Summer Reading

One of the best things about summer is having the time to read again. I hadn't read much in the past few months and this past week I have already read two books. It feels so nice to unwind and read a book over the weekend and when I get home from work at night. I will use this post to continually update my summer reading list as I finish a book.

50 Shades of Grey- E.L. James
The Rescue- Nicholas Sparks
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)- Mindy Kaling
The Wedding- Nicholas Sparks

If anyone has any good summer reading suggestions, be sure to comment with them on this post! Happy reading!

Catching Up the Last Couple Months

Wow, I have been a bad blogger. So bear with me as I play catch up minus pictures.

• This summer I traveled to Ohio for my Grandma Sweval's 80th Birthday!
• Colin and I went home for a week to spend with our family and friends.
• Once August started work got so busy that I feel like we haven't had a few weekend in months.
• We have done some house updates including starting to put edging around our flower beds, Colin painted a hallway, we re-did our bedroom and Colin made a headboard (will do a separate post about this) and we re-painted our front door red.
• We have had 4 home football games in a row and I am exhausted but Clemson is also 4-0! We have had a great football season so far and hope to continue it this weekend as they travel to VT! Go Tigers!
• We have had company the past 4 weekends between family and friends. Colin's mom and grandparents came down for a few days and it was nice to have them here.
• Next weekend my brother is coming for our homecoming game.
• I am going to the Maryland game to host an IPTAY event the night before the game.
• We have a big donor event before the UNC game.
• Colin's parents are meeting us in Atlanta for the GT game the last weekend in October and then coming back in November for the Wake Forest game.
• Our nights are consumed by Fall TV again. So glad our shows are back on. I'll do a post with all the shows that we watch later and my new favorite show.

That is our life lately. Super busy. I feel like Colin and sometimes just pass each other in the morning and at night and don't get to just sit down and enjoy our time together.

A Random List of Thoughts

It's been awhile and we haven't done anything real exciting in the last few weeks so this blog is just a bunch of random thoughts.

• I have the home decorating bug again. First on the list is to finish painting the house. Hopefully we can get the hallways and maybe kitchen done this week. Fingers Crossed!
• I'm really excited for tomorrow night because Colin and I are going to dinner with Brian and Ashley. Brian was Colin's roommate for 4 years at CU and they are totally in love with each other! Brian and Ashley are getting married in April and we can't wait!
• I am itching for a new car. I have wanted an SUV forever and hopefully this summer we will get something new. We both have small cars and can't even buy a table for our porch because it won't fit in either car. We even had one time at Home Goods where we couldn't buy a piece of art work because it won't fit in my Accord.
• I rediscovered my Chop Wizard over Christmas break. My mom was using hers when I was home and I remembered I had one. This thing is amazing if you chop a lot of veggies. It was perfect for chili and when I made texas caviar. If you don't have one but hate chopping up veggies...go out and buy one! You won't regret it!
• Colin and I have been looking for lamps for our living room for what seems like months. We don't have any lamps in there and we really would like to find two side table lamps and maybe a floor lamp. Does anyone have any good suggestions on where to find some good lamps that won't break the bank?
• Right now is starting to be my busy time at work. I am working hard to schedule and coordinate 11 Prowl and Growl meetings. It is where we take the coaches around the state for basically a pep rally. As much work as these meetings are it is one of my favorite things I do in my job. I hope to one day add more event planning to my job, I think I would really love it.

Hope my random ramblings didn't bore you too much!

What's in my...

What's in my DVR...I thought that I would let everyone in on my not so secret obsession, TV. I am a TV junkie and it's OK with me. TV premiere week is like Christmas in the Leonard household. Our DVR is SO full right now (side note: I don't know how we lived without DVR for so long). I thought I would give everyone a run down of my weekly night shows.

Monday:

Dancing with the Stars 8PM

House 8PM

Castle 10PM

Tuesday:

Glee 8PM

Biggest Loser 8PM

Wednesday:

Survivor 8PM

Law and Order SVU 9PM

Thursday:

My Generation (new) 8PM

Bones 8PM

Grey's Anatomy 9PM

Sunday:

Amazing Race 8PM

Desperate Housewives 9PM

Brothers and Sisters 10PM

Not only do I watch the above shows but also added to my DVR is any Real Housewives show on Bravo (currently DC, soon to be Atlanta), Project Runway, Rachel Zoe Project, Thinervention with Jackie Warner, Top Chef ( I bet you can see the Bravo link in here), Oprah and Weeds.

Colin and I DVRed the first episode of Boardwalk Empire and I have heard good reviews so we are excited to watch that show as well.

That is my DVR confession to you. I know I watch too much TV and should be doing something else, but I just can't stop.

What TV shows do you watch?

New Design and a Summer Update

So I have been MIA from the blogging world....AGAIN! So I thought to refresh my blog with a new layout to hopefully inspire myself to blog more. Below is is a quick update of what has been going on in the Leonard house so far this summer...it could be long because of pictures so stick with me :0)

1. Jevin graduated from Purdue with his undergrad! I went home for the weekend to spend with my whole family to celebrate Jevin's graduation. I am so proud of how well he did in his undergrad but even more proud that he is going straight on to get his PhD at Purdue (smarty pants). Below is a picture of my family after Jevin's graduation. Can I mention how much I loved being back on Purdue's campus while there, ahhh Boilermaker country!

2. Two weekends later Colin and I flew home for Justin and Allison's wedding. We had such a great with with our family and friends from high school. The wedding was beautiful and we wish Justin and Allison years of happiness! Below are a few pictures from after the wedding at Jakes.

3. The morning I got back to work from the wedding weekend, I accidently passed out at a work presentation at an outdoor memorial on campus (not to mention in front of the WHOLE athletic department) and cracked 3 of my front teeth really bad and cut open my chin. This has been a summer long ordeal. I went to the ER that morning and got a stitch in my chin then the next day my dental work started. Because of my fainting episode I ended up getting 1 root canal and have had a temporary piece to "resemble" teeth for over a month now. It will finally come to a finish on Thursday when I get my three crowns for my teeth. Cross your fingers they will look like my old teeth, because I have really been missing them! Oh, I also just found out this week that it was all getting covered by workmen's comp (a wonderful day in my house). Below is a picture that Colin took the day it happened, Ha!

4. Colin went on a week fishing trip to Grassy Narrows, Canada with his brother, step-brother and step-father. They had a great time and caught a ton of fish. I would like to add in there that this happened to fall the week after my accident and the week I got all my dental work (root canal) done and they didn't have cell phone reception. I was laid out on the couch all week while Colin was living it up in Canada, ha! He still owes me :0) Below is a picture of Colin with the biggest fish he caught while he was there.

5. Colin and I went to Columbia a few Sundays ago so that I could go to Kate's baby shower and Colin could hang out with the daddy-to-be Wes. Wes was one of Colin's roommates during his freshman and sophomore years at Clemson. I'm so thankful they are still friends because that means that Kate and I get to see each other. Kate is Wes's sweet wife so I'm so glad that I have become friends with her. They are expecting their first baby in August, a little girl. We couldn't be more thrilled for them and can't wait to meet little Ellie! I'm so mad that I didn't make the boys take our picture, ugh!

Speaking of friends having babies, I have never had as many friends as I do now who have either already had a baby or are expecting. It is a very exciting time in so many of our wonderful friends lives!

6. Besides all the exciting events above Colin and I have just been busy working this summer. I've spent a couple days at the pool and a day on the lake. We have been trying to sell all of our stuff in the garage on Craigslist and only have been successful selling our old riding lawnmower. People need to buy my stuff so someday I can park in our garage! We are driving back home on Indiana on Saturday and taking all the animals. The ride home could be a blog in itself being that it is 10 hours long and we will have 3 cats and a dog....wish us luck! Hopefully I can blog from home to recap all our of days events while we spend time with family and friends!

Simple Pleasures

One of my favorite blogs that I read every day asked people to comment on their simple pleasures so I thought I would join in!

Here are my simple pleasures in life (in no particular order):

My Husband

Palm Trees

My Family

Indiana (home)

When my husband cleans off the ice on my car window without me knowing and I walk out to go to work and its clean.

Dt. Mountain Dew

Hooded Sweatshirts

My furry children (Zoey, Captain, Morgan and Bella)

Text's from friends that just say "hi"

Reading Books

DVR

Heat Seats in the Car

Cuddling in Bed with my Husband and Animals

Coupons in the Sunday Paper

Ugg Boots

There are so many more that I could go on and on but those are some of the things that just make me happy.

What are your simple pleasures?

2009 in Review

Happy 2010! 2009 was a good year to Colin and me. We had several exciting things happen that made us feel like we were finally home in SC.

We celebrated our 1 year anniversary in March (love you). While it was a big milestone, we unfortunately didn't do anything exciting. Our plans to visit the Biltmore Estate where we were married were cancelled due to bad weather, boo. Maybe this next year we will actually make it there!

Our next big adventure started in February of '09. The day after my 24th birthday we officially started our house hunt. That day we met with our realtor and were pre-approved for a loan. Then the hunt started. We saw probably 10-12 houses and a few houses more than once. We even were 2 days away from closing on another house (in the end, I'm so glad that deal fell through because I am totally in love with our house). I had to give up my dream kitchen due to only loving 1/2 of the house and hating the other 1/2. The journey finally came to an end 4 months later when we purchased our home in Liberty, SC. We couldn't be happier and can't wait to spend many more years here.

Our other big thing that happened in 2009 was when we adopted Bella, our sweet puppy dog. We are so excited to finally have a puppy, we have wanted one for a long time. I know I am bias because she is my own, but she is a freaking good dog. I never thought it would be as easy as it has been during her puppy months! Colin credits himself as being the "pack leader" and I think he might be right! Bella has brought tons of joy in our lives and the cats even like her!

The best part of 2009 was that I spent it with Colin (I love you). We can't wait to see what 2010 brings for us, our family and friends.

Happy New Year!

I've been a bad blogger...

I really do have a problem updating my blog. I always get sucked into reading other people's blogs that I forget to update mine. Who knows if anyone even reads mine though :0) So since it has been FOREVER since I have blogged, I will give you a quick update on life in the Leonard household.

1. Colin's family came to visit over fall break. I had a wonderful time with my MIL, and my grandparents-in-law. We did a bunch of antiquing and some shopping. They even stocked our fridge! It was the first time they had seen the house and we were so glad to welcome them. Too bad I didn't take any pictures while they were here!

2. Kari's Bridal Shower was the weekend that my family was in town and Kate and I went to it. It such a nice shower that her sister put on for her. I can't wait for her wedding the first weekend in December.

3. Colin and I have been tailgating with Kari and TC's family after games. We have been having a blast with them and want to thank them for allowing us to hang out with them! Here are a few pictures from past tailgates....P.S. We beat Wake Forest last weekend and Purdue beat Ohio State! It was a good football weekend in the Leonard house!

4. Clemson just hosted Rock the 'John 2009 this past Friday. It is our version of midnight madness and kicks off our basketball season. I have to brag on our event because it was awesome. We totally had the best entrance of any coach in the nation this year. Coach Purnell repelled from the rafters of Littlejohn in Army fatigues. Here is a picture even though it doesn't do it justice! Now we just have to come up with something to top that for next year!

I will leave this post as a promise. I promise that I will try to start blogging more often and keeping everyone updated on our life in the south. If you read this, let me know so that I don't feel as if I am blogging to no one :0)

I'm Back!

Ok, so I have been MIA in almost a YEAR! I was really bad about updating my blog but I have decided that I need to start blogging again. The reason being is that I read so many other people's blogs, many of whom I do not know and it makes me want to record my life in words. I want to be able to have a place to look back at all the memories in life as I go forward.

So, since it has almost been a year I will try my best to give a quick overview of the past year of the most important highlights.

1. Colin and I bought a house this summer in Liberty, South Carolina!! We LOVE it! We have been here for 3 months now and there is always something else to be done. We have done a lot of painting but have much more to do. We just love knowing that we have somewhere to call home that is truly ours. Below is a picture for those of you who haven't been able to come visit yet. Speaking of visitors...we love visitors! So please come down to see us!

2. We got a PUPPY! Bella is a lab/spitz mix who is 4 months old. We have had her for about 4 weeks now. I'm not sure how we have gotten so lucky with animals (as you know we have 3 of the best cats ever) but Bella is super sweet and really hasn't chewed up too much...yet. Bella loves the cats...the cats put up with Bella. Below is a picture of our sweet Bella girl, I mean how can you not fall in love with those eyes!

3. Jevin came to visit! Jevin came down to visit us Labor Day weekend. It was so great to see him since I hadn't seen him since March. He got to go to the Clemson vs. MTSU game, see our new home, meet Bella and go to Atlanta, GA. In Atlanta we went to the Georgia Aquarium and to the World of Coke Museum. I always love having my brother come to stay with us!

4. My BFF got married in June! Jessica and Scott were married on June 20th and it was such a beautiful wedding. Jess and I have been friends forever and I can't even start to describe how happy I am that she found Scott to spend her life with and how perfect they are for each other. I love them both and I know they will have a wonderful marriage and life together.

Those are just a short overview of some of the bigger moments of this past year. I can't wait to see all that the fall has in store for the Leonard house. I hope more visitors and some great fall weekends celebrating some Clemson football wins!

I promise to become better at this blogging business...stay tuned!