Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Bitter Sweet Goodbye to 2010

Whew what a Year 2010 has been!! I think it has had some of the best days of my life. Those kind of days you tell your grandkids about and think about often. I am in awe by all the changes in my life in the past year but really how those changes have made a change in me. I was shortly out of college trying to decide what to do with myself when 2010 started off...



Hmm lets see.. in January 2010 I was bringing in the New Year very very very excited for what it had in store ( :   Heres a little story of my 2010..


                                     

                             January
We had quite the blizzard here in Oklahoma. But one thing you might not know about this summer loving girl  is that I love the snow too! We went sledding until I couldnt move. Brandon and I also adopted our first 4 legged fury friend, Cassius. Hes a boxer mix and always full of energy. He was so sweet and small and cuddly in January 2010 but a whole different story in 2011... still sweet but not so small and cuddly. It was also my Moms birthday, January 15th! Oh and let the serious wedding planning begin!








                                                   
                                                                 February
Brandon and I always take turns cooking for each other on Valentines Day, we don't have to fight the crowds. 2010 was the first year we were able to eat our dinner in our home together. Even though I didn't live there yet, it still felt like home and I'm pretty sure we cooked a fabulous meal. My good friend Stephanie also got married, it was a beautiful wedding in an amazing Cathedral. More and more wedding planning ( :

March
Spring Break!!! Brandon and I went to San Antonio (actually for a work trip but still we had a great time together). My parents and some of my sisters went to Destin, Florida and stayed in our family condo. We watched their dog Izzy for a week. Cash loved it! We also put wood floors all through our home. Well worth every dollar and every minute!! Wedding invites, favors, programs, and goodies start coming together.


April
Brandon and I really started getting our house and landscaping into gear for all the wedding company. We also realized how we need a new drainage system for our backyard.. can you say Flood?! Wedding planning was in full foce. Invitations went out, fitting for my dress and girls dresses happened,  searched for shoes, finals for florist, photography, and music!! So exciting!! oh and had a cook out at my sisters house.

The Wolf Pack at the bonfire
Mom trying on Lindseys dress for her            Our wedding invites we made ourselves

May
What a fun month! Wedding shower was May 1st. Bachelorette party with the big girls.Girls slumber party with the little girls and sisters. One of my little sisters graduated high school. Found a beautiful birds nest in my fern. Had a little bit of icky weather (hail). Had the first snowcone of summer. First spray tan ever..eekk. Finalized wedding plans. Counted down each day until the wedding. Busy busy month but loved every minute.
And Happy Birthday to my litle sister Piper, she turned 10 on the 18th.  
{Girls slumber party}
Mags graduation!!
Bachelorette Party with the ladies



 Yes that is me with the spray tan... don't worry I had to rinse it off 4 hours later and it was just a nice tan. But it was hilarious while it lasted.

JUNE
Fell in Love all over again.Married my best friend.love of my life.partner forever.best man I know. 
Yes, I know cheesy, right? But I think we can all be a little cheesy when it comes to things that really matter.. {Love}
June 12th at 7:00pm we had our dream wedding. Our rehearsal dinner the night before was amazing as well. A few days after the wedding was our honeymoon. Oh and two of my sisters birthdays, the 20th and 22nd! I also moved in with Brandon in our home after the wedding ( :






The Hilarious "Red Carpet Experience" photo booth pics from the wedding

Honeymoon. We went on the the biggest crusie ship made by Royal Carribbean!! Amazing! Jamaica.Haiti.Cozumel.Grand Caymen.Miami.

 


July
July was fun but I was a little sad after my wedding was over. We had a great 4th of July with the family. Went to a Drillers baseball game with the family and saw fireworks. Oh and Brandon's birthday was the 5th.. he turned the big 27!




           August
Well in August I turned 25 and chopped my long hair off. eekk. We were mostly over the post wedding blues and started really enjoying the summer. We worked in the yard a lot. Went swimming. Floated the river. Had a bonfire at our house. My parents went to Hawaii with a few of my sisters so we watched their dog, Izzy, again. My lil sister Piper started her first day of her last year at elementary school. And my other little sister Maggie started college! My Grandma had her big 70th birthday party!! We threw a 50's sock hop for her. My Dad celebrated his birthday on the 6th.

Piper and Brandon singing Happy Birthday to me with all the goodies they got in Hawaii. My Mom made a Hule Pie for my birthday cake, a Hawaiian favorite.

Not my favorite hairdo but it's just hair ( ;

September
Fun Month! Went to Cinncinnatti to see OU play and got to sit in an awesome suite. Had a slumber party with all my little girls. Had a funny accident on my treadmill...   Winterized our yard and accomplished a much needed flower bed makeover.



Before and After {read all about it here}
 


Funny accident was not so funny... here


 October
Halloween! We had our first big Halloween bash in our house together. It was family and kids and lots of food, some killer pumpkins, and a ton of candy. Went on our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. And celebrated ole Quentins birthday (sisters boyfriend).


Carved Pumpkins!!
 


November
Did a bathroom makeover, that I love. Had a lot of family in for Thanksgiving which was a blast. Had the pleasure of going to 4 different Thanksgiving dinners, it was fun but my body hates me now ( :  Made a fall centerpiece. Found a kitty cat, then found it a good home. And started putting up Christmas decorations. Oh and my Aunt Debbies birthday and my sister Maggies birthday!





December
CHRISTMAS EVERYTHING! Did a ton of shopping this month, kept putting Christmas decor up alllll month. Hosted a game night with the family. Went to a tacky Christmas sweater party {even made sweaters for the party}. Christmas train with family. Christmas parade with Brandon and Piper. Went to a hockey game in a suite with family and friends. Brandon and I hit 6 months married ( :  Last but not least, enjoyed Christmas with our families.


Mom and her girls 


Brandon, his brother, and their cousins


2011
Well that was my year end review. It was a very long post but such a short version of one of the best years yet! I am looking foward to 2011 and what is has in store. But 2010 will never be forgotten for so many reasons. As always, I have a ton of news years resolutions.. the typical ones like work out, lose a million pounds, get heathly... blah blah blah. But this year, I want to do much more. Become more active in my Church, pray so much more.Decide my career. Save way more money then usual. Talk more to my family who doesn't live close.
Take more risks.
Don't be scared .... try everything and try my best at it.


Let this year be the Best yet!










Thursday, December 23, 2010

Party, Decor, Train... and everything else Christmas!

Whew!! I am taking a little breather from this busy time of year to sit down and blog all about it! Every night for about a week and a half we have had some function. Fun but exhausting! I think we are finally done shopping.. well I would hope so since tomorrow is Christmas eve!! Woohoo! Did I mention I love the holidays, there is so much to be Thankful for and I love time with good friends, good food, fun gifts, and Family! I can't wait for Saturday!! I hope everyone is as cheerful and happy as they can be and has a wonderful Holiday.
Ready for 2011?!..... eekk it came so fast! I am ready for 2011 but this year has been one of the best yet!!
Well Monday of this week Brandon and I attended my friends annual tacky sweater party. It was so much fun, we had tons of food, games, and some ahhh-mazing sweaters! Here are a few pictures....
       
         Me making Brandons tacky sweater
          Tis the season to be Tacky.....
           

You guys should be very proud of us.... we made both of our sweaters! hahaha!! We looked on ebay for months and just couldn't find the perfect one of one that was under $50.00!!! Those ugly sweaters are not cheap! So we got all the crafts to sew and glue on and got cheap sweaters and voila... about $15.00 later we have awesome sweaters. I think we are gonna go into the sweater makin business... anyone need one?! lol!                            







                                            On our way to the party....

And finally me and my girls in our sweaters...


Soo... Tuesday evening we went to the Christmas Train with Brandons Dad side of the family.
It is really neat; yummy food, cute little shops, a train ride, hot cocoa, and much more.

A Great Family Tradition
At the Christmas Train in Dry Gulch, USA



Next is one of my favorite things... CHRISTMAS DECOR!! And I can't believe I haven't posted it before today. I have had my tree up since mid November... yes I love it! Here are a few pictures of my home. I think I might leave it up through January.. maybe February... okay maybe March. haha totally kidding!
                                                  
                                                    Brandon did so good on our lights

Our Christmas tree and dining room table... just a little peak of what we have out
Entrance into our home, love this area

 
Christmas Card wreath hanging in our kitchen! I can't wait to check the mail everyday to see if we can add to this wreath. It's one my favorite things.

Glitter trees on the kitchen bar

Well I hope you enjoyed my everything Christmas post. We have done so many things Christmas but I just can't post them all. I am sure I will be back on after Christmas, before 2011 but until then I leave you all with a very Merry Christmas. May each of you have the most wonderful Holiday yet. Pray, let loose, laugh, don't let the stresses of life get you on that day. Smile, have fun, eat too much, hug your family, look around you and think about what you have already and not what you need,
LOVE Christmas day and everything about it.


Merry Christmas Blogger world!!!

Monday, December 13, 2010

Signed, Sealed, Delivered! Christmas Cards!!


"Tis the Season to be Jarry, Fa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra!

hahahahah!!! Everyone knows that movie right? "Christmas Story".. ya know "you'll shoot your eye out". Oh I love it. I have no idea but that just came to me so I typed it.

Well our Christmas cards are out!! Actually they have been out for a while. We were really early this year and got them out at Thanksgiving but I am just now posting them. I love shutterfly, it was super easy and I loved all the designs. I probably won't do such a detailed one every year but since this year has been extra good to Brandon and I (we got married in June) I wanted to send out a nice wedding Christmas card.
Here they are: The Ullrichs 2010 Christmas Card
(the front)
(the inside)





I love our little saying "May your days be married and bright"
"Married".. get it? We just had to throw in something about being married other then the pictures.
Anyway, I love Christmas cards and getting them from all our friends. I love seeing their families and their babies. I am going to try and post a few of them on here. 
Have a great week. I'm on my way to go dive into a plate of Christmas goodies we made over the weekend...ymmm!!  



Anniversary