A Few of My Favorite Things!

This is Scott and Annie and our Christmas Tree! --if only Harold was there.

We have been so busy the past few weeks we finally got around to putting our tree up last weekend (Annie was "helping"). We shopped and shopped in the freezing cold at Lowes for the perfect one. Maybe next post will show it decorated. We only have about 20 ornaments, but that is the way our first christmas should be, according to Scott. I don't know where he got that idea, but I love our tree, it is so cute! We still have to find stockings and do a little out-door decorating and hopefully find a nativity I like, but it will be so much fun! I am a little sad that this Christmas season is so short. Thanksgiving was way too late this year.

Speaking of Thanksgiving...we had our very first Thanksgiving feast at our home. Scott's side of the family all came down and we had a blast. We are so lucky to have such a close knit family! All of the ladies got in the kitchen and helped put together all the sides for our meal. The only thing I really did was the turkey, and I am happy to say that it was pretty good. Not half bad for my first turkey. P.S., no one tells you how gross turkeys are. No one tells you that you have to get the neck out...and everyone calls the grossest parts giblets, not what they really are, the heart and liver, and what not. ick! I also pulled something else out of the turkey that is still un-identified...who knows I just threw everything loose out. Also you have to give that sucker a rinse! Ours was 18lbs. So needless to say I was hugging a raw turkey, trying to wrestle it under the faucet then drain it out. It was a challenge to say the least! But in the end I was so proud!

We also got to go to Marc and Margaret's wedding! It was an entire weekend event for sure! We got to stay in Hot Springs at the Arlington and had a great time getting to hang out with friends and family. It was so nice to actually get to visit with Scott's family this time, last time I saw most of them was at our wedding and things were a little too hectic. We are so happy Marc and Margaret are finally together!

So hopefullly that gives all of you a little update on what we Doose's have been doing!

More updates later, I will be better about posting for sure!!!!

Annie

From before we were married, Scott and I have wanted a dog (Frank was going to be his name). We wanted a shaggy type smart big dog. We have looked and looked and could not find a frank that we liked. If we did find some then they were always way too expensive. So this weekend on our way back from camping with two of our great friends, we found an ad in the paper that had dogs for sale. So we went into the boonies--for real and checked them out. When we drove up there were 7 of the most adorable (rather large) fluff balls. They were all 5 months old and about the same color golden. So immediately I screamed, I mean 7 little faces so excited to see us was too much! They were so big and playful we just couldn't resist. So we left on Sunday with our newest member of our family. Annie is her name. She is a standard poodle, which means she will double in size from now. So far things have gone really well, she minds mostly, and loves people! She doesn't even mind her crate. However, this crate thing wont last long because the one we got for her, she barely fits in, but was the biggest one we could find. So we may start training her to sleep on her bed, if she continues to be a good sleeper.

I have posted a couple of pictures...before and after grooming. Also one of my precious Harold kitty checking her out. :)

Things that have happened lately.

Scott and I bought a house about 2 months before our wedding, and we thought that was ample time to move all of our stuff in and get it organized and come home to a perfect home after our honeymoon. Well, I should have known....this did not happen. Here we are 4 months after our wedding and we still have boxes stacked high in the garage. Room by room gets organized and we always feel such a sense of accomplishment when one is done. Usually they get done in two stages. 1. getting the room to "look" presentable (that usually includes stuffing all the stuff in an area for later, but if you look at the room, you might think...hey they have their stuff together) and 2. Actually cleaning out all of the nooks and crannies to really organize the room.
The blending of our stuff has been kind of fun, at first it was a challenge, because both of us thought our stuff was the better of the two. When we got married, we had two of everything, two couches, two beds, two sets of nightstands, But we are getting it all worked out, and every day, I love our litte house more. Oh yes, we still have painting and re-organizing, and picture hanging to do, but it feels more homey and that is what I love! Maybe after all of that is done, I will post a picture or two. :)
Also, this past weekend we threw a surprise "Man Shower" for Marc, Scott's brother. He lives with us, so it was quite the challenge to keep it a surprise. Somehow it worked though. Scott's parent's came down, and we all had such a great time! Thanks to everyone who had a hand in helping! Especially our friends Eric and Cara (see picture below)! The man shower did put Scott and I in a mini frenzy thinking that our home needed to be picture perfect! But you know what, it wasn't and I don't think anyone noticed, haha.