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!

My total savings today= 328.81 +

Its my birthday and I went shopping for me. Since it is my day and all! I’m 24. No milestone but it was worth a few things for me to celebrate. So I got a water bottle, nail polish, bra, fuzzy socks, a book, 2 pairs of shoes, a skirt, 2 pairs of jeans, 3 shirts, and a few things for Cas. I got him 2 pairs of slippers, 1 pair of shoes, Snow pants, and 3 shirts. 20 items for 123.19. That to me is GREAT. I don’t feel like I went crazy. My most expensive purchase of the day was the 2 pairs of shoes… but I got them for 22 bucks a pair. And they will last me for years. So its worth it. My cheapest thing I got today .50 cents and that was a shirt for Caspian.

Yesterday was not so good of a day. It had its highlights, but there were more lows to its highlights.

Today before my shopping trip, this is how it began. We woke up and got ready. I made lunches for both of us. Then we went and ate breakfast (I had a coupon for a free breakfast sandwich). And we enjoyed ourselves. Then I had to drop Shawn off at work. And Cas and I headed to the outlet mall. In hand I had my 20% of Tanger Coupons, and $15 off my $50 purchase at old navy birthday coupon( I also knew they were having a 40% off everything sale). Waan’t sure what I was looking for but I know I found a lot of good things.

As for the rest of my day. After shopping I let cas nap in the car while I read a little. Then I talked to my mom for a few. Cas and I headed in (a little disappointed in no birthday cards in my mail today, but Courey’s save the date was there) and scoped out the great deals that were made. Figured out our savings, and are chilling out. In a few I am going to heat up some Potato soup I made, and eat. After we get Shawn we are going to stop at Starbucks and redeem my free birthday drink. So today is and has been a good day.

Then for tomorrow we have AMAZING plans. We are going to see Water for Elephants. As well as get free coffee at Starbucks and Caribou. Then get free reusable totes from the Disney store, and free face wash from Macy’s. Talk about AWESOME. Then I have to go fill out paper work at my new job to make it official. And maybe go to the Pirates game (and get a free shirt and free reusable coffee sleeve) . It will be a full day.

My house might be a mess… but its my birthday so I will forgo cleaning today and tom . Saturday however is a different story.

Thinking Ahead

I got a job. So much for being a stay at home mom. I mean I still will be . I won't be working full time, no more than 25 hrs a week. It will be nice to contribute to the funds again. I was starting to feel bad when i bought things. And I felt like i was going to become an extreme couponer if i wasn't careful. Just to feel good because i was saving money. Instead of talking about my trip and my not so wonderful experience. I thought that i would talk about what i would like to come. I never knew I could love anything as much as i love my husband and kid. They are 2 of the best things in my life which has made me want more. Yes everyone tessa is talking about how she wants a 2nd kid. Now I know that I have to wait to plan the next one till we get a house. Which hopefully will be in our NEAR future. For our lease is up in the fall and i don't want to have to live in this apartment much longer. It has been great. But that greatness is over. On top of that my car will be paid off in sept. Knock on wood . SOOO what i want to do is with my paychecks. Chuck 75% of them into savings and then with the rest have a little extra spending and paying off some of those bills we have. Hopefully if things go according to plan 1. got a job (hope that it works out.little worried about that.) 2. work on paying off bills and saving money at the same time 3. pay off car! 4. buy us a house 5. move 6. work on our next kid. and with in all that be happy and enjoy life. and if things don't go according to plan. it will be ok. But as for now it time to Celebrate my 24th birthday on thursday.