Happy Halloween!!!!

This was Alexandria's first Halloween! So Cute! :)

Happy One Year Anniversary!!!!!!

One year later... we made it!!! It has just flown by! I can't believe just one year ago I married my best friend. We spend the entire day yesterday together.. slept in, brunch, hiking off the Blue Ridge Parkway, and then a romantic dinner at the Stone House Market.

Cheers to another wonderful year! Muah!

Think Pink

October is one of my favorite months of the year... especially since it is Mr. O and I's anniversary but also b/c of the awareness of breast cancer. I think everyone should remember everyday about cancer but it is nice to know the support you see everywhere during this month.

People are wearing pink, breast cancer walks, ribbons, and even the Asheville newspaper has been pink! Love it!

My mother's best friend, Lisa, has been affected by breast cancer. She has been fighting for almost two years now. Her constant fight and push to beat this makes me smile and stay positive. The strength it takes to take one more step, one more breathe and one more day going forward can take everything out of you but knowing that you want to get there makes all the difference in the world. Stay positive!

Love you Lisa J! :)

PDS Class '00 10 Year Reunion!!!

10 Years!!! Seriously?!?!!?! Gosh we are old! Last weekened Mr. O and I were in Charlotte, NC for Mr. O's 10 year reunion from high school. (Mine is next year.) We had a great pre-party at Paul's house before! All of us got to have time to eat, drink and look at old photo albums thanks to Julianna! The reunion was a little disappointing since we made up half of the reunion! Only about 25 people showed up total through the whole night. Not even ONE teacher came! So after tons of money, years of education, 2 reunions, bites of food, and two drink tickets we have a lifetime of wonderful memories and great friends!

I'm so lucky to say that Mr. O's friends are now my friends and part of our family. We are so lucky to have each of you in our lives! We are looking forward to what is next!

Been awhile.....

It has been way to long.....

Sorry for the delay but there just has been so much going on! My new job, Mr. O looking for a new job, traveling and OMG our ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY is so close!

The most of September Mr. O and I spent at the beach... labor day in Myrtle Beach, SC and then a week in Holden, NC with our high school friends! Oh and my niece is now 6 months old! So adorable!

October just started and we have been planning to go see a NC State football game in Raleigh, NC and plan what we were going to do for our one year anniversary trip. We were off to San Francisco, CA and Napa Valley but we decided to wait for that. We are going to spend our anniversary in Asheville, NC which is now our permanent home. Can't wait!!

My CLT girls are coming up at the end of October for a weekend get-a-way! I'm so excited! No one of them have seen my house or my life in AVL.

Thank goodness for HUMP day!!! I'm off to work today and tomorrow and then in CLT for work Fri - Wed! (Yes I travel way too much now).

xoxo from the mountains!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!!

Our family spent Labor Day weekend at the beach! We had a wonderful time!

Home

I'm finally back in Asheville. :) Here to stay for awhile! Well.. during the week that is! September is a busy month for Mr. O and I. Starting next weekend we are at the beach!!!! We are so excited about our vacation with our PDS friends!

I can't believe it will be September this week!!

Byebye summertime!

What did I sign up for?

Week # 3 in Charlotte....

You know when you have one of those days or weeks where you question everything you are doing? Well I'm there. Why did I take this new job? Why did we stay in Asheville? Why don't we have kids yet? Why can't we save more money? You name it.... it is in my head this morning.

What happened to "no care" days.... you worried about having to get up for school each day, what were you going to eat for lunch and then how you were going to get all your plans packed into the weekend! Real world just isn't like that. Plans? Yeah right.... work ... sleep.... work... sleep.. oh and probably should eat sometime to have energy.

Today starts a very hectic weekend... wish me luck!

Another week in C-Town

I'm back.... in Charlotte that is!

I'm at my parents house tonight... then off to the University area the rest of the week! I'm looking forward to a girls night out on Wed night! I need my Charlotte girl time! :)

I'll be back in Asheville in a week from tomorrow! Hopefully things will slow down a little. I miss my home, my bed, my puppies and my of course Mr. O!

I'll be on the couch with the tv the rest of this sunday... rest and relaxation! Love it!!

Charlotte.. Nah! Asheville... Yes!!!!!!

Home finally!!! Well... just for 48 hours then back to Charlotte for another seven days straight.

Before all I wanted to do was just be in Charlotte but now traveling all the time all I want to do is be in Asheville with my husband and puppies! I miss them so much!

It is def. an overcast Saturday but I'm off to get my nails done and see the ultimate hair stylist Elizabeth E! Then spending the evening with the hubs!

Have a great Saturday!

What is a family?

What is the definition of the word family?

"Family refers to a collection of people, related to each other by marriage, ancestry, adtoption, or affinity, who have a commitment to each other and a unique identity with each other. This collection forms an economic unit. The adults in the collection have varying degress of responsibility for young members that might be a part of the collection" (Bidwell and Vander Mey, 2000).
SOURCE: Dr. Lee Bidwell, Longwood College (http://ryoung001.homestead.com/FamDef.html)

Today's post is a tough one. One thing that completes me is my family. As of 8 months ago I married into another family. There is my family, Mr.O's mom's family and then Mr. O's dad's family. All made up of parents, in-laws, step dads, step kids, sister in laws, brother in laws, and a niece.

Mr. O and I compliment each other very well but our families are very different. We never dealt with family issues until the day he asked me to marry him and it has continued to go down this road since we have said "I do." It has been a daily struggle for myself and our marriage.

I am a people pleaser. I will go over and above for the people I love... I don't expect that everyone should do the same for me but I do feel that respect and being thankful go a long way. I love my family and want them apart of my life as much as possible but I can't seem to find my place in my new extended family.

I know this will be a work in progress to try and be apart of my new family and make it successful but it will have to take all of us to make it work.

Baby Talk

I know... Everyone knows I want to be a mother! I have severe baby fever. Mr. O and I know we want to wait a little longer but it is so hard. Every baby I just want to squeeze, I can't walk by baby clothes without picking something out and I just love to day dream about what Baby O will look like one day! I even have baby themes picked out already for the bedroom! Crazy... yea yea yea! I'm just so excited.

We have names ready!!!! I'm actually really excited about this b/c we had our little girl name for a long time but just couldn't come up with a boy name we agreed on. This helps me settle my baby talk (this is what Mr. O thinks anyways).

Girl - KBO
Boy - RSO

Take a guess! :)

Hopefully next year our dreams will come true!

Ethan Castle Fiss

Please meet little boy Fiss!!! :)

He is the cutest! Our first baby in the group! We are all so excited!

Good Luck Lauren & Matt!

Mom's 55th Birthday!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesse and I got to come down last night to celebrate my mom's birthday with the family! We had a cook out and of course went for TCBY!

This woman is one of the most important people in my life.... my best friend!

Love you Mom.. Hope you had the best birthday!
Love always,
Your Daughter!

New Life Approach

I have to say my new job has to be one of the biggest career moves of my life. There is a lot going on and I'm still having to manage to transition out of my old role but I'm just so happy!

I have a new boss, new responsibilities, a new team, and I have unlimited opportunities to succeed! Even Asheville has turned around for Mr. O and I!

The next few years will be exciting for us! I'm looking forward to each day and what else we will be blessed with it :)

Enjoy the weekend!