Another GREAT Christmas!

Turns out this is the only picture i took on Christmas eve! I'm a picture bum. Christmas Eve, my big brother Todd and I went to Jim's Christmas Service (which was lovely as always, i love to sing Cristmas Hyms!) And then we had a dinner at my house with my aunt gail, aunt merna, lindsey, garrett, and tanner! It was a full house and tons of fun! Thank you to everyone for the amazing gifts to myself and to jordan! We love you all so much, you have no idea!

My cousin Lindsey (who is my M.O.H. and who took our engagement pics) took these pics of jordan and i that didnt turn out so great in the beginning, and she somehow used her photo-magic to create the most amazing black and white framed picture. I love it and cannot wait to put it in our home (location, yet to be determined) . My cousin Tanner made pottery for EVERYONE! This isn't your average third-grad pinchpot, his stuff is so good, he should be selling it. We were all lucky enough to recieve it for christmas before he realizes it and makes millions off of it. We have originals!

Another sucessful Christams Eve!

I found a wedding dress!

The Friday before Christmas my mom and i went to a bridal store called Camille La Vie in Aspen Groves... I was really just going to get a feel for what style of wedding dress i was looking for, not to actually buy one. But, i ended up finding "the one". I never really bought into the whole, "you'll know it when you find it" montra, until i found "it"! Here is pic of me in my new dress (i know that jordan reads this blog from time to time, so if you want more details, let me know!) Having the dress is making me SO SO SO excited for the wedding! Yea!

What a fun Wednesday!

Today was a fun-filled day of SHOPPING with Jordan and Tom...Yes! you heard me right, i went shopping with Jordan and Tom. We got a lot done, just in time for me to come home and have a lovely dinner with my girl Melissa.

When we lived together we would always make "mexican hamburgers" with Cherry Coke, and well, thats what we made tonight. It is a hamburger patty inside of a tortillia with refried beans, smothered in green chile and LOTS of cheese (as you can probably tell from the picture). Seeing as how we are both "brides to be" we should probably start thinking about cutting this crap out of our diet, but im not quite ready yet... I leave tomorrow to go to Elizabeth, so if i do not post for a while, i apologize !!! "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! "

THIS JUST IN: Brando has Graduated!

Brandon McCarthy has indeed graduated college! Yesterday, Brando became a Colorado State Graduate with a degree in Speech Communication! To celebrate, he opened the RamSkellar (the on-campus bar) to all his friends and family! It was a hoot...there was free beer, lots of food and lots of fun!

Brandon was first one of Jordan's best buddies up here in Fort Collins, but after meeting him just once, he became one of mine as well. (he is also standing in our weddin' as a groomsman)

I love brandon b/c he is one of those people that makes you feel like you're the most important person in the world. Brando, we know the road has not been easy, but here's to you for not giving up when you could have and for getting it done! We are all so proud of you! (and jealous that we are not graduating yet) You're definatly one of my favorite people on the Planet!

Happy Birthday Todd!

My big brother Todd just turned 24 yesterday! And i just wanted to tell him Happy Brithday, and that I love him very much. For those who don't know, my brother lives in Massahusettes and works for Young Life, a ministry for young people (he works with H.S. age) . Todd is AMAZING as a brother and really as a human! I love you and cannot wait until we are all home for the holidays! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Finals are done, and CHRISTMAS IS HERE!!

We torture wallace so much, but i think he likes it! He was only getting in the Spirit of Christmas!

Finals are D-O-N-E done! Thank goodness for that! Now i just have to put some time in at work, and at the mall and then I can go home to see my family. I just got off the phone with my brother and I got really excited for everyone to be home! My cousin Tanner (lindsey's Brother) is coming out from Maine to see us, which is really exciting b/c Todd and I decided its been about 2 years since we've seen him...YEA! I wish that my other two cousins, Stephen and Brian could be here for Christmas, but they are serving in the Marines this Holiday...I'm sure you're not able to read this, but know that we love you and are praying for you and that we could never be more proud of the men you have become. You're amazing.

I also hope to get together with my frineds from back home, Kelly, Rach, and Cansas! I've found that as i get older, the more and more i cherish the time i get to be with family and friends...it's not about the finals you take or how much time you put in at work, but what really matters is the meaningful moments shared with the one's you love and the one's that love you. So, to conclude, I am so done with school for a little while and am chomping at the bit to be home. P.S. Thank you to jordan for the company at Blubird and the movie today! I could live every day like that!

Finals Time!

It is finals time again at Colorado State Univeristy...and i am so excited that once this week is over, I only have to do it three more times for the rest of my life! Anywho, I have two finals tomorrow, Historical Speeches on American Issues at 7 AM...and Interpersonal Communication at 11:20 am! After that i have to go wait in line at the DMV to get a new license (I know, im gonna be there a while) Then i have my first Girl Scout meeting as this year's "Cookie Mom" tomorrow night. Wed. i have two more finals, Math in the Social Sciences (basic counting) and then Rhetoric and Argumentation (the most painful class i have ever taken, but also the most rewarding). Thurs. i work all freaking day open to close, but it'll be ok...then my last final on Friday at 7am! This is going to be a painful week, but that means Christmas break will be all the more appreciated. I can't wait to be home for the Holidays!

This is the bed of a girl who is about to take a 7 am final on Historical Speeches! Heating Pad and all! I cannot function without this dang heating pad. Melissa got it for me for my B-day, b/c im always cold and it has become my crack cocaine !

Me in my "studying sweater"... I'm really painting a pathetic picture for all of you. It's really not that bad. In fact I will leave you with, in my educated opinion, one of the greatest lines in American Rhetorical discourse From Abraham Lincoln's 1st Inaugural Speech, he pleads for any action besides civil war...

"We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

His rhetoric didnt work, we had the civil war, but it sounded pretty anyway!

Cabana Christmas!

We had tons of fun at our Christmas Potluck for my work! The ladies i work with are hilarious, especially after a couple glasses of wine! This pic is not very good, but it'll have to do. We ate lasagna, salad, breadsticks, dips and chips, and Stephanie made Chocolate Turtle Bars -- To die for! We also did an ornament exchange that turned out great! Everyone that paticipated ended up getting the one that fit their personality! It was sort of weird... Here's the one i randomly picked...PERFECT!
It has little sample in it of the Victoria's Secret PINK perfume! I love it!

Wally's new bed!

I was at target today--after going to Whitney's to get my camera--and i recieved a phone call from my betrothed asking if I could pick out a new bed for Wallace, because he ate is other one. I did pick one out and this is him LOVING it!! It may not look like he loves it, but he does! I just know it!













I also got two ornaments for my work party tonight(more to come on this!) I like them b/c they look like earrings, diamond ones! And i feel like if we are to "dress up" the tree, diamond earrings are only appropriate. I hope the recipient agrees!

I'm getting really excited for CHRISTMAS!!!!

CRAZY WEEK!!

It is 15 days until Christmas and I do not have a single present ! I have five finals to take next week, none of them are going to be easy... And, i cannot pick a freaking wedding dress! These are the things that I am stressing about! So now, instead of blogging I'm going to go think about who's been naughty and nice this year, study for my finals, and put all of my dress options in a hat a pick one! :) Have a great day everyone, and Merry Christmas!!!!!!

So sorry about the jumbled-ness of my posting...i bet you can figure it out...im gonna need some more help whitney!

Music and Me...

Although this picture may not be a great representation of my love of music...it was the only one that came close. For those of you who don't know, Jordan and I LOVE music...In fact I blame music for us meeting. When we were in high school we were always in the same choir classes and that is essentially how we met. Four years later, we still love music and find it to be one of the greatest forms of inspiration in our lives. mushy gushy, i know... Anywho, I just got off of work (it was super busy today) and i was just thinking about different music that has moved my soul...by the way, jordan and I also love the things we have learned from our Speech/Communication classes "moving the soul" being one of them. We probably sound like a couple-a-weirdos.

You all know the music I'm talking about...the songs that give you chills after the tenth time you've heard it...the songs that seem to fit the exact situation...or the music that when you crank them up in your car make you feel like you are the winner of your own AMERICAN IDOL!
There are just some people on this earth that have voices like angels, that stir up your insides and just simply move you. Here are a couple of the ones that have really moved me...

Gavin DeGraw---

The song Chariot is AMAZING!! Also "Meaning" (this is a contender for our first dance)

"The Great" Martina McBride

It's hard to pinpoint my favs... "My Baby Loves Me", "Loves The Only House" (i realize this one really bothers some people), and "Concrete Angel"

Amos Lee (new Fav!)

"Arms of a Woman" and "Keep it Loose, Keep it Tight"

Shane & Shane

These guys are one of my favorite Contemporary Christian...Breathtaking.

"Beauty for Ashes" (one of my all time favorites) "Mercy Reigns" and "be Near"

Thank you ladies and gentlemen for humoring me this evening, if you look any of them up, let me know what you think! Let me know what you think anyway! I'm sure as i continue to blog, there will be many more postings about music and eventually I will let you all know why i think COUNTRY MUSIC is the best variety of music that ever happened to the world :) More to come!

SPOONS!!

Today Jordan and I decided that we had suffered enough going to school all day in the FREEZING cold Colorado weather...We deserved SPOONS! For those of you who are not familiar, or are not fourtunate enough to have one in your neck of the woods I will explain Spoons! It is mostly a soup place that serves a variety of gourmet soups everyday. The have the "Spoon and Fork Combo" that includes any med. salad (i get the caesar, jordan got beef taco salad) and a med. soup of your choice (we both got the Green Chile Cheese and 5 Ale soup) OMgosh, and on top of all of this you get a slice of fresh focaccia bread! Holy Moly! This is one of my favorite places to go and it was such a treat for Jordan to meet me there for din-din (and nice of him to pay :) ) ! By the way, if you are someone who loves a great glass of Iced Tea like i do, try their Mango Iced Tea! HEAVEN I tell ya! No, they are not paying me to tell you all of this :) But you can go to their website and check the soups of the day- www.espoons.com

What a weekend!!

I am currently ticked at myself becasue i finally had my camera at the appropriate times this weekend, but seem to have left it at Whitney's or Jordan's house! So, pictures to come...I'm a work in progress.

To begin, Friday night was a blast, going out with a lot of the friends I made in the dorms freshman year! Chicago has officailly turned 21 and so like good college kids we celebrated in Old Town! I unfortunatly had to leave early b/c Cabana Day Spa (my place of employment) was calling my name at 8:30 am. :( Someone's got to bring home the bacon, huh?

Like many of you know, I recently had my turn at 21 and for my birthday, Jody and Whitney bought me a ticket to go see Dierks Bently in Denver! The concert was on Sat. and Whitney, Jenny, Keelee and myself stayed st a hotel in Denver and had a GREAT TIME!! Whenever we wern't "boxing out" we were laughing hysterically! It was so generous of Whitney to take me with her and it was also GREAT to spend some more time with Keelee and Jenny! For more pictures and more detail (i did not get sick) , I will recommend checking out Keelee's Blog... http://www.keeleedipadova.blogspot.com/


After a long day of working on Saturday, followed by a long night of drinking and laughing and walking around Denver...the greatest recovery came when Jordan and I joined Jody and Whitney, and Jody's co-workers, Stephanie and Jeramiah for the 1st Annual Lighting of the Tree Dinner!!! MAN OH MAN! It is always a good time when hanging out with the in-laws (how lucky am I) , but it is even better when having meatloaf, creamed-corn (not cream corn), green-bean casserole, and King's Hawaiian Dinner Rolls ( a staple at the Jody Duvall household)! Golly, i really wish is had my camera right now, to show you how lovely everything was!! I got so excited when Whitney told me that next year Jordan and I get to host the 2nd Annual Lighting of the Tree Ceremony! What a HUGE blessing it is to not only have jordan and my immediate families living in Colorado (except Todd, he's doing great work in Boston, but i miss him being here) but to have such loving and generous, and fun old people living right here in Fort Collins... It's a great life were living!

The Rio

Just to let everyone know, there is something magical about The Rio. It's kinda like Casa Bonita, where the food is ehhhh but the atmosphere is great! No cliff divers, but crazy good margaritas. So good in fact that I had two, and jordan was kind enough to come pick me up and take me home! It was sort of a comical night...My work ladies we so sweet to take me out and we had an absolute BLAST together! Yea! I will update you all on the rest of my weekend festivities as i can...Be safe everyone and have a great weekend!

P.S. I'm slowly learning that I need to take my camera EVERYWHERE!! I don't have pictures of my 21st b-day, or of last night...i will not let this happen again!

Fun weekend ahead!!

Today is Thursday, but it might as well be FRIDAY!! Tonight after work, my work ladies are taking me out to The Rio to show me what a real margarita is all about! Then, tomorrow is my friend Chicago's 21st birthday, so we will definantly be hitting up Old Town! The part im most excited about though, is going to see Dierks Bently on SAT.!! With Whitney, Jenny, and Keelee (and whoever else is coming)! We are staying in Denver so it will for sure be a great night!! And to wrap things up Jordan and I will join Jody and Whitney for a more adult-like dinner on Sun. Evening! YEA for good times, good friends, and good margaritas!





I thought I'd just throw this pic on for fun. This is Jordan and his dog Wallace (when we went to go buy him) Wallace is now like 1,000 lbs. bigger, but i really like to reminisce about the "puppy stage"!