Say what you waited a year ?

        A new year and lets start over me and you blog . I miss being able to sit down and write (type) what or how I am feeling, or what is on my mind at a time. It also has been almost a year since I have last written and a lot has happened since March of 2012.
     My, April was so long ago and I almost can't remember what happened. I think the most monumental thing that happened in April (besides me turning 25 ) was that Shawn and me bought tickets for us to go to Ireland! Yes  I said it , I finally after 25 years get to travel overseas. Best Birthday present ever , even though I had to wait till October.
    May, June, July and August were spent enjoying the summer with friends and family. And mowing an awful lot of grass. It was a never ending grass. I love our yard and hate it at the same time. In the winter its nice don't have to do anything just look at it and for 3 full months its pretty much mow every week or you are screwed. We have a gaggle of turkeys, a herd of deer( not sure of the correct terminology but you get the picture) and a groundhog that all live in our back yard or the woods surrounding it.
       September we celebrated our 2nd anniversary and were getting ready for our trip to Ireland.
My Mom and sister Caitlin came up at the end of September to watch Caspian while Shawn and me were on our vacation. I got to spend some time with them and that was a lot of fun. It had been a long time since I had seen Caitlin and spent time with her. It was great getting to spend some time with my Mom since I hadn't seen her since Thanksgiving 2011.

Shawn and Me in Galway, Ireland October 2012

 

 

 The 1st week of October 2012 will never be forgot. Shawn and me left for Ireland on the 4th. We found out soon that me and flying do not agree and therefore I was sick. When we landed for our layover in Chicago I quickly hunted down some medicine. It helped but I still felt awful. It was also a 6 plus hr flight to Ireland. And well not an easy one.  When we landed in Dublin we hopped on a bus to go to the train station and then took a 2hr train ride to Galway. If I had to do anything different about our trip it would have been not going straight from the plain to a train. That wasn't a good idea. We spent 2 days in Galway. This really nice city on the West coast of Ireland. It was so serene and calm. Very quaint! Then back on the train and 3 days in Dublin. The whole trip was great and loads of fun. We did so much stuff. It was a trip we will never forget. And 4 months later we have already been talking about how we would like to go back or travel to another country soon. Hopefully the next time we can include Caspian .

 

Caspian and me at Phipps Early December 2012

   November and December were a blurr. Trying to get Christmas done. I was so behind this year, actually come to think of  it I still am. I have my sisters and my best friends Mandy's Christmas gifts to make . They will get them even if they don't get them till next Christmas . Sorry If you do get them that late guys.

 

   Now the new year is here and there is so much potential. I have a lot the I would like to happened or get done .For now that's all but I plan to Live Better. Love More. Laugh Harder.


      

The 6th Month!

<-------- the curtains i finished the other day that were the final touch!


(i couldn't get the picture to move <------. veiw from the bed to the exit)

I hung up some airplane hooks my mom got and a picture she painted on the far wall.

Were settled and enjoying the everyday life in our new home. Working on making it ours and spending lots of time enjoying it.

Caspian thought it would be fun to hide from me the other day and hid between the screen door and the front door... he pretty much fit.

We had lots of fun playing with that....

So rolling into our 7th month in our house I feel a sense of some accomplishment. I feel like i have officially finished one room in the house... Caspian's room! When my parents visited for Thanksgiving they helped me paint Caspian's room . We painted it Jalapeno Jelly... yes I know sounds weird... well since then I have been adding to the room.

I put up the painting I made while i was pregnant

(laying in the bed looking at the closet.Window is on the right)

Refurbished the nightstand next to his bed. Painted it black and brushed it with a metallic blue

(standing by the closet , other window on the left)

I added some star lights I have had since high school.

(standing in the long hallway like area, closet on the left, other window on the right)

His crib he never goes near and his tent.

(standing in the door looking right ish)

(standing where the airplane hooks are)


















(standing near the lamp)

I hung up a Gaelic Blessing, a Picture from his Birth, and a sun I painted. With his dresser.

(Standing by the crib. )

(standing where the airplane hooks are)

Now that I have finished his room I can work on the others. I have been working on the kitchen.... its almost there . Needs a few final touches ... and an island i am still trying to find....

So exciting .... Can't wait to start on the other rooms ...

Somewhere in the future.....

For it has been TOO long....

The thoughts of you run through my head often,

but my time with you is slim....

My poor blog is left in the cold so often

I think about writing in it all the time.

I have poor time management and

spend more time reading or playing with my kid

(which is by far the most important)

I think about what i should talk about ...

My last post was what happened over the past year.

And thinking about it so much has happened

This year is going to seem so mild ... well lets hope

So far in 2012 I am trying to uphold my new years resolution

Working on not spending as much

Sounds easier than what it is

And its not that i spend a lot of money

Its more of the small amounts here and the small amounts there

they add up .... and I really am trying

there is a tiny voice in my head i fight everyday

yes you want to go to... (name store)

and then the other voice that's there .....

no you don't need to go to or buy (name store/item)

Sometimes i win, and some days my urge wins

The main reason for this resolution is that i really want to go on our planned trip to Europe.

I have always wanted to travel.

I told myself that if it means cutting out trips to the thrift store or getting that doughnut

I will gladly fight the urge and save the money instead.

I have always dreamed and wanted to travel

Culture and Languages amaze me

There is so much to learn and enjoy from all over the world

Lets just pray that i can keep this up for another 9 months

I want this so bad, its almost all I think about as of late

The thought that the trip of my dreams is 9 months into my grasp

makes me jump for joy

I have never been this close to a trip Europe.

I really hope that we will be able to do it.

So far i have about a $1,000 saved for the trip and in my camera fund almost $100

And since I only started saving at the beginning of the year I have to say that

I think i'm doing a pretty good job.

After the new year we have Caspian's 2nd birthday.

He's 2 .... I can't even grasp that.

I never thought I would be a mom

let alone a mom at 24(22 when i got pregnant)

I didn't think i could breastfeed for a year let alone 2!

We just finished that and now are working on getting him to sleep on his own.

I haven't slept in the same bed with my husband since the end of September.

I miss him and not just in the physical sense, i miss our relationship.

Its been hard, working 5am to 10 am and then dropping him off at work at 1130 am.

picking him up at 9 pm... not much we can do about that
we need this , and it works, but it makes marriage hard.

On a highly positive note Shawn has almost been with PNC for a year

and is working on getting a new position within the company.

I am so proud of him. I love that he seems to enjoy his job

And he's even putting in Extra hours when he can to

help us save some money for our trip

(we are trying really hard not to have to put anything on the credit card)

I think he's just as excited about a trip to Europe as I am.

So besides what has been mentioned there is not much else going on

Well hopefully i will be able to post more on a regular bases

Since by the time i write in here i can't remember all that i wanted to talk about

Enjoy and talk to you again soon.

All that Hustle and Bustle....

o with the year coming to an end, and a new one around the corner I thought it would be good to post whats going on in our life at the Kelly's. This year has come and gone in what feels like a blur...

Caspian turned one

Shawn got a new job

We bought a house and moved

Celebrated our 2nd Anniversary

Courey got married (and Shawn's mom visited)

My parents came up for Thanksgiving

Celebrated our 1st Christmas at our new home

We took a short trip in November, the week before Thanksgiving. D.C. was our trip of choice, because it was cheap and close. Caspian had a blast. When we got back it was crazy getting ready for Thanksgiving . (sorry for my sideways pictures)

My parents to Caspian out on walks in the yard during there visit. It was nice, and hectic but still

enjoyable all the same

We got our 1st real tree. Caspian had a blast helping us pick it out. He still doesn't realize what is going

on.

Caspian helped me make my Christmas Cookies . We spent Christmas Eve at the Degeorge's in Morgantown. It was nice and relaxing and fun.Christmas morning was great. Caspian enjoyed opening his gifts, then he got tired and refused to open them all. Who would of thought a kid wouldn't want to open all his gifts. On the 26th we went to the chocolate store in the Strip District and I got me some belated stocking stuffers. Ended up making delicious hot chocolate with it.

I am sad to see the year come to an end. I am not saying that this year was easy. We had our highs and lows. Some bad points and some great ones. It is nice to know that we are about to begin another year together and enjoy life as it tosses new things at us all the time.

Up and coming for 2012

Caspian turns 2

We are planing a big trip (either Europe with just me and shawn or Disney with all of us )

and tons tons more that haven't even happened yet.

Far to long have our paths not crossed....

It was summer and then it was not. Last time i posted seemed forever ago or not . June .... June was just yesterday right ? Well since June we have purchased a home. Thank the Lord!!!!!! We have moved. It was a long and stress full July and August. End of August the house was ours. September was a mess of unpacking and getting situated into to the new lifestyle of home owner ship. Me and Shawn celebrated our 2nd Anniversary . Shawn's Mom came to visit . It was nice to be able to host and have a place to do it. October starts and Courey Wed. It was a beautiful wedding/reception. And now it is Mid October .... and June seems more far off than it did when i started this post. We went to the dentist for Caspian at the beginning of the month. They hope his tooth won't have to get pulled but we won't know for sure till December (which by the way was there earliest appointment)Things are getting into a routine and we are working on getting Caspian to sleep on his own... Still struggling to even get him to nap alone let alone sleep alone. Talking about our future and dealing with everyday stresses are the things our lives entail.

progress

But progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved and prune practices that ought to be...prohibited!

This is the quote that popped into my head as I am about to start my blog. I have attempted many a times to sit down and blog the past 2 months. But there has been little or no time. Or if I have started i decided it was better that i not write in that state of mind.
We are moving forward. In a slow and stressful pace but we are getting some where. Last month Caspian went in for a blood test and his lead levels went up. There is little we can do in our apartment to help. We do what we can. So our house hunt was kicked up a knotch or two. For the past month and half we have been working on all the home buying aspects. looking for loans and homes. Deciding on what area , what schools we want Caspian to go to. How far we would be away from the things and places we go to know. My parents came to visit the past weekend and went house hunting with us. It was a fun and stressful weekend. Discussing the pros and cons to some of these houses we liked.

I spent the last week talking with loan places and dealing with trying to obtain one. It was so stressful and discouraging at times. I didn't even nap like normal. I was so flustrated and ready for the week to be over when a little light at the end of the tunnel came. If things go in an uphill manner we should be getting to a point where we could have a house by the end of next month.

I thank everyone who has been praying for us, and those who have put up with me during this stressful time. I never thought that I would hate house hunting. I've gotten to the point i can't even turn on my favorite channel.... HGTV.... Its been far more of and ordeal than it ever needed to be but I know in the end that I will be happy that we have our own home, and we can call it our own.

Recipe Time

Rhubarb-Ginger Cream Cheese Bars

I was so excited when I realized it was Rhubarb season again.... Its not a long season so you have to enjoy it as much as you can. And everyone always associates Rhubarb with Strawberries . Thats a great combo, but there are so many other flavors that go with Rhubarb. Last year i made a Rhubarb Pineapple pie... yum.... This year i opened a magazine i got in the mail and there was this recipe. Sounds perfect to me. It was so delicious even though i messed it up. Yes even a pastry chef doesn't always read the recipe or forgets something. It was still good.

Mine was one big gooey mess and so delicious.

A homey brown sugar and oatmeal mixture serves as both a topping and a crust in these rhubarb-intense bars. Using grated ginger for the filling instead of chopped ensures that the ginger flavor is dispersed throughout the filling.

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 1/2 cups sliced fresh rhubarb (about 12 oz.)(3/4 inch)*

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with foil; spray foil with cooking spray.

2. Beat butter in medium bowl at medium speed 1 minute or until creamy. Beat in brown sugar 30 to 60 seconds or until well-blended. At low speed, beat in flour, oats and salt 30 to 60 seconds or until crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the oat mixture; press remaining mixture into bottom of pan.

3. Wipe bowl clean. Add cream cheese; beat at medium speed 1 minute or until fluffy. Beat in sugar 1 minute or until creamy. At low speed, beat in sour cream 15 seconds. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and ginger.

4. Sprinkle rhubarb over crust; cover with batter. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup oat mixture; bake an additional 25 to 30minutes or until puffed and lightly browned, and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove from pan using foil; cut into bars.

TIP *Three cups well-drained thawed frozen rhubarb can also be used.

9 bars

PER BAR: 365 calories, 19.5 g total fat (11 g saturated fat), 5 g protein, 43.5 g carbohydrate, 100 mg cholesterol, 175 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber

Enjoy my friends!