My big step...

So today was a good day. I have been under the weather for about two weeks now and I am finally feeling like myself today.

My husband is on his on set so I went to Sunday school by myself. Well I can't say totally by myself because my brother and his fiancé were there so I sat with them. Well after Sunday school we normally make a trip down the street to go to Life Church for their service (we do a little church hopping on sundays). Well normally if my husband can't go with me I would watch church online but since my laptop is officially not waking up from its nap I couldn't watch it online. So today I made a bold decision.. I was going to go to church by myself. Now for most people that isn't a big deal, but for me it's a huge deal. I was pretty shy when I was little and it comes out sometimes, so to go and sit somewhere by myself is a big deal in my book.

So I walked in (early even) and sat down by myself... alone. It was kinda weird for me because normally I would totally freak out about sitting by myself but I felt calm and secure. When it came time to start singing praise and worship I stood up by myself with no one around me and worshiped. It was the coolest feeling that I've felt in a while. I was sitting by myself but I knew I wasn't alone. I knew God was with me sitting right next to me.

As I was singing I could really just focus on what I was singing about. I didn't have to worry about how I sounded, who was listening to me, or who was watching me. I felt so calm and comforted. I knew that's what I needed and where I needed to be. I have been asking God to inspire me to be bold and to know him more and I think this little step of sitting by myself is my little nudge that I needed to be bold. I loved my little kick in the pants this morning.

Now that I have made the big leap I know that I can do it again... I can sit by myself.

On a side note if you haven't been to Life Church I would encourage you to check it out whether it be online or one of their many locations. To be honest when I tried it the first time I wasn't into it. I didn't like the broadcast of the service. When I gave it another try I fell in love with the sermons and the series. Craig Groeschel is the senior pastor and he has a way of speaking right to your heart. He presents the message in a way that you can really apply it to your everyday life. It is pretty great.. Go ahead.. check it out ;).

The end..
Allison

A little different..

Soooooo.... My computer is sick or something :(.. Last night I was going to load some pictures from my camera onto my computer and it would not turn on. I plugged in my ac adapter and everything and it would not turn on. I called the dell system support and they asked if I had my windows installation cd and of course I don't. The good news is that the problem is fixable if I have that cd, so hopefully my dad still has it and I can get my computer fixed. So once again I am writing this from my phone.

As I was sitting here I thought to myself..."I wonder if there is a blogger app.. There is an app for almost anything.." and there is!! So I'm trying this out since my computer wants to take a do not disturb type of nap.

It is kinda crazy the kind of things you can do with your phone now a days. I remember when we didn't have texting on our cell phones. Geeze I sound/ feel old when I say that..."back in my day..." haha. Crazy crazy..

I did get some Christmas wrapping done today. My husband was trying to be sneaky and look in my car because he knew I went shopping so I needed to wrap them ASAP. My husband did a great job picking out the Christmas wrapping paper this year. Not only is it recycled but it is two sided!! It is pretty fabulous! I was excited to wrap some presents and use my tulle I got from hobby lobby (for half off I might add) and make some pretty bows!! They look pretty darn good if I do say so myself!

Since today is Sunday I ran by Walmart and got my Sunday paper for my coupons! I am a little behind on organizing my coupon box and sometimes it takes almost an hour to go through and take out all of my expired coupons and clip and organize the new coupons. I haven't been very motivated to go through them to say the least but it must be done. So off I go to coupon land. Wish me luck! The end..
Allison

Catch up time

So a lot has happened since the last time I wrote. My mom came in to town for the weekend and I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could because we don't get a ton of girl time. So now I am going to try and play catch up.

I'm sitting here right now in my husband's recliner wrapped in a blanket having some snuggle time with my snoring little pup. I honesty haven't had much to write about and maybe that is another reason I haven't posted a blog but I need to stop making excuses and get back on track.

On a side note I am writing this on my phone so please forgive me if I have some typos!
One big thing that has happened lately is that my brother is now engaged! I am so happy that he found someone that completes him and makes him happy. They are getting married this summer so let the planning begin!!! I remember going through all of the planning for my wedding.. The only thing that stinks is that you kinda feel like a pro after you figure out all of the planning stuff and then you only get to do it once. I guess that is a good reason you have friends so you can help them plan their wedding! Haha..

On another note my husband and I put up our Christmas tree!! We bought some new ornaments this year and it looks soo beautiful! This is my favorite time of year and having decorations up just make things even more special. I am so thankful when I think about how far my husband and I have come since this time last year. We are so much stronger as a couple and I told him that that is the best Christmas gift I could have ever gotten.

I am giggling as I am writing this because Izzy's snores are getting louder and louder.. Doesn't she know I'm trying to have a sentimental moment here?!? Haha.. This little one is so noisy that Samson came to check on her! My silly little girl. Well I need to wake her up because it's time for dinner! I will do my best to stay on track with this here blog :). The end..
Allison

whew....

Whew.... I think I was clipping and organizing my coupons for over an hour.  I got behind and I had like two weeks worth of inserts and my mom gave me hers so that doubles what I had already.  Lets just say my fingers are a little sore.  When I think of all the money I will save it makes it worth it!

I had a pretty darn good day today.  I went to my second job this morning and that was different because I normally have Wednesdays off.  It was a bit of a struggle to get up this morning but I made it!  My watch for some reason, without my knowledge, was 20 mins behind.  I thought I had 10 minutes left for my shift ( I was going to stay a little late) but in all actuality I was supposed to get off 20 mins earlier.  That whole thing threw me off a bit but it was nice to leave a little sooner than I had expected. 

When I got home my wonderful hubby MADE THE BED!  We don't get up at the same time so it is hard to make the bed.  I love to get into a made bed but it isn't so easy to do when my husband sleeps during the day when he works and I sleep at night like a normal person :).  Yesterday I also came home to a made bed but I also got a little spoiled with the laundry being put away and the dish washer was started... one lucky girl here!  So in return I was a good wife and I went to some comic book stores with him.  While we were at one of the stores the owner asked him if I was a daughter... REALLY?!?! First of all I don't look anything like my husband and second my husband is only one year older than me I know I look young but not young enough to be his daughter... crazy people...but everything was better after I got to eat at Ted's! yummmmmm!

Tomorrow is my last day of dance for the week then I have one more work day after that and then my mom comes!!  We are having a little girls trip to Tulsa on Saturday and I can not wait! 

Time to go feed my kids some din din! the end...

Allison

beautiful..

Today was a great day.  As I was driving to work I took some time to stop choreographing while listening to my music and just look around at God's beautiful creation.  Fall is my favorite time of year.  The weather is beautiful (except when we have crazy tornadoes), I got married in the fall, and the leaves are changing.  As I was driving I looked at the beautiful trees and it was a great reminder about how amazing my God is.  It is pretty awesome that God could create everything and still care about and love me. 

I had a good day at work too.  My dancers worked super hard for me and I just love to be around my kids.  Teaching dance brings me so much joy and I know that this is where God wants me right now.  I do drive an hour to work, which to a lot of people it sounds completely insane, but to me its a small price to pay to get to do what I love.  It makes my heart smile when one of my 3 year olds will run to me, give me a hug, and tell me some random story about their day.  I know I could teach dance somewhere closer but I feel drawn to the studio that I teach at.  It is the studio I grew up in and I feel a loyalty to it, but I am also in love with the kids.  I feel that I can also be a role model to some of the kids and be a positive example which is something they may not get anywhere else.  I also lend my ear to the kids who need someone to talk to, or who need someone to just listen to what is going on in their lives. 

Anyways...... I am so thankful for everything God has given me.  I have a great home, a great husband, an awesome job, three crazy pups, a wonderful family... this girl is pretty darn lucky :)... the end..

Allison 

back on track!

I am back on track! Woo hoo!! Today I was pretty productive for my morning.. I did a couple loads of laundry and I folded all of my clean laundry so it felt good to get a little more done..

So it has been a while since I have talked about my kids.. so I think it is about due.  Let me talk about my bubba.  My Sammy boy is so sweet....he loves his sisters.  Every morning we have our routine, he wakes up first so I let him out of his cage and put him outside and then I will let the girls out when I get up.  Well when I let the girls outside he always meets them at the door and he will give them a little kiss as they walk outside.  It is pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.  As I sit here and write he is loving on his Marlee.  He is licking all on her mouth and she is just sitting there.  Now if he tried that on Izzy... well that wouldn't ever happen.. but Izzy would NOT just sit there and let him lick her. 

He has the sweetest little face.. he just melts my heart.  Now his sweet little face probably saved him when he was a puppy.  My husband was almost one click away from putting him for sale on craigslist but I begged and cried for him not to.  When Sammy was a baby he was being a puppy and explored a little too much in our spare bedroom.  Now the people who lived here before us didn't take care of the carpet so we needed to get it replaced anyways.  I just think Sammy was trying to help us out when he chewed a big hole in the carpet.  He also just wanted to match the other hole when he plucked the carpet to the pad in the living room.  He was just trying to be helpful :).  He was also trying to help my husband with the landscaping when he dug holes in the backyard! haha.  My helpful little boy! I am so glad my husband reached down deep and found any bit of patience he had left so we could keep my little boy.
When I think about what my life would be like now without him it makes me sad.  He is so funny and lovable that he puts a smile on my face.  Even when he knocks down decorations with his tail he makes me laugh because he is so clumsy.  I am very thankful for my kids and I will feel even more blessed when I have my own kids someday.  I know if I love my dogs this much now that when I have a kid of my own I will love it even more. 

the end....
Allison

Oops I did it again.....

Sing this to yourself in the tune of Britney Spears "Oops I did it again"

I think I did it again. I made you believe
That I would write everyday.
Oh, baby;
It might seem a bit much,
But it doesn't mean
That I'm not serious.
'Cause to fail at my intentions...
That is just so typically me.
Oh, baby; baby.

Oops!
... I did it again.
I played with your heart.
Didn't write on my blog
Oh, baby; baby.
Oops!
... You think it's a flop.
That this blog is gonna stop...
I swear I'm innocent.

So I should have written after I got home from work because around 8:00 I got a pounding headache and I was in bed by 9:30.  Other than my headache I had some of the best sleep that I have had in a while!
ANYWAYS...
This morning we visited my brother and his girlfriend's church and Sunday school class.  The Sunday school class was geared for nearly/newly married couples.  It was nice to go to a Sunday school that had lessons that I could really apply to my life right now.  I know that should be every message you hear, but this type of message in particular is really helpful for our lives right now.  It was a nice reminder of things that we haven't talked about since our pre-marital counseling.  Just to be reminded of how we should act towards our partner and how we need to make their happiness a main priority is good to hear.  We try and remember all of the small important things that make your partner feel important or loved but sometimes you get in a pattern of things and forget to make it an everyday thing.  I think we are going to try and go to that class so we can get stronger in our relationship and our relationship with God. 

ON ANOTHER NOTE...
Thanksgiving is coming up and I am so excited to be with my family.  I love this time of year because we all get to stop for a while and just be with the ones we love.  My extended family has spread out and its hard to get everyone together so it makes the holidays that more special because we get to spend time together.  I am also excited because after thanksgiving comes CHRISTMAS and Christmas is my FAVORITE time of the year.  This year is also special because I will get to see both sides of my family.  My dad's side of the family live far away and we only get to see them about once a year and its mainly in the summer.  This year we are going to travel down and spend time with them and it will be my husbands first time to go down there with us! I CAN"T WAIT!

Anyways the washer has stopped so now I need to be a good wife and finish the laundry.... the end

Allison

I messed up already...

Sooooooooooo I messed up... I already missed a day of writing and it hasn't even been a week! Dang.....

But I have a good reason... :).  I got home from work pretty late last night but the good news is is that I got to spend some time with my husband.  Our schedules get pretty crazy and its rare that we get to spend a lot of time together.  So I didn't write but I got to relax for a few hours with my love.

Today was a pretty good day.  I went to my second job and worked for a couple hours came home and had date night with my husband.  Like I said our schedules get pretty crazy.. my husband works 8 days and then he is off for 6.. so when we get a date night its a pretty special time.  We went to the movies and watched Immortals... not my pick but it was OK if you closed your eyes during the bloody stuff. 

ON ANOTHER NOTE :)
Yesterday morning I went to go grocery shopping with my favorite girl!  My best friend is someone that I have known since I was three years old and I am so glad that we have couponing to help us get a away and spend some time together.  Unfortunately, we don't get to spend as much time together as we would like.  We don't live very close together, she has a beautiful family of her own, and we work crazy schedules so its a time we treasure when we get to spend some time together.  ANYWAYS.... I went over to her house and we got all of our coupons together and we went on our couponing adventure.  Every time we go, we always have the same conversations before and after we shop.  We start out talking about how we need to get so many things and we aren't going to have a good percentage yadda yadda yadda... and when we get done we both try and lift each other up and say how good of a job we did and think about how much money we would have spent were it not for couponing.  Its funny to me how we have our little pattern but I like it :).  Today I only saved 48% which sadly is my best in a long while.  I can't complain too much because normally I would have spend like $150-$200 and yesterday I spent like $60.  Couponing has been a blessing and I am sooooo glad I get to share it with my BFF. 

I think that is it for now.. the end

Allison

a little here and there...

Well today was a pretty uneventful day.  I had a day off and I enjoyed sleeping in and enjoyed having some peace and quiet for most of the day.  The weather was so beautiful that I left my "kids" outside to play for most of the day.  It is so funny to watch them outside sometimes because they act like real kids.  It sounds kind of silly to say that but its how it is :).When I watch them outside its funny to see their personalities shine and they have a good time together. 

Now before I talk more about them let me tell you more about the loves of my life (because I know I will talk about them a lot because they are my kids until I have some of my own :) )..... 
Marlee is a nurturing mothering type of dog.  Every time we introduce her to another dog or add another one to the family she lets them become comfortable with her first and then she takes care of them.  When Izzy was a baby, Marlee took to her like she was her own.  When they would play she would lay down and stay down and let Izzy play with her in a way where Izzy was comfortable.  She has never been too rough with her, and that's what I love about my Marlee girl.  Since she is a pit, she already has a label put on her and to be honest I was a little nervous when my husband (then boyfriend) wanted her.  She has totally changed my mind about her breed and it makes me sad that some people will only look at the breed and not the dog itself.  Now if someone or something were to threaten her family she will protect us and that makes me feel safe. 
Izzy is my loud mouth cuddle girl.  She loves to talk and tell you what is on her mind.  When I lived by myself she stayed with me and we have a special bond because of that.  If I don't feel good or if I had a bad day she will lay where I am and cuddle with me all day long.  She LOVES toys that squeak and LOVES balls.  Izzy loves her Marlee of course, but Sammy on the other hand.... well she isn't too fond of him.  She liked him when we brought him home but I think she was hoping we would send him back.  She will play with him once in a blue moon but it doesn't last long.  The only time they really get along is when they are outside, they both LOVE to run and bark outside.
Now to my Sammy boy... he is something else.  It is so funny to me how different he is than my girls mainly because he IS a boy.  Just how he acts is total boy.  He is clumsy, plays rough, doesn't know his strength, and is a MESS.  When we added him to the family it was definitely like having a new born... staying up all night, potty training, and having to keep an eye on him constantly or he will get into mischief.  He is the biggest pup that we have and he still thinks that he is as little as Izzy.  He loves to be outside, which is good because that's where he stays until he comes in for the night.  When he comes inside at night, after he settles down, is my favorite time with him.  My night time Sammy Boy is my sweet, cuddly, lovey boy. 

Now I promise I won't always have a full blog all about my dogs but they are a big part of my life so it is hard not to talk and talk about them. 

ON ANOTHER NOTE.....
I am challenging myself to just be a better person all round.  I get so content in my life that I forget to challenge myself.  I'm not someone who likes a huge amount of change, so its hard for me to challenge and change myself, by myself.  I think that is another reason I'm starting this blog just to be more accountable in my life.  I think if I share more about me, because I am a private person, that it will challenge me a little more to improve some areas in my life. 
I am on a mission right now to change a few things about my life:
1. Gaining a closer relationship with God-I have been a Christian for most of my life and I have lived my life in a Christian life style, but I want more.  I want to feel more confident in my relationship with Christ and just get to know Him more.  I want to fall in love all over again.
2.  Getting in better shape- Now I have danced all my life and I have a thin build, but now that I am mainly teaching dance I dont get as good of a workout.  I am starting to go to barre3 here in the city and I love it.  I eventually want to go more but for now I only go one night a week.  My schedule is pretty busy with two jobs, one of which I drive an hour to get to, but I want to challenge myself to workout more because I know it will make me feel better.
3. Getting more on top of my house work and dance work- Sometimes I feel like I get overwhelmed when I think about how much I need to do on a daily basis.  I either get behind on keeping up with house work or I get behind on my dance work, which is choreography and editing music.  I want to stay on top of everything more so when I do have kids it will be second nature and it wont be too much on my plate.
4. I want to get better at couponing!!-  I have started this adventure with my longest and closest friend.  We started couponing together this summer and we are trying to master it.  I feel like we are getting better than when we started for sure, but I want to be super good at it!  Now I dont want to get crazy with it and create a stock pile room out of my guest room, but I want to save more money and cut my grocery budget to nearly nothing.

This blog has been a little everywhere but I will get better at this...promise :).  I am going to try and write everyday so I can have a visual reminder of what I need to do with my life. That's the plan Stan... the end

Allison

Time for something new...

I have never been the one to keep a journal or diary. Well I take that back I have always TRIED to keep a journal or diary but they last a week at the longest.  I have been wanting to start a blog for a while, but I have never thought I have anything very significant to write about.  I still don't know what I am exactly going to write about but tonight I felt something inside tell me its time.  It is time to share about my life and maybe it will inspire someone or even better inspire me to be a better person.  My favorite bible verse is Matthew 7:13-14 it reads... "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.". I think this verse describes me and my life because I keep it close and keep on my mind on a daily basis. So that's a little about me and my purpose and hopefully something will come out of this whole blogging thing...  

Now I am not the best writer and I don't always have the right words to say so bare with me.. So I'll start with a little more about me...

I have been married for a little over a year now.  My life has changed so much but it is for the better.  My way of thinking has changed and now I feel like I'm becoming more of a wife.  It is such a transition to become a married person that no one can fully prepare you to know what to expect.  Especially since my husband and I did not live together before we were married.  So getting used to living together and adjusting to each other has been quite interesting :).

To make things a little more interesting we have our "kids". Before we got married we had two dogs, Marlee (our oldest a 6 year-old sweet pit bull) and Izzy (our little ball of energy/snuggle bug 3 year-old Yorkie).  They were a perfect pair sweet sisters who love each other and love to play and cuddle. 

Now to make things a lot more exciting my wonderful husband decided that we need another big dog so Marlee had someone to play rough with.  I said no way you must be crazy.  I couldn't imagine having another dog especially since we had a great family dynamic already... but that wouldn't be fun would it?!  The day after thanksgiving my husband went to the store and came back with this little one..

                                            

Now who could say "No" to that little face... he just melts my heart.  Samson aka Sammy is our almost one year old German Shepard/ Lab mix and let me tell you he has made our life way more interesting! 

My life is incredibly blessed more than I could have ever dreamed... Although it can be stressful at times I can honestly say I wouldn't trade my life with anyone.  That is it for now but I hope to start this journey and its now or never...

Allison