Sidesmas 2013

Sidesmas 2013 was a huge success if I do say so myself (which I will!).

We cooked all day that Saturday and I think it was my most successful use of the oven yet. I made stuffed mushrooms, brussel sprouts, mashed potato pie and cranberry sauce. John made delicious macaroni and cheese (which is always so labor intensive and involves like eight different cheeses) and set up our entire house with all our rented tables and chairs.

We thought that this year we were going to have smaller tables and a buffet situation with the food, but I really do love the whole big table thing, so we stuck with that for another year!

This year I even got hostess gifts! It was a pretty exciting moment. Abbie got us a the best peppermint candle in the history of peppermint candles and Becca and Shannon got us this beautiful picture that Shannon took on our wedding day. Needless to say I burst into tears.

Dave wore this really awesome sweatshirt and Jared put all of our leftovers together as per usual. He seriously has a gift for tupperware and Ziploc bags!

And after dinner per Sidesmas/giving tradition, Brian hosted the Newlywed Game which Becca and I royally lost. Becca and Stephanie won, but we're all pretty sure there was some major cheating happening. Sorry guys, I said it.

How good does Brian look all dressed up for his hosting duties? He really came through, considering he was majorly sick and had nearly no voice. What a guy!

Did I mention it was snowing that night? Like really seriously snowing. We thought for the whole day that people were going to start calling one by one to tell us they weren't coming. But everyone came. Every last person walked up to our front door, came inside and took of their shoes. I think this pile is a pretty good visual representation of my happy place.

Until next year, Sidesgiving!

Happy Adoption Day, Mimosa Megan!

Dear Mimosa Megan Olsen,

Sunday is your Adoption Day! It is the anniversary of the day that Becca, Stephanie and I got in our car, drove to Bay Ridge and fell in love with you (see picture below for evidence).

 

When John and I decided we needed one more cat in our family and then we saw you online, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

You ended up being so very much sicker than we thought (or anyone for that matter, even your foster Mom) thought you were. And this year has been a lot of vet visits, a lot of tears (on my part) and a lot of you getting weaker and now stronger. Do you have CH? We're not totally sure. Are you going to walk again? We can't quite tell. But we are sure that we will get you as well as your little body will let you get.

You are such a strong little baby girl and you have shown your Dad and I that we can do basically anything (including giving you baths and giving your oral steroids) as long as we are together.

You are also such a funny girl. You put up with my crazy and at my Bachelorette Party, you even wore my necklace! You let me sing to you and you hang out with Dilly and Dad at night when he plays video games and I am asleep.

And ohhhh Dilly. It took nearly six months, but she finally warmed up to you. Sometimes you push her to far and she smacks the heck out of you, but most times you just want to be near her and meow and meow until she comes to sit next to you or until me or your Dad put her next to you in the hopes that you stop meowing!

But generally you are a meow-ey cat! The first vet we took you too just told us you were "mouthy". But really, you're letting us know who the boss is. You meow and meow until we pick you up...in fact as I type this, you're laying on my chest knocked out like a light. John and I joke that we're going to get one of those baby slings to put you in, at least that way we could hold you and both our hands would be free.

We don't know what the next year will bring for you. But we know that we'll keep on loving you and spoiling you rotten until we can't anymore. And we'll keep thanking all of our friends and family who love you too (because they really are the best).

So happy first year as an Olsen, Mim! We love, love, love you!

Love,
Your crazy cat lady Mom

Oh Hey, 2014!

Guys. Its 2014? How is that possible? Do you remember when it was 2000 and we all thought the world was going to end? And then it didn't and now it is14 years later? How crazy is that?

Let's talk about some things to do in 2014! 

1. As always, it is my foremost goal to wear pants as little as possible. I think we're on year seven of this resolution and its seriously the best! No pants, no problems!

2. Read as much as possible and make a reading corner in our bedroom. In 2013 I read 60 books, but I think I'd like to aim for higher in 2014. Not 100, because in 2012 we found out how truly difficult that is. I think my reading game will be seriously upped if I have a cozy yet upright position to read in. Maybe with a side table and a pretty lamp!

3. Be present, slow down and enjoy the little things. Put my phone away, take a walk, experience what and who is around me.

4. Enjoy our first full year as a married couple. We have a lot of things we hope to do this year, and we're so excited to get to do them as Mr. and Mrs.

Happy New Year from our family to your's!