Officially an Alum

uess what?  On Tuesday, I had my last class as a college undergraduate!  Yep, I'm officially Erin Ellis B.A. and it feels great!  I finished up my last day of student teaching last Friday, and had two days of classes on campus including my student teaching exit interview (which I passed with flying colors).  It's been a pretty busy week what with it being finals week, people moving in and out of the dorm, and Tyler having his last week of school, but he still managed to find time to send me these beautiful flowers as a congratulations to my "graduating."

Ouachita has done away with December commencement, so even though I am officially done and will get my diploma, I'll have to wait until May to actually participate in a ceremony and walk.  That doesn't bother me though, because I will just join all of my friends when they graduate in May.  It has been such a wonderful week.  Tyler and I are getting ready to drive back to Allen to be with our families and friends over the Christmas break, and I can't wait to get there and start playing games and catching up!  I'm looking forward to our first Christmas together.  It may seem a little weird at first, but I'm glad we'll be together for everything.  Even though we have been together for so long, we have never officially spent a Christmas morning together.  We've always stayed with our families, so this year is going to be even better!  In other news, I just signed my contract with Ouachita Baptist University.

I am now a Hall Director and Assistant Director of Campus Activities!  This is me signing my contract!

Tyler and I are very thankful for the new salary we will be getting come January, and hopefully we can start all that saving that we planned on doing since we got married!  That's about it for us in Arkadelphia, can't wait to see everyone when we get back to Allen!  Until then, Merry Christmas!

Due to Popular Demand...

o one should ever spend the holidays without one of these fabulous cookies.  Ever since I first got the recipe from Tyler's mother, there hasn't been a Thanksgiving/Christmas without them yet!  They are so good and so easy to make.  Since they are such a popular little cookie with all of our friends, I've decided to share the recipe!  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chip Cookies

1 can pumpkin pie mix

2 T milk

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

2 t vanilla

2 t baking soda

4 t baking powder

1 t salt

2 t cinnamon

4 cups flour

1 package of chocolate chips

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl (no order necessary) and drop by the spoonful on a cookie sheet (it does not need to be greased).  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.  Let them cool, and then top with cream cheese frosting!  CAUTION: one batch makes A TON of cookies!  You'll be baking for hours if you double it!  Enjoy!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

anta's just around the corner and there's been a lot of change around Arkadelphia...at least around our little apartment!  This is our first Christmas as a married couple, and if you know me, it's not Christmas without all the trimmings!  Also, you'll notice that we have put up new curtains in the living room.  That along with curtains in our room has finally made the place feel complete.  We also purchased a pot rack to hang above our island (an excellent purchase if I do say so myself) and it looks great!

All of that plus some Christmas decorations make it the coziest home during this winter season.  We have been so busy wrapping up this semester, I have officially finished my student teaching...I only have two more classes of paperwork and presentations and then I'm a college grad!  Tyler still has one more week of school left, and after that, its time to head back to Allen for the holidays!  Tyler and I have been Christmas shopping, and we can't wait to unload at our parents' houses with armloads of presents...okay, maybe not armloads!  Now the hardest part is waiting for this week to be over so we can focus on our friends and family and not on school.  Since I know this is what everyone wants...the rest of the post is pictures of our apartment!

Garland and candles on top of our entertainment center

 

Our Christmas tree up close

 

Garland on top of the entertainment center looking at Christmas tree and wreath

 

Stockings on the entertainment center (we treat it like our mantle).  Tyler is the Santa and I'm the snowman!

 

The wreath I got on sale from Crate and Barrel last year...I've been waiting a whole year to hang it up!

 

Presents under the tree...I've had some time on my hands

 

Full picture of the tree

 

Snowman pillow on the loveseat

 

The "E" that Tyler's mom gave to us!  I love it!

 

On the wall in our bathroom

 

Any little thing we had got put out...we're still collecting Christmas things...I have a feeling when stores put things on sale this year, we'll have some more goodies for next Christmas!

 

 The best attempt at a picture of the living room.  Not a lot of stuff going on, but our little apartment doesn't need a whole lot.  However, we will have a lot of Christmas goodies (cookies, cranberry bars, etc.) and we'll make sure to bring some home with us!

Merry Christmas!  We love you all!

Weekend Away in Branson

ast weekend, Tyler and I packed our bags and headed to Branson, Missouri! It was so wonderful to be able to get away from our busy lives for a little while and spend some time together. We made our way to Branson after school on Friday, and after a 5 hour drive, we finally made it to the Vegas of the south! The next morning we officially started our vacation by sleeping in. We enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the Brandon Cafe in downtown Branson, where I had the "plate sized cinnamon roll."

 

They weren't joking...it was HUGE! Needless to say, I didn't finish it. After breakfast, we walked around the downtown area, and then shopped at the Branson Landing (Branson's outdoor mall).

After a full morning of mostly window shopping, we made our way to Silver Dollar City to spend the day eating and walking through all the little shops...but mostly eating. Because Saturday was the first day that Branson was celebrating their Christmas season, it was a bit crowded. What should have been a ten minute drive to the park (only 5 miles) took 1 1/2 hours! Both of us would tell you though, it was worth the wait in traffic. Once we finally got to the park we immediately found something to eat. It was such a wonderful afternoon.

The weather was perfect, and even though it was very crowded, we were able to do everything we wanted...except get that turkey leg we had been looking for. We saw Dicken's Christmas Carol in the park, and rode FIRE IN THE HOLE! The lights at the park were incredible. They claim to have over 1 million, and I wouldn't be surprised. Every inch of every building was covered. It was overwhelming, especially for a Christmas enthusiast.

Some hot chocolate while we enjoyed the train ride, and some succotash while we watched the parade made the trip even more enjoyable. One of my favorite parts of the day was watching the christmas tree light up. It was the perfect ending to our day!

 

After a quick brunch on Sunday, we made our way back home to Arkadelphia. It's always good to come back home, but it was such a wonderful weekend. We're already making plans for next year! Silver Dollar City is celebrating their 50th anniversary, and we don't want to miss it!

An Arkansas Fall

One of the things I love about Arkansas is Fall!  Arkansas (the natural state) has the most beautiful trees, and when fall takes over and the leaves start changing, the colors are incredible! Here are some pictures just around campus.

Red!

Orange!

Yellow!

Green!

Sweet Molly stopped to take a picture with me!

Happy Fall!

A Bittersweet Victory

 Last week, the Freshman 15 played their last game.  Even though it was a victory, it was sad to know that the team that came together our freshman year in college was together for the last time.

The original Freshman 15

At the beginning of my freshman year at Oauchita, a bunch of girls on my hall got together and we formed a flag football team called The Freshman 15.  Ever since that first fall semester, the team has come back to play each year.  So for the fourth time, the Freshman 15 took the field for another season of flag football, in what may have been our best season yet!  On Tuesday, our team played in the championship game for the women's upper division tournament, and we won!

We had so much fun, and the best part...we mercy ruled the other team.  That means we scored so many times that they called the game early!  It was the best way to end our career.  After four years of playing together, we put our hands in the huddle for one final cheer.......1....2....3....GAIN WEIGHT!  I love those girls, and I can't imagine what my Ouachita experience would have been like without them!

#1 Fan!

Signiture good luck charm!

Wedding Weekend

This weekend, Tyler and I traveled home to Allen, Texas to be a part of our good friend Danielle's wedding!  It was such a beautiful wedding, and we were so glad we got to share the weekend with her.  It was so much fun being with our friends and family, and of course dancing the night away.  Danielle was beautiful, and I'm so glad I got the chance to sing in the wedding for her.

 

Here are all the girls at the rehearsal.  It was like reliving prom night (so many pictures)!  It was so much fun to see my "besties."  We had not seen each other since we left for school in August!

  After a wonderful dinner at Mama Emilia's Italian Restaurant, we headed back to Allen to finish the night off with unlimited bowling at Allen Bowl!  Not only was it unlimited bowling, but it was "glow bowl!"  That means bowling under black lights!

 

After bowling, we headed back to my parents house where we were staying to get a good night's rest for the big day.  The next morning, I headed to the Nicholson house to help set tables and alphabetize place cards.  We spent the morning getting things ready for the after party, and then we headed back home for a bridal brunch.  The rest of the afternoon was spent participating in a punt, pass, and kick challenge at the Ellis house, and Saturday afternoon football (Oklahoma vs. Texas).  Then, it was off to the chapel!

 

Everything was beautiful, the dresses, "the dress," the veil, the aisle, the stage, the flowers...you get it!  We took pictures, and I get to play bouncer for the bridal room.  I made sure no one got in who was not on the list.  It was a beautiful ceremony, and once again, I'm so glad I got to be a part of it all.  Not only was the ceremony beautiful, the reception was gorgeous!  It was perfect weather, and they couldn't have done a better job making their home look the way it did.  Here is a picture of the place cards.  They hung from shutters which hung in between some trees!

 

They had lights strung from the trees and mason jar candles hung on shepherd hooks which created a path through the tables.

 

Each table had a lantern for its centerpiece, along with other candles. You drank from a mason jar, and every five tables had a different pattern napkin.  The details put into the whole night were incredible!

 

It was such a wonderful weekend.  I got to see my family and my closest friends.  Below are just some more pictures from the weekend.

 

Sister Kayla and I at the reception

 

The beautiful bride!

Single Ladies Dance (a standing tradition now?)

 

The "besties"

The "besties" and their boos!  First time for this picture to be taken!  Yay!

Sisters at lunch on Sunday

At the reception

The wedding party taking pictures before the ceremony (such a gorgeous day!)

Rehearsal dinner...yum!