It's hard being little

Whenever it is cold outside, Bitsy breaks our "no dogs on the couch" rule whenever we are out of the room so that she can cuddle in one of our blankets. This is probably the fourth time this week that I have walked in to our living room to see this:
When we catch her, she has no shame! She just gives you that face that says, "Can you blame me?" mixed with "I'm cute, remember?" and I fall for it every time! Anthony gets aggravated that I don't make her get down or punish her in some way, but look at that face!!! How can you say no to that face? Sometimes she hides her eyes under the blanket as if she is imagining herself invisible so we don't make her move. What a cute/manipulative dog!

Voting

For the first time, I am actually kind of excited about this election! I never thought voting meant very much and I've only been old enough to vote in one presidential election but I think it is great that so many people are getting fired up to vote and participate. I don't want to go into who I am voting for and why because I am SICK of people bashing one candidate or another. We're all adults here people, let's just agree to disagree and focus on what we have control over: who we personally vote for.

I just have to say, I've discovered that my biggest pet peeve this election is people openly admitting that they don't know anything about the issues, that they can't understand what is going on, but they are POSITIVE that so-and-so would be the best president ever. I personally think that if you do all the research and come to a logical decision that Mickey Mouse is the best candidate, then vote for him, I don't care! Please, just don't try to tell me that you don't know what is going on, but I should definitely follow your lead.

Family Update

I am sitting here with my hot chocolate on my only real day off, and I wanted to update on all of the things going on with us :)

School: Ant and I are both doing really well so far this semester. Right now, Anthony is in his class in Tampa and his schedule of being in Tampa on Wednesdays, my only day off school and work, has turned out great. Wednesdays have become my cleaning/getting stuff done days :) Anthony pointed out that I definitely have senioritis!! I really don't enjoy going to school anymore and it is not because I don't like the material, I am just over school. This is my last full semester and I am just ready to be done! Every time I turn to the travel channel I instantly want to be where ever they are featuring, and I think it is because I never took a break from school. But, on the bright side I'll be getting my Master's degree at the age of 23, so I guess it is worth it right?

Work: We have definitely worked out a routine with us working the same schedule. We always know what car we are taking, who is driving, where we are parking (this has been the source of contention in the past) and what time to take a break in our shift so we can visit each other. When I go up to his floor, all of this co-workers go, "It's Mrs. Anthony!!!". Anthony doesn't really like the night shift because there is a lot less action and things to do, but there is not much he can do about it :( As for my internship, I've put working there on hold until the semester is over because of all the school work I've had. I might still work there next semester, but I'm exploring other options as well because I'm not sure that substance abuse is the area for me. I'm glad I had the opportunity to find that out ahead of time!

Our new addition: Anthony really wanted me to include this in the blog: we got a new tv!!
Isn't it ginormous!! Our 10 year old 50 inch tv broke last friday and all the research we did on the problem was that it wasn't worth it to pay to get it fixed. So, we decided to upgrade! After all this time with a big tv, there was no way we could get a smaller one and I found a pretty sweet deal on this 60-inch tv. We got it Monday night, and it probably says a lot about our social life that our tv broke on Friday and we bought a new one on Monday! Now we really want to have a movie night at our house to break it in. Anyone interested?

Progress

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am a saver. Some might even go as far to say that I am a miser (not that I fully agree:). That said, for months I have been admiring a sweater shawl a friend of mine has. It looks so good on her, it looks so comfy, and would go with so many of my outfits! I finally asked her where she got it: Express in the mall. Let me tell you, I NEVER go in that store because it is so darn pricey! However, we happened to be shopping yesterday and we went to go look for it. I was hoping that since she bought it so long ago it might be on clearance. Unfortunately, no such luck. It was $60!!!!

After getting over the fact that a small sweater was $60, my brain went into dilemma mode. Arguments for buying the sweater: I haven't purchased anything for myself in I don't know how long, and I don't usually buy clothes because I hate clothes shopping. Anthony spends $100 plus dollars a month on his aquarium and I know that he wouldn't begrudge me a sweater if I really wanted it and could get a lot of use out of it. I've been wanting it for a long time, so it isn't really an impulse buy.

Arguments against getting the sweater: It is ridiculously overpriced. I would feel like a hypocrite because I am always getting on to Anthony for spending money on stuff that isn't really essential when we have debts to pay. It isn't on sale. $60 is almost half of my monthly grocery budget. I would have the exact same sweater as a girl in my class and we would probably end up wearing in on the same day.

So, in the end I decided to walk away and look everywhere else for a similar sweater that wasn't so expensive. I did a lot of research online and looked a lot of department stores but I just couldn't find anything that was as good as the real thing. I finally realized that if I was thinking about it as much as I was, than it was worth it to buy it. I found a 15% off coupon online and went to buy it the next morning after class. I am so proud of myself for just doing it and I am so excited about my new sweater! And as a side note, I paid cash for it and we really could afford it, I just have a hard time letting go of money that could be put into our savings account instead :)

Pumpkin Carving

Every year my family gets together to carve pumpkins. For the past few years we've used the pumpkin carving kits with stencils and I must say, we are getting pretty good!

The skull/spiderweb one was painstakingly done by my brother Daniel. I did the next one of a creepy person and a bat coming out of a coffin, Ant did the next one of a bat, and my mom did the last one. You can't really see hers, but it is a x and a needle with a thread hanging from it to represent cross-stitching :) Don't you just love halloween??!!

More Kayaking Adventures

Ant and I took the kayaks out again today, this time to Crystal River. It was really fun to explore all of the little creeks and it was so beautiful! Right as we got out there, we took a detour into a narrow little creek with high weeds that had so many bends and turns that I was sure we would come across something exciting like a gator:) We ended up going so far into it and it narrowed so much that we almost couldn't turn the kayaks around to get out!
Yea kayaking!!!


We came across some really cool coves as we went down a bigger creek area: By far the coolest thing about the entire trip was that we got to get up close and personal with some manatees!!!! I have never seen them this close in the wild and I just couldn't get over it. One manatee in particular loved my kayak and kept going under it. I was afraid to put my paddle in the water because I didn't want to hit its back, but I also wanted to move my kayak when he went under me so that he wouldn't try to surface and tip me over! At first we didn't know if he knew we were there, but we realized he did when he surfaced right next to my kayak and came up to sniff it. I swear he looked me in the eye like he wanted me to pet him! Soon after our friends the Tripps joined us in their kayaks. We went back to try and find more manatees, but unfortunately they wouldn't come and play no matter how much we called them.
:(

OCD: Obsessive Cullen Disorder

There are only 38 days left until the Twilight movie premiere!!!!

I am planning on seeing as soon as humanly possible after it comes out, which might entail some midnight movie-going. I really wanted to wear this t-shirt to the movie but (a) it's not really in my budget to buy it and (b) I think that I would get beat up verbally if not physically by other fans:
That's right folks!!! I am on Team Jacob and I don't care who knows it!!! So far I am the only person of the people I know who have the read the books to feel this way, but so be it.

Yea!!! I got tagged!!

I love doing these!!
3 Joys:
1. Being with Anthony
2. Reading a book by the pool
3. Finding a good coupon

3 Fears:
1. Water (specifically, not being able to breathe in it)
2. That I'm not good enough
3. Heights (specficially, that I will fall from them)

3 Obsessions:
1. Coupons
2. Email and blogs
3. Schoolwork (I really wish I wasn't obsessed, but I am.)

3 Surprising Facts:
1. I have a screw drilled into the roof of my mouth (It's true!)
2. I once snuck into the springs in the middle of the night.
3. I have always loved broccoli, even as a kid.

8 Things I am passionate about:
1. My marriage
2. Being a good counselor
3. Rights for people with disabilities
4. Following the Savior
5. Reading
6. Treating others as you would be treated
7. Spending money wisely
8. Getting enough sleep!

8 Words or Phrases I say often:
1. Really?
2. I love you!
3. You're my honey.
4. What's up?
5. I hate school!
6. Let's watch a movie.
7. What do you want to do tonight?
8. I don't know

8 Things I Want To Do Before I Die:
1. Go to Europe
2. Go skiing
3. Have a baby
4. Learn to play the piano
5. Own my own horse
6. See my kids graduate from college/get married
7. Go scuba diving
8. Run in a race

8 Things I Pray For:
1. For both of us to do well in school
2. Safety for family
3. Happiness
4. Our relationship
5. Patience
6. Understanding
7. Comfort
8. Thanking Heavenly Father for everything

8 Things I've Learned:
1. I can't do everything for everybody
2. Family is the most important relationship
3. School is school, not life
4. It's okay to let go of things and not stay mad.
5. What's the point of something if it doesn't make you happy?
6. Showering everyday is a good thing.
7. No, everybody is not looking at me all of the time.
8. Be nice to people and they will enjoy being around you.

8 People I Tag:
Umm, do I know 8 people? Let's see: Claudia, Rachel, Reggi, Chris, Gabrielle, Mom, Sharon,... That's it. If I forgot you, then I still tag you!