Home Owners

If someone asked me what I was most looking forward to about being a homeowner my answer would be simple...

Having my lucky girl live with us!  That's right, I am pumped to know that the days of living without a dog are numbered.  I have always LOVED having a dog in my home.  And of course a Mom to take care of it :)  I have loved each of my cocker spaniels throughout growing up. 

We got our first cocker spaniel Ginger when I was about 4 years old.  I remember driving to my Dad's work with my Mom to ask him if we could bring home Ginger from the pound.  What a great dog!  Whenever I was sick you would always find him laying right beside me keeping watch over me.  We had to put him to sleep when I was 14.  I might still tell my parents that they murdered my dog.  To say I was upset is putting it mild.  

About a year and a half later we got our second cocker spaniel, Bug a Boo.  Yet again my Dad was not with us when we went to "look" at the dogs.  That afternoon we left with a dog.  We didn't need Dad to be there...he wasn't the one that ever needed convincing!  Bug a boo is a great dog.  Probably the best behaved of all 3...except when we go out of town.  He doesn't like when we leave him.  He is getting pretty old and slowing down quite a bit these days but I refuse to hear anything of that nature.  I told you I love my dogs and it makes me really sad to think he may die soon.  

Next comes MY third cocker spaniel, Lucky!  That's right she is mine :)  She will be 4 years old this April.  It is my first girl dog and boy is she feisty!  But I love her and she loves me.  Right now she is living at my parents house but hopefully within the next month or so she will be back with me.  I can't wait to have some extra company around.  Hey a dog can be a girls best friend too ;)  

Happy New Year!

I can't believe today is the first day of the year 2011!  Our year has had its exciting, sad, fun, hard & joyful moments but through it all we have grown closer to each other :)

So just where did the year 2010 take us?!

The year quickly started off with 2 back to back snow storms!  Foot after foot of snow was dumped on us and we fully took advantage of the snow days together. 

Our weekends from January through May & August through November were spent at Indoor, Outdoor & Cross Country Meets.  Kevin coached all 3 seasons and Kyle was running his senior year.  It was an exciting Indoor & Outdoor season because of Kyle's awesome season!  We were able to travel to Boston for Nike Indoor Nationals Meet in March and then Penn Relays in April. 

Unfortunately I don't have pictures on this computer from our trip to Kentucky for Easter but we had a blast.  Our family that lives there is wonderful.  Despite the distance and time that goes on between our visits we always can count on have an awesome visit with the Monroe/Armstrong Extended family.  Looking forward to the next vacation to Kentucky!

In May we were blessed with meeting some amazing friends with some pretty cute kids :)  They might not even know just how special they are to us as we were longing to find couple friends to share life with. 

In July we took our first family vacation to the beach with the Graves family.  It was so nice to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of life & work for an entire week at the beach!

On August 15th we celebrated our One year Anniversary <3 

September was quite a busy month for travel in the Graves household.  I don't think we were home one whole weekend.  The highlight of all the traveling was my trip to San Francisco.  Us 3 girls went from hanging out ALL the time to not seeing each other for 8 months!  We had a fantastic time catching up over a long weekend while exploring a new city.  I also conquered a 6 hour flight by myself and a delay/missing my flight on the way home :)  

This little guy became a big brother and we now have 2 nephews who we love to play with!

We celebrated our 27th & 26th birthday this year!

We look forward to another year full of events that become special memories :) 

Bananas & Christmas Trees

What could these two items possibly have in common?!  Allergies...That's what!  Over this past month Kevin and I have both had allergic reactions.  Earlier in the month Kevin had an allergic reaction to a banana that I sent him to work with and insisted on him eating :/  Oops!  Little did we know he would immediately have a reaction which ended with him having to be picked up from work and head to the Allergist office the same day.  After an hour long allergy test/appt we found out that Kev is allergic to all but one tree pollen, many grass & weed pollens, horse hair, cats, pork, peas & bananas.  The doctor was wonderful and sent us on our way to think about 3 options to help with such allergies; shots, nose spray & oral medication. 

You may be thinking that Kevin's allergies are related to the Christmas tree topic but no such luck.  It's actually ME the Christmas fanatic.  For over 3 weeks now I have been off and on sick...sinus, coughing, headaches, and sore/scratchy throat.  It would get to a point when I would think okay I am going to have to make a doctors appt and get on some antibiotic and then I would start feeling better.  On Christmas eve and Christmas day my symptoms were particularly intensified and I was especially bummed to be sick over Christmas break for the 2nd year in a row!  Last Christmas break I was sick for pretty much the entire break.  I refused this year to be sick for my ten day break again!  I may have started to feel just a little sorry for myself...or as my Mom would say throw myself a pity party.  It just wasn't fair that I could possibly be sick 2 years in a row when I could count how many times I have ever been sick on Christmas before!  And then I had a light bulb moment and realized what has been the one thing that has changed...REAL Christmas Tree!  I grew up with an artificial tree all my life and then when we got married we decided to start the tradition of cutting down a real tree each year.  I did a little research and believe that all of my symptoms were allergies to tree mold that are generally found on live trees and affect some people.  I decided when I woke up today I would undecorate my house and get the tree out of my house.  I have felt amazing all afternoon and totally believe the real tree was creating my sickness for the past 3 weeks.  Kevin is super bummed that we will be investing in an artificial tree but hey I would like to be able to enjoy my Christmas without being sick :)

Birthday Girls

We are so lucky to be the bestest of friends and to also share our birthday month & week.  Since we were little we have celebrated our birthday together.  I truly look forward to celebrating with this girl every year.  The past 2 years prior to our birthdays I didn't think we would be able to celebrate with each other and was a little bummed.  And in the end both have been the opposite!  Last year we celebrated the weekend before our birthdays after my cookie party.  This year Megan was in for a surprise and we celebrated the weekend after our birthdays by meeting up in Baltimore.  We had an awesome time in Baltimore; going to dinner and then to Howl at the Moon dualing piano bar.  

Here's to a wonderful 26th & 25th year of life as bestest friends :) 

Christmas Tree

After my parents pre-lit tree stopped working last year we have been trying to convince my Mom to get a real tree this year.  I never remember cutting down a real tree as a child and Noah & Joey have only ever known a fake tree.  Well after several months of preparing my Mom she agreed and off we went to Gaver Tree Farm.  It was pretty cold the day after Thanksgiving but we love to decorate for Christmas so we went anyway!

My Dad is always such a goofball :)

Kevin and my Dad loading up our tree.  It was nice not to have to do all the work with Kevin this year :)

The sun was setting just as we finished cutting down our tree which we had to take advantage of and ended up using the picture as one for our Christmas card this year!

'One Less'

I just heard this song from a friends facebook the other day and love it!  We hope that one day we are part of joining the "One Less" cause.  There are many ways that you can join the effort to have One Less broken heart.   

Billboards

I saw a billboard with this same saying on it today as I was driving to work.  It caught my eye and I was excited to see something like this on a billboard where I live.