Update

I just want to make it clear that right now, life is insanely busy at the Spalding residence. The new semester just started and this time Ben and I both are taking classes. This is the first time Ben has taken classes since we have been married so it is going to be a little hard adjusting to the fact that we both have so many things to occupy our time. For me this is my last undergrad semester (I was done with my required classes last year but still had scholarships and a few classes that I wanted to take this year). Ben, well he has a while longer since he is working full time and changing his major. It will be such a relief when I am officially done so we may have a little bit of time together. I know that this time will pass quickly and eventually we will have more time together. But for now, I just need to appreciate any little time that we do have together. 

Other than school, we are still working on our goal to get in shape and eventually run another marathon (it will be Ben's first). I have been trying to lose the five few baby pounds that keep sticking around but man it is hard! I have almost convinced myself that they are here to stay. Anyway, we both have been running and swimming quite frequently. Today I went out on a limb and tried zumba. It was really fun but with my lack of coordination...well lets just say I am thinking I will stick to something that I am good at? Maybe? Who knows I might put myself out there and try it again but really I can't dance!

So I haven't posted about Christmas yet but just know, it was great! We had a wonderful time in Oregon and Cora had a great first Christmas. I will definitely be posting more pictures and details about that when I get some free time (who knows when that will be). I am also looking into grad school details. I really want to get a masters degree in marketing but I don't even know where to begin. Anyone have any suggestions?

Extreme Couponing

Some day I aspire to be this good! You may think it is excessive hoarding but not me. I define this as security. :)

Laundry

So this morning I woke up dreading all my laundry that needs folded and put away. I mean I have no motivation to do it.

Will it get done, probably? ...BUT currently Cora is opening every single drawer in my dresser and emptying them. So much for folding and putting away my laundry!

Thanks baby girl.

My Bonus

Ben got a pretty good Christmas bonus this year and being the good man that he is, he is sharing it with me. Not sure how I deserve a bonus yet, but I'll take it! We actually put the majority of it into our savings but we each got a little chunk to spend as well. And after some extensive research I bought this baby:

My new toy should be arriving with perfect timing, this weekend, right after my last final and I have two whole weeks to devote to my new little friend! (Can you tell I am excited?) And the even better news? I had some gift cards that I won on swagbucks which I used to help purchase this little beast. That means I have a little extra money left over to buy something else quite special, something along the lines of this:

If you have never owned a CHI flat iron then you are missing out! These things are seriously the best. I used to have one...and I still would but someone carelessly severed to cord in the bathroom door. (Note to self: NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE LET ANYONE BORROW YOUR CHI FLAT IRON.)

Anyway I am very excited about my new prize, soon to be prizes. And it is not even Christmas. I am going to be dreaming about all the wonderful things I am going to make with my new sewing machine while rocking the flatest hair you can imagine.

And something else exciting...I am going home for Christmas on Sunday and I get to stay for two weeks. I CANT WAIT. 

 

SHOOTER

at Target. Well at least thats what everybody thought. So here I am minding my own business, intently scouring the sales racks at target well all of the sudden someones starts to scream. Like the whole store goes so quiet you could hear a pin drop! Crazy considering how many people were crammed into that place today! And then I heard it again, "HELP, HELP, HELP! SHOOOOOOTER!". Then the commotion continued...mothers screaming and shoving small children into any hiding space they could find (I didn't have Cora with me). Being curious I walked closer to where the screams were coming and find a lady laying face down on the floor...but it was a false alarm. Apparently there was no shooter. Some lady just decided to pass out so someone was trying to get help for her. Another clever person decided to escalate the situation by yelling shooter. Clever.

I must say it was quite funny. Guess you just had to be there.

Cora now has two teeth & is still teething pretty hardcore. Let me tell you teething babies are MISERABLE! I have tried everything I can think of to make her feel better and so far NOTHING has worked. So I guess I am just going to have a very cranky baby for a while. Poor little thing.

But in good news Cora can crawl, when there is something she really wants--like the bookshelf. And when she gets to it she can pull herself up and take everything off of it in a matter or seconds. Lets say, she is really keeping me on my toes! She has also learned to clap! She claps when I bring her a bottle, change her diaper, walk into the room...well basically everything. It is quite flattering! And the best news (in my opinion) is that she is starting to take naps in her crib! For a while there I would set her down and she would cry for hours but now she has got it figured out! She cries for about a minute before she is out! It is awesome!

Cora playing with her Great Grandpa over thanksgiving.

 Cora helping daddy put together his new toolset.

 We went to Ben's grandparent's house for thanksgiving. Cora was so excited she basically did not take a nap the whole time we were there. And this is the result. She seriously just fell asleep as she was playing. 

Pouty

Remember me telling you Cora can't stand to be put down right now? Well here is a prime example: