Where in the world have you been???

I'm baaaaaaaaaack.........

After a 6 month hiatus, I am sure you are wondering where in the world I have been. So here's a brief explanation. It started out as a temporary break from the internet. I just needed to get out of the virtual world and back into the real world. Spend more time with my family, live a little, etc. Then, after the break, it was just laziness I guess. I have a link to my blog saved in the taskbar on my computer and I would look at it EVERY time I logged on. I knew I should at least give you a little update but I just had no motiviation I suppose. I even started a post one time, but never finished it.

So, I've decided 2012 is going to be my motivational year. I really want to accomplish so much this year. Get off the couch, stop my laziness that pretty much consumed the last half of 2011(I blame a lot of that on depression). One of my friends posted on facebook that he encouraged everyone to make a list of 50 things they hope to do, accomplish, see, make, etc in 2012. So I did just that. Yep, 50 things. Seems like a lot, but why set your goals low. Go over and beyond. So what if you don't accomplish them all, but if your list is longer, it seems like you might accomplish more than if you had a short list. I won't share all 50 of my goals for 2012, but I will share a few.

1. Keep up with my blog (seems easy enough, huh?)
2. Lose weight. This is on there every year, and last year I actually lost 25 lbs.(although I gained a few back since then). But this year I am going to try extremely hard to get it off and keep it off. I will keep you updated on my journey to being healthy and fit.
3. Fit into this pair of pants my mom got me for Christmas that is about one size to small...This one I'm hoping to accomplish by the end of January.
4. Make my photography business grow and flourish! *Insert shameless promotion here* More Than A Memory Photography
5. Get back into couponing and actually get good at it. Another thing I started last year after I quit my job. I just got so discouraged and eventually gave up.
6. Do something fun and exciting for mine and Eric's five year anniversary. It's coming up in August (where did 5 years go???). Five years is kind of a milestone, right? So anyway, I just want to save up some money and go somewhere cool that we haven't gone before. Any suggestions?
7. Get on a budget. I've been sort of stalking Dave Ramsey's total money makeover website. By stalking I mean going on there and looking at stuff but never actually doing anything about it. I really would like to get on the road to being debt free. Everytime I come up with the money to get started in his program, something comes up that I have to use the money for instead. :(
8. Be a better mom. I want to get out and do more with Elijah this year. He's getting to where he's learning so much each and every day and I don't want to waste that. I've been doing daily classroom lessons with him on abcmouse.com but I also want to do some fieldtrips and other things with him. At least once a week or every other week. I want him to be prepared when kindergarten comes along. And, well, I just want to spend more time with him. He is just growing up so quickly and I don't want to miss a precious minute with him.
9. Fix up and sell my house. We've been here for almost 5 years. It's a great house, we're just outgrowing it. We've been saying we're going to get our house ready to sell for the last year and a half, and we haven't even started. I want to change that. I want to be motivated!!!! I want a house where we can spread our wings and have room to grow.
10. Get pregnant. I think it's time for Elijah to have a little brother or sister. He's lonely, I can tell. And he really wants someone to play with. I don't want my kids too far apart, so I think it's time to get started on that. With endometriosis and PCOS, that's easier said than done though.

Ok, so there's 10 out of 50 things on my list. What does your list look like? I would love for you to share. Maybe we can encourage each other to work towards crossing off everything on our lists this year.

And now, for a brief recap of everything that's happened to me since I last posted:

August

Elijah and I went on a few more playdates with our Mom and Me group

In August, Eric and I celebrated our 4th anniversary (you'd think I would've gotten a picture of us lol). We went to dinner, a movie, and night of games at a local arcade. This is what I won with my tickets)

We took Elijah to his second baseball game. He loved it! Now, all he thinks about is baseball.

September

haha I just love these pics of us being silly. We took about 50 different ones.

Eric and I went to see one of our favorite bands, Mute Math,  for like the 5th time.

We were right by the stage

My sister Amber and I took Elijah to see Sesame Street Live

This is why his mouth was blue in the previous picture

Too cool

Eric got a 2nd degree burn on his leg from welding with pants on that had a giant rip in them. Guess he learned his lesson.

My sister, my grandma, Elijah, and I went to the apple orchard and picked half a bushel of apples

Then we went to my mom's house and made apple pies :)

We found out Elijah has a bad allergy to fire ants. This is what one bite did to his poor ankle.

Elijah really enjoys ice cream!

I think this picture is hilarious! Elijah  is wearing my sister's hat and he also has her stethescope around his waist lol

My stepbrother is the drum line director at a local high school. They were hosting a showcase of bands so we went to see him. This was Elijah's first time meeting his Uncle Trey.

October

We went to the mall and they have a train that drives around for 15 minutes. Elijah was so excited!

Me and my awesome sister, Amber. She took me to see my favorite band in the whole world Hanson for my birthday. This was my 6th time seeing them and her 5th. Oh yeah, I almost forgot...I got pulled over on the way home. It was like 2 o'clock in the morning, I was driving Amber's rental car (she was in a 6 car pile-up and totaled hers) and I wasn't used to it. I tried to put on the turn signal to merge into the next lane, instead I accidentally turned the headlights off. And it just so happened, I passed a cop right as this all happened. I had no idea he was even there until I saw blue lights flashing in my mirror. I think he must of thought I turned them off on purpose to avoid him. When we explained what happened and showed him the paper from the rental car company, he said he understood and just gave me a warning. Phew!

We were making silly faces at each other

Elijah was a bumble bee for Halloween this year. My sister and I took him trick-or-treating at an event our town has for the public. He got 1 1/2 buckets full of candy. INSANE!

November

No pics for this month, but...

 

 

• My husband turned 27 (along with his twin brother. Their mom also had a birthday the day after theirs).
• We had a pretty good Thanksgiving with family. Except for my grandpa took a tumble and cracked a rib. I swear, something eventful always has to happen at family get-togethers. He's doing just fine though now. In fact, he was fine after he fell. He didn't even feel it. He thought nothing was wrong. It was until we insisted he go get checked out at the hospital that he finally did. He's a tough man. I only hope I'm as strong and stubborn at his age ;-)

December

Our church had a Christmas party for the kids in a local neighborhood that is "the bad part of town". We had bounce houses for the kids, a hot dog lunch for them and their families, and then Santa even came to visit the kids and bring stockings full of gifts for each kid. It touched my heart to be part of such an amazing outreach and to just get to spend time and get to know these awesome people.

Our annual family Christmas photo. Elijah yelled "CHEEEEESE!" right as we snapped this pic.

Our family doing a "silly picture" on Christmas day. Starting in the back left: Jonathan (my sister's boyfriend), Cali (my mom's dog),  My sister Amber, Remi (My sister's dog, although she has a new home now), My stepdad Don My mom Laura, Tippy (our dog...you can only see his body though in the pic). Front row: My hubby Eric, Elijah (he was sick in this picture), Charlie (our dog), Yours truly, and Cinder (our dog).

Elijah on Christmas morning

My dad and Elijah...and Santa. Every year we get the opportunity to photograph the annual Christmas party at the assisted living home my dad works at. Santa always comes to visit and this year he snuck in the picture because Elijah was to afraid to sit on his lap.

We went to Charleston for 3 days right after Christmas. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were in town from Texas so they went, and Eric's parents went. This was taken at the aquarium. Elijah and his Uncle Matt(my husband's twin brother) were feeding the sting rays some shrimp.

Other eventful happenings in December:

•  Elijah wasn't feeling well when he woke up Christmas morning. I asked him if he was ready to open presents and he said "no" then went and crawled back in bed and slept for another hour (SOOOOOO not like him). Then he ran a fever pretty much all day which topped out at 103 degrees. Later that evening he was so miserable, I alternated between giving him ibuprofen and tylenol every 4 hours but the fever still wouldn't break, so I finally gave him both and called the doctor. He said to go to the ER. So, I wrapped Elijah in a blanket and headed to the hospital at 1:30 AM. We were there until 4. He had the croup and possible flu. I went to the pharmacy and got his prescription filled. Got in bed around 5. Had to be up at 7 to leave for Charleston. I was exhausted to say the least.
• Elijah was feeling much better (besides a bad cough) the next day. We toured Charleston, went to the aquarium, went to the U.S.S. Yorktown and toured the Calhoun Mansion, which was in the movie The Notebook (it was the inside of Allie's parent's summer home).

Well, I guess that about sums up the time I've been apart from you. This post has taken me two days to write. I hope I don't overwhelm all of you! Thansk for reading and leave me some feedback so I know I still have some followers out there in blogland :)