Life lately...

It has been quite crazy around here!  So much so that we are both reminding one another what day it is (when we actually get to see each other).

Thanksgiving came quickly and entailed a quick trip to Atlanta for me (B was on nights).  So I brought back some fixin's and we had our Thanksgiving when he finished nights!  Let's just say it was more eventful that I had planned.  Though it was a lot of fun and very productive (my sister and I decided to knock out a lot of Christmas gifts with Black Friday shopping), it was punctuated by a sick dog.

So Ada got her early "Christmas present" in the form of bladder surgery.  We found out she had 6 large stones and hundreds of sugar-sized crystals in her bladder.  This of course explained the sudden accidents everywhere and blood in her urine.  She also had a little 2-for-one deal as they fixed a hernia while she was under.  She came home a day later with 10+ staples and a narcotic pain reliever (!) that made her loopy.  It was a bit of a challenge to keep her still and not jumping once she started feeling better!  And needless to say, she really doesn't like going to the vet any more...at all.

In the midst of this, B continues the job hunt and we are continually in prayer that God will open doors for us.  Meanwhile, B is very busy with his current rotation and I am trying really hard not to get sick from work (seeing as we are constantly seeing just about every illness under the sun right now).  One thing that has been a huge encouragement right now is Christmas preparation.  Not just the shopping for gifts and family time, but the heart preparation.  The observation of the season of advent.  The celebration of our Saviors birth.  His humble beginning...

Fall Break

So, Brian and I managed to schedule a whole week off together!  Took a little work, but it was a much needed break from work and some time together.  We hooked the boat to the back of the truck, packed up and left town.  We had originally planned to spend the second half of the week in the mountains and the first part most likely here in Birmingham.  But God had other plans and we ended up spending the first part of the week traveling around a little (more to come on that later when I know more- yes, I'm being intentionally vague).

We managed to squeeze the Clemson game in on Saturday and watched a lot of other games (some not so good outcomes).  We tried to relax and have fun primarily...no schedules, no expectations...it was really nice.

Then by midweek we were in the mountains enjoying this beautiful fall season!  The boat was in the water and we cruised a little to look at the lake.  Since it was pretty chilly at night, we built a fire every night (with real wood...I was one happy girl).  It was a perfectly relaxing vacation and gave us a lot of opportunity to talk about the near future and not so near future.  We were also able to share some time with friends that came up for the end of the week.  It was great to be able to catch up with them and laugh often.

I realize more and more how God's timing is perfect and this week in the mountains was just another small way He reaffirmed this to me.  There is nothing like simply sitting on a porch listening to His creation around you and absorb His greatness.  Nature has always done this to me...I always see things outdoors and wonder how so many people remain ignorant to our Creator.  So many fine details come together in such an intricate way....I love the sense of awe and wonder He always creates in me when I think of even the most simple things He has given us to enjoy.

Some of you know of my fascination with lighthouses.  Well, I feel the same way about waterfalls and we managed to find a couple while we were lake cruising and hiking.  Their constancy always reminds me of His nature.  I love visual reminders...

Needless to say, we will be doing this again...maybe an annual fall trip?:)
(Side note: Please keep us in your prayers as Brian has started interviews for jobs.  More to come when we know more.):)

Since August...

My goodness!  Is it really October??!!  Time is going by faster the older I get...I realized that it's time to start seriously thinking about Christmas and that scares me!!  It feels like we just had Christmas!  Anyways, as I get over my anxiety, we've been fairly busy the last several weeks and I'm just now making the time to sit and upload some pics!

We made plans a while back to attend the Chick-Fil-A kickoff game, as our teams were playing each other.  We got there and set up the tailgate and watched some football before going into the Dome for out game.  Needless to say, the game did not turn out the way I had hoped, but it was a fun weekend and somewhat relaxing.  We were able to have a good visit with my parents as well, and they came with us to the game to cheer my tigers along.  They both got a little tv time as they were sitting pretty close to a camera.  Brian and I opted for the seats higher up.  The only down side for Brian was the fact that our tickets were in the Auburn section...;)

Our next set of traveling took us to Greenville.  We squeezed a Clemson game (for Brian) and visited with the family.  It was a bit of a quick weekend as we decided last minute to drive back home with a detour through Knoxville on Sunday.  We were able to spend some precious time with Brian's uncle and had fun relaxing and playing around on their boat for the afternoon.  We hope to make the trip again soon!!

Our last weekend in September, we had a bit of a house-full!  We had a weekend of playing and took the kiddos to i-jump for some energy burning.  Then the ladies had some time to shop while the guys (minus Ethan) watched some ever important football.  We grilled out and introduced venison as well as, the now famous, Wii.  Some Wii playing started to get pretty competitive!!

It amazes me how quickly this all passed by...I think it goes by faster because I work every other weekend?  At the moment, I'm hoping to find some time to see some friends and catch-up with them as I feel like I've been to "busy."

There's a boy in the house, part 2

So as we start 4th month of marriage, there are some odd "reflections" that come to mind...you know, those things that you are starting to notice and get used to (or not get used to) about the other person (only thing is, my perspective is the only one shared here...guest post eventually?).  So here goes...
1.  I can tell the few minutes just before he is about to be completely out (I proved it to him one night and just about drove him crazy, but it was a little humorous the responses I would get)
2.  I am definitely not a doctor trained to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow (I wish!!!)
3.  Cooking experiments are generally a good thing for me and somewhat successful (until you hit that one cake that just isn't quite right)
4.  Exhaustion/tiredness is one of our common enemies
5.  There's a different level of intensity when eating (ie- meals are inhaled by him and I remind him he can actually enjoy this meal as he is at home)
6.  We both work a lot, so the boy that's supposed to be in the house isn't really here a whole lot (sad, I know...this has been one of my biggest struggles)
7.  There's a whole new set of hobbies around the house (not a bad thing in and of itself...we're gonna need a "hobby" room one day)
8.  I still stink at Mario and he can still run circles around me playing that game...but I think I get the better end of that deal because he can beat all the worlds and then I can play for fun...kinda...;)
9.  We luckily have similar taste in shows and movies so not much of a battle over the remote...yet...football season is on the horizon;)
10.  He's a softy for Ada's puppy-dog face (and boy does she know how to use it!)

The last few months have flown by...sometimes I think that's a good thing (as we are moving towards a new normal) and other times I hate it because it just means I've missed something along the way.  I continue to learn about this man that I married and about myself.  It continues to amaze me just how little you actually know yourself until you enter into a serious relationship that leads to marriage.  I'll admit, sometimes I feel like we've been given an unfair "hurdle" because of our schedules and work commitments.  I knew it would be this way because of our dating period and seeing how our schedules "meshed" then...but I guess if it wasn't this, there would be something else that would challenge us to continue to work on our relationship and our marriage.  I guess, really, I'm thankful for the "work" we have had to do because we are at least used to it...is it always fun?  No, not really...but is it necessary?  Is it rewarding?  Absolutely!!

Random thoughts...

**So it's not that early but I am still dragging this morning...why? Imagine this...sound asleep, I mean really asleep, and all of a sudden you're awake. What was that noise (question from Brian...me still sleeping)? So I wake up and listen...Beep...I groan, he questions again and I reply...it's the smoke detector. Yes, at 1:30 in the morning the smoke detector decided the battery was just a little too low for it's liking and proceeded to beep incessantly. So out came the ladder and 2 new batteries later, I climbed back in bed grumbling, but ever so thankful I started a random battery box. Otherwise, we'd never have been able to go back to sleep! **I changed my name at work a couple of weeks ago and have had to fight off a little panic. The computers display the name of the person logged in and our initials display on bottles to show who was on duty. All of that has changed. I have had a few moments where I see Ashley Thompson on the computer and start to think I'm logged in here aren't I? And the first time I saw ATh on a bottle I just about sent it back to reprint the label. Talk about getting confused...:P **Due to schedules, I've missed a fair amount of the Olympics. I've recorded a good bit and plan on catching up some tonight. But it dawned on me that the first Olympics I truly remembered was 20 years ago. Then, I started to feel very old!!

1 and 4

This past weekend we packed up the boat, the dogs, and some birthday presents!  We headed to Decatur to celebrate my niece and youngest nephew's birthdays.  We had a chance to have some "adult" time Friday evening when we got there and then it was party day!

We have been wanting to take the kiddos (and Alli and J) out on the boat for a while now and seized an opportunity to do so this weekend.  We went to Lake Wheeler and played around for a little bit.  Conner was fearless as always and wanted to do everything (including climbing out of the boat before anyone could "help" him).  Lee was not so sure as she is afraid of water.  She spent a good bit of time in peoples laps and it took quite a bit of coaxing to get her in the water (it was boiling hot).  But once she relaxed she seemed to enjoy herself.  Both got a chance to "drive" with Uncle Brian and the adult men knee-boarded a little bit!  We then headed back to set up for the party, including a bounce house:)

Took his driving very seriously

She didn't really want to drive, just to sit:)

Brian's attempt

Jason's attempt

Feel the wind blowing his hair:)

The party was a great success as was the bounce house.  Conner blew out Lee's candles for her (so we had a repeat blow) and Ethan discovered that cake is a REALLY good thing to eat.  Lots of family was on hand to celebrate and some of their new friends were able to come as well. 

Lake Dogs

The last few weeks have flown by!!  We have been working a lot between the two of us and we have found ourselves in August (almost)!!  We started earlier in the summer by taking the dogs out on the boat.  This was Ada's second time and Elli's first.  

They both have "life" jackets (thanks to my fear that they would just sink) and we took LOTS of towels!  Needless to say, neither was terribly excited about being in the water, but Elli handled it much better than Ada.  Elli's instincts at least kicked in and she started trying to swim for land:)  Ada, on the other hand, tries to climb on your head and has no coordination to her swimming stroke;)  

They both really enjoy cruising on the boat and letting their ears flap in the wind though!  All in all a successful lake trip that gives us a little hope that we may have some lake dogs at some point!:)

One last dip before we left

Convelescant Day

That is exactly what has happened to my last 2 days off from work.  What I originally thought was just some allergies, turned into something much more painful while I was at work Tuesday (sore throat, headache, earache, but strangely no sinus issues).  So, I have doctored myself over the last 2 days with marginal benefits.  Brian and I have decided I have a virus as I'm showing no signs of an infections, but man does my throat hurt and boy do I NOT want to do anything (Brian has been quarantined to ensure he does not get this stuff- sad, I know).  So, instead, yesterday I took a 3 hour nap, felt guilty for being lazy and not getting anything done, made friends with tylenol and advil, and tried the chicken noodle soup thing.  When Brian got home, we continued the laziness (which was totally fine) and finished a show we have been watching (will tell you about it in a second).  When I say we finished the show, I mean we had 4 one hour episodes left and we watched them all...we couldn't pass up moving to the next episode as we were constantly left hanging!;)  So today, I realized just how little I actually did yesterday, so today has been a 50/50 day- doing stuff that doesn't require much exertion from me- ie laundry.  Hoping this laying low will put me back on my A-game tomorrow! ( I still won't deny that I cringe every time I have to swallow.)  The weather has helped as well, so rainy and stormy (my grass is extremely happy)!!

So onto the show we have been watching.  Brian has introduced me to something dangerous since we started dating...it's called netflix (streaming to be exact).  We are also able to stream from amazon prime...so if we could stream sports live on either one we could get rid of cable (too bad this isn't possible)  He and I like to watch movies.  So much so that when we watch regular tv we generally record it so we can fast forward through the commercials (therefore, i don't know what anyone is advertising anymore)!  So, we got pretty engrossed on a Starz miniseries and discovered we finished all the available episodes.  So, we went in search of another miniseries to fill our time.  We had heard some things about Downton Abbey and decided to give it a shot. 

Oh my...what a great show!!  The story line develops very well and totally sucks you in before you even realize it.  You find yourself justifying why you can stay up another hour so you can see what happens.  *sigh*  It really is a great show.  The only bad thing is, we now have to wait until January for the 3rd season to come out.  So, we are back to our original dilemma...we need another miniseries to watch...sad, I know, but we enjoy it.  

Otherwise, it has been a pretty good week.  We had some family in town this past weekend and enjoyed hanging out, grilling out, and shopping.  It was fun to play hostess and it forced me to get the house back in order.  I also tried out a new recipe from my grandmother- peach enchiladas- oh my, so good!  Brian is still talking about them!:)  I'll make them again soon and post the recipe with a pic (they didn't last all that long).  Elli and Ada also got to meet Savanna (a choc lab).  It seemed iffy at first if Ada would be nice, but she learned to tolerate the big brown dog.  Elli on the other hand seemed to like her alot (usually it is opposite).  Thankfully, Savanna is a pretty laid back pooch and didn't seem to mind too much that Ada was copping an attitude (though I minded and was correcting her every chance I got).  I think next on their list is to meet some cats!:)

Cruise: A Review

When B was looking at all the different options for our honeymoon, one kept coming up over and over- a cruise.  I was a little iffy at first as I had never been on one and was a little nervous about the potential for sea sickness; but in the end, I could not deny that it sounded like a great trip and a great first vacation for us to share.  So he booked it, we scheduled the on board entertainment, picked our dining hour, looked at a plethora of other options, started perusing the excursions in each port and booked our flights.

 
We flew out bright and early Sunday morning (I do mean early- 5:30 to be exact) and made it into Ft. Lauderdale after a quick flight change in ATL.  There's is nothing like stepping into Ft. Lauderdale where it is sunny and a nice 70-ish or so temperature.  We were allowed to board the ship and meander while they finished getting the rooms ready, so we found some lounge chairs, sat, and took in the largeness of this ship.  There were so many different places to go and things to see on this boat; I sometimes feel like we still missed something even though we were on it for a week. 

 










Our first stop was Nassau, Bahamas.  We decided to make our own tour schedule and walked to Fort Charlotte.  On our way back towards the boat, we took the scenic route and stopped by several local churches.  We also made a stop at a local restaurant for lunch before we wandered through some of the stores.  B got a conk sandwich (which I tried a bite of) and found it to be...interesting.:)

Our second stop was St. Marteen, where we decided to hop on a tour bus and see the island and go to Maagen's Beach.  Cannot describe how blue the water was and how serene it was, despite how many people were there!

Our last stop was St. Thomas.  We spent most of our day there snorkeling (no pictures...sorry).  We lots of sea urchins and sea cucumbers and a few small schools of fish.  We also did a fair bit of shopping in the downtown area.
 

The other days on the ship were cruise days- ie, sleep in and be lazy days.  It seems like we walked the entire ship multiple times a day and continued to find new things.  We got a round of putt-putt in one day, frequented the pool, found our way to the hot tub (as the pool was too cold for me the first 2 days), went to the jazz club, karaoke (only to listen), some trivia, and the piano bar (B indulged me and ended up having a good time too).





 



The food was fantastic!  I know we didn't even try half of what they made every night between the two of us (and we always ordered different items).  It was quite dangerous actually.  There were several places you could just stop into for a snack whenever you wanted during the day and there was a pizza parlor open late into the night.









 

So all in all, we had a great time!  We also really want to go back!!!  It was the perfect way to spend a worry free first week of marriage!!