Monday, November 22, 2010

Allie and Kyle Firsts: Christmas Decorations

Although it was only November 13th, our apartment welcomed the arrival of our first set of Christmas decorations!

While Kyle was gone to the deer lease with the boys, my mom, Meghan, and I braved the Nutcracker Market in search of decor to fill our small, yet cozy, apartment. Needless to say, we succeeded in finding the perfect items for our 900 square feet.


The best part about the decorations? Kyle's response. "Al, the apartment sure does look cute." ... (and I hope you just read that with your best Kyle accent that you could summon).


Our first Christmas tree


coffee table decor

Nativity from my mom and Connie


our little gingerbread man

mistletoe :)

the BEST Christmas tree candle

Bailey's jingle bell collar

Now, Kyle and I plan on putting a pause on the Christmas excitement, and we will enjoy 3 Thanksgivings this week. First, with my dad (accomplished yesterday). My family will celebrate Wednesday night followed by Kyle's family on Thursday. Kyle will then go on his last hunt before his shoulder surgery on the 11th, while the girls (mom, Meghan, Jill, and I) head off to the Nutcracker and enjoy some time getting back into the Christmas spirit.

Friday, November 12, 2010

The Inevitable Snooze

The snooze button has officially welcomed itself back in to my morning routine. I truly HATE the snooze button, but every year about this time (and usually until June 3rd) I find myself pressing it multiple times until I absolutely HAVE to get up. It might be shameful to admit, but I am a strategic snoozer. I set 2 alarms and snooze once. This way, I feel the regrettable satisfaction of what the snooze button has to offer.

Well, there is someone in my life that disagrees with my snoozing philosophy. Yep. Kyle.

On Tuesday morning, I was really not wanting to get up. So, I snoozed, and I snoozed, and I snoozed. About 15 minutes after I had dragged myself out of bed, Kyle comes into the bathroom where I was getting ready and gives me a death glare. Oops... my snoozing had gone too far.

Jump forward to Wednesday morning. My alarm goes off. Kyle kicks me in the leg. I'm up. Good bye snooze button. I'll miss you.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Face Only a Mother Could Love


It is amazing how happy a dog can make you, and I am sure I could bore you with thousands of "Bailey" stories. So, I won't, but I will explain a few important things that have gone on in the life of Bailey.

Last weekend, Kyle and I went to Rockdale and College Station. Between travelling back and forth, mixed with the 4 Schielack wiener dogs, Bailey was better suited to stay with my mom. I already know that my mom is going to be a fantastic/obsessive grandmother because she gives Bailey more attention than I would expect her to give a human being. Not only does my mom make sure that Bailey receives ample kisses, scratches, outside time on her skateboard (followed by lots of Benedryl), and handfuls of popcorn, Bailey got sleep in her bed 2 nights in a row. Kyle and I have gone through phases (in our short 4 months of marriage) of letting her in the bed at night, but recently, Bailey's welcome has come to a screeching halt. For some reason, regardless of how many times we take her out, Bailey likes to pee on our bed. Why me? Do you know how many times I have washed the sheets in 2 weeks' time? She wouldn't pee at night while we were sleeping. She would do it while we were at work or an hour before bedtime, leaving Kyle and I to sleep with the skimpy blankets from the living room. So, 2 measures have been taken. First, the bed is a dog free zone. Second, the bedroom is closed while we are at work. However, to keep our room smelling dog free and keep the air flowing, I leave 1 of the bedroom doors open (see below).

While being kicked out of bed is no fun for Bailey, I will tell you 1 thing that makes Bailey more excited than anything else. Her cousin Henry. Henry is Meghan and Steven's tiny little mutt puppy. He has got to be the sweetest little dog ever, and he might be the only dog that truly loves our goofy, clumsy bulldog. So, jump back to last weekend when Bailey was at my mom's. Henry and Meghan are currently back at home until Meghan and Steven get married. This is quite perfect for Bailey because it was non-stop play for 48 hours with her best friend/cousin. :)


Bailey and Henry

Bailey... when she was allowed in bed

Sweet sleepy girl

Snuggling on the couch... our favorite thing to do

This is Bailey on Sunday after I picked her up from my mom. She was wiped out and slept in my closet for almost 24 hours straight.

The little pee pot is blocked from the bedroom. :)



You gotta love her...


Tuesday, November 2, 2010

After the Wedding

One of my favorite memories from the day of our wedding was the time Kyle and I were finally alone. We had spent a lot of time together at the wedding, but we hadn't had a chance to talk. After we left the reception, we did a photo shoot with the photographers, so we did not get back to the hotel until midnight. I remember feeling excited, happy, sad, overwhelmed... I couldn't believe the wedding had just happened and that it had been so perfect.

When we got to the hotel in The Woodlands, there was champagne and dessert waiting. I thought we were going to be too tired to eat, but we were starving because we hadn't eaten anything all night. Kyle and I just laughed and took pictures the whole time we munched. We were just so happy.

As happy as we were, I thought we were going to be too excited to sleep, but we were exhausted. The pictures from that brief time are such a special memory.

Well, we got a total of 3 hours of sleep because we had to leave for the airport super early. So, we crawled out of bed and got ready to head to the airport (with wedding make-up and jewelry still intact). We dropped off my wedding dress and Kyle's suit at the hotel desk for my parents to pick up later. It was still all so surreal. The things that we had spent over a year planning had come to an end. And, I couldn't have imagined it any better.

Dessert time.


Awesome room at Avia in The Woodlands.


Our tiny champagne.


Sweet boy.



Tired feet!


Happy together.