Happy December 30th To Us!

"Sitting next to you doing absolutely nothing means absolutely everything to me."

I think that's a pretty good quote to sum up OUR day today. I say OUR day, because it's December 30th! Which means that today marks 4 years since we met. Is it weird that we still celebrate the day that we met? Like, at what point in your marriage do you have to start giving up those weird anniversaries? I just don't think I'm going to ever be ready for that...

Anyway, to celebrate knowing each other for four years now, we decided to get really crazy and... wait for it... watch Star Wars! Chris has been wanting to convert me ever since he made me go see Episode 7 a couple weeks ago, but I don't think Chris realized that with doing that he was going to be answering a million+ questions from me. Wait, does Darth Vader not have an arm?! Do Ani and Padme do IT?! Is it true that Luke and Leia were incest?! All of my questions have been answered with, "Shhh! Just watch, babe..." So watch we have! This is pretty much what our view has been the past couple of days:

Annnnd to contradict the quote that I said summed up our day, I will mention that we did go to Olive Garden for lunch, and then Swig--that counts as doing something, right?! But then we came right back to our couch and watched more Star Wars, because we're just crazy like that. Don't worry though, we got up long enough to go and see the movie, Everest.  I know, I know... a lot of sitting today. My heart loves it, my waist hates it. That's what New Year's resolutions are for though, duh.

Now we're back on our couch switching back and forth between football and basketball games (and when I say 'we,' you know I mean Chris). Super romantic, right? But that's why that quote above is kind of perfect for our day today because I truly have loved every minute with Chris today doing absolutely nothing.

I always do.

Who knew that 4 years ago I was meeting the guy I love doing absolutely nothing with? So, so glad I did.

Love you, Chris!
Happy December 30th!!!

Now time to get back to sitting and doing absolutely nothing with you...

If We Did Christmas Cards...

Our Christmas card would probably look something like this and give you the illusion that we never wear sweatpants for date night and that we are just SO candid (We always look directly into each other's eyes and smile while on a sled duh)! Then you'd flip the card over and read about our humble brag accomplishments and update you on our lives as DINK's (double income no kids) and there'd probably be a lot of references to Swig and stressful days that come from being "grown-ups" and other important things, like Chris upgrading to a smartphone in the year of 2015...

Then I'd probably stop mid-sentence and just reference you to my blog, since everything I just described is pretty much what A Tidbit of Love is all about, right!? I guess what I'm trying to say is, consider this blog your year-long Christmas card. I know, I know... you're welcome.

In all seriousness though, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Love,
The Gourley's

Because, Monday.

Did anyone else's Monday start out with traffic so bad that it took an hour and a half longer than usual to get to work? . . . No? Just me? Okay. But seriously, I even left early and still missed more than half of my 1st period PE class. My 9th graders didn't seem too sad about not having to dress down, though...

Anyway, since the traffic from the crazy snow this morning just kind of gave me a "case of the Mondays," I thought I'd share the two things that are slowly helping me pull out of it.

First, if you don't already know about cranberry Sprite Zero, then you need this in your life like yesterday! Honestly, I have to thank mama Sanderson for introducing me to this AND for making it even more over the top by instructing me to put a spoonful of frozen limeade in it. If you don't believe me when I say that this drink is sugarplum fairy magicalness in a cup, then just look in my mom's (now empty) fridge + my love handles can attest to it.

Speaking of my mom AND my love handles...

We made fudge yesterday. Now that may not seem like a big deal or anything to cheer about, but trust me, it is! Mostly because I grew up with my mom who made every single delicious treat in the book EXCEPT for fudge. Fudge is just... intimidating! And if I tried to make it and wasted a bunch of chocolate and other ingredients just for grainy, not very good fudge, I'd probably throw in the towel, too and say, "Screw it! I'll just make cookies instead!" Right, mom?!

But yesterday we had renewed courage about our fudge making skills, thanks to The Pioneer Woman. If you guys didn't know, I have developed a rather unhealthy slight obsession with Ree Drummond. She's slowly crept up towards the top of my favorite women (right behind Ellen and Kelly Ripa). She just gets me and my tastebuds. Anyway, me and my mom both happened to watch her show yesterday where she made 3 ingredient fudge. How can you mess up a recipe that only has 3 ingredients?! Answer: You can't. That's how easy her fudge was. I love it, my thighs love it, everybody loves it! The only thing we changed yesterday was switch out the peppermint candies for chopped up candy cane Kisses on top. Just trust me.

Easy Peppermint Fudge

(from The Pioneer Woman)

• 3 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (we used milk chocolate, though. "Semi" Sweet doesn't exist at mama Sanderson's house!)
• 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 8 whole Peppermint Candies, Crushed

Line a square 8 x 8 pan with foil and smooth the surface. Spray foil with nonstick spray.
Combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a double boiler over medium heat. Heat until melted, about 5-7 minutes. Stir until smooth, then immediately pour it into the foil-lined pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth the surface, then sprinkle on the crushed peppermints. 
Refrigerate for 2 hours, then cut into small squares.

. . . Isn't that SO easy?! The hardest part is seriously just waiting for the fudge to set up... which we couldn't even do yesterday. We pulled it out after only 30 minutes and it was still delicious. 

Now go make this and a cranberry Sprite and sit by your Christmas tree and indulge, because Monday! Amiright!? Another alternative might be to indulge while watching Jazz vs. Spurs... that's kind of the only option for TV tonight at the Gourley home (sorry, Pioneer Woman! + Bless DVR). 

Happy Monday!

Welcome to the world, Chris!

December 8, 2015--a day which will forever be remembered as the day Chris joined the world of smartphones.

 For those of you that know Chris, you know this has been a long time comin'. Seriously, the man had the kind of phone that still had buttons on it... no touch screen... the kind of phone that you had to go and manually delete text messages to free up space. Ha! Pretty sure my mom has nicer phones in the playroom than Chris' Nokia phone... but no worries! Because Chris is all trendy and iPhone-y now... and putting random emojis in text messages + having Siri call me no reason. It's cute. He's cute.

Even though I'm so happy that Chris has finally upgraded to a smartphone, I can't help but be a little sad that Chris no longer has to wait to connect to wifi to play Clash of Clans... like, am I even going to have a husband now?! But I guess I can't be too upset, because now I can celebrate the fact that Chris no longer has to forward pictures to my phone for him to actually be able to see picture messages + I don't have to Google random manly man stuff (fun fact: Chris is a hardcore Googler. Once he gets a question on his mind, he has to Google it. Other fun fact: Shayli hates Googling. Good combo, right?!)!!! Oh, and now I can delete NFL and Fantasy Football League apps off of my phone! It's like this smartphone is a gift for me, too!

Anyway, if you see Chris, congratulate him on upgrading to a phone without buttons! Or just add him on Snapchat... you know, because you CAN. And maybe try to convince him that he should get a Christagram so I can hack his account and make it look like he posts lots of cutesy stuff about his wife? But maybe leave that last part about me out of it... he might think I put you up to it or something.

Congratulations, Chris! Welcome to the world of more time wasted--you're gonna love it!



UPDATE: Chris just asked me what a "Christagram" is!

...did I mention he's cute?

It's beginning to look a lot like. . .

These pictures pretty much sum up what my Thanksgiving break looked like--CHRISTMAS!!! Or if we're being completely honest, candy cane Kisses, because that's what was in my view (and mouth) for most of the break. 

Now that Thanksgiving is over, I feel like I can finally come clean and tell you guys something I've been hiding for a while now... I've been listening to Christmas music ever since I got back from Disneyland--there! I said it! Phew! That feels so good to get off my chest. But you guys, Christmas!!!

Even though I've been listening to Christmas music pretty much all month long, I didn't really feel the Christmas feels (you know the ones!) until this weekend. Maybe it was the Christmas playlist I made that contains a good amount of Justin Bieber & Celine Dion (love me some Canadians!)? Maybe it was when I got my craft on and made a tomato cage Christmas tree? Or maybe, just maybe, it was when I ate peppermint stick ice cream per Jenessa's recommendation (she just gets me)? Whatever the reason, I am officially in Christmas spirit mode!! Eat all the peppermint! See all the twinkly lights! Do all the things!! Anybody else feel the same way? .... Just me? Alrighty then. 

Seriously, though. I've got the Christmas butterflies! Like the ones you used to get trying to fall asleep on Christmas eve, which is making it that much harder to go back to work tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I love my students and my job, but I have found my heart sinking at the thought of going back tomorrow. Can't I just stay home and rock out to Justin Bieber's Christmas album and shove my face with candy cane kisses forever?! (said the health teacher) At least I can take comfort in knowing that there's only 3 weeks until Christmas break, though (#teacherperks). Don't worry, I am already planning to hang lights, and make my slaves  students make snowflakes for my classroom. You can take the girl out of the Christmas spirit, but you can't take the Christmas spirit out of the girl... er something like that? Maybe it's time to put the candy cane kisses away...

I guess this post is just a really long way of saying-- I love this time of year!! I think the person who put it best was my cute niece, Gracie when she said, "This is a special time of year." 

Now raise your hand if you're ready for the Christmas season! 

Adulthood. Population: Chris & Shayli

Guys. . . that is our freaking house! What the freakity freak? Is this even real life?! It still hasn't fully sunk in that this is where me and Chris live here now. I say hasn't fully sunk in because there have been a few things that have happened this week when it has sunk in, and been like, WELCOME TO ADULTHOOD + BEING HOMEOWNERS! Mostly when we discovered that every time our neighbors would open their garage, ours would open too (especially at 5:30 in the morning!). Oh, and there was that time our microwave broke. Also, I'm not sure what feels more empty... our pantry or our bank account (which is good for telling my decorating-heart to calm.the.freak.down.)? Like I said, WELCOME TO ADULTHOOD + BEING HOMEOWNERS! 

But besides all that, the rest of it is hard to believe that this is all ours! Like, who knew that having a garage was such a luxury? Scraping frost off car windows-what's that?! And you mean there's such thing as having a bathtub separate from the shower? I can do laundry in a room that doesn't have a toilet in it?! THIS CAN'T BE REAL! 

It isn't real. These past two months have seemed like a huge blur. One minute we're talking about selling our town home, and then before we know it, we're living in Tom and Martha's basement waiting to close on our house! Speaking of Tom and Martha... huge thank you to those roomies that were more than willing to let us live in their basement + share their diet ( & caffeine free!) Dr. Pepper + let us chill in their hot tub almost every night. Wait, why did we leave that place again...? In all seriousness, though-- THANK YOU TOM AND MARTHA! We love you!

And while we're on the subject of thanking people... I need to say thank you to my in-laws Kat and Jon for helping us with the entire process of getting into this house!! We've probably talked with them more in these past two months than we have in all 3 years of our marriage combined! Pretty sure we owe them free babysitting for life and then some. 

Really, I should just say thank you to any and all of our friends and family. Whether it was helping us move, clean, or just being supportive--we've appreciated all of it! I kind of love that we got to move into our house the week of Thanksgiving, because it's given me even more reasons to be so, so thankful for our family and friends. I've found myself randomly just bursting into tears while sorting through all of our stuff just thinking, "Holy goodness, how are we are so blessed!" (okay, and maybe Ellen was on in the background...) 

But really, what more could I ask for right now? 

Things Student's Say (Drug Prevention Edition!)

I've decided that I could be a weatherman (weatherwoman?) solely based on the fact that my students go insane before a storm. The day before a storm comes, I find myself repeating directions a million times, taking phones, telling student's to sit down, and saying things like, "You guys can stroke each other's hair on your own time..." So it was no surprise when I woke up today to snow and rain and thought, "No wonder my student's were driving me nuts on Friday..." Guys, student's just know when a storm is coming. Like when people do crazy things during a full moon, there's just no way to explain students' odd behavior before the storm. It just happens.

Believe it or not, there is a bright side to all of that craziness, though--my students say hilarious things! Especially during our drug prevention unit. So enjoy the things I've heard throughout this unit. Keep in mind, we're only 3 days in...

Student (pointing to the date of April 3, 1987 on an assignment): Mrs. Gourley? Is this your birthday? Because the years add up to you being 26, and you look like you're 26.
Me: That's not my birthday... but do you really think I look 26 years-old? I'm not quite sure how I feel about that...
Different Student: No! She can't be that old, because she knows what "on fleek" means!!!
(that same student wrote this in an assignment where they were supposed to write a letter to a friend that is contemplating suicide)

Me: What is addiction?
Student: It's when you just can't stop! Just like the Oreos!

Me: How are drugs made? Or where do they come from?
Student: THE GOVERNMENT!
(Different class period, different student, same question): MEXICO!

Me: What harmful effects can narcotics have on you?
Student: Well.... can't they make you, like.... constipated?

Student: Why can't scientists just invent a way to inject endorphins into yourself? Then we wouldn't have to exercise to be happy.
(another student's response to that question: "Well, they did that on Dr. Who and everybody that did it died after 5 minutes, sooo... probably don't want to do that.")

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I can only imagine what comments and questions are going to appear during our human sexuality unit... 

Happy Monday!!

A poem for Throwback Thursday

Helping Shelbs with her wedding last month constantly had me thinking back to when I first got married--what an unappreciated time! Date nights galore! 10 lbs skinnier! Not farting in front of each other! The list could go on and on.

After Shelbs got married, I hadn't really thought much about my wedding (besides on my anniversary, of course!), but as me and Shelbs were on our bike ride today, I couldn't help but think back to that time in my life when me and Chris were engaged, and then newlyweds. What a fun time! Then I remembered that my dad had found the poem he wrote for my wedding dinner a couple weeks ago... so I thought I'd share with blog world before I forgot again, because I love it.  My dad is the best at writing poems, and this one is probably my favorite. Mostly because it swears, but also because my dad wrote it + it makes me think back to that fun and exciting time in my life.

Enjoy!

Shayli’s Wedding Dinner  

(Shelby read the  underlined verses)

A September day, the twenty-fourth

Nineteen Ninety One

Our fourth of five was born, at last!

A girl!, and not a son. 

Months before a deal was made

The gender? Dad had to know

But Mom, she wanted to be surprised

Dad kept it on the down low

So Shay was born, a prank was set

Even the nurse complied

A boy blue cap on her head was placed

When Grandma came in she cried!

Another boy?  She said to mom

It almost made her hurl

She eventually found at diaper change

That Shayli was a girl. 

Shay added much to family life

Exception from the boys. 

Christmas, birthdays, and other times

Required much different toys.    

Dress up, dolls, most girlie things

She even ran some track

Running, gymnastics, and other sports

She seemed to have a knack

We both enjoy cheerleading and dance

Anything like that we try

In lieu of athletics, Cheerleading was it

My dad, he wanted to cry.

A softball player I hoped she’d be

We often practiced pitches

But Cheerleading gods, they got involved

Those dirty sons of bitches!

Driving cars, she does quite well

Really, we’ve had good luck

Chris, I feel I need to warn you now. 

She gravitates to trucks

So while we’re on this subject…

First day of college… remember?

She called my dad on the phone to say…

Her fault in a rear-ender!

A favorite time our family had

Oh, you had to be alert!

Who dared to wake our Shayli up?

A nap would get you hurt. 

Shay and Shelbs, I am proud to say

My girlie girls shoot guns

Hunter Safety they took and passed

One upping all three sons

We are so close, adventures many

Definitely all are wins

While out together some people thought

We were the Olsen Twins

Her wit is quick her humor keen

She makes us laugh all night

Quoting lines from movies is

A hoot, so fun, R-I-G-H-T!

So much for that let’s get to Chris

To us he is quite tall

Do you know when you passed the test?  (PAUSE)

Yes, at animal ball!

A little worried, I will admit

Basketball player?  What!

Holding your own at our crazy game…

That’s when you made the cut. 

We love your laugh you fit right in

I get a great new brother

I also know that for my sis,

For her there is no other

Welcome Chris, we love you both

Only the best we wish

I am still amazed that you could teach

A princess how to fish!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: GourleyDisney2015

If you follow me on Insta, you're probably sick of my vacation posts... sorry? But not sorry enough to  not blog about it.

If you've followed my blog for a while now (Michelle and Rachel) you already know what to expect after I go on vacation--the good, the bad, and the ugly. So let's just jump right into it, shall we? Because I have lots more pictures to dump and a blog is just the perfect place for that, right?

We're so happy + grateful that Martha had "Take whole family to Disneyland" on her bucket list! It let us escape the crazy that is our lives at the moment and just enjoy the crazy that is having the whole Gourley gang at Disneyland... just kidding! But really, trying to go on a ride all together as a group of 27 people is a little tricky...and loud...and "do you have so-and-so?!"  but we somehow made it work!

Anyway, enjoy the good, the bad, and the ugly from our #GourleyDisney2015 trip!

The Good:
-our flight NOT getting delayed
-the Dole whips (because, duh!)
-the beloved corn dogs ("curnies!" as Chris calls 'em) that could barely fit in my camera frame.
-Chris going on California Screamin' two times and NOT getting sick (I'm slowly converting him).
-the fireworks above the castle... HOLY FEELS!
-Fantasmic. Cue more feels.
-the Paint the Night parade! So freaking cool.
-showing Chris Cars Land for the first time (Cars is one of his favs) + being first in line for the Radiator Springs fast passes.
-having Chad and Michelle be the official tour guides (ha!)
-the pizza place we found across the street from Disneyland (cilantro, why you no on all pizzas?!)
-Martha's dream coming true of getting the whole family on Haunted Mansion.
-Chris not complaining about me dragging him to the Frozen show.
-Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain with the nieces and nephews AND Tom G!
-the beach + boogie boarding w/Chris + watching the nieces and nephews find the buried treasure

The Bad:
-my camera screen breaking
-Soarin' Over California, Space Mountain, and the Jedi Training being closed.
-Chris not dressing up as Darth Vader to make up for the lack of Jedi Training at Disneyland.
-the Matterhorn. Specifically when I was experiencing what I can only assume was a withdrawal headache from Dr. Pepper... that'll make you realize how bad the Matterhorn beats the hell out of you reaaaalll quick.
-Eating beef jerky + Cheezits all day everyday (I'm gagging just typing it).
-my breath from eating said beef jerky + Cheezits ^
-the aggressive birds at the beach that stole the fruit leather.
-not taking enough pictures at Disneyland

The Ugly:
-the throw up and poop accidents from the nieces and nephews...the risk you take when traveling with 15 grandkids I guess?
-our beach bods... we were motivated to to eat super healthy on our way back from the beach and then we ate at Outback for our anniversary dinner and were like, "mmmm, betta not..."
-the intensity of racing for a place to sit for the Fantasmic show--pushing, shoving, and running people over with the stroller. Obviously I'm not ready for that mom-life yet... do not put me in charge of your stroller! I repeat: Do not put me in charge of your stroller!
-me ugly crying at any and everything that made me feel all of the feels. Disneyland is so dangerous for me that way!
-coming back to reality... still trying to adjust.



I'm sure there's much more I could add to the lists, but I'll just keep it short and sweet--just like our vacation. Thank you Tom and Martha for the vacation to the happiest place on earth and making this whole trip possible! Me and Chris are definitely ready to help you keep crossing things off of your bucket lists ;)

LOV3

In married years, me and Chris are 3 year-olds as of today! For anyone wondering what it's like to be a 3 year-old, it's kind of the same as being a 2 year-old, except better. For one, you get to celebrate being a 3 year-old in Disneyland!!! (the good, the bad, and the ugly post to soon follow!) And because you're celebrating your anniversary, your husband will agree to haul around your anniversary picture all day while at Disneyland and not complain at all! He'll also agree to buy you dole whips and corndogs (!!!), but that's besides the point.  Obviously, year 3 is pretty bueno.

In all seriousness though, year 3 is awesome. It's so cliche to say, but it's true--marriage just gets better and better with each year! There's just some things that come with time, you know? You just can't fully understand certain things until you hit year three, like that you NEVER clean out your husband's hunting backpack, or that you should NEVER flick your wife's chin when she's mid-sentence (ha!). You also start to understand the phrase "let the little things go" a little more... but not quite fully, because let's face it--your'e still 3 year-olds + you still care a little bit that they don't load the dishwasher how you do and that no matter how hard you try, they're just not going to care about your fantasy football league no matter how much you try to talk about it with them.

But what you do understand is that you're with each other forever, so maybe you don't need to argue as much? And maybe it's time to to repair some of the damage/weight gain from the first 2 years of  marriage? And kissing and holdings hands is still important. And most importantly, that life is so much better when you have someone to laugh, cry, and freakout with through it all.

I'm so, so happy that I get to do life with you, Chris!
Happy anniversary, lover dover!

Choose your love, love your choice.

Halloweenies

Did you know there's a difference between the (totally real and totally not made up) words Halloweeny and Halloweenie?

Well, there is.

Halloweeny is what everyone on my instagram feed is... cutesy, carving pumpkins, swimming in corn at Cornbelly's, dressing all cute in their flannel, and attending Halloween parties.

Halloweenie is what me and Chris are this October... not cutesy, not carving pumpkins, not swimming in corn at Cornbelly's, not dressing all cute in our flannel, or attending Halloween parties.

You might say that Halloweenie's are a little jealous of Halloweeny's. It's fine. We're fine. I mean, who needs Cornbelly's and pumpkin patches when you have orange kit-kats in your kitchen?! Basically the same thing.

Okay, enough of my boo-tober cries! Because these Halloweenie's are packing up and getting ready to move! And in true Halloweenie fashion, we're moving on Halloween. Speaking of weenies... that's exactly what I feel like as I attempt packing. Woof. (Pinterest, why do you have to be so motivating AND discouraging at the same time?!) Feel free to leave tips + tricks for packing and moving for this amateur :)

Boo-tober and packing talk aside, we have so much to look forward to and so, so much to be grateful for! I just need to keep reminding myself of that as I keep packing boxes and eating orange kit-kats.

Wedding Day Nuke

Dear blog world,

I am alive... but only just. This month has been so crazy with baby & bridal showers, helping Shelbs with wedding stuff, family parties... oh, and the usual craziness that is our lives with Chris in grad school and me teaching school. So of course, this weekend (the one weekend I haven't had something to do or somewhere to be) I got sick. The kind of sickness that kept me in the fetal position praying that I was done excreting body fluids. So there's that lovely image for you!

All complaining aside, so many blog-worthy things have happened this month! Good things! Like the fact that I went two days without diet Dr. Pepper! Fall Break (#teacherperks)! Me and Chris are selling our town home! And last but not least.. SHELBS GOT MARRIED!!! As much as I know you'd all love to hear about my experience of going two days without that dark poison I call Dr. Pepper, I'm just going to ease back into this blogging thing with a bunch of pictures from my sister's wedding festivities this past week.

Shelbs' wedding was so perfect, so laid-back, and had me scratching my head saying "hmm, why didn't I think to do that?!" Such a typical thing of me to do anytime I see Shelby do or wear anything, really. Can I be Shelbs when I grow up?!

Anyway, I'll let my pictures of Shelbs wedding week do most of the blogging for me, since I'm trying to ease back into blog world + eat solid foods. Enjoy!

Shelbs was introduced to the G-life on Tuesday! Wahoo!

Her cute wedding dinner that I failed to take more pictures at.

Just keepin' it classy between the temple and reception ha!

Shelbs had a soda bar and cookies at her reception! S'cute, huh?! Why didn't I do that!?

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Hooley! AKA our new go-to couple!