little lady made for michael

Can I brag a little?

2012-12-21T07:26:00.002-08:00

I believe Michael is one of the best men out there. He is an absolute gem and blessing to my life! He works SO hard in order to provide for us and it's one of the things that I love love love about him! Definitely one of the hardest workers I know...{maybe I'm being a little biased, but it's true!} We haven't been able to really "be together" and relax in each another's company for a very long time because of my master's program & he is almost finished with his Bachelor's degree :) ...along with both of us working full-time {well, Mike normally works 10-12 hr. days} & he fixes cars on the side as well. Hence the whole not spending quality time together very often! HOWEVER...we are very excited because in between the hustle and bustle of Christmas and traveling tons of miles next week to spend time with family in Ohio & Pennsylvania, we are taking a mini vaca to Pittsburgh and hanging out in the city. JUST. US. eekk...jumping for joy just thinking about it :)

As he woke up me last night from falling asleep on the couch, and helped me walk back to our bedroom, I felt so blessed...even through my sleepiness. I looked at my phone to see the time, it read 1:37am. I realized that Mike was just going to bed...after working from 6:30am-6pm, then coming home to eat dinner with me for 15 minutes, then going to work on a car and coming back home at 10:15pm and working on another car that was brought to our house by a friend of his at 10:30pm. Its amazing. Then he woke up this morning at 5:15am for work and sweetly whispered that he was soo ready for Pitt next week. Swoooon. :)

Ok, I'm finished with my personal shoutout to my man.

Have a wonderful Christmas season!

December Fun.

2012-12-18T12:17:00.001-08:00

As of late...

xoxo..

Psalm 139:1

2012-11-28T21:09:00.001-08:00


Psalm 139:14

The above verse is one that is familiar to many. As I was journaling tonight and just flipping through my Bible, I stumbled upon this verse. I pretty much have all of Psalm 139 highlighted, so it caught my attention and I decided to re-read the chapter. I have Psalm 139:1 highlighted, but I seem to always skim over that verse until I get to the good part where I read that I am "fearfully and wonderfully made"...because c'mon, we all like to hear that we were made wonderfully by God. However, God decided to direct my attention back to verse 1.

It simply states this,

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me." (NIV)

It dawned on me as if I had never read that verse before...God knows me. Like, He really knows me. In verse 3, David tells us that God is even familiar with all our ways. Wow. What I find so beautiful through all of this, is that even though God knows me and is familiar with all my ways, He still loves me. He knows that ugly thought I had towards someone today or He knows my bad attitude when things just don't seem to be going "as planned". YET, He loves me anyways.

...so humbling.

I love Hillsong's song called, At the Cross. My favorite line is at the very beginning of the song because it represents Psalm 139:1 so beautifully:

"Oh Lord, you've searched me, You know my way. Even when I fail You, I know you love me."

The next time you find the need to just meditate upon God and His goodness, listen to At the Cross and humble yourself before the Lord. Close your eyes and make the song your own prayer to God. As my tears started falling while speaking the lyrics to God, my spirit was renewed...and I was reminded of His love for me.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

At the Cross

Oh Lord You've searched me
You know my way
Even when I fail You
I know You love me

Your holy presence
Surrounding me
In every season
I know You love me
I know You love me
At the cross I bow my knee
Where Your blood was shed for me
There's no greater love than this
You have overcome the grave
Your glory fills the highest place
What can separate me now

You go before me
You shield my way
Your hand upholds me
I know You love me

You tore the veil
You made a way
When You said that it is done

And when the earth fades
Falls from my eyes
And You stand before me
I know You love me
I know You love me

-xoxo

2 Years Already?!

2012-11-26T17:38:00.000-08:00

As of Saturday, November 24th, Michael & I have been homeowners for 2 years! It's crazy to think that we went through that dreaded process 2 years ago; yet, it's one of the BEST decisions we have ever made. Despite all the work that needed to be done, it was (and still is) the most perfect little house for us right now. PTL for that!

Don't mind me if I just reminisce a little...

November 24, 2010- The day we closed on the house!

Year 1

Year 2

Thankful for a finished living room
{besides the flooring}

Thankful for a kitchen - even though it is no where close to being done.

Thankful for a finished bathroom.

Thankful for a finished office.
{just need some curtains}

Thankful for a comfortable bedroom - even if it's not finished.
{sorry for the pixel-y picture}

Thankful for the new flooring - even if it it taking up some major space in our bedroom.

&& thankful for a guest bedroom - even if it hasn't been touched yet.
{next project}

*********************************************************************

As you can tell, I am just thankful for this home--which takes me to my next topic...Thanksgiving!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! It was spent with family, food, hunting, birthday parties, & lots of driving!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving :)

{watch for a new project tomorrow}

xoxo.

Thank you, Coldplay..

2012-11-14T19:27:00.002-08:00

"Simple thought, but I know one day, good things are coming our way."

-Coldplay

I am pretty sure this lyric runs through my head multiple times per week, especially when the going gets tough. Michael & I work very hard to pay for everything we own and we are also in the baby steps of pursuing our dreams. Mike is working diligently to build clientele for his business he is trying to start, as well as working as a supervisor at his normal day job. I am definitely proud of him! Meanwhile, I work full-time at my job and I'm taking 4 master's classes right now for my clinical mental health counseling degree. Let me tell you, it is exhausting and can be a challenge to make time for one another; however, I know that God is pleased with our hard work and dedication and will bless us for following His will for our lives!

so as Coldplay would say....one day, good things are coming our way.

--xoxo

Great Day

2012-11-10T18:02:00.003-08:00

Today was a great day. Nothing too special, just filled with simple, great things--and for that I am thankful. I have been utterly exhausted trying to balance work, grad school, being sick, time with Mikey, house work, & etc. Thankfully, Michael treated me to a date on Thursday night and it was just what I needed!

Anyways...back to today. I worked this morning, cleaned a building my workplace owns, and picked up a pizza for lunch--all before 12:30pm! Woo :)

The rest of the day consisted of the following:


America's Next Top Model (a BIG fave of mine) & Homework


Making the kitchen a little more home-y for the time being, by putting down our IKEA rug		.


This is old news, but look at this! Michael did a great job organizing the garage!

M & I went on a bike ride today--yes, in November! I was stoked :)

Bought gifts for our Operation Christmas Child boxes!

& printed off some pics for my desk at work :)

What made this day even better was while I was searching for a USB drive to upload pictures on, I found a USB with some wedding pictures that I had never seen before! Here are a couple from our special day:


my lovely sissy doing my hair

love the seafoam green color in the background :)


reading the letter Michael wrote me that morning...this was right before the ceremony :)

my beautiful 'maids right before showtime ;)

Oh..and I found this little gem from my sister's wedding

me, sissy, Clay, & our lil brother

Thanks for reading, friends :)

xoxo

Well....

2012-11-04T16:23:00.002-08:00

I'm going to start running again. I am way too stressed out in every area of my life & I need an outlet of some sort. And, it doesn't hurt to add a little exercise to my schedule.

Let's see how this goes!

xoxo

Finally.....

2012-10-21T14:18:00.001-07:00

I am taking some time out this afternoon to blog for a sec. However, it will be short & sweet due to my take-home exam I should be completing right now. Ok, who remembers my post about re-creating an outfit I found on Pinterest? I wrote it ages ago; and honestly, I kinda forgot about it until 2 weeks ago. Mikey & I were getting ready for Wednesday night church & I was trying to figure out an outfit. I remembered my challenge and sorta threw this outfit together...and I loved it!

Here is the inspiration pic:

Here is the re-creation:

:) ...by the way, totally didn't realize we used the same backdrop until now!

Shirt: TJ Maxx

Pants: Target

Boots: urbanog.com

Scarf: Wal-Mart

Belt: off dress from urbanog.com

...this was fun & definitely something I wanna do again!

************************

Ok, on a completely different note, I want to introduce an organization to you guys!

It's called More Love Letters.

You can check them out on their website here!

It's an incredible movement that they are starting that consists of writing letters of love to those who need encouragement in their darkest days. I am writing 3 letters tonight to October's 3 recipients. The website goes more in depth & you can sign-up for emails to keep you updated and get you started!

If you have any questions, just leave a message for me down below :)

Thanks & enjoy the rest of your weekend<3

Just What I Needed

2012-10-08T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was exactly what I needed. Michael & I went to visit Mike's brother & his wife and spend the day with them. We left early yesterday morning to make it down for their church service. We were able to worship with them and their church family and meet some great people! Their church had a fall hayride/picnic event going on in the afternoon at one of the church member's homes. Let me tell you...I am not one that prefers the "country life" but what I experienced yesterday was absolutely beautiful. When we left, I felt rejuvenated and fresh. The host & hostess' home is out in the middle of nowhere. Their house sits on 300 acres, has 3 ponds, and multiple barns with animals from goats to peacocks!

It was a great time had by all. I personally loved just getting away from textbooks, house duties, and the mundane things of life.

Seasons of Life

2012-10-06T16:25:00.001-07:00

Hillsong

"Desert Song"

This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here

And this is my prayer in the battle
When triumph is still on it's way
I am a conqueror and co-heir with Christ
So firm on His promise I'll stand

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

This song is so fitting in almost every season of my life. I suggest you listen to it on YouTube or something. It just resonates through my soul whenever I am having one of those "freak-out" moments.

...Which is now. I'm sure you all have been there before. It seems like everything is kind of out-of-whack. I am extremely blessed...especially right now. I was offered a new job last week and accepted it. The new job is actually full-time with benefits & everything! My first "big girl" job :) Last week I also started my clinical counseling classes for my master's degree. Whew! This is just a step to get to my DREAM JOB! Its very surreal and a very big time commitment. I just committed "social suicide" (in the great words of Damien from Mean Girls), but it will all be worth it in the end!

My hubby's job is kinda throwing us for a loop right now just because we don't know what will happen in a couple months, but we HAVE to know that God is faithful and WILL see us through!

Honestly, all these changes are physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausting. Yet I have to know that God is able. He is able to get me through work and school. He is able to see us through Mike's job situation. He is able to get us through this house renovation. He is able to provide for us in every way imaginable.

Thanks for listening to my thoughts right now and every time I blog! I will definitely be getting back into my blog again because it helps me escape and get creative :)

have a beautiful weekend<3

i'm Almost Back.

2012-09-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

I have definitely been on a 2 week hiatus from blogging. Sorry.. it's unintentional, but life has got in the way. Cannot wait to blog very, very soon!

Office Reveal

2012-09-13T18:41:00.001-07:00

Hey :) Sooo, our office is about 95% finished. We still need to put on the new door for the room and the closet doors, along with finding curtains for the window, but other than that, it is FINISHED! We are so proud of this room because it is the first room that is completely finished, new floors and all! I am so grateful for wonderful friends who helped us with this room! {Thank you, Aaron & Jo!}

Get ready for pictures.

The wall color is called, 'Coastal Villa' by Valspar. The primer we used was also by Valspar and was just a shade lighter than the color on the walls. It worked perfectly. The laminate wood floor is called 'Soft Plum' and can be found at Lowe's.

High view.

DIY Chevron Art.

{tutorial found here.}

My side.

Desk: DIY project {tutorial found here. }

Chair: Wal-Mart

Yellow Desk Lamp: Kohl's

White Picture Frame: IKEA

Neon Vase: Thrifted

Yellow Box & Colorful Picture Frame: Target

Stick-On Chalk Board: Kohl's

Corner.

Bookshelf: Big Lots

Wicker Basket: Wal-Mart

Throw: IKEA

Closet Area

Filing Cabinet: Free!

Michael's Side.

LOVE Poster: Amazon

Organizer: Wal-Mart

Painting: DIY

Desk: Free!

Hubs representin' my blog!

My Mr. Fix-It!

BIG Shout Out to my husband! Without this knowledge and handiwork this would have never been completed! I am so thankful for a hard-working husband :)

Thanks, babe ;)

Well, that's it for now! We are very pleased with the result and cannot wait to begin our next room, the guest bedroom :)

Thanks for reading! I appreciate it more than you know!

Weekend Projects.

2012-09-09T18:41:00.001-07:00

Michael & I spent the majority of the weekend working on our house; more specifically, our office project. The office is about 90% finished, so I won't share pics of it until it is finished & stuff is moved in; however, I will show a few just because I'm soo excited!

Not only did we work on the room, but we worked on some things that will go in the room. Our focus was staining an old office desk Michael found for me & creating some DIY artwork for when the office is finished.

Ok, time for some pictures & tutorials :)

Woo. Progress!

Alright, I will start with the Staining Tutorial. Not sure how many of you have ever stained before, but this was my first time staining furniture. Found out, it wasn't hard at all!

First, I went to Wal-Mart & picked out the stain I wanted to use on the desk. Preferably, I like darker wood, so I went with a stain called Ebony by Minwax. I also bought a polyurethane semi-gloss clear coat to put on afterwards, which was by Minwax as well. Since my desk had a clear-coating already on it, it was necessary to sand that off and expose the real wood. The instructions on the Minwax canister said to use 220-grit sandpaper, so we had to buy that as well. The cost for those three supplies were $12-$15.

The original desk before any work.

Here it is after we sanded it completely. As you can see above, we taped off the surface that is on top of the desk so the stain would not touch it.

Working hard or hardly working? ;)

p.s. WEAR GLOVES! The stain can make your hands look pretty nasty if you're not careful. && do this project in a well ventilated area.

Finished product.

Loved the result! It was exactly what I had in mind. It is very important to keep an old t-shirt or cloth handy in order to wipe off any excess stain that does not get soaked up by the wood. If you don't wipe it up, it can look very blotchy. We used a sleeve off an old t-shirt to spread on the stain, but you could use a rag or paintbrush specifically for staining.

After letting it fully dry and letting it sit overnight, Mike put a coat of the polyurethane on it today & it looks great! Cannot wait to get it in the office :)

Any other questions you may have, just ask! I loved the outcome so much, that I will be staining some end tables I have laying around.

The second project we complete yesterday was a DIY painting. I am loving the ever-so-trendy Chevron pattern! I was thinking about decor for the office the other day & thought to myself, "I have to have something Chevron in that office!" While buying my office chair yesterday, I picked up 2 14''x18'' canvases & a 57 cent bottle of black acrylic paint. I already had foam brushes and masking tape at home, along with an assortment of other acrylic paint colors to choose from, so I was set!

Just a warning. Making a Chevron print anything takes more thought than what one would think. I had to utilize Mike in this project. We measured it out in order for the lines to be perfect. We came up with 6 rows of 3'' sections & then made little guidelines of where to place the masking tape. Oh, a pencil, masking tape, scissors, & a ruler of some kind is essential for this project!

After what had seemed to be forever, I finally had all the tape placed where it needed to be. It was time for my favorite part....painting :)

I had originally planned on just keeping the colors black & white, but after much discussion with Mike, we figured that some color would do it well.

Finished product :))) We absolutely LOVE it! Some of the paint leaked through the tape at points, so today I touched up the white parts with some white paint and fixed it. This is just one of the canvases. I plan on doing the other using the exact same color scheme just to give it some uniformity. Very anxious to get these up on the office wall!

Well, this is what my weekend looked like :) Hope yours was just as great!

Tonight's Dinner

2012-09-06T18:49:00.001-07:00

Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joe's

For dinner tonight, I wanted to try a new recipe. I had 1 lb. of ground beef I wasn't sure what to do with, so I browsed myrecipes.com and found this one. I varied the measurements of some of the ingredients; such as only using 1 lb. of ground beef instead of 1.5 lbs. and only using 1/2 cup of ketchup instead of a full cup.

This was super easy to make & it tasted awesome!

Definitely something I will be making again :)

Well, our office is coming along nicely! We are devoting this weekend to completing the room. Part of Saturday will consist of us working on a desk project. I will make sure I post the project on here sometime this weekend :)

have a happy Friday & enjoy your weekend!

Weekend of Labor & Love

2012-09-04T07:41:00.002-07:00

Hello everyone :) I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend! Mine was the best one yet! My sister, Larissa, & her husband, Clayton, were married again in their formal wedding ceremony. It was such a wonderful time! I left immediately after work on Thursday to head back to my hometown, where the wedding festivities took place all weekend.

On Thursday night, I hosted her bachelorette party. We went to House of Japan for dinner, then came home to eat dessert & open gifts. It was fun :)


Isn't she soo beautiful?!

Friday consisted of the rehearsal for the wedding & a cookout at our dad's house for the bridal party & family. It was a nice night before the big day :)

Saturday was Wedding Day! We were all praying for the rain to hold off due to L & C's ceremony being held outside. It did end up raining lightly during the ceremony, but nothing too damaging :)

My sister looked amazing :) Oh, and I BAWLED my eyes out during L & C's vows. They wrote their own vows to one another and it was more than beautiful! I felt like I was in a movie :)

Here are some pics of the Big Day:


SISTERS :)


Daddy walking Riss down the aisle :)


Michael & Me

Me, Larissa, & our brother, Josh

Mikey, Me, Riss, Clayton, & Josh

Sisters for Life! Larissa's life-long friend, Libby. The 3 of us ALWAYS have a fun time together!


Reception.

Michael & I spent the night on Saturday with my dad & brother to spend some extra time with them. We went to church, played some basketball, ate lunch, and laid around the rest of the day. It was a nice, relaxing time. SO thankful for my family!

When we arrived back to our house on Sunday night after a long, but fun weekend, Mike asked me to come inside because he had something to show me. I kept explaining to him that I wanted to unpack our cars and get everything settled before we did that; however, he kept insisting that I come inside and see what was different to the house. He started recording a video on his phone & opened the office door. Inside, I found that the flooring was installed!! I was one HAPPY girl! Our sweet, sweet friends helped Mike with the floor in order to surprise me! It was wonderful :)

eek :)

Yesterday, was Labor Day. It was a busy, but wonderful day! We met some of our close friends & had a triple date :) We had Chik-Fil-A & then us girls went shopping & the boys went to see a movie. It was a great time & cannot wait until we can do it again :) Michael & I went to Menard's afterwards and bought all the baseboard needed for the office then made a trip to Big Lots & picked up a bookshelf & other miscellaneous things. We came home and painted the baseboard, did some organizing, and did some laundry. One of my favorite parts of yesterday was rocking out to some Yellowcard, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Angels & Airwaves, and etc. with Michael. We love that genre of music and it took us back to our high school days. I also told Mike about the surprise I had planned for him. {I am awful at holding surprises in} I was browsing on TicketMaster two weeks ago, and found that Yellowcard is on tour & will be in Cleveland in November, playing at the House of Blues. YAY! We will be there :)

This was my jammin' face from last night. It was soo much fun just singing with my hubby & saying, "OH, remember this song??!!"

Oh, and see where that yellow arrow is pointing? It's pointing to an indent on my tongue from my expander. Pretty sure it will be a permanent indent. Just kidding, but I have had it for the past 6 months. HOWEVER, that little expander comes off in 15 DAYS! Woooooo :)

Sorry it has been such a LONG post, but it was needed to fit all this in :) & I haven't posted in a week or so. I hope your 4 day work week flies by!

Warms My Little Heart...

2012-08-27T08:10:00.000-07:00


vaca + sissy


wedding day + sissy


wedding + best friend


bridesmaids + me

mr. & mrs.


4th of July


bro


daddy marrying sissy + clay


our niece, Carlina

dogmom

favorite people: hubs, sissy, & brother

p.s. my sister is getting married this weekend...again...to the same man :) her hubby is in the Marines & they were married by my dad in March in a private ceremony because he was supposed to get deployed in June. well, he is deploying to Afghanistan in October & they wanted a "real" wedding before he left. AHH so excited for this Saturday!

oh, & pray for my bro-in-law, Clayton & my sister, Larissa. I am so proud of Clayton for serving our country & I am beyond thankful to my sister for sacrificing time with her husband in order for him to protect our freedom! THEY ARE AWESOME :)

Our Weekend.

2012-08-19T18:15:00.000-07:00

Our Date Night on Friday! It was such a FUN date! We had dinner at Red Robin & went shopping afterwards. Thankful for such a wonderful man :)

Sorry about the picture spam you are about to experience :/ This weekend, we focused solely on our office renovation. We have made some major headway & it's very exciting! :)

Yesterday, we spent an hour or so grabbing supplies for the project & browsed through more cabinet options for our kitchen renovation. We brought home some information & decided to special order cabinets. It will be a tad more pricey than our original plan, but will look nicer in the long run...{and, who doesn't love new cabinets?} We are trying to do all we can to make this house look lovely so we can make a great profit when we sell it. :)

Sooo many options to choose from!

{We are going with white cabinets again}

Mikey adding the joint compound to the walls! He is my little hard worker :)

In progress.

After the joint compound dried & the wall was sanded, we decided to add primer to the inside of the closet to see how it will look. We love it! ...and this is just the primer ;)

We decided to lay laminate wood flooring throughout the whole house, instead of just the kitchen, living room, and hallway. Due to that change, we tear up the carpet in the office today. This is how it looked before we started.

Layer underneath the carpet.

And this is the tile the house had before we bought it & put carpet down. We successfully removed the carpet out of the room and this is what we are left with as of now.

More was done to the room today, just not documented :/

The room is now ready to be sanded! Wooo :) That will be my job when Mike is in class tomorrow night! ...Then we can paint!

Before we started on the office today, I decided to create some sort of smoothie in order to use up some strawberries I bought this past week.

I created a Strawberry Peach Smoothie. YUM.

I used:

1 cup strawberries

1 cup Minute Maid Peach Juice

1 1/2-2 cup ice

I blended it until I was satisfied with the consistency.

mmm :)

Have a great Monday tomorrow!

More pictures will be coming on the office this week :)

Friday's Letters

2012-08-17T09:22:00.003-07:00

This is my first "Friday's Letters" & Link-Up. :)

Dear Work: Thanks, but no thanks for giving me the day off. I wanna make some money!

Dear Housework: You are tacky & I hate you! {School of Rock quote ;)}

Dear Husband: Thanks for being an excellent provider! You work 9-10 hr. days, Mon-Fri, & I never, ever hear you complain! You are awesome!

Dear Friday night date night: We are soo looking forward to you! Looks like we are going to the gun range! Woo :)

Dear counseling classes: Please get here soon. You make my life so very stressful, but I cannot wait to begin. It will mean one more semester closer to finishing grad school!

Dear God: You are so great! Thank you for the many blessings & lessons you are throwing our way!

Dear house: Don't worry! We are fixing you up & you are gonna be good as new!

Dear money tree: Grow, ASAP. I need money to pay for kitchen cabinets & more flooring. Thanks.

Short & Sweet

2012-08-16T18:18:00.001-07:00

This post will not consist of much...just a simple suggestion to married couples. I know I'm not an expert by any means, but this has helped Mike & I out a bunch lately!

*put away your phones, log off the computer, and turn the tv off for at least 30 minutes*

Every night for the past week, Mike & I have been working on our office at night before we go to bed. We decided that during this time, phones, computers, and tv were not allowed. Honestly, it is soo nice! While working on the room, we are able to talk freely about everything from our Christian walk to WWII {our conversation last night}, without any interruptions. It has been more than refreshing to just get away from the outside world & enjoy each others company. This is something we plan to do very frequently :)

For those of you that already do this...that is awesome! & for those of you who don't, I would highly recommend it! :)

have a great Friday, friends!

..i'm off to get some froyo with the hubs!

Some New Things at Little Lady Made for Michael.

2012-08-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start a new segment of my blog dealing with fashion. I don't label myself as any sort of fashionista; however, there are some outfits on Pinterest that I have found discovered and would love to recreate.

It will work like this:

I will find an outfit that I will recreate either using existing clothes from my closet or purchase new ones. The outfits I will choose will include staple items that can be paired with multiple outfits.

Here is my first outfit to be recreated!

Let's hope this goes well :)

p.s. got my hair highlighted today..

Have a great night!

Things That Have Crossed My Mind Today...

2012-08-14T16:25:00.005-07:00

1.) Really need to limit my pop intake. Just tried to run & I died.

2.) I need more shoes.

3.) I don't know how I would get through this life without God.

4.) I have a ~~great~~ AMAZING husband.

5.) One bad decision can alter the lives of those around you, forever. And...it sucks.

6.) 2013 can make its appearance now. I'm over 2012.

7.) Do not understand how bank tellers can do this job for years, and years, and years.

8.) I need a vacation...again.

9.) Gatlinburg sounds nice.

10.) Wish I knew what is going happen come December.

11.) It's important to be mentally present in your marriage, just as much as physically present.

12.) I have been a really bad friend lately.

13.) I miss my sister & brother tremendously.

14.) Cannot wait to get my hair did tomorrow.

15.) ....and get new contacts.

"All of my life, in every season, You are still God. I have a reason to sing, I have a reason to worship."

Oh, hey there!

2012-08-12T18:14:00.001-07:00

Hello :) I trust that you all have had a great weekend! Sunday nights are always depressing...knowing that another work week begins in the morning :/ The past couple days have been great! Thursday night consisted of Mike & I working on the office. Other than having to make a trip to Menard's at 9:30pm for some more supplies, everything went smoothly.

Mike taught me to use a power drill. It was awesome.

Did this by myself! :)

On Saturday, a friend of mine got married! I did a reading for the ceremony & helped wherever was needed!

Loved her hanger for the dress!

Mr. & Mrs. Bentley! She was gorgeous :)

Lovey & Me!

We went to church this morning then went to lunch at Bob Evan's with some new friends! It was a great time :) Due to the nice, summer weather we had tonight...hubby and I decided to tackle an outdoor project that needed done.

We cleared out lots & lots of brush underneath & around this pine tree. Looks so much better!

Umm..bonfire, anyone?

Have a great week :)

p.s. check out the band, The Civil Wars.

Good Stuff!

My Life in Pictures.

2012-08-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone has had a great week so far! Thankfully, tomorrow is Friday!

This is what I have been up to recently:

Bought this little number at TJ Maxx. I have been searching for an elbow-patched cardigan for a while. Finally found one. $13 :)

Tuesday was crAzy. {<--just made a PLL reference in honor of Tuesday's new episode, fyi.} I got home from work & running errands around 7ish. Mike came home from work at 7:30. We had an unexpected visit from friends & Mike worked on a car & installed some drywall in our office. WHEW. Well, we didn't eat dinner until 10pm. Whipped up some brown rice with chips & salsa. YUM YUM YUM. Sooo good...and light- perfect for a super-late dinner!

Last night, we went to a nearby county fair.

We stuffed our FACES! mmmm :)

I found this lil guy sippin' on some mountain dew!

We have a busy weekend coming up! My friend is getting married on Saturday & I am involved in the wedding. Pics to come :)

have a wonderful Thursday!

For my husband!

2012-08-02T12:26:00.002-07:00

I came across a great resource a couple months back. I was searching for specific prayers to pray my your husband. I have been praying these prayers over Mike for the past couple of months, but have found these prayers to be even more necessary concerning his new job.

This is Mike's first "big boy" job in a secular environment. He loves it and has excelled tremendously! Yet, he has observed the major differences between a Christian and secular workforce.

Therefore, I find these prayers for him crucial everyday.

1. His relationship with God.

2. That God would bless him.

3. He would be a spiritual leader in our family.

4. He would love me deeply.

5. Would have a heart for his children.

6. He would make wise choices.

7. For his emotional, mental, and physical health.

8. He would prosper at work.

9. For the power to resist sexual temptation.

10. I will show him respect, grace, and love.

I would love to hear other ways that you show some love to your husbands! I know I take mine for granted at times, but this helps me appreciate him & all he does for me!

have a lovely day :)

Weekend Update.

2012-07-29T17:18:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Thought I would give you all a little update from my weekend.

Friday was Mike's birthday! We both had long, busy days, so we decided to celebrate on Saturday. After work on Friday, I went to my friend's bachelorette party at Spaghetti Warehouse. It was a great time catching up with friends :)

me & the Bride. the lighting is awful..sorry!

Saturday was such an amazing day! Unfortunately, I had to start the day by working from 8-noon. When I returned home from work, Mike and I decided to go to a lake nearby and rent a paddleboat for an hour. It was such a beautiful day & very relaxing :)

We came back home after the lake and got ready to go out for dinner and some fun! We ate at Mongolian BBQ :) YUM! Gotta love their FREE birthday meals! Then we did some shopping {well, I did ;)} & decided to see the Batman movie. AHH, we LOVED the movie! So, Mikey's 23rd birthday was a huge success :)

{sorry no pics of the rest of the night}

And for today, well...we haven't done much. The sermon at church was on God's will & it was amazing! Definitely something that Mike & I both needed to be reassured about. Lunch was provided by Wendy's :) and then we came home to rest!

Enzo pretty much represents how our day has gone :)

Side update: Mike's new job is going beyond amazing! He has been "promoted" to a manager-type position already! The company has some big things in store for him! This is a HUGE praise! Please pray for Mike & his journey with his new job!

Hope your weekend was as wonderful as mine was!