Happy Thursday, y'all!
I must first start this post on a somber note. My great-grandfather, we call him Papaw, passed away late last night. His health has been steadily declining for the past few months and we are all grateful that he is no longer suffering. Of course, this doesn't make the grieving process any easier. We are comforted by the fact that he lived an amazing life in his 87 years and cherish the memories we have. We are thankful that we got to spend one last Christmas with him and take some final pictures -- which I will share at another time. He was one of the most stubborn people you'd ever meet but was a truly Godly man who set a great example for us all. I'm so thankful for the memories I have and that Nathan was able to know him. I ask that you give my family, especially my Nanny, your thoughts and prayers over the next few days. We will be extremely grateful for them!
Speaking of Christmas pictures... I'm still having problems getting them loaded. I think they'll have to wait until I get back to work next week and have a better connection speed. Better late than never, right?! So today, I'll be discussing my thoughts on 2011 and my intentions for 2012.
There are many things that stick out in my mind over the past year. We welcomed a new baby girl in our family, Nathan and I got another dog, I became a 20-something, and, probably the biggest to me, I got engaged! 2011 was a rollar coaster year. Many of the details I have not shared publicly on this blog. But, I know that my blessings heavily outweigh the trials I've had. I'm grateful for both! I know that 2012 is going to be a BIG year for me... in more than one way. I'll turn 21, my sister will graduate from high school and start college, my parents will celebrate 25 years together, I will be preparing for student teaching, it will be the last year at the job I've had for almost 4 years, and I will get a new last name. Of course, I'm sure many things will happen that aren't in "my plan", but that's just life. However, I do have some things I intend to do in 2012. Some are just continuations of things I already do and some are brand new goals for myself. Here's my list:
#1. Stick to the budget! I have created my wedding budget and monthly budget to allow me to save a great chunk of money. I'm lucky that my college tuition was paid for by a scholarship and that has allowed me to save a lot of my money and have no debt! However, it's time to buckle down and be super strict with my money. I now have a bit of motivation called a wedding. I really intend to stick to both budgets as I know it will ease the stress during the process.
#2. Cut out sweets! I have to be honest and say that I'm not looking forward to this. I have a major sweet tooth. I mean, major. I'm not wanting to cut out indulgences completely in my life, but they do not need to be a daily occurence as they are now. I know it's not healthy and it affects my complexion. If I can achieve this, it will be a major accomplishment for me.
#3. Continue my exercising habits! I have been very good during my time at college to schedule workout time at least 4 days a week. It's my time to de-stress and plug out of the world. I definitely want to keep up this habit in my life to look my best in a certain white dress :)
#4. Continue my efforts in school and work. Lord willing, I've been able to maintain a 4.0 during my time at college and work 20 hours a week. I want to continue to keep that balance during my last 3 semesters. Staying busy helps keep me focused!
#5. Step out of my comfort zone! This mainly applies to my goals with Mary Kay. Any profits I receive from this "job", will be put towards the wedding so I'm going to try anything I can to be successful! I think it's important for me to step out of my comfort zone to advertise myself and share information on Mary Kay.
#6. Remember that it's about marriage; not the wedding! Of course, the wedding is important, fun, and exciting, but it's only one day. Marriage is forever! I think one of the reasons Nathan and I dated so long before we got engaged was because we both take marriage very seriously. We didn't want to be engaged until we discussed issues that needed to be discussed and knew that we could make this work. The keyword there is work. My mom and dad got us a book for Christmas that I will be posting about soon. I've already read several chapters and am so thankful for it! I have no doubts that Nathan and I are forever but I also know that any relationship can be improved and needs to continually be worked on. Even though we've been together almost 6 years, I'm sure that during the next 9 months we'll learn a lot about each other!
#7. Continually improve my relationship with God. I fail him daily and am ever-so-grateful that he still loves and forgives me. I really want to bury myself in His Word over the next year and learn about it. I really, really do!
I know that we all have resolutions each year and I wish you the best of luck with yours!
The blog will probably be vacated over the weekend as my family and I deal with the funeral of my Papaw and Nathan and I host our NYE party. I truly hope that each of you ring in the new year with a smile and your favorite people! I also pray that your year will be filled with peace and blessings :)
Love to you all!
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wedding Wednesday
The first of many, y'all :) It's pretty surreal for me to writing this. I've always dreamed of it and have to pinch myself now that it's here.
Let's see. Here's what we've accomplished in our 12 days of engagement.
#1 -- The date is set. 9/29/2012. It feels so good to write that out.
#2 -- Photgrapher is booked. I am so thrilled that Julia Christopher Photographry was available on the date we wanted. Nathan and I have never had professional pictures taken together so an amazing photographer was on the top of my list. In fact, it was a priority of mine. I cannot wait to have our engagement pictures and wedding day captured by her. And I can't wait for her to make me look as beautiful as these ladies...
#3 -- I have created my budget and to-do list for this process. I am ever so grateful to my friend, Emily, for helping me out with this. I honestly have to say that I haven't felt stressed at all so far and I think it's mainly because I know what I need to do and when I need to do it. My biggest fear is that I will forget something, but I feel very confident that won't happen with all of my spreadsheets :) I am a planner and a bit OCD so any bit of organization helps me breathe easier.
#4 -- I have an appointment to go look at wedding dresses... and very soon I might add. I can't think about anything else other than the dress right now and I just need to get it out of the way. I know that this will make the process seem even more real to me and I know it will be a blast!
#5 -- Nate and I are going to contact the owner of the venue where we're hopeful to have our wedding. I have seen others get married at this location and it's absolutely gorgeous. We're hopful that when we see it we'll be able to vision everything and that we'll be able to book it on our date.
#6 -- I'm starting to research decorations I'm interested in and jotting down which places have the best prices. The whole feel we are going after is rustic chic. Or sparkle and hay, as I sometimes call it. It just fits who we are and will be easy for us to create.
#7 -- We have decided on our bridal party and will be asking each of them sometime in the next week. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such great people!
To be honest, I've been browsing around on the internet looking at ideas for at least a year. You can bet that I've already got a lot planned out in my head... now I just need to get that into real life :)
I guess that's all for today. I hope to continue making good progress each week and I'll keep you updated on it. Hopefully, I'll keep you interested... not bored ;) Happy Wednesday, y'all!
Let's see. Here's what we've accomplished in our 12 days of engagement.
#1 -- The date is set. 9/29/2012. It feels so good to write that out.
#2 -- Photgrapher is booked. I am so thrilled that Julia Christopher Photographry was available on the date we wanted. Nathan and I have never had professional pictures taken together so an amazing photographer was on the top of my list. In fact, it was a priority of mine. I cannot wait to have our engagement pictures and wedding day captured by her. And I can't wait for her to make me look as beautiful as these ladies...
#3 -- I have created my budget and to-do list for this process. I am ever so grateful to my friend, Emily, for helping me out with this. I honestly have to say that I haven't felt stressed at all so far and I think it's mainly because I know what I need to do and when I need to do it. My biggest fear is that I will forget something, but I feel very confident that won't happen with all of my spreadsheets :) I am a planner and a bit OCD so any bit of organization helps me breathe easier.
#4 -- I have an appointment to go look at wedding dresses... and very soon I might add. I can't think about anything else other than the dress right now and I just need to get it out of the way. I know that this will make the process seem even more real to me and I know it will be a blast!
#5 -- Nate and I are going to contact the owner of the venue where we're hopeful to have our wedding. I have seen others get married at this location and it's absolutely gorgeous. We're hopful that when we see it we'll be able to vision everything and that we'll be able to book it on our date.
#6 -- I'm starting to research decorations I'm interested in and jotting down which places have the best prices. The whole feel we are going after is rustic chic. Or sparkle and hay, as I sometimes call it. It just fits who we are and will be easy for us to create.
#7 -- We have decided on our bridal party and will be asking each of them sometime in the next week. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such great people!
To be honest, I've been browsing around on the internet looking at ideas for at least a year. You can bet that I've already got a lot planned out in my head... now I just need to get that into real life :)
I guess that's all for today. I hope to continue making good progress each week and I'll keep you updated on it. Hopefully, I'll keep you interested... not bored ;) Happy Wednesday, y'all!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
what a Merry Christmas it was...
Wow! Where has the time gone y'all?!
I had an amazing Christmas that I'm sure I won't forget -- my last as a single lady :)
I planned to post all of my pictures but my connection speed isn't quite cooperating so we'll have to try that again some other time this week. But, let me give ya a recap of what I've been up to since my last post...
Well, first, let me go in to more detail of our engagement night date. After I picked out my ring, we went to Logan's Roadhouse and spent a ton of money on food. We kept saying that you only get engaged once so we better live the night up! We ran to Kroger real quick afterwards to grab a few items for Holiday cooking then treated ourselves to a movie, the new Footloose! I have to say that I'm a major fan of the old one so I was kind of skeptical about this, but I was pleased! They modernized it without screwing it up. We went back to his place after that and just chilled for the night. I have to be honest and say that I didn't sleep well that night. But hey, I had a lot to think about ;) Trust me when I say that I slept like a rock the night later though.
On Saturday (the 17th), we had a big Christmas gathering with one side of my family. It was so much fun to show off my ring and call him my fiance now. I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to that.
In the days following...
we spent time relaxing at his place,
I had some Starbuck's with a friend,
wrapped all my Christmas presents,
had a Christmas party with my Mary Kay ladies,
babysitting my two favorite girls,
had dinner and a movie with another friend,
and, most of all, spent plenty of time with my family and friends eating tons of yummy food!
I also made sure to take time to thank God for all my blessings... as there are many.
This afternoon, I took advantage of some amazing Christmas sales! I had an afternoon of solitary retail therapy, dinner at Chik-Fil-A, and am now about to start looking through my pile of Bridal magazines. Oh yes, the madness has begun :) In fact, I plan to do a wedding related post tomorrow -- Wedding Wednesday, shall we call it?! Y'all stay tuned for that :)
Until next time, I pray that each of you had just as wonderful of a Christmas as I did. Now it's time to start thinking about those resolutions for 2012. You can bet I have some... but that's a whole different post.
Happy Tuesday, ladies!
I had an amazing Christmas that I'm sure I won't forget -- my last as a single lady :)
I planned to post all of my pictures but my connection speed isn't quite cooperating so we'll have to try that again some other time this week. But, let me give ya a recap of what I've been up to since my last post...
Well, first, let me go in to more detail of our engagement night date. After I picked out my ring, we went to Logan's Roadhouse and spent a ton of money on food. We kept saying that you only get engaged once so we better live the night up! We ran to Kroger real quick afterwards to grab a few items for Holiday cooking then treated ourselves to a movie, the new Footloose! I have to say that I'm a major fan of the old one so I was kind of skeptical about this, but I was pleased! They modernized it without screwing it up. We went back to his place after that and just chilled for the night. I have to be honest and say that I didn't sleep well that night. But hey, I had a lot to think about ;) Trust me when I say that I slept like a rock the night later though.
On Saturday (the 17th), we had a big Christmas gathering with one side of my family. It was so much fun to show off my ring and call him my fiance now. I'm not sure if I'll ever get used to that.
In the days following...
we spent time relaxing at his place,
I had some Starbuck's with a friend,
wrapped all my Christmas presents,
had a Christmas party with my Mary Kay ladies,
babysitting my two favorite girls,
had dinner and a movie with another friend,
and, most of all, spent plenty of time with my family and friends eating tons of yummy food!
I also made sure to take time to thank God for all my blessings... as there are many.
This afternoon, I took advantage of some amazing Christmas sales! I had an afternoon of solitary retail therapy, dinner at Chik-Fil-A, and am now about to start looking through my pile of Bridal magazines. Oh yes, the madness has begun :) In fact, I plan to do a wedding related post tomorrow -- Wedding Wednesday, shall we call it?! Y'all stay tuned for that :)
Until next time, I pray that each of you had just as wonderful of a Christmas as I did. Now it's time to start thinking about those resolutions for 2012. You can bet I have some... but that's a whole different post.
Happy Tuesday, ladies!
Sunday, December 18, 2011
cloud 9
Look at what I'm now sporting on a certain finger of my left hand.
That's right, y'all! I'M ENGAGED! And I feel like I'm on cloud 9. They always say that women who are pregnant have a certain glow -- but I'm pretty sure there's a certain glow for this as well. I wish they could bottle up these emotions... there's nothing like it! So you wanna hear the story? Let's begin.
I have to say that I was expecting to get engaged over the Holiday season but I never expected it to be before Christmas. So yes, he caught me off guard! He took a vacation day on Friday (12/16) and we had planned a nice date night of running random errands, getting some dinner, and watching a movie. It sounded perfect to me! I got over to his house about 1:00 and he was just about to start getting ready. He took a shower and then said he was gonna go feed the dogs before he put on any good clothes. To be honest, I noticed that he ran out the door pretty quickly. After a couple minutes, he ran in and told me I needed to hurry and come out to the garage to see what the dogs had done now. I thought, "Great, what are we gonna have to clean up now? It's cold outside. It's sleeting. Blah!" But I just put on my shoes and went out there. It wasn't very quickly though. I had done a Jillian Michaels video the day before and I felt the pain. As I got closer to the garage, I kept hearing these bells and I had no idea what it was. I opened the door and Boone greeted me wearing this.
It didn't really sink in yet. I kept asking what was going on and Nate said he just slipped into it. But it was tied on. I think he knew I was becoming confused. The next thing I know he's on one knee asking me to marry him. I asked him TWICE if he was serious because I was in shock and just couldn't believe it. After some reassurance, I screamed yes and told him to get off his knee so I could hug him. I think we spent about 10 minutes just hugging. It was such an amazing feeling! Then he says that we are going ring shopping tonight instead and I could pick out any ring that I wanted. Say what? Yea, girls! It was perfect! We then took a few pictures to document everything.
Here's me and the "engagement pup" as we now call him.
Here's our first picture as an engaged couple.
Here we are about to head out the door and go ring shopping.
I cannot put into words how perfect his proposal was. I never told him but I've always wanted to it to be private and somehow be "us." He did great! What's more us than our dogs and him wearing some camo?! I'm thrilled that he chose to have me pick out a ring after the proposal. It was less stress on both of us and it led me to be more surprised!
And the ring shopping? It only took me about 45 minutes. I hadn't even looked at anything before but I've always had a picture in my mind of what I wanted. I knew it when I saw it. It's just perfect for me! Nathan was great... he just kept telling me to take my time and get exactly what I wanted. I cannot stop looking at it and I'm going to be devastated when I have to send it off to be resized -- right now, I'm temporarily wearing a spacer to keep it on. I have loved being able to show it off to my famiy at Christmas gatherings.
So now begins the wedding planning. Honestly, we've discussed a few things already (nothing definite yet) and we're both on the same page. Huge relief! After the holidays, I'm sure wedding planning will become hardcore. And I'm sure y'all will hear about it! I will not make this a wedding-topic-only blog but I definitely want to remember everything about this time. Be prepared to hear all the good, bad, and ugly from me :)
I haven't been able to stop smiling and I'm so grateful for all the well wishes we have received! We are so blessed to have each other and even more blessed to be surrounded by such supportive and loving people. I cannot wait to begin this new chapter of life with my best friend right beside me!
--Future Mrs. M :)
That's right, y'all! I'M ENGAGED! And I feel like I'm on cloud 9. They always say that women who are pregnant have a certain glow -- but I'm pretty sure there's a certain glow for this as well. I wish they could bottle up these emotions... there's nothing like it! So you wanna hear the story? Let's begin.
I have to say that I was expecting to get engaged over the Holiday season but I never expected it to be before Christmas. So yes, he caught me off guard! He took a vacation day on Friday (12/16) and we had planned a nice date night of running random errands, getting some dinner, and watching a movie. It sounded perfect to me! I got over to his house about 1:00 and he was just about to start getting ready. He took a shower and then said he was gonna go feed the dogs before he put on any good clothes. To be honest, I noticed that he ran out the door pretty quickly. After a couple minutes, he ran in and told me I needed to hurry and come out to the garage to see what the dogs had done now. I thought, "Great, what are we gonna have to clean up now? It's cold outside. It's sleeting. Blah!" But I just put on my shoes and went out there. It wasn't very quickly though. I had done a Jillian Michaels video the day before and I felt the pain. As I got closer to the garage, I kept hearing these bells and I had no idea what it was. I opened the door and Boone greeted me wearing this.
It didn't really sink in yet. I kept asking what was going on and Nate said he just slipped into it. But it was tied on. I think he knew I was becoming confused. The next thing I know he's on one knee asking me to marry him. I asked him TWICE if he was serious because I was in shock and just couldn't believe it. After some reassurance, I screamed yes and told him to get off his knee so I could hug him. I think we spent about 10 minutes just hugging. It was such an amazing feeling! Then he says that we are going ring shopping tonight instead and I could pick out any ring that I wanted. Say what? Yea, girls! It was perfect! We then took a few pictures to document everything.
Here's me and the "engagement pup" as we now call him.
Here's our first picture as an engaged couple.
Here we are about to head out the door and go ring shopping.
I cannot put into words how perfect his proposal was. I never told him but I've always wanted to it to be private and somehow be "us." He did great! What's more us than our dogs and him wearing some camo?! I'm thrilled that he chose to have me pick out a ring after the proposal. It was less stress on both of us and it led me to be more surprised!
And the ring shopping? It only took me about 45 minutes. I hadn't even looked at anything before but I've always had a picture in my mind of what I wanted. I knew it when I saw it. It's just perfect for me! Nathan was great... he just kept telling me to take my time and get exactly what I wanted. I cannot stop looking at it and I'm going to be devastated when I have to send it off to be resized -- right now, I'm temporarily wearing a spacer to keep it on. I have loved being able to show it off to my famiy at Christmas gatherings.
So now begins the wedding planning. Honestly, we've discussed a few things already (nothing definite yet) and we're both on the same page. Huge relief! After the holidays, I'm sure wedding planning will become hardcore. And I'm sure y'all will hear about it! I will not make this a wedding-topic-only blog but I definitely want to remember everything about this time. Be prepared to hear all the good, bad, and ugly from me :)
I haven't been able to stop smiling and I'm so grateful for all the well wishes we have received! We are so blessed to have each other and even more blessed to be surrounded by such supportive and loving people. I cannot wait to begin this new chapter of life with my best friend right beside me!
--Future Mrs. M :)
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Christmas details
Happy Thursday night, readers!
I have thoroughly enjoyed my first day of winter break... and surprisingly, have been pretty productive. I crossed the first thing off my to-do list by cleaning Nate's place from top to bottom. The floors are mopped, rugs are vaccumed, furniture is dusted, and it smells ridiculously good! Well, at least it did when I left. I know many people HATE cleaning, but something about it just relaxes me. I love when things are clean and in their place! It didn't hurt that I had "Home Alone" playing throughout the time I was cleaning. I mean, does that movie ever get old? :)
Anyway, I managed to snap some pictures of the Christmas decor he has. It isn't much of anything but we still love it! Ok, mainly I'm the one who adores it, but he humors me. Enjoy the look-see...
This was a Black Friday deal from Kohl's. This rug was regularly priced at almost $20 and I got it for less than $5! I love that we'll still be able to keep it around after Christmas since it's winter-y. You can tell there have been some muddy shoes on it, but it's still cute!
And, yet again, another BF deal from Kohl's. I think I got this for around $8 and it was regularly about $30. It's perfect as a door hanger and isn't so feminine that Nathan hates it. The wood gives it a nice touch!
Nathan's mom handmade this wreath for us. I absolutely LOVE it! She said it was extremely simple, but I'm not sure if I believe her. It turned out amazing and I love that she stuck some ornaments in there. I probably won't want to take this down after Christmas - ha!
Here's the tree. I finally got a bow for it so I think it's completed. As I've said before on here, we used red, silver, and gold ornament balls with white icicle ornamets, red ribbon garland, and some popcorn garland. (Hand strung by my Dad!) I love the way it turned out! Neither of us had a clue what we were doing so I'm pretty proud of ourselves :)
There ya have it! Since he just moved a couple months ago, we didn't have a single Christmas decoration so hopefully next year there will be a bit more decor. I'm still satisfied with it!
Nathan took a vacation day tomorrow and after a morning of duck hunting, we're heading to do a tiny bit of Christmas shopping and have a date night :) Hopefully the crowds won't be too awful and we can be productive! Hope you all have a great night and Friday :)
I have thoroughly enjoyed my first day of winter break... and surprisingly, have been pretty productive. I crossed the first thing off my to-do list by cleaning Nate's place from top to bottom. The floors are mopped, rugs are vaccumed, furniture is dusted, and it smells ridiculously good! Well, at least it did when I left. I know many people HATE cleaning, but something about it just relaxes me. I love when things are clean and in their place! It didn't hurt that I had "Home Alone" playing throughout the time I was cleaning. I mean, does that movie ever get old? :)
Anyway, I managed to snap some pictures of the Christmas decor he has. It isn't much of anything but we still love it! Ok, mainly I'm the one who adores it, but he humors me. Enjoy the look-see...
This was a Black Friday deal from Kohl's. This rug was regularly priced at almost $20 and I got it for less than $5! I love that we'll still be able to keep it around after Christmas since it's winter-y. You can tell there have been some muddy shoes on it, but it's still cute!
And, yet again, another BF deal from Kohl's. I think I got this for around $8 and it was regularly about $30. It's perfect as a door hanger and isn't so feminine that Nathan hates it. The wood gives it a nice touch!
Nathan's mom handmade this wreath for us. I absolutely LOVE it! She said it was extremely simple, but I'm not sure if I believe her. It turned out amazing and I love that she stuck some ornaments in there. I probably won't want to take this down after Christmas - ha!
Here's the tree. I finally got a bow for it so I think it's completed. As I've said before on here, we used red, silver, and gold ornament balls with white icicle ornamets, red ribbon garland, and some popcorn garland. (Hand strung by my Dad!) I love the way it turned out! Neither of us had a clue what we were doing so I'm pretty proud of ourselves :)
There ya have it! Since he just moved a couple months ago, we didn't have a single Christmas decoration so hopefully next year there will be a bit more decor. I'm still satisfied with it!
Nathan took a vacation day tomorrow and after a morning of duck hunting, we're heading to do a tiny bit of Christmas shopping and have a date night :) Hopefully the crowds won't be too awful and we can be productive! Hope you all have a great night and Friday :)
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
it's about to begin :)
In about 30 minutes, I will be leaving work not to return on this campus until January 3, 2012! Thank you Lord for...
After a workout I'm going to buy one of my last Christmas presents and head to dinner with one of my best friends! Then I plan to go home, watch TV, and do whatever the heck I please :) Here's a brief list of other things I plan to do over my break:
--thoroughly clean Nate's place. Like mop the floors, dust, all that fun stuff. On the weekends, I have time to help him with laundry, dishes, and sweep the floors but since we never see each other during the week, we don't spend the majority of our time on that stuff. I'm gonna have that place sparkling ;)
--Finish Christmas shopping. All this will consist of is an online order I'm going to make this Friday then everyone on my list will be crossed off. The bad part? I haven't wrapped a single gift - ha! I haven't even bought wrapping paper. That's definitely on my to-do list ;)
--Spend tons of time with family and my boy! :)
--Watch TV, Christmas movies, read books, etc. I never have time to do these things during the semester so I always look forward to it!
--Have all our friends over for a NYE party. I think that's going to become a new tradition.
--Bake a few goodies for Nate and his friends to take duck hunting. I'll let you know if they're a success or fail!
--Go shopping with my Christmas moolah!
I literally don't know what I'm going to do with all this time on my hands. I know it will fly by but I'm so looking forward to it :) I won't abandon my bloggy during that time so stay tuned for my Christmas adventures!
Happy Hump Day, y'all :)
After a workout I'm going to buy one of my last Christmas presents and head to dinner with one of my best friends! Then I plan to go home, watch TV, and do whatever the heck I please :) Here's a brief list of other things I plan to do over my break:
--thoroughly clean Nate's place. Like mop the floors, dust, all that fun stuff. On the weekends, I have time to help him with laundry, dishes, and sweep the floors but since we never see each other during the week, we don't spend the majority of our time on that stuff. I'm gonna have that place sparkling ;)
--Finish Christmas shopping. All this will consist of is an online order I'm going to make this Friday then everyone on my list will be crossed off. The bad part? I haven't wrapped a single gift - ha! I haven't even bought wrapping paper. That's definitely on my to-do list ;)
--Spend tons of time with family and my boy! :)
--Watch TV, Christmas movies, read books, etc. I never have time to do these things during the semester so I always look forward to it!
--Have all our friends over for a NYE party. I think that's going to become a new tradition.
--Bake a few goodies for Nate and his friends to take duck hunting. I'll let you know if they're a success or fail!
--Go shopping with my Christmas moolah!
I literally don't know what I'm going to do with all this time on my hands. I know it will fly by but I'm so looking forward to it :) I won't abandon my bloggy during that time so stay tuned for my Christmas adventures!
Happy Hump Day, y'all :)
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
there's not an appropriate title for this
Be warned, y'all. This may be my most random post to date.
First and foremost, I have to wish my Dad a Happy (late) Birthday! He celebrated on the 8th and I just didn't have the time to hop on here. Here's one of my favorite pics of us! My sis and I are extremely blessed :)
Next, I would just like to share with the world that I AM DONE WITH THIS SEMESTER! I am now considered a Senior at WKU and will be applying for graduation within the next few weeks! However, I still have 3 semesters left. I am considered a Senior because I have never taken less than 15 credit hours a semester thus far. It has made things totally crazy the past couple years but it has paid off! And, I get to apply for graduation because WKU requires you to once you reach a certain amount of credit hours. Anywho, I am ridiculously excited! This Peanuts cartoon perfectly describes what Finals week has felt like to me.
But, it's over :)
Now I'd like to discuss a popular Holiday tradition in many homes. The Elf on a Shelf.
In case you're unaware of what it is, I'll try to explain. From what I understand, many people buy one and display it in their house. They tell their kids he's a helper for Santa and watches them each day then reports their behavior to Santa. Therefore, they're going to act great to stay on the "Nice" list. Actually, I think it's a pretty awesome and clever idea. I've even heard of some teachers displaying them in classrooms. Genius! Here's my problem with it. It totally creeps me out. I don't think I'll ever have one of these in my house because I'd be afraid it would come to life or something. I guess that's just a product of being part of the "Chucky" generation.
Moving on to a much more attractive subject. Y'all ever heard of a fellow named Tim Tebow? He's quite handsome and plays a little sport called Football. He's been stirring up quite a batch of controversy lately with his outward display of his faith. I wanted to throw in my two cents about the issue.
I think he is one of the best things that has happened to Football in a long time. He's talented, humble, and seems like a really decent guy. He's the perfect role model for young kids everywhere. I don't see what the big fuss is, to be honest. I've seen players cuss on TV and get less attention than he is. If he ever stumbles across this little old blog, I give him major props for staying true to who he is and what he believes! We could all take a lesson from that, don't ya think? :)
That's all I have for today. I'm off to catch up on some work projects that I've been putting off due to finals. Have a great Tuesday, y'all!
First and foremost, I have to wish my Dad a Happy (late) Birthday! He celebrated on the 8th and I just didn't have the time to hop on here. Here's one of my favorite pics of us! My sis and I are extremely blessed :)
Next, I would just like to share with the world that I AM DONE WITH THIS SEMESTER! I am now considered a Senior at WKU and will be applying for graduation within the next few weeks! However, I still have 3 semesters left. I am considered a Senior because I have never taken less than 15 credit hours a semester thus far. It has made things totally crazy the past couple years but it has paid off! And, I get to apply for graduation because WKU requires you to once you reach a certain amount of credit hours. Anywho, I am ridiculously excited! This Peanuts cartoon perfectly describes what Finals week has felt like to me.
But, it's over :)
Now I'd like to discuss a popular Holiday tradition in many homes. The Elf on a Shelf.
In case you're unaware of what it is, I'll try to explain. From what I understand, many people buy one and display it in their house. They tell their kids he's a helper for Santa and watches them each day then reports their behavior to Santa. Therefore, they're going to act great to stay on the "Nice" list. Actually, I think it's a pretty awesome and clever idea. I've even heard of some teachers displaying them in classrooms. Genius! Here's my problem with it. It totally creeps me out. I don't think I'll ever have one of these in my house because I'd be afraid it would come to life or something. I guess that's just a product of being part of the "Chucky" generation.
Moving on to a much more attractive subject. Y'all ever heard of a fellow named Tim Tebow? He's quite handsome and plays a little sport called Football. He's been stirring up quite a batch of controversy lately with his outward display of his faith. I wanted to throw in my two cents about the issue.
I think he is one of the best things that has happened to Football in a long time. He's talented, humble, and seems like a really decent guy. He's the perfect role model for young kids everywhere. I don't see what the big fuss is, to be honest. I've seen players cuss on TV and get less attention than he is. If he ever stumbles across this little old blog, I give him major props for staying true to who he is and what he believes! We could all take a lesson from that, don't ya think? :)
That's all I have for today. I'm off to catch up on some work projects that I've been putting off due to finals. Have a great Tuesday, y'all!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Sweet Christmas Recipes
Pinterest is invading my bloggy again today. I'm sharing some super cute recieps today that look very tasty! I hope it gives you some inspiration for your Christmas cooking. Take a look, y'all!
Peppermint Bark. Recipe found HERE.
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Recipe found HERE.
Monkey Bread. Recipe found HERE.
Sugar Cookie Swirl. Recipe found HERE.
Santa Hat Brownies. Recipe found HERE.
What is it about Christmas that makes you wanna fire up the oven and eat something sweet? The last part happens to me just about everyday but ya know what I mean. ;) Have a great Wednesday, y'all!
Peppermint Bark. Recipe found HERE.
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Recipe found HERE.
Monkey Bread. Recipe found HERE.
Sugar Cookie Swirl. Recipe found HERE.
Santa Hat Brownies. Recipe found HERE.
What is it about Christmas that makes you wanna fire up the oven and eat something sweet? The last part happens to me just about everyday but ya know what I mean. ;) Have a great Wednesday, y'all!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
grown-up Christmas list
I love Christmas! It's one of the only times a year you can make this big list of useless material things you want and not feel bad about it. Catch the sarcasm?! ;) Anywho, I always have my list full and here's what's on it this year:
I love me some Vera. She's always in style and lasts forever. My aunt and uncle got me a tote of hers for my high school graduation that I use almost everyday. I want one bigger though for when I do overnight trips at my friends or have a ton of stuff to carry around for school.
Victoria's Secret Yoga Pants. I've never actually tried any of these on, but I hear good things about them. This will probably be a purchase from my Christmas money. I'm picky about sweatpants so I'll let ya know if they pass the test ;) They're definitely super cute though!
Professional Attire. I made sure to mention this to just about everyone who buys for me. I'll be in the classroom more next semester and need appropriate clothes. I have a good selection right now, but I don't think you can ever have enough basic essentials. Mixing and matching is the key for me!
Burlap Toms. I'm not sure if I'll actually purchase these, but they are on my list and are super cute. In case you haven't noticed, I think a lot before I actually purchase items. I just hate buying stuff that I'm afraid I won't actually wear -- even if it's cute :)
There are a couple random books and CDs on my list, but I had to share this one.
I don't remember where I found this but a lightbulb went off when I found it. I can't wait to stick my head in this!
My main gift idea is a new camera. There's absolutely nothing wrong with my old one... I just wanted a nicer one. Meet the Kodak z5010. I hope this bad boy makes an appearance on Christmas ;)
Finally, there are a couple pairs of boots on my list. The ones you see below (from Target) and a grey pair from Kohl's that I couldn't find a picture of. I mean, can you really have too many boots?! ;)
So, there you have it! Do we have some of the same items? Of course, the presents don't really matter. I'm mostly just looking forward to having some time off and being with my family. That's what is important :)
Happy Tuesday, friends!
I love me some Vera. She's always in style and lasts forever. My aunt and uncle got me a tote of hers for my high school graduation that I use almost everyday. I want one bigger though for when I do overnight trips at my friends or have a ton of stuff to carry around for school.
Victoria's Secret Yoga Pants. I've never actually tried any of these on, but I hear good things about them. This will probably be a purchase from my Christmas money. I'm picky about sweatpants so I'll let ya know if they pass the test ;) They're definitely super cute though!
Professional Attire. I made sure to mention this to just about everyone who buys for me. I'll be in the classroom more next semester and need appropriate clothes. I have a good selection right now, but I don't think you can ever have enough basic essentials. Mixing and matching is the key for me!
Burlap Toms. I'm not sure if I'll actually purchase these, but they are on my list and are super cute. In case you haven't noticed, I think a lot before I actually purchase items. I just hate buying stuff that I'm afraid I won't actually wear -- even if it's cute :)
There are a couple random books and CDs on my list, but I had to share this one.
I don't remember where I found this but a lightbulb went off when I found it. I can't wait to stick my head in this!
My main gift idea is a new camera. There's absolutely nothing wrong with my old one... I just wanted a nicer one. Meet the Kodak z5010. I hope this bad boy makes an appearance on Christmas ;)
Finally, there are a couple pairs of boots on my list. The ones you see below (from Target) and a grey pair from Kohl's that I couldn't find a picture of. I mean, can you really have too many boots?! ;)
So, there you have it! Do we have some of the same items? Of course, the presents don't really matter. I'm mostly just looking forward to having some time off and being with my family. That's what is important :)
Happy Tuesday, friends!
Monday, December 5, 2011
hey, funny story!
I had a wonderful weekend! But, there are some funny stories I have to tell y'all about. Sometimes I think my life is a TV show.
Nathan and I thoroughly enjoyed our extra time together this weekend. It was so nice to just have a normal schedule -- but it was definitely rough when he went back to his old one. (Prayers that he'll have a normal schedule one day or another!) Anywho, we went out on Friday night to Muhlenberg County. Fun Fact: that's where we went on our first date! We ran several errands (including grocery shopping) and ate some awesome Mexican food. At this point, it was about 8:30 pm. We decided to go see the late movie of "Jack and Jill." It's Adam Sandler's newest one so we figured it would be great!
WRONG! We were the only ones in the theater and we literally both slept through the whole thing. It was one of those moments when you realize you're getting older and can't stay awake for the late movie anymore. We both got a good laugh out of that one :) It was still a great night however... we figured out that it was our first date night, just us, since August. Long overdue, folks!
On Saturday we had a yummy Christmas lunch with one part of his family. They do soups and sandwiches for Christmas which is a nice break from all the typical food! We were both starving so it was great! That afternoon was our local Christmas parade. My mom, Nandad, and I took this sweet girl :)
It was an absolute blast! The funny part about this is that I think Mom and I had just as much fun as Lily did. It's so fun to see Christmas through a child's eyes! She behaved so well and was tickled to death to get candy, a hat, and a stuffed elephant. She's at the perfect age for Christmas so we can't wait to watch her this year :)
Yesterday was quite interesting. I'm convinced my boyfriend tried to kill me. Here's the proof!
Yup, told ya so. We were taking down some wooden horse stalls in his garage yesterday afternoon. He was about to put Baylie up so I was holding up one of the doors for him while he did that. Keep in mind that these doors are all wood and are about 7 feet high by 8 feet wide -- very heavy! I turned my head to say something when the bottom of it slid on the gravel. I kept trying to save it but eventually I fell and it fell on top of me. I am extremely sore today with some little cuts, but at least I'm still in one piece. Moral of the story? Nathan needs someone else besides me to help him take down the rest of the stalls ;)
This is my last week of classes before finals week -- so close, y'all! Have a fabulous Monday :)
Nathan and I thoroughly enjoyed our extra time together this weekend. It was so nice to just have a normal schedule -- but it was definitely rough when he went back to his old one. (Prayers that he'll have a normal schedule one day or another!) Anywho, we went out on Friday night to Muhlenberg County. Fun Fact: that's where we went on our first date! We ran several errands (including grocery shopping) and ate some awesome Mexican food. At this point, it was about 8:30 pm. We decided to go see the late movie of "Jack and Jill." It's Adam Sandler's newest one so we figured it would be great!
WRONG! We were the only ones in the theater and we literally both slept through the whole thing. It was one of those moments when you realize you're getting older and can't stay awake for the late movie anymore. We both got a good laugh out of that one :) It was still a great night however... we figured out that it was our first date night, just us, since August. Long overdue, folks!
On Saturday we had a yummy Christmas lunch with one part of his family. They do soups and sandwiches for Christmas which is a nice break from all the typical food! We were both starving so it was great! That afternoon was our local Christmas parade. My mom, Nandad, and I took this sweet girl :)
It was an absolute blast! The funny part about this is that I think Mom and I had just as much fun as Lily did. It's so fun to see Christmas through a child's eyes! She behaved so well and was tickled to death to get candy, a hat, and a stuffed elephant. She's at the perfect age for Christmas so we can't wait to watch her this year :)
Yesterday was quite interesting. I'm convinced my boyfriend tried to kill me. Here's the proof!
Yup, told ya so. We were taking down some wooden horse stalls in his garage yesterday afternoon. He was about to put Baylie up so I was holding up one of the doors for him while he did that. Keep in mind that these doors are all wood and are about 7 feet high by 8 feet wide -- very heavy! I turned my head to say something when the bottom of it slid on the gravel. I kept trying to save it but eventually I fell and it fell on top of me. I am extremely sore today with some little cuts, but at least I'm still in one piece. Moral of the story? Nathan needs someone else besides me to help him take down the rest of the stalls ;)
This is my last week of classes before finals week -- so close, y'all! Have a fabulous Monday :)
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Happy December!
Lord, I can't believe it's December! This year has absolutely flown by. December is always tons of fun though. Always busy, but lots to look forward to :)
I'm kicking off this month with a happy note! Nathan was able to work day shift today (he had some type of robotic training??) and tomorrow. Yes, it's amazing! He loved being able to drive in when the sun came up this morning and is happy he'll get to be home tonight. We plan on having a night in and I'm fixing homemade hamburgers and french fries. He's a simple guy to please :) I'm also gonna take a stab at these bad boys. They're called Rolo Turtles.
They're not difficult at all and have like 3 ingredients. That's a win-win for this gal! Can you guess where I found the recipe?!? ;)
I'm going to rent some movies from our local library for us to watch tonight as well. We're also hoping to get the tree topper up and spend some QT with the doggies. Life is good! What's even better?! He has declared that we are having a date night tomorrow complete with some mexican food, a movie, and some quick grocery shopping. LIFE IS GOOD! I'm so thankful we'll get to spend a little extra time together this weekend :)
I'm not quite sure what the rest of the weekend will hold. I think our local Christmas parade is on Saturday and I would love to make my way to that. Nathan's family is also having a Christmas shundig on Saturday around lunch. The season is already starting! I'm feeling pretty good though. I have over half of the people checked off my list. And, after a mass order to Bass Pro Shops, there should only be like 2 items left to get. I'm doing pretty well for myself this year!
Anywho, I'm just in a happy mood today. I wore a cute scarf. All my online Black Friday goodies came in yesterday...
The sun is shining. Isn't it all about the small things in life? :)
Have a great Thursday, y'all!
I'm kicking off this month with a happy note! Nathan was able to work day shift today (he had some type of robotic training??) and tomorrow. Yes, it's amazing! He loved being able to drive in when the sun came up this morning and is happy he'll get to be home tonight. We plan on having a night in and I'm fixing homemade hamburgers and french fries. He's a simple guy to please :) I'm also gonna take a stab at these bad boys. They're called Rolo Turtles.
They're not difficult at all and have like 3 ingredients. That's a win-win for this gal! Can you guess where I found the recipe?!? ;)
I'm going to rent some movies from our local library for us to watch tonight as well. We're also hoping to get the tree topper up and spend some QT with the doggies. Life is good! What's even better?! He has declared that we are having a date night tomorrow complete with some mexican food, a movie, and some quick grocery shopping. LIFE IS GOOD! I'm so thankful we'll get to spend a little extra time together this weekend :)
I'm not quite sure what the rest of the weekend will hold. I think our local Christmas parade is on Saturday and I would love to make my way to that. Nathan's family is also having a Christmas shundig on Saturday around lunch. The season is already starting! I'm feeling pretty good though. I have over half of the people checked off my list. And, after a mass order to Bass Pro Shops, there should only be like 2 items left to get. I'm doing pretty well for myself this year!
Anywho, I'm just in a happy mood today. I wore a cute scarf. All my online Black Friday goodies came in yesterday...
The sun is shining. Isn't it all about the small things in life? :)
Have a great Thursday, y'all!
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