One busy NYE day!

Today is going to be a crazy day! 

Us UK fans have the biggest rivalry game of the season at high noon! 

It's the one and only #1 UK Wildcats against our other state team...

the JV squad of the state...Louisville Cardinals...or as we like to say Loserville Birdnals. {Term coined by my dear friend Laura!} 

No worries though, our Coach Cal and his star players can take them. 

Outcome:

Where ever you are, be a CATS fan and cheer on our boys! 

Unfortunately, tickets are a hot commodity and going for insane amounts of dough around here. 

They are like GOLD.

So, we will be watching from the comfort of a bar booth!

AFTER our BIG WIN, Chels and I have hair appointments with her fab hair guy! I'm browsing Pinterest for pics to show him what I want! I'm thinking Big and Bigger...

Teased all the way back to the 1950's!

AFTER the hair...I have to get myself made up for dinner for this girl! It's her Birthday! Her husband has made reservations at a sushi place! Yumm!

Then...the big night out! Didn't make any big plans, just hoping to have a fun night with great friends! 

Goodbye 2011. Won't be missing you.

I'm welcoming you 2012 with open arms and it's GOT to be better than 2011. 

Just gotta be! 

So, Here's to you 2012. 

Treat us well!

The goings on...

So I know I've been MIA for a week or so, so I'm going to try and catch you up with what's been going on in my life really quick. {I've been a bad photographer :( this season. I have a great camera, just need to use it more!}

First was my sisters graduation. I intended on getting a photo of all the nurses in our family, but I forgot. I will one day. 

So proud of ya little sis.

Then, there was the engagement of my friends Rebecca and Jason! I am so honored to be apart of their big day next October!

And we celebrated all night!

Then there was Christmas...

{see, the only pic I took...mom has more}

This is my Christmas card holder.

Just a bow with ribbon hanging down and hot glued clothes pins. Simple and easy to make! I love this time of year when REAL MAIL comes and pretty cards are in the mailbox! I look forward to it every year!

 This is peppermint ice cream pie with hot fudge. DE-LISH. One of our traditions is going to a family friends on Christmas Eve for dinner and gifts. This is the dessert she makes.

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and Santa was great to you all! He was more than generous to me!

I did make it to the after Xmas sales for a new Xmas tree! If you recall, mine is a recycled tree of my parents and leans about 30 degrees. Literally, with a slight blow, the thing might fall over! 

And it has a branch missing {that side goes in the back}.

So, needless to say, it's going to the curb!

Mom and I hit up Garden Ridge and I snagged a 7.5 ft on sale for $75 and a 6ft for $30! The 6ft is going to be my fun, sassy tree next year! I got lots of pink and frilly stuff too!

Now on to New Years Eve plans and resolutions...

5 Nurses + 1 More!

Today I am going to watch the pinning ceremony of my sister from Nursing school, then the graduation from University of Kentucky Nursing School. Not too long ago, I was in her same shoes! 

4 1/2 years ago...really?! Already?! Time flies! 

When I went to Nursing school, I graduated with 2 of my cousins! Now, our family adds another! My mom is a nurse, as well as my aunt. So...add it up, and there are now 6 nurses in our family!

{My parents had a little graduation party for her last night and all of us were together, and I didn't get a pic! DAANNNGGITT. I will at Christmas!}

If you don't like talk of brains and guts, well, don't join our dinner table! Yes, we do discuss bowels and limbs that have been cut off, and the like at our dinner table! My dad can't stomach it, yet we continue talking about the gory stuff and he ends up leaving! 

So, here are my cousins and I on our graduation day. Today, we add little sis! And, she may be working by my side in the same unit as me! I might get to teach her a thing or two!

Congratulations Emily on graduation. Welcome to the nursing world! You'll be a great nurse, {if you're anything like me...ha} Seriously, you will!

A catch up...

Hey ladies! 

I've got a few things to catch you up on! {I've been a slacker on posting} 

Last weekend was my work Christmas party! It was a blast! We all had low expectations due to it's location, but as always, with our group of co-workers, we can make any party, at any venue, FUN! 

I ran into an old high school friend that night and she said,"I heard you all get really rowdy" 

My response,"Why, yes, you heard correctly, we do!"

Working in critical care with so much tragedy, we have to find a way to de-stress!

Before the party a few of us went to a local bar to have a drink and this lady walked up to me and said, "OH MY GOSH!  I NEED YOUR OUTFIT!" She wanted my outfit to wear NYE. I told her where to get it and we discussed our NYE plans, and she said if she saw me NYE in the same thing she would be mad at me! I told her not to worry, I wouldn't be wearing it! 

I was flattered she liked it so much!

Next, last night my friend Jamie and I spent a few hours in the kitchen! I'm working on my housewife skills for when that day comes...

We made chocolate covered pretzels, Miss Lindsay's peppermint bark, sugar cookies in Christmas cutout designs and puppy chow! 

We had Christmas music blasting in the kitchen while we cooked!

 What holiday foods do you make yearly?!

Red and White all over!

I have a red and white holiday decorating obsession! I have a R&W tree skirt, candlesticks, candle arrangement, and ornament filled vase table centerpiece. 

It's so festive!

This year I've even incorporated the theme into my gift wrapping. I bought plain brown postal wrapping paper and red, white, and silver bows. The gift tags are Santa hats and peppermints. I like the universal look under the tree. 

Here are a few snapshots of my R&W decor! 

The tabletop centerpiece-vases filled with the R&W polka dot and striped glass ornaments is my favorite! 

How do you decorate each year?! 

Do you use a gift wrapping theme too?!

Xmas Cards!

I found my cards this year from a twitter follower! The miss @carriesteinbeck has a design business and I looked on her website and found a super cute card! I had her change the red to a more pinky red color and customize the phrase inside the card. I was a little picky and indecisive, and she was so great and easy to work with! Her prices are very reasonable also!. If you ever need any kind of announcements, invitations, or greeting cards you should check her out! 

I spent yesterday signing and addressing all my cards to send this year! I just love them! They will be in the mail this week!

Love Lauren & Stella, too!