Thankful

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving week. Wednesday night, I was able to go out with some of my oldest friends (3 of us have been friends since the 6th grade!). We had a great night, and just like we used to, we wound up dressed alike! When we were in the 6th grade, we used to plan what we were going to wear in order to dress alike, this time it was purely coincidental.

I guess black turtlenecks are just universally flattering!

On Thanksgiving Day, Nick and I were able to spend the day with his parents, and their longtime friends. It was a great day with awesome food. With my family far away, it was nice to still be able to have a great holiday with his family.

Friday night, I went to a place nearby called Edaville Railroad with my best friend, her husband, in-laws, and adorable baby girl. Even though I grew up about a half an hour away, I had never been! It was really fun, with the entire area decorated with tons and tons of Christmas lights. It certainly got me into the Christmas spirit.

Me, My BFF Katie, and her sweet baby girl Caroline

On Saturday, I got to meet the woman that I have contacted to take our engagement pictures while she was taking family portraits for Katie and her family. She was great and I am really excited to get our pictures taken! The rest of the day with spent with Katie, her sister (who is 8 months pregnant!) and her sister's husband. We had a great day hanging out and doing some shopping. We also gorged ourselves on my favorite chicken fingers!

Saturday did bring a rude awakening to me, that even though I have been out of high school for almost 8 years now, apparently people (guys) don't ever grow up. I overheard a kid who pretended to be happy to see my friend and I talking about how I don't deserve an opinion on something because I am "freakishly tall". Unreal, right? I guess I will never get away from the being tall ridicule!

Anyway, all in all, I had a wonderful holiday. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Last night's phonecall...

Last night, I got a phone call from my cousin April. Usually, we talk through text or facebook, so I was hoping that this phone call was for a happy reason...

It was!!!

Her (now) fiancé asked her to marry him last night! I could not be happier for the two of them, and I know that their wedding is going to be beautiful and full of love ♥

When we were kids, we used to make up "clubs" so that our younger siblings couldn't hang out with us, or at least so that we would get extra privileges (yes, we were those mean older cousins). When I was 10 and she was 11, it was the "Double digits club". When she came to visit me with her sister in the summer of 2004 it was the "18 and up club". When we all went on vacation in 2007 it was the "21 and up club". When we got to see each other this year, we joked that it was now the "25 and up club", but who knew that we could now be a part of the "engaged club", too!

Congratulations again to April and Sayer ♥

Pizza-versary

Nick and I celebrated our monthly dating anniversary for years! Once we started talking weddings, we wondered if we would still do something to celebrate on the 13th of every month like we used to before we were married. We decided that a pizza-versary would be a fun way to keep celebrating! So, we started the tradition a little early, as I think we were initially talking about if we would have certain foods once a week when we have a family, like his family had hamburgers and fries every Friday, and mine had pizza. We decided that we wouldn't want to have pizza once a week (expensive and unhealthy!), but that we could do it once a month, for sure!

Yesterday, when I was on a break from my 10 hours of classes (literally), I called Nick to remind him that it was the 13th. On my way home from school, I got a text saying that the pizza was on it's way. It was so sweet for Nick to do that and have it waiting. I love pizza-versary!!

And, to commemorate, here is a picture of our first 13th (March 13, 2005). This was our very first picture together and was taken hours before Nick asked me to be his girlfriend!

Sorry I've been MIA!

I haven't had much to blog about these last couple of weeks! I went to NC again (but this time it was to help my step-dad move there, and I was only really in NC for about 12 hours before I flew home), I also had a cold thanks to the ever varying New England temperatures!

I am gearing up for the holidays, and can't wait to decorate our apartment for Christmas! A radio station around here is already playing Christmas music, and claiming that it will help people get things done early instead of last minute (I think it's a desperate attempt to get listeners...but, hey, they got me!).

Although, I don't have much to write about other than boring everyday things, I do want to want to share the most delicious, easy meal ever. Nick and I have had this awesome combo from Trader Joe's a couple of times, and every time we do, I wind up craving it! So, if you have a TJ's near you, go out and get some Mandarin Orange Chicken and Jasmine Rice. They are both in the frozen section, and I don't think you will be disappointed!

Hopefully, I will have something interesting to blog about soon!

I Have a Confession...

...I have CHRISTMAS FEVER!!

I have been listening to Christmas music since mid-October, and I can't stop thinking about how excited I am for Christmastime. I love everything about this season. Everything sparkles with lights and snow, people are always out and about, songs you only get to hear this time of year are playing on the radio, and it makes me happy.

I think that this year will be special because even though it is the 7th (!) Christmas that Nick and I have spent together, it will be the first one as an engaged couple. Also, we will be going to Wilmington to spend Christmas at my Mom and Step-Dad's house (my youngest brother and sister live there, and my Dad and two other younger sisters will be flying in!). It will be the first time we have all been together since July, which is the longest that we have ever gone being apart. Now that the weather is getting cold (hellllllllo 35 degrees this morning), I think it will really kick the holiday season into gear.

A close up of what our family tree usually looks like.

The frame ornament in the upper right is one of my favorites of all time! That's me on the right!

How about you? Does anyone else get abnormally excited for Christmas?