Making a List, but not checking it twice...

If you know me, you know that Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. If you really know me, you know that Christmas time also gives me high anxiety. I love Christmas lights, carols, and spending time with my favorite people. I absolutely hate shopping for presents when I don't know what people want, Christmas shopping traffic, and crowds at the mall. It seriously gives me a panic attack. That is why you will never find me Black Friday shopping in the early morning. Just typing that makes my heart rate skyrocket.

In all of my crazy anxiety seriousness, I really do love Christmas. So, I have decided to compile some ideas that I want to do this Christmas. If my completing of this list is anything like my blogging, I probably won't even check one thing off. Let's hope that is not the case : )


Christmas To Do:

1. Watch " How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Okay, so I have already done this, but I just really wanted one thing to go ahead and cross off the list. Sometimes, I write things on my to-do lists that I have already done, just so I have something to cross off. I know that some of you do that too. Don't lie.

2. Go get hot chocolate and ride around looking at Christmas Lights. I hope to do this with my family in Tennessee because if we try and do this in Florida, we can not drink hot chocolate. We will need something with ice because it is not cold. at. all.

3. Make Christmas Cookies. Probably going to do this with my mom, my sister, and her kids. Here's to hoping that my niece makes more cookies this year than just eating more of the raw dough. #sheishermothersdaughter

4. Get all of my Christmas shopping finished before the week of Christmas. I should be able to do this. I think I can. I think I can.

5. Have our Community Group Christmas get-together. We will be doing this sometime this week, so it should help to kickstart Christmas  : )

*Also, I have started the She Reads Truth Advent: Emmaunuel, God with us study plan. If you are looking for a study to prepare your heart for the reason of the Christmas season, you should check out this study.

Throwback Thursday: Christmas Edition. For your enjoyment:

 Because nothing says "Merry Christmas" quite like sitting in a wooden sled with an ugly and huge teddy bear. My mom sure did love a good matching outfit for her girls, complete with sponge rolled curls and headbands : )

I am fully aware that I had a huge head as a baby. I mean, I still do. Yet, I think that my head is normal size, it just looks ginormous because Amanda has a small head. We have always said she has a pea size head because every hat she tries on just swallows her head. Love you sweet sister.

Peer pressure from my sister made me write this post...

I have thought about deleting this blog multiple times. I don't ever remember to update, or if I do update, it has been a half a year since my last post. I just keep reminding myself that I will one day look back at this and be happy I did it. Whatever.

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Since my sister actually took the time to update her blog, and she made me feel bad for not updating mine, I figured I should too. I hate peer pressure.

Well, summer has come and gone, even though you wouldn't be able to tell in Central Florida because it is still 83 degrees in December. My family came to visit Disney in September and we spent the week together. My mom came back in October to have some girl time while Trey was traveling out of town. We have also celebrated Halloween and Thanksgiving. Enjoy the pictures below and pretend that I actually updated on time and that some of the pictures aren't 3 months old. Okay, thanks.

 Sister looks pumped. Brother looks angry. Probably because this was like the 983405979845 picture we made him take. that. day.

 i pretty much spent the whole time loving on this dude, aka best week ever.

 i am almost 99.9% sure that our mom made us take this picture.

 We went to Gainesville for the UT/UF game to see the Vols lose play. I can only imagine how annoying Rocky Top is to VOLhaters because the Gator Chomp makes me want to pull out my hair, one strand at a time. Vol for Life.

 We went to a Halloween Costume Party and my husband insisted on wearing the purple leisure suit. If you can't beat them, you go to Marshalls and find an ugly jumpsuit that should not be for sale in 2013, and you buy it. #gross

 Someone won "Most Crafty" and thought he was hott stuff.

P.S. he still has that stupid ribbon hanging in his closet.

Puhhhhlllleeeassseee.

 My mom came and visited for a whole week and it was amazing. She is the best. Period.

 We woke Thanksgiving morning and the high was 62 for the day. When it gets below 70 in Central Florida, people think you should be bundled up, sitting by a fire, and drinking something hot, so naturally, we did just that. I know. We are pathetic.

 We didn't go home for Thanksgiving for the first time. It was super sad. I may or may not have started crying while watching the "Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade." We still had a fun day with yummy food, napping, and facetiming all our family.

Thankful for this man and our first Thanksgiving by ourselves. Yes, he is wearing insulated overalls and socks with his chacos. We just stayed at home that day. You know I would not let him go out of the house wearing socks and sandals. 

Hopefully, I will post again before next Thanksgiving : )

I'll be there for you...

You must sing the "Friends" theme song while reading this post. Do it. It makes it more fun. Promise.

I have the greatest friends. The Lord has truly blessed me with amazing women in my life. I have sweet friends all the way from Kindergarten to brand new friends here in Florida.

Although I love all my friends, I hold a very special place in my heart for 4 dear college friends. I could not have made it through my four years of college without these women. I lived in the sorority dorm with these women. I ate almost every meal with these women. I laughed and cried with these women. I talked about Trey with these women. I walked down the aisle to Trey and stood with these women. They are so very special to me.

Every year or year and a half, we try to see each other. We live all over the country and it is hard to make our schedules work. This year, we were all able to meet up in Tennessee at a lakehouse. We did absolutely nothing and it was perfect. The highlight of the weekend was when Meghan and Meagan told us they are expecting babies in October. They are due one week apart and both are having sweet little boys : ) I am so excited that our little crew is growing with more babies!!!

Love all of you soooo much!!!

Anna's reaction to Meghan and Meagan's Big News: )

The only boy, sweet little Judson, invited to the girls weekend: )

The Crew: Meagan, Meghan, Anna, Me, Jessica, and Judson.

We can't wait to add two more babies to this crew : )

So, I haven't blogged in seven months and I have a new nephew...

This is just my style. I don't blog in 7 months and a lot of stuff happens. We have had Thanksgiving, Christmas, a lot of other holidays, and my sister had a new baby. One day I will stay on top of things. Yeah, right.

So, back at Thanksgiving, my sister announced that she was having a new baby, making me an aunt for the third time. To say that I was excited would be an understatement. I love kids. I especially love kids that are related to me and call me Aunt Jen.

The night that the kids told my grandparents. They were just a little excited.

Since I completely stopped blogging and missed all holidays for seven months, here is our Christmas card for 2012. Yes, our stuffed elk is in the picture. My husband won this year. 

The Marlin Crew-Christmas 2012

Amanda went into labor on May 13th and I was in Florida. Thank goodness for Facetime. I got to meet this little guy over a phone. 

Robert Alison Pilkinton is perfect. Like for real. Yes, he is the prettiest baby every. Totally not biased at all.

I was able to fly up to Tennessee on the same day that little Rob was born to enjoy his sweetness. I stayed for over a week just to soak it all in. I am completely in love with the little guy. We are so blessed.

Cleaning=A stroll down memory lane

I hate cleaning. I hate mopping. I hate dusting. I hate cleaning toilets.

What I do love is a clean house. So, I guess you have to take the bad with the good.

You want to know what I did this weekend? You guessed it. I cleaned. And I cleaned. And I cleaned.

My house now smells so nice and looks beautiful. I should probably do it more often.

Look at those beautiful, clean floors : )

I cleaned out my closet for the first time since we moved last August.

 

 That right there is heaven to my eyes.

I decided to get rid of some old purses that I never use. While cleaning them out, I found the glasses in the picture below. So, these glasses made their debut at my 21st birthday in college. I guess I should clean out my purses more since that was in 2007. What?!? But, they had me reminiscing so I had to look back at my 21st birthday pictures. You are welcome.

 

My first drink. in my dorm room. I was scared too death that we were going to get written up by our R.A. I may or may not still have that dress. I may or may not always keep it just for the memories.

 My best friends, minus Anna. I am pretty sure that everyone wore those glasses throughout the night.

 Did we really drink wine in Massey? Why did we not go to the bar?

Oh, that's right. We were b.r.o.k.e.

 

And, this sums up the end of the night. 

 Peace Out my sweet friends : )

When Halloween is a little boring...

So, I have come to the conclusion that being an adult is a little boring. When I was a kid, all holidays were exciting and full of magic. Or so I thought. Now, holidays are still super fun, just a lot toned down from when I was 7.

Tonight, we had my perfect, boring Halloween night. We made a pizza, some yummy chocolate chip cookies, and watched Hocus Pocus. That my friends is a recipe for a perfect adult holiday. So, I am sure when I have kids one day, Halloween will come back with all its excitement and magic. But, right now, I am loving this kind of boring Halloween night.

Our Pumpkin Pizza : ) I know, I am so creative with onions.

All the candy that I bought for our trick or treaters. Well, we had one teenage mutant ninja turtle and a precious kitty cat. I guess that just means I will have to take one for the team and gain 40 pounds eat the candy.

The best Halloween movie. Unless your husband has never watched it and makes fun of it through the entire 2 hours. Pretty awesome.

I wish that I was as thoughtful as the people who sent us these Halloween cards. Love getting mail : )

Of course, I am a little biased, but these have to be the cutest little trick or treaters. But, why are so they so big? I can't handle it.

Happy Halloween to you all!!!

A Pumpkin fit for a bunch of Nuts...

So, I am not a big Halloween person. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of Halloween. I just don't go crazy with decorations, party planning, and dressing up. One think I do enjoy is a carved pumpkin on my porch.

A couple of days ago, we went to the pumpkin patch and bought a pumpkin. Tonight, we had a pumpkin carving party with our very fun neighbors. There were lots of chocolate chip cookies, beer, and pumpkins. Now, that is my kind of party.

Getting started on the carving, although he kinda looks like he is about to murder it.

So, Trey wanted to carve a squirrel. I am pretty sure we are the only people in history to carve a squirrel. Whatever. Oh, please ignore the circle in the back. Our pumpkin started to rot, so we had to plug it. : )

The finished product : )

Hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween : ) Eat lots of fun candy : )