Couponing!

Okay so one night over Christmas break, Travis and I watched a television show that truly inspired me! " Extreme Couponing" was the name of the show and it was based around three people that had learned to work the system at grocery stores and essentially got thousands and thousands of products for pennies on the dollar. So being the tight-wad that I am, and just because it's super smart to learn how to shop wisely and economically I have decided that I am going to start couponing as well. I cut out lots of coupons from the Sunday paper, but I haven't really learned how to work the system yet, so I only saved 5.49 with coupons this time around, but hey 5.49 is still saving money! I truly hope that I can learn how to save lots of money, and get things that we truly need as a young, broke couple! If anyone has any tips for me I am welcome to any advice!!

Fall Festivities!

The fall semester started quicker than we wanted, and man were we busy when it rolled around! Travis and his nursing school schedule kept him super busy during the day, and between my work at the library and my hectic night classes it felt like we never saw each other! We enjoyed our weekends together though, and watched far too much television and ate so much food. I discovered a new obsession for crab sticks, from Kroger, the Wal-Mart ones are disgusting, and I also developed a new obsession for goldfish crackers, no I promise I'm not pregnant, crab and goldfish are just delicious!! My friend Elizabeth and I also learned how to make sushi. Well, she actually already knew but she taught me. It sure is nice being able to make my own sushi and not paying $25 dollars everytime that I want something delicious to eat. Travis passed the semester with flying colors, and thoroughly enjoyed his clinical experiences, while I on the other hand, too passed with flying colors and am completely ecstatic to be finished with all of my English classes. Now I just have to ponder over from where to get my masters. Amongst sushi making I also carved my very first jack-o-lantern at Halloween, again with the help from Elizabeth. I have to say I have no idea how so many children make their own pumpkins. I for one will never let my children play with knives!
We visited Starkvill one weekend to see Marissa and Tyler, and we attended our very first Mississippi State football game. Entering the stadium was an adventure all in its own because Travis and I did not have MS student i.d.'s so we all had to be sneaky and pull a fast one at the gate to pass over i.d.s. Cowbells are quite the noise maker and that's all I have to say about that. :)
The Fall Semester ended and we were able to enjoy three full weeks of break, thank God because I needed it!

There's No Place Like Home

After the honeymoon we settled down in Clinton in a small, and when I say small, I mean tiny apartment and began our life as a married couple. With every first home there are little malfunctions and our apartment did not fail in the malfunction department! One day we were sitting in the living room and we heard a huge crash come from our bedroom, and when we ran back there we discovered that our closet had collaspsed. The rails that hung all the clothes, and the shelf above it had torn out of the wall and on our closet floor all of our clothes were covered with sheetrock! Well we got that fixed asap!
The next adventure that occured was a squirrel loose in the apartment. One day we again were sitting in the living room and we heard a crash in our water heater closet. When I opened up the closet a little squirrel was peaking his eyes up at me. Who would have thought that a squirrel could get into our water heater closet? Well it so happens that there is a hole in the apartment roof and we can hear squirrels running back and forth in the ceiling, lol, oh joy! Well Travis protected me, because I absolutely HATE rodents and although we tried to leave a trail of apples to the door to get the squirrel out he eventually just crawled back up the closet wall and out of the hole. We had the maintenance man patch up that asap too!
Amongst the other lovely mishaps in our apartment the biggest issue has been a hole in our living room ceiling. Little squirrels like the put their little paws through the hole, and rain especially enjoys leaking into the ice chests we've positioned under the hole to save our carpet.
It sounds like I am complaining, complaining, and complaining some more, but in reality I love the little place and enjoy having crazy mis-haps add spice to our lives.
I have especially enjoyed learning to cook delicious dinners for Travis, and only wish the counters were a bit bigger so I could spread out my ingredients a little more. Some of our favorite recipes are crawfish etoufee from scratch, stuffed bell peppers and asparagus talapia!!! People always say you get fat when you get married and I'm afraid that's true! I'm okay with it though!

                                                This is Travis protecting us from the squirrels!

                                                      Our cute little Christmas decorations!

Honeymoon

For our honeymoon we jetted off, well more like sailed off to a delightful week on a cruise. During our cruise we visited Nassau, Bahamas, Free Port, Bahams, and Key West, FL. In Nassau we wandered around the little city getting harassed by enthusiastic tour guides interested in only our money, but interestinly enough as fresh as we look, we are experienced navigators and found all the attraactions in the city on our very own and for free! The Queen's Staircase was a very interesteing staircase made out of stone, and carved by slaves back in the day. After a very warm walk around the city we visited our go-to travel destination restaurant, Hard Rock Cafe and ate a delcious, yet over-priced meal and bought his mother a shot-class, not that she's a drinker, she just collects them :)

The next stop on our cruise map was Freeport, Bahamas. In Freeport we spent the day relaxed on a beautiful beach! Free food and beverages, well kinda free, kept us full and refreshed all afternoon, and if it hadn't been for a pesky bumble bee as we were leaving the day would have been problem free. Instead of finishing off the day as relaxed as we had started a bee  ruined my ending and stung me right on the hand. Gladly, it was me instead of Travis though, because he's deathly allergic. Yikes!!

Our final destination was Key West, FL. This was by far my favorite destination and if anyone hasn't been it is a must see! We took a trolly ride around the city and learned all about the wonderful city and the most southern point in the USA. We ate at a cute little restaurant and ate delicious crab and artichoke dip for an appetizer. After that delicious appetizer I didn't even want my huge burger! We ended the day shopping for Christmas ornaments, which I collect, and drank a refreshing, yet again over-priced Key-Lime Pie Float.

Wedding

July 23, 2010 came and went, and with the end of that day Travis and I were man and wife. The wedding was absolutely beautiful, and my wonderful mother was able to work her butt off and pay for it all on her own. What a great mom! Travis and I originally planned to get married May 14, 2011 at Vintage Court in Covington, LA, but after much thought, and lots of open doors we decided that a July wedding fit our lives perfectly! We were married at University Baptist Church and held the reception at The Lake House.  Melissa Mohr and Haley Higgins served as my Maid of Honors, and my attendants were Whitney Clement, Marissa Lucas, Kayla Braddocck, and Katie Honea. My wonderful uncles arranged all of the flowers, and a lovely friend Katy McDermott took the photos with another fellow photographer. For those of you who may have missed the big day, here are some photos from it!