thanksgiving, black friday, & christmas

It's a busy time of year at the M household.  Much like yours, I'm sure! 

Thanksgiving came and went all too quickly for us.  Unfortunately, I didn't get one picture of our first Thanksgiving together.  Bummer!  I guess I'm still giving Nate a break from the overload of pictures during the wedding, but you best believe it'll be a different story when Christmas rolls around.

I enjoyed spending the day with family and LOTS of good food!  Nate spent his morning duck hunting which is always a favorite of his.  I ended the night early in front of the Christmas tree by watching classic Thanksgiving episodes of Friends...

but I still fixed some sausage/cream cheese crescents for the boys to have for breakfast the next day.

And the next day for me?  BLACK FRIDAY!  My MIL and I have a tradition of going every year and I always enjoy it.  We chose again this year to avoid the initial opening of stores and waited to head out at 2:30 that morning.  Online shopping helped us get most of the deals we wanted and, fortunately, we were able to get everything in stores as well.  Success!

My favorite deal of the day?  My new riding boots from Kohl's.  Regular cost = $89.99.  I paid about $25 and I absolutely adore them!  They are extremely comfortable and I'm convinced they can be worn with anything.

(white sweater = consigned locally; striped shirt = Gap outlet; leggings = Body Central)

We are also decked out in our Christmas decor!  I still have one more thing I'd like to do outdoors before I do a complete reveal.  In the meantime, here is our tree.  Burlap was major goal of mine, as you can see -- bow as a tree topper, tree skirt, and garland.  We also used popcorn strands, deco mesh, ball/icicle ornaments, and keepsake ornaments to make it "ours."  I always enjoy decorating the tree! 

And here is our very first Christmas card.  I looked everywhere and, honest to goodness, this style was my favorite and it came from Walmart!  This is a picture of one of the cards so the quality isn't the best but I'm still mighty proud of it :)

Oh yeah, and Nate got me my first Chrismas present over the weekend.  My very own pistol.  This may not seem like a big deal to y'all but I'm stoked about it!

In other news, the semester is finally winding down.  I will be done a week from now and can gain my life back.  I had my last day with my sweet Kindergarteners last Wednesday and it was most definitely bittersweet.  I cannot explain how much I'll miss these sweet kiddos!  They surprised me with handmade cards and a book for my future classroom.  I'll treasure those pieces of construction paper forever!

One of my professors at WKU gave us each a gift yesterday after our presentations.  A sweet Christmas card and an apple - very fitting for a future educator!

I am so very thankful that my major is filled with wonderful professors and classmates.  I would not have survived without the support and encouragement from the ladies that I spend my Mondays & Wednesdays with.  They are an answered prayer!

Now that my time has freed up a bit, I have made time to read again.  This was at the top of my list and it has yet to disappoint so far. 

I hope you are all getting to enjoy this time of year.  Remember those who will not get to have a special Christmas and help out if you can.  There are so many wonderful organizations to donate/volunteer for.  It's easy to get caught up in the petty things of life but we are all far more blessed than we deserve!

Bachelorette, Cee Lo, Catching Fire, & a Giveaway. Say what??

There have been quite a few things floating around in my mind over the week that you may or may not be interested in.  Either way, you're gonna read about them right now ;)

I cannot express to y'all how excited I am for the next season of the Bachelorette to begin.  Emily is my favorite, favorite, favorite!!!  She symbolizes the epitome of a Southern Belle to me - classically beautiful and sweet.  One perk of Nathan working 2nd shift is that I always get to watch what I want at night ;)  I know those shows are 85% staged but I can't help but get sucked in.  Are y'all gonna be tuning in?!

So, I was watching The Voice on Monday night.  Nothing out of the ordinary... it's my normal routine.  Then, BAM, this comes up on the TV screen.

WTF, Cee Lo?  I couldn't take anything you said seriously because there was a heart-shaped picture of that dang white cat on your shirt.  I mean, for real, everytime he came on screen I just started laughing.  I couldn't help it.  Did that bother anyone else or am I the crazy one?!

I am about a third of the way through the second book of the Hunger Games series.  I finally finished the first one and, like everyone else, I am obsessed.  My sister tells me I haven't even gotten to the good part of the series yet.  Don't spoil it for me, please!

Finally, Miss Katelyn, aka The Bluegrass Belle, is hosting a fabulous giveaway over the next couple weeks.  This little hot-pink baby would be perfect this summer when me and Fiance take our trips to the lake.  Just imagine me with my hot-pink bag hopping into a camo boat... story of my life.  Y'all go enter for a chance to win yourself!

Have a fabulous Thursday... the weekend is inching closer :)

weekend, basketball, & music video

This weekend goes in the books. Nathan had a 4-day weekend thanks to some vacation days and we soaked it up! I cooked until my heart was content, cleaned until everything was caught up, and had some major QT with fiance :)

My favorite recipe from the weekend captured my sweeth tooth. No surprise. I named it Bonfire in a Pan -- aka s'more casserole. I love s'mores so it was love at first sight!


You need 1/4 stick of butter, a bag of marshmallows, a bag of milk chocolate chips, and a box of Golden Grahams cereal. Put the butter and marshmallows in the microwave for about 90 seconds. Stir until it becomes a cream... almost paste-like. Then add in the chocolate chips and stir until it becomes chocolate heaven. Finally, stir in the Golden Grahams. Make sure you have a decent size bowl in order to stir it well. After that, put it in a 9x13 pan and serve! There were only 2 pieces of this stuff left yesterday... it is good, y'all!

I spent most of my time curled up on the back deck with my new best friend. Yup, I'm addicted!


I know, I know. I'm late to the party... and I don't really have an excuse. My sister got the whole set for Christmas so I've had easy access to them all. She and my mom saw the movie on Saturday and can't stop talking about it! I refuse to go see it until I finish the book so it doesn't spoil it for me. Are you guys obsessed with this series, too?!

Oh yeah, Nathan and his friends built a front porch over the weekend, too! No biggie ;)


Ok, actually it was a big deal. It took a lot of time but we love it! It's not completely finished yet. It still needs spindles and will be stained in about a month... but I couldn't resist taking a picture. Now I really can't wait to get plant some flowers and get more patio furniture. It's the little things :)

We were glued to the TV in anticipation of each UK game... and guess what?! We're going to the FINAL FOUR! Basketball madness will resume this weekend when we play Louisville... our in-state rival. I love this time of year!


C-A-T-S, CATS, CATS, CATS!

Let's end this post with some eye candy, eh? Remember this post from when I saw Luke Bryan in concert?! One of the best nights of my life. Anywho, he filmed part of that concert to appear in his new music video for the song, "Drunk on You."


I've been patiently waiting for it to come out and it finally has!!! Anytime you see him in the black v-neck, that's footage from the concert here at WKU. Most of the crowd shots are from WKU, too! I've been in love with this song since I first heard it on his CD and I've been in love with Luke Bryan since I first saw him. Amen?! Thought so.

It's a beautiful Monday here in KY... I hope it is for you too :)

what makes me happy today.

It's a beautiful Tuesday here in the Bluegrass state. It's a little chilly right now but the sun is going to warm things up in the 60s today. Life is just better when the weather is nice, right?! :) I have all kinds of random things that are bringing a smile to my face today.

1. Kate from the Small Things Blog posted a video yesterday about her blow-dry method to enhance volume. I tried it this morning and am extremely pleased. My hair feels so airy and fluffy today. Y'all should try it, too! But now I want the Aquage foam that she uses as well. Anyone know a salon locally that sells this stuff?


2. I am crossing things off my to-do list left and right. I had a ton of stuff I wanted to get done for Spring Break and I think I'll be able to accomplish them all at this pace. Most importantly on the list, homework.


I want to get the majority of my units done this week while I have more time to concentrate and make them good. I spent several hours yesterday working on Pioneer Artifact flip books for my students. They were tedious, but they turned out great and I think the kids will love them! One of the things I love about my major is that our messes usually consist of construction paper, markers, glue, and scissors. It's like I'm a kid all over again :)

3. Today is my Friday at work. Amen to that! I have a couple DIY projects I'm hoping to do the remainder of the week as well as homework. First up is repurposing a shutter. Most people use them as magazine racks, but I mainly just want to hang mine on the wall and slide all my mail, bills, etc. in there. I hate having them spread out all over my desk. Organization is key!


Second is to create a cupcake stand out of antique plates and cups. This will be used at our wedding, of course. I bought all the materials for about $5 so if it turns out cute, I'm gonna be over-the-moon happy!


3. Shutterfly is the bomb. David's Bridal has sent me all kinds of promo codes for their site and I've taken advantage of them today. I ordered a hard-cover, 20 page photo book along with a few dozen 4x6 prints this morning. I just had to pay about $10 for shipping. BUT then Shutterfly sent me a $10 gift certificate to shoebuy.com so I'm saying it's pretty much completely free. Nevertheless, it's a really good deal and I can't wait to see the photo book when it comes in :)


5. Of course, I'm looking forward to spending some extra time with these 3 this week!



What's making you smile today? There's always something to be thankful for :)

what i'm loving wednesday

Here's what I'm loving today :)

[ONE]
Over the past few days I've been reading this book every chance I get.


The title (obviously) is "Savannah Blues." It's a sassy novel about a girl from Georgia who is an antique picker and is dealing with the drama that comes from a divorce. I cannot wait to see how this bad boy ends! The best part??? The author, Mary Kay Andrews, has written several other books that I'm excited about reading. Special thanks to my aunt for recommending these books!

[TWO]
Today I am wearing a favorite outfit of mine. A baby blue t-shirt (the color looks great on me) and my favorite jeans. That always makes any day better :)

[THREE]
See this character below? Let me tell you how she made me laugh over the weekend...


In her Father's day card to our Nandad she told my aunt (her mommy) exactly what to write in it. Here's my favorite part... "Thank you for helping build my swingset. Thank you for your wallet." Hold up a second... his wallet? I guess we all know who the favorite is now.

[FOUR]
One of Nathan's cousins and his wife are expecting a baby boy in August. They are having a shower for him on Sunday and I can't wait to swoon over all the sweet baby clothes!

[FIVE]
Bright and early on next Tuesday morning, Nathan and I will be making a trip to a local flea market. The deals we may stumble upon make me so excited! I'll let ya know if we find any really good stuff :)

[SIX]
I have found the cure to my mid-morning hunger... Extra Dessert Delights Mint Chocolate Chip gum.


The stuff is amazing and holds me over until lunch. Go buy some now!

[SEVEN]
I have a feeling that frozen yogurt is going to become a weekly staple in my summer. But I have no complaints ;)


I'm meeting up with another best friend of mine this afternoon for some of this delicious treat. I love being able to load up my low-fat frozen yogurt with all kinds of chocolate and candy ;)

[EIGHT]
I'm loving all of the great men in my life! Father's Day is so sweet for me since I'm a Daddy's girl. I am incredibly blessed to have such amazing grandfathers, uncles, etc. And, of course, I have the best Dad any girl could ask for. There's something so special about the Daddy/Daughter relationship :)

Just another day in MY paradise

This life of mine has been pretty uneventful this week. Nathan's mom fixed an amazing steak dinner last night that I thoroughly enjoyed! I wish that every member of his family wasn't such a great cook... my expectations are set even higher - ha! I also have the joy of getting my oil changed this afternoon. Exciting, huh?!

I have not yet made my way to the library because of my laziness busy week of oil changes. But I already have a list of books to look for when I go next week :) I also wanted to give my last update of the Beth Moore book (that I promised weeks ago - sorry). I cannot begin to describe how much I think every woman in the world should read every word of this book. I have learned so much about myself and how to deal with my insecurities. I've learned that 'fleshly' people and God have complete different perceptions about what it takes to be secure. I am learning more and more everyday about how to gain my security through God... the most secure source known to man.

On another (completely different) note I would like to share some of the recent obsessions I'm having in my life.

-Miranda Lambert...

So this amazing singer (and my favorite) has a show coming up on CMT. It's called 'Invitation Only' and will show a concert of hers and insert parts of an interview. I'm so excited I can barely stand it. It comes on August 23 at 8:00 :)

-Gigi's Cupcakes...

This ridiculously unhealthy delicious snack looks so appealing to me right now. I am going to have to cure this craving very soon!

-"Smart Ones" 3 Cheese Ziti. If you're looking for a quick and healthy lunch, hit up the frozen meal aisle for this!

-McDonald's Mocha Frappe...

I am not a coffee drinker but I LOVED this! However, there is a sad ending. About an hour after I gulped this beverage down I began to shake from all the caffeine. THEN about an hour after that my stomach decided that the Mocha Frappe was too much to handle. I haven't had a stomach ache like that in years! I rarely drink caffeine so I should've known better than to start my day with coffee and chocolate. Ok, the chocolate can stay.

-Tami at 29 & Holding. This blogger ranks up near The Pioneer Woman to me. She is hilarious!

Well since this post doesn't seem to be having a set topic I will discuss another issue in my life. Let me give some background info. I have been dating my wonderful boyfriend for almost 4 1/2 years. He is probably one of the biggest country boys I've ever met... it's part of what attracted me to him. Anyway, there is a little problem with his obsession with the outdoors. Allow me to introduce you to the devil Outdoor Channel.

Looks harmless, right?! WRONG! I have come to the conclusion that if Nathan gave me a dollar for everytime he's watched a hunting show instead of what I wanted to watch, I could BUY The Outdoor Channel and NEVER show hunting again! Just another day in my paradise. He seems to think that unless the TV is set to this channel he cannot function. I beg to differ. I will let you know how this situation pans out or if I go crazy by seeing another animal in HD... whichever comes first. Until then...

Laugh about something today :)
--Kaylyn

Tuesday Blurbs

• Happy Tuesday! I had a wonderful weekend. I successfully fixed Nate some amazing chicken dip for lunch on Friday (Thanks Em!), went shopping Friday night, had a movie date with my boy on Saturday, church homecoming on Sunday, and a day of nothing yesterday. What a life! :)
• For the first time since I was about 6-years-old I am going to get a library card very soon! I'm wanting to read several books with "Eat. Pray. Love." at the top of the list. You know, the movie with Julia Roberts?! Hopefully I can make my way there in the next few weeks! To make me sound even more like a dork... I am excited about getting one. I love how God created me!!!
• I am SOOO ready for Fall... for a few reasons. Number 1 - I want this crazy, relentless, ridiculous heat to disappear. I'm beginning to wonder if it's ever going to leave. Number 2 - I love Fall! The colors on the trees, the crisp weather, football games, bonfires on a cold night... I'm getting more excited by the minute! Number 3 - (brace yourself for this one!) I'm ready for school. Shocker, huh?! I like being in a routine and, although having a nice long break is nice, I'm ready to get this year started. I'm more excited each semester because it's one step closer to my dream career!!
• Nathan has been switched to day shift this week so I'll be getting to see him each afternoon AND he is on a normal sleep schedule. Yay! Bless his heart... I don't know how he does what he does. He told me the other day that the thermometer inside was bobbling around 130 degrees. I'll be so happy for him when the temps cool down. Yet another reason I'm ready for Fall ;)
• I have recently discovered a new place to purchase WKU apparel... BlueCotton. They have much cuter stuff than the Bookstore and it's cheaper. SCORE! I mean it's not like I need more WKU stuff but I just can't help it. I should get a VIP customer discount or something. I keep those places in business - haha!
• Update: Jillian Michaels still hates me and Debbie wants to rekindle our relationship. Lord, help me!
• Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Laugh about something today :)
--Kaylyn

So excited and CAN'T hide it!

So, you all know that my summer has been pretty boring so far. Well this weekend is gonna change the pace... and I am SO excited!! :)

To start it off tomorrow morning I am going to see my wonderful boyfriend! We don't get to see each other as much since he starting working a different shift so I always look forward to Friday mornings :) After spending a few hours with him I plan to come home and do some cleaning -- which unlike a lot of people, I actually enjoy. Call me crazy. Later on in the afternoon I am going to have a sleepover with one of my best friends from high school, Kristen. We have only seen each other in passing at WKU since we graduated. And that is no fun. I can hardly wait to catch up with her.

Corey Smith concert - April 2009

After what I'm sure will be a long night of talking I'm getting up bright and early on Saturday to go shopping with some of my favorite people - my little sis, Mom, and Nana. We are heading to an outlet mall in Lebanon, TN called Prime Outlets. They have an Aeropostale, GAP, Nike, Rue21, and Polo Ralph Lauren outlet store. I'm sure there's tons more that I forgot. I went there last year with Nathan's mom and cousin and I loved it! I can't wait to see what kind of bargains I can find!

The last thing I'm going to squeeze in is laying out in my kiddie pool. I spent the $20 at Wal-Mart to get me a pool I could get some sun in. I hate when I don't get some kind of tan during the summer. Hopefully this weekend will get towards that goal. The sun always relaxes me and this is the perfect time of year to lounge around in a pool.

Doesn't that look amazing?!

Of course, I'm going to see my favorite canine - Baylie - this weekend. She is growing so much and I'm dreading the day when I can't fit her in my lap anymore. I might just cry. Ok, maybe not. But I will be sad. I'll be sure to take pictures of her to show how much she has grown.

I must apologize for my delay to recap the entire Beth Moore book. It's taken me longer than I expected to finish. But I KNOW I'll get it done this weekend and will update you next week! Until then I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Laugh about something today! :)
--K

PS -- Check out this song by Brandon Heath called "Love Never Fails". I've heard it a few times on the radio... it's amazing! (He played it live at Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher's wedding -- imagine that!)

Working for the Weekend

Ever felt that way before? I'm going to wish my life away because I always look forward to Friday and the weekend -- what a way to live ;)

Anyway, here's a quick recap of my past weekend. (Sorry it's a bit late!) Nathan and I spent the weekend teaching Baylie new tricks. The poor thing is only 7 weeks old and we're already working her - ha! She is learning how to fetch and sit. It's so funny because her mouth is so little that she can hardly fit the tennis ball in her mouth. She loves it though! I'll try to get a video of her sometime and show her off! Besides playing with her, we caught a movie with Nate's best friend on Saturday night (he left today for Lexington to play baseball... I hope Nate doesn't miss him too much bahaha!). The three of us saw "Grown Ups". Yes, I have seen it before but I was completely happy to see it again! I swear I laughed as much as the first time :) Then we got some supper at TGI Friday's. I got the Cajun Shrimp and Chicken Pasta... YUMMY! It was very spicy but I loved it! The most challening task came on Saturday -- the yard sale and getting up at 4:15 am. YUCK! These things are SO much work but so worth it! We got rid of so much stuff and were completely happy to clean out our storage building. But I must confess... I didn't actually work on the yard sale. I was priveleged enough to babysit Miss Lily while her Mommy worked on the yard sale :) We had a blast reading books, playing with dolls, and watching Dora. The little stinker was getting pretty tired around 9:30 though. I couldn't blame her though because I became tired 2 minutes after I got up that morning. She fought going to sleep for about an hour but finally tuckered out around 10:30. She slept until 1 that afternoon... proving just how tired she was ;) We were all worn out that evening but were happy to cross that task off the list! I spent the next few days recooperating from my lost sleep... and, boy, that felt good :)

I have a hair appointment this afternoon and I don't think I can express how ready I am for that! My hair hasn't been this long in years and it's starting to bug me... I put it in a ponytail almost everyday - ha! I'm not doing anything drastic, just some shaping up and some highlights. I'll feel like a new woman tomorrow :)

Speaking of tomorrow... I plan on doing a post discussing the book I'm currently reading "So Long, Insecurity". I'm sure you've all heard of it. I am almost done and just wanted to do a post to share what I've learned about insecurity and myself. The book has opened my eyes to a lot of things and I can't wait to share my thoughts! Until then...

Laugh about something today :)
--K

Rainy Day Happiness

Is that an oxymoron? Normally I am depressed on rainy days but I have a lot to be happy/excited about at the moment! I thought I'd share some of those 'happies' with you!

Summer is just around the corner! I have the countdown at about 7 weeks until school is done! I cannot express to you how happy this makes me (I'm sure you can tell because I talk about it in almost every post) ;)

WKU's campus is looking more alive lately! The trees are blooming and students are enjoying their time outside. With all this rain we're getting today I'm sure the flowers and trees will be even more beatiful tomorrow!

I am going to attempt to cook another recipe this weekend... another from Emily! It's an awesome chicken dip and I can't wait for my family to try it.

My adorable cousin, Lily, will celebrate a birthday in just over a month... I can't for her (and her mommy) to see her present :)

I just finished a book my parents got me for Christmas as a stocking stuffer. It's called "When God Winks at You" by SQuire Rushnell and it's about "God-winks" or what most of us tend to call coincedences. It's a book filled with amazing stories of "God-winks" and talks about how/when/why God "winks" at us. I would highly recommend it!

The CATS play again tonight (yay!) but since I usually go to bed early I'm afraid I won't be able to stay up through all of it unless it's a really close game... and I do NOT hope for that!

I believe (if all goes according to plan) that next Friday my mother and I will be getting pedicures. How relaxing does that sound?!

Old Navy is having a sale this week. A lot of their t-shirts and cardigans are at pretty good prices. I may have to make an order from there sometime soon!

Last, but not least, my wonderful boyfriend and I will celebrate 4 years together on Saturday!!! We don't have any big plans but who knows what we'll actually end up doing. Neither of us are very good at planning our dates ahead of time :) Anyway, I'm sure whatever we decide to do will be great!

Hopefully you'll find some 'happies' on this gloomy day :)

Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. --Acts 14:17