Our Christmas Day....

Luckily, our Christmas Day was a complete 180 of our Christmas Eve. I woke up that morning so excited that it was Christmas! Again, I had to work, but Tyler got up with me and we had a nice morning before I headed out the door. He went back to sleep and then ended up coming up to DRC around 10. Working on a holiday is actually really nice. It is a lot of work, because there were only 3 of us there, but its a pretty easy going day. Tyler got to hang out with us and just enjoy the day, which was beautiful!! It was me, Laura, and Margaret who worked along with 2 of our interns, Jackie and Kristen. We worked really hard in the morning, so that the afternoon could be nice and easy. Laura's family came in and they all got in with Merina and Flagler. I decided to hop in with Tursi and her son Gambit. Tursi is one of our older dolphins, she is 37, and our wiser dolphins. She has taught me so much since starting to work down here. I wasn't quite sure of how she would react, if she would want me in the water or she would make it obvious that she wanted me out. I know it sounds really cheesy and lame but after the night before where I was so down, getting in with Tursi made my day!! She LOVED it! She kept coming by for rubs and wanted to take me on dorsal pulls, and peck pulls. I definitely think she knew I was feeling kind of down and wanted to cheer me up. Here are a few pictures Kristen took for me...

The dolphins have been showing me little things lately just to make me appreciate them so much more. I'm sure they did stuff like this in the past, I just wasn't aware of it, but for example, the other day I was about to do a swim. I bring my people down and were talking, and I see that there is a toy floating in the water. Gypsi, who is one of our 5 year olds and loves toys, was sitting in front of my dock just looking at me. I asked her to go get the toy and bring it to me. She did and when she came back, I snuck her a little fish for helping me out. I thought no other dolphin was around, but then I look over and Aleta is sitting on the other side of the dock just looking at me. I knew she saw the whole thing, so I snuck her a fish too so she wouldn't feel left out. My swimmers laughed and we all kept talking. the next thing I knew, Aleta pops back up at the dock with a mangrove pod for me. She was so sweet. She brought me something to say thanks for the fish....like she knew I wasn't suppose to give her one, but she appreciated it. It was the day after Christmas, so I kept the pod and made it into a Christmas ornament. Now its hanging on our tree at home :)

The dolphins really do have a sense for people and just like our dogs or cats, they can really turn your day around. They are so special to me and even though I really missed my family this year, the dolphins knew that and had their own ways to thank me for hanging out with them on Christmas!

It turned out to be a fabulous Christmas and we really did enjoy it. It will just take some getting used to :) We love and miss all of you guys so much and we are coming home Jan. 20 so we will see you soon!!!

Our Christmas Eve...

So this year was definitely a weird Christmas. Not only was I in shorts and a T-shirt most of the day, it was our first Christmas away from home. Tyler and I are horrible at keeping surprises from each other and were both very impatient, so we couldn't wait to exchange Christmas presents! I got him a gym membership (yes, he asked for it, it wasn't a "hint hint" present), and he got me a scarf, an ornament, a cute little sign, and a pair of ear rings. He got everything from this store up in Islamarada that has recycled stuff and everything is homemade. I was so excited and very proud of him. He did great!!

We also got presents from both of our parents in the mail! These were so hard to wait until Christmas, we ended up opening them the day before. haha. We are so bad. My parents got us catch phrase....


and a new computer!!!!!

I was pretty excited!! Tyler's parents got him a bass pro shops gift card, and me a few gift cards to my favorite places...Olive Garden, Banana Republic, and Victoria Secret!! We really love all of our gifts and could not be happier to have such wonderful family and thoughtful family to do everything they did for us! We love you guys so much!

On Christmas Eve I had to work until 5. We wanted to go to our church for their Christmas Eve service and that started at 6, so I rushed home to change, and then we were off. The service was really nice. It was just a Cantata, so they just sang a bunch of Christmas songs, and it had a beautiful narration to go along with it. At the end, they did the candle lighting and we all stood and sang Silent Night and then Joy to the World...it was just like church back home....which ended up causing me to have a nervous breakdown. As soon as church was over, we got in the car and I just lost it. I started balling crying....which is so unlike me (I am not a cryer). This year was so different for me and I had been putting so much pressure on myself to make "Our First Christmas" such a perfect event, that I just caused myself to loose it. I missed my family, I was tired from working, and we had no plans on Christmas Eve. I ended up getting myself together enough for Tyler and I to go out to eat at the local steakhouse here in town. It was really nice and just what I needed...to spend a nice quiet night out with Tyler. We talked to our families and told them how much we missed them, and then headed to bed. So it wasn't quite to night I had planned, but we got through it and I know everything is going to be OK. Change is hard and I think its just something everyone goes through as a part of growing up :)

5 More Days!!!

Well this week has been just as busy full of Christmas surprises! First, Catherine and Mike surprised us by inviting us to go on the Key West Christmas Light tour. You go down to key west and ride a train all through key west and look at all the lights. I must say I was very impressed with the decorations! I was thinking, I mean how many people could put up lights, but there were a lot of people and it was cool because almost everyone on the street joined in. As the train came by, the families would come outside in their Christmas get up, and wave. It was pretty fun and Tyler and I decided that will definitely be a Christmas tradition from now on!

Heres Ella and I on the train...and Tyler in the background. It was so windy!

The boys side...

haha...after the ride!

Tyler waiting in line to pee..haha.

And finally, we got to see the winning house!! It was actually in an apt. complex and a few of the apts. went in together and made this awesome display!!

In case you couldn't see, thats a scooter decorated in the bottom left corner with Santa on the back. It was crazy....don't worry Tyler and I were taking notes :)

So besides looking at Christmas lights with me, Tyler has also been having fun playing with his new blow gun. Norman, who he works with, gave him one. He has been shooting the darts into the wall in the house!! All I told him was that if he hit one of the animals, he was dead! haha. His favorite thing to do now is stand by our bed and aim into the bathroom. The ring that holds our wash clothe up, has become his target! So I got a picture of him in action...

It just reminds me of something someone would use out in the bush or jungle.

I know this one is random, but it was a cute little decoration I got today on sale :)

And finally today, I went to the post office to pick up a package Tyler and I got. I guess this is how Christmas is done in the keys...everything gets mailed to you. I have to wait until Tyler gets home to open it, so hopefully on the next post, I'll be able to share what we got!!

As far as Trigger and Bear go, they are doing great. Bear went outside yesterday. My heart was racing because I was so nervous he wasn't going to come back, but he just walked around on the porch and then came right back to the door. Trigger got to have a date with his girlfriend today. Sarah is going home for Christmas, so we are going to check on Sadie every now and then. I went over there today to get her and brought her over to our house. The two of them were running around like crazy dogs all afternoon. When I looked outside to check on them, they were both passed out! haha.

We also wanted to tell everyone how much we miss them and hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. It will def. be a little weird one for my family as everything is different this year, but the good news is that after Christmas, we only have 20 days until we come home!!! We are super excited to see everyone!! Miss you guys and love you!! Hopefully I'll be able to post again before Christmas...but we'll see :)

Cute Videos...

Tyler and I got this sweet video from the kids the other night and it just made us smile...so I figured I would share it with everyone!

This one...Trigger dropped his tennis ball into the laundry basket and he wasn't quite tall enough to reach in and get it out...haha.

Now I Know!

Wow! Now I know why people go crazy during the holiday season! Things get so busy so quick. I am so sorry I haven't updated my blog in so long...I've just been busy being Santa's little helper :) so here is what we have been up to lately..

Going to Christmas parties...

(yes, these pictures are all the same party...we didn't wear the same thing to all of them.)

Baking Christmas treats for all of our friends and neighbors...

Alright...this last one I didn't make myself...but Tyler and I went to Outback and I tried one! It was good but superrrr sweet!! But I thought the idea was cool!

Doing Secret Santa at work...this is what I got. Sorry its not turned :)

Going to the boat parade on key colony beach...


sorry the pictures are blurry, it was so hard without the flash to get some good ones, but it was so cool! We sat on the top of the car and watched the parade! Def. something we will make a tradition.

And finally...getting Christmas cards from all of our friends and family!

I got these Christmas colored clothes pins to hang them along all the lights....

Also, Tyler and I joined a new bible study at church that meets every Tuesday night and I have started my new job at Sweet Savannah's. It's an ice cream/cupcake shop. Its really fun, but back to having 2 jobs is not :( I am currently working there Wed., Fri., and Sun. nights. So basically almost all of our nights have plans already! haha...I wouldn't have it any other way!

So as in writing this I am realizing how busy we have been and its so important to just take a few min. and remember why we are doing all of this...why we even have a Christmas season. Tonight, luckily Tyler and I have nothing going on and he is making STEAKS!! yummmmy!! Can't wait to eat them! I hope everyone is enjoying their busy season just as much as I am! We miss all of you so much and wish we could be home for Christmas...but someone has to feed the dolphins and this year its me :)

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

Well Thanksgiving is over and you know what that means.......CHRISTMAS DECORATING BEGINS!! haha. The past couple of days we have been working hard decorating our place to get it looking perfect for Christmas. My parents had brought me an entire suitcase full of Christmas decorations from back home. So I was pretty excited to get all my stuff up. Well Tyler decided to surprise me the other day. I was at work on Sunday at DRC and then I had to work at the hotel until 9. He texted me around 1 saying I have a surprise for you when you get home! I knew it had something to do with Christmas but I had no idea what to expect. Come to find out...Tyler and Jeff (our landlord) had spent all day Sunday hanging Christmas lights!! Tyler told Jeff how much I loved lights and he decided to go along with it too. When I pulled up I could not stop smiling! I couldn't believe they did all that for me! So I have spent the past few days just adding a little here and there and making it look magical. Tyler has been so sweet by helping decorate and getting into all the fun with me. Here a few pictures of what have so far!!



Step 1 was to get a tree! Yes, they have a Christmas tree lot here. Notice I said "A" so there is only 1, but the best part about it was that they get their trees shipped from North Carolina!! So our tree has the same heritage as us!



We only have tiny spaces so we needed a pretty small tree. We ended up getting one about 5 feet tall. Its so cute though, I couldn't be upset about it being small. We tied it to the top of the car and headed home!


Step 2 was to put the tree stand together. Tyler and Bear did this part. I forgot about all the "extra" stuff you need with a tree that we didn't have.


Step 3 was to wait...and let the branches fall. I was so excited I wanted to decorate it that night, but Tyler was right. It needed to sit and fall some first.


We also got this pretty wreath to hang outside of our door. The local boy scout troop makes them.


When the family came down, Mom surprised us by giving us our stockings!! So now we can hang them up. Tylers, Triggers, Bears, and then mine! We don't have a fireplace so we had to use the window, but it works. I also added the garland and lights around it too.


This is by far my favorite Christmas purchase, besides "para-trooper" back home, and this one definitely comes close! We found this Christmas pig at K-Mart and just had to buy it!! He is soo cute!


Tyler and Jeff did the lights around the fence and then I added garland and bows :)



I also found these super cute Christmas flamingos! I mean, you can't live in FL and not have Christmas flamingos outside!!



The finished tree!! Tyler and I were very proud of our first Christmas tree together! :) We had such a good time!


And now for the finale.......................................

TA-DA!!!!! All the lights outside under our place!! It's hard to get them all in 1 picture, but you get the point! :) If anyone is around town and wants to come by and look them, let me know!!

So yes, Christmas will be a little different down here in the hot weather, but we are having a blast with it so far!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This year Thanksgiving was a little different than years in the past. My mom, dad, Drew, T and Kelsey all got to come visit and spend some time here in Marathon!! I was so excited for them to come and to be able to show them all around. T and Kelsey had never been to the keys, so I was extra excited for them to get here. We all had so much fun together and it was so nice to be around family!! We had missed all of them so much and enjoyed every minuet of their company. Kelsey blogs too and she made a really good post about her visit so you should definitely check it out!

http://kelseymccorkle.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-in-keys.html

She put up a lot of the best pictures so check it out and enjoy!!

Let the decorating begin...

As many of you all know, I am a decorating fanatic! I love to decorate, especially for Christmas! This year I was kind of bummed because I had to leave a lot of my stuff at home. Just ask my roommates how chaotic it was when I brought only some of my stuff to our apartment one year...haha Winter Wonderland!! So when I was at bible study yesterday they were looking for volunteers to help decorate the church's Christmas tree. I of course volunteered and shared my passion of Christmas with all my old lady bible study friends. Well La Rue (you pronounce it just like you see "La-Roo") began telling me about her passion for Christmas. I couldn't believe there was someone out there who loved to decorate just as much as I did!! She proceeded to tell me that she easily has over 100 boxes of Christmas stuff and it takes her weeks to decorate. So she invited me over to help her! I was so excited!

So here she is in all her glory!! Ready to get the day started!

I got over to her beautiful house on Key Colony Beach around 10 am and didn't leave until about 4! Here are a few pictures of the projects I helped with..


Lights all around the banister and down the stairs...then wrapped garland around all the lights...

made a cute little village out of the Kurt Adler Collection...these were sooo cute!

made another village that was so big, I had to make it into an "L" shape! These were awesome too. We had the "outskirts" with the barn and animals, then the city with town hall and all that good stuff, then the waterfront homes with light houses and boats and even a calm market! Soo awesome!

and finally helped unpack over 20 boxes at least! This is just part of the stuff....this Christmas lady has everything you could imagine Christmas.

This is just a bar they have in their "Florida Room" that I thought was so cute. Of course its not normally covered with Santas and reindeer, but it was pretty awesome.

This is La Rue's dog, Patrick. You can't really see where his head or tail is but he looks like a big mop. And yes I asked her why her MALE dog had bows in his hair and she said because the groomer put them in there...poor Patrick. He didn't help much with the decorating though...he pretty much just stayed here in his chair.

So we didn't get anywhere near finishing, but she is having a Christmas party in December so I'll def. have to try and go to that so I can see everything finished. Besides me having a Christmas explosion, things have been pretty quiet around here. Its been such beautiful weather, I have opened the windows. Bear and Trigger seem to both really enjoy this...

haha...they love looking at everything going on outside.

I have had to go into work both of my days off for seminars. They are from 8-9 and then 5:30-7:30. Even though I have had to go in on my days off, its been worth it. We have these guys speaking about training and how to be better trainers. It's really interesting and they have some awesome stories. There are two of them and together they have over 50 years experience in the training business. They are pretty smart and know what they are talking about so its cool to get some pointers from some pretty high up guys.

Catherine gave me some sunflowers so I took them home and put them right in the middle of the table. We never have any plants around so I was excited to have some beautification around the house. Well Bear decided he liked them too so I took these shots of him with the flowers...he looks so cute with them because he is orange and he looks great next to the flowers.

Also, Trigger's new leash and collar came in!! The leash we have for him now is so short, its kind of hard to walk him on because there isn't much room for any give in the leash. So I ordered him a new set off line and it just got here. He looks so handsome in it!

I know this one you can't see the collar but he just looked so cute and happy, I had to share it!

only 6 more days until my family gets here for Thanksgiving!!! We have so many awesome plans and I can't wait to share how their visit goes! Well I have to go get ready for another seminar, but hope everyone has a great Wednesday night! Tyler and I are looking forward to "Revenge" being back on tonight!! 10 pm on ABC! wahoo!