Coming Soon to a Computer Near You...

Dave will actually be writing a blog and posting pics from his trip to China! I know, I'm amazed as well. Stay Tuned:)

Dave's China Update

As most of you know, Dave left for his two week trip to China on Sunday for his MBA program. The 15 1/2 hour flight was quite long/exhausting. From the times that I've spoken to him, he sounds happy and is having an amazing experience. He is a little jet lagged and is having some trouble sleeping. But he's also being exposed to a totally new culture, new people, and buying his wife lots of Chinese presents! He's gotten to tour Hong Kong a bit and has been to a tea museum (not entirely sure what he did there) and is going to the Hong Kong stock exchange. Unfortunately, he still doesn't have his bags. The airline appears to have lost them, so he is trying to find clothes for tall people is Asia, which could be difficult:)I'll keep everyone posted and see if he can email me some pics I can post on the blog. Hope everyone has a happy and safe New Year!!!

Happy Birthday Denise!!

We celebrated Denise's birthday on Thursday with a yummy dinner at Pi, a new pizza place. If you haven't tried it, I absolutely recommend it. Our meal was fabulous! After dinner, we went back to the house for some red velvet birthday cake. I'm also posting some pics from Thanksgiving and tree decorating! Dave and I started our own family tradition for decorating the house for Christmas. The night after Thanksgiving, we put on comfy clothes, get a good bottle of wine, decorate the tree and watch "Love Actually". It has definitely become one of my favorite nights of the year:)

I Heart Fall

I am absolutely LOVING this gorgeous fall weather we're having. This has become my and Dave's favorite time of year and we try to get out and enjoy it as much as possible. So Saturday night, Dave built a fire outside on our fabulous patio (that he and Jim re-did this summer), had dinner and even roasted some marshmallows:) Here are some pics from the evening...

Time to catch up

Dave and I finally got a new computer so I can finally update my blog and post some pictures!!
Here are some favorites from the past few months of weddings, lake, etc. Enjoy!!
Me baking:)
Corey and I at Erin's wedding
Luciana and I at her gorgeous wedding
Dave, cousin Brad and Corey and cousin Elizabeth's wedding...so much fun!
Dave on the balcony at our amazing room at the Ritz to celebrate our anniversary

Happy Anniversary

So it's been three amazing years with Dave! I can't believe how quickly things have gone by and how we've both changed for the better because of each other. Here are some pics to celebrate!!!

UGH

I also published this lovely rant on my facebook page:) I am just so absolutely disgusted by what is going on here. I encourage all of you to educate yourselves on this issue!!

I am feeling the need to blow off some serious steam about how absolutely insane our government, nationally and locally, is becoming. Today, I learned about a report our lovely governor, Jay Nixon, released. It outlines certain activities, beliefs, etc that could make you a "terrorist threat" in the eyes of the government. One aspect of the report that particularly infuriated me was the flying of the "Don't Tread on Me" flag. For those of you who aren't familiar, this flag is flown on the ships of this country's naval fleet, and has appeared many times throughout our history. It is unfathomable for me to think that flying this flag outside my home, that I pay taxes on, would make me a target. Disgusting! If I wanted to live in a nanny state, I'd move to China, thanks. Is this not a blatant threat on my Constitutional right to freedom of speech? I see the political majority in this country throwing that phrase around a lot when it comes to the "rights" of convicted terrorists, illegal aliens, etc. I was born here and will always support my country and my president, but where have our rights gone? I dare you, Mr. Nixon, to call me a terrorist.

Thankful

Things around here have been somewhat hectic lately, lots of changes going on. And in the midst of it all, I found myself becoming overwhelmed and even a little depressed. I am planning on going back to school next fall, which is so exciting because I'm finally pursing what I really want to do, teaching English to college students. However, as those of you who know me best are familiar:), change, although welcome, scares me!! So I found myself feeling a bit down and losing perspective. Luckily, I have a friendly reminder named Dave that never lets me forget, even for a second, how lucky I am. So...I have come up with a plan of action! Gratitude journal..I know Oprah did it so it's totally cliche...but I LOVE IT! It's a fantastic thing to do if you feel like you're losing your grip on all the blessings in your life. In celebration of being grateful...here's a few things to be happy about: Having an unfortunate knack for approaching a set of double doors and always pushing the locked one, candied apples, tents, cheek-to-cheek dancing and being devoted to something outside yourself.

Thanks Aunt Anne!

For giving me an excuse to update my blog:)

10 Years Ago I was:
1. Sixteen years old!!! YIKES
2. Still taking dance
3. A sophomore at St. Joe
4. Wearing braces...yuck!
5.

5 Things on today's to-do list
1. STUDY, STUDY, STUDY for my GRE
2. Grocery shopping
3. Clean bathrooms
4. Clean the kitchen
5. Realize how boring my life is:) hehe

5 snacks I enjoy
1. Chips
2. Poptarts
3. Animal crackers
4. Cupcakes
5. Guacamole

5 things I'd do if I were a millionaire
1. Give a portion to charity
2. Make sure my family never had to worry about money again
3. Buy LOTS of purses
4. Finish all the things I'd like done around our house
5. Buy a new car

5 places I've lived
1. Chesterfield, MO
2. Dayton, OH
3. St. Louis City
4. Florence, Italy
5. I've only lived in 4 places!

5 jobs I've had
1. Dance teacher
2. Camp counselor
3. Babysitter
4. Temp
5. Marketing

I'm back!!

Yeah, yeah, I know...I am forever getting behind on blogs. But because my life is pretty much work, then sleep I don't have anything incredibly exciting to blog about:)
We recently took a trip to the Lake over 4th of July weekend with Greg, Megan, my parents and my sister. SOOOO much fun! Lots of food, boat time and trying to avoid swallowing lake water for fear of E-Coli, hehehe....Anyway, we had a fabulous time and can't wait to get down to the Lake again while it's still summer.
In other news, I am on the look-out for a new job. NSI has been amazing, and I really do enjoy what I do. I am, however, feeling like now is the time for me to move on and see what else I am capable of in this industry. Keep fingers crossed that the renewed job search is successful:)
The picture I'm posting on this blog is completely unrelated, but still quite exciting...WE HAVE HAD A BREAKTHROUGH!!! Dave actually held some else's child...I know, I can hardly believe it either! He's holding Jamie and Morgan's adorable son, J David. He's the only kid Dave will hold. Why, I'm not quite sure, but we'll take what we can get:)

Catch Up

So much has happened since I last wrote...first off, I received a long-anticipated promotion at work, which was very exciting!
I am now officially the Senior Account Coordinator of Operations for Suzuki. Sounds waaay more impressive than it is:) Tons of new responsibilities and adjusting to a new team role have kept me at work very late the past two weeks. But things are finally starting to really fall into place and hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here on out!
In other news, we have a new member in our small group! Grady Allen was born on Friday and is doing well. Heather and Jeff are the proud parents and I know how excited everyone is for them! We also have a new member in the family...Courtney and Tm Dolan just welcomed a third little girl to the family, Paige. She has two older sisters, Lauren and Sydney (the twins). I haven't had a chance to meet her yet, but from her pictures, she's absolutely beautiful.
I got a chance to get away for a bit this weekend. I made a trip to the Lake with my parents and the McCoy's. Unfortunately, Dave couldn't make it:( He not only had to work on Saturday, but he was also watching Lola (lucky Dave). We did tons of shopping and took some great boat rides. Banana Republic has a fabulous store at the outlet mall now and the deals are unbelievable!
Well, that's all for now...

Ireland!!

As many of you know, Dave and I recently returned from an incredible trip to Ireland. We got extremely lucky and everything fell into place perfectly to allow us to venture off to the Emerald Isle!!
Our first stop was Dublin. We stayed for two days (without luggage) and got to see most of the city. Of course, we visited the Guinness Brewhouse and Jameson Distillery and several pubs! Dublin itself is much like other European cities we’ve visited. The most noticeable difference, however, are the people themselves. The Irish are known for their love of conversation, and they did not disappoint. No matter who you are, where you’re from they want to know everything about you and your life. In such a large city, it was nice to have people treating you so warmly.
Next up…the Irish countryside! Dave and I did a very brave thing, and rented a car. Although I did have a few reservations at first, driving really is the best way to see Ireland. We did very well considering the very narrow roads and ridiculously high speeds and got through the whole trip in one piece! We went through several villages, and a few big cities. The Blarney Castle was one really cool place we got to see. We even kissed the stone. Cork City, Kilkenny, Kilarney and Kenmare were just a few of the villages we stopped in. The landscape of the country is like every picture and movie you’ve ever seen of Ireland. I found myself taking pictures and being disappointed because there is no way you can convey what it’s like there through such a small thing.
Since we’ve returned, several people have asked us if we liked this trip better than the others we’ve taken. My answer: It’s a completely different kind of place from all the other ones I’ve been to. The Irish people really do make all the difference. They make you feel like you never left home in the first place.
The trip was amazing. Dave and I cannot wait to get back and see all the things we missed this time around. Here are some pics from the trip…Enjoy!!

The Countdown Begins!!!

So, a month from Thursday Dave and I leave for our big trip to the Mother Land!! AKA Ireland.
We are beyond excited! However, I did get some interesting news from my lovely husband today.
Apparently, I will be the designated driver while we're there...you may be thinking, "oh no big deal!"
This is a very big deal!! I have to drive not only on the wrong side of the road, but on the wrong side
of the car as well. Did I mention that Dublin is also the second worst city in Europe to drive in?? Yeah,
this could get very interesting. Since I'm driving Dave will be the self-proclaimed "navigator". So one of
two things will happen: A) We will be involved in a car accident because I will be driving on the wrong side
of the road or B) I will get us out of Dublin alive, but Dave will get us lost on some country road in the middle
of nowhere. Either way, it will make for a very interesting trip and some great stories to share when we come home.
I'm putting up some pictures of things we plan on seeing and places we'll be.
Anyone have any crazy vacation stories to share?? I bet ours will beat them once we get back from this one:)

Merry Christmas!!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday...we definitely did! We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my side of the family, which was lots of fun. Then Christmas day we went to the McCoy house to see everyone in from out of town which was great!
We are sooo spoiled and everyone was so generous with us. We got lots and lots of great presents. We even think we may have enough moola to take a trip to Ireland in the spring.Nothing is definite yet, but I am absolutely keeping my fingers crossed!!
New Years will be spent at the Lake with my parents and we are definitely looking forward to getting away for a few days. I'v been very lucky this year and only have to work two days this week and three next week:) Dave didn't get as lucky;)
I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year! Till next time...

Relief Please!!!!!

Wow!!! What a whirlwind the past couple weeks have been...here's a quick run down for those of you not here!
At the beginning of October, our family went out to North Carolina to surprise Aunt Deb for her birthday. It was an absolute blast and she was completely caught off guard. The rest of the weekend after the party was very low key and a great time spent catching up and enjoying time with the side of the family we don't get to see nearly enough. Overall, an amazing weekend!
Then, two weeks ago, it was time for the second annual McCoy Halloween party!! Everyone got dressed up and came over to celebrate one of my favorite holidays:) I dressed up as Marilyn Monroe and Dave was Hugh Hefner (yes, I know...). The party went great and everyone had fun.
And of course, with all the fun comes work, work, work!!! I feel like I do nothing but work lately. So much so, that my mind seems to completely shut off when I come home and I forget everything that happens after 5pm!!! Dave went so far as to quote his new favorite movie, "The Devil Wears Prada", and told me that when you personal life is hanging by a thread, that means it's time for a promotion:) I agree!!!! Anyway, with the holidays coming up, I will get some little breaks which are much-anticipated!
Anyone have any good tips for decompressing after an overwhelming day at work??? Suggestions are welcome:)

Yea Wineries!!

So once again, I am shamefully behind on my blog! I just had to put these pictures up...About two weeks ago, Dave and I took a spontaneous trip to Ste. Genevieve, Missouri to check out the wineries. We got down there are were going to go to Crown Valley, which is the big winery down there, but it was HUGE and crammed with people. So instead we drove about a mile down the road and went to a beautiful little place called Chaumette Vineyards. Not only was the scenery incredible, but the wine wasn't bad either:)
The owner of winery is an ordained minister and they have a small chapel on the grounds for weddings and then a reception in the vineyard. How Fun! We also ventured over to another vineyard that also brews a few of their own beers. Again, beautiful scenery and great people.
After our adventures in the wineries, we headed back into historic Ste. Genevieve and had a delicious dinner at a small pub called the Anvil. Again, so much fun!
I would highly reccommend St. Genevieve if you're looking for a quick little getaway for a day or two. And the great thing is, it doesn't even feel like Missouri!!
Here are the pics...Enjoy!!

Lake Fun!!

We got back yesterday from a wonderful, relaxing weekend at the Lake of the Ozarks with Alan and Angie and the whole small group crew ( except for Jamie and Morgan:( Next year guys!!). We could not have asked for better weather, or company.
Lots of time was spent on the new dock and the new boat, which was soo much fun. The girls did manage to get away for a few hours and hit up the outlet malls!!
Best of all, Heather and Jeff announced they are pregnant!!! It was so special to be a part of their big announcement. We're so happy for you guys!
In the pics I'm putting up you may notice a small furry friend... Nate found a stray cat living under the porch at the lodge, so we decided to adopt it for the weekend. Well, none of us could stand to leave it or give it to a shelter, so Dave and I brought the cat home, and with much persuading, my parents have generously decided to take in the kitty. He is very sweet and very good, and as you can see from the pictures, absolutely adorable.
Thanks for the great weekend guys!! Can't wait till next year:)

50 Things

So I saw this on Becky's blog and thought it looked like fun...so here goes:
1) I absolutely cannot get enough of books
2) I talk to Lola like she's a person and expect her to answer sometimes
3) My handwriting is one thing I constantly change/try to improve
4) I wish I could travel for a living
5) My favorite movie is "Breakfast at Tiffany's"
6) My biggest pet peeve is when people leave their blinker on and never turn
7) I love to write
8) The first CD I bought was REM "Monster"
9) I read James and the Giant Peach 9 times in secnd grade
10) Trashy magazines ( Us Weekly) are my guilty pleasure
11) I am incapable of sticking to a budget, just ask Dave
12) I do have a list of things I want to do/accomplish before I die
13) I am terrified of heights
14) My first memory is of falling into a fountain at Chesterfield mall when I was 3
15) In my family, we left Santa a beer instead of milk and I never thought it was strange until other people told me so:)
16) In almost every dream I have at night, I can fly
17) Sending people cards is one of my favorite things
18) I can't wrap a box to save my life
19) I've had braces twice
20) I'm obsessed with cleaning underneath my fingernails
21) I hate talking on the phone
22) Shopping is my favorite passtime
23) I love scary movies, but I always have nightmares later
24) Autumn is my favorite season
25) Halloween is my favorite holiday
26) I love to sing but you'll rarely hear me do it because I think I"m terrible
27) I have a very impressive collection of purses
28) One of my biggest fears is not being able to have kids
29) I need to go to Starbucks rehab
30) I have very few close girl friends
31) I would love to live abroad someday
32) I talk/laugh in my sleep a lot
33) Target is one of my favorite stores
34) I cannot stand having dry skin, so if you ever need lotion, I'm your girl
35) I hate to exercise
36) I'm a total homebody
37) I'm always cold
38) I tend to ask random questions at random times
39) Sleeping is one of my favorite things to do
40) Making the decision to get married is the best thing I've ever done
41) I have freakishly long arms
42) People used to call me "Pretzel" in grade school
43) I hate ketchup
44) I am a wino in every sense of the word and proud of it
45) As a kid, I read the entire "Fear Street" series by RL Stein
46) I'd love to be in kindergarten again if even for a day
47) I can name every teacher I've ever had
48) I know the capital of every state in the USA
49) I collect quotes
50) It took me forever to think of stuff for this list:)

Family Time!!

So this past Saturday Dave convinced me to step out of my prissy box (which I'm quite content in)
and we went hiking at Babler Park. It was great to get out and get some exercise. We took Lola along
and she carried her backpack...yes, the dog has a backpack. As a "working" breed, they like to be able
to haul things during long walks, so we filled it up with her water bowl, water, our keys, phones, etc.
The hike was great, as was the scenery. However, I quickly discovered on Sunday that I had been seriously
attacked by chiggers!!! Gross!!!!! Dave and I counted the bites tonight and I'm hanging in there around 65
or 70. Needless to say, the itching is unbearable and I will not be venturing into the woods anytime soon
wearing anything short of a full suit of armor.
I'm also posting some pictures of my new niece, Stella. Corey came home this weekend and brought the
lastest edition to the family. She is part Lab and part Charpe(don't know if I spelled that right). Anyway, she
is absolutely adorable and has a very sweet disposition. Can't wait to get her and Lola together!
Also, just want to say congrats to Stevie and Jessie on their new baby girl, Ayden! Can't wait to meet her.

Pictures

Here are some of the pics I promised in my last blog...
There are a few of Dave and I from our anniversary
and of course, one of my girl...