What a cute way to share the love

Love Hugs Kisses Valentine's Day 5x7 folded card

Modern greeting cards and party invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Nolan Lucas

Well I would finally like to introduce Nolan Lucas!  Below are some pictures from over the last two months.  We have been busy with a very fussy baby the last two months, and just when we started to put him in his room to sleep he has decided the last four weeks to only sleep if he is in his Mommy's arms!  Silly little guy, but I am not complaining because I know he is growing way too fast!

Nolan picking his first pumpkin at three weeks old.

Sleepy baby, still a newborn here.

Yea, I am one month old today!

Six weeks old with my monkey buddy!

Momma and I hanging out.

Two months old, this past Saturday the 20th.

Tummy time!

I can smile now!

I go back to work in two weeks, and am really dreading it.  I will be going back 9 hour shifts six days a week the first week :0(   No easing into that...ugh it is going to be a LONG winter!

It's That Time of Year

Hi all!  I know that it has been two months, and I have been so bad at posting any pictures of Nolan.  I am still waiting on receiving his newborn portraits!!!  So I promise I will post some of mine tonight.

Speaking of photos, it is that time of year to go ahead and get the Christmas or Holiday cards in the mail!  Hard to believe that Thanksgiving is a couple days away!  I like to get my holiday cards out right after Thanksgiving week so that they have plenty of time to reach their destination.  The last couple years since we got married we have been using photo cards because they are so easy and personal.  This year a photo card is a must with the way Nolan is growing so fast!

I usually get them printed at a wholesale club, but this year we are going to use Shutterfly.  Shutterfly makes it so easy to load your pictures and pick a cute design.  Here are a couple that we are considering for our first family card:

Pretty Poinsettia
Oh What Fun
Bright Merry Story

So many more designs to choose from that would fit your family!! You can get the Christmas cards in folded cards or even flat photo cards! There are so many products to chose from on Shutterfly's sight besides 2010 Christmas cards!  We are also going to order Nolan's birth announcements from here as well.  Here are some of the designs I am considering:

Simply Charming
Fresh Delivery

So with Shutterfly's low prices and discounts, personalized Holiday cards are the way to go without leaving the comfort of your house.  Go to their website to find out how you can get started today, and get 50 free Christmas cards of your own!

http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/

He has arrived!!!

Our little Nolan Lucas arrived at 1:42 a.m. on Monday September 20th.  He weighed 9 lbs 5oz and is 21 inches long.  We arrived home yesterday safe and sound.  Once I can catch up on some much needed sleep I will post pictures and details on the Labor and Delivery.

I need to get better at this blogging thing...

I always have the greatest intentions to write a post for my blog, but I always put it on the back burner. So to my fellow bloggers out there how and when do you make time for your own blog? Any suggestions are welcomed!

On to our little one in there...It's a BOY!!! I caved in and had to find out. Our little guy is moving around like crazy lately, and what an amazing feeling that is. We have been working on his room, and our almost finished with it. It is all painted, the crib is here, dresser, changing table all set. We just have to finish the glider, hang things on the wall, make his book sling, and have some baby showers!

I am 31 weeks today and my sister is throwing my first baby shower this coming Saturday. I am really excited to start getting things for him and start putting them in his room. We are down to 9 weeks or less now, and I feel so unprepared!

In the meantime I thought I would share some previous week pictures to tide you over...(I am so bad at posting pictures...they always go to the top, and are out of order. Any tips?) The first one is at 29 weeks, then we have 25 weeks 2 days, and last but not least 21 weeks 3 days!

Have a great Thursday everyone!

I'm back...with some exciting news!!!

So I am pretty sure that I should receive the most horrible blogger award! It's been about four months and I apologize to all my followers. Starting this new job took SO much out of me, and honestly when you are working 12+ days, six days a week, all you want to do is catch up on sleep. Especially when you are dead tired and exhausted because.........you are EXPECTING! Yes, you read that right...the hubby and I are expecting our first little bundle of joy in September. I am so excited to share the news with all of you! I would like to document most of this journey so I hope that helps to motivate me to get my blog back in order. I will be 19 weeks tomorrow, and I am so anxious to find out what our little baby is!

alive and hanging in there

Just wanted everyone to know I am still around. The last three weeks at my new job has kept me super busy! Hope everyone had a great holiday. Any specific posts you would like to see? If so, drop me a comment. I would love to hear what my readers want to know about me!

Happy Veteran's Day!!!!

Thank you to all the Veteran's past and present...


Thank you for not be selfish...

for giving up your life for those that you do not know...

for being brave...

for doing what many of us can not imagine doing day in and out...

Thank you to my husband for being my hero, and to the 48 brothers he lost in 2005. We will FOREVER remember your sacrifices.

Let's catch up

Well I didn't do so hot on the blogging front in October, did I? To be honest, since we have been back from vacation I just have not been "myself". In the last week my life has received some surprises. Last Monday, I received a phone call from my second job I work in the winter. Also, the same place my husband and I met. Thinking it was regarding my second job I called back immediately, never expecting what came next. They were calling to offer me a position in management full time. I was speechless, I had not even put in a resume (they were so impressed by my hard work on the weekends that they approached me for the position). We met on Wednesday and discussed what they were going to offer. One thing you must understand is that I currently work in downtown Cleveland which is about a 45-60 minute drive from my house. This position would be 15-20 minutes away from my house.

Thursday morning I go to my job as usual and get pulled into the office. My manager then offers me a position in the Akron office which is 15-20 minutes from my house. The catch, they can't promise that it is permanent being that we are going through a merger with another company. This was such a hard decision. I have been putting out resumes since I graduated last August, but have not even received a phone call. For this to happen it was unbelievable, but was going to take a big decision from my heart. Since my one broker (boss) had left in August I was truly unhappy. Since we were TTC, I decided to put off putting any more resumes out in the work force not wanting to have to start a new job and get screwed out of maternity leave.

My husband and I talked it over and over. We would both be working at the same employer full time if I took the position, I wanted him to be okay with that. Well yesterday morning I put my two weeks notice in at my current job, it was a hard thing to do but will only be the best for my future. With the position I accepted, it will be a huge stepping stone for our family in the future. I prayed to God about it a lot over the weekend, hoping he would guide me in the right direction. I am so happy to have that stress behind me, and am really excited to start my new position. My last day will be the 13th which is also my birthday.

So now that you are caught up with my life, I hope to make a effort to blog daily as I go onto this new experience in the up coming weeks. This weekend is going to be very crazy. We have my best friend's son's 1st birthday party and a surprise 50th for my father. So it will be nice to have a little relaxation this weekend! Hope everyone has had a great start this week!

Happy Halloween!!!

I hope everyone had a safe Halloween!! I will be back tomorrow to catch you up on my life...I have had A LOT on mind lately, and have had many big decisions to make.

A Year Ago Today...

I married my best friend. The man who stole my heart one winter five years ago. I knew the moment we had our first date that I wanted to marry him.

Seven months into us first dating, Luke went to Iraq for 10 months...we went through so much for a young relationship, it only made us stronger.

Then a year later my mom was diagnosed with cancer, and again we went through hard times. I know that we will make it till death do us part. We have been through so much that some couples at 50 years have not been through. It has made our love so strong, and I knew way before we ever said our vows, what a supportive husband he would be when I went through the hardest time of my life.

I am so lucky to have a wonderful husband, someone that is my rock, my best friend, and who I know will take care of me the rest of my life. Luke, here is to many more years together!!!

Unfortunately, I was sick all weekend so we couldn't celebrate to much. Since I have been a little under the weather I will be celebrating our anniversary throughout the week. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!

***All pictures courtsey of Primoshots***

Back to the daily grind...

Well, I am back...and glad to be at that! I missed all of you!! Our vacation at the OBX was SO relaxing. I really needed that vacation believe it or not. My life has been a bit stressful between work, TTC, my Series 7, and just life in general. I posted a couple pictures to start, and hope to be adding more throughout the week.

The above picture is my neighbor and I down at Hatteras Cape. The waves here were unbelievable.

I was so excited to start decorating for Fall this year. Hard to believe my hubby and I will have been married for a year on October 4th, that is less than two weeks away! Anyone have any anniversary ideas for a couple on a budget? I decided to get a little crazy this year and decorate the front porch. I LOVE how it turned out!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!!!

SO. STRESSED. OUT.

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but my life has been overcome by stress. Luckily I am leaving for a little R&R on Saturday. We are going to the OBX with our neighbors for the first time. So I promise I will become well rested and come back with posts filling you on in my life. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend!!

The joys of employment

So this week has been a very strange week. First of all last week after being sick and doing too much thinking had me drained. What I could not talk about last week was my boss was leaving Friday for another firm. I work for a brokerage/financial firm as a Client Service Associate to Financial Advisers. In out industry it is not uncommon for a broker to "up and leave" with no notice to another firm, in fact this is how it is always done for the most part. My boss came over the Sunday before to my house to tell me he was leaving, and could not take me with him. Usually assistants go as well which means big signing bonuses and bargaining HR benefits. I have always known if he was to leave I would go with him...but he could not take me because the firm he was going to was very small and already had three sales assistants to eight brokers. I was really upset because he was the big reason I was staying there after I graduated last fall.

So now I have been looking everyday to find another job. Ughh, I am so unhappy with the toxic environment, but VERY grateful that I have job that so many in this time do not. Then to make matters even more stressful I have been having some strange symptoms that have me going crazy.

In the meantime I have my little sisters wedding this weekend, and a dress that suddenly is a little snug in some places. Oh the joys of being a bridesmaid! I will be extremely busy the nest two days with wedding festivities, but granted I am not too hungover on Sunday, I hope to share some pictures! Everyone have a great and blessed weekend!

A little under the weather

All of a sudden yesterday my glands were swollen, nose draining, and ear aching. I was sneezing every five seconds, and each hour I got worse. So today I am under my covers on the couch catching up with my friend DVR...with Tucker curled up by my feet. He knows I am sick, its amazing what animals know. I also have alot on my mind lately and am trying to sort things out. On Friday I will be able to share my feelings because right now I can't speak incase someone in my personal life reads my blog. So until then I hope everyone is healthy because this really stinks! Have a great Wednesday!

Kelly's Korner- Show Us Your Reception/Honeymoon

Well it's Friday again, which means Kelly's Korner!! I would like to apologize ahead of time because my pictures got uploaded out of order and I don't know how to fix it! Again, all pictures courtesy of Primoshots!



This first picture is of our first dance..."Better Together" by Jack Johnson. It became our song when Luke was in Iraq when we were first dating.

I thought that the photographer Mike got a great picture here of everyone dancing, and getting low!!

You can't have a fall wedding without some O-H-I-O...we are all huge fans in the bridal party as you can tell, plus my hubby was a little upset he was missing the game!

This picture is hilarious because it just so happens that my 10 year old brother caught the garter...and from the look on his face he was SO pumped about it. Thank goodness a little girl caught the throw away.

A honeymoon picture snuck in her ;0) Here we are on the beach in Rivera Maya, Mexico the week after...I wish I could have stayed there forever.

Here is our grand entrance to "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve, we were a little excited upon entrance.

We were nice cake eaters. I told him if anything got all over my face he was in trouble!

Here is one of my favorite pictures of the cake able. I was so proud of how it turned out. Everything was perfect, even the cake!

Below, my maid of honor Kelly is giving the speech...I think I may be on the verge of tears here, happy ones though.

And last but not least, our maid of honor and best man strutting into the reception hall...yes with coolers! They thought that they were so clever!

I wish I go do it all over again...then on second hand no need for all the stress!