It's a Marshmallow World in the Winter

We have snow on the ground...AGAIN! I have mixed feelings about it. It kinda sucks because mom, Katie (Jimmy's fiancee), and I were supposed to head up to Pittsburgh this weekend for Anna's (Steve's fiancee) bridal shower. I did a test drive and found that I was able to drive in it, but I really didn't want to. So we stayed here in Virginia.

On the other hand, I love it! It's so clean and fresh. And, in my opinion, if it doesn't cover everything, then it's not worth it. Well, this time it was worth it. I haven't posted many pictures lately, so here's a couple to help you see the wintery world through my eyes...

Lady, as we all know now, is our snow dog. I've never seen a dog GRAZE on snow like Lady does! She actually lays in the snow and eats all the snow around her!

These three does were just outside the kitchen window. I was doing the dishes after dinner and happened to look up. When I went outside, there was one that didn't run as soon as the others, but heard me and ran to the creek.

I love the colors of a winter sky. The soft pastels brushed onto the sky like God's personal watercolor. Words cannot describe the beauty, and my pictures are just a weak immitation.

I Wish

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. There's so many things I wish to do and/or be. There are places I wish to go and see, foods I'd like to try. So I started coming up with a list in my head of all of these things. You know, people come up with things they'd like to do before they die, but I'm not quite sure if this quite fits. Just read on, you'll see...

Places I'd like to see...Montana, Alaska, the Rockies, Ireland, Italy, France (mainly the Loire Valley), Scotland, Germany (the area my family is from...on mom's side), the Natural Bridge, Luray Caverns, Niagra Falls, and many more...

Things I'd like to do...some of them if I had the guts...live with the wolves (i.e. like the documentary on the Discovery Channel and book I was given "Wolves at Our Door"), work with wild animals (whether out in the wild or in the zoo or even with Wildlife Rescue), go whitewater rafting, go on a cruise, go to a club, ride in an airplane, get professional pictures done, see a Broadway show

People I'd like to meet...really anyone famous, I suppose. I have my favorites, like Giada deLaurentis and Paula Deen, then there's country stars like Brad Paisley and comedians like Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Jeff Dunham. Robert Duvall, Anne Hathaway...there are so many that I can't even put them all on here!

There are things about me that I wish were different. I wish I were more adventurous...you know, to do some of those things listed above. I've been trying to be a little more outgoing lately, to push myself more out of my safe box. My experimentation with foods and flavors has gotten a little more daring than my regular spaghetti or burgers I had growing up. I wish I liked coffee and/or tea. I like the smells of some coffees, but whenever I've tried any, all I taste is coffee...the same goes with foods with coffee in them such as mocha flavor. There are flavored coffees out there that sound so good. Same with the tea...you always hear about chamomille tea and others to help relax you. There's orange tea, and tea with honey and lemon. They SOUND good to me, but all I taste is tea. Sometimes I wish I were a bit more girly, or maybe at least had more fashion sense. Again, I'm trying to get a little bolder with my clothing as well. Unfortunately, boldness in clothing usually has a higher price tag. And I wish I did more that I could use more of my clothes. I feel all I do is work, then come home and get into sweats and such. I read about Anna and her and Eric's parties and group things and it all sounds so fun! Of course, their personalities are a little more outgoing as well.
(*sigh*) I'm slowly coming out of my shell. Looking back at how I was growing up, I've come a long way from that girl who wore jeans, t-shirts, and a windbreaker tied around her waist. But looking ahead, I see so many options...

That's My Story (and I'm Stickin' To It)

I'm sure there's people out there who are wondering at the title of my blog. My mom thought that I was going to have some musical theme to it. I guess, though, in a way I do. If you look back through just my small amount of entries, you'll see some titles and/or lines from well-known songs.
There are a couple reasons as to why I titled the blog "Life's a Musical." One reason is because I like that quote: "Life's a musical...sing and dance." I can't remember where I read it...probably one of those e-mails that were passed around years ago with witty comments and the like. I love this quote, because it's basically telling you to let loose and have fun. Have you ever seen a musical that looks like the people are being tortured? No! Of course not! The characters are always singing about their lives and twirling around lamp posts and tap dancing on upside-down canoes. Even near the greatest peril, they sing about it!
The next reason is because, just as the characters in musicals have their songs for the moment, so do I. I'm not sure why I do it, and I know I can't help it, but things and events in life bring certain songs into my head. Sometimes I find I'm singing them aloud...while others I just keep to myself. For example: I work in an animal hospital. I've been working there for near ten years now, so I've gotten use to the regulars that come into work...by "regulars" I mean the pets. There's one dog that comes in named Leroy. Well, whenever I see him, this is what I hear in my head: "Bad, bad, Leroy Brown. Baddest dog in the whole dang town. Badder than-a ol' King Kong...Meaner than a junkyard dog!" Laugh if you will, but it's true! This little habit of mine, if you want to call it that, has helped out, though. There's another dog that comes in, a little Dachshund named Charlie Brown. I was there the day he got neutered (poor little guy!). He didn't wake up very well from his surgery, crying and whining quite loudly. I tried the normal shushing and whistling to try to quiet him, but it would only work for a second, and then he'd go back to crying. All I could think of was listening to dad's record that had "Charlie Brown" on it, so I started singing to the little dog.
"Charlie Brown...doo-de-doo-doo-doo
Charlie Brown...doo-de-doo-doo-doo
He's a clown...that's Charlie Brown
He's gonna get caught, just you wait and see
'Why's everybody always pickin' on me'?"
And you know what? It worked! He quieted down and even started wagging his tail! So now, anytime he comes in for anything, I sing him his song and he's a happy little dog again!
It's not just with the animals, though. I'll randomly think of a song, usually one I haven't heard in forever, and it's in my head all day.
The final reason, and don't think me crazy, okay? I feel...occasionally at least...that it helps me talk with God. No, I'm not trying to pull a Joan-of-Arc or say that I'm a prophet or anything huge like that. I'm completely serious with you. It usually happens during down/depressed times with me, and it could be completely in my head. You can think what you wish. I guess I'll have to give you an example. Well, I've dated a few guys before I met my husband. Every time there was something that I prayed to God for, whether it be for me and one of my exes to make it to graduation or to get back together or He would help us grow together or whatever, I always heard the song "Unanswered Prayers" by Garth Brooks. It could be COMPLETE coincidence, I know, but EVERY...SINGLE...TIME this would happen. When I met Mike, again I asked that he would help us grow together and that I would be what Mike wanted. I never heard that song. To tell you the truth, I haven't heard that song SINCE Mike and I have been together. There have been other instances, too many to explain on here in one blog, but answers I have been seeking have always been in the music I would be listening to at the time of the question/request/etc.
Songs don't usually just crop up in my mind randomly. At first I think so, but then throughout the day, the songs seem to fit to my life, like a soundtrack. And, yes, I do randomly break out in song...

Mama, If That's Movin' Up, Then I'm...Movin' Out

I think we all know by now that Mike and I are trying to buy a house (by we, I mean anyone who reads this and/or knows us). We found this great two-story colonial, three bedroom, two bathroom house in the town of Culpeper. It has a large fenced-in backyard, which is great for the dogs. There's so many great points about this house and it has so much character. So what's the problem, you ask? It's a short sale, which is a misnomer, because the sale is NOT by any means short. It just means that the seller owes more on the property than they are selling it for, due to them wanting to get out of there in a short amount of time. Because of this, the bank is now involved, and unfortunately for us, it's through Bank of America, which is NOTORIOUS in the real estate world for being slow as molassas in January. Even though the seller has agreed upon our bid (it's hard not to, as we went in at asking price), the bank now has to approve of the original sale price. You would think they would look at that before it's put on the market and therefore skipping that hassle for the buyers later!
Well, now there's a problem. Oh, not with the house. No, that's still in limbo. The problem is my work and where we live now. There are many complications at work, and as I just discovered on Friday, I'm not sure how long my job will last. I'm hoping it was just a rash decision made in the heat of the moment by my boss, but I found out he had wanted me fired the other day for something that wasn't my fault! So, as Mike and I are renting the house we live in from my boss, we have decided to move out of our rental and into my parents' house. There are a couple methods behind our madness. One, it'll allow us to save up some money to put towards the house (fixing it up, decorating, etc.), and two, it'll get us out of the rental, as we aren't sure how my irrational boss will act.
I am so blessed to have such wonderful people as my parents in my life. I'm not sure exactly how I deserve them, but they have always given my brothers and me love and compassion, always willing to help us out any way they can, even when it's not always the easiest for them. So for mom and dad to allow my husband and me to move in with them in these...uncertain times, it makes me hope that one day I can be as great parents to my children as they have been, are, and always will be to my brothers and me.
So, as of now, Mike and I are packing up our things. We'll rent a storage unit for our furniture, and then we (and our petting zoo) will move in with mom and dad by the end of the month. Dad's been missing Sprite anyway, right?

I am my own Destiny...

So Thursday was a great day all around. First and foremost...it was my day off, so I was able to sleep in, even if it was for only two more hours than usual. On top of that, I spent the day with mom. It was a lot of fun. We went over to Fredericksburg to the Dress Barn in Central Park, on a mission to find clothes for my brother Steve and Anna's wedding. We figured now would be the best time to shop, as it is just after the holidays so we had a better chance of finding sales, as well as the fact that the wedding may be in March, but it's in Pittsburgh! So, but looking now, we'd probably find warmer clothes! In the end, even though I found this really cute dress, I bought a nice pair of black slacks (as I desperately needed a pair and they fit me wonderfully!) and mom left with a nice flowered and beaded top. From there, we went back to Culpeper for some flea market shopping. I was hoping to find some chairs for our kitchen table, not caring if they matched too much. Of course, Mike wanted to know why we needed chairs for the table as we never eat at the table...well, yeah! Because we have no chairs!!!
The first place we went was more of a knick-knack shop, not a whole bunch of furniture. The next place, however, is the best place to find furniture. My brother Jimmy and his fiancee found a coffee table and two end tables there in very good shape for an equally good price. Over the last couple of years I, myself have found little things here and there that are now incorporated into our home.
From the moment we stepped through the door, mom and I were on a mission, though. To find two decent chairs that weren't too bad with the kitchen table. I would worry about trying to match the entire set at a later time. Peaking in here and there, we found some really great stuff, as usual. Then, as I looked into one little alcove, I noticed it was full of wooden chairs...perfect! Immediately my eyes were drawn to two stacked, armed chairs crafted out of a dark wood. They were a little dusty and worn, but they were exactly what I was looking for. Then mom, from behind me, said, "You could get all four and have the two armed chairs at each end of the table." All four? I looked beside my chairs and saw two more armless stacked chairs of what looked like the same make. Sweet! But then I thought of the price. Last time I found chairs I liked in this place, they were $40 apiece. I flipped over the price tags, and Eric's Anna, you're gonna love this...
The two chairs with arms were $6 apiece and the ones without were $5 apiece. With tax, four chairs in very good shape came to a whopping $23.10! And what's cool about it (besides the price) is that the chairs look almost identical to the chairs mom and dad used to have when they had the table! Funny how things work out.
So I went back to mom's to drop her off, then after a phone call, went off to have my hair cut. It was getting REALLY long and heavy. Normally I get it cut short once a year at the beginning of summer (yes, I said once a year) and let it grow out the rest of the year. Well, this year, I only had it trimmed because I wanted to be sure it would be long for the wedding. So, way over a year since I had it last cut, it was very long, very heavy, and very hot (even in winter)! Before it was cut, it nearly covered my breasts. Now that it's cut and layered, it reaches my collarbone...almost six inches off! It feels so much better!
Moving on from my haircut, I went home and unloaded my treasures. The chairs were perfect! Then, since Mike was off from work, we decided to have a movie night, which is a little tradition we're trying to do together on nights he has off...it's some time we have together since we don't usually get to see each other very much with me working during the day and him at night. The movie finished before 8:00pm, and we were wondering what to do next. Just then, I got a text from my brother Jimmy..."Coming to karaoke tonight?" Heck, yes, we are! So Mike and I got ready to head down to Baja Bean Company (Baja) for some karaoke.
Now, I'd never done karaoke before. My friend and I had wanted to in high school, but we were either too young for most of the places or couldn't work out a time to go. I was nervous about getting up in front of a lot of people. Thankfully, Jimmy suggested we do a duet to help ease me into it. So, "Whiskey Lullaby" by Brad Paisley and Alison Kraus it was. I really sucked! What I portrayed the pitch my voice was in was not what came through the mic! But I made it through the stage fright of being up there in front of a roomful of strangers. To rewind a bit, when Jimmy had me go up to sign us up, he told me to put down "Jimmy Choo" for the karaoke singer. Long story short, this is what I called his "stage name." You'll have to ask me how that came to be. I wanted a stage name, too. First, it was Sam Choo (since we are brother and sister). By the end of the night, however, I became...Destiny! The two of us were Destiny Choo. Again, you'll have to ask for to full explanation another time. Jimmy and I ended the night with Barenaked Ladies' "If I Had a Million Dollars." I did SOOOO much better the second time around. With such a goofy, fun song, it was hard not to be more relaxed. That, and the great Jimmy Choo gave me some pointers!

Looking Forward

As one year comes to a close, it opens the door to a whole new one with possibilities galore. Here’s a little recap of last year…

1) Mike and I began renting our first place next door to where I work.
2) We “adopted” our goofy, ungraceful, sweet, loving German Shepherd/Australian Shepherd mix puppy, Lady. Then we adopted our little pewter furball, Calypso (Cali).
3) Three people I love got engaged, obviously not all at once...and even more obvious not to each other! Congrats Jimmy, Steve, and Beccas! (I love their fiancé(es) too, of course)
4) I had a mental breakdown at work.
5) My niece, Emily, turned the big 0-1!
6) I got a raise at work.
7) Emily learned to walk at the beach and wreaked havoc on the northern Millers’ lives…:-)
8) Mike and I got MARRIED!!!!
9) Mike and I were approved for a home loan and began the process of buying a home.
10) I thought I was pregnant, but it was a false alarm.
11) Mike and I celebrated our first Christmas.
12) My Russian Dwarf hamster, Chewbacca (Chewy), died.

There are things for the year to come that I hope will happen and/or look forward to…

1) My friend from high school who moved to Texas, got married, and had a baby is now moving back to Madison County. YAY!!!!!
2) Mike and I get a house.
3) I will be more social and try to get out more…Mike and I will hold get-togethers and just do things with friends and family.
4) I will get pregnant…?
5) I will get a new job…or at least look for one.
6) We will start new traditions.

These are not resolutions…simply hopes and things to look forward to. I never was one for resolutions. Resolutions require a conviction that I always lack (which is why my diets don’t work). I’ll start things, but either tire of them or I don’t get the desired immediate feedback. So…here’s to the new year!

Our First Christmas

Of all the holidays, I believe Christmas is my absolute favorite. Thanksgiving comes second, because both holidays involve my family. But Christmas seems more magical due to the lights and the trees and the traditions and the added bonus from this year...snow! Yes, this year we had a white Christmas. It was so great! It stopped soon enough for all of my family to make it, but it was heavy enough that it stuck around for a while. From previous posts we know that my dog Lady loves the snow. Well, two feet of it is even more fun, in her opinion. Sprite, not so much. She's so small that when she tried to run out in it the first time, she sank in and got stuck! Lady, on the other hand, is a regular snow dog.

Emily, my niece, was a little unsure of the snow at first. It was a little hard for her to walk in it...her feet would slide under the top crust that had frozen overnight and they would get stuck. It took her a little while, but she warmed up to it.

Christmas itself was great. We had gone to see Mike's family the week before, as they were traveling down to southwestern Virginia to see Mammaw and Pappaw. On Christmas Eve, my second oldest brother Steve and his fiancee were leaving to go up to see her family in Pittsburg, so we decided to have a brunch. Chris and Danielle did the most of the cooking, it seemed, because they had chocolate chip scones, blueberry scones, and a sausage and egg cassarole that was to die for! Steve made bacon and Katie had brought her wonderful sweet potato muffins. Unfortunately, dad couldn't make it due to him still having a work day.

Emily was so funny for Christmas. She made out like a little bandit this year...it must be great having so many aunts and uncles! She got a lot of books...Dr. Seuss, mainly. She now has her own little library! Then, as though she didn't have enough presents, she decided to take her mommy and daddy's presents and make them her own.

Of all the presents I received, there were two that stood out the most. One, I got a KitchenAid stand mixer from Mike. You may laugh, but no words could express the excitement I felt when I tore open the paper. I've wanted one of these for a while. I'm thankful that I had a hand mixer prior to this, but it's a little difficult to make four or five batches of cookies with a small, low-powered hand mixer. The other gift was from mom, though I guess technically you could say it was from Grandma Stauffer. My grandmother passed away a couple years ago, but she's still with us. My gift from her was a small porcelain bell ornament, daintily decorated with a small print and a date...1986. This was the year I was born. The bell was one of hers. She used to have a large collection of all sorts of hand bells...glass ones, porcelain and China ones, ones with little figures sitting on top of them, ones with beautiful paintings on them. When I asked her why she had so many, she had told me they were her symbol, her trademark.

All in all, this Christmas was a wonderful one, even more so than some of the most recent years. Mike's and my first Christmas.