18. Flew to Tampa for Ashleigh & Jon Centella's wedding [at the Don Cesar in St Pete Beach-lovely!]
19. Made it thru Summer School
20. Threw a baby shower for my best friend, Amanda - and my nephew [I am his Aunt Beth] was born in Oct.
21. Became involved in a church, Grace Evan [love our church friends]
22. Went to Nashville to visit the Nails and go to the Vandy/State football game [we won]
23. Had sorta a reunion with Justin's college friend & some of my college friends at the Miss St/Georgia Tech game [soo fun-but we lost this one, hey, GA Tech is gooood]
24. Travelled to Columbia, MO for the TX/Mizzou game [Colt McCoy is a stud]
25. Got promoted to Sales Development! [best thing to happen this year, believe me]
26. Travelled to Salt Lake City for my first week of work [beautiful city]
27. Wrote a 45 page paper [sorta my thesis]
28. Survived my second year as a grad school student [not my best perfomance, however]
29. Was suprised last weekend by my husband with a trip to CHICAGO! [stayed with previously mentioned friends, Ashleigh & Jon-they live on Michigan Ave!]

I probably forgot a few things, but this year has been so much fun. It seems like it has flown by. I guess that's what happens when you work full-time, go to grad school, and have a busy life?

Can you tell I don't have a lot to do today at work?

Next on the schedule-celebrating Christmas with the fam and eating a ton of goodies...

Just Call Us The Griswalds

My Husband, Clark Griswald

And we are not even finished. This picture (iPhone) really doesn't do justice. Justin LOVES Christmas. He decided last year that he was going to go a "bit crazy" with the outdoor decorating since it was our first Christmas in our new home. Each year he wants to add something to the lights. The cross is our "something new" for 2009. Justin made the cross himself and hung it himself. He cracked me up by saying "Christmas is about Christ, not Santa, and we need to display this".

And I do know that it is taboo to decorate before Thanksgiving, but with Justin's schedule & going out of town for Turkey Day, and if we wanted the decorations up before the middle of December, we had to do it now.

More pics to come! Happy Holidays!!!

To Keurig or not to Keurig

I LOVE COFFEE. It's true. I am thinking of buying a Keurig, but am unsure of the high pricetag. I am not sure of its quality. I am also not sure of the other single-cup coffee makers such as Taissamo. Does anyone have suggestions??? My coffee maker at home sucks. And I no longer have my illustrious coffee club at work [as seen on: http://leslieguinn.blogspot.com/2009/08/water-water-everywhere-and-not-drop-to.html]

I can't function in the morning without coffee!!! Help people!