Goodbye 2008. Hello 2009!

I wouldn't say 2008 was an overly fun year for us after all we were planning and saving for our upcoming 2009 wedding. However there are a few highlights for the year.

1. The removal of the braces has to be the best thing about 2008!

2. The fun bridal shower that brought together many family and friends. Thank you Mom, Betty and Cristin for making it so special!

3. Uncle Ruben's birthday party. It was great having the Acosta family together again. It had been long overdue!

4. Watching Brycen and Shane play flag football.

5. Meeting up with my girlfriends, Melissa, Josie and Leah. Our lives get so busy that this proves to be a rare occassion.

6. Going to a few D-Back games with the LOML.

7. Shane & Sophia's Kindergarten graduation.

8. Crying when my younger/bigger (yes, he is taller than me) cousin Ben proposed to his girlfriend Christa. We can't wait for the wedding on 1/2/09!

Joe and I want to wish all our family and friends a very Happy and Blessed New Year.

The Familia photo

I was able to gather the family for a photo this year as it had been a few years since the last photo and we've had some wonderful additions to our family.

Taken 11/23/08 ~ Anthem park

(l to r: Caitlyn, Piper, Keri, Dan, Brycen, Mom, me, Joe, Sohpia, David, Linda & Shane)

Altered Clipboards

I got this idea in my head to make altered clipboards for my nieces and nephews as one of their Christmas gifts. I did a bit of research on the web and most people said they were time consuming and difficult to make. I actually found them pretty easy to assemble and alot of fun! Now I did these thinking they may use them for their school work so I didn't want to add too many embellishments. Here's how they turned out. I can't wait for the kids to open them. I hope they like them!

The front and back of the boys clipboard.

I was going to make them each different but liked this paper so much that I made them all the same. I think this makes them edgier and know they will think it's cool.

Here's the princess one.

I painted a chipboard using their first name initial and put ribbon on the clip.

I decided to make the girls clipboards each different to fit their personalities.

More of the girls altered clipboards

Happy Holidays!

The Acosta grandchildren

It's a rare occasion that all us grandkids are together in one location and everyone is willing to smile for a photo. Of course there are few grandkids and great grandkids missing but this is pretty good gathering.

Photo taken 11/15/08 at Uncle Ruben's

l to r (back): Craig (Michelle's husband), Kevin (Jodi's husband), Daniel, Paul (Melissa's husband), Melissa, Joe (my soon-to-be-husband), & David

l to r (front): Michelle, Leila (Melissa & Paul's daughter), Keri (Dan's soon-to-be-wife), Me, Brycen (Dan's son), Jodi, Cody (Jodi & Kevin's son), & Linda (David's wife)

It's Christmas time!

The place is all decorated, gifts have been purchased, wrapped and shipped. Cookie baking has been happening the past few weekends and will continue this weekend. Supposedly, my sugar cookies are a hit with my niece as she took them to bed with her. : ) I've been good and have avoided snaking on them. After all the wedding is approximately a month away.

This was last weekend. Joe brought the totes full of Christmas decorations from the garage to the apartment.

The mantle decorated and the stockings hung with care. Like our new Christmas Story lamp lights? We had a set last year but they stopped working so luckily we found a new set.

Here's our tree with all our fun ornaments.

The LOML's interior illumination skills. He also did the exterior as well.

The LOML with his reindeer ears. Isn't he cute?!

Yay! We got our cruise papers in the mail. Only 1 month, 6 days until the wedding and vacation - woo hoo!!!!

JoeStina

Yep, Joe and I should now be referred to as "JoeStina". It's our new celebrity signature. I was reading this article on a bridal site about a couple saving their first kiss for the wedding and I see this little ad for what the site calls "The Name Game". It's where you come up with your own celebrity signature like "TomKat". It gives you a few combinations so you can pick the one you like the best or that has a good ring to it. Give it a try and feel free to comment back your celebrity signature.

Happy 60th Birthday Uncle Ruben!

Happy 60th Uncle Ruben!!!

A pig was roasted underground, ribs and burgers were served and the beer was flowing. Pictures from the birthday party to soon follow but I wanted to make sure and wish my Uncle a VERY Happy Birthday since today is the big day!

Love ya Uncle Ruben!

What's going on?

Absolutely nothing. I'm a bit under the weather right now. It's a major bummer because I'm not very good at being sick. I know it's because of the weather change and lack of down time. I went to see the doc and was advised that I haven't had the head cold long enough to warrant antibiotics and that rest is what's recommend. Rest? What's that? I'm trying to follow doctors orders but I'm finding it difficult not to putz around the apartment. Of course, Joe is a great reminder of the doctors orders. I know. In a minute babe. I need a few more minutes and I'll shut the computer down...

Juno and Sweeney Todd are the new movies tonight on Cimenax and HBO. Awesome! We've yet to see Sweeney Todd and can't wait to watch it. Of course we missed the 9pm showing because Joe was watching football. Oh well, it'll be on again.

I learned today that Big Love will be back January 11th- yay! The Ex-List was canceled - bummer! Lost will be back January 21st with a 3 hour premiere - awesome!

I must give a shout out to my dear friend Rebecca. She offered to take engagement photos of us as a wedding present. We had so much fun hanging out with her and I must say the photos turned out absolutely beautiful! I used one of the photos in my new blog title and another one I've put down below. If anyone is in need of a great photographer, check her out at Snootie Patootie Photography.

So, rest is on the agenda this weekend. Let's hope that this nasty head cold passes pretty quickly. The next few weeks are jam packed with activities starting with a bridal shower for my cousin Ben's new bride-to-be, Uncle Ruben's 60th B-day bash, family pictures, the Mad Mud Run, cookie baking and of course Thanksgiving.

I haven't forgotten the wedding...need to do a final fitting on my dress, get together with the MOH and Bridesmaid to see what they will wear and plenty of other little things to finalize...much to busy for a head cold!

Halloween 2008

We had our annual family Halloween gathering at Dan's house. Here are some photos from our fun night.

Brycen opting for a scary costume this year. The blood was pretty gross!

Brycen again looking creepy in his costume.

A couple of hippies

Granny with David

Sophia as a goth fairy

Piperella our award winning actress

Sophia, Piper and Granny

Brycen, Granny and Shane

The kids ready for trick or treating

It's me with my mardi gras mask

Dan brought out the wolfman costume. Even though one ear is a little droopy he still managed to scare some of the kids in the neighborhood!

A hippy and a wolfman

The kids gathering around their soon-to-be Uncle.

Caitlyn and her boyfriend Cameron checking out their candy loot.

Cody the cool zombie skateboarder

Shane the gangster

Brycen with his candy loot.

Me and my beautiful mom.

Fun at the Halloween Store...

"To infinity and beyond!"

Awww, nice leopard ears!

"Luke, I am your father."

Look deeply into my eyes!

Check out these groovy glasses. All I need now is smokin' purple outfit!

So fitting but they'd be even more perfect if they had ND on them!

Saturday is all about Football

Last night we had our Nephew and Nieces spend the night. We played a rousing game of Uno to which the girls pooped out early leaving Brycen and I to battle it out. After he beat me it was off to bed as he had an early flag football game.

It was nice having an early game time (8:30am) because it's still a bit warm this time of year. They lost their game 6 - 0, but Brycen had a great pass and did some excellent rushing (yes, I am actually learning a little more about this game of football that the LOML is so in to every fall). YOU ROCK BRYCEN!

It's ND football time and let's hope they can pull a win against Washington. Per the LOML they stink so it should be an easy win for ND. Oh, let's hope so!

Happy Anniversary Babe!

It's the 3 year anniversary of our first date and the 1 year anniversary of when he proposed to me at Cheesecake Factory. We get married in 3 months and I can't wait to be his wife!

This is a scrapbook page I did of the LOML

The flowers he brought to me on our first date. They were also a big hit with Grandma Lucy! ; )

Our first picture together. I knew the moment I met him that he was a keeper! I love you babe!

It's Football season...

This past Saturday was spent hanging out on the football field watching both of my Nephews play in a flag football league. Here are shots from our fun day.

Brycen is the team quarterback.

Brycen taking the snap.

Nice throw!

The team running through the family & friends huddle.

Piper and Caitlyn

Granny Lucy, Mom, Keri and Daniel watching the game.

The LOML and Dan killing time between games throwing the football.

Piper and I were waiting for Shane's game to start

The gang watching Shane's game.

Shane coming in for a drink at half time.

Shane running with the ball.