a loss

So, one of my beta fishes died. I'm not really sure when, but I found it this morning floating on top of the water. I had 2 left, out of 4. I bought these little fish back when we first got married. So these are old fish. But they've been pretty durable. So now, I just have Pita left. Pita is one of the original 2 I bought, I had to restock after Maximus died, so I bought 2 (Guido and Noodles), Noodles died a few months ago, and Guido is the one that just died. So Pita is the last one, and I hear, there can be only one.... (All we are is dust in the wind...) But I'm thinking of what little pet to get in 2010, last year we got the Bandit and some turtles.... We still have the evil turtle left, the snapping turtle that wants me fingers, and the Bandit is alive and healthy. (Bandit got a bunch of deer steak that Mark was thawing out yesterday, so he is so dang happy.) The year before Mark and I got married, I tried to have an aquarium of little fishes (I even had a dragon fish!) but all of those died, even the frog. So, I got into the beta fish, and I've been using vases from the wedding reception. I'm not sure what to get, I'm thinking of just getting another beta, or maybe a hermit crab, but really, I think I'll just ignore them both. But I think I'm going to go browse the pet store tomorrow, and pick out a new fish! (Fish are just easier.) So who knows. Maybe I'll have Mark come with and help me pick out an awesome one. oh well. get ready for some more little projects to come thru. I've already got the spark, and I've got a load of new ideas!!

love, the girl and sharkdog

about this time

I start to get nervous about the new year. I get all worried that things are instantly going to change. Like when I graduated high school, when really, it was a long time after that when things really changed. Or when I turned 16, and then 18, I thought right away things would be and feel different. And even though, things have NEVER changed immediately after 12:01 AM on January 1st, I always ALWAYS get nervous. What if this year is different? What if things all the sudden take a turn? I start rethinking my resolutions, start to doubt myself and my choices. And then I start to make bigger plans for bigger changes. When I know, I probably won't be able to follow thru on my small changes. I'm pretty shady when it comes to making changes. I adapt pretty well when it comes to changes at work and things like that, but when it's a voluntary change, it usually takes alot of time to make the full transformation. That's why I always get nervous. Here's an idea of how I resist change. Ever since I can remeember, one of my new year's resolutions has been to Stop biting my fingernails. It's been on my list for years, honestly. But, even though I try and try, I tried tabasco sauce on my nails, polish remover, wearing gloves, wearing bandaids, and to this day, I still bite them. I really don't know what to do. I have gotten better tho, I don't bite as much or constantly. But get me in a movie, or in a new situation, or even a situation where I'm not as confident, and I'll chew away at those little puppies. But for the most part, I've done pretty good, I don't just randomly bite on them. I'm really hoping I can follow thru on the changes I plan to make for 2010. They aren't terribly hard changes to make. I'm also going to find my list of goals I made a few months ago. It's somewhere in the computer/craft room, it's not totally hopeless, I'm sure I can find the list. When I do, I'll post it on here, then print out a copy so I can work on obtaining those goals too, if I can. 2010 might be a year that changes alot for me. And I like how that sounds. :)

Right now, I'm working on getting all my pictures put on my computer and then put on the external harddrive. Not too hard, but I had to find the broken camera, and get the photo card. The pictures on that card are from the honeymoon. Yeah... the honeymoon was about a year and half ago.... my bad... Oh well, at least now I have them for sure! It was pretty fun to look back. Mark looks sooooooo young, and I look awful, I didn't think to bring a brush with my when we were off the ship (we went on a cruise) so my hair was horrible from the ocean water. Ta da!! Plus, Mark and I were THE whitest people in Key West and Cozumel! And it didn't help that I got sunburned something awful right off the bat, thank goodness I thought to bring the aloe vera. It's not like we saw all that much sun anyways.... :D But it's fun to look back at pictures and laugh.

Love, bry and mark

AM adventures

So, this morning, I really really REALLY did not want to get up. Today is technically my Wednesday" of the week, so I look forward to sleeping in on Thursday. But today was an unusual day for me in the car. I got into the truck, and headed to work, like most days, everybody on the highway was going 50, either from fear of the frost on their windshield or from fear or other vehicles, I'm not sure, so I had to wait patiently to pass the dude with the huge mustache. Then as I'm taking my off-ramp onto 88th, I see a truck coming down the off-ramp, in my general direction. (This has happened before, back in WI, a car turned to go Southbound in the Northbound side of the freeway....) I honked my horn twice and waved at him to turn around, he had his hands up to tell me he knew already and was trying not to die. He wasn't going that fast, and no one else was coming up the off-ramp, he turned around and headed for the frontage road. But wait, the fun doesn't stop there! I called to tell Mark about the truck, he laughes and then we hang up. Then I'm going down 49th, before it turns into 47th, and I see a bald eagle on a pile of rocks, just perched, looking for food or something. How do I kow it was a blad eagle? It had a white head and it was HUGE! So I immediately call Mark back (I seriously just hung up the phone with him!) and tell him about the eagle, he thinks it's pretty cool. Then, as I hang up again, I see a semi coming from the south on Havana, I hit the breaks, which is good, cuz the semi is doing a u-turn and just misses the front of my truck!! By this time, I'm thinking I really should have stayed in bed, or at least, why isn't today Thursday?! Now I'm at work, and hoping things won't be so dangerous, although the eagle was pretty dang cool....

love - bry and mark

back to the grind

Ho-Hum!! Mark and I got home yesterday around 8:30 pm, and brought all our stuff into the house, then went to bed. Of course, I couldn't sleep right away, so I ended up opening all the movies we got from Santa and organized them alphabetically so they fit on my movie shelf, then I was ready for bed. (Sometimes I just need to unwind.) Plus, I was waiting for my NyQuil to kick in and knock me out. Yeah - you heard me, NyQuil, meaning I'm sick. I have a head cold, and trust me, it's not fun! I feel awful! My head is stuffed up, and I can hardly breathe out of my nose. Plus, this morning, I started coughing. Oh joy. At least it's not the flu, I can't handle the flu. I hate the flu! (Knock on wood) Mark and I both had to work today, Mark works until Thursday, I think he has Friday off, I have both Thursday and Friday off, so Thursday will be my clean-up day. Mark's dad and brother are coming out again this weekend to get more deer in Nebraska. So I'll have plenty of time to get cozy with my new Cricut and new camera. I know it's New Year's and it's supposed to be fun stuff and the like - but I've always been kinda boring on New Year's. I could plan some big shin-dig, but I kinda don't want to. I'm sick and I don't want to get other people sick. So maybe, if I'm feeling better, I'll bring my new load of movies and my Cricut and I'll hang with Ang and her fam, or something. I don't know. Oh well - :) I'll post pictures of our gifts later once I get everything sorted out.

We had a great time with Mark's family. There was plenty of hunting and fishing and beating each other with sticks. It was so much fun! We got to see some friends we hadn't seen in a while. And drop off gifts.I enjoyed watching everyone open the gifts I made this year, and hearing about them over the phone. My mom wants to hang the quilt up on a wall, I'm not sure that's a great idea, then everyone will be able to see all the mistakes!! But I'm glad everyone liked the gifts. I did forget Heather-feather's gift at the house, so when the boys come next weekend, I'll smuggle it into the truck so it's not forogtten again.

I had a great holiday, Merry Christmas to everyone!! Love to all - bry and mark

Christmas gifts!

So here is a rundown of the gifts I made this year for Christmas, I also putting who got what on here because this is posted AFTER Christmas! (also because they don't check the blog regularly, so HA!)

*The picture is BELOW the info about the project and who it's for!!

Here is the wedding album I made for my my dad. (I just got the pictures this summer, and realized he didn't have any yet, so I made him an album!) I had this chipboard album around the house (a scrapbooking store went out of business, so I snatched up all I could!) and I found this tutorial from Creativity Prompt on how to cover it with scrapbook paper.

And here is the Chicken Wire Message board I made for Heather! I was so excited to make this! I had made one for a friend (as a test drive, but it turned out super freaking cute!) and was way happy with how it turned out and got so excited to make this for Heather. I found this idea from Creative Crate. I added sunflowers cuz Heather's kitchen is sunflowers and chickens. I couldn't find any chickens, but CHICKEN wire!! Eh, eh!! Pink and purple flops and wallet.

I made some gifts for Angie. It was sorta hard to think of something to give to her, cuz she could really make anything she wanted. But I thought I'd make something I thought she wouldn't make for herself. I saw on a blog, a lady made a cookie sheet calendar from Oops I craft my pants and I really loved the idea, so I whipped one up for Ang! And then I found this website called The Idea Door that has free downloadable temple pictures, and so, I downloaded a bunch, and Mod Podge'd the pics onto plates for friends!!

I made a blanket for my mom. I had the idea while ago.

Here is Sammi's gifts. I also made her a plate. I made her a wallet, flip flops and a chicken wire board. The chickenwire board is more for her birthday, her b-day is the 27th. Green and silver.

Here are Katie's gifts - wallet and flip flops. This was my main gift this year, I made the flip flops and wallets for my girls. Lime green and multi color.

Here are the gifts for Gwennie. I made her a wallet, flip flops and a name plaque board, she got married in October, and I had to make ther this board!! Lime green and purple.

Here is Fanga's gift. I made her a wallet. Pinks.

Chalkboard for Grandma. I made her this, she has a cat, so I put paw prints on it! :)

Merry Christmas!

- I have some more pictures to get, I completely forgot to take some pictures before I wrapped them! I forgot Mark's mom's gift, Scott's gift, and Alexa and Meg's gifts! I'll add those as soon as I get them from mom.

12 Days of Blessings : Day 1

Day 1 : I am blessed to know the love and life of Christ, my Savior. I am so blessed to know Him and to know that He died for me, and that I may return to Him. I am blessed to know of Him, His birth, His life and His death. I am blessed to trust in Him and understand why He did what He did.

Thank you to all who have come into my life and all those who I have met. We are so blessed to know all of you and to have you as friends. Thank you for all that you do, and all that you are. We are blessed with your friendship.

Love to all, and peace and joy, hope that this feeling never leaves and is enjoyed throughout the year. - bry and mark

12 days of blessings : day 2

Day 2 : I am blessed with good travel conditions and good husband who knows how to drive smart in bad weather! We made it to Utah, and the trip wasn't that bad - at first was kind of awful and little scary. There were whiteout conditions when we passed some snowplows (they weren''t plowing anything, they were just driving along the shoulder, but tossing up all kinds of snow into the wind, and it made it so we couldn't see the snow or the car in front of us or really anything, for that matter.) But after we passed Laramie, the trip was fine, the road was clear and there was no snow, it was a fine drive. But I am so blessed with a husband (pilot) who has the know-how to drive in the snow, and that he doesn't have to "man-up" and drive all tough like, that he was considerate and he was ok with driving slow. I love him. (And he really is a tough guy, I mean, c'mon, the guy punched a raccoon to death, could he be any tougher?! I think not!) But we have been blessed with good travel conditions every time we drive to Utah, we have never been stuck due to closed roads or bad weather (but our family has) and we are so blessed that we have made it to our destination the same day/drive we left our house.

love to all - bry and mark

12 days of blessings : Day 3

Day 3 : I am blessed with worry. Yes, it really is a blessing, but it also is a pain. I worry too much sometimes, but when I worry, I worry about all kinds of things, sometimes I worry about things Mark would never think about. This is both good and bad, good because then we are more prepared, bad because then I'm usually worrying about useless pointless things. But I am blessed that I care enough about things to worry. I've been trying really hard to not worry about things I cannot change and have no effect on. I've been worrying about the snow lately, and really I know it's something I cannot change, but I can prepare for what could happen. And really, I'm not that worried about it, I just want us to be prepared, and I want to make sure we're ready for getting stuck. Oh well. But I am blessed that I can be prepared for situations, and that I think about things, like what we'll need and what we could need.

So far, this storm that was promised dropped 2 inches of snow at our house, and it looks like Wyo hasn't been hit yet. So, it could very well be smooth-ish sailing to Utah tonight. We're still praying for good weather tho. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

Love and safety - bry and mark

trouble in paradise

Completely aside from the approaching storm (please hit Thursday.....) I am working on my last 2 gifts (to be given the 25th and 26th!) and Mark was helping me with the last one, and it broke!! AAAHHHH!! But, my awesome amazing freaking fantastic husband is helping me, and getting me a new one really quick, so I'm going to hurry up and fix up the new one. Hopefully my deadline will still be met, and everything will go ok! In the mean time, I'm going to snap pics of what I have done, and get everything wrapped!

So this storm has gone completely AROUND our house, we have not been hit, but all the surrounding places have, including downtown Denver and the ariport. The storm is literally swirling around our town.... What does this mean?! Now, if we could just get the storm to continue swirling and leave Wyoming alone, that would be great! We head to Utah tomorrow night, oh how I wish we were leaving tonight, and on our way right now.

Safefy and peace, bry and mark

12 days of Blessings : Day 4

Day 4 : I am blessed to have been born here, in this country, at this time. Altough some people complain alot about our country, I am so blessed to be here. To have the freedoms that I have, to have the job I want, to go to the school I want, to beleive what I want to believe, to have freedom of speech, I can wear what I want, say what I want, pretty much do what I want. It could always be worse, we really don't have it that bad here in the US. I enjoy my freedoms and am so very blessed to appreciate them and have them. I am grateful to be where I am. I am blessed to have been born at this time, and not 150 years ago, I don't think I could have hacked it, I'm such a wuss, really I am. I couldn't have gone thru all those struggles. (My mom says, that although we have different struggles than back then, ours are just as hard and difficult.) I am so very blessed in all things. :)

Love to all - bry and mark

*go ahead, count 'em for yourself, you'll smile, trust me.

New Laws in the CO

Hmm, apparently I'm not the only one to notice that people in Colorado CAN'T drive (sorry, but it's true!) and that if a cell phone texting plan is added to the already negative equation of drivers, that just makes for a horrible accident. So, Colorado created a new law, yes that's right, A LAW! No texting while driving! (I was getting really good at typing out a text without looking at my phone, then glancing at the message while at a stop and go light, but no more!) I've been so good about not breaking this law! I haven't texted while behind the wheel at all! I just wish other drivers with mountains on their license plates would do the same! Today I almost became Semi paint! The road I take to work is kinda windy and curvy, and I was just driving along (jamming out to some Rage Against The Machine) and all the sudden the semi on my right and a little bit ahead (my front end was about parrallel with his rear axle) swerved into my lane, almost as if he wished to become part of my lane! I honked and slowed so we didn;t become a hybrid, but as I passed (totally giving this dude the stink-eye) I saw that he was on his cell phone, flipped open, stabbing the keys with his thumb! He didn't even SEE my stink-eye! How rude! So, I did what I had to to pass this guy, which means I floored it. Semi's just make me nervous, I learned to drive in a trucking town in Northern Wisco, and one of the first things they taught us was to get away from semi's, don't hang in the blind spot, don't just hang out next to them. So, when next to them, I got fast (or slow) to not be next to them, they told me it was being considerate and a smart driver. Most the truckers wave at me as I pass. :) But put a texting plan on that dude's phone, and I'm scared! Oh well. At least, I'm being good, right?!

I have been checking the weather this week, Mark and I are driving to Utah tomorrow night. A big storm is supposed to blow into UT, WY and CO tonight/tomorrow. Here's a tip, when checking weather.com, and checking the Weather in Motion, do NOT click the FUTURE button, that will totally mess you up! I thought this storm was supposed to huge and devasting! So far, no devastation, it looks like it's weaker than it was projected to be. Yesterday I was totally worried about the storm, and now, after reading the accumulation is supposed to be 1-4 inches in UT, WY and CO, I'm not nearly as worried. I'm still packing all the emergency stuff, like food, pillows, blankets, Mark's awesome new spotlight, books, dog food, and water. But, that should be in the truck every time we drive to Utah! So, I'm all set. Utah here we come!

**I've still got some presents to finish, that is what I will be doing tonight, non-stop, until they are done! But everything else is done, except these 2! And I need Mark's help to wrap it all up! 3 more days and I can post all the pictures and fill you all in on the gifts! :)

Love and safety - bry and mark

12 days of Blessings : day 5

Day 5 : I am blessed with family!! I am blessed that my family is here with me, that Mark and I are together. You hear stories about people are sperated from their loved ones, and it makes my heart break. I am so blessed that I have Mark in my life, and that he is always here with me. Thank you so much for always being here! I am blessed to share this holiday with my husband. My family in Wisconsin is absolutely amazing, I love you guys. Have fun together, and don't kill each other, smile and enjoy the cocoa! I'm blessed that they are who they are, and that they are ok with us not visiting this year. (Thank you for forgiving us ;) ) I am blessed that Mark's family is so close to us. (Also, I am blessed that I can read the whole time, and not pay attention to the roads or driving, it makes the time go so much faster!) Love to all, and Merry Christmas!

Joy to all - bry and mark

Our Chirstmas

So, we opened our gifts tonight. I got Mark an air compressor (who knew?!). We got New Super Mario Bros Wii from my grandma Mavis, thanks!! We got a massager and some gift cards from my folks. We got Jenga and The Italian Job from Santa. And Bandit got a sling-shot chicken. I teased him with the package first, and then he dove on it, and once I tore the paper a little bit, he dug into it (he LOVES paper!) and, I even went out and tossed the chicken around, but then he chewed the slingshot tube off, and now it's just a squeaky chicken toy with a cape.

Mark will say we opened presents tonight because "Bryana cannot look at a wrapped presents for more than 10 minutes without tearing it open." But you know how Mark lies! Thos presents were under the tree for at least 2 weeks! Oh well.

We're heading out to Utah on Wednesday Night after work, Christmas with this family this year. :) I'm excited to go to Utah for the holidays, his family always has pie. :) We just have to get thru these 3 days of work, so if we survive, Utah here we come! (There are only 2 people in my department at work this week, and that's nationwide, only 2 CAD people for the entire US for these 3 days, and for next week too, I am 1 of them.)

Merry Christmas!

Love, bry and mark

12 days of Blessings : Day 6

Day 6 : I am blessed with a belief, a knowledge in something. I believe in my religion. I am member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I enjoy my religion, and I enjoy the people I go to church with. I take comfort in knowing that no matter where I go, no matter which church building I go to, I will always learn the same thing, the doctrine doesn't differ or change from state to state or building to building. I know in my heart this gospel is true. I will not press my beliefs on anybody else, I don't think you're evil or a heathen if you don't believe what I believe. I will answer questions, but only if you ask. I believe that everybody has a right to believe what they believe, and in that stance, no one is wrong. You can't hate something for not believing what you believe. I take comfort in the blessings I have received from choosing to live the life I do. I know this gospel is true and I am so very blessed to have an eternal companion who stands next to me in all those beliefs.

Love always, bry and mark

12 days of Blessings : Day 7

Day 7 : I am blessed with a husband who lets me get away with so much! He let's me try pretty much anything I want, and lets me just take my ideas and run with them. He even was up for my crazy road trip to Arizona to get a dog! He moved here with me, and has stood by my side thru everything. I adore him so very much! I could not (nor do I want to) imagine my life without him, he is absolutely amazing in every way! I love you boy! Keep smiling, I love your smile!

Love to all - bry and mark

way to start a day?

So, I asked Mark last night what time he was getting up to go hunting this morning. He said 4:30. I said, ok, that's fine cuz I'll be snoozing! Well, he did try really hard to NOT wake me up, but Bandit wanted to know why I wasn't awake with Mark! He kept shoving his wet nose in my face and on my neck! I kept pushing him away but he really wanted me to wake up I guess. I told Mark yesterday, my plans to head to WalMart and then make some treats, plus I wanted to get our White Elephant gift for tonight. I figured he'd leave his card for me to use. Nope. He didn't even leave me the key to ky truck! But wait, he forgot his keys (his truck has a spare) and the key to my truck was on his key ring. (If I hadn't found his keys, I would NOT have been a happy wife!) But I found the key, and I am warming up the truck right now. I've gotta stop by WalMart for some stuff (I found Mark's credit card...) that we need. I'll post pictures of my creations. :) I made Cake Balls using Bakerlla's recipe found here. I used Milk Chocolate cake mix and Milk Chocolate frosting. They turned out great!!

So, did you know that when FedEx runs out of trucks for the holiday season, they rent U-Hauls?! Neither did I, until my mom called to tell me she got the box I sent (on Wednesday, no less!) and the guy in the FedEx driver pulled up in a U-Haul truck! That makes me like FedEx even more! Just thought you should know!

We just got done with our White Elephant/Dip party. We brought the Hot Wing Dip, that I really liked actually, but I kep eating everything else. Mark liked it too I think. But the gifts we brought were : Fish & Chips - I bought some chips from the DollarTree and I hopped over to PetSmart and bought 2 goldfish, put them in the box, with a note that said "Don't Shake, I'll break!" We also brought : A Romance Kit - I bought a romantic CD, fake rose petals, candles, gum, and costumes (pirate costumes were all they had) all from the dollard store, and put them in a box. I found some Santa Coal that said "Being naughty never tasted so sweet" and a notebook from Michael's that said Naughty on it (I have one that says NICE). It was lots of fun at this party. I had fun getting the gifts together.

Love, bry and mark

Random days in WINTER

So, the past few days I've been in a cleaning kick. (Yes mom, it's true!) I've come home from work and just started cleaning everything. Well, more like picking up trash and actually throwing it out. I cleaned off the table, which never happens. I even reorganized my limited counter space, I squished all my appliances (except the slow cooker) on the corner counter, and Mark helped me with dishes. The last half of this month and as long as it takes in January, my goal is to get the house clean, and to have it stay that way for at least 3 weeks. I'm thinking it won't be too hard, it'll just take commitment on both our parts, to put things away, throw things away, and fold the laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer!!! These past few monthes have been crazy because I have been making gifts like it's my business. But, that will all stop as soon as the 25th hits! (Of course, after the 25th, the making will soon be replaced with playing with my new things!) And I've already got plans for new projects for 2010! I am so awful, I know! But, I am prepared to put off my projects until I get organized. That is what I want this next year, to get organized! I want to organize my projects, my crafts, my computer room, my supplies, my house, everything! I know that I will never ever ever be totally organized, but I feel confident in getting slightly more organized than I am right now. Anyways, I just want my house to be clean enough for people to stop over and me not crying.... :) It shouldn't look this horrible, it's just me and Mark. We do have Bandit, but he's not that messy! It's really just us!!! So, that is hopefully going to be my plan for tomorrow. Mark is going hunting first thing in the morning, and he's taking the Bandit, so I will have all day to do my business! (Let's just see if I still have my ambition in the morning!) Here goes!!

love to all - bry and mark

12 days of Blessings : Day 8

Day 8 : I am blessed with a desire to learn. I love learning new programs, and new strategies, new decorating ideas, new recipes, new topics, new subjects, new techniques, new projects, new activities, new plans. I love it all! I am so blessed to have a desire to go back to school and a desire to go back to school, to learn more things. I am so blessed to have a husband with the same desire. He also has a desire to create and fix anything and everything he can. I am blessed to havea desire to figure out the How's and Why's of things, and blessed that Mark has the same desire. A desire to make things better, to fix things, and see if I can make them better.

Things have been great lately, we've been getting things ready for Christmas. (I have all the gifts done, except 1!!!) I'm so excited. We got a package from my mom yesterday, with our Christmas present inside. I've been trying to clean up the house, slowly it's been getting done. Our little dog is in desperate need of a bath, that should get taken care of this weekend. I've got some New Years Resolutions that I hope to put into action this year, nothing like Excercising, cuz that won't get done this year, but resolutions like try to keep the house clean, and stuff like that, things that I can get done! But more about that next year. :)

*Oh, Amy showed me where to go to get it to snow on my blog. Go to CuteLinksForYou to get all kinds of cute things!

Love to you - bry and mark

12 days of Blessings : Day 9

Day 9 : I am blessed with ideas. I am always getting new ideas, and finding new things to create. I am so blessed that I have a husband who is ok with my crafting and creating. He doesn't complain (usually) and he lets me go about my business creating and concocting. I enjoy finding new ideas and it eases stress and relaxes me. He lets me express all my thoughts and ideas and creations on the blog (he lets me put his name on the posts!) and lets me share my ideas with him, even when he's sleepy and tired. He says he likes it when I get all excited about new ideas and new projects. I love making things and am so blessed to have the ambition of creating and making things. I am blessed with a desire to make things better, see if I can save money, time, effort, change things for the better. I am rarely content with how things are the first time I make them. :) Bueno!

Alright, So far so good, now if I can just keep it up, we're starting to head into more crazy as I finish up the Collard presents, and as we travel to Utah next week. (Wow, is Christmas next week already?!) Plus, I won't feel like doing anything tonight after work, it's our work potluck today and everybody is bringing in tons of food (I made 2 pies) and so it's pretty much Thanksgiving all over again. Hmm, no complaints here... :)

Love to you- bry and marl

Collards in Action

So here is our Christmas Card! Angie took the pictures (it was really windy but we got a few I love!!) and then she helped create the layout of the card! She's magic! Thank you so much for helping us out, and it always seems to be short notice, sorry!! We love you guys!! Happy Thursday and Merry Christmas in a week!

Oh and she even made the back to it, we sent it out as a postcard! Genius!

Love to all - bry and mark

12 days of Christmas Blessings

So, lately I have realized just how blessed we are. And I am trying hard to remember and count my blessings each day. (Although, I feel if I try to do an activity with counting my blessings, it will just fall by the wayside, just like Daily December book did.) I'm not sure what to do besdies blog every day about it, like I did for the 27 days of Thankful. Except I'm going to call it 12 Days of Christmas Blessings. (I am making this up as I go.) And for th record, I know it is technically day 10, but I'm going to catch up real quick. So be prepared for 2 posts a day again, just like November. (There might even be some repeats, so forgive me....)

Day 12 : I am blessed with friends. My friends are amazing, and wonderful and freaking awesome! I am a person that needs people, I need the interaction, and I need friends. I am so blessed to have the listening ear and the shoulder to lean on, friends I can rely and can rely on me. I absolutely adore my friends and am so lucky to know each and every one of you. You all have been such a blessing in my life, and have touched my heart in such a deep way, I cherish our relationship.

Day 11 : I am blessed with health. (Don't say YEAH RIGHT!) Even though 2009 has been kinda rocky with health issues, and I've still got headaches, and we're waiting to hear about the heart stuff in 2 months, I really am healthy. I don't have a cold, I don't have the flu, I don't have any broken bones, I don't have a disease, I'm emotionally healthy. Things are going good right now, and even though we did have that rough patch last year, I am blessed that it was able to get taken care of as soon as it did.

Day 10 : I am blessed in my situation. I am married to a wonderful, amazing, worthy, handsome man, who cherishes me and loves me for me. We have a cute little dog that we love and he loves us. We live in a home that has heat, electricity, and water, with a bed and a TV and blankets and a computer. We have food in our fridge, and dishes in our cupboard (sink...). We both have vehicles to drive, and insurance on them and us. We both have jobs that have not been effected by the recession. We both live the Gospel and believe the same thing, and take strength from each other. We have money in our bank account, and can pay our bills. We both honor each other and love and care for each other.

(So I know that I repeated from my 27 days of Thankful, but I like the idea of counting our blessings, even for a few days. It helps me to realize just how fortunate I am, and how wonderful my life is. I am NOT bragging, and I encourage everyone to take a step back and to count the blessings in your lives, you'll see how amazing it is, and you'll feel the love of Christ.)

Love to all - bry and mark

New things and cookies

I have a laptop for work, I have to bring said laptop home everynight. Apparently they had some isssues with laptop security and what not, so it is required for all laptops to be taken home. So, Mark and I have been using that laptop for everything from downloading music to changing our Fantasy Football lineups. So, when I got the first virus, I brought up the idea that we should get a computer of our own. But when I got the 2nd virus, we went out and bought one. Now, when I say virus, I don't mean just a little virus, I mean IT took my laptop and purged the virus for a day and a half (both times!) So, yesterday, I got to work, IT came and noticed my virus, they started working on my computer, then about noon they came and took it. So I went home. That's how it was last month when I got the virus! Josh in IT said my computer wouldn't be done in a day. Well, I have vacation today (cookie exchange!) and yesterday Mark got the card from my mom, it was a gift card to Chili's (they changed their alfredo sauce, so if that's your favorite, watch out!) and after Chili's we had to stop at Wal-Mart (my flat iron died Sunday morning) and I had it in my mind to just stop and check out the computers. Well, we ended up really checking one out. We got Windows 7 (AWESOME!!) and a 20" screen, it's pretty fantastic. I finished up a gift (I've got to mail them out TOMORROW!!) and Mark set up the computer. When I asked him to do that, he said, Remember, I'm computer illiterate, I said, it should be easy, it'll be fine. Well, my amazing husband got the computer set up, and he even found the games!! LOL! So, yes, I am now on my awesome new computer right now!! Woot woot! Merry Christmas! So, from now on, no more big purchases! Ha ha, the computer was actually cheaper than the one with the 18.5" screen and Windows Vista, I said I DON'T WANT VISTA! So, Mark took it back and got a different one, it didn't say the price, and Mark said it was heavier and with a bigger screen, but it was somehow, $50 bucks cheaper than the Vista. So WOOT WOOT! Now.. If I can just clean my computer/craft room to look as awesome as my new computer, I'll be even happier...

There was a cookie exchange today with some girls from church. I had some more vacation days, so I decided to take today off. I made 5 dozen of those hot chocolate on a stick for the exchange, so I got to pick out 5 dozen cookies to take home. Mark was so happy! (He came home for lunch!) So I was unloading 3 bags of cookies onto 1 plate, I told Mark to take some cookies, and he tried to take that entire plate! I say he TRIED because I caught him before he could leave the driveway! Sneaky sneaky! But it was so much fun to see all the girls, and it was really nice to hang out with all of them. Then I went over to Angie's and she really helped me finish the gifts. All DONE!! So excited! Cuz now I can mail them out tomorrow!! Yayay! All I have to do is wrap them all! Yayayay! That is all I have been doing for a few days, is finishing presents! Yayay!

Love to all - bry and mark

Holiday Magic and eating things

Oh oh it's magic, you know-o-o!! I am thankful that all my family will in 1 spot this Christmas, so I only have to mail gifts to 1 location! Selfish I know, but it really does help out alot! I just get those Pre-paid boxes, with no weight limit, just has to fit in the box, put all the gifts in there, and ship it out! So helpful! YAYAY! But it gets better than shipping thru the Post Office.... I'm shipping everything thru work! Commercial prices, and it's so freaking easy! I don't even have to find a pre-paid box to fit everything in, work has all kinds and sizes of boxes and can easily find a box to fit everything!! Plus, they can fill it with all kinds of packing material, like peanuts, or bubble wrap, or even packing foam (the put theis hose in there and shoot foam in there, and it molds around what your send! I'm so glad the entire family is going to be in 1 spot, it makes shipping things so much easier!!

What Bandit ate this week :

Leftover birthday cake
(1) shoe, my nice warm, nearly new Vans, just 1!!
12 pack of Ramen Noodles (beef) flavor
1 pack of Snowman Peeps
1 blue mixing spoon
1 gate
2 garbabge bags
1 box of saran wrap
1 box of freezer bags, gallon size
1 pheasant tail feather grouping
1 bubble wand
1 ice cube tray
250 plastic 3 oz cups
1/2 a bag of dog food
2 rawhides
1 new squeaker toy

I am ready to make Bandit slippers!! I peeked outside this morning, and saw the box or Ramen, all torn up, I went out to get it, and found one of my shoes!! Oh yes, you could say I'm mad, you could even say I'm irrate!! Oh yes, as I type this, he is confined to the bathroom. The only place we can isolate him, with minimal destruction. The snow hid some of the destruction this week, but it's melting today, so I saw it all this morning!! Evil little dog!!!

-bry and mark

Spoon or Fork?

So I made my December treat (I've been trying to create one new treat each month, October was mummy cookies, November was Turkey treats, well really it was Pie!) I saw this tutorial on a blog called Giver's Log and I had to try it! Mark loved Hot Chocolate, all the Collards do. So I got all the stuff for it, and whipped up a batch, I even had the Official tester try it out, and we reduced the amount of chocolate used for the mix. He approved. And then I got a wild hair, and decided this is what I was going to make for the Cookie Exchange on Tuesday. (I know they are NOT cookies, but they are an awesome holiday treat!!) So I made 5 dozen of them! And I thinking about making some to take to Utah for Christmas. (I said Collards like hot chocolate!) So I'll probably end up doing that.

I had an idea for the molds, I was going to use the 3 oz cups (Angie talks about them here.) But, when I had the Tester try out the sample, it was soo much chocolate on 1 spoon, so we put 1/2 into the mold, that was still alot. So I decided to get rid of the cups (thank you Bandit for helping me with that decision by eatting the cups!!) and I used Ice Cube trays, but I had to buy new ones cuz Bandit ate those too.... So I used ice cube trays, and I scooped the mixture into the trays with my little cookie dough scoop, then just pressed it down into the cube mold. And stuck a spoon in, then popped them in the freezer. (Towards the end I had to use Forks cuz I ran out of spoons... Too much trial and error, but forks stir just as good as spoons, right? RIGHT?!) Once they were hard, I twisted the tray (like you do with ice cubes) and they all popped free, and then I dipped some in white chocolate (ok, it is really just vanilla baking chocolate that comes in the HUGE bars!) and then dipped them in crushed candy canes, or sprinkled them with a holiday mix! (I love having Mark around, he crushed up the candy canes so dang good, and he didn't complain cuz he got to watch deer hunting videos while he did it.!) I wrapped them in plastic wrapped and tied them with some kitchen string! Ta DA! Now, I just have to write on the spoon (or fork) handle "Stir into a mug of hot milk!!"

These really were easy, and once I decided to do double batches, it took no time at all!! I wouldn't go bigger than a double batch, it gets hard to stir and I don't have enough ice cube trays! All I really had to buy was the double boiler, I got one at WalMart for about $30, but if thise turns into something I made each year, than it's totally worth it!! Plus, there is so much more I can make with my new double boiler.... Looks like we're ready for a chocolate fondue night..... mmmmmmm, New Years is sounding like a perfect time!!

Love to all this holiday season!! - bry and mark

Making Changes

I have this idea (trust me, it's nothing new, it's the same idea I've have since Mark and I got married) and the idea is to make a budget and stick to it. Well, with holidays, and buying presents, that budget went out the window (or just trampled in teh dirt). But, I am making changes to the budget, and I'm cutting bills off, and I'm trying to pay off what bills I can. But all of these changes are going to start in January, I know my efforts will be in vain if I try to implement them now, I've still got to ship the gifts for Christmas. But I am serious about getting things taken care of this year. We're switching insurance so we will save tons of money that way (and when I say tons of money, I really do mean TONS of money!!). Now, it's just a matter of sticking to it. We've been doing pretty good for the past few months, but then Thanksgiving and Christmas came, and birthdays came all at the same time. But 2010 is the year I want to become debtfree, or at least it to just slightly indebted. And the thing is, that it's possible for us to do that. We just need to stick to it, and keep the dog out of the laundry detergent.

With the idea comes the strategy, and the strategy is the Dave Ramsey thing. His Total Money Make Over. Basically the plan is: Save $1000 for emergency, then pay the minimum on all bills, put all un-bedgeted money towards the littlest bill, once the little one is gone, focus the un-bedgeted money on the next little one, and so on. He calls it the Debt Snowball. We knocked out our littlest one a while back, but now we're back to saving up the emergency money again, we had some mishaps. But I'm very confident that this plan will work, and that all we need to do is stick to it. So, get ready 2010, the Collards are paying stuff off! Now, if we could just make next year go better than our first year.... I thought we would be fine our first year, that nothing would go wrong. HA! Yeah right, all kinds of stuff happened that we had to pay for. So please, 2010 (KNOCK) just go (ON) the way (WOOD) we plan!!! Dang, I probably just cursed us.... Oh well, Cheers!!

Love to all - bry and mark

NEWS FLASH

Mark is working on tying some flies, and walked out to the garage with a pheasant tail in his hand, and BANDIT DID NOT FOLLOW HIM!!! Oh my goodness!! I am in shock! Bandit follows anyone outside, and especially to the garage, and he ALWAYS follows Mark when he's got dead animal around his person!! My dog knows it cold outside, he's been a shivery pup when we see him out there!! But he didn't follow him, how odd!! I just had to post the occasion, in proof that I am NOT a wuss, and that it really is freezing cold!!

love- bry and mark

pros vs cons

So, yesterday I started out early to get to work. It had snowed early Monday morning, but it wasn't a ton of snow. But it still took me an hour and a half to get about 10 miles from home. So, I called the office at 8am, and said I was turning around and heading back home. (I had stuff to work on from home.) And it took me about 45 minutes to get back home. I got started on work, and even went out to play with the dog while my drawings loaded. Bandit had loads of fun in the snow, playing around with snowballs and trying to sniff for trails. He would come back inside with his beard all full of snow. But there are pros and cons to working from home. A pro is getting whatever food I want from the fridge, a con is getting wet socks from going to the kitchen to get food. Also, I realized just how smelly my dog is. It's like perpetual wet dog smell, then dried, then more wet dog on top of that!! Little dog totally needs a bath.... My only worry with that is, as soon as I get him out of the tub, he'll run outside and freeze! (No, seriously, it has been 5 degrees for the past 2 days, he really would freeze!!)

Ok, so I know I haven't posted in a day or so, I'm not really sure... But I have been so busy trying to finish up the gifts. Monday I have a good excuse, it was the Packers vs Ravens game, and of course, we had to watch and cheer the Pack. Tuesday, I really did come home and craft something up, and yes it was for a gift! Tonight, Mark and I have a thing with church, but before that, we are going to IHOP for Stuffed French Toast, cuz I love that stuff so much! MMM!! I really have been trying hard to get the gifts done, I just need to quit being distracted by nonsense like football (ok!! I'm sorry about that one, I really was kidding!!) and new presents my friends get (it's really like, Oh look, a butterfly!!)!! I've just got a little bit more to go! Good news is, some of gifts can be sind AFTER Christmas, some of my friends are going to be out of town! So that relieves some pressure, plus the gifts that we are taking to Utah don't have to be done until that week. So Yayayayayayay! I seriously just a have a bit more to do, and looks like I will be asking Angie for help again.....Please?! Just keep your eyes peeled on Christmas, I will unveil all the gifts I made this year (I already have to post started and created!! and is scheduled to post Christmas morning!) I have been way excited about making my gifts, and I am already thinking about next year.... Ugh!! Next year is going to be easier, I'm going to start earlier!!

I started off really good doing my Daily December book, but with work and everything, I have fallen behind horribly! I thought it would be a cute idea, and it is, but I think it is more for the families with kids and daily activities, rather than Today we worked, and I crafted! and Today we worked and then went out to eat. So, I might put my idea aside for a while, or I might even make up pictures and get caught up.... Not sure.... Oh well, it was a fun idea.

Love, bry and mark

I'm a loser baby

So, I know I have totally been a slacker lately in regards to my blog posts! Trust me, I have a good excuse, I have been so busy with the gifts and getting everything ready for Christmas. I have to have everything sent out by next Wednesday for the gifts to get there by Christmas! So, I've been trying to crank them out! And I can't even post pictures of what I've been doing, cuz it'll spoil the surprise that is Christmas! Trust me, Mark doesn't even have a place to sit in the craft/computer room because all of my craft stuff is all over, and on every surface I can find! I can hardly walk around, I keep stepping on stuff, nothing's broken, but it's just a mess! Bandit doesn't even cross the threshold, he knows not to enter that room. (Bandit was even home alone for about 1/2 hour, and he had whole run of the house, and he didn't even come near the craft room, he found the remanants of the birthday cake "chocolate explosion" and finished that off, there was only about a 1/2 a piece left.) I have been getting tons done, and I really only have a little bit to go to finish up EVERYTHING! And trust me, I have a TO DO list, that I am checking things off. My priorities are in order, and I'm trying really hard to get things finished up and sent out! I have been so excited for Christmas, and so excited cuz I made the presents. I love making gifts and then having the people open them!! It's so fun! I think I have decided to put this little card in all the hand-made gifts this year : LOL! It just makes me crack up! There are some funny ones! Oh well, onward! Progress is always moving forward, and if I don't move forward as well, it means, Christmas is cancelled!! Here are some more of the funny things.... And just so you know, Mark's oldest brother and sister are both born on Christmas. I thought these were funny, and Mark sure laughed. Sorry if they are in bad taste...

Love to all - bry and mark

my friends are freaking awesome!

So, Saturday was Mark's birthday, and I told him earlier last week that we were going to go snowboarding. No, that sentence is correct, I told him what we were going to do. Well, Mark kept saying how he hated leaving his little dog home alone all the time. I started to get the hint. I asked him on Friday (and again on Saturday) what he wanted to do. He said he wanted to go snowboarding. Well, when I woke up on Saturday with a big headache, I asked him again, what he wanted to do that day. He looked at me, and asked if I didn't want to go snowboarding anymore. I said that I did, but wasn't feeling up to it, and that I had all my presents to get done, and I'm not very good at snowboarding, and I know how the Coloradans are about "their Rocky Mountains" and how they have the best snow ever, and I figured the hills would be packed with people, and that I really do suck, and I had to make his brithday cake. I took a breath, and he started laughing. He said that he liked snowboarding alot, but that he really wanted to take the Bandit hunting that morning. So, we parted ways, he went almost to Nebraska to shoot things with Bandit, and I stayed home and crafted and made his cake. I got to IM-ing Angie and she said for me to bring ALL my stuff, and to come over and she would help me get it all done! So, I loaded up my sewing machine, my Mod Podge, my cardstock and the things for my presents. She helped me get it ALL mostly finished!! She is incredible! (And don't let her tell you otherwise!!) I realized I had been stressing about getting the gifts done and sent out, and I was worried that I wouldn't get them all done in time. She fixed all that worry! I now just have painting to get done!! She helped me get my Christmas cards put together, and ready for addresses, labels and stamps. It looks like I will now make my deadline, and it's all thanks to her!! Thank you so much for helping me out! Now, Angie, you just need to let me return the favor!!



Love, bry and mark

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy birthday Mark!! I love you so very much! I am so excited to celebrate another birthday with you! We will be 3 years apart in age for these 29 days. Wow, you're old!! :P LOL! I'm kidding! You are the love of my life and I am so very grateful to have you next to me and to have you in my life! I love you dearly.

Mark said it was one of the best birthday's ever! He got to go hunting all day with Bandit and then came home, we went over to Angie's and Gerrit's, ate the amazing birthday cake and then played Nintendo! It was pretty awesome! Happy Birthday love!

Love, bry and mark

The starlings will play when Bandit is away

There are so many freaking starlings in our yard! And squirrels! Geez! Mark took Bandit hunting, so the other animals have free reign over our yard this morning. (We opted out of snowboarding, which is ok, I made Mark's cake and I am making more presents today.) My house is so noisy with all the dang birds.

But anyway here is Mark's awesome birthday cake! Lovely!

Love, bry and mark

i can jam anywhere with my iPod

Everyday I end up bringing my iPod Touch to work, for a while I didn't because some of the apps are addicting, especially when all I get are game apps. But today, I found out why I always bring it! I can jam out ANYwhere and EVERYwhere with it! I am the copy girl/scan girl at work because apparently no one knows how to work the copier/scanner or reload paper or put more toner in the huge printer, so I do that. And I plugged my headphones (my big huge aviator headphones!) into my skinny iPod and rocked out to Motion City Soundtrack and The Killers and Eve 6 while copying! It was awesome! It was really nice too, because the testing lab is right next to the printer, and the test lab is not a quiet place. It's so noisy! So, not only did I get to jam out, but I opted out of listening to the test lab or that annoying guy from the shop come by and try to make a pass at me..... (a-buh!)!! Anyways, so I'm just jamming to tunes. Now...if only I could find something to do... I hate days when I sit here waiting for the printing company to deliver prints! Then I can ship them out!

Love, bry and mark

Holiday cheer

So, Mark and I put up the Christmas tree and the lights on the house on Tuesday. Well, Mark put the lights on the house and I put up the tree, even trade. Then on Wednesday I put the lights on the tree (it was just too much to do all in one night!) and then yesterday I put Christmas lights in the front window, on the inside cuz it was dang cold outside! I hung my cookie cutter wreath on the front door, and it has been so cold this week that the hot glue dots have been breaking! So, some of the cookie cutters are held together with paper clips, but you can't notice unless you get real close and look real hard, the paperclips are the same color! I put up some of our other decoration, I posted about those earlier. I'm way excited for Christmas, but not cuz I'm getting stuff, but because I'm giving stuff! I love watching people open presents and see their reaction. Mark's birthday gift came in the mail on Wednesday, and I wrapped it and put HAPPY BIRTHDAY on it, then he came home and played with the dog and I made him open it! He laughed at me. I told him I wanted to know if he liked it!I got him a 2.5 million candlelight power spotlight. He never asked for one, and I'm pretty sure he would never go buy one, so kudos for me for getting him a completely useless gift, right? Nope, he likes it. He was playing with it to see how far the light would shine and to see how bright it was. (Back in high school, me and a friend would go up to Shawno and get McDonald's and sit in the parking lot across the street and shine the light at people in the restuarant! Ah, good times!) But tomorrow we're planning on going snowboarding, it's supposed to be a little warmer tomorrow, in the 30's. So, it shouldn't be too bad, right? Who knows. We have a buy one get one free coupon for the lift tickets, so it should be fun.


It's been so cold this week, Mark plugs his truck in at night, a heater runs in the back so his chemicals don't freeze over night, and he was out and about yesterday, and his chemicals froze during the day! He had to sit in his truck with the heater on FULL BLAST! I don't think it has gotten over 22 degrees for 4 days. it's 13 degrees right now, with a windshill around 3 or so.


We'll post more pics as soon as I get them! Oh, and my daily Decmeber book has been coming along great, aside from the fact that Mark and I are really boring and lame. All I've been doing is getting the presents ready and finishing them up. Lame. It's not like we do anything really fun in December, or anything out of the ordinary really.

Love always, bry and mark

Music influences from friends

Hmm, so I have noticed and spoken about how easily influenced I am. I have fallen in love with bands from only a word (one word) from a friend. It was a just after Mark and I got married, we went back to Utah for a visit and went a movie with Bubba and Traci and some of Mark's friends. Traci wore a sweatshirt jacket that said BOYSLIKEGIRLS, and I went in search of the band. I have since bought 2 CD's of theirs and I love their music! They remind me a bit of Motion City Soundtrack. It's punk rock, but not emo. (Plus on their new CD, Love Drunk, they have a song featuring Taylor Swift.) So thank you Traci, for getting me into such an awesome band! Also, when I went to Texas to help my sister find her dress, she is in love with a band (well, it's more like just a dude who can't sleep and has excess to a synthesizer) called Owl City, and instantly I fell in love again! I went so far as to go on the Owl City myspace page just to listen to his music. (I didn't buy the CD's cuz I have this *odd* feeling I will be getting them for Christmas...) But lately, I have been on a MoTab kick, and I have a new found "thing" for piano solos. There's just something awesome about the sound of a piano, no words, just music. (sigh) Yeah, I know I am a big dork. But anywho, I am always looking for new music, and I listen to anything and everything, pretty much (It's so weird that I listen to music so much and that I kind of need it, because Mark doesn't ever listen to music unless I'm in the car or aroung, I just think it's odd..). But that's one reason I love Guitar Hero and games like that, they have TONS of new music featured in them, new and classic music. But to get new types of music, I go to the iTunes store, the Music part, and click on FREE ON iTUNES on the right side panel, every week they have brand new music, all of it's free. So I jump on that. Some of it I like, some I don't, some is not in english (but after driving to Powell with Mark's brother Steve and listening to Juanes the whole way, I don't mind not understanding what the dude says.) Like I said, I'm all into hearing new music. I just had to give my shout out to Traci for the hookup on BOYSLIKEGIRLS. I take any suggestions. :)

Love, bry and mark

I called in Stressed

Hmmm, so I went home from work early on Tuesday, I wasn't feeling well. Not like my head hurt or my stomache hurt, I just didn't feel well, as a whole. I have no idea what it was, but I couldn't sit at work anymore, I felt awful. So I went home, tried to lay down, and ended up getting some things done around the house. Wednesday, I woke up feeling worse than Tuesday, but I got up early (5:30am) and decided a nice hot shower would do the trick and make me feel better. NOPE! I felt so much worse! Like really sick worse. So I called in sick. I tried to go back to sleep, sleep was a no go. I sat on the sofa with a blanket and one of my new books, I read half of The Wednesday Letters, sort of ironic reading that on a Wednesday. But it was good! And after I couldn't read anymore, and I started skimming the pages, I put it down and started sewing. I sewed from 8:30am until about 6pm. I stopped in between for eats and to switch the movies. (I watched Peter Pan, Mulan, Emperor's New Groove, Elf and Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium.) I had to have something else to think about. But I got alot of stuff done yesterday, considering I didn't leave the sofa hardly at all. I was talking to Mark last night and I told him I think I was stressed so bad it made me sick. (I have 2 weeks to get all the gifts done and sent out, becuase the 17th is the LAST day to mail things if I want them there for Christmas!!) And considering I hadn't even really started a few of the gifts, yeah you could say I was stressed!!! Mark said he was sorry I'm stressed, I replied, It's self-inflicted stress, I decided to make the gifts!! He laughed, and said hand made gifts are way better than store bought ones. I rolled my eyes, and said, You say that because you're not sewing them with me!! I am so happy that I decided to make the gifts, I just wish back in October, when I started getting things together, I would have just made them, instead of procrastinating, Oh, I have time, It's only October!! Oh well. But I am very happy with what I got done yesterday! I feel great today! So it's off to work!!

Oh, and as for my headaches, for the most part, they are gone! Or at least hardly there anymore, I'm pretty sure it's the meds they have me on. Now, if I can just find a way to get rid of those, and not have headaches, I would be so happy! One thing at a time!!

Love to all - bry and mark

December Daily book complete

So I found on a few blogs, this Daily December book. Ali Edwards has one here. Technique Speak has one here. I actually saw it from the possibilities are endless. And then followed the links! So, I was so psyched about it, I went ahead and made it! It was dang easy to make, I had to really wipe the dust off of my creative bone, but it was so fun! I'm excited to do this during December!

Oh, and also on the possibilies are endless I found this new thing : Project Life and so I went to Becky Higgins to find out more about it, and I think this is something I really want to do next year. (Look, I'm already getting my new years resolutions ready!) So we will just have to see. I guess it partially depends on if I get what was on my List this year!!!

(And I just totally noticed the 6 on 26 is backwards! It looked right when I made it! Ugh!!) I'm excited to start this!!

love, bry and mark

Take a vote!

So last weekend when we were in Utah, we hung out with Bubba & Traci and Smitty & Angie, and we all made gingerbread houses. I'm really surprised the houses turned out as decorated ast they did, all the boys (ok, ALL of us) kept eating the candy!! Angie posted the pics (I'm reposting them, too) and she's taking a vote. Vote for who you think made which one and also vote for your favorite!!!

Let us know what you think!! They were so fun to make!!

Love, bry and mark

December decorations!!!

So, when we went to Utah for Thanksgiving, Mark's mom got some cute little decorations and sent them home with us. She gave us cute little snowmen, and a little sign that says "We still believe." And then, I went to Seagull Book and picked up some Simon Dewey 3x4 Nativity cards, like the shepards pointing at the star, the baby in the manger, and Mary, Joseph and baby in the stable. I saw those and instantly got an idea. I wanted to find a multiple-picture frame, and then find a way to wrap in Christmas wrapping paper, like a present. We went to Roberts and found a "floating" frame, which fit my 3 little pictures perfectly! And then we went and wrapped presents, and I wrapped my frame. I love how it turned out, and was so excited that I thought it up that fast!! I love it!! After I put this cute little "Christmas Present" and put up some of my other Decemeber decor, that I had around the house. Like my countdown blocks and my snowmen from Mark's mom. I brought up our Christmas decor box from the dungeon, and I will be peroidically putting up our winter stuff. I'll be doing that in between making gifts, so I don't get burned out, I'll switch it up. I'm excited about Christmas. I'm excited about getting in the gift giving spirit. Here's a collage with the decorations I've got up so far. :)

Love to all - bry and mark

November means fall

Thanksgiving was exactly how it should be (I missed my family, but they know it!). There was hardly any snow (in the mountains and the high elevations there was, but not around Clinton!), it was chilly, and it smelled like fall! It was so nice! There was hunting and turkey and pie and football. Mark's mom and I watched the Packers game while we cooked food, and then the boys came back and we watched the Packers game again, it was the best ever!! We went and watched The Blind Side, which is a way aweome movie. And Mark and I got to hang out with friends, we made ginger bread houses with Angie & Smitty and with Bubba & Tracy. (More on the Gb houses later.) It was so much fun just hanging out with his family. I thought about my family quite a bit, and how we all would get together and watch football and play cards and eventually go outside and throw the football around. It made me excited for Mark and I to start a family and start our own Thanksgiving traditions. I'm excited for these things to be ours, but I can wait!! :) The past year has come and gone so fast! It's Mark's birthday next Saturday, and I'm torn on what to day. I know I really need to get my Christmas presents finished (and so does Mark) but I have a buy-1-get-1-free coupon for a daily lift ticket. What to do?! I'm so excited to start snowboarding again, we didn't go last year cuz of the heart stuff, so we haven't gone in over 2 years! We both enjoy it, even though I'm not very good. I'm excited to get better. But if we go, this will a completely new thing for me, again, it'll be the first time since the open heart surgery. (I'm not worried about it, my heart is completely healed!!) I'm excited to see if I can notice a difference, to see if I can breathe as we go down the hill (last time we went, it hurt so bad to go DOWN the hill!) I'm so excited to get back on the board!! Time to get some long underwears!! We'll see how much I can get done on presents. The last day to mail presents so they get delivered by Dec. 25th is DECEMBER 17TH!! So I have to mail everything by then! That's my deadline!! We'll just have to see how things go!

Love to all- bry and mark

27 Days of Thankful - 27

Day 27 : I have been thankful for 27 days!! This "program" has helped me gain a better perspective of my life and so realize that I have A LOT to be thankful for! Also, this program has inspired me to try the Project Life in 2010. I really like the idea of writing down something everyday. I'm pretty excited to start this new project. (It's my birthday present!! I'm so excited! However, I'll get it after my birthday, but that's ok, I'm going to take pics and jot some notes for the part of January I don't have my present!) It has made me really grateful for what I have and to notice all that I do have!! :) But, today I am thankful for Black Friday Bird Shoots! Every Thanksgiving that the Collard boys are together, they go rabbit hunting in the morning (to leave the girls alone to cook.) and they went to the Black Friday Bird Shoot today, supposedly to leave the ladies to go shopping. But, Mark's mom and I tagged along, we went and watched our pup point at some birds. He was so good!! He learned so much today! He pointed at the pheasants and he even got a few! (For one, he chased it down and fought with it, and when Mark got up to him, Bandit was standing on the bird!!) He was such a good bird dog! Plus, he was the only dog out there that didn't have a shock collar on, granted, he wasn't the most well behaved dog, but he was way good at getting the birdies. It was way nice to get Bandit out there to see what other dogs do, and to get him the training and to get him excited about birds!! It was such a nice day, it was cold, but really a nice day! I am thankful for my family, and how I love hunting just like them (I fit in!). It was a nice day together with them, and having fun with them!!

What are you thankful for? Check out what Amanda is thankful for! Thank you Amanda for this great idea, I'm pretty sure this is a new tradition for our family!

PS- I did go shopping today, but it was at 4:30 pm, and the only place I went to was Seagull Book (hey! I'm in Utah, I HAD to go!!) and I went looking for a book, but didn't find it, and I got some shirts and a 6-picture frame for $7!!! I am so excited!! That was the only place I went, the only place I could stand to go, there was NO way I was setting foot in WalMart today, they parking lot looked like a zoo! Ugh!

Love always, bry and mark

27 Days of Thankful - 26

Day 26 : I am thankful for non-existent holiday traffic and good weather. Mark and I drove to Utah last night. We both thought there would be tons of traffic on the roads and that it would be slow going, and if anything, there would be tons of cops on I-80. WRONG!!! There was NO traffic, and we were able to zip right thru Wyoming, and as far as I know, we only saw cops heading East. It was smooth sailing from Colorado to Utah. Only one minor mishap of getting dinner, we took the wrong exit, I wasn't paying attention (I was reading Fablehaven 3 out loud) and Mark thought we always took the 2nd exit. Considering it is November and we had terrible snow storms in September and October, I thought we would see a little snow, but the only snow we saw was the snow on the hills and mountains and on the side of the road. It was a cloudless night, and the weather was perfect!! We couldn't have asked for better holiday travel conditions!

What are you thankful for today?!!

Happy Turkey Chow day to all!! Thanksgiving is such an awesome holiday, I love getting together with family and hanging out. I am so excited to watch football this year, I am actually keeping track of me team! I am missing my family this time of year, though, they know I love them, and I would go see them if I could. But I am excited to spend this Thanksgiving with Mark's family. His family is great!! The boys are actually in the truck heading out to the hunting spot. They go rabbit hunting every year. :) Happy Thanksgiving everybody!!

Much love to all - love, bry and mark

27 Days of Thankful - 25

Day 25: I am thankful for short work weeks. Although I was completely distracted all week, I really didn't get any work done, this week has been a good week. Also, everybody is on vacation, they have slowly been leaving the office all week. Today, there 2 people here in my department, and he sits in another part of the office altogether. So, it's pretty much just me. (Go figure that today would be the day I get to work early, when I have nothing to do!!) I am thankful I have the rest of the week to spend with family. I'm thankful we're going to see friends, and go hunting, and watch football. I am thankful I was able to make pies for tomorrow. I am so excited to see the family!!

What are you thankful for today?

**Hmm, these pies are so easy, they might just turn into gifts to neighbors and friends. I know a few people who could use a pie right about now.... I am thinking of you all.

Love and kindness this Thanksgiving, bry and mark

27 Days of Thankful - 24 and Week 11

Day 24 : So I have gone to sites all over to get new ideas. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for alot, but I feel like I covered the general groups. And I got to thinking about how blessed I am for all that we have. So today : I am thankful for blessings. I know that seems like a general statement as well, but what I mean is : in times of need, and times of trouble, things have miraculously worked out for us. The bills have evened up, the dog's food is on sale, I end finding coupons for ALL the things we need at the store, Mark gets sent checks from a place he worked when he was 12 because he never cashed them, having a job that gives paid medical leave, getting a phone call when it's been a really bad day, having a friend stop by, getting a check in the mail for Halloween. Ok, what I am really trying to say is, that Mark and I have gone thru hard times (who hasnt?!) but we always come thru them stronger than before. We feel the prayers and the blessings given in our names. We hadn't even been married 3 months before we were told I needed open heart surgery again. We freaked, but people from church and friends from home, and family all came together to help us thru it. When Mark and I were looking to move due to said surgery, we got a check in the mail, and we were able to move out of those horrible apartments. Things really have amazing for us, and I am so very grateful for all that we have and all that we have been blessed with. I am thankful that we have both been blessed with a positive outlook on things that happen. Neither of us really gets mad (frustrated YES, but mad, no.) and no matter what, we are able to talk to each other about everything. I love how blessed we are and feel.

What are you thankful for today? Check out Amanda's thankful list.

Week 11 Fantasy Footbal :
Mark : 91 (3-8)
Bry : 95 (4-7)

Mark and I played each other again this week, and it was so close! We went and watched the game at Gerrit and Angie's. It came down to the last field goal! Mark and I were tied for almost the entire 4th quarter of the Titans/Texans game. Mark has Nate Washinton (WR) on the Titans, and I have Rob Bironas (K) on the Titans, so if the Titans got a TD, my kicker would go in get some points for me! But Mark only got points if Washington got the TD. He was so back and forth, THROW IT! No!!! Wrong guy! It was lots of fun to play against each other again. I won!! But it was very very close. (Next year we've got plans to have a Collard Family League, his folks and brothers and us, it's going to be awesome!)

Love - bry and mark

Contradictory socks and hair scare no more

Lately Mark has been asking me for more socks. He even went so far as to ask "Every time you go to Walmart, pick me up a pack, please." In my head, I was thinking, ok, that's do-able. Realistically, I only did it once, because I kept finding his socks all over the house! Behind the couch, in the video game box, under the table, in his shoes, in the truck, in the closet. So I washed them all, now he doesn't need socks. Imagine that! But I have come to discover that socks don't last as long for boys as they do for girls. I have had my socks since before Mark and I started dating (about 3 years ago) and Mark got all new socks when he moved out of his house (about 18 months ago) and his socks are in shreds! I just keep losing mine. So I went to Walmart last night and bought a pack for ME! I really did need socks. I figured I was picking up a pack of No Boundaries socks, I've always had good luck with those, they are comfy. I picked the multi color pack, if I get all the same color, I lose more that way. So I got the pack with the green, orange, pink, red, blue and black. On the toes I thought they said No Boundaries, but nope, they say No Nonsense. I thought that was soo odd! I found the package and they aren't No Boundaries, they really are No Nonsense socks! So, my socks say No Nonsese, I think it's pretty funny, because I think this whole time of year is full of nonsense (shopping and deals and sales....) Plus, if anyone knows me, I'm not really a "no nonsense" kind of girl. I live for the funny stuff and the random stuff. (Mark and I even play the Thumbs game-last person to put up his thumbs says the prayer- and we do Jinx when we both say the same thing-Mark complains because I'm dang good at switching it up from You owe me a soda to You owe me buffalo wings or You owe me kisses- and we still go get pictures from the photo booth. All about the random crazy things that make me happy! Ignore the socks and enjoy life!!

No more hair scare!! So I've started to NOT hate my haircut so much. (Aside from a comment about me looking like a boy the other day at work..it's been good.) And I try not to point out what all I hate about and where the hair dresser screwed up. I wanted it like Rachel Leigh Cook in Scorched, and that's really what I got, I just need to play with it more to get it to do that! I am so used to my hair just falling to the side of my head, that I'm not aware it can do anything else! So it is time for expirimenting!! YAY! But, I've been enjoying it more, and it hasn't been nearly as horrible as I thought at first. Granted it has been over 2 weeks, and my hair has already grown tons. my bangs are already over my eyes. I have decided not to hate it, this is the length I usually get it cut to, and it's cute if I flat iron it. The holidays should be interesting, thank goodness all I have to do it comb it and shake it up sidedown and we're good to go!! :) I sure am glad it's cut, I couldn't stand it long anymore!

Love, bry and mark