To my Valentine...

Happy Valentine's Day to my love, my best friend and my rock! It's kinda crazy that each day we love each other more and more...

Hope everyone is enjoying heart day!

Somedays I need to remind myself just how lucky I am. I never did a recap of 2010 & I figured I needed too. I love reminiscing on all the memories a year can hold. I think all the way back to last January when Derek & I bought our home. As I sit here tying in our kitchen, Im thankful to have a home where Derek & I can grow as a family together. I love our home and I thank God everyday for it! As spring approached I was surrounded by all my family & friends, I got to enjoy all the fun of planning a wedding and all of the showers that come along with it! I was blessed to have 4 showers and an amazing bachelorette party. I really enjoyed the process of planning a wedding. I grew closer with my parents and I enjoyed all the great times we had together. I really did cherish them because soon I would be moving out tackling life as a married women. In spring, an email I had been waiting for also arrived with good news that I got accepted to graduate school for the fall. What a nice feeling when I read that news!!

As June drew closer, excitement in my body was even stronger. I was bless with an amazing wedding that was even more perfect than I could have ever imagined. Looking back, I cannot believe how awesome it really was. We enjoyed the property for 3 days and were able to have all our friends & family stay there the days leading up to the wedding. Derek & I went off to Tahoe for a few days to begin our lives as newlyweds. The summer was fun. Having a pool in a place where the average summer day is 90 degrees means pool parties and BBQ most days and nights. It was fun to be able to have our family and friends over & entertain in our home. Another 2010 day I'll never forget is July 19 -- the day Radar entered our family! Oh how I love her so much.

As the summer ended, school began. Im a nerd in the way that I love the 1st day of school... all decked out with new notebooks and binders. I truly felt like a freshmen in college showing up on campus with a map in hand trying to determine where my class was. (I no longer need a map.. Thank God). I really enjoyed my first semester of Graduate school... Ive made some great friends & I finally feel as if I'm learning information I will really use in the future.

The holidays rolled around and I love the new traditions that were started this year. Luckily Derek had Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day off. I am so grateful to have gotten to spend the holidays with my family. December also marked the beginning of a new journey for Derek. He began his new job working for the City of Davis -- & I am so proud!

Remember all the amazing things that 2010 brought is such a great way to allow myself to remember how lucky I am. I have days where things just don't seem to be going my way however by doing this, I can remind myself of how blessed I really am. I thank God everyday for all that he has given me.. and for all thats to come :)

A few pictures from the end of 2010!

Thanksgiving Day

Tipsy Trolley in San Francisco in November

Christmas Eve 2010 at my parents (with my new haircut)

Radar in her modeling shoot in our living room :)

My Police Officer at his Swearing in Ceremony

Its kinda crazy that SOO much can happen in just ONE year. Im kinda excited to see if 2011 can top 2010... It might be hard to beat... but why not try? :)

Back to work he goes...

Derek has just finished up his first week at Davis P.D. & loved it! It's a great change from Oakland and he's really enjoying the new vibe, people and community. He can tell the difference immediately; nicer locker rooms, welcome cookies, & a bunch of free stuff was waiting for him. He was swore in on his first day of work (13th) but a ceremony will be held on Jan. 5th for all us to attend! Im excited for that :)

Im very proud of my husband. He worked to so hard to get hired there & did it. Only 4 were hired (out of 80 I think he said). Davis is going to be a great change for our family. As much as he liked Oakland, I know he very quickly adjusted to Davis and is looking forward to getting on the streets the week after Christmas. We also lucked out that he gets Christmas Eve & Day off!

In other news.. I'm done with my first semester of grad school. It feels so nice to not worry about school for 6 weeks but I really did enjoy the semester.

Christmas shopping is officially done & the bottom of our tree is filling up with goodies. Im excited for Christmas. It will be the 1st of many that Derek & I spend together as a married couple... plus Radar has some presents under there too that I know she'll love!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

... all through my house...

I sure love decorating for Holidays! It sure makes it feel like Christmas with a huge tree in the family room! I'm so exciting to be spending our first Christmas in our new house & as a married couple! Now we need to figure out our plans for Christmas Eve & day-- we both have such awesome families so we'll have to split up our time! Well, 22 days til Christmas my friends.... now I must fill below the tree with presents :)

(Taken on my mac so not the best pic but hey, it works)

Shutterfly Shout Out!!!

So this year has been such a fun year. Clearly lots has happen & so many memories have been made. I can't believe in 2010 we bought a house, got married, got a puppy & I began grad school. With so much happening, I've taken quite a bit of pictures! I would always just upload them to my computer and there they would sit. However, not since I opened a Shutterfly account. With Shutterfly I've ordered prints, calenders and best of all their photo books. They so easy to make & great gifts for family & friends.

Right now Shutterfly, has such cute Christmas & Holiday cards, check them out here.

For Blogging about them I get 50 free so here is what I'm torn between.....

'

Find this one here

Peppermint Gift Wrap Christmas Card

My saved projects »

and this one here

Merry Plaid Christmas Card

My saved projects »

or this one here

& Calendars make another great Christmas present for love ones! They have so many cool styles to choose from. I love this one... So unique!

Find it here (& one sale)

Well run along now & go order some!! Also get 50 free photo cards just by blogging about how awesome shutterfly is! Here is a link to that!

Happy Holidays!!

so much to be thankful for...

& this guy is just one of them!

Im thankful for my wonderful family, my parents, brother & all my "new" Russell family! So grateful to be so close to all of them & of course Im thankful for little Radar!

Im thankful for my beautiful house that is now a cozy home. Its perfect!

Im thankful for my opportunity to go to school and further my education. Im thankful for my job, even though I complain sometimes... I enjoy it.

Im thankful for my husbands new job & not having to work anymore in Oakland.

Lastly, but for sure not least, Im thankful for all my friends. This year my close friends did so many amazing things for me & our wedding. I am so grateful for them.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! Off to get ready for a day full of food, drinks, football & spending it with my whole family together :) Im most excited for that part!

Fall

Fall is finally here!

There is just something about waking up in the morning & it being chilly! I love that feeling. Although it does prevent me from jumping out of bed :)

Our little family has been up to alot lately!

Graduate school is in full force and midterms & papers are taking up all my time. Along with school, work, taking care of the house & our pup, I feel like we are always on the move doing something. Although life is some what busy, I'm really enjoying it. Giants won the World Series!! Duck season has began so if your looking for my husband on a Saturday, Sunday or Wednesday, please check his duck blind and he wont be far from it! Its almost Halloween has came & gone! I've been doing really good in school, getting A's on my midterms & really enjoying my classes!!

Radar is getting so big! She is such a good dog though. She loves us & we love her in return!

Well I think that's all for me! Here are some pictures of our last few weeks. The pumpkin patch was so much fun! Who says you have to a kid to go to the pumpkin patch.. not me... Also we had a big Halloween party so sharing pictures of that too!!











Our house all decked out for Halloween!


I have a confession.. I used to be one of those people that judged so heavily others who treated their dogs as if they were people. I was never a huge dog lover so I never understood it. However... I must confess... I officially love my dog... to the point where I treat her life she is my daughter.... see below for proof...



She had to have a Fall photo-session :)