Got My Ear Shortened!

I have been needing to cut my hair, it was too long-thin because of how long, had not been cut in over a year 1/2 & UCK it just needed to get done! SO, I FiNaLlY did something about it!

Before......EWWWWWW.......

After....AHHHHHHHH!

I LOVE IT =)

So FrEsH & So cLeAn, cLeAn!!

 Please excuse the crappy straightening job, I just wanted to get a pic. up! I am so glad to have it taken care, it is healthy feeling, back to feeling thick and strong and I love it! Just a plain straight across cut with a few layers around my face, and again, I LOVE IT! =) Merry Christmas to myself!

Life Is Good

What a great week last week and weekend I had! Austen came home on our Anniversary & we had a nice romantic night at home with homemade meatballs, corn, homemade garlic bread & salad. For dessert we had brownie pudding, and I have to say, HATS OFF TO ME! HAH! But it turned out so good and definitely going to be on our menu from now on! It was a really special night & one I am so grateful to have had.

This past weekend was the start of the chaotic baking that goes on in our family. It is always a time I look forward too, I cherish the memories, I cherish the family recipes and the time I get to spend with the ones I love. Everyone get's in on the action and NONE get to be eaten until Christmas. Our cookies are made with TONS & TONS of love!

Homemade meatballs, YUM!

Brownie pudding!

Dad even came into town to help with the insane baking.

Showing off our hard work, they turned out great!

I think we are really starting to look more alike.

The baby is really starting to grow!

My & Erica's favorite Christmas cookies, Coconut Cherry Chews!

This is the week of Christmas, let us be joyful, grateful and ever blessed. Hoping everyone has a fun-filled Christmas week!

One down, forever to go

Lord, give us Thy Joy, that Joy that no man, no poverty, no circumstances, no conditions can take from us.

You shall have My Joy. But Life just now for you both is a march-a toilsome march. . . . The Joy will come, but for the moment do not think of that, think simply of the march. Joy is the reward. . . .


That was an excerpt from, God Calling. It is a daily devotion book from my mom and I read it every day. This was part of today's reading. I am sitting here a year later after reading that for the first time. A year ago wondering if I made the right decision by saying yes to Austen for fear of my previous decision's in men. A year ago of anticipated excitement, fear, anxiety, hope, JOY. I remember reading that passage and realizing I was finally not trying to control my life, but to let God, control it and I was going to trust what was being given to me, a chance at real love.


No, Austen and I are not "perfect," nor are we anywhere NEAR close to it. We fight, we get nasty, we each have personal battles we are dealing with on our own AND as a couple. Some have felt like they may tear us apart. But, in the end we both realize what we have IS special & worth working on. As the time goes by, the arguments become less frequent, the personal battles are becoming easier to deal with & we recognize when we are crossing lines. We talk more, we both get less guarded and we take huge steps in securing this relationship. This is THE healthiest relationship either one of us has ever been in & it is really amazing. For the first time, my dad said he believes someone was my soul mate & I his. For the first time, my mom said she wants me to marry someone I am with. For the first time, his mother told him she wants him to marry whom he is with. I have TRULY, TRULY found the man I am suppose to be with. 

THE EXACT shirt from my dream......

We are by FAR opposite people, but we bring out different qualities in each other that make us as individuals better and as a couple stronger. I am so blessed and I thank God for giving me Austen. He brought us together, I mean you don't go to bed talking to God about please showing you a sign that Mr. Right is coming, have a dream about your husband, who is wearing a plaid red collared shirt, curly brown hair, brown eyes, tall, skinny, wears glasses, his name begins with an A and ends in EN, BUT is spelled wrong and then after you wake up and tell your mom and sister what you dream and can't stop thinking about it, just to get an email 3 days letter from the guy that matches my dream. I can't begin to tell you how crazy it was when he wore the red plaid, short sleeved collared shirt 3 days after he asked me out. I thank God for giving me such a vivid and clear dream. Whenever times are getting hard, it is just a nice reminder that we are meant for one another and to remember, The Joy will come, but for the moment do not think of that, think simply of the march. I will always march by your side, hand in hand and we WILL forever be joyful.

I will hold you forever, Happy Anniversary, Austen.

Sense & Sensibility

Well, here it is! I have to admit, it does fit me. God, knows how I am with men! This was fun & now has me in the mood to watch Sense & Sensibility! LOVE that movie! What Character are you?

Take the Quiz here!

Corn Dogs!

The other night I "attempted" to make home made corn dogs. It was really simply, just make a box of corn bread mix, coat the dogs in flour (so the corn bread mix sticks),  dip in the mixture and fry. Not the healthiest, I know, but we really wanted to try them. The oil was a little too hot, so they were a little more cooked then I liked, but overall a great success! I took the left over corn bread mix and just dropped spoonfuls into the oil and made almost hush puppies out of them, again, pretty good! Austen was pretty proud of me and gobbled them right up! Definitely a must do again-but with the oil not as hot!

Don't you love the old plate?

They turned out very good!

Oh ChRiStMaS TrEe, Oh ChRiStMaS TrEe!

 That's right, our tree is decorated! I had the lovely help of my sister, Erica and amazing nephew, Julian! Julian was so excited and could hardly contain himself! The more I pulled out, the more I had vision's of shattered ornaments dancing in my head! He did a great job & was the most awesome lil' helper.

Look at that cute cheese eatin' grin! He was so proud =)

So, the tree is now complete, our decoration's inside and out are all out for display, almost all shopping is done & stockings are hung, anxiously waiting to be filled. The tree has been up for a week with no ornaments, hoping the cats would be used to it by the time they WERE on, so far, SO GOOD! The kitties have been very nosy about the decorations but have let them be-for the most part! I can't keep them off of the breakfast table!

Wreath? What wreath?

Mom, this is MY spot!

Holiday Madness-Family Style!

Oh what a fun past couple of months it has been! Holiday season is in full swing and boy has it been fun! Last year we didn't have our annual Bradshaw Halloween Party due to dad's neck. So, we were more then anxious for this year's party! It was by far one of the best parties we have had and man I already can't wait for next year's! We all took Julian trick-or-treating Halloween Night & he made out like a little bandit! He was a trooper and walked up and down 5 streets & we aren't talking short streets! Unfortunately I forgot my camera, HOWEVER, Dad grabbed his so I just need to snag them off of him. It was a great Halloween weekend & a great way to get us all excited for the Holidays.

Zombie Slayer & Pocahontas

Dad with his future son in law's! This is how he introduces them now =)

SOMEONE was a grumpy guy! He refused to put on his costume and that was just fine, he was a champ for Halloween!

The first weekend of November, Austen's mom invited us to her time-share for a nice weekend get-away and boy were we excited! We hadn't been out of town since May & were really looking forward to the weekend. 

Well, fate had other plans for us! On the way to Flag, Austen interrupts the conversation abruptly to ask us to be quiet and listen to the car. First, his mom & I don't here anything, & then BAM! There it was, this horrific, loud, grinding-clacking, scary noise! We pulled off & called the tow company & spent the next hour 1/2 waiting for them to come save us. 

I am very proud of us, we all kept a chipper attitude, the weather was nice and we were just so grateful to be safe! After we returned, we found out she had blown a rod & the mechanic said we were very lucky to have not gotten in a horrible car accident, again, so grateful we were all safe. We ended up spending the weekend at her house & had a really nice time. It was a really special weekend for me and really bonded she and I. We decided to take some pics to show our "adventure!"

He was so great! Pushed us a good 300 feet so the tow truck could have easy access to the car! He's my champ =)

Thank goodness for timers! Our first family photo on Austen's side of the family =)

 And FINALY! ThAnKsGiViNg!!! Oh I just love it so much! This was our first Turkey Day as a couple as well as Erica & Jeremy's and it was amazing! I am so blessed with the family I have been given. My family has been through many, many trials and tribulations but always hold on tight to one another and grow closer and stronger through the years. As a little girl I was so angry, I find myself more and more grateful. I was really given a blessing to know them and be a part of something really special. This year was just so full of love and laughter. We spent the holiday at my dad's house-my great-grandparents old farm. It was a very cold day, the fire was blazing, the game was on, tons of yummy food, lots of chatting and laughs, and to end the night, a big bon fire in the pit all bundled up sharing stories. Austen has really opened up and found a special place in my families heart.*** I just heard Joey say on Friends, "It's like a fairytale come true!" Oh how fitting that was! I am so grateful for the love I am shown every day from Austen, my family and my friends. This has been a great Holiday season thus far! We didn't take any pictures this Thanksgiving so Erica, Jeremy, Austen and I took a couple of pics at the end of the night at our house, it was a great day. =)

Happy Thanksgiving!