Well, it’s official — we’re home owners!  We closed on the house 2 weeks ago, and we’re so anxious to make this house a home.  We’re realizing that it will definitely take some time to get the walls painted and furniture in place, but it will happen, in time :)

We’ve at least made the house livable with a new refrigerator, washer/dryer, and blinds.  They all look great, and we are so grateful for our families who got these for us as house warming gifts.  The hardest part for me will be the decorating.  I know I’m a graphic designer, but designing a website is a lot different than designing a room!  We’ve gone to every furniture store we can think of and I think we’re close to deciding on a couch and club chairs for the living room.

The fun part for me will be choosing paint colors.  I already know I want to do wallpaper in the master bedroom, and possibly some faux painting in my office.  I’ll wait until we get furniture to decide on the final colors, though.  It’s easier to change paint than it is to change fabric!  In time everything will come together, but for now, we’re taking one room at a time.

Post from: in her words

Home Sweet Home!

(Correction from Clinton Cleckler — Vitamin K is actually a clotting agent and will counteract Coumadin)

Leafy green vegetables such as kale, collards, spinach, turnip greens, beet greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens green leaf lettuce, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, green onions, parsley, asparagus and sauerkraut contain more than the Recommended Dietary Allowances of vitamin K for men and women on Coumadin (http://www.dietitian.com/vitamink.html).  It won’t negatively affect her to eat these items in moderation, but, as the doctor said, “don’t sit down with a place of asparagus and spinach for dinner”.

Post from: in her words

Vitamin K Restrictions

Mom’s sister, who is a nurse in Knoxville, is on her way down to the hospital.  She was planning on spending the day with her, but, once doctors sign the release papers, she will be bringing her back home instead!

Thanks so much for all the prayers and support.  This has been a miraculous journey!  God has done amazing things!

Post from: in her words

Up and Around

A few weeks ago, Mom began complaining of cramps in her left leg.  She noticed a bit of swelling, but definitely nothing substantial.  When the symptoms didn’t subside a few weeks later, she went to see our family doctor.  As soon as Mom described her symptoms to the doctor, he sent her to the hospital for an ultrasound.  She arrived at St. Josephs shortly after, and received an ultrasound of her left leg.  After seeing the the readings, the ultrasound tech advised mom to “walk very slowly to a wheelchair, and a doctor will be right with you.”  Not the most positive reaction…

Once she was seen by a doctor she was told she had several, deep clots up and down her leg (Deep Vein Thrombosis), and one of the clots was “squiggling”.  This means the clot was loose and could possibly break off if they didn’t get her treated quickly.  For precautionary measures, he ordered a CT scan of her chest and abdomen to make sure the clot hadn’t already broken off and traveled to a major organ.  He also ordered an immediate regimen of Heparin, Coumadin (both blood thinners), and 100% bed rest for 3-5 days.

The next day the CT scan was given, and the results, again, were not very positive.  The clot had, in fact, broken off and traveled to both her lungs (bilateral pulmonary embolism).  It’s an absolute miracle she hadn’t experienced ANY complications from this.  Conditions like this can very often be fatal.  Mom definitely had a guardian angel on her side!  The doctor assured us the treatment she was currently on will help her body absorb both the clots in her leg and lungs.  She was told she may need to remain at the hospital a little longer than expected.

Mentally and physically, Mom feels 100% well, but we are very aware that this could have resulted in more serious complications.  Although the doctors aren’t 100% sure why the DVT developed so extensively in her leg, we are so grateful it was caught early enough to reverse!  We know she will be on a regimen on Coumadin for at least a year to ensure the clots don’t return.  She will also get frequent blood tests to track the INR of her blood (degree of thinness).  We hope she’ll be out of the hospital by the end of the week, and I know she can’t WAIT to get up and walk around!

We are all so thankful for everyone’s prayers and support.  I know God was on Mom’s side this weekend, and we are counting our blessings for His amazing grace!

Post from: in her words

Update on Mom

As my 24th birthday approached, I found myself hesitant about entering my mid-twenties.  What’s there to look forward to on your 24th birthday? Six years from 30?  One year from a discount on my insurance?  Woo hoo… Little did I know, one of the most exciting days of my life was quickly approaching.

I celebrated my birthday weekend at home with my family and friends.  A few great gifts and dinners wrapped up another year of my life.  The only gift that was missing was from Chase.  He informed me if I could wait until the following weekend for my gift, it would be well worth it.  Having no other choice but to agree, I anxiously awaited the weekend.

As instructed, I headed up to Chase’s hometown (about two hours North of Atlanta) on Friday.  He had told me we would be taking a weekend trip, so I had my bags packed with every combination of outfits I could think of.  I was clueless as to what plans he had in store for us.  Even if a small part of me thought he may propose, we had already spoken extensively about waiting until next year to get engaged, so that possibility was off the table in my mind.

After driving through the North Georgia mountains for about half an hour, we pulled into a resort on Lake Chatuge that I have always wanted to visit!  I was so excited — the weekend was definitely shaping up.  After we checked in, we decided to drive around and check some things out.  Chase took me to a local winery to go wine tasting, and they happened to be hosting a Tomato Festival that weekend as well (I LOVE tomatoes)!   After a few glasses of wine and an amazing day of tomato tarts and live music, we went back to the resort to get ready for our dinner reservations.

After enjoying an amazing dinner on the lake’s shore line, Chase and I walked around the resort’s campus.  Let me preface this with a fact about myself…I LOVE boats, lakes, marinas, etc., and Chase was well aware of this.  As the sun got low in the sky, Chase and I walked down the pier and sat on the lounge chairs to watch the sun set.  We were enjoying the evening, taking pictures and talking about nothing and everything…when all of the sudden Chase turned to me.  All I remember is “I love you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you”.  I don’t think I noticed the BEAUTIFUL ring in his hand or anything else around me for a good minute.  The first words out of my mouth were “::gasp:: how did you pull this off!?“  I think Chase was a bit concerned I didn’t give him an immediate “yes”, but that followed shortly after the shock wore off!  About 10 minutes of tears and hugs later, Chase and I returned to the room to call friends and family.  As I made my calls, Chase brought me a glass of wine from one of the two bottles we had picked up that day.  The second bottle remains unopened.  We’ll save that for the wedding day :)

Well, I thought the surprises were over.  Chase had successfully pulled off an AMAZING day, and I didn’t think it could get any better.  We were planning on heading home the next day after brunch, so I packed my bags and prepared for our departure from beautiful Lake Chatuge.  As I walked into the restaurant for brunch the next morning, all the servers were waiting at the front to hear the good news.  I had NO idea everyone at the resort already knew!  They then took me to our table, and to my surprise, my entire family was waiting there for me!  Of course, I broke down again and couldn’t believe how perfect everything was at that moment.  After a wonderful brunch with the family, we all were given a tour of the resort by the wedding planner :)  Of course, I couldn’t think about a wedding just quite yet (I was still in shock from the engagement), but the weekend couldn’t have been more perfect.  I am so lucky to have such an amazing fiance and family!

Post from: in her words

A Love Story.

Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn all began as relativity small networking sites targeted for a niche market. Facebook to college students, Twitter to tech early adopters, and LinkedIn to professionals. Now, there’s no doubt that everybody is on all of these. So how is your image perceived throughout the internet? Everybody, whether on these sites or not, has a reputation. These sites can only help or hurt it. Do you think about how a picture will look to others before you post it, or better yet, before you take it? Anything can end up on the internet in today’s day and age, and it’s forcing people to think twice about their actions. The niche markets that were once specific to each social networking site are no longer.

Your boss is probably on Facebook, and if (s)he’s not, your future boss may be. Your profile should be tailored in a way which promotes yourself as a responsible professional. Sure, there’s no harm in posting pictures from your vacation or weekend activities, but know who’s watching. These sites are no longer a place to display your drunken nights downtown or a crazy weekend at the beach. It’s a place to find a new job, network with others in your field, and connect with friends and family.

Although these sites may have an affect on your reputation, you’ve never had more control over your name as you do now. Your profile picture will be recalled to friends’, colleagues’, and acquaintances’ minds at the mention of your name. This is an opportunity to create an image of yourself that you’ve always wanted. Work on building your profile in your favor. People only know what they see, read, and hear, and you have the ability to control that information! Brand yourself as the person you see yourself as, not how others see you.

Post from: in her words

Check your reputation, you’re on Facebook.

I’ve begun preliminary research on a branding strategy for a new solar paneling business. As much as I believe in the concept of “going green,” I struggle with branding a business as such. I do think that the concept will stick around for the long run, but eventually the commonly heard phrases associated with being environmentally-friendly will be trite and overused (if not already?).

Argo, how do you create a branding strategy for a business that’s main goal is to promote energy efficient power without sounding too trendy? I wish I could answer this with confidence, but I’m still trying to figure it out myself!

1. Stay away from a logo design that is too trendy. This article from LogoLounge shows some of 2008’s most trendy logos. Of course, it’s easy to be influenced by the current trends in logo design, but you don’t want your logo looking dated only a few years after spending big money on your branding.
2. Differentiate yourself from competition. David Airey’s Ecomatrica logo is a great example of how to create a logo that reflects an earth-friendly image, without looking like every other “green” logo out there. Rather than using shades of green, which is reflective of many other earthy logos, he used shades of blue; thus differentiating Ecomatrica from it’s competition.
3. Be creative with your name. Is the goal of your business is to promote a cleaner fuel? Is your new product an environmentally-friendly shopping bag? Well, name your company or product something that will stand out from all the others out there. NatureWorks, LLC created a new product called Ingeo – and I think the name defines so much. I immediately think “ingenious” “geographic” and “green” without any of those words being in the identity. Get creative with your business name, make it memorable and unique, it will be stuck with you for a long time!

Can you think of any other recommendations for branding an earth-friendly business?

Post from: in her words

Green Branding

I know I have been majorly lacking in my blogging lately – and if I kept anyone on the edge of their seat, I am so very sorry :).  To make up for it, I wanted to post a catch-up entry about the most wonderful time of the year.

First off, I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family to spend Christmas with.  It truly is the highlight of the year when I get to spend a week with the whole family together.  Now that Katie is at Auburn, it’s always nice to have her home for more than a weekend.  My mom always does all she can to make Christmas magical, even though Kate and I are both beyond our childhood years.

This year we went to the 5:00 Christmas Eve service at church and followed up with our traditional fondue dinner with the Hartmans.  Fondue has to be one of my favorite meals ever.  I look forward to it every year.  After dinner we got to open our one, Christmas Eve gift – and we couldn’t have picked a better present… a Wii!  We played all night until it was time for bed.

Nothing beats Christmas morning.  The typical family is up by 7am ready to rip open presents… but not at our house.  If you know our family, you can guess that we all sleep in until about 9am, go down to the kitchen, get our coffee and/or mimosas, and work our way over to the Christmas tree by 10am.  Stockings come first… that takes about an hour (we draw Christmas out as loooong as possible).  Then we break for some breakfast.  It’s not until about noon that we start on the presents, and could last for hours :).

This year Christmas was especially memorable because Chase was able to come over for Christmas dinner!  All my favorite people were under one roof.  He also got me a beautiful watch that I’m so thankful for!  Finally, I can’t leave out some even bigger news… my friend Brittney got engaged, and my other friends Megan and Casey bought a house together right before Christmas!  I’m so happy for everyone.  Hopefully 2009 will be just as wonderful as 2008 :)

Cheers!

Post from: in her words

Christmas Reflections

New Years Resolution

1. Get organized
2. Get in shape
3. Read more books
4. Spend more time with family and friends
5. Save money

Yup, that’s the one!  It’s time to revisit your unfinished business and give it another shot.  Let’s start with number one, “Get Organized”.

David Allen is the author of a very popular book called Getting Things Done.  Many say he has mastered the art of prioritizing.  The GTD method is said to “transform personal overwhelm and overload into an integrated system of stress-free productivity.”  So, before Jan 01 hits, get a head start on your resolutions and start reading Getting Things Done. You’ll be chipping away at resolution number three too!

If you want a taste of what GTD all about, watch this video.  It’s a bit lengthy, so don’t watch it at work (kind of defeats the purpose of the whole GTD concept).

Post from: in her words

Kick-start Your New Years Resolution

Crust:
1/4 lb. gingersnaps (about 20 small cookies)
1/3 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY’S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
2/3 cup NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
(I may add 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)

Topping:
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan.

To make the crust, in a food processor, combine the gingersnaps and pecans and process until crumbly. Add the brown sugar and melted butter and pulse for a few seconds to blend. Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan. Use your fingers to pat the mixture into the bottom and evenly all the way up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

BEAT cream cheese, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, pumpkin and evaporated milk. Add cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg; beat well. Pour into crust.

BAKE for 55 to 60 minutes or until edge is set but center still moves slightly.

COMBINE sour cream, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well. Spread over surface of warm cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan.

Top with candied pecans when serving.

Post from: in her words

MY Pumpkin Cheesecake