Wednesday, October 31, 2012

FALL Festival!

This morning I woke up, and sooo did not want to get out of bed. I knew that if I got out of the bed and walked out of my small, cozy little bedroom, that I would walk into a freezing hallway and bathroom! It was probably in the 40s this morning and I have to say... I'm LOVING it! Yes, it is so much harder to get out of bed in the morning when it is cold, especially when you don't have any heat in your house. That's right, you heard me. I have no central heating in my little trailer. All I have is some little plug in heaters. We keep one in our bedroom and a small one in the bathroom. So this morning it was FREEZING! But, despite that, I must still say that I love cold weather. There is just something about walking outside and a blast of cold, blistery wind hitting you in the face that makes me feel so alive! It's just one more reason why I love Fall! :)
 
This past weekend our church ALC (Authentic Life Church) held a free Fall Festival! There was free food and drinks, cake walks, egg tosses, three legged races, a bouncy for the kids (slide connected...how flippin' cool), and Trunk Or Treats! It wasn't as cool as I would have liked it to be Saturday night, but we still all had a blast. My husband and I are over the Young Adult Class (The Bridge) and we put on a Call of Duty Trunk or Treat and let the kids shoot a paintball gun at some targets to get candy! It was cute. We even made our own Army Scaregrow...thing (lol). He looked a little deformed, but that's okay. Everyone still loved him. Here are a few pictures from my Fall Festivities Saturday night! :)


Me and my Hubby (Wade) <3


 
We even had a little photo booth set up! :)

 


My Sister Rachel and all my monkies!!


 
 

The Bridge Young Adults!





Our Army guy... Bad Bob Jr. LOL

Friday, October 26, 2012

Girl of the Year... Please Help!

Hey guys! So I wanted to share something really quick with you guys, for anyone who is willing to help me out! I entered my nine year old niece, Lauren, into a Girl of the Year contest where if she wins she can get a free doll from Paradise dolls. Well she got picked for the Top Ten Nominee's(Yay)!! Now the process is whichever girl has the most likes on her picture on their Facebook page by October 28th, that is the girl that wins. Lauren is an amazing little girl and, though I may be a little biased, she totally deserves this! She's an A student and loves to help...her mini-story is with her picture on in that albums. All you have to do is click Here and like her picture! Please help my Lauren win! She has no idea it is going on, and we want to surprise her with it if she wins!
 
 Just so you can get to know Lauren a little better, I decided to give you a few details about my little Lauren Poo!
 
 
Lauren is the middle child (one older brother and one little sister), and probably one of the most sensitive little girls I know. She loves to help out. Whether it is helping wash the dishes, stir the noodles, or hold the baby, she will want to do it!
 

 

Lauren loves animals and is super energetic and silly. Yet, when she gets in front of others she's always been shy. She's just recently coming out of her shell and watching it makes me want to cry, because she is so talented and smart, and I love to watch her finally step out and be a participator!


She's also an absolute girl! She loves to play dress up (even in clothes and shoes twice her size). She loves make up and nail polish and totally gets that from watching her mommy and myself do our makeup and such.

 
 
She recently started ballet, and she is doing amazing! The teacher loves her and Lauren goes on the days her little sister would practice and helps the teacher with the younger class during their practice!
 
 
I use to call her my Little elf ears when she was younger, because her ears were almost pointed at the tops. I thought it was the cutest thing. I looked at her picture this morning and started tearing up because nine years flew by so fast. I remember when she was born, and all of the cute things she did and still does. Go to the link I posted and take a look and her picture and read the "story" of Lauren and like her picture!
 
This is the picture of her on their page!


Here is the link once more... so don't forget to vote for TEAM LAUREN!
https://www.facebook.com/reeree77/photos_albums#!/media/set/?set=a.10150947436732168.370041.102778407167&type=3
 

Flippin' Funny Friday!

Friday is here! Whoopee!! I'm so excited about today being Friday. Though, Next week may be just as busy as this week, I'm so glad to get this one over with. After the week(s)/month I've had, I decided to dedicate today a Funny Friday! I know a few people, along with myself, who could use the extra laugh. As you all know pinterest has some of the funniest pins. I will scroll through the humor category and just laugh at my desk then totally pin it, read it once more, and laugh all over again. So in honor of Friday, I'm dubbing it Flippin' Funny Friday! Oh-yeah! Now to narrow down the funny pins I've pinned... wish me luck!

Flippin' Funny 1




Flippin' Funny 2
 



Flippin' Funny 3
 
For all you Supernatural Fanatics like me!!!!
 

Source: 9gag.com via Rebekah on Pinterest

Flippin' Funny 4
 


Flippin' Funny 5
 

Source: someecards.com via Cory on Pinterest



What's your Flippin' Funny Friday Pins? :)

Thursday, October 25, 2012

It's OK Thursday!!

Its Ok Thursdays
 
Happy Thursday everyone! I hope everyone is as excited about  the upcoming weekend as I am. This week has been very painful (sucky), so I'm expecting and O-mazing weekend and a much better week next week! Also, October ends next week, and I don't know about you, but I'm sad to say that I'm glad it is over! I love October, but this October has been the hardest ever. Around this time last year I was preparing for my wedding and this October has still been so much worse. However, I'm expecting a wonderful November. With November comes my first anniversary, my mom and dad's 30th anniversary and Thanksgiving; all of which I am supppeerrr excited about! Okay, enough rambling... onto It's OK Thursday


It's OK....
 
...That my face is breaking out and really annoying me

...To not care how you look going to the gym, even if it is kind of scary with no makeup. I mean come on, you are going to sweat!

... To totally fall in love with my husband over and over again. He's amazing <3

...That I'm totally broke and will be broke when I get paid again. It makes you realize how much Money can't buy anyways and that you can still be happy

... To totally laugh at myself when I do stupid stuff. It happens a lot so I might as well laugh about it

... That I love scary movies. It gives me an excuse to snuggle close to my husband, sister, mom, friends or whoever is close.. Ha!

... That I can totally be a big kid! I love toys!

... That I miss playing barbies with my sister. I could be anything I wanted AND look amazing! Oh yeah! (Anyone remember Workin' Out Barbie with the bendable arms and legs???.. she was my fave! )

...That some days I want to be a kid again just so I don't look silly playing with all the cool toys

...That I can't wait to have my own kids so it gives me an excuse to buy toys that I want my kids to have LOL

... That obviously I'm a nerd (but hey, its OK)

... That I'm totally freaking stoked about the new Breaking Dawn movie, but I still don't have my ticket for the premier... (so I may not be able to go :(  but that will be OK too)

 

 Hope all you guys have a blessed Thursday! :)


     
 
 

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Half-Way Wednesday!

Photobucket



Hey everyone! So this past weekend and this week so far has been crazy. It's mid-terms time so I've been studying/stressing my but off over one I had today, and then I have one next week. So excuse me if I go MIA once more over the next week. This week has been stressful and overwhelming and I've had several moments that have literally made me want to curl into a ball and cry. However, It is Friday and I'm moving forward and putting all my energy into trying to be positive (easier said than done I know, but the keyword is trying!).



What has been the best part of your week so far?
  • The best part of my week so far is when I turned in that mid-term and walked out of the class room. I felt like I'd just dropped a ten ton weight from off my shoulders and could breathe. Whether I get a good grade or bad, either way it is over!

What has been your funniest moment?
  • This morning my husband was going ninety to nothing in the car, talking about anything and everything. I don't know why but it totally made my top funniest moment this week. He got lots of sleep last night and when he is well rested he can find anything to talk about! I love you baby! :)

What are you looking forward to?
  • Our Fall festival at church. It's going to be a lot of work, but so much fun! I love fall!!

Wednesday Wishful Thinking...?
  • That I had a million dollars! LOL, seriously I do, because then not only would that help me out, but I could help others who are penching pennies like we are at the moment!


Happy Wednesday!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

It's OK... Or It Will Be

Its Ok Thursdays
 
Hi Everyone! This week has felt soooo stinking long, and yet fast at the same time. I know that's a contradiction, but I've had both moments. Wednesday felt like it lasted a lifetime, while Monday flew by! I'm hoping Today and tomorrow follow Monday's pattern... Onto It's OK


It's OK....
 
...that I worked my legs out two days in a row and now they are super sore

... That I feel like the biggest idiot working out in the big part of the gym where all the "know it all" people work out

...That I half the clothes in my closet I've had for four years now (maybe more)

...That I forgot to take those dern blocks out of my car for my mom, which probably totally threw her day off (sorry mom) :(

... That I'm forget things, obviously (I feel old)

... That I'm not even halfway through with my study guide for my Mid-term next week (definitely need to get that done)

... That my favorite month (October) has been crummy this year

... That I can't wait for October to be over with!

... That I feel like I can never do anything right

... That I STILL haven't started on my research paper (BOO on research papers)

... That I miss my sister something terrible (I miss seeing her on a daily basis)

... That I miss seeing all of my nephews and nieces on a daily basis as well

...That all my monkeys are all growing up, and I still don't have one of my own yet (at least I'll have baby-sitters)

... that I'm poor and can't really afford a little monkey right now

...That I still have over year left of of classes before I get my degree (seriously wanted to cry thinking about that yesterday)

...That I totally hate class at the moment

... That I'm doing a blog when I should be reading over notes
 

 Hope all you guys have a blessed Thursday! :)


     
 
 

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Oh How Pinteresting!



Hello everyone! Today I'm linking up with Michelle from "The Vintage Apple" for Oh, How Pinteresting! I don't really have a theme, just some things I'm seeing this morning that I'm liking! Hope you enjoy and that you have a great Wednesday!




I thought this was so stinking cute!!




Adorable!




I don't have enough necklaces for this, but I thought it was neat!!

Source: tumblr.com via Molli on Pinterest



I'm not a Jessica Simpson fan, but I love her hair here!

Source: google.com via Julie on Pinterest


BAHAHAH!



That says it all! :)

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Love... Imperfectly Perfect

I'm a Romantic at heart. I love Romance novels with action, suspense and lots of mushy parts all mixed into the pot together. It's the perfect mixture of ingredients for a dish that satisfies my Romanticism. I remember reading the novels as I was growing up and afterwards would try to picture who my husband would be and what it would be like. I had some great story lines, by the way. I would make a great writer ha-ha! However,  it wasn't until the year of 2010 that I realized that my love story would be so much better than anything I could up with from the imagination.

The one thing you have to realize about Love, is that it doesn't equal perfection and sometimes there is work involved in it. In the books I read, though I absolutely love them, it is more often than not completely unrealistic. Very rarely do I read one of my Romance books and find the delineation of "love" in the story actually matches reality. It's nice to read, but you shouldn't try and apply it to your own love and your own life.

I still love this picture!


I knew my husband a while before we ever even started dating. In fact, I was with his best friend a few years before he and I ever even contemplated getting together (awkward). Somehow, though, God forged a path, out of nothing it seemed like, that had our lives intertwining, and paved out a new beginning. Now, if you know me, you know that I'm a very indecisive person. I will "What If" something to death if I feel like the conclusion of it will somehow impact me negatively. I have the hardest time feeling "absolutely, one hundred percent SURE" on anything. However, with Wade (my husband), there was no question. It was very odd and most people may think I'm crazy, but I took his hand in one of our Rally services, when we were told to take the person's hand next to us and begin praying for them....(I just happened to be sitting beside him lol) and I felt such a love for this man whom I was only friends with at that time. Something told me then that this was the man I was going to marry. Sure enough, five months later we were engaged, and eleven months after that we were married. Now, almost a year later, I find that I'm even more in love with him.

Engagement photos!


Everyone will of course say, "oh, you two are still newly weds and BLAH BLAH BLAH". Yeah, yeah! I know we will have only been wed one year on November 5th, but having only been married a year doesn't mean we didn't have to experience the ups and downs of life as well. We've gotten mad at each other. We've had moments of trying to figure out how we would buy groceries or how we would make it to the next pay pay day. He doesn't wash his dish after using it, and I don't dry the bathroom counter off after washing my face. He has a way of doing things, and so do I. We have to compromise and, yes there are times we get on each others nerves. After all that, I can still say I love him.



Ober Gatlinburg, TN


I'm finding Love has nothing to do with "connection" and "chemistry", though I feel as if I have both with him. I've realized that love is about being able to fight and eventually make up. Love is about doing the dishes together and putting up clothes together. Love is about eating dinner together and cuddling up on the couch for a show we both enjoy. Love is about going through the toughies together, and still finding reason to smile. Love is about seeing each other at their absolute worst and still looking them in the eyes and telling them that you love them.

It was at that moment the other day, when I felt like I was at my absolute worst, that brought on the inspiration for this post. My eyes were puffy and my face splotchy. I'd cried the hardest I think that I've ever cried since he and I have been together. And somehow, he still looked me in the eyes, with his arms around me, and told me that he loved me.

He isn't perfect, and some days it bugs the crap out of me that he won't wash his dish after he messes it up, but I love him. I'm not perfect, and I know there are days where I'm sure he wants to put duct tape over my mouth about the dern dish he left in the sink, but he loves me. Love doesn't stay as easily as it comes. Love is working together, making a home and life TOGETHER. It's about having silly moments together, and laughing even in the hardest of times. It's about helping each other, loving each other despite the things that annoy you. Then of course, there is lots and lots of compromise that is involved. The point is... Love is what and how you make it. Our love story is different from the books I read, and that's okay, because I happen to like it a million times more because its ours and only one author could come up with all the right variables to somehow pave two unlikely paths to cross at just the right time.... Thank you Lord for the Godly husband you gave me!

Friday, October 12, 2012

Flashback Friday!

Happy Friday Everyone! We have made it through this week, and now on the downhill slope. Just a few more hours and the workday will be over and the weekend will start! I hope everyone has an amazing Friday and that they are blessed abundantly!

Today I was inspired to do a Flashback Friday. I've been going through my old Myspace account (everyone remembered the html codes and spicing up your profile page I'm sure). My myspace held a lot of my old pictures that I posted until about, I think 2009 or 2010 when I stopped. I've been going back through them and saving them on a flash drive so I don't lose them, and it just hit me. I have so many amazing memories in those pictures, and I thought it would be fun to share a few with you!







 Senior Prom 2008! I remember it like it was yesterday! This was afterwards. Me and my best friend, DJ and My sister, Rachel, were working on changing so we could head out again, but got caught up taking crazy pictures. This was one that came out of that bunch! I still crack up when I see it. I remember DJ telling me that I looked like the Michelin Man with the way my dress was! HA!

 



This Picture was a random Bister/Lister picture (one of our moments again) with an added little Bean (Layla). She was such a doll and her face here was priceless! I don't think she'd even turned one yet! I can't believe how little she was!

 
 








This is one of my favorite pictures from my graduation! It's just one that when you look bat at it, it makes you smile. Though it was hot and sticky, (May in Florida is rough) it was a picture perfect moment!




This was the summer after my graduation. A relative took me and my cousin to Ft. Lauderdale where we stayed a few days. This was my first and only time parasailing ever! And it was AMAZING! The only part I didn't like is they let you hit the water while you are still strapped to that thing. I think the water came up to my chest and I nearly had a mild panic attack!


That's it for now! I hope you enjoyed my flashbacks! I can't believe how fast time flies! Hope you guys have a great day! God bless!



 
 
 
                                       


 











 

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Imma Say That It's OK :D

Its Ok Thursdays
 
Hello All! I'm super excited that today is Thursday! The best thing about this Thursday is that this morning has truly felt like fall, stalling at around the high 50s, which for Florida is saying a lot! I know it won't last, it is supposed to reach back up to the mmid 80s, but I'm going to enjoy each little bit of cold weather I get. I'm linking up with Amber again for "Its Ok Thursday"! Hope you guys enjoy!


It's OK....
 
...That I've worn my hair in a pony tail nearly every day this week.

...That our schedule has been messed up because my husband is on call. We haven't went to the gym once this week

...That I'm totally excited to go back to the gym after this weirdo week! (see above)

...That I haven't even started on my Research Day assignment that is due Monday

...That I haven't been very good this week with my food.. (Zaxby's, candy corn, and reeses chocolate chip cookies..) I know... I'm horrible, but it was so yummy!

...That every time I eat something totally unhealthy (again see above) I always tell myself tomorrow is another day! It doesn't make me feel as bad

...That I'm pretty much broke. I have my husband and my family, which means I have all I need

... That at times I do wish I had lots of money so I could go buy me new clothes to replace my five and six year old wardrove and buy new makeup :)

...That I'm so excited that it is already in the middle of October... two more months and I'm done with these classes and one step closer to my Bachelor's degree!

... That I'm a total slacker on everything when I find a good book that I'm dying to finish

...That I'm obsessed with anything and everythign Fall!
 

 Hope all you guys have a blessed Thursday! :)


     
 
 

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

To Trick or to Treat...

Happy Tuesday everyone!
 
I hope everyone is having a great week so far, even if it is only the second day into it! Today I just wanted to share what's going on with my house for Halloween!
 
So last night my sister came over our way and we all ate dinner at my memaw's house, which was yummy! After cleaning up and , she came over to my house to help me decorate for Halloween. I don't really do anything for Halloween unless my sister and I are throwing an October Bash or I'm going to Halloween Horror Nights, but I still love it! I'm not really sure why, but I love scary movies (to an extent, some things I can't tolerate), I love going through haunted houses and I love the decorations. I actually carved my very first pumpkin last year and put it at my Fiance's place (now husband). This year, however, I got to decorate my very own home! We put purpple lights on the front railing of my porch, and took black netting (or whatever you want to call it) and wrapped it around with it! Then we went inside and Halloween'd it up in there as well! Here are a few pics!




 My sister made a banner for me to put over my window!
 
 
 My end table by my couch!
 
My DVD case! :)
 



The middle of my corner curio
 

 My entire curio decor!
 
Thanks Sister for all your help! Can't wait to decorate for Thanksgiving! Let me know how you have decorated for Halloween! :)




Friday, October 5, 2012

Bisters and Listers

So I was sitting at my desk talking to my sister, nothing unusual there. We were talking about her blog post ( I love reading her blog, and it has nothing to do with bias), and I was expressing how I wanted to write on my blog but felt as if I had nothing to write on. Lately my life has consisted of three things: School, Work, and Church. Not much else has happened in between other than going to the gym and reading books I've already read twice over in between classes to cure my boredom. I didn't want to write on that and bore you guys to death. Blogs are supposed to be fun and interesting, and I wasn't feeling as if anything I would write would come off as either of those. I had that wretched Blogger's Block, if you will. So anyways... I'm saying all this and then it is my sister who then tell's me, "You don't have to do things to write about...write about a favorite memory or a favorite picture or something like that"... So instead of doing my Research Paper something I've been working on for the last few hours, I decided to take a break and write about one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.............. my Bister!!

For those of you who don't know Bister stands for "Big Sister" and Lister stands for "Little Sister". My sister (Rachel) and I are five years apart. She's the bratty big sister who thinks she was the perfect child, while I'm the bratty little sister (the baby), who still says  that "I'm the one that didn't do nothin'". After all, it wasn't my fault that I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time with my two older siblings. We weren't always best friends, because we shared a room until she got married at sixteen. But once we didn't have to share a room and bed, we were amazingly close. Even when she moved to Virginia (because my oh so wonderful BIL joined the Navy :p ) we stayed close. I would spend the summer with her, we would talk through IM and on the phone and eventually through our favorite mode of communication at this point in time, texting. I have moments that happen very often where I see something funny and I laugh and think "Dang I wish my sister was here", so then I text her or call her and proceed to tell her about it. Funny thing is, she does exactly the same thing with me! I honestly never thought, when I was a child, that my sister would be my very best friend, yet here we are years later finishing each other's sentences. People actually ask us if we are twins at times. I couldn't count how many times we've been asked!!

The Deets on my BiStEr!

My sister, Rachel, has been married for 12 years now. She's a mother of three (ages 11, 9, and 5), a pastor's wife, a full time employee, a house keeper, animal keeper, party planner, house decorator, hair/makeup fixer-upper, etc. You name it, she can do it. That's not how she see's herself, but that's how I see her. When I look at her I see this beautiful women who  is strong and intelligent, yet vulnerable and doesn't mind being silly (some of the best combinations in my opinion). She's creative and super, duper talented! She's caring and sensitive to other's feelings, but she isn't afriad to tell you what she thinks. She's one of my heroes, though she probably didn't know that.. She's what I've measured myself to, thinking "if only I could be like my sister in this" or if someone asks me to do something that we all know she is better at I reply with "I'm not Rachel, but sure I can do it". Rachel has the ability to read me like a book, no matter what it has to deal with. We have a lot of the same interests, we love the same books, and we both get overly excited when we are talking about a subject that interests us. I can literally go and talk to her about anything, and whether she agrees with me or not, I know she will listen and won't judge me. I don't have to change anything about myself for her and she doesn't for me. She doesn't criticize what I like or put them down or tell me it's stupid. She is, honestly, the best friend that anyone could ever have. We have our moments where we get mad and frustrated with eachother, but it ends pretty quickly, and then it is like it has never happened.

Therefore....

Today I'm dedicating this to two seperate Bister/Lister moments. For some reason we have these occasions (not often, but every now and then), where we get a little camera happy. We take fifty million pictures in a row, mostly retarded one's, and crack up laughing throughout our entire little "photoshoot".

The first one was after our October Bash Party. she was taking me home late from her house and we got a little crazy with the camera in their truck...

It Started with This.....(which was pretty good)
 
 
Which led to this...
 
And then followed with this...
 
Then turned into this....
 
Which unfolded into this...
 
Then somehow changed into this....
 
And then went into this....
 
Finishing with this...
 
 
I have to confess, that these were not all the pictures. tThere was quite a bit more, but I just picked out some of my favorites from where we started to where we ended.. We literally spent probably 45 minutes or so in the truck just snapping pictures.
 
 
Another time this happened was the night of my niece's birthday party/slash slumber party (Rachel's oldest daughter). We decided to have our own little after party once the girls finally went to sleep, and it went like this...
 
 
Started with this...
 
Which turned into this...
 
Then changed into this....
 
Which morphed into this....
 
And then spiraled into this...
 
Which I think is what caused this.....
 
And somehow turned into this...
 
Then it ended in this...

 
 
LOL
 
Once again there was many more pictures we took than this, but these were the funniest that I picked out. Obviously we are a mess when we get together. We call it epiphaland (e-pif-a-land). Somehow we always manage to get lost in our own little world when we are together no matter where we are at, and that is what we dubbed "our own little world".
 
 
To my sister Rachel:
 
Though at times life seems pretty dreary and we are left wondering why we have to go through the things we go through.However, there are always pieces of light that shine through those overcast clouds. Even on my bad days, I hang out with you or just talk to you, and somehow you send a light right to me, making me smile and make me realize that I have things to smile about! I love you so much , sister. You are such an inspiration, even though you have no idea that you are!
 
*Let me know if you would like to see more "Epiphaland" Moments! :)