Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas...

I have to admit that I'm getting a little homesick this Holiday season. However, I am still 100% sure this is where I am suppose to be right now. I am very grateful that in the midst of the recession I was able to better myself. But I am also grateful that I didn't have to move very far away to do that.

I loved decorating my place this year. It definitely makes it feel more like home! Of course, it also helps having my yorkie Cassie with me! And I don't think I mentioned it here but I got another kitten who I named Luna. She is quite a little stinker, but she keeps me very entertained to say the least!

Last month, I took my 3 oldest nieces out for another one of our girl days. We had so much fun! I so look forward to spending time with those girls. They are so funny, sweet and beautiful (inside and out)! Sidney (9) even gave up going to see the new Jim Carrey Christmas Carol movie on IMAX with her church group to have our girl day! We went to the mall where we shopped around and had lunch. The highlight was seeing Santa Claus having lunch a few tables away. Ashton (13) went right up to him and he asked her if she had been a good girl this year.....haha. Of course, we had to hit up Barnes and Noble where we gathered up as many Bog and Tiger Beat (or whatever it is they read nowadays) magazines as we could and sipped on some lattes/mochas/hot chocolates while we decided that Sidney and I are Team Jacob while Lindsey and Ashton are Team Edward. Later, We met up with my sister-in-law and some of her friends to see New Moon afterwords (not a fan of the Twilight books but I do like the movies....crazy, I know.) Afterwords, Lindsey (13) and Sidney gave up going out to eat with their friends to hang out some more with Ash and me. I am one lucky aunt!














Last week, Tori came to visit me and we had way too much fun. She sent me a message on facebook recently saying how sometimes we are the only ones who think each other is funny. That is so, so true. One of the many reasons she has been my best friend for 20+ years.

Note to self: Holiday Nog is gross.

Definitely having myself a Merry Little Christmas this year!

Pumpkin Patch

So it's been a month since my last post. Life is still pretty crazy here in ATL but I am definitely getting the hang of things. I was able to take a quick trip up to the Smokey's with my best friend which came right at a time when I needed it the most! We were actually driving out of Atlanta the day after the flood which put most of our city (including the street I live off of, but thankfully not my apartment complex) under water. When I got back home I adopted a kitten. She was found in the flooded backyard of one of my old coworkers' brother. I wanted to keep the trend of naming all of my pets from now on after characters in books. So I named her Luna (from the HP series). She is CRAZY but she keeps me entertained and has a very sweet side, too.

Last weekend I went with my mom, sister-in-law and 3 of my nieces to the Pumpkin Patch down the road from my parents house. We had a great day! I love the Fall!

Goodbye Boo

My sweet little kitten died yesterday from coxitia (sp). I was at the emergency vet with him until almost 4AM on Friday night/Saturday morning after I noticed how lethargic he had became Friday evening. They did all the could for him. I was so hopeful that he would pull through. Last night, while I babysit for my youngest 2 nieces, I heard his cry out from his bed. I went to him and picked him up and held him. He began gasping for breath. A few moments later I realized he had taken his final breath. It was so sad. I have had pets pass away before, but never as a baby. His little body stayed warm for quite awhile after he died. We held him and kissed him. My dad buried him this morning. I'm gonna miss that sweet little baby boy so much!

Life in the A-Town

So I am slowly adjusting to life in the ATL. Actually, I think I'm adjusting better than I thought I would. I still get homesick from time to time, but usually only when I'm back at home. It hits me how much my life has changed and I start to miss the way things use to be. When I come back to my apartment and my job, I remember how proud of myself I am and how much of a good change this move was for me.

My BFF Tori came to stay with me for Labor Day and we had SO MUCH FUN. There is never a limit of things to do when you live in the city. I loved being able to drive downtown to the Georgia Tech Barnes & Noble. I could spend HOURS there! We drove all over Buckhead, too, and I'm really getting the hang of the crazy traffic around here.

This weekend I got a baby kitten! He is about 5 weeks old and he is a Main Coon. I named him Boo Radley. He and his sister were found without their mommy. Tori has his sister, Sheerah. Tori's mom took both of them to the vet today. My little Boo has an Upper Respiratory Infection. Thankfully, he got the medicine he needs and hopefully he will be better in no time. He is so tiny! He's not even on food yet - just drinking kitten formula from a bottle. I just love him to pieces (so does my Yorkie Cassie) and am so glad I have this little man in my life!

Peace Up, A-Town Down~

MOVIN' ON UP....

So I've lived in metro Atlanta my whole life. I have a very comfortable, suburban life here: friends, family, and a job I love (most days). I like having the city close enough to me so that I don't miss out on anything, but I like coming home to "the country". I like going into work super early so that I can have the afternoon to my leisure. I like going to my friends house at night and hanging out. I like going to "my" movie theater - the same one I basically lived at when I was a teenager. I like my big family dinners. I like that my brothers live no more than 15 minutes away. I like the close relationship I share with my nieces because I have always been here at home with my parents to be apart of their daily lives. I like that the church I go to is made up of many of the same people I've been going to church with since I was 5 years old. I even like this old house that I have lived in since I was 11.

I always thought, as a teenager, that when I turned 18 I would hit the road and never look back. But that didn't happen. I started working full-time after high school and eventually started college. My parents went from 2 of my worst enemies to 2 of my best friends. My nieces were here every day and I loved, loved, loved watching them grow up. All of the sudden, I couldn't image not living close by my family. So I stayed in my little garage apartment and got very comfortable - always with a tinge of guilt that I never "left the nest".

A couple of weeks ago, I started the process of interviewing for an amazing early childhood facility in Buckhead. Monday I will begin work there fulltime. And the last week of this month, I will be taking a huge step and moving out on my own. About time, right?!

I am so excited to be taking on this new adventure. I will be moving into the ATL. Although it has always been home to me, I have never lived IN the city. I can't wait.

And yet there is a very big part of me that will miss this life I love sooo much. Almost every aspect of my life will change in some way. I know it's whats best for me. I know I am doing the right thing. I know that this is what God wants for me. That is the biggest thing for me. I prayed and prayed that God would show me what I was suppose to do - stay at home or spread my wings. I even got a little discouraged wondering how he would answer me. And even though I can't really explain it, He made it known to me that my time has FINALLY come.

Harry Potter Fanatic

Tomorrow, I'll be going to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for the 3rd time. Later this month, I will be seeing it again when it comes to IMAX. I don't think I've ever really talked on here about how much I love, love, love Harry Potter and the magical world he lives in.

I guess I was a late HP bloomer. I didn't start reading the books until just before the first movie came out. And it was only because my older brother - who doesn't like to read - was raving on and on about how good the books were. I figured if he liked them then they had to be good, right? I fell fast and hard for the Boy Who Lived. And I idolized JK Rowling for creating this magnificent world in which I escape to. For the releases of Half Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows I was at the midnight release parties at Barnes & Noble with friends and family wearing my MUGGLE t-shirt. Yes, I AM A DORK. I can prove that by admitting I have a 2009 Harry Potter calendar and a poster of Dumbledore's Army on my wall. I am 26 years old.

Tiffany was a huge Harry Potter fan, too. We were so excited for the last book. She died six months before Deathly Hallows was released. It was very bittersweet for me and her mom (who also loves HP).... so excited to find out what happens to Harry, but so sad that Tiffany wasn't there to enjoy it all with us. I was in tears within the first minute of reading the book when I came across this...

Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal.

How perfect is that?

Pool fun and a foster dog...

Summer has been pretty good to me so far. This time last year I was looking forward to vacation in one of my favorite places... Cocoa Beach! I wish I could say the same thing now. But I'm still enjoying summer nonetheless. =)

















At the moment I have a cute little terrier mix who I'm keeping as my "foster dog" until I can find a good home for her. She is a sweetheart and fits right in, but we have our hands full with Cassie, Maya, Samson, Chance and Beau the cat! Just can't afford another pet as much as we love her. I'm praying that she will make someone out there a very special companion soon! She's such a good girl!

Worldess Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Summertime Picture Overload!

Back to Tennessee...

Tomorrow I leave for Tennessee for the week. I can't wait! It will probably be awhile before I can update my blog again with pictures because I have lost my usb cord to my camera. I'm gonna have to order a new one. In the meantime, I am just going to enjoy summer. I am about to head out to the pool for the first time this year. Still got packing to do tonight! Waking up early tomorrow to hit the road. I can't wait!

Shake it!

I took my 13 year old niece Ashton to the Believers Never Die concert last Thursday here in Atlanta. We had a blast! Her favorite band, Metro Station, was one of the supporting acts for Fall Out Boy. We also saw Cobra Starship and All Time Low, but missed out on Hey Monday because we got there a little late. No worries...as long as she could scream over Metro Station it was all good. I took her to see them back in July at Six Flags. Between the heat and the chaos of the open concert it was pretty crazy, but we had a great time regardless. This time around we were able to purchase tickets and we really happy with our seats and the concert was amazing. I hadn't heard much from All Time Low or Cobra Starship in the past but was really impressed by their live shows. Of course, we loved Metro Station and Fall Out Boy. Unfortunetly, it being a school night, we left before the Fall Out Boy encore but we were happy to get out before the rush and could not have had a better time. =)

Almost Wordless Wednesday..

Just had to make a note that this is my 100th post! Also, I am getting 10 inches cut off of my hair tomorrow for Locks of Love!

Soccer Aunt

So my 5-year-old niece is playing soccer. It's only a church league but she is loving it. Watching these kids play is just about the cutest (and funniest) thing ever!

Easter Sunday

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
1 Peter 1:3

Spring Break Pictures!

We are back from St. Marys and had a great time. We spent a day at Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island in Florida, and a day at the Jacksonville Zoo. The girls really enjoyed themselves at the beach and the zoo and loved going back to the house we stayed at in St. Marys. Spring Break 2009 was definitely a success!


Fernandina Beach...


Jacksonville Zoo...

Downtown St. Marys...