WOW I'm terrible at blogging...

So I started this blog to treat it like a journal and I think it's pretty obvious that I was never great at keeping a journal. Oh well, I'm working on it.

Christmas this year (or I guess now last year) was a little different. The Gough family decided to spend it in Phoenix, AZ as they have recently purchased a home down there. In 25 years, I have NEVER been away from home for Christmas. Not just home, but I have never NOT been in Calgary for Christmas so this was a big change for me. Also, for those who don't know, Austin and I have the same Birthday (December 23) so not only was I missing Christmas with my family, I was missing my birthday too. I really didn't know how my family would take me not being around for the Holidays but luckily, I have a brother on a mission that is coming home later this year so I kept saying, "Next year everyone will be home and you will have me for the ENTIRE holidays!" That seemed to keep the peace for a little bit.

Anyway, so before Austin and I headed down to Phoenix, we celebrated our Birthday/Christmas early with my family. It was a little strange to be opening gifts a week early but it was a fun evening with a delicious dinner!

Then Austin and I headed to Phoenix to meet up with the rest of the family. I will admit, it was really nice to be walking around outside in a t-shirt late in December. The weather was beautiful! It was just such a weird experience for me not to see an ounce of snow anywhere and to not have to bundle up if you left the house. We did A LOT of shopping. You know its just not fair that the States have WAY better shopping then Canada! It is so much cheaper too! I really don't have many pictures from the trip because we literally went shopping EVERY day!

One of the reasons Christmas was in Phoenix this year was because the Miami Heat were playing the Phoenix suns on our birthday. (Austin took it as a sign) If you didn't read my previous post about Austin's Lebron James crush let me just repeat, he is OBSESSED with this man! SO him and his brothers bought tickets to the game and he was finally able to see his Lebron play. I was really excited for him because he came home so happy and he just kept saying how amazing of a player he is. Haha. And for our birthday Matt, Jess and Sadie surprised us all by coming down to Phoenix earlier then planned which was awesome to have everyone down there!

Can you see the excitement in their faces? Haha

For Christmas this year Austin and I decided not to do gifts because our gifts were going to Phoenix and going shopping and going to the Heat game but Austin had a surprise up his sleeve. On Christmas Eve we were doing some last minute shopping and Austin and Matt wanted to do their own thing and so Jess and I did ours. We said we would meet back at the Apple store in an hour. So we went to our first store and Jess was taking forever! Which I later found out she was trying to keep me in the store for awhile. When we finally left we were walking right by the Apple store where I see Austin and Matt carrying big boxes. They see me and quickly turn around and I try to pretend I didn't see them because I realize that it's probably a gift for me. So the girls continue to the next store and I run to the back just beaming with excitement because I didn't want to show my excitement to anyone and ruin the surprise. I have wanted a Mac for so long but I didn't think we would get one. SO I continue to pretend nothing happened.

Christmas morning was pretty low key and when we were all finished, Austin said there was one more gift for Sadie and could I go get it. I knew it was my MAC and I was so excited to open it! Afterwards, they asked if I had saw them, and I admitted I did. I felt bad for Austin because he really wanted me to be surprised but I was excited just the same and loved him for getting it for me!

Christmas afternoon was spent by the pool, which was so weird and then The Dallas Cowboys were playing the Arizona Cardinals, and I have never been to an NFL game so we tried to get tickets. Us Canadians really underestimated how hardcore Football is in the States. I couldn't believe how big the stadium was, how big the parking lot was, and how many people were around! The tickets were selling for way more then we wanted to pay so we didn't end up going which was too bad but I have a cute jersey with Austin's name on it!

Beautiful Arizona Sunset

We were welcomed home with a beautiful snow storm and -30 degree weather but I actually missed it! It was really nice to get away but it just didn't feel like Christmas to me. I love being home for the Holidays and going out in the cold and seeing the white snow on Christmas day. The weather is a pain in the butt and rest of the time, but for Christmas I love it! If we want to go away for the Holidays another year, I would probably go after Christmas instead.

We are so thankful to the Gough's for providing a beautiful place to stay and for hosting Christmas in AZ this year. I'm really excited for many more trips of Sunny weather to come. It was not very much fun heading back to work right away but after all that shopping I need to! Haha. Now I need to start working on my New Year's Resolutions!!

Update

I have not updated the blog in a long time but that's because there really isn't much to blog about.

I could talk about how I feel Spring and Fall just blended together, skipping over Summer. (I love Fall colours by the way) I'm trying to convince Austin we need to move somewhere warmer. I could talk about how we haven't cleaned our fish tank in months, but somehow it's starting to look cleaner on its own and that the only time they get fed is when our 11/2 year old friend Brooklynn comes over to feed them. Austin keeps asking for another dog--I point to the fish tank as my answer. I could talk about how Austin is insisting we need a bigger TV for the NBA season after he saw a clip of the Miami Heat training camp. Or that he has a somewhat disturbing man crush on Lebron James. We're working through it. I could talk about the Glee/Britney episode and how it bothered me that the choreography wasn't the same choreography used in her music videos. Anyone else notice that? Just me? I know I'm weird. I could talk about how every other day I tell Austin I really want to learn to play the guitar. I have yet to do anything about it. Or how I am falling in love with photography and my niece has become my number one target. Most of the shots are of her running away from me. She doesn't like to sit still. I could also talk about how I haven't been to the gym in months. Neither has Austin. He continues to lose weight; I do the opposite. Figures. I could also talk about all the books I have read in the last two months (21) because I have had nothing to do at work. I got a new job. I could talk about how when I watch The Biggest Loser I tear up feeling so bad for these people, and yet I'm eating a bowl of popcorn or a plate of cookies as I watch it. Kinda pathetic eh? Or I could talk about how much TV I watch and that I have over a 100 recordings I don't have time to see. PVR/DVR, you have saved my life. Or I could talk about how I haven't done my hair in weeks. I let it dry naturally after my shower which is frizzy with weird half curls. It's as cute as it sounds. And I could talk about how Austin refuses to lift or clean anything now because he has a really good excuse. He has a hernia. Like I said, not much to talk about.

Side note: I'm thinking of getting bangs or lots of layers in my hair. Thoughts???

ObSeSsEd

I can't stop listening to this song! I get a lot of weird looks when I am dancing like crazy in my car during traffic, but I don't care!

Mom's Wedding

On July 30, 2010, my mom got married to Grant Clayton. It was a beautiful wedding and the weather was perfect!! It was a nice, small, intimate wedding and here are some pictures from the big day, courtesy of my Aunt Lindsay...

My Grandpa McStravick walking my mom down the aisle

Even Brad made it to the wedding

The Ranch in Fish Creek Park

Happily married

New blended family

Backstreet Boys

Saw these guys last night. LOVED it! It may have been my third time seeing them in concert. First time was when I was in Grade 6. Thirteen years ago. I never thought that when I was 24 years old I would be seeing another Backstreet Boys concert. Oh the memories it brought back of teenage years! Brian is still my favourite. Still know the words to their songs after so many years. The dance numbers weren't like they used to be but give the guys a break... they're in their mid-thirties!

UTAH / IDAHO Weekend

This past weekend I headed down to Utah for Ashley Costley's, I mean Ashley Bird's wedding! I vowed I would never drive the I15 ever again after numerous trips back and forth from Calgary to Rexburg but I did it. I left Wednesday night with Britt Gibson heading to Rexburg, then caught a red-eye shuttle to Salt Lake City where my dear friend Ashley, who I haven't seen for TWO years, picked me up. We spent the day together running errands, getting pedicures, and getting last minute wedding stuff together. Then that night we met up with Remi, Kate, Miriam and Ashley's family and had a girls dinner at Cheescake Factory. It was SOO good to see the girls! I have missed everyone so much! I have been feeling so isolated up here in Canada and making it difficult to keep in touch with everyone as much as I want to so I really needed this weekend! Love you girls! The wedding was beautiful! Jeremy and Ashley were so in love and looked so happy! And it was so fun to catch up with the girls and laugh and chit chat about life.

Then after the wedding, I headed back up to Rexburg to hang out with Ash, Dave and Summer Cichy! They were too good to me. We went to the Idaho Falls Zoo, which surprisingly was better then I thought it would be, ate at Cafe Rio, did P90X, watched Baby Mama, and just hung out. I miss not having them in Calgary! I was also able to see Pam, Matt and Chet Leavitt who I haven't seen for so long.

I came home to an amazing husband who welcomed me with a dozen roses, dinner made and a clean house! I love him. It was such a good weekend and I am so glad I was able to see so many people that I have been missing! I am very lucky to have amazing friends in my life and I wish I could see them all  more. Thanks Ash and Dave for letting me crash at your places and thanks everyone for a good time!

So cute!!

Pretty Ashley

Summer being a little monkey!

JOY

Last year, I became an Aunt for the first time. I was so excited but even then, I don't think I anticipated the love I was going to have for this little girl. I think about all the wonderful Aunt's that I had in my life and wonder if they felt the same way about me when I came into this world.

I love babysitting her. I love playing with her. I love reading to her. I LOVE taking pictures of her. I love when she spends the night and love in the morning when she wakes up and is so happy to see me. I love watching Austin with her. I love when she says my name. I love her.

As my life has been up and down this past year, I could always count on her to put a smile on my face. Pure joy. It has been amazing to watch her grow and learn and to try and teach her new things. With new eyes to this world, there are so many little things that are eye catching to her. Little things I never notice. She has the entire family wrapped around her finger and constantly battling for her attention. The gratitude we must all have for her in our lives is overwhelming.

I love every second of being her Aunt and being able to spoil her like crazy. The experiences have helped me patiently wait for when it is my turn to have my own little one. But for right now, Sadie Jae brings me so much joy and I love being Auntie Lisa.

And That Makes Four

I recently attended my youngest brother, Sean, graduation ceremony. I have actually attended all of my siblings ceremony's which are like 2 1/2 hours each so that is a lot of hours of sitting! This tradition of mine started when Laura was graduating from High School in 2006 and my dad was in the hospital for his Bone Marrow Transplant. Obviously he couldn't attend and my mom needed to be with him when he came out of the surgery. So me and my good friend Ashley took Laura to her Graduation which was actually a big deal because Laura was the first person with Down Syndrome to graduate from a public High School in Calgary!

Then my dad passed away in 2007 missing both my brothers High School Graduations. Since my dad was able to attend only my Graduation, I felt like I should attend all of my siblings Graduation in place of my dad. It's been really fun to act like the proud parent taking all the photos and cheering when their names are called onstage. The girls graduated from Lord Beaverbrook High School and the boys graduated from Centennial High School. As I was attending Sean's, I realized I have been graduated for SEVEN years! That is crazy!

My Grad 2003

Laura's Grad 2006

Brad's Grad 2007

Sean's Grad 2010

I Don't Even Care That It's Snowing Outside...

I'm in such a good mood today.

Why?

Because So You Think You Can Dance starts tonight and I can barely contain my EXCITEMENT!!! Remember my last post about this show?

http://austinandlisagough.blogspot.com/2009/12/sytycd-thoughts.html

There are changes. This season on SYTYCD has brought back previous contestants as the All Stars and will be partnered up with this year's contestants. As my friend Kyle put it, "It's like Dancing With The So You Think Can Dance Stars". I LOVE the idea! I'm still not clear on the details of the overall process but I am excited to find out. I also LOVE who they are bringing back. They just happen to be a lot of my favourites!!! Like my girl Allison Holker from Season 2 (my all time fav!).

I am actually willing to take credit for a lot of the changes that they made this season. We are back to the normal Summer schedule, Mary Murphy is no more and Mia Michaels is back. (Thank goodness!) All points I discussed in my rant. (I'm pretty sure Nigel read it.)

Anyway, this season is looking pretty promising and I am going to love all two hours of tonight's episode!

Remember That Black Cloud?

This is pretty much what happened to me yesterday except it was on a busy intersection. I was the red car and the other car was an 83 year old man who shouldn't be driving! My mom had asked me to go pick up my sister Laura from home and bring her to the new house which is only a few minutes away. As I was heading back to my mom with Laura, I was going straight through an intersection and a car decided to turn left and I smoked right into them on the passenger side! The speed limit was 60 km/H so I hit them at a pretty good speed.

My first thought, "Is Laura okay?" She was. She bumped her knee and it was bleeding and she was a little shaken up, but she was okay.

My second thought, "*swear word* this is my mom's car!"

The police station was just down the street so they came pretty quick and I had to fill out a police report but obviously the other guy was at fault. He should NOT have been turning as I was going straight through the intersection! I just felt so bad that I had my sister in the car with me and that it was my mom's car. My mom was more concerned that we were alright but I still felt bad I wrecked it.

It was at lunch time on a pretty busy intersection so a lot of people we knew saw us there and it was right by the high school my brother goes to and all his friends were talking and pointing at it. Lovely! The important thing is that we were okay and I am very grateful that we were protected and that we were able to walk away from it!

Hopefully everything with insurance will get all worked out. As for me, I'm heading right to a chiropractor because I am in pAiN!