Festival of Trees!

I love the Festival of Trees. I think that it is a great cause - Blank Children's Hospital.   I also think it is so much fun walking around and getting to see how people decorate the trees. We normally go to waterloo over the thanksgiving weekend so I have not been able to attend however we are in town this weekend so I knew this was something we would be doing. We had so much fun, it was also nice that Nick, Erin and Mom were able to join us as well.

Erin and I with Santa

Whoville!

Me with the Nationwide Tree

This was Kevin and I's favorite tree of the day!

Candy Land Tree! 

Cupcake Tree

Kevin and I

The four of us at the Festival.

Mom with her girls!

Christmas.

On Thursday night we celebrated Christmas with mom. We did this due to the fact that my sister lives in St. Louis now and we are not sure what the weather will be in December nor with Christmas being in the middle of the week us having much time off. We chose to have it our house. We made lots of different things I found off Pintrest and it was a big hit with the family. It was so much fun to hang out with family and spend time with them. 

I am also very proud to say that I had requested that each person bring either 5.00 or 5 canned items so I can take it to the food pantry and that everyone brought their share. It really makes you thankful for what all you have and it also makes you feel good helping others. I would encourage you all to start this in your family.

Family. - Kevin, Me, Erin and Nick - Christmas 2013

Mom and her girls!

Look at all the gifts! Christmas 2013

Sisters.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving we went over to my mother home and she made us lunch. We had turkey, stuffing, pie, homemade mac and cheese, the works. We all left full. It was great to have my mom's whole family over to eat and enjoy company.

Kevin, Me, Erin and Nick - Thanksgiving 2013

Right before the Wishbone

Noel

Since we are getting close to Christmas all the stores have put out their holiday decorations. I have been seeing this Noel sign at a few shops that I like however the price has away been crazy. Now I love Christmas however I'm not one to spend an arm and a leg for a decoration. After taking a look at a few I thought I would try and make one I also got Pinterest to see what they had to offer. I love the finished product!

This is the look I am going for - This is currently for sale right now at Pottery Barn for 148.00

What you will need -

Can of spray paint (I used sliver, however you can pick what ever color you would like)

Hot Glue Gun

Letters that say NOEL (I chose 9 1/2 inch ones you can pick what size you would like)

Support Rods

(I found all of this a Hobby Lobby or Michel's)

How to:

1.) To start I glued the "L" and "E" together I also added the support rod in place to add the extra support to keep it in place.

2.) I then added the "N" and "O" with the extra support.

3.) I let the glue dry and then it was ready to be painted.

4.) After applying the paint and letting it dry I set it up in the living room and it fits perfect. Great addition for the holidays and the best part is that it was less $8.00 as opposed to paying high dollar.

Couch

A few weeks ago Kevin and I purchased our first big item together, a couch. It is coming from Homemakers. We decided that we didn't want it that weekend so it came today! I was very excited because on Thursday we took the old one down to the garage so we haven't had anything to sit on in the living room. Around 12:30 the truck came today and unloaded it!

The first part coming off the truck and into the house!

Waiting for the other piece to come in.

All set up and in the living room!

We love it and could not be happier with what we picked!

Surgery

Yesterday was my surgery day! About two years ago I had surgery on all of my toes to hopefully for good not have any more in grown toenails. My sister as well has had this done because she use to get in grown toenails. Well on my right big toe it came back so back to the doctor I went and back to surgery room I ended. This time it was a little more than last time. My doctor cut the side down to bone and the closed it shut with stitches. I can not get it wet till the end of the month and I have a special thing I have to wear on my foot till then. Let's hope this works and I will not have to go back in!

Waiting in the back for the anesthesiologist to come and see me. I have a heat blanket on me as I am freezing.

All done and wrapped up. None of this can come off this the end of the month.

I also got to take home this glass because I was a good person in surgery!

Homecoming - ISU Style!

Today Kevin and I headed up to Ames for homecoming!!! Since Kevin is an ISU Alum we thought it would be fun to go to the homecoming game even though they are not doing the best this year. We always try to make it to one so this is the one we picked! We had great weather as well as great tickets we got off Craigslist. The game also turned out to be a great one, even though the couldn't pull out the win we still had a great time together. We also got to see Heather and enjoy some lunch with her after. We will hope for a better out come next year when we go and cheer them on.

Kevin and I ready to watch some football!

ISU Offense trying to get some points.

Half Time! Let's regroup and hit the second half hard team!

Coming back onto the field after half time.

View from our seats!

<3 ISU

Probation to Honors

As many of you know this past spring I finally did it and graduated from DMACC with my Associates in Business. It was an up hill battel but it's done. I had to take two classes in the summer however I walked in the spring within days of my sister so that was bitter sweet.  When I first went back to school in the summer of 2012 I was on probation due to the fact of my performance when I was in school last time was "I don't care" mood. Well I am so excited to tell you with so much joy that when I finished school that the summer 2013 I has made the Dean's List!!! I went from probation to honors!!!!! No one really knows how much this means to me but me. I believe this gave me the finale push I need and I am so excited to say I will be going back to school again next fall to finish. My dream is to go to ISU I will have to see if that will work. I know it will not be easy. I'm sure there will be crying (as there was this past year) however the rewared in the end is amazing. I know I can do it and I have an amazing family that will support me and help me no matter what! I'm also half way up the mountain I just have to make it back down! 

Halloween

We didn't do a lot for Halloween. I was a little bummed out that I got candy and I didn't have a single person come to our home. I will try again next year I guess. Kevin however did get to carve his pumpkin. He did his own superhero I believe. The Hotel also had each department make a pumpkin so I thought I would share some of them with you all. 

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

A few Saturdays ago Kevin and I descied that we were going to partake in race for the cure. It's a great cause and something that 1 in 4 women are effected by. We are both hoping that one day it will never hit close to home to our grandmothers, moms or even me it's still something we feel we want to support. It was great seeing all the pink walking! We also saw Sen. Grassley out for the run it's a good feeling to know that even our leaders take time out to come back home and do the race.

All done up in pink and ready for the walk!