Happy 9 year Anniversary Ryan!

Today is our 9 year wedding anniversary! I am as in love (if not more) as I was when we got married. We have had our ups and downs, but mainly ups and our downs were not that bad. I appreciate that we can talk about anything, work through our problems, and laugh at each other and ourselves often. I swear laughter is the best marriage secret...

I remember a few things about our wedding day that will be forever etched in my brain:
1. It was rainy...not alot, but still. I am now a believer that rain on your wedding day IS a good luck charm.

2. Tommy, our best man, was driving by the cemetery where Ryan's Dad is laid to rest...it was cloudy...but when he drove past there on his way to the church, the clouds parted and the sun shined really bright...then went cloudy again. It was like he was saying, "Tommy, make sure Ryan knows I know what is going on today...and wish him luck." Ha

3. I remember Mer's speech at the reception talking about Ryan's Derriere.

4. I remember Ryan smashing cake in my face and I didn't care less.

5. I remember dancing the night away because when you have a big dress on you can't see the horrid dance moves going on under that huge skirt.

6. I remember my Mom and I eating Chick Fil A for lunch...just the two of us...we were so calm.

7. I remember I couldn't find the right strapless bra and needed some "lift" so duct tape it was...sexy...

8. I remember twirling my dress during our vows. I had my hand behind my back and found a little hole...put my finger in and just twirled and twirled.

9. Our song..."I could not ask for more" by Edwin McCain...love

10. I remember my Dad spun me around before walking me down the aisle...and then he didn't kiss me when he "Handed me over"...we both forgot and were caught up in the moment

11. Mom and I called it our wedding because we both planned it all. And honestly, there were no arguments and we had a blast planning it! It was beautiful...perfect in every way.

Ryan (and Mom) Happy 9 years...cheers to 9 more!

(I texted Ryan the above sentence this morning since he is out of town. He promptly responded, "Let's just take it one year at a time") I'm so loved....

Tata,
Carrie

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving...so much to be thankful for starting with my sweet family. We added Hazel to the mix and I am forever grateful to be her Mama. She is the sweetest thing ever! She is dealing with bad gas that wakes her up during the night screeching in pain poor baby. So sleep has not been that great, but it is getting better...in fact last night she had a 5 1/2 hour span! WOW!!!

Below is my niece Courtney loving on Hazel on Thanksgiving. She LOVES babies!
My Dad (PaPa) was out of town for almost 2 weeks and so he is loving on Hazel alot lately. She was only a week old when he last held her so he was stalking anyone that had her trying to get a baby fix in.

Hagen is still trying our patience. I think it has alot to do with the fact that we all have cabin fever! We don't do the shopping thing on the weekend after Thanksgiving...I can, but the rest of the family will not do it. I actually like it and love getting in the holiday spirit! The rest of the family is Bah Humbug. I can't be away from Hazo long due to BF'ing otherwise I would be at the mall with Hagen...he is my shopping buddy!

Below, out of about 50 pictures, this is the most decent...Hazel looks drunk...or drugged...

Here is my sweet sister in law Kristen...Ryan's sister. She is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She was sick at the hospital so wasn't able to hold Hazel...she got her fix in on Thanksgiving!

Ryan and I usually host Thanksgiving but I got a pass since she is 3 weeks old. I brought rolls and the relish dish...and I forgot the damn rolls. What a loser! I didn't help with anything. To be honest, it was FABULOUS! I wish I could get a pass every year!!! We fry turkeys (2 12 pound ones) so that takes alot of the stress out.

Tomorrow will be the first day I take Hagen to school. Ryan has REALLY stepped up and has been doing it all. He can't tomorrow so Hazel and I will drag our butts out of bed and take him. We have been sleeping till 9 or so...nice. I can't believe I will be back to work after the 1st of the year. I'm ready to get back in a routine, but she needs to be sleeping more at night or I'm going to DIE. Plus, Ryan's project will start when I go to work so it will be me and the kiddos the first week back. Lord help me. It will be fine but I'm really worried about the sleep deprivation...I like my sleep!

Speaking of...check out little Hazel taking a snooze on her boppy newborn pillow (borrowed from a friend). She LOVES it!!

Again I am so thankful for my family, my work, my friends, my neighbors, ice cream, and the list goes on and on. 2010 turned out to be a great year!

Tata,

Carrie

So thankful for my work

Today I went to meet Ryan at lunch. It was a longer lunch and I was planning on finishing up some work at home. I decided to head back to the office because I didn't have any of my work stuff with me. Plus, honestly I do get more done in the office. Hello...Dr. Phil is on at 3:00.

So I went back and got stuck on calls, meetings, etc. and was really getting alot done. Next thing I know it is 4:00 (which is the time I usually pick up little man) and I call Ryan and he said he was about to leave and would pick him up. I ended up not leaving until just after 5:00.

I dealt with rush hour traffic for the first time in 2 1/2 years...in the rain...it blew! I didn't get home until 6:00...Ryan was heating up leftovers from the night before and then it was bath and nite nite routine. I was so sad...sad for people that have to do this daily, sad for my brother and sister in law that do this everyday, just sad. Sad that there could be a day that I would have to work full-time again.

I was horrified at the thought of working while being a mom in the first place...that got better knowing that my son was in a good place, making lots of friends, and learning life lessons so that he doesn't get his butt kicked on the playground in Kindergarten. He is learning and LIKES his school. But, the thought of him being there for 10 hours a day CREEPS me out! It's the same feeling I had when I first started working and I'm sure it will be OK...just like it is now. You have to do what you have to do. People are blessed to become parents and sometimes have to make sacrifices to make ends meet.

I am blessed to be able to work and spend quality time with Hagen each day, I am blessed to be doing a job that I enjoy and feel good about (I get people jobs), I am blessed to be working for people that put their families first, I am blessed to have Hagen in a school that I trust and he likes, I am blessed to have a husband that works hard during the day to be home for dinner each night, I am blessed to have family time every day and just love on each other, I am blessed to have all of my immediate family within 20 minutes of where I live, I am blessed that I have a relationship with my parents that I can literally ask my parents for anything or any advise and they will bend over backwards to help or slap me in the face (verbally) with the truth...just blessed...and so thankful...for everything.

Nite,
Carrie