Year End Review

This year has been one of those memorable years that will go down in my history books as a life-changing, amazing, wonderful year. I suppose technically the start of this "year" started in September of 2006 when we got engaged, but after that was engagement celebrations (2), engagement parties (2), a bridal shower, bachelorette/bachelor party, a rehearsal, the best wedding day ever, a honeymoon, and LOTS of firsts after that including holidays together. I look back on all of it and think about how lucky I am to have had my life change this way, and to know that in some respects, it is really only just beginning....

I think the thing that is most amazing to me is the support we have had through it all. Your wedding is about a committment you are making for the rest of your life to the person you love more than anything, and when you have all of your friends and family behind you and sharing it with you, it makes things that much more amazing and special. I know everyone says this, but one thing that I still look back on about our wedding is the fact that we had everyone (minus a few who couldn't make it) we love in one room with us, sharing our day....it's a pretty special feeling.

So with all of this being said, even though there have been some "down" moments as expected in life, this has been one incredible year. From here on out, we will look back on 2007 with a smile and remember the day that our life changed together....and look forward to what's still yet to come in all the years ahead.

A Fun Thingy

It's harder than it looks! Copy and paste into a new email/blog. Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things—nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. Don’t use your own name for the boy/girl name question.

What is your name? Kelli

(just a) 4-Letter Word: Kite

Vehicle: Kia

City: Kansas City

Boy Name: Kyle

Girl Name: Kaitlyn

Alcoholic Drink: Kahlua

Occupation: Kinesiologist

Something you wear: Kimono

Celebrity: Kevin Spacey

Food: Kiwi

Something found in a bathroom: Kleenex

Reason for Being Late: Kissing

Cartoon Character: Kim Possible

Something You Shout: Kiss me!

Animal: Kangaroo

Body part: Knee

Word to describe you: Kind

Christmas Blues

This year was my first Christmas with my husband. We were newlyweds with new traditions. For the first time, we woke up in our house and exchanged presents with each other. It was a quiet Christmas morning, but a very special one for me. Change is hard for anyone, but as I told my husband, it's nice to start something new that you know will carry on for many more years to come.

We had several days in a row of family and friend time and enjoyed ourselves very much. Now as I walk through my house trying to organize the new gifts and start to get the Christmas ornaments together to start to pack up, I have a weird feeling. Christmas is such a whirlwind of good days, and leaves such a mess behind. This mess leaves me wanting to clean it up, including the tree and all of the decorations. I feel that now that it's over, it's just over.

I guess that's the way it is with every good day we spend, we wish we could do it all over again.

Christmas Edition of Getting to Know Your Friends

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends (Thanks Smelmooo!)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I do a combination of both, depending on what the gift is...

2. Real or fake tree? I would never have anything but a real tree.

3. When do you put up the tree? Sometime early on in December when we have a night to go

4. When do you take the tree down? Definitely first week in January

5. Do you like eggnog? I never have, then my husband bought it last week so I tried it again...still hate it

6. Favorite gift received as a child? This is a hard one because I don't have one toy that stands out but I can say that I have always been happy on Christmas morning no matter what I got

7. Do you have a nativity scene? We have a miniature one that my Aunt started us with last year..still need some more pieces to it, but we at least have the basics

8. Hardest person to buy for? My parents in-law

9. Easiest person to buy for? My sister

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Once again, I fortunately don't have a present that stands out as the worst ever

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Definintely mail...I love making the picture cards

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? In first place "The Santa Claus" and a close runner up is "White Christmas"

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Until this year, I used to start the week leading up to Chrismtas....This year I started early December

14.Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Never....and never will

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? EVERYTHING

17. Favorite Christmas song? Anything sung by Josh Groban

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? all of the above

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Until I saw the Smelmooo's answers I probably would have just said yes, but I agree with him that I know them only when I sing them

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? A wonderful angel that my aunt made for my mom years ago....was the topper for my family tree until it was passed on to me

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning!!!!!!!!!!!!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? trying to get everywhere due to traffic

23. What I love most about Christmas? Being so happy with my family

Reemerging

I am hoping that now that I have resurrected this blog, the Smelmooo will take me off of his "I think they died" list. I've been getting closer and closer to posting again, but my disdain for parents these days has really made me need to vent about a few things.

In order to get to my office, I have to walk through the freshman gym. Since I sign in at the same time every day, I usually walk through when there is a particular class in there. There is a 14 year old boy in there who is obese. Every day I walk through, I want to cry because I feel so horribly for him. People blame obese individuals, however, there are always reason for how people become the way they do. My point here is not to get into a discussion regarding obese adults. When it comes to a child though, I blame the parents. There is absolutely NO REASON why a 14 year old boy should weigh as much as he does. It is the parents' responsibility to instill in their children healthy living, good food choices, and activity. In an age where indoor activities have become much more prevalent than the days where you weren't allowed inside until it got dark, kids are becoming heavier and heavier.

I find it sad, infuriating, and irresponsible.