Well how about that. Exactly one year ago today, I started this little bloggity-blog. And that’s pretty crazy to think about.
You know what else is crazy?
The fact that December is nearly over. I cannot believe that 2012 is only a few short days away! I am quite excited, to say the least.
This upcoming year is going to bring lots of good things – from a new job (I can’t wait to start on Tuesday!) to graduating with my MPH. It’s going to be busy, that’s for sure!
Anyway, we’ve got one more Holiday to celebrate before this year’s holiday season is up… and it’s one of my favorites. Always has been, and always will be.
This whole holiday season has treated me exceptionally well. I truly cannot believe how fast it has flown by. From visits with both sides of Ryan’s family during Thanksgiving, to birthday celebrations, to our Christmas vacation in Arkansas last week. So many good memories. And so many things I want to share!
So, to avoid making this a super-long post recapping the past month or so, I’m going to simply touch on one of the big events that happened these past few weeks – my birthday.
During the crazy-exciting time of landing my new job, I celebrated a birthday. The big two-six, if you will.
I mentioned in an earlier post that when I was a youngin’ (read, twelve years old), I pictured people aged 26 as pretty damn old. Those folks had their shit together. They were living the city life with a big career and a cushy 401K, owned a nice home, had a marriage, and were probably well on their way to growing a family. Obviously, this picture does not depict my life one little bit. Therefore, I am totally okay with being 26. I do not feel old. Or at least… I didn’t.
Let me explain.
A week or so before my birthday Ryan told me that I had two options to follow. I could either:
A) be out of the house for a few hours while he “set things up,”
or…
B) not go outside at all until I was given the okay to do so.
I chose the later option. (Obviously. I mean, who wouldn’t want to laze around the couch on their birthday morning?).
So when my birthday rolled around, Ryan popped outta bed and told me to stay in the house until he came back.
He gave me one clue: it involved a truck.
This got my mind stirring. “A truck? Hmmm. Tonka truck? Monster truck? I’ve always wanted to go to one of those Monster Truck shows…”

This was totally a childhood dream of mine. Completely serious. 100%.

I loved those Tonka trucks as a wee-one. Total tomboy.
Suffice it to say, many different ideas were floating around in my head. Nevertheless, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why he would need a truck. Especially since our apartment is so small, and, well… quite filled.
Finally, Ryan returned and told me to close my eyes. He guided me to our guest room… and told me to sit down. I did not understand what he meant by “sit down” so I squatted like a fool bracing for inevitable impact with the floor. I’m sure I was quite graceful… you know, with my arms flailing about and all.
That’s when I found myself sitting on a chair.
A rocking chair!!!!!!!!!!
You know how Cracker Barrel has those rocking chairs sitting on the front porches of their stores so people can chillax in them while they wait to be seated?
Well, Ryan bought two of their rocking chairs! (Ah… yes, now I understand why he needed the truck. Those chairs are a bit too big for his Hyundai).
Now, y’all might think this is an odd gift, but that’s because you’re not me. Ryan knows me so well, and these rocking chairs are PERFECT for us. We’ve been moving the chairs throughout the house since we got them… and have been toting them to and fro on our back porch. We’ve been having unseasonably warm weather this past December, so we’ve been able to enjoy the weekend afternoons outside lounging on them.
I seriously love these rocking chairs. And I love the fact that Ryan mentioned that our rocking chairs “have a lifetime warranty… so we’ll be able to rock our grandkids in them one day on our wrap-around porch.”
Ah yes, now it’s clear. You’re not old until you have a wrap-around porch. Either that… or the whole grandkid thing. Pretty sure it’s debatable.
Anyway, my birthday was perfect. We spent the whole day celebrating…
Boxes a la Fed Ex and present-opening with mom via Skype…
Burned CDs/slideshows of pictures from my childhood!!! Talk about one of the most thoughtful gifts imaginable. My momma is good like that .
The celebration continued into the night with a yummy dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant…
My friend Kelly’s Christmas party…
Rachael’s cookie exchange party…
Anddddd, of course, a trip to TCBY…
But let’s be real now. TCBY happens pretty much every weekend. We don’t need a special occasion for this type of goodness
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