Happy New Year 2012!

As the first month of 2012 comes to a close, I wanted to make sure to wish you all a Happy New Year! In the first 26 days of this year we've celebrated Lola's 1st birthday and our 3rd anniversary. I think its safe to say that January is kind of a special month for us, full of new beginnings and excitement for the year ahead.

If you know us at all, you know that Ryan and I are a pretty low-key couple. We truly enjoy our nights together and our weekends are full of dinners at home, DIY projects and Austad family craft nights. Our new year's eve was no exception. We headed to downtown Minneapolis this year to take a walk on the Stone Arch bridge and take some picture in the brisk winter air. And then we were off to enjoy an Indian dinner at Dancing Ganesha. We like to try new things, and I think its safe to say, after our first brush with Indian food back in 2009, we wanted to give it a go again.

We ate a pretty early dinner and made our 2012 predictions together. Then we headed home to make some drinks with my new cocktail shaker and hang out by the fire. We also spent a good chunk of the last day of 2011 making a family movie with Lola- I'll have to post that later, its pretty funny stuff. We watched the ball drop in New York, kissed to ring in the new year at 11:00pm, and headed to bed. We're crazy, I know. but it was a New Year's Eve that I loved. No hype, no crazy crowds or loud music. No outrageous cover fees or spending time with friends of friends of friends that we barely knew. Just us, our little family ringing in the new year together.

Here's Ryan on our walk


Waiting for our yummy Indian Food

Indian food always looks better in person- this looks a bit unappetizing, I apologize.

Cheers to 2012!

And a WOO HOO to top it off!

3 Years

Has it really been 3 years since we said "I do."? Are we even old enough to be married 3 years, and to have a mortgage, and a dog and 2 full time jobs? I can't believe it. It's probably because I still think of myself as a kid, or maybe a slightly younger version of a young adult.

3 years ago today I married my very best friend.

Ryan- you have give me so much support, love, friendship, and genuine kindness than I ever imagined in a husband. We've been through a lot in our 3 years of marriage, but thankfully our amazing bond and good communication has kept us going strong through new jobs, different houses, new cities, and abundant new love...i.e. Lola.

As we continue on this path of marriage, I look forward to everything that's ahead of us. But taking the time to slow down and savor the moment is most important. Thank you for being my rock, my stronghold and most of all my wonderful husband.

Happy Anniversary!

Birthday Girl!

Happy 1st Birthday to our favorite little girl, Lola!

This morning, Ryan had to head off to the airport, so I sang Lola happy birthday and gave her a special birthday cookie (doggie approved). Thankfully, we're able to send videos via our phones, so I sent Ryan a video of our morning, so he could be in on the birthday festivities.

Today, Lola gets to go to work with me and hang out. I'm sure she'll get lots of belly rubs and lots of love from all of my co-workers.

Lola, we can't believe you're not a little bitty puppy anymore- yay for being 1! :)

love, mom and dad

Columbus Christmas

We spent Christmas 2011 in Columbus this year with my Mom, Dad and brother, Jared. We have celebrated Christmases with my family in past years, but it has never been on the actual date, and since Ryan and I have been married we haven't been back to Columbus for a traditional Thomas Family Christmas- so we decided that 2011 was the year!

We headed south on Thursday the 22nd, and got into Columbus around dinner time. It was plenty of time to chat and hang out before we turned in for the night.

Friday the 23rd, Ryan and I did a little shopping and that evening we took Ryan to one of Columbus' finest restaurants- El Matador. Its not really that fancy, but he kept hearing about the good Mexican food in Columbus, so we obliged by taking him to one of our favorites. We all had margaritas to toast a Christmas together in Columbus!


My mom had heard about a house in town that was doing Christmas lights on their house timed to music. So, of course after we had margaritas, we had to check it out. It was pretty good- and it wasn't amateur at all, so we stayed for 15 minutes and enjoyed.


That evening, Ryan and I also went to have a drink with my good friend Kelly. Kelly and I met in 7th grade and we played the flute in our middle school band. We were great friends through Middle School and High School, on the football cheerleading squad together and in colorguard as well. It was so fun to reconnect and hear all about her life in D.C. and her plans for the future.

We were quite the chatty Cathy's during our Columbus trip, because we also met up with our friends Laura & Kevin the next morning, for a little Christmas Eve coffee. Laura and I were in Chi Omega together in college, and I was in their wedding, almost 5 years ago! Wow- are we even old enough to be married 5 years? That's crazy! It was great to see those 2 and hear all about their lives in Lincoln.

Christmas Eve Day was pretty low key, which was fantastic! However, my mom was singing at Midnight Mass, so we had to do our best not to fall asleep before church. We got all gussied up and went to mass, and came home around 1:15. We all put on our pjs and headed to bed.

Christmas morning was a lot of what I remembered. But of course as adult children we weren't as anxious to unwrap presents. We had an early morning video chat with my sister and brother and his fiance, so the whole family was together :)


However, when the chat was over, Miss Lola was pretty excited to get those presents unwrapped.


She even got in on the present giving and gave Zoey a new toy reindeer- how sweet of her! And just how did she go shopping without me knowing it? I wonder where she puts her purse? :)


Ryan opened a new argyle sweater and promptly tried it on and made sure to have a photoshoot- naturally.


Then it was time to take a small break in the action and make the annual Thomas Family Cheese Tray. Jared is usually in charge of this now that Tyson is in Colorado, so here is what he came up with this year. Even some grated cheese on the top for snow! very nice!


Lola opened a present from Zoey- and devoured it right away- it was a yummy bone!


Opening Christmas presents was hard work- I tell ya! But we all came away with some pretty great things that have already come in use. Lola really got into the Christmas spirit by eating and wearing some of the wrapping bows.


After a Christmas Dinner, it was nice enough to even take a walk! That's definitely a first for Christmas in Nebraska. It was probably 50 degrees as the sun was setting and the dogs were loving that they were able to get outside and get some exercise. We went to a movie to round out things on Christmas Day- Sherlock Holmes, and definitely enjoyed some family time sitting, drinking coffe and chatting around the dining room table.


Sadly, our time in Columbus came to an end on the 26th and Lola had to say goodbye to her buddy Zoey. But I'm sure we'll be back soon enough! Hope you all had a very merry Christmas!

Austad Family Christmas

Santa graced the Austad house with his presence a few days before Christmas. How nice of him to fit that into his busy schedule, what with all that list checking and such. We typically celebrate "our Christmas" the weekend before so we can have a little time ourselves to soak up the holiday as just the 3 of us.

Lola must've been a very good puppy this year, because her stocking was bursting with presents! I'm pretty sure she got more than Ryan and myself combined! I guess that's what happens when you're the only child. :)


Ryan had a full stocking too that included a new black belt, new toothbrush, candy, new boxers, a gray long sleeve shirt, and a certificate for a massage!

Santa was good to me too, and brought me a new scarf, a drink mixer, a bottle of wine, an itunes giftcard, candy, and new spatulas! It was nice to just get up in the morning and take our time opening our stockings. We don't do big presents for each other, just little stocking stuffers since our parents and friends usually spoil us with goodies. Lola got to work on her goodies right away. Hope your family had a Merry Christmas too!

Wild Game!

I went to my very first professional hockey game in December, the Minnesota Wild! I'm not sure who they played, but I do remember there was a shootout and they lost. :( boo. But the excitement and fun was definitely worth it. Of course, I didn't get any pictures of the actual game, because I was enthralled with the pace of the skating and the amazing way my head spun when the puck was hit from side to side. But I did manage to get a picture of the zambonis, and that's as good, right?

We had a great time at the game, and I will definitely be pumped when Ryan gets tickets to our next hockey game!

Silly Sweaters

Sometimes my husband is silly, but sometimes he is downright RIDICULOUS! When he told me that we needed to stop at his co-worker friend's house before our date night to take pictures, I wasn't exactly sure what they were up to. But I soon found out.

Paul and Ryan are work buddies that act A LOT alike. And when they came up with the idea to do silly sweater pictures in front of a Christmas tree to give as a present to their manager, craziness ensued. The best part, Paul couldn't find any Christmas sweaters at Goodwill, but he found these flag ones instead. HILARIOUS.

These are only 2 of the many random pictures they took. What good lookin' guys! haha