How the year is going so far....

Here we are already mid-January 2011 and this is my life so far.

• Working ALOT, too much really! Between my full time job as a Registered Veterinary Technician/Manager and my Etsy store http://www.etsy.com/shop/simplesubtleties and just keeping the house clean (well, picked-up) I feel like I'm moving constantly!  We have been fairly busy at work too which is unusual for winter so I should consider myself lucky.  At least I am employed at a stable business. 
• I'm day 9 now without my usual caffeine.  I decided to get rid of it and honestly, I do feel better.  Not as achy.  I had a headache for 3 straight days when I stopped! That stuff can't be good for us!  I still crave an occasional soda or tea but I am doing well and saving money.  I don't really want the non-caffeine drinks as much so I'm not buying one every morning on my way to work.  Saving about a $1 per day so far. 
• My oldest son talked to me about moving back home.  We love having an empty nest.  Our kids are 25,24,21.  I told him there would be some ground rules AND that I would want a plan, and a date of when he would be moving out. Like 3 months or 6 months.  He didn't like all this and got defensive and said, "There are other people I can live with".  I just calmly said, "Well Okay then."  He needs to start acting like a grown up.  Right now, it's still all about the party.  Honestly, these days, he makes me crazy.
• I've been babysitting my 16 month old grandson on almost all my free time off.  He is still not walking or talking but he was a late crawler too.  I have a ton of fun with him.  He is kissing now and you know Grandma loves that!
• Found out I am taking wedding photographs in April.  I really HATE taking wedding photographs.  I guess because I don't feel like I am the best with a camera when it comes to important action shots.  I can get some great shots when I'm playing around or of staged things like senior pics, engagement, etc.  It's those "moment" pictures that people count on that scare the hell out of me.  What if I miss the kiss?  Then what?  What if I lose all the pictures before they get their copies?  Too many what if's.  It's family so I feel forced into it, which actually I was...I told them no several times and they kept saying you will do fine and you will save them so much money and they just pretended I never said no.  I should learn to be more assertive in 2011.
• Speaking of photography I really, really want to raise the money and go on this trip.  http://www.jimzuckerman.com/blog/white-horses-of-the-camargue-photo-shoot-france-april-2012  It looks amazing!  It is also very expensive (for my budget but I don't think for what your getting).  I have a year.  Maybe if my Etsy shop does SUPER DUPER well?  There is always hope.  :)
• In Missouri we are having a mild winter.  It's cold but no snow or rain really.  This winter does not seem as depressing as last winter at least! 68 days till spring I think.
• Jim and I have seen 2 movies this year.  Tron and The Fighter.  I really like The Fighter but sometimes it was hard to understand what they were saying. 

That is all for the 9 days of 2011.  I'm sure I'm forgetting something important.  I do hope to blog more as I let my blog suffer last year, but no promises!  It's too early in the New Year and I really am bad at resolutions! 

2 movie recomendations

The A Team

It was funny and suspenseful!  My husband and I both enjoyed it. Good plot.  Plus that Bradley Cooper is easy on the eyes. :)

We seen Knight and Day last night and both really loved it!  Maybe even better than A Team.  I don't think people were expecting it to be that good because our theatre was not full but it was GREAT!  Funny and sweet and totally action packed.  Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz can still bring it!

Drive-In Movies

Missouri, USA. 

We don't have mountains-unless you count the Ozarks.

We don't have oceans or really many beaches.

But bye-golly we have drive in movies!  At least in the Kansas City area.   The Twin Drive In. 

Last night my hubby and I loaded up our old pick up truck and went and seen Price of Persia & Alice in Wonderland.  (Both really excellent movies I might add!)

These are not well crafted photos of our intermission but I only had my cell phone and with the dark night it just didn't take well.  (Who takes a camera to the movies anyway?) They are still using the 30+ year old intermission cartoons or so it seems.  It was so fun.  We had such a cool breeze, our own drinks and snacks (including popcorn!).  We had pillows and blankets.  I loved every minute of it. 

I grew up going to this same drive in theatre.  I actually seen Clint Eastwood here in most of his "spaghetti westerns"as a child.  I had went on dates here in my teenage years.  (don't let your daughters do that, your asking for trouble, lol)  While my kids were growing up we took them many times.  Lots of fond memories!

Drive in movies are a dying venue.  If I had the money I would love to own this one. 

Check out this link if you are interested in Drive-In Movies.  It tells you how many there were in past years and shows the decline.