thoughts and musings

It's Friday and this is my first blog post of the week.

They call me an overachiever for a reason, my friends.

Truthfully, we really haven't been up to a whole lot around our neck of the woods recently.  And I'm totally happy with that.  The only downside is that it doesn't give me a whole heck of write about on the blog.  But I'll take that over the stresses of the school year any day.  I do have several DIY projects on my mind and my birthday is right around the corner... so stay tuned, folks :)

Today, we'll play our normal game of "catch-up" with some of my random thoughts and musings included along the way...

First of all, a belated Father's Day wish to my Daddy.  He's one of a kind and I'm so very thankful for him!

I have often wondered to myself whether it is frowned upon to join my preschoolers during naptime.  It is so very tempting!

Housewife problem... the ring of grease left in the washer after cleaning your husband's work clothes.  The man literally looks like he has rolled around in grease every day.  Thank the Lord for bleach, vinegar, and Magic Erasers... my secret for making the ring disappear.

My cousins are the cutest... but they are growing up way too fast!  Lily got herself a Topper Girl dress and Gracyn decided to photobomb by climbing on a nearby table.

She starts Kindergarten in the Fall and found the perfect backpack for the occasion.  I cannot believe she is about to start school!

Sunsets are the prettiest here in KY.  I admit that I crouched in our wheat to get this... and it was worth it.

I'm not sure what took me so long to hop aboard the "I Need Coffee" train every day.  Enter the Starbucks Mocha Light Frappe.  100 calories.  Not too strong.  Happy girl!

DIY chalkboards look best on a shelf near the front door.  I made this one out of an old cabinet door from a local thrift shop.  Chalkboard paint is one of the best investments I've ever made.

How is it that Pandora always knows what song to play at the right moment?  This came on the other night while I was finishing up my workout... just what I needed to push through.

And, finally, I marked another item off my Summer Bucket List... I made my first batch of homemade ice cream over the weekend.  I was quite impressed.  Absolutely delicious!

 

Here's to a good weekend, friends! :)

marriage... fairy tale vs. reality.

While I was scrolling through my Facebook feed a few days ago, I stumbled upon this article.  The title certainly caught me off guard so I started reading... and I couldn't stop.

 

To date, the article is one of my favorites that deals with marriage.  It discusses the fairy tale portrait that society casts upon marriage versus the reality of marriage.

 

I would certainly recommend it to all my readers... married or not.  Here's one of my favorite quotes from the article:

 

I was blessed to grow up in a home that gave me a real insight to marriage.  It's not perfect.  It's not easy.  But it can be magical when both people work really hard at it.

It's a gift to have someone there with me to laugh at all times; to eat supper with; to talk to just before I fall asleep. 

It's a blessing... but only because Jesus goes to bed with us every night too.

this and that

I haven't left the building just yet... but I hope you didn't hold your breath waiting for a post.  I don't have a good reason for the lack of blogging other than the fact that I started working again. 

 

I found a great summer job where I'll be working at a private Christian school.  I'm an instructional aide for (mostly) Kindergarteners.  Some days are exhausting.  Most days are a challenge.  Every day is interesting.  It will be a wonderful experience for me this summer.  Now that the first week of that is in the books, I'm hoping to get back in a routine.  Oh yes, I love routine. ;)

 

Let's catch up, shall we?!

 

Nathan and I made a big move.  From AT&T to Bluegrass Cellular, that is.  If you couldn't tell already, we live in the boondocks.  AT&T does not cut it in the boondocks.  After several months of getting things in line, we were finally able to switch over.  I learned that cell phone contracts seem to require signing in blood and giving over your first-born child.  But we now finally have service... for $10 cheaper a month than AT&T.  Isn't that what really matters?

 

I got a pretty little piece of paper in the mail last week that has me yet another step closer to being a certified teacher.  The next step?  I will finally receive my teaching certificate.  So surreal.  Job update?  I have a couple serious prospects and interviews coming up.  Pray that I don't totally blow them and, more importantly, that God leads me to the one where I belong.

The boating adventures are in full force for the summer.  We took a floating detour by "Paradise" a week ago.  If you're not from the area, Paradise is the name of our local TVA plant.  I may be crazy but it was neat to drive by the cranes, coal barges, etc. and see the beginning stages of where our electricity comes from.  Oh, and the weather wasn't too bad either.  ;)

I had a serious craving for chocolate oatmeal cookies last week so before 10:00 on Friday (my day off), I had to satisfy this craving.  My momma's recipe is tried and true.  Yummy.  Not healthy.  Who cares?!

I saw this little gem as drawn by Lily a few days ago.  "No Boys Allowed."  Let's hope this state of mind sticks around for 15 more years.

Wanna know the only thing that KY summer thunderstorms are good for?  Crazy clouds and beautiful pictures.  The Lord sure is quite the artist.

That wraps it up, friends.  Here's to a fabulous Monday!

may blog challenge {the finale}

Day 27:  A letter to y'all

To my readers,
Though you may be few and far between, I cannot tell you how thankful I am that you continue to visit my little place in the web.  This blog, along with me, has evolved from a day-to-day recap of my beginning college years to some in-depth posts of stepping my toes into the real world as a new wife.  It is crazy to think how my life has changed since this ole blog started and I'm grateful to be able to look back on it all. 
You guys have give me support, encouragement, and just plain sweet lovin' on many occasions.  I am not sure where my blog future will go but I know it has been a fun ride so far :)

Day 28:  Only pictures
Some of my favorites...

with my 2 fur babies... there is no way Boone could sit in my lap now. 

my bachelorette party. 

our rehearsal dinner. 

a snapshot with my family just before my new husband and I left for our honeymoon :) 

graduation day!

Day 29:  Five of my most favorite songs
"Makin' Plans" by Miranda Lambert... the song that I walked down the aisle to.


"The Best Day" by Taylor Swift... I'm not a huge T.Swift fan but this song came out right before my high school graduation.  I love it so much because it always reminds me of my parents.


"Wide Open" by Jason Aldean... reminds me of my early college years and the potential for endless opportunities.


"Secret of Life" by Faith Hill... nothing like some classic country.  This song is a great reminder of all the sweet, simple things in life.


"House That Built Me" by Miranda Lambert... because there's no place like home.  And you shouldn't be surprised that she appeared twice on this list ;)


Day 30:  Reacting to "Letting Go"
Letting go can mean many things to many people.  To me, it means turning over all our problems to prayer and to God.  The stresses of life can consume us so quickly but letting it go to God can bring a sense of peace like no other.  It can give us back our joy and allow us to live the life we've been blessed with.

Day 31:  A vivid memory
It should be obvious that some of my most vivid memories are from my wedding day and the day that Nathan proposed to me.  I feel like I have beat those horses into the ground so look back at past posts if you want to relieve those memories with me.

The May Blog Challenge is officially complete... and now I'm back to coming up with blogging material on my own.  Lord help us all ;)

photo dump {memorial day style}

What a weekend!  A great one.  To me, Memorial Day officially kicks off summer.  This year, we did it with a wedding :)

 

Our good friends, Brent and Jess, tied the knot on an absolutely beautiful KY day.  The rustic decor, BBQ, and Southern Belle bride made this one of my favorite weddings to date.  Other than my own, of course. ;)

Nathan and I have been friends with the groom, Brent, since high school.  Jess is from a surrounding county and went to school there.  He always had a thing for Jess but the stars never really aligned for them... until the beginning of last year.  They were engaged last July and married on Saturday.  Here are a few snapshots from the day...

See, I told ya, a true Southern Belle.

 

You can certainly see the happiness and love in these two pictures.  They were most definitely on cloud nine the whole night!  It was a blessing to see.

This girl and I were the "unsung heroes" for the day.  Between the two of us, we got all the bridal party lined up, music cued, boutonnieres pinned, and wedding started on time without a hitch.  I was a nervous wreck but it was flawless! 

And, of course, I couldn't help but have flashbacks to our wedding day when I married my best friend.  I would only wish for every bride to feel what I felt on my day.  There is nothing like it.

After a weekend of wedding festivities, we were pooped so our Memorial Day was pretty darn low-key.  I was a true housewife and shuffled water to my Hubs while he was busy planting and raking hay on the farm. 

His allergies have gone absolutely crazy since then and I'm doing everything possible to get him on the mend. It is just plain awful this time of year!

To keep up the tradition, I snuck in some sun time with Elizabeth to wrap up the holiday.  That marks two years in a row that we've spent Memorial Day together while getting a good dose of Vitamin D.

I couldn't end this post without giving my thanks to the men and women who have and currently are protecting our freedom.  Our country is great because of them.  They are a special breed of human-kind and they do not get recognized nearly enough for their sacrifices.

may blog challenge {part 5}

Day 23:  Things I've learned that school didn't teach me
This was tough for me for some reason.  I try to think of things that I tell my students about "life" in general.  Let's see...
Your value isn't based upon what's on social media.  The age of kids getting a Facebook, Twitter, etc. just seems to keep getting younger and younger.  It's so easy to become consumed with what's on these things but that's not what we should live our lives by.

There is never enough time.  The phrase "time flies" applies to this.  Pretty self-explanatory... blink an eye and who knows what you'll miss.

Base your life decisions upon prayer.  When faced with a decision, don't take it into your hands.  Just simply pray.

Day 24:  Top 3 worst traits
First, and foremost, my OCD tendencies.  It is so hard for me to not be consumed by my to-do lists and just learn to "let things go" sometimes.  I do have to give myself credit for becoming slightly better at this... but it's still certainly out of control.  I know I drive Nate absolutely bonkers sometimes.
Social media addiction.  I hate admitting to this one but it's true.  I have learned to give myself a limit to the amount of times I visit the sites each day.  I also do my best to completely abandon it when Nate gets home from work.  It is so easy to miss out on life when you're obsessed with Facebook.
Taking forever to get ready.  I am not, and have never been, one of those people who can get ready quickly.  Mainly due to the fact that I take long showers.  I often get frustrated at the amount of time it takes and am beginning to learn shortcuts.  I've come to the realization that sleep is precious ;)

Day 25:  Something I've been told about myself that I've never forgotten
In my opinion, a good work ethic is one of the best characteristics that a person can have.  I've been blessed to be surrounded by people who really do believe in the concept of hard work.  I pride myself on it, as well.  A former colleague wrote a reference letter for me not long ago and complimented on that by saying that I was one of the few college students he'd come in contact with that went above and beyond the tasks at hand.  He also contributed that trait to my success.

Hearing things like that only makes me want to work harder.

Day 26:  Something interesting I've read online
"Date a Girl who Teaches"
A sweet article about the quirky traits that we teachers often share.  It is oh-so true... especially for this girl.

may blog challenge {part 4}

Day 20:  Something I'm Struggling with Right Now
I touched on this topic on Day 16.  When I find myself worrying about something these days, it is almost always my current state of employment in the Fall.  Or should I say the lack thereof.  I think it is every college graduate's fear that they will not find a job after working their tail off for the past 4 years.  It's also a fear that I'll rush into a teaching position that isn't "right" for me.  I know that the Lord has a plan for me.  I consistently remind myself of that when I feel the anxiety sinking in.  Teaching is my dream and I only want to fulfill that.

Day 21:  Links to My Favorite Posts
One of my favorite parts of blogging is the fact that I can look back and read my posts.  It's a virtual scrapbook to me.  Of the 337 posts I've done, here are some of my favorites...
observations on... comparison.
why I love to cook dinner.
one sentence.
the prayer of St. Francis.
Bliss.
teenage courage.
our story.

It's obvious to me as I was looking back at my posts, that my writing has become more mature in recent posts.  I contribute most of that to the fact that I'm inching closer to the real world.  I do cherish my older posts that mostly just dealt with recent happenings... there are many things that I had forgotten.  Thank goodness for blogging!

Day 22:  Gettin' on My Soapbox
Surprisingly, it was not hard for me to find a topic to get on my soapbox about... GRAMMAR. 

As a teacher, grammar is something that I constantly preach to my students about.  Grammar is a basic skill that we must know in order to be successful citizens.  It drives me crazy to see students who are about to enter middle school still not using correct capitalization.

However, my most favorite improper usage of grammar occurs when someone enters a full-on rant on Facebook... with countless grammar errors.

And, just for the heck of it, here's another grammar ecard.  I love me some ecards.

That seems like an appropriate note to end on ;)