Christmas Recap!

I'm alive. I swear! I was going through my camera and as you will see, I hardly took any pictures over Christmas - but luckily it was because I was enjoying myself and my family too much to stop and take pictures! :)

I drove home last week on Wednesday after work, and came home to a yummy home cooked meal of Stew and Dumplings that my mom made. It was so delish, but I ate it a bit too fast and ended up not feeling so well haha.

After dinner we went to go look at lights at a local Deacon's house who has a crazy amount of lights in his yard.

After that we came home and watched The Hangover and then went to bed!

On Christmas Eve we woke up and got ready and headed to my Grandparent's house (dad's parents). Every year my grandma gets a pinata for the grandkids...

... and one of the uncles dresses up as Santa. This year it was my dad because my brother and I are old enough to know what's going on haha.

After a nice night at g-mas we headed back home so we could wake up to Christmas at home in the morning.

On Christmas Day we got up (scratch that: my dad woke Clay and I up - I think he was more excited to open presents than us) and my parents had made a big breakfast and then we opened presents! My best gift was money to get the Jetta's windshield replaced! Haha Believe it or not, but it has had a HUGE crack in it for two years, and it is time that the Jetta got a new set of spectacles haha.

After presents we left to celebrate Christmas with my mom's side of the family at my aunts house. Clay was super excited because he found his old Game Boy Color (circa 1998?) and was playing it on the way there, the game you might ask? Pokemon of course haha - pure nerd.

After we got back that night my mom instantly passed out on the couch, in her Christmas Shoes of course.

Then I headed to Josh's parents house to exchange gifts with them. It was so great because I had the WHOLE weekend off! I spent some time at my favorite mall on Saturday, a bunch of time with Josh's family, and a bunch with mine. It was so great to be home and especially for more than a day. Thank god my boss gave me 4 days off in a row - even though she tried to call me in on Saturday - but we won't talk about that haha.

It's been fun reading all of your Christmas posts! Happy Holidays and Happy New Years Eve!!!

Tootles 2009! It's been okay, but I'm really looking forward to 2010!!!!

-Katie

Christmas Decorations!

FINALLY! I am posting pictures of our Christmas Decorations! :)

Our living room is pretty decked out!

We even had to have overflow parking for the presents that couldn't fit under the tree!

Joshy's stocking, from PBK haha

My stocking :)

Our cute present stocking holders and a neat little reindeer I picked up at PotteryBarn!

Our Christmas Advent Calendar from PBK of course! Don't mind the ghetto wire hanging (story to come some time soon I promise)

Fun Christmas table runner with festive candy bowls and of course a candle/jingle bell centerpiece that I put together with my interior design instincts/skillz.

Even the end tables have fun decorations, and of course a Christmas Card from a fellow blogger! :)

The Tree! In all of it's tiny glory! I got this tree when I was in college for the apartment I had with my friend Bridget, we opted for a fake tree because both of us were too busy to keep a real one alive during finals. So Joshy and I still use it because it is cute, pre-lit, and already paid for! haha

A picture of it in the dark so you can see the lights!

Some of our fav/funny ornaments! For whatever reason Josh picked this one out last year - so I have to hang it, but I must admit it is growing on me.

Cute little snowmen

I got this neat metal Santa Claus Decoration which is actually a votive holder. And since he is metal it works great because I can put him by the fireplace without him melting or catching on fire! haha

The Mantel (with out all of the Christmas Cards on it)

Fun little letters I got at Target. I may or may not have gone through two packages of these and mixed and matched the letters out of both to make one perfect set without any flaws.

And last but not least, the wreath that I made last year! :)

I am SO FREAKING excited for Christmas, but honestly it doesn't even feel like it for me yet because I have been working the last 8 days straight! Only today and tomorrow and then by the grace of god I was given Christmas Eve off! Yay!! Tonight I work until 10pm then I have to come home and pack because I am heading to my parents house right after work tomorrow.

I feel like Christmas has come so fast, and I know it will be over in a flash, so I'm just going to try to take it all in and enjoy my 4 days off this weekend! Hallelujah! haha!

Happy Holidays!

-Katie

iPhone Foto Friday

Wahoo! Week 2 of iPhone Foto Friday!

This little lovely was a pretty random happening. Last week while I was getting some of my Christmas shopping done I was at the mall and I was riding the escalator when this old man came speeding up the escalator behind me so I moved aside figuring he was in a hurry. Well when he got to the top of the escalator he turned around and rode the other one going down, and I was thinking "wtf? he was just in a hurry to get to the top!". So as I'm walking along I'm watching him and when he gets to the bottom of the escalator he runs up again!

When I worked at Pottery Barn Kids it was in an indoor mall, and there was a group of older people who would come walk laps around the mall before it opened because it was a nice temperature and level ground, but NONE of them ever used the escalator as a stair master! haha Old people are so funny.

-Katie

Ugly Gingerbread House

Last night Josh and I FINALLY made/decorated the gingerbread house kit we got from Costo! And let me tell you it looks NOTHING like the one on the box. haha

All of the pieces...

Joshy and our mess

our ghetto little gingerbread house haha.

And our creepy gingerbread people...

So now we have our ugly gingerbread house made of nasty tasting frosting and gross candy sitting on the kitchen table. I'm not sure what to do with it now, perhaps run it over like we did a few years ago?

-Katie

we came, we saw, we frosted

My attempts to bake and decorate Christmas Cookies this weekend failed miserably due to work and life - of course. But alas, we got them done on Monday night!

all of the ingredients!

Once the dough was made it was time to get to work! Thankfully I had my trusty helpers by my side!

Joshy!

And Steph!

Here are a few of the ugly cookies Josh and I frosted. There were so many, so we were focused on quantity not quality.

Meanwhile Stephanie was creating miniature works of art...

really!? did you just spell things on an x-mas cookie!? skillz for sure!

Josh was fading fast

But a ton of frosting, some good x-mas tunes, and a few glasses of milk later we got them all finished!

Have you done your holiday baking yet? It is such a huge task, but it was so worth it! Yummm :)

-Katie

Gym Freak of the Week

Finally! After quite a long break, I bring to you a Gym Freak of the Week. Although for my own safety and well being, it has been nice going to the gym and not having any freakish encounters - but lets be honest, it was only a matter of time before one crossed my path again...

So yesterday while minding my own business I happen to notice an old man come out of the locker room. Now I have seen him before and I've always pondered (from afar) if his "swim trunks" are really swim trunks or if they are actually underwear. And today my friends, I got my answer.

As he strolled past me on the swim deck (within a few feet) I had the opportunity to verify my curiosity, and I was right, he in fact was NOT sporting swim trunks, but instead boxers - and because I am ever so lucky, he happened to be wearing them inside out so I could even see the lovely white tag hanging out of the back.

What makes the situation even more gross/more awkward, is that before you use the pool/spa at the gym you have to shower, so this nasty old man with stringy gray hair is wondering around in boxer shorts dripping wet (imagine a wet t-shirt contest: old man style). I swear if I had been at ANY other angle I'm sure I would have seen something that would have taken the term gym freak to a whole new level.

So there you have it, there is an old man using the aquatic facilities at my gym in his skivvies. No joke.

-Katie

WINNNNNNNNEEERRRR!!!

Yay! The time has come to announce the winner of my 200th Post Giveaway!!

Congrats to SARAH ANN
from Misadventures in Matrimony!!!

Thank you to everyone for following my blog and entering my giveaway! I'm so thankful for each and every one of you!

Sarah Ann! Email me your information, I'm pretty sure you already have my email, but if not let me know! :)

-Katie

I LOVE this commercial right now!

I love the end of this commercial hahaha

Happy Saturday! And don't forget to enter my giveaway!!

-Katie

iPhone Foto Friday!

A lot of people do "Wordless Wednesday" posts and I like that idea but I wanted to do my own version of it... so I got to thinking....

My iPhone is with me at all times, so naturally I end up with some pretty interesting pictures on it, so I've decided to start sharing them with all of you on iPhone Foto Friday!

So let's begin shall we? I think this picture is the PERFECT launch foto for the series!

Exhibit A:

Setting: The other day Josh and I were waiting in line at Costco when I noticed the woman in line behind us - who was fully sporting a female mullet! I couldn't believe my eyes! I told Josh to just go with the flow because I had to take a picture without her noticing. And Wa La! There you have it, a picture of Josh putting on chapstick with Mullet Lady in thebackground.

I mean really lady?! In 2009 you pay someone to cut your hair into a mullet!?!?!

Happy Friday!

-Katie

p.s. I know foto is really spelled Photo haha

bad dreams!

I have been having really weird dreams the last few nights, but the worst one was that I was pregnant!

And not like "oh I just found out I was pregnant", but like "I was at the hospital ready to deliver a baby pregnant".

HOLY COW.

Talk about nightmare! In the dream I was freaking out about how I was going to provide for a baby, who was going to take care of it while I was at work, and mostly about the pain that I was about to endure for something I didn't even want!

Needless to say I was SO happy when I woke up and I was not in the hospital and my stomach wasn't huge with a baby inside.

I could not imagine having a baby right now. So dream interpreters, does this mean something? haha

-Katie

Happy 101 Award!

Yay! Jules over at Chic and Pink gave me the Happy 101 Award! So exciting!! She is such a fun blogger, so be sure you check out her blog!! :)

So here are the rules:

1. List 10 things that make you happy.

2. Tag 10 bloggers that brighten your day.

10 things that put me in my Happy Place:

1. Joshy
2. My family
3. My friends
4. Our Doggies
5. Christmas
6. Going on Adventures
7. Bike Rides
8. Shopping
9. Sweats
10. Baking

And now I will pass the award along....

10 bloggers who make me Happy to check my reader:
1. Jodie @ That's what we do in Maine
2. Nicole @ From Our Place to Yours
3. Shanna @ Shanna's Secrets
4. Ivy @ Little Woman Little Home
5. Sonja @ For the Love of Stilettos
6. Sarah @ Misadventures in Matrimony
7. Jennifer @ Crazy Shenanigans
8. Steph @ Watching Airplanes
9. Christy @ Our Dolce Vita
10. Mary Ellen @ Mare's Mind

Tomorrow I have the day off and I'm looking forward to finishing the 4 hampers full of laundry sitting by the washer and dryer, and maybe getting some extra sleep :)

-Katie

p.s. I forgot to put a deadline on my blog giveaway, so I'm hosting it until Friday, and on Monday I will announce a Winner! So be sure you enter!!!!

Baby it's cold outside!

As many of you know it has been FREEZING lately.

Just a little disclaimer: It DOES snow in CA, just not where we live, we are too low in elevation. So the fact that it snowed at my parents house this morning which has only happened like twice in 20 years, shows just how freaking cold it is! It was supposed to snow where we live but it didn't :(

Nevertheless, we don't use our heater, I've always grown up using a fire to heat the house, so that is what Josh, Stephanie, and I do. Since I have gone home a few times this month I've been bringing back firewood each time (my dad owns his own Landscaping company so he has a ton of scrap firewood). Well, we have been burning right through it all super fast! And with chilly nights on the horizon and no luck of going home to my parents for more wood we had to go buy some!

So Josh, Anthony, and I set out to this hick cowboy man's farm to get some firewood. And let me tell you his voice was just like the Marlboro Man or something! Creepy. But we got a truck full of wood for $40 so it was worth it!

When we got home we unloaded it into the garage, right under the sweet visuals poster I took home when I worked at Pottery Barn Kids! ha!

So now we are stocked up for a while and will stay nice and toasty for a few weeks! :)

How do you stay warm? Do you make fires or use your heater?

-Katie

Coach Holiday Party

Last night the ladies and gent of Coach had our Holiday Party. We did a Secret Snowman gift exchange, and I got some excellent Christmas Decor - which I am too lazy to take a picture of - but just know they were cute! So here are some pictures!

The Group!

Casy and Caylah

Mini-Group Shot!

My red eye is a little out of control here...

Overall it was a fun night, but I was SOOOO tired by the time I got home! Thankfully I have today off! Yay! :)

Happy Monday!

-Katie

Oh Day off, how you zip by so fast....

Before I start, Sara from That's Sassy!! I didn't get the invite when you went private so send that over please!!! my email is katieandjoshsblog(at)gmail(dot)com!!

~~~

Yesterday was my day off and boy oh boy, it DID NOT feel like it. Unlike most other people who get 2 days off in a row (1 to do errands and such, the other to relax), I get my two days off a week separated from each other. For Example, this week I had Monday and Thursday off. So if I do errands on Monday, I don't have much time to relax that day because I spent it running errands or doing laundry or going to the gym, and then the next day I am right back to work. Then when it comes to my second day off, without fail we will be out of milk or something so yet again, ANOTHER day of errands - leaving me with no day to just relax.

Now don't get me wrong, I am VERY thankful for my job, but honestly, I am so ready to have a normal schedule where I have the weekends off and I don't work past 5pm and can eat dinner with Josh every night.

Just think about it. Whenever you want to go shopping the mall is pretty much open, 7 days a week, first thing in the morning till bedtime. Which means some unlucky soul has to be there to open and close the store. So if you happen to be one of those people who shops late in the evening, remember to be polite to the sales associate because they would rather be at home enjoying a warm meal with their family instead of ringing up your transaction.

It's really weird because I didn't intend to rant in this post, but it just sorta came out. I guess Holiday Mall Hours and Annoying Holiday Shoppers are already getting to me... ughhh... 5 more weeks, 5 more weeks...

-Katie

My New Love!

ooooooooo. mmmmmmm. gggggggggg.

Let me share with you the most delicious treat ever:

The limited edition Mint Fudge Oreo aka Heaven in a Package.

I bought a few boxes for my dad and when I went home to visit and I gave one a whirl, and let me tell you I have been addicted ever since. Pop these little babies in the freezer and BAM! Even yummier!!

If you haven't tried them I suggest you get to the store and buy some, after all they are a LIMITED EDITION!!!!

YUM!

-Katie

Christmas Lights!

Today while Stephanie (my bff/roomate) and I were at work, Josh and her boyfriend Anthony put up the Christmas lights on the house! Over the weekend when I was home my dad gave me a huge box of lights, so I gave them to the boys with some instructions and they did a great job!

The best part about Josh and Anthony putting lights on the house is that they are both terrified of heights. Therefore I told them they didn't have to put lights on the upper story, just the first story, but because they are boys - they went ahead and did both just to show they could.

Since I was at work I told Josh they HAD to take pictures to document their adventure... so here we go...

Joshy going out of our bedroom window in order to hang lights upstairs.
Josh clinging on to the gutter for dear life.

Light hanging in action.
All Finished! Don't mind our messy garage :)

What I saw when I got home from work! Not to shabby for first timers!! It looks great! :) (Don't mind the tippy top that doesn't have ice sickles, it's because they were too scared to get up that high haha)

Here is a little video of the lights in action! Some of them are moving lights!! :)


All in all the boys had a very productive day, and a successful one at that - they both stayed safe and no one fell off of the roof! haha

Happy Holidays!!!

-Katie