Boom.

Booyah. I booked my Christmas tickets already!

Yesterday, my favorite airline to fly to Florida Allegiant Air opened up dates for the holidays. This year, we're spending Christmas with my family in Florida, and those tickets can be super pricy.

Unless you book NOW.

I got all three tickets (that's right, lap baby) for $450, round trip. Which left me plenty of room in our travel budget to buy seats in the first row of the plane (baller!) and three checked bags.

My plan: arrive to the airport, check everything, only carry the baby, diaper bag and purse with iPads. It should make flying with an infant easy when you have the first row on the plane and nothing to carry. Apparently strollers and carseats fly free, but we will wait until then to decide what we want to do.

I'm curious how much of this plan will be reality in six months.

I want a pic of my baby just like this.

All I know is that baby will get to meet and spend Christmas with all of the Manders, his great grandparents, all my cousins and most importantly: Mickey Mouse.

That's right: baby is having his first trip to Disney World. We haven't been yet this year, and in all of our time together, Bryan and I haven't let a year go by without a trip to Disney World. And we won't let a baby stop that.

Especially when we'll have aunts and grandparents to hold him while we ride Space Mountain and Aerosmith's Rockin' Roller Coaster.

Oh, baby, it's love.

It's Valentine's Day. I've said it before, I love a holiday about love. We even made a video about it two years ago.



I love love. I love flirting. I love holding hands, kissing, cuddling, whispering in Bryan's ear and of course, doing the love. This day really isn't that big of a deal unless we make it.

Instead of focusing on presents or cards or whatever else people think of, I take this day as an opportunity to treat Bryan like I did when we first started dating, with little surprises and waking him up with kisses and holding hands in the car and texting sweet nothings. It's hard to be romantic every day, and today's a perfect reset button.

Go on, love your person. Kiss 'em. Grab 'em. Bang 'em. Do all the lovey stuff you love.

This morning I was late to work because I spent thirty minutes just being with Bryan this morning. Who wants to get ready when you can cuddle with your love on Valentine's day? Today, we're meeting up for lunch, and wherever we go whether it's a steakhouse or Mexican or McDonald's, I know it will be romantic because I'm with my love.

And for the first time in weeks, I will be making a gourmet dinner (no spaghetti with sauce from a jar or Kraft Mac-n-Cheese or takeout). I will be serving my love homemade ravioli with homemade alfredo sauce and yummy homemade garlic bread with delicious chocolate melting cakes for dessert. I am already hungry thinking about it.

I couldn't ask for a better man, a sweeter husband or a more loving best friend with whom to spend today.



Happy Valentine's Day, loves!

Thankful Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time for thanks. And thanks I have to give.

I'm thankful for:
My Best Friend and Husband


My Family


Bryan's Family


My Many Trips This Year









My mother-in-law or my second Mom


Comedy Improv




My Job and My International Friends/Students




Good Friends
A Safe House
Steady Jobs
Planes (to fly us outta here)
Good Health
and
The Internet

Mander Thanksgiving

It's been two years since I was home for Thanksgiving with my family.
We can expect a puzzle that will take the whole weekend to finish.

Sister cooking.


Girl talk.


Turkey Bowl


Planning for Black Friday Shopping




Oh boy, hurry up, Thanksgiving!

Failure: Population Me

I completely failed at my pre-Thanksgiving diet/workout plan.

Upon the first day of my be healthy kick, I consumed Sonic onion rings for lunch and Texadelphia's burger covered in queso for dinner. The following morning, I ate at Good Gravy Diner and had to indulge in the biscuits and gravy. I've completely failed. Oh, and last week, I had three bottles of wine. Geez. I'm in trouble, and I can start to see it on the scale.

With this dreary gray and rainy weather and the sun setting at 5:30, I haven't gone outside to run after work. In like two weeks. Somebody shake me.

Thursday is Thanksgiving, and clearly, I cannot diet then. I need to get my butt in gear, and I'm so disappointed in myself I don't know where to begin. Walking? Salad lunches? Lose the soda?

How can I be successful when I'm so clearly tempted - and so willing to give in?

I need to change, and clearly, unless I'm doing a full workout like Jillian Michaels, I can't seem to do it for more than a week. After I return from Thanksgiving, I'm getting another monthly membership. My ass needs it. Literally. The ass that's growing needs it.

How will I look hot on Christmas? Somehow. Let's do this...after Thanksgiving break.

Fourth of July

Apple pie, peach cobbler, s'mores.
Burgers, friends and beer.
Inflatable pool.
Two naps in one day.
Making our pasty white skin less pasty.
New camera. (pics to come)
Four day weekend.
Happy. Freedom. Love.

Freedom from Chocolate

Last night, I finished off the last of the Robin's Eggs - which was the last of our Easter candy, so lovingly sent by my mother-in-law. I love chocolate, and I have never turned down a dessert when I've been offered. But let's get real: it's practically bikini season.


I have been working out three times a week, but I can't help but feel like my hard work at the YMCA is being sabotaged by those tiny candy eggs. Thankfully, we are entering a candy free period of the year. I can't think of any holidays in April, May, June, July, August or September where you celebrate with candy. I am homefree until Halloween. Hallelujah!


NOTE: My inlaws are coming to visit in a month, and my mother-in-law has requested two things. One: to eat lunch at my favorite chocolate restaurant Max Brennar's and Two: to visit the market in Philadelphia to buy some chocolate covered pretzels. Life is sweet.

Happy Easter!

I love holidays: the decorations, the celebration, the food, the gifts, the family. I love to celebrate Easter. This year was a good year for me. Not only did I get a new dress yesterday, but we stayed up and watched Harvey (a rabbit movie) until it was midnight. We ate chocolate rabbits, robin eggs and milky way eggs that my mother in law sent us. We nibbled on the bowl of jelly beans and played our new Wii game from the Rayman Rabbids collection: Rabbids Go Home (totes recommend this one) - thanks, Easter Bunny!

My favorite tradition of Easter comes from the first Easter I spent with Bryan, my then boyfriend. We made Rice Krispie treats. I only make them at Easter, and man are they delicious. Especially if they are still a little warm and gooey. The ingredients are cheap ($3) and the recipe is easy ( 3 TBL butter, 6 cups cereal, 1 bag of mini marshmallows: melt butter, melt marshmallows, mix in cereal). If you're looking for a new Easter tradition - or just a yummy snack from this week, I recommend Easter krispie treats.

It's the start of spring, and I bet it's beautiful out. Go outside, love somebody and get pumped for a new season.

Lessons from a Buckley Christmas

You can fry anything: apples, potatoes, ham, toast. If it's food, it can be fried.

Family history creates the present family. Without Bryan's granddad's hard work and perseverance, Joann would have never gone to college. Without Bryan's dad's offer in Greenville, Joann would have never left Kentucky. And Bryan would have never attended Clemson for the in state tuition. And then, how would I have met the love of my life?

Generosity. Generosity. Generosity. Never before had I seen more presents, more food, more family in one small home. It was beautiful.

Men drive on road trips. Because men don't complain and will endure the hard job for their lady. And ladies choose the restaurant.

Santa sometimes watches his weight and puts the cookies back in the fridge!

Not really lesson learned but reiterated: being married is awesome. Being a Buckley is awesome.