2010!!

The year...THE year, as it comes to a close.  What a great year.  Don't we all say it at some point?  And then repeat it again another year?  The curveballs life throws at us each year, and one moment can define an entire year.

But for me...2010...a great year.  THE year.

In January, I took my first trip to Ohio and met the people who have loved Matt from afar for the past couple of years.  And I planned an "announced elopement" in 3 weeks.  It wasn't too difficult...that is the point of eloping, yes??  My brother-in-law married us, my sister, baby Reid, and Rebecca and Brady were our witnesses.  Our parents loved us from their homes and our photographer's daughter video-taped the ceremony for our loved ones.

Ohhhh...it was so cold!!!!

March marked the celebration of Matt's and my wedding.  With our close friends and family, put on by my wonderful parents, we talked, ate, smiled, and toasted the night away.

Late Spring brought on another whirlwind summer and with the summer came the challenge of the 101 in 1001 project.  The originating point of this blog.  

May brought forth house-hopping.  We sold my house in April, closed April 25 and moved in with my parents.  Matt, me, the dog, and the cat.  It was....cramped.  After about a week, we moved in with Christina and Richard, the lovely couple who set us up.  4 dogs, 1 cat, 4 adults...but there was more room there.  After just shy of 2 weeks, we closed on our new-to-us house in Tomball.  

How...how...how, how how do I not have a picture of the front of my house???  Really?? I feel like I have a picture somewhere, I just cannot seem to find it.  More searching.....Yes!!! Success!! 

September marked the end of a fast moving summer season with an old-school river trip with the Upper Management of A-Beautiful Pools and a fabulous trip back to the Florida Coast, to Watersound, FL.  Matt and I met up with Rebecca and Brady at a gorgeous beach house just south of Destin.  We scored on cheap flights through Southwest's deals, and had a R-E-L-A-X-I-N-G time.  Gorgeous sunsets, wonderfully cooked meals (that I just smelled while the others ate, fish mostly, lol), lounged at the beach, and browsed the Destin outlets.

Floating the Comal River

Dinner at the Gristmill

Right outside the beach house, maybe 200 steps.

Brady, Rebecca, Matt, Myself and the gorgeous sunset of Watersound Beach.

October...oh another joyous trip back to the Florida Coast!!  How lucky are we??  2010 was definitely the year of the trips.  We took the trip straight back to the place we married in January.  We stayed in the same condo complex a block from the coast, hit the cold waters, ate at the great places we didn't have time to eat when we were there for the wedding, and did a little sight-seeing.
Here I am wondering why I don't have a blog post about this trip, but I didn't want to post the pictures that would later show up on our Christmas card of 2010.  So here they are!!

Mexico Beach, FL

We were married here, where the tide is covering the sand

November...oh November.  We found out we are pregnant on November 8.  It was a tear-filled night after most of the year of trying.  Oh, 2010, the year of the positive pregnancy test.  It will forever be, THE year.
I think that's saying enough...


And December.  Christmas...the end of the year.  Almost 2011.  Christmas was good to me.  It was a good time with family.  And it will be the last Christmas spent as a family of two.

To say that I am excited for 2011 is a gross understatement.  Seven months into the year there will be a little one.  We will definitely be celebrating Christmas in July.  What a special gift 2011 will bring us.

So, as I said, 2010, it was a great year.  THE year.  Will 2011 top it?  I sure hope so.
Happy New Year to you and yours.  I hope only good things for you in the year to come.

The Best Laid Plans

The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.

For years it's been in my mind that I would have a baby in October.  It would be perfect.  I'd get pregnant in January.  I would have months upon months with my sweet baby by my side in the down season.  I wouldn't have to worry right off the bat about childcare.  January...alright, perfect.  Matt's and my wedding was in January.  While we were engaged, we talked about how stressful it would be to get pregnant right away.  My sister did it...she had a surprise, and she survived.  I was told about the difficult moments, the added stress of sleepless nights (and days) to an already stressful situation of learning the process of a new normal, someone around all the time, someone seeing you at your absolute worst, seeing the highs and lows of your life that were able to be sheltered before.  So, Matt and I discussed it and we decided we would just see what happened.  January came and went.  February came and went.  March came and went....and so on.  I won't get into the nitty-gritty here on this blog but emotions ran high, questions were asked, doctors were visited, and the months, well they just kept passing us by.

But, come October, my body obviously decided to cooperate.  And we are overjoyed.  We are cautious, but way more than happy.

We told our parents on Thanksgiving.  It went *close* to plan but not exactly as it was planned out to be.  At one point in the evening, we started taking pictures.  We took pictures of the Fraser family and then of Matt and I with his parents and soon added in my parents.  My sister was behind the camera saying "Ok, say cheese!"  And everyone followed direections, "Cheeeeeeeeese!!!"  Then she said "Ok, ready?  AUBREY'S PREGNANT!!!!!" when she should have said "Ok, on 3, everyone say Aubrey's pregnant.  1...2..3..." and catch the surprises on camera.  Well...she was too excited.  And that's ok.  Because Michele, Matt's mom, still responded with wide-eyed shock.  

And my mom who stood and repeated "No she's not, she would have told me."  Hence the look on my face...it's too bad there wasn't video because she was so shocked she just kept saying it over and over.  

So that's that.  We are due on July 24...my estimated date of confinement according to my doctor.  On November 29 we saw the sweetest little heartbeat at 6 weeks, 1 day.  Matt almost teared up.  Love that man.  

And because there was a minor struggle for us, I leave you with an article about infertility in general.  It covers etiquette for those there to support a couple dealing with infertility.  There are always things untold...

What a Merry Christmas this will be...and again when we celebrate Christmas in July.  

100 Things That Make Me Happy

Ok really, no, I didn't just hear about Flash Mobs, but with a little extra time on my hands, I'm scrolling through YouTube after seeing one that had me near tears.  The Holiday Spirit One....The Hallelujah Chorus Flash Mob in the Mall presented by AlphabetPhotography.  Not only does Alphabet Photography make me happy, but the ones that you have to look at for more than just a second and when it hits you you really see the creativity behind the shot....those ones are beyond cool.  Ya know?

But Flash Mobs...even when they bring me close to tears because of the season we are in and more-so the Reason for the Season, it's just a good good warming up your soul kind of feeling.  At least it is for me.  And the Hallelujah Chorus Flash Mob being on my 100 Things That Make Me Happy List (located on the sidebar) deserved it's own post.  If you haven't seen it yet, click on it, watch it...I'd like to be the brain child behind some of these Flash Mobs.

By the way, who watches Modern Family?  I love that Mitchell was in a Flash Mob and Cam had NO idea.

Unsuccessful

Yesterday I went with my sister to buy a new car.  Wow...what an experience.  It was quite different from any of the times I have gone with my mom to buy a car.  Very, very different.

With my mom...lots of haggling, threatening to walk away, actually getting our stuff to walk away...it's so stressful.
With my sister....she finds the places that don't haggle, they price their vehicles where they should be, she does her research before to actually be sure the price is competitive...still stressful, I'll never buy a car by myself, but very different.

Anyways...while in the car, chatting away as sister's do, she asks me about my blog.  And she says I need to get moving on it and get things done.  To which I reply "I have 2 and a half years left!!!"  But then she asked if there is anything I think I won't be able to do.  I don't necessarily have the mindset that I am not going to be able to get something done, more so, I think it will be difficult to get it done for one reason or another.  Those things are:

8. No fried food for 30 days

21. Get a pedicure with Jessica

23. Babysit all three of my nephews from Friday-Sunday

53. Stay in bed all day

80. Organize the garage complete with cabinets

92. Frame my flower portraits

No fried food for a week is going to be super tough...much less for of them consecutively!!  Anytime we go out to each I get 1 of 3 things...Chicken Caesar Salad, Alfredo Pasta, or Chicken Tenders.  If I go somewhere that doesn't have pasta or a Caesar Salad (yes, they do exist...Cheddars) then I'm in trouble.  And having to try a new restaurant once a month...this might present a problem. 

It is going to be difficult to get a pedicure with Jessica because she has a "real job" and she is always busy on the weekends.  When our schedules flip flop, I don't have enough time to sit down for an hour without some lifeguard needing something.

Babysitting all three of my nephews from Friday-Sunday...I probably should have made this just "overnight".  I wonder...is it too late to change it? 

If I were to stay in bed all day, I'd be sick.  And even then, the massive tv is in the living room.  It's not fun to watch tv on the tv in the bedroom because it seems like it is so far away.  Hey...maybe I'll get sick sometime in the next 2 and 1/2 years.  I hope not! 

I can organize with the best of them!!  But cabinets....that's another story.  And sadly, my hubs isn't gifted in the renovation/installation department, thus I need my Father-in-Law's expertise here.  You should see his garage!! I want mine to look like that.  A wall of cabinets!! It sounds dreamy!!!  

My flower portraits were a gift either 2 or 3 years ago from my sister.  I think 3.  For Christmas.  After moving, I can't find them.  They have to be somewhere.  But the "fragile" stuff got its own space and thus, I don't know where they might be.  Which is unfortunate.  I'd love them to hang in the bedroom with the white frames I got.  Let's hope I can find them within in my time frame. 

So...if anyone wants to help me accomplish these things on my "hard-list", feel free.  It will only take a little persuasion.  :) 

November

This year has flown by.  And it is quickly coming to a close.

Christmas parties are already being planned.
Lifeguard class schedules are already scheduled.
Interviews for the 2011 summer season are about to begin.
Matt and I will celebrate our 1 year anniversary in less than 3 months.

And so, I check my progress.  I have done a considerable amount if I do say so myself.  Considering I started this smack dab in the middle of my busiest season, I think having completed 14% and another 6% continually in progress (without updating) is pretty good for exactly 4 months of this task.

I sit here, with the power out

and I am at peace.  The only noise is the rain drip, drip, dripping outside.  Complete stillness.  Light flickering from the candles and the animals curled up in their beds next to me (also wondering when the power will return).

It's a moment, I feel, brought to me...by God.

My husband and I are in love.
My family loves me and only want good things for my life.
My friends are there when I need them and to sift through the daily troubles we call life.
My support systems around me only help me strive for the very best.

What more can I ask for? Really....
I have been lucky enough to take so many trips this year.  And to remain safe.
Ohio in mid-January where I met Matt's father, his wife, and the family he so dearly misses every day.
The Forgotten Coast of Florida at the end of January for our wedding, the perfect wedding for us.
Spicewood, Texas in March for zip-lining, leadership training, and life lessons...where the door was opened for so many good things to come in work and in life.
New Braunfels, Texas in September for good company and good fun...old school style.
Back to Florida to close out September, immediately following the old school fun to visit, laugh, lounge, and chat with my all-time bestie and her husband in a glorious beach house.
The Forgotten Coast, the exact spot where we were married, in October with Matt's parents and sister, for the first ever Ferguson/Heimbaugh family trip, and the first trip back to where we became one.
(header photos compliments of KimStonePhotography)


If you can't tell already...I'm nostalgic.  Looking back on the year, the places we've been, the ways we've grown...and yet, there is still so much to see and do.  I consider it a blessing to have started this post with power and to end it without power.  I'll probably have to send this post through the internet waves come morning time, when I'll sit and read it all over again.  But now...in the dark with the candles flickering, I cannot wait to accomplish #36: Live by candlelight for 24 hours.

This Thanksgiving season I am going to take the time to appreciate what really matters.  Not the material gifts I want for Christmas, not the new clothes I buy, not how many decorations I have in my house...but the love of my husband, the time with my family, and the future of what is yet to come.

Bless you and yours this holiday season.  Make it a good one.


When I have power, I'll need to update 26, 68, and all the ones I do each month.

#7

I lost 10 pounds!!

That is all.  :-)
Thank you wisdom teeth removal.

Pain...And Wisdom

I can't even remember when my last dentist appointment was...the day my mom paid for my wisdom teeth removal.  My first "surgery".  I have been told as long as I can remember, by the same dentist, that my wisdom teeth would have to come out.  We always blew him off because they hadn't ever busted the skin.  No big deal.  I was born without a permanent lower tooth, so I have a little extra room on the bottom anyways.  Sadly, towards the end of college, they all started breaking through.  The top teeth were no big deal.  They were just like other teeth...I honestly didn't even realize they were in all the way.  I dimly remember soreness for about a week, but that's it.  The bottom ones were an entirely different story.  They slowly poked through and got stuck...halfway.  You'd think they would have been able to come in since there was extra room on the bottom.  No such luck.

Well, October 13....eviction date for my wisdom teeth.  They were coming out.  I prepare by stressing, asking a lot of questions of friends, and worrying for days before hand.  I was told at the last dentist appointment, that daunting day, that I'd be consciously sedation.  Yeah...that turned out to be a big lie.  I took triazolam, which if you look it up, is used primarily for insomnia, but also anxiety.  Ain't no conscious sedation on this train!!  I slept great the night before, but I didn't feel any different walking in to the dentist, sitting down in the chair...and I told the dental assistant as much.  "No, I'm not anxious, I'm just freaking out a little."  She prodded me to take the last pill...I'd already followed instructions and taken 2 just an hour before.  One thing was for sure, I was drugged up.  Only I remember everything.  I will spare you the details, in case you still have your wisdom teeth.

The basics....
10 hrs after removal...

My mouth is hurting, but it's mostly a dull ache. 
The top two were a piece of cake because (I wasn't aware) they were completely in. 
The bottom two sucked. And still suck. And will suck in the morning I'm sure.  Hyrdocodone makes me puke.

 36 hours after removal....

OMG my mouth hurts SOOOOO bad. So bad.  

I'm pretty sure I lost a blod clot on one of my bottom sockets, which will mean dry socket...and it'll probably happen in full swing this weekend...when everything is closed.

...its all mashed potatoes and salt water. And pain. And my throat feels like I have strep. 

I prefer my broken foot to this crap... 

My mouth tastes like what I imagine sucking on a penny would taste like.  Blood tainted with copper. Can you imagine it?  My throat still feels like I have strep throat.  My jaw is swollen...I'll leave you with a picture.

haha...now I should start my 365 project and just take pictures of my jaw for the first week.  

67.  Have my wisdom teeth pulled.  Done.  Done.  and Done.  

Forever and ever, amen. 

Who wants chicken???

Since the very first step I took in 2006 towards becoming a homeowner, I knew one thing...a constant.

I wanted to own a grill, and I wanted to be able to use it.  Not only did I not own a grill in my previous home, I couldn't use something that was non-existent.  Even though it ended up pretty far down the list, owning a grill and learning how to use it is something I feel proud to know how to do.  It's not that hard...it's the art of knowing when the food is ready and to your liking that is what has to be mastered.  That time will come, with practice.  I have been preparing for this day for a few months...you can see my preparation if you wish.

I honestly couldn't think of anyone better to come over and help with the "learning how to use it" part of #70, than my brother John, who held "steak nights" around Houston at a few local bars for a few months last year.  

Using a grill is like something that should be ingrained in every homeowner's (apartment dweller's, condo owner's, house renter's) handbook.  You should just know how to do it. 

 I'm happy to join the club.  

--

Step 1:  Turn on the propane. 

Step 2:  Turn on the burner.

Step 3:  Press the ignitor button.

Step 4:  Repeat steps 2 and 3 for all burners.

Step 5:  Let the grill heat up for about 5 minutes to kill anything that has settled on the grill. 

Step 6:  Place meat...cook.

Step 7:  Eat food.

Chicken, Steak, and Veggie Kabobs

Note to self:  Pouring Italian Dressing directly on the grill will create large flames.  Beware of wooden beam next to grill when flames start jumping.  Try not to burn down the house.

Invite friends over.  Drink beer.

And finally....

Try and think back to the last time you told yourself "don't forget......<insert whatever it may be>"  Did you forget it?  Probably so, unless you wrote yourself a note or set an reminder in your phone.  Have you guys ever played Skip-bo?  It's a card game.  It almost incorporates Uno and Solitare in one...check it out.  But if you have the grill going when you go to play Skip-bo, and you think "I'll set an alarm for the reminder to get the chicken off 5 minutes after it was flipped," and you don't...

Expect the chicken to be a little more than char-grilled.  

--

I am happy to say that the first use of the grill was a success.  A success in the wonderful evening enjoyed by a few friends.  A success in not burning down the house.  And a success in not burning the food we planned to eat for our main course.  Lessons learned, propane wasted, and chicken burnt, but laughter, new games, new experiences, and a 4-person Rock Band group set the evening wonderfully with the chilly air and yummy food eaten by friends.  It was a good evening...a success.

October

I really like my blog layout and I don't want to change it!!!! 

 {Insert temper tantrum here}

Who needs a list to Have Fun!

To say that a vacation was needed would be a severe understatement.  To have time with Rebecca and Brady, all to myself, now that's just priceless.  In a gorgeous beach house, to boot!!



As Matt and I boarded the plane in Houston on Sunday night, I counted myself lucky that I could take a vacation to visit Becca at what a I hope becomes a new meet up place in North Florida.  Anywhere in North Florida will do for me.  I have a hunch that I'll always have a special place in my heart for the area...Matt and I did get married there.  We wed in Mexico Beach.  We vacationed in Watersound.  Both are magnificently beautiful.  White sand, see-through water with fish gliding through the crashing aquamarine and deep blue waves, and sea-gulls in the bright blue, cloud-kissed sky.  It was perfect.
Secretly, I cannot wait to convince my family and friends to take trips to the Florida Forgotten Coast so that I (selfishly) can do more exploring and find more favorite places.  

click the photos to view them larger

We are so gracious to Becca and Brady, our forever friends, for including us in their vacation, picking us up from the airport late Sunday night after their long drive from Atlanta, and depositing us back at the airport Wednesday afternoon after beach trips, shopping trips, photo sessions amidst the gorgeous sunsets, diction and grammar lessons in the car, lunch trips, and our own version of marriage counseling in the living room...just the four of us.

Again...so perfect.  

And here...#86, my new restaurant of the month...

I'm sad to say I'm not sure when I'll get to visit again.  Whoever wants to go visit the North Florida beaches, let me know.  We can set up $89/$99 flights to and from Houston and Panama City Beach.

With Kim Stone (of Kim Stone Photography, our wedding photographer) at Margaritaville.

Anyone??  Who is gonna be my first taker on planning a trip??

For the future

I wrote a will.  

It made me want to cry. 

But it's done. 

September

I have read lately about women who started the Day Zero Project, but didn't finish it.  I want to finish it.  Partly because of #101, but more so because when I accomplish some things, I feel really good about it.  I completely intend on another list....but it probably won't have as many things on it, or items will be added throughout the years on my next list, hopefully surrounding my kids.  


In order to have smaller goals, I intend on completing the following in the month of September.  


4. Read the Twilight books
7. Lose 10 lbs
15. Learn to clean and load my gun
21. Get a pedicure with Jessica
35. Find and frame college diploma
50. Take a kickboxing class
69. Write a will
97. Eat at Maggiano's 
100. Once a month (September-April), go on a dinner date with my husband and leave my cell phone in the car


Funny thing about this, is that I have started this, without even realizing it is on my list.  That feels good...it'd be great to be able to accomplish things placed in the back of my mind and then be pleasantly surprised to knock them off unexpectedly.  
38. Eat an apple, unsliced, each day for a week

Making Changes

Slowly but surely, this house is becoming a home.

An interesting thread that I saw last week, intrigued me...
How has your lot changed since your google street view pic?
Ours has changed considerably!!

It went from...

To...

The transformation is pretty cool.  The google street view pic was taken, by my estimation, a little over two years ago since that is how old our house is.  The house next door was just having it's foundation poured.

As for the inside, we weren't required to make very many changes after we moved in, but one thing became clear once everything was in and set up.  Too much yellow.  Matt and I like the yellow, contrary to popular preference, there was just too much.

So, I took care of number 86-Paint the Dining Room.
I made the paint choice by myself...first online, and then went a completely different direction in the store.  I've always had the problem of picking the "khaki" that ends up peach, or pink, or anything other than "khaki".  At home, I had every intention of just painting a square to see if I liked the color.  I was nervous after painting that square, so I kept painting.  And kept painting.  And then, I kept painting. I painted through Matt trying to convince me to let him paint with me (he has never painted before, he says, and I had no way to fix any of the white if there were mistakes made). I painted through Leann coming to visit and sat her down to watch me. and I painted through my alarm telling me it was time to eat (see previous post about that).  I painted, painted, painted.  I did a good job too.  Four days later, I put on the second coat, and I couldn't be happier with it.  I don't know the real color but I call it "Mocha Frappuccino".

So....what do you think?  Improvement?