Thanksgiving

I hosted my first Thanksgiving this year. It went off without a hitch. Well we ate a little later than planned, but not too much.

I only made a few things and everyone else brought a few things.

I got my 3 recipes from http://www.pioneerwomancooks.com/

Pecan Pie

Sweet Potato Casserole

Creamed Spinach.

Mmmmmm Mmmmm Good!

Oh Yeah, and Brian fried the Turkey

My little Turkey and Nana

I got to use my China :)

All the grub.

Jocelyn and her sweet cousin Nola.

Jocelyn and Nanny (Brians Mom)

Getting ready for Black Friday shopping with Daddy!

F-LO-R-I-D-A S-T-A-T-E...

Florida State! Florida State! Florida State! Wooooooo!!!

We left Jocelyn for the first time last weekend and went up to Tallahassee for the FSU/Maryland Game. It was actually much easier than I thought it would be to be away from her overnight, I really must have needed a break more than I realized!

My sister Kelli, Friend Claire (Jocelyns Godmother) Brian and I all went up together. It was the first time Brian and I had been back since we moved 5 years ago! I can't believe how much I missed that place. It turned out so much better than I expected...For a noon game with 70-90% chance of rain. We made it ontime and it never rained!

First we went to Po Boys. Claire loved FSU football!

Then we went to the game:

WooHoo We actually won!

Then we stopped by our old Sorority house, Pi Beta Phi

Then we toured campus to see what all had changed.

 This old statue was just begging us to come sit on his lap

Somebody had to get the milk since Jocelyn wasn't with us. Hahahaha!

At Westcott Fountain

We also ate at Dog Et All, La Fiesta, Whataburger and ofcourse boiled peanuts in the staudium. This trip was mostly about the food. The game was just an excuse to go up there.

SideTracked

I was all set to put up a few more posts right after the last one, but Jocelyn woke up from her nap and there were a few small blood droplets on her sheets...So I called the doctor and they wanted me to come in, just to make sure she was OK and I haven't posted since!
BTW, She was fine and there were no more after that day!

She is 5 months old! She has been doing so many fun things.:

She can roll over and push up on her arms for a pretty long period of time.

She is eating apples, pears and carrots.

She loves her new Tiffany&Co rattle from her Godmother Claire, it took her a while to actually start putting it in her mouth, but now it is her go-to carseat toy!

She loves her feet. Sometimes she sucks on her big toe.

She jumps in her jumperoo and plays with all the toys.

Mamas Birthday!

Last Sunday was my 27th Birthday! I took off work on Saturday and spent the day walking around downtown Melbourne with B and Jocelyn. We had a picnic on the water and had some really good ice cream (it better have been...my milkshake was $5.40!) Then I had a girls night with a few of my best friends, we went to an awesome sushi place in Orlando, Shari. It was an early night, I was home at 9:15! They all went out after dinner, but I knew that if I didn't go home right then, it would have been wayyyy too late by the time I finally walked through the door!

Om Sunday, we went to my Grandmas for Lunch and then my Dads for dinner. Everyone must have read my "Top Ten Christmas List" Because I got am espresso maker, Pier1 GC, and a GC to Kohls to buy Christmas Decorations! Yippie!

Pajamas

My favorite Present

Cutest Little Monster

She didn't mind her costume as much as I thought she would. As you can tell from the pictures, she looks like she was scared to move! But atleast she didn't cry while she was wearing it.

We had a big night of trick-or-treating...1 house! We stopped by my dads to show off her costume and I forgot to take any candy home for myself :(

Then we came back here and sat in the garage with our neighbor and passed out candy to the kiddies. I had the same experience as most...Kids just holding their bag open and not even saying "Trick or Treat" They were also the kids who barely had a costume on...One had a too big jersey, another had just a black shirt and pants?!?! Really? I wonder why parents can't even help their kids get some kind of real costume together. It doesn't have to be homemade or extravagant, but come on, make some effort people you are getting free candy!

We also went to the annual Chowder Debate in St. Augustine this weekend. it was Jocelyns first time and she was such an angel. We had planned on carrying her in the wrap, but decided to get the stroller, and she was so much happier. She just sat there and watched all around her. Our friends Stephanie and Mike and their kids came with us.

Top Ten Thursday

Brought to you by the following lovely ladies:

Jennifer from It’s A Beauty Filled Life
Sara from Domestically Challenged
LZ from My Messy Paradise
Zeemaid from In The Mommy Trenches

This is my first time doing Top Ten Thursday, so here goes:

Christmas Wish List
(disclaimer: this list is only partly attainable and mainly selfish as there are no baby related items on it. It's all about me me me!)

10. iposture.

I have the worst posture. Ever. I look like the hunchback of Notre Dame. I think this little jewel here would fix it. It actually vibrates when you start to slouch to temind you to stand back upright!

9.  Cute clothes for work.

I need to start looking more like I'm going to a hair salon than the office. I have to wear all black, and I feel a little boring.

So a Gift card to the following places would be perfect:
The Limited
Express
New York & Company

8. Fall and Christmas Decorations

My poor house has no holiday spirit :( I have a kick ass Christmas Tree, decorated in purple and silver, but thats about it.

I always plan to go get stuff in the after Christmas sales, but would much rather spend my gift money elsewhere!

I love glitter anything: pumpkins, trees, snowmen, wreaths. I need some holiday candles too.

7. New bedroom furniture

This is not something I need, nor have room for. But, I want either white or antique white for the Master bedroom. I saw the perfect bedroom at my sister-in-laws baby shower and I WANT IT! Of course, it is not "man-friendly" but that's OK, all he does is sleep in there.

10.
6. New Phone...iphone?

I haven't researched which one I want yet, because my contract is not up until next June. I HATE hate hate my Palm Treo. The battery dies every. single. night. drops all my calls, burns my face when I'm on it too long and the touch screen sucks.

I want all the apps on the iphone. The grocery lst one is pretty cool (is it sad that thats the main one I want?)

5. Anything from Pier1

Man, i love that place. Yesterday I took jocelyn in with me to pick up 1 thing. I had just fed her in the car and carried her in. Of course she spit up all over the floor! I had the girl get me some paper towels so i could clean it up. Then I left without looking at all the fun stuff (I am trying to save money remember?) So anyways, A gift card would be awesome!

4. Gym Membership.

I can't talk the husband into spending the outrageous amount to have a monthly membership. That's all.

3. New Tahoe.

I absolutley love my 2002 Tahoe. It is the only car I ever want to have. When i bought it I didn't even like the new body style, of course I started to about 2 months after I got it.

I will take it in Black or Pearly White.

2. Espresso Machine

I have got to start making my own caramel macchiatos. I just sit around imagining the money I could save! I could probably figure out how to make it with less calories too.

1. Violin

I love the way this instrument sounds. I promise I will take lessons and it won't sit around gathering dust.



Next time, this is actually just going to be a list rather than a novel. It has taken me half the day to finish it!

Dave Ramsey will be the death of me!

So, about a year ago I bought Dave Ramseys book "Total Money Makeover" http://www.daveramsey.com/  We have been kinda on and off with following what he says to get debt paid off...He has "baby steps" that you follow to get where you want to be financially. We are currently on Baby Step #2- Snowball your debt. The way it looks right now, we will be debt free, excluding our house in about 3 years! Now I just need to get down with the Gazelle Intensity and get it done.

The only times I get to listen to him is in the car between 3-6. Unfortunatley the only time I am in the car at that time is returning home from a shopping trip of some kind or another. He is so motivating. I am driving in my car thinking about how I am not going to spend ANY more money at all, unless it's on groceries or necessities. Then I realize that I just spent $20 on Reed diffusers at Pier1 (B--I know you are reading this, don't worry it was my "allowance"!)

But of course I don't make a U-Turn and return it, do I? Nope. I say "OK, I will start tomorrow..." This is the same thing I say about exercising and eating healthy. There is a pattern here and it has got to STOP!

Hopefully by posting this here, it will keep me in check because now someone other than B and I know about it.

I need to realize every $5 I save on my Caramel Macchiato is $5 that goes towards a credit card payment and just maybe we can get it paid off sooner. The deal is, the next baby can't arrive until we pay it all off. I better get moving if I want to have another one before Jocelyn is in college!

OK enough rambling...I am off to see where I can save some money

Cousins

On Monday, Brandi had an interview for a new job so I went over and watched Carsyn. I wasn't too worried about it until I realized they both needed to eat at the same time. I can't pick them both up, and Carsyn would roll off the couch if I layed her up there and fed her while I fed Jocelyn. So, I sat on the floor and fed J while I watched Carsyn roll all around the floor. Just as she was getting really hungry and fussy, her daddy walked in! I have never been so happy to see Jeff :)

He had to leave to pick up Makenna from school, but they were both pretty good until he returned.

Jocelyn and Carsyn had a great time playing together. I think that J watches Carsyn and she learns how to do things...She watched her roll over at my dads house and was rolling over by the next day! On the other hand, Carsyn hears Jocelyn crying and I think it makes her mad because then she cries...and she hardly ever cries!

Here are some pictures from our fun day: