2010 Recap...Welcome 2011!

2010 has definitely been the best year of our lives filled with so many amazing memories.  I knew it would be exciting, but I had no idea just how much we could pack into one year.  In a compact version, here is  a glimpse into what we had going on the past 12 months...

We started out 2010 by going on a vacation to Jamaica!  It was my graduation gift from Matt and we decided to go over my Winter break since we would be so busy after graduation.  We were so right!  Matt had told me my first year of nursing school that when I graduated he would take me anywhere I wanted to go.  Jamaica was paradise!

We spent the year planning our wedding :).  We had an engagement party and I found my beautiful dress in January.  Each month had big milestones for me to check off our list. It was difficult to plan the wedding while trying to finish up my senior year at Purdue.  The work really paid off because our wedding was the best day of our lives and it was more than I ever imagined it would be.

I finished up my nursing degree at Purdue with some of my fabulous friends that moved away after we graduated :(.  Abby moved to San Diego to be a Navy nurse, Amy moved to Nashville to pursue her degree for Family Nurse Practitioner, and Kylie moved to Indy (yay! close to me!) to work at Riley.  In the midst of finishing school I was looking for a job, applying for jobs, interviewing for jobs, and trying to decide what my future in nursing would hold.  Did we want to stay in Lafayette? Did I want to do NICU? Did we want to uproot and move to Indy?  I was offered two NICU positions at two different hospitals in Indy and gladly accepted my RN position on days at St. Vincent Women's in March.  Best decision I ever made! I LOVE my job.

We spent a couple months searching for a place to live in Indy since we decided to move here and not have me drive from Lafayette anymore.  We were nervous at first, but we are really loving Indy and can see it being our place to call home.

I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from Purdue in May and passed my NCLEX in June. I am a real Registered Nurse!  I'll always remember the first piece of paper I signed at work as J.Barrett, RN (later to be J. Dunn, RN which I was so excited to be signing!)




I married my best friend and became Mrs. Dunn on September 18th, the anniversary of our 6th year together!  Our wedding day was absolutely amazing.  We were surrounded by the love of our family and friends and I was able to soak up every little aspect of our special day.  I'm so lucky to call this guy my husband.

We welcomed Jax, the Boston Terrier, into our family in October.  We had always wanted a dog, and one random Sunday we decided we wanted to go get him.  We looked up a breeder on the internet and 2 hours later, we were in northern Indiana picking out our puppy!  I can't imagine not having him around.  He brings us so much happiness and laughter.

We took a belated honeymoon the beginning of November back to Jamaica.  We went to the same Sandals resort we went at the beginning of the year.  It was great get-away and a much needed relaxing vacation after the stress of the wedding and everything else we had done the past year.  We braved hurricane-turned-tropical storm Tomas and had a fantastic vacation, mon!

I am looking forward to 2011, a little because it won't be as jam-packed and a little because there are so many things to look forward to...

-I am excited to become more proficient in the NICU...I get level 3 and 4 trained (the highest level in NICU)  in February and March and then I will be fully trained to take on a baby at the highest acuity.  Scary, but so exciting to be functioning at the same level as my mentors.

-Visiting friends.  San Diego, Nashville, and Georgia are calling our names :).

-Seeing where life takes us.  Will we still be in Indy next summer when our lease is up?  Will we buy a house? Who knows! That's the fun part!

-NOT looking forward to DMB not touring in 2011...guess we will have to find another concert to hold us over until 2012 when they return :).

-Spending more time with Matt in the summers since he will be home more than last summer with his job change.

-Welcoming a friend's new baby into the world next June...congrats to the Hills!! :) 

Tonight, we are ringing in the new year together at home since I work tomorrow on New Year's Day.  Happy New Year to all of you!!

Snow Dog!

After a couple weeks of forcing Jax to get into the snow, we finally have ourselves a snow dog!  

Love him!

Christmas morning after the snow in Lafayette

Chasing snowballs

Found a stick!

Happy Wednesday

Today is my last day of 3 I have had off from work! It has been fantastic! Monday I got up early to go to the gym and get it out of the way so I could be in the house all day.  Sometimes I just love being inside the house all day, whether I am just sitting around or doing housework.  I did our 6 loads of laundry (how many loads am I going to have to do once we have kids?!) and did a little cleaning.  Matt started a new job on Monday so I spent as much time with him as I could.  I am going to have to get used to him working and not being my house husband!  That night, we went over to Tiffany and Ryan's and they made an awesome dinner for us and Ryan and Katelyn.  We have been trying to get together with all of us since we moved to Indy, so it was awesome to finally be able to!  

Tuesday I went up to Lafayette to have lunch and run errands with my mom.  Then, we met my mother-in-law, and Matt's 2 cousins at Harry's to watch the men's basketball game.  Traci and Tonya both live down south so we don't get to see them very often.  I was so happy I had the day off so I could spend some time with them! Then we all went to the Purdue Women's game.  I hadn't been to a Women's game since my mom and I had season tickets when I was in high school.  I love Purdue sports! I was planning on staying the night up there so I could hang out more with the girls, but I had to come home to be with the pup while Matt worked.

Today, we started out the morning by taking Matt to the doctor. Matt's previous job did not provide him with health insurance so I haven't been able to make him go to doctor in about 2-3 years now.  I was SO excited when I could finally add him to my insurance through work.  I really wanted him to get a full physical and for them to keep an eye on his heart since his father passed away at a young age from an aortic aneurysm.  I think being a nurse is tough sometimes because of all the "health stuff" I have learned...it'd be easier if I was oblivious to what can happen.  

Then, I went to bodypump and came home to relax at home again.  I know I should be running errands or vacuuming, but I would rather sit here with Jax on my lap and catch up on my DVR shows :).  Tonight, Lauren is coming over!  What a great Wednesday!

Jax meets Kensie!

My friend Amy got a labradoodle/goldendoodle puppy named Kensie and brought her over for a play date!  Jax was a little unsure of her because most of the puppies he has played with have been bigger ( 40 lb. Paisley) or more aggresive (the boxer at puppy class) than him so he is used to fighting/playing back.  Kensie is only 8 weeks old and "passive" (as Amy would say haha) so he was having a hard time getting her to play with him. 

A perfect portrayal of the afternoon

Playing under the kitchen chairs

Amy + Kensie

Abby + Kensie

P.S...This was the first time I got to see my Abby since the wedding! I missed her so much and was so happy she could come over :) Miss her already!

Me + Kensie

Matt doing some training (speaking of training I got Jax to finally do "play dead" today! All by myself :))

Kensie loving Jax's toy

Not only did the pups have a great play date, I got to spend the afternoon with my girls! Abby lives in San Diego and Amy lives in Nashville.  I wish we were back in the college days where we spent hours in class together (making each other laugh instead of paying attention...but hey we all graduated right?!) and then most every night of the week doing something with each other.  I also miss our date nights with Harry.  LOVE these girls and can't wait to get together again!

A Week of Christmas

Before I start in on this post, I have to tell you how amazing and wintery my house smells right now.  If you need a good wintery candle, I suggest Winter by Slatkin and Co. (at Bath and Body Works).  I love it!

Christmas 2010

We had a fantastic first Christmas as newlyweds!  We are so lucky that our families somehow always plan their events on different days, so we were able to go to everyone's everything this year.

We got Jax in October when he was 12 weeks old

My Dad got us some awesome ornaments for Christmas.  2010 was a busy and exciting year for us and we can represent that now with our Christmas ornaments :). Here are some pictures of them.

I graduated in May and became an RN in June!

Married in September

Awesome honeymoon in November

The Sunday before Christmas, we had a Smith family Christmas at Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Janice's.  We got to spend the holiday in their brand new home! I am in love with their house, it is so gorgeous!  I can't imagine the stress of building/designing your own home, but they (and Grandpa Jerry) did a fantastic job.  This day was also exciting because we all got to meet the newest member of the family, Braydyn!  He was only a week old when we met him.  I got some much appreciated snuggle time with him before he was passed around all day.  It was so strange to me to feed and hold a baby without a gown and gloves...work has brainwashed me! :)

LOVE him

Momma Lydia and Great-Grandma Mary (that sounds crazy!)

Tre' and Juliet playing

Mom and Aunt Janice getting the food ready

Damara playing with Mackey

My adorable niece and nephew

With my hubs

Our fam :)

The kids opening their Xbox Kinect

Matt and I drove up to his mom's on Thursday after I got off work so we could wake up Christmas Eve morning with his family.  They always celebrate on Christmas Eve and then we go to Christmas mass that night.  I love traditions.  

Jax found a buddy for opening presents :)

Janet and her new KitchenAid mixer from us kids! She had been using her stand mixer from their wedding 29 years ago! The speed control was finally going out so we upgraded her :)

Jax ruined the family picture by yawning

That's better! The Dunns :)

Uncle Matt helping Daniel open gifts...Jax hiding in his lap

My nephew :)

Worn out from Christmas festivities

JENGA! I'd say it was a pretty great gift to get him

On Christmas Eve after mass and my mom's house, we invaded the Layton Christmas.  I finally got to meet baby Noah! This kid is too cute! His facial expressions just crack me up.

Momma Amy and Noah!

Uncle Troy and Noah

Sweet baby boy...don't let those Layton boys teach you anything! :)