Oh my goodness... I won!!!

I'd like to thank the Academy... oh wait wrong deal...

Remember the giveaway of the super cool earrings over at Hold it Up to the Light??? Well I am winner # 3 and I will be getting one of those COOL pairs of earrings!!!!

I am so excited!!! I am making a list of some ideas for my own giveaway so hopefully that will be coming soon!!!

Thanks Megan for holding this giveaway! I couldn't be more EXCITED!!!!

Driving Miss Chickie

I hate to drive...

When Karmen and I got our driver's licenses many just a few short years ago, I always made Karmen drive everywhere we went together. When Zach I started dating he was only 15 and I was 16 so I had to drive. (just for the record we are 10 months apart) We dated for 2 months before he turned 16 and as soon as he got his driver's license he took over driving duties and it has been that way ever since.

Well now that he is in another state and the only way for me to see him is for me to drive the 300 miles myself... I can listen to what I want to on the radio and sing at the top of my lungs if I want. I can talk to family and friends who I haven't talked to in a while without interruption. There are so many things you can do in a car for 4 hours by yourself...

So now driving isn't too bad to me... I still don't enjoy it but I don't mind driving if I have to... When Zach comes home it will be business as usual for us, he will be driving and I will be telling him how to drive navigating from the passenger seat. We work well as a team this way, why mess up a good thing?

I will be making my drive of 4 hours tomorrow after work and I can't wait to see Zach! I always look forward to Atlanta because that is my approximate half way point. I know when I see Six Flags that I am almost to my huggy hubby.

Keep an eye on my Tweets because I will be updating as I drive tomorrow... I use an app on my iPhone called vlingo and I can update my Twitter page by speaking into my phone... so I am being a safe driver, don't worry!

What a week and it isn't even over yet...

I have accomplished so much this week at work... With the transition to my new position a lot of things fell behind and I finally got caught back up! My goal was to get it all caught up by Friday and I have been working like a mad woman to get it all caught up and I did it and finished ahead of my goal!!! Go me!!!

I got to love on Gavin last night. He was fussy when I got there so I just loved on him and rocked him and he went right off to sleep... I love to snuggle him. I can remember when Ava was that little and I used to snuggle her too... She isn't all about snuggling anymore, but she will give hugs and kisses... I will just have to snuggle Gavin until I have my own child or someone else in my family has a baby.

Zach has a 4 day weekend at Memorial day and guess who has a 5 day weekend at Memorial day? Um , yeah, that would be ME!!! I am off on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, AND Tuesday! I am so excited to spend some extra time with Zach. We both really need the long weekend... he is really homesick and I am really ready for him to come home!

If you haven't visited Karmen's blog yet you need to head on over there and check it out... I am so glad she is back to blogging!!!

Yes I know this post is filled with completely random stuff but there is so much going on, I had to share it!!! I need to get back to working, have a happy Wednesday!

* edit: I am thinking of doing a giveaway sometime in the near future... not sure what it will be or when but I am thinking about it, any ideas??? *

Times are Tight Giveaway

I couldn't get her code for her button to work so I saved the image and you can click here to go to her blog!

Today Megan is giving away some really cool earrings, head on over and check out her blog and enter for your chance to win!!!!

An IRS contest (via Twitter)... and the winner is...

Mommy to 3 Blessings!!! Congratulations, for guessing how long I would hold with the IRS... She won a high five and a mention on my blog... so head on over to her blog and let her know you stopped by!!!

After 29 minutes of holding I finally talked to a really nice lady (seriously, she was a sweetheart) and she answered my supervisor's question!

She also taught me something today... Have you ever noticed that when you mail something to the IRS that it isn't to a street address??? Well the postal code that you put down is a postal code specifically for the IRS building that you are mailing to so there is no need for a street since that one building is the only thing with that postal code... pretty cool huh?

Big MckFamily News

In case you haven't read over at MckMama's blog, Stellan was discharged from the hospital this afternoon and they are flying home tomorrow!!! YEA for the MckFamily!!!

Introduction...

Hi, I am Kristen...

My Huggy Hubby is Zach...

I am the twin sister to Karmen... who is married to Matt... and their daughter (my fabulous niece) is Ava!

I am the daughter to Jerry and Marie... and the daughter-in-law to Kathy and Larry...

I am the sister-in-law to Erika who is married to Lee and they have my fabulous nephew, Gavin... I am also the sister-in-law to Patrick who is engaged to Heather.

Why all the real names you ask??? Well the reason I started using nicknames was because my sister, Karmen used nicknames for her family and I didn't want to use their real names here and people go back to her blog where she tried to keep their real names secret! Well, she is coming back from a blogging hiatus and she has decided to start using real names and I am so glad because it was so hard for me to try to come up with nicknames for everyone (I mainly just used initials) and I had to triple check my posts to make sure no real names were used!

Thank you Karmen for switching back to real names, you just made my life a whole lot easier!!!

summer fun

It is that time again... time to spend the afternoon outside, time to spend the weekends at the pool or lake, time to take trips to the beach... But it is also time to be sun smart.

Being a skin cancer survivor I am like the sunscreen police around here... At my parents' pool I always ask if everyone has on their sunscreen! I'm not pushy, I just don't want anyone to have to go through what I went through (at any age)!

I personally use Neutrogena with Helioplex SPF 70. Yes you read that correctly SPF 70! Hey, I don't take any chances...

I have it in this spray and in the cream form. The spray doesn't even feel like you are wearing sunscreen.

This is the suncreen my dermatologist recommended for me because it covers a broad spectrum of UVA and UVB rays.

I am not saying that you have to go out and buy this sunscreen, this is just the kind I use. Just make sure whatever sunscreen you use covers UVA and UVB rays to get the most protection!

Be sun smart and wear your sunscreen this summer!

The puppies...

Emma has 3 black puppies and 2 brown puppies... Not sure how many boys and girls yet but get the word out about them... I don't need 7 dogs!!!

I'm a grandmother...

Emma had puppies under mom and dad's utility building... Anyone want a puppy???

My new favorite series

I am absolutely in love with the Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove series!!! Above is the cover of the first book in the series and the one I am currently reading... I have all of the books at home waiting on me to read them (thanks to Paperback Swap) but the 9th book in the series isn't out yet, it comes out in September.

I love stories like this because characters you meet in the first book will reappear in other books and you are constantly learning new things about them!!!

So far 16 Lighthouse Road (which is where the main character of this book, Olivia Lockhart, lives) has grabbed my attention and I can't seem to put it down... I read every single night before bed and sometimes stay up well after midnight reading because I can't put the book down...

Here is what Debbie Macomber's website says about 16 Lighthouse Road...

"When Cecilia Randall, and her naval officer husband, Ian, appear in Judge Olivia Lockhart's Cedar Cove family court, they expect the good judge to grant the divorce they seek. But Olivia senses the couple still love one another and just need time to work on their marriage in the wake of their infant daughter's death. So Olivia denies their petition and makes headlines in the Cedar Cove Chronicle, earning the divorced mother more than journalistic admiration from the paper's editor, Jack Griffin. Meanwhile, Olivia's daughter, Justine, must decide if she will marry an older man her mother insists is wrong for her, and Olivia's best friend, Grace Sherman, the local librarian, is frantic with the disappearance of her husband, Dan. Everyone in Cedar Cove is talking!"

I am so excited to finish this book and start the second book in the series... 204 Rosewood Lane!

Stellan made it through!!!

MckMama just posted on Twitter that Stellan made it through surgery... Keep praying for them and follow her on Twitter for all of the updates.

Prayer Request

Click on the picture above to head on over to a good blogging buddy of mine's blog... Her and her husband are facing some job stresses and they could really use our prayers right now...

Orange for Stellan

Baby Stellan is in heart surgery as we speak... Please keep him and his precious family in your prayers today!!!

Visit MckMama's blog to keep updated on what is going on!!!

Peanut's going to college... with a little help from her Chickie

I just purchased this lovely Vera Bradley duffel bag. It is a retired pattern so it was on sale for $52 instead of the original price of $80... And since I am a member of UPromise I got an additional 20% off AND 6% of my total purchase will go into Peanut's college savings account through UPromise!!!

Since HH and I don't have any children (yet!) my UPromise account is set up to send my savings to my sister's UPromise account for Peanut! So I am helping K-mommy and her hubby save for Peanut's college education and I am saving money because of UPromise and one day I will be saving for my own child through UPromise!!!

UPromise is a fantastic program to help save for the continually higher costs of college... go check out their website and sign up to start saving for your future college student today!

This message has been brought to you by: Chickie, UPromise and Vera Bradley!!!

It is a good day...

Huggy Hubby and I both got new shoes and new shirts! Now we are going back to the hotel to order pizza and watch the University of Alabama's A-Day game... Roll tide!!!

Also, HH got his weekend back so we will be able to be together until tomorrow afternoon!!!

Good Morning One and All

Top o' the morning to you... I am up super early getting ready to go pick up HH... I have been up since 5:30am my time, I don't even get up this early for work!

Anywho, we got here last night at 9:00pm my time and sat down at dinner, got our food and ate one bite and one of HH's friends called and said he needed to get back ASAP because the 1st sergeant was on his way... so HH and I left to take him back to base while my in-laws stayed behind and finished their meal... I got back there and they had boxed both mine and HH's food up for us... So we go to see HH for less than and hour...

They have their weekend but they had to be back at 1:00am Georgia time for bedcheck but HH went back when that guy called because he didn't want to get in trouble... We can pick him up at 8:00am Georgia time. HH has been told that if everyone does right and is at formation this morning that they will be able to get their full weekends back... So we are waiting to see what is going to happen and we are praying that it is a favorable outcome... If they don't get their full weekend back that means he has to be back at 1:00am in the morning and we can't pick him back up until 8:00am tomorrow morning and that just wastes my time with him... So we are praying that he gets his full weekend back... Those guys better do right, they don't want a letter from an unhappy Army wife.

I had some issues with my iPhone yesterday, I was so irritated because it has been one thing after another this week... I was so irritated at it that I was ready to throw it out the window on I-20 and hoped an 18-wheeler hit it... But I refrained from causing my beloved iPhone any harm and called their help center instead... from my mother-in-law's cell phone because I couldn't do anything on mine...

Oh, the other stuff that happened this week? Well for starters all of this stuff with HH and his weekend, that is the big issue... Then a tail light goes out on my car (still not fixed and have no clue when I will get it fixed) and to top the tail light off my air conditioner in my car goes out (calling on Monday to get an appointment to have that fixed)... no wonder I had a migraine on Friday... I worry entirely too much, I am working on it, I really am...

I need to get up and get some clothes on so I am ready when FIL (father-in-law) comes knocking on my door to go get HH!!!

Keep a watch on my Tweets, I will update the status of HH's weekend there when I know what is going on!!!

Blogger Issues

Are any of you Blogger users having issues today? I can't view the list of blogs that I am following... Any feedback would be appreciated... I miss reading the blogs!

Gift card for a photo session with Stephanie Fisher

I am a HUGE fan of Stephanie Fisher's photographs and she is having a giveaway, go here for your chance to win!!!

And while you are there check out her amazing photographs!!!

*new post below*

Pictures from the last week..

Chickie and Grover

My in-laws and Grover

Peanut dying Easter eggs.

Peanut getting cleaned up from dying Easter eggs.

E, L, and Grover

Testing, testing... 1 2 3...

I just downloaded an app for my iPhone that will allow me to post to my blog using the app. I can't update it from the blogger website on here so I though I would give this a try!!!

Hope it works!

"G"reat day!!!

It is time for another round of my ABCs... Today is the letter "G"!!! I bet you can't guess what my number one thing is... I'll give you some time to think!

.

..

...

..

.

Did you figure it out?

1. Grover- my handsome new nephew! He is the most precious little boy! I can't wait to spoil him!

2. Grape juice- I love grape juice any time of the day... It is SO incredibly yummy!

3. Gifts- I love to buy little gifts for my loved ones... nothing much, just something to say I love you to pieces!

4. Green- Green is my color of choice right now... when HH comes home he is going to paint our living room a beautiful "country green"...

5. Georgia- I love to visit Georgia... escpecially since HH is there right now. But even when he was not in Georgia I loved to go, they have some beautiful and neat places!

6. Grandparents- I was blessed with wonderful grandparents!

7. Gum- I love to chew gum... I could chew a piece every single day, but I don't because I want to keep my teeth healthy.

8. German food- thanks to some friends of ours for introducing us to it... we absolutely love it!

9. Grease- one of my favorite movies of all time!!!

10. Green Eggs and Ham- one of my favorite Dr. Seuss books!

Watching and Waiting

Last night my mom called me and said that one of our dogs, Emma (yes that is her real name) was under their utility building and would not come out. It was getting ready to storm so mom was concerned about her staying out there. So I headed over and HH called me on my way and I told him what was going on... He was my secret weapon because I knew if she wouldn't come out for me I could call HH and put him on speaker phone and he could call her and she would come out... She loves him more than me, I'm ok with that though because I know Max (our other pomeranian, and yes that is his real name too) loves me more! Anyways, I get to Mom and Dad's and I go out there and call her and she runs right out to me... So I didn't have to get HH involved but he did call and I put him on speaker phone and he started talking and she got so excited! They both really miss him!

Anyways, Mom thinks Emma may be pregnant, but we can't really tell yet so we are watching and waiting... Anyone want a puppy if she is???

Welcome Grover!

"Grover"

April 8, 2009

11:25 am

7 pounds 7 ounces

21.5 inches long

Welcome to the family little man!

We love you, Aunt Chickie and Uncle HH

*Sorry for the low quality picture, I took it with my iPhone. The pictures on my camera are much better, I just haven't loaded them yet.

Grover is a doll!!!

Just talked to E's husband L and he said Grover weighs 7 pounds and 7 ounces and he is 21.5 inches long. L didn't tell me the specific time he was born but he did say it was around 11:00 this morning!!!

He also sent me a multimedia message with his picture in it but it won't let me save it so you guys will have to wait until later to see him!!! He does have some chubby cheeks though!!!

Baby Watch 2009 *update* *again*

Baby G was going to be here today no matter what. My SIL was scheduled to be at the hospital at 5 this morning to be induced... well she didn't make it to 5! Her water broke at 1:30, she got her epidural at 5:30, and at 6:30 when she sent me a text message she was 8cm! Then her mom called me at 7:30 and said she was at 9.5cm! They are supposed to call me when he is here! I can't wait to meet the little guy!

I have come up with a nickname for baby G. He will be Grover on my blog, not in real life though! I read The Nanny Diaries several years ago and she called the little boy that she babysat Grover and I thought that was cute! So baby G = Grover (like the Muppets character), got it?

As soon as I hear from someone at the hospital I will let you all know!!!

*11:00 am: Just talked to my MIL, E has been pushing for 2 hours with no luck so they are going to do a c-section.

*12:12 pm: My MIL just called and Grover is here!!! She doesn't have his weight or anything yet but she said that they told them that everything went well! As soon as I know more I will update again!

Pictures from this past weekend

The beautiful sunset!

Huggy Hubby, Me, J, and Miss K (It has been so much fun to hang out with them, Miss K has a special place in my heart because she actually knows what I am going through and it is so nice to finally have someone to talk to who has been where I am.)

Me and Huggy Hubby all cuddled up on the boat!

Prayer Request: My SIL, E, has to be at the hospital tomorrow morning at 5! Baby G will hopefully be here when I get off of work tomorrow afternoon, I can't wait to finally meet him! Please pray that everything goes well for all of them!

*On a side note: K will now lovingly be known as Miss K because I like how that sounds! Hope that is ok with you Miss K!

An addition to the family...

No, HH and I are not having a baby... My brother-in-law (BIL) Pooch is engaged! He proposed tonight in front of our family and H's family! We really like H, and we are so excited for her to join our family!!




Congrats you guys!!!

More things to come... *updated*

I uploaded the pictures from Saturday evening's boat tour but I haven't had the chance to edit them yet, as soon as they are edited I will post them! It may not be tonight or tomorrow, there are some big things happening tonight and possibly E will have the baby tomorrow (more on this in a minute).

The big things happening tonight I can't really elaborate on right now but please pray about tonight and I promise I will tell you about it this evening when it is over.

E goes to the doctor today and if she hasn't progressed they will "get things rolling" so hopefully they will tell her to be at the hospital early tomorrow morning to induce her!!! I can't wait to meet Baby G! I love holding babies, the only bad thing is that holding a baby makes me want a baby... but no baby for us anytime soon!

My MIL started her new job today, I hope everything is going well for her! I will call her later and see how it is going.

HH and I had a great time this weekend with K and J. We didn't eat at the German restaurant because it wasn't in the best part of town so we went to a Mexican restaurant instead! It was fabulous! After we left the Mexican restaurant we went to Wal-Mart to buy swim suits because K and J's hotel had a hot tub and we all decided to use it! It was nice but it was extremely hot.

So anyways, I made it home yesterday around 6:30. When this is over with I will hate driving even more than I already do! I have already told HH when he graduates he is driving home!

I only have to work 4 days this week and I have not made our reservations in Athens for this weekend yet, but as soon as I get word from HH I will!

Okie dokie, another post coming tonight, I promise!!! Until then, have a great day!

*I just talked to E and she has to be at the hospital at 5:00am on Wednesday so baby G will be here in time for Easter!*

Augusta is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!

HH and I keep finding all of these cool places to go here in Augusta! Today we explored the Savannah River Rapids park... here are some pictures from today!

We are getting ready to go on a sunset boat tour with K and J! And then it is off to eat German food! YUMMY!!! Have a great day everyone!

This has been such a long week!!!

It is finally Friday and I will be making my weekly 300 mile, 4 hour drive to Augusta today after work. I am so excited because I get to see HH. I miss him terribly and I look forward to Fridays because I know I will get to see him!

I am particularly excited about this weekend because we are hanging out with K and J again! We have all agreed to try the local German restaurant on Saturday and we are also going on a sunset boat tour!!! K and I are super excited, now the boys I am not so sure about. Hopefully I can get a picture of the four of us this weekend to post!!! They are so much fun!

My SIL, E, goes back to the doctor on Monday and if she hasn't progressed past 1.5 cm they are going to "get things rolling" so we will have Baby G here next week sometime!

In my family we have a tradition of dying Easter eggs with My Nanny, my mom's mom. We have never done this with my mom it has always been at My Nanny's house! But this year I will be missing out on the fun because I will be in Augusta with HH! Yes I am 23 years old and still dye Easter eggs, its tradition!

Notice I called my grandmother My Nanny she isn't just Nanny she is My Nanny. That is what my sister and I used to call her when we were little and it sort of stuck! I will have to get a picture of My Nanny to show you, she is so much fun and such a wonderful person! I love her to pieces!!!

Anyways, I am going to go and count down the hours until I can leave to go see HH! 6.5 hours to go!!!

Praise Him

MckMama posted on her Twitter page that Stellan has not had any bouts of SVT all night or this morning! Praise God!!! Keep praying for him though, you can go read her blog to catch up on his progress!

Hello, looney bin, can you pick me up?

Today has been absolutely crazy at work. I have had stuff piled all over my desk since before 8:00 this morning! First I have a certain report that has to be finished and locked in by 10:00am. Well at 9:57am I was still working on said report! I just took over this report and I am still learning how to do it... I was almost to the point of tears because I didn't want to be late, but I got it locked in on time with less than a minute to spare!

It has been one thing after another all day, I get close to finishing one thing and someone else brings me something else to do! I mean, I like to stay busy but come on people give me a break, I am only one person!

I finally got enough things caught up to post a short update!

HH made a 100 on his test today!!! WOOHOO!!!!! I am so proud of him!

HH's sister, E, goes to the doctor this afternoon, in about 10 minutes actually and hopefully they will call and tell me that we will have a nephew today (or tomorrow, I'm not picky)!

My friends Winks' grandfather is going to be buried on Friday, so continue to keep them in your prayers.

I have joined a website called Paperback Swap. You can put your books that you have read on there and people can request them from you. The site is free to join but you have to pay for the postage to mail the book... when you mail the book and the person who requested it receives it you get a credit on your PBS account and you can request a book with that credit! If you are interested in joining the site please email me at i_love_you_to_pieces (at) yahoo (dot) com and I will email you a subscription email for you to join under me!!!

Anyways, that is all I have time for right now! Have a great evening and be sure to watch LOST tonight!