Happy Birthday Honey!

So my honey's birthday was this past Tuesday (Jan. 20, I'm a little late posting this!) and we didn't do a whole lot to celebrate this year.

On Tuesday we went to dinner with my parents at Bricco in Downtown Akron. I had been there before and so had my mom but my step-dad and Ben had never gone before. They both ended up loving it. It's a little bit pricey but well worth it and their food is so filling. Ben got their pork tenderloin with risotto and he loved it. I got the chicken with a mozzarella croquette and it was delicious! My mom got Ben a charger with rechargeable batteries since he was complaining about running out so often because of his Xbox! I didn't get him anything because we are low on money right now but eventually we will get him something. I will probably buy him an Xbox game that he has reserved coming out in March. (Side note: my mom found an awesome deal on a pot/pan set so she gave that to us Tuesday - but it's my Birthday/Christmas gift for this year because it was a really nice set and pricey :) )

Then Friday night to celebrate Ben's birthday again, we went out with our friend's Kyle and Liz to Hopocan Gardens (a chicken house) in Barberton and it was so good! They have the best hot rice :)

Then on Sunday the celebration continued at Ben's Grandpa Blankenship's house where his Aunt Bev, Grandpa, Ben's cousin's kid Nolan (2nd cousin??), Ben's cousin Bleu and me and Ben had Sunday dinner. It was yummy - cube steak, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, grean beans, cole slaw and biscuits. His grandpa is an awesome cook so it was so good!! Then they brought in a cake and sang happy birthday which was totally unexpected. And that finally ended the week long celebration we call Ben's birthday :)

Yummy dinner cookin on the stove

The Birthday Boy
Aunt Bev and Nolan

The Cake!

Haha....he's 26 :)

And of course he had the honor of cuttin' the cake

Ben's cousin Bleu is the one holding the cake,
he had Nolan help him blow out the candles!

Snow & Puppies

I'm a little late with this post but this was from last weekend when we got about 10 inches of snow. Harley just loves the snow and Duke does too! Here's two pictures of Harley and then a video of Harley and Duke. It was one of those days where we were snowed in. Since we live on a hill, there about 4-5 days a year we know we aren't going anywhere because we can't get out/up the hill. It was funny to watch some people try though!!

Sunday of last weekend we went with my parents to try a new place called Zoup in Solon, they have 11 different soups daily. It's a Panera of sorts but smaller and less known. We were 1 of 4 groups of people we saw the whole time we were there! But with the snow we thought that might have had something to do with it. It's amazing how much soup they had and we all got a different kind and LOVED all of them. Yum!! Then we explored a bit up in Solon and ended up at the Cold Stone Creamery in Macedonia, haven't been to one in a while so I was super excited! Here's my creation then a picture of Ben, my mom and Eric eating theirs!


This week has been really crazy with work - our quarterly meeting was this week with all of our team in for the meeting. Since the new admin coordinator for our group doesn't technically start til next week I still had to do pretty much everything. The new person (Julie) was there for the meeting to see how things run but she won't be back until Weds but then she starts full time with us and I'm pretty much done doing the things I had to do for my old position besides training her. I'm super excited to finally have this weight lifted off my shoulders since I have been waiting since September for this to happen!

Ben's birthday is on Tuesday (Jan. 20 - Inauguration Day). I am off Monday. We might try and do a nice dinner this weekend or maybe just wait until Tuesday. I think we are going to go out to the bar tonight with some friends (we will see who shows) and have a few drinks. Who knows!! I am not getting anything for him, at least not right now since we are broke. Maybe in a few months with my bonus or tax return we will get him something!

Hope everyone is well and trying to stay warm (for those of us in Ohio at least!).

New Years Eve 2008 Pictures

I never got back to post pictures from New Years Eve so here they are!

At Ben's grandpa's eating yummy food

Rachelle and Rob - She is due with their child in March

Me and Liz

Kyle and Liz - their first engaged New Years!

Kyle, Rob and Ben

Brian and Me, he was pretty drunk LOL

Liz and Ben

Happy New Year Everyone!

So today is 1/1/09 and I am glad we are in a new year. Don't get me wrong 2008 had some great times but I'm ready for a new year and being able to start again.

2008 is first and foremost the year that me and Ben got married :) This was definitely the highlight of my year and I couldn't be happier. It is also the year that I got my new position at GOJO which I'm still not fully transitioned out of my old but it's coming in 2009!

I have decided that my New Year Resolution is to lose weight. I know...haha. People always say that and then don't follow through. Well I am hoping that I do! Ben is on board with me (since his doctor told him he had to lose weight!). So we will be eating healthier, doing some exercise (and in the summer we will probably start walking outside) and just taking better care of ourselves. I really would like to drop a few sizes and I'm hoping I can accomplish that!

So Happy New Year's Everyone!

Christmas Day 2008

On Christmas Day we go to my family's house in Pennsylvania and this year was no different. My mom came over and picked us up since it is on the way out to PA for them. We opened up our gifts from them first. She had bought me a coat the weekend before and then she got me an apple reed diffuser and apple candles for my kitchen, perfume, an ornament for me and Ben's first Christmas married, a silicone baking set . She also bought me some clothes on Black Friday. Ben got a gift card for Macy's, Gamestop, and McDonalds (don't ask...LOL). He also got a pair of jeans and cologne. After we opened our gifts we headed to PA to visit with my family. Lots of good food and of course a good time. It was a long 2 days but so worth it :)

Eric and Mom when we first got there

Me and Sis

Ben, Aunt Betty and Rusty

Matt and Amy

Me and Sissa

Me and my momma!

Singing Happy Birthday to Grandma Evans who turned 80 this week!

Aunt Shirley, Mom and Aunt Betty opening their gifts

Christmas Eve 2008

Well this year was the typical Christmas run around! On Christmas Eve we always go to Ben's dad's side of the family and then off to his mom's side.

So I worked 1/2 day on Christmas and then came home and got ready. We went to Ben's Aunt Cindy's house at around 5. Most people showed pretty quickly. We snacked mostly and hung out. Then around 7:30 his Grandpa handed out the gifts (we draw names since there are so many people - Ben's cousin Carmie Jo got us and we got Ben's cousin Ronnie who lives with us anyways). Carmie Jo got us a huge picture frame and picture paper for my printer. It was a pretty good time and for once no one cried which is always a feat with Ben's family!

Me before going to the families house

Ben's cousin Shannon's new baby - Dalton

Boyd Boys 2008 (take this picture every year at Christmas)

Then it was off to Ben's mom's side of the family. This year his mom was in town so that was fun. We got a bunch of wonderful gifts from her and Ben's uncle and grandpa! They are so wonderful to us :) Lots of gift cards and I got my first Willow figurine. I got a really nice Akron Zips hoodie and Ben got a nice Michigan one.

Unlce Don, Aunt Bev, Ben, Bleu, Sue, Grandpa

Scratching lotto tickets - Aunt Bev won $100!!

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!! We will be traveling to PA today to see my family and last night we spent time with Ben's family (both sides). Got some wonderful gifts from them and his mom.

So Merry Christmas everyone!

Congrats!

So I know it's 11:30 pm on Christmas Eve but I just wanted to post a big congrats to our friends Kyle and Liz who got engaged tonight!! I'm so happy for them, they have been dating 5 years and she really wanted to be engaged and he kept saying no not right now. They just moved into a house together (and just recently had moved into an apt together over the summer). He did a great job at hiding this and she is super thrilled so congrats to them both! I wish you guys all the best!!

Santa Claus is comin' to town

Ok, so Santa isn't coming but Ben's mom is and she's staying through Jan. 2. She gets in late tomorrow night so she is staying with Ben's grandpa. I still don't know how much she is staying there vs. staying here. I guess time will tell. I still can't believe Christmas is here already. Luckily I am done with all but 1 person for Christmas shopping and that would be Ben's grandpa and he hasn't decided what to get him yet. I am just as clueless so I told him he was on his own for figuring that one out!

Work is going decent. Very busy still. I would like them to hire someone soon but I am not seeing an end in sight yet. Still waiting to hear what's going on but keeping my fingers crossed. It's so stressful doing 2 jobs and being pulled in all those directions. I can't wait for some help! I have plenty to do though, that's for sure! We are having our GOJO Holiday Lunch on Friday where everyone brings something in and we eat. It's a lazy day to say the least. Then we are leaving around 3 to go bowling in Montrose at Riviera Lanes. Should be a good time. It will be nice to get out of work that early even if we are still with work people :) It's better then doing nothing at all!

This past weekend we went out for Melanie's 26th birthday. It was a good time, we just went to the Basement for some drinks. Haven't seen Mel and Brian in a few weeks so it was good to see them. And Liz and Kyle moved recently about 1/2 hr away so I got to see them also :)

Beginning of the Night

I love him <3>

This is after a few...just a few ;)
Some of the gang....too bad Liz was being silly

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We got our tree up on Sunday and I am sooo excited! We put it up the first year we were here in the house (2006) but last year we didn't put it up because Dukey Dog was a puppy and he was such a chewer I was afraid it would be destroyed. So 2 days down and no issues with him yet so here's to 23 more!

Me with the empty tree

Ben putting the lights on (this takes a while)

Harley and Duke had to help Dad

All decorated!

All lit up in the dark - so pretty!