Little Mrs. Married

on gender reveal parties...

2012-02-10T13:39:00.000-06:00

Last year was the year where everybody and their mama got pregnant. Okay, not their mama. Just most women I know. They are the majority right now, these mama-to-be ladies. Well, THIS year it seems, is the year of the baby shower. And the gender reveal party. Because it's getting closer to the due date for all of these mamas-to-be. My point, you're wondering?

This gender reveal party thing has really taken off. And I love it. So much so that I'm writing a whole post about them, when I'm not even pregnant.

I sort of attended my first one last Friday. I say "sort of" because it was via the wonderful world wide web & Google Plus. I am not a member of Google Plus (i was for about a day), but i became one again when i realized it'd allow me to be a part of the gender reveal party for my friends way out in Cali! Anyway, so they had their gender reveal & this picture was a result. I LOVE THIS PICTURE.

As you can see, it's a boy. :) They didn't know until this moment.

Now, if you're new to the whole gender reveal party idea, I will explain. I have seen this done two ways. One is where you (as the soon-to-be parents) find out at the ultrasound & announce to friends & family at the party. The other is where you do NOT find out at the ultrasound! Instead, you find out WITH your friends & family at the party.

The first time I ever heard of them was (you guessed it) another blog. E from E, Myself & I did a gender reveal party & she had the cutest theme & decor! She got them all from Etsy & I just loved the whole idea when i read it! She & her husband found out what they were having at the ultrasound. They spent that day together with it being their little secret as they went around town getting stuff for their Gender Reveal party that evening. They invited a small group of close friends & family & it was "announced" by having the two grandmas-to-be cutting the cake together. Everyone wore pink if they thought it was a girl & blue for boy & it was just a really cute idea. Check out that post here.

After that, I googled about them & I think that is actually how I found my friend Callie at Through Clouded Glass. I still read her blog, I just like her so much! She, too, had a Gender Reveal party. Instead of cake/cupcakes/cake-pops, they used a pinata to do the big reveal! I thought that was pretty cool & original! My friend Ashlee at Blessed Chick also had a PRECIOUS gender reveal in May & she later had a girl. Her post is here.

It was later on that I realized many gender reveal parties are where the parents do NOT find out what they're having at the ultrasound. They have the tech write it down & put it in an envelope, they take the envelope to the bakery to do the cake. So when the party begins, the only two people who know what sex the baby is, are the ultrasound tech & the baker (& maybe other hospital/bakery staff, but you see my point!). That's how my friends in the above picture chose to do it, mainly because they're out in Cali with family here in Louisiana.

I used to think i would find out & it'd be just our way to announce to close friends & family, but after seeing Amanda's, I think I want to find out what we're having at the actual party with our friends & family. It was just so cool! I have had several friends do their gender reveals both ways, so i definitely think either way is a fun idea!

My husband knows all about the Gender Reveal party from me going on & on about them. See, i used to want to be one of those weirdo's who didn't want to find out what she was having until baby is actually born! :) BUT i know my family would hate me for it, and Brad is like, "NO WAY! I have to know!" HAHA! This, to me, is a happy compromise. A fun way to find out & announce to close family before you tell the whole facebook world. HA! So we'll definitely do this, when the time comes, whenever that may be!

Tomorrow, i have a baby shower to attend at 11 & then a Gender Reveal party for my husband's cousin Megan. And then at the end of February i am going to another Gender Reveal! Fun times!

Of course through Pinterest, I have seen a zillion cute gender reveal party ideas, so i will share a few here!

Source: thecakeblog.com via Melissa on Pinterest Gender Reveal Cupcakes

Source: Uploaded by user via Melissa on Pinterest

Gender Reveal Cake

Source: brynnandashton.blogspot.com via Brynn on Pinterest

Lots of different ideas to cast your vote.

Source: blog.amyatlas.com via Amy on Pinterest

Lots of times, the food theme is the mama cravings! Cute idea!

Source: 2.bp.blogspot.com via Tanya on Pinterest

And it doesn't have to be a pink/blue theme! This is a "What will it bee?" theme. :)

{ SO MUCH FUN!! }

Whew!

2012-02-10T11:27:00.000-06:00

Well. Where do I begin?

This week, I have been through hell. I guess it probably gets old to hear about someone's stress at work, but it's all that's on my mind these days, so hear it you must (Or not. You can always just skip over my blog for the day. I'll never know!). But no worries. I'm not going to go on too long about it! Well, maybe I will. Just this once? Okay, whatever. Skim if you must!

Can I just say what amazing friends I have though?

Friday I worked 2 hours late, and didn't take a lunch break. I also took work home. Monday, same thing. A really bad day. Tuesday had its moments. I worked only about 45 minutes late, because I had to be at the Manship. I was EXHAUSTED but I made it. The stress, though, is going to kill me. I can't go on like this.

Wednesday. Wednesday was the worst. I made another giant mistake at work & it took me most of the day with students in my office to fix it. I think it was my 3rd day in a row to cry at work. Too much stress = tears for me, remember? Anyway. At one point on Wednesday... probably around 2:00... I sent an emergency HELP! text to a few girlfriends. Girlfriends that i knew would lift me up in prayer. My text said,

"Will somebody pray for me? I'm on the verge of a nervous breakdown at work. I don't know what I'm going to do. I've never felt so incompetent or like such a failure in my life!"

And I received the following responses:

"You got it, girl! I am sorry you are having those feelings, but you are NOT a failure nor are you incompetent. In Jesus name I pray for peace, strength & joy over you right now! Love you, Mel!"

"Aw, Mel! No way! Whatever it is, you can't believe that lie! Lifting you up! Love you!"

"I'm sorry. Praying right now!"

"I just saw your message. Praying for you, girl. You are NOT a failure, you are more than a conqueror!! And you can do all things with Jesus! You are fully equipped to do this job, and you will do it with excellence!"

"1 Peter 5:7, "Cast all your anxiety on HIM because he cares for you." I don't know what you are facing right now but I am praying for you at this exact moment! Stop what you are doing, take some deep breaths & regroup. You CAN DO whatever is on your plate right now at work right now! The Lord brought you to that job for a reason. I realize it might not feel like it right now, but He did! He knew you would have this day & those feelings! Lord, I pray for strength & confidence for Melissa right now! Guide her emotions and take away her frustrations! Encourage her & give her peace! Love you, Mel!"

I mean! How awesome to have such amazing friends who speak such truth into my life?! And i have MORE friends like this, such as my besties Sarah & Laura & so many others, but these are just my friends who text & I only had about 5 seconds to send a quick message to some friends! Haha! Anyway, i read those & kept working and at some point... quickly, like within 30 minutes... I realized I was in a MUCH better frame of mind & the stressful situations lightened up a little. Just a little, but i was definitely able to handle it better. Things changed so much so that I KNEW beyond the shadow of a doubt that they really were praying for me, and not just saying it! (LOVE Y'ALL, you know who you are!)

Some of them even sent another message the next morning to let me know they were still thinking about me & praying for me!

And then on Thursday, a wonderful person from corporate came to train me on some things & to talk to me again about all this stress! I am sure my boss told her that i was on the brink of a breakdown! Haha. We met with some other people to explain some changes we will be making...not major ones but things that will make a huge difference anyway! And as long as i stick with the calendar, meeting deadlines, i will be FINE. And I believe again that i can actually do this!

So Monday I have a lot of work to do, but I know that I can do it. And if i get stuck, i have two people I can call to help me through it. The girl from corporate will come back to help out on Tuesday & the woman who has my position at our Lafayette location will come later in the week. I'm going to get through this!

I'm really glad, because I do not want to go anywhere else. There is so much i love about this place already. I just want to be successful. In my last job, i was great at it, I was well respected & worked hard & was very organized. If someone asked me for something, I knew right where it was! It's been the complete opposite here & I can't help but think that these people have never seen someone so not organized & so incompetent before! My husband says "who cares what they think?" but i do not want them to think i'm incompetent because I'm NOT! It just seems like it right now for several reasons! But i will just continue to do my best & they will find over time that i am AWESOME! HAHA!

So there ya go. And today? Today I'm off. I slept till 9, got some coffee, took a long hot bath with a magazine, & now I sit in comfy clothes, on the couch, with the perfect temp, Fievel curled up beside me, with the sound of rain in the background. NICE. I deserve it! And I need it!

So that's the story & why I've been MIA. Thank you if you've been praying for me. Much love. xoxo

My week in photos - # 5

2012-02-04T23:08:00.000-06:00

Another week in photos for you!

Week 5 of 2012

{January 29-February 4}

(February 4th not actually included...oops!)

Sunday, January 29th - Soup, Salad & SAGs at Charlynn's house! Emily, Charlynn, Lauren & moi!

Monday, January 30th - Monday was a tough day. Came home & had a glass of wine & a long hot bath.

Tuesday, January 31st - My pants were literally falling off me! Down 24 pounds now! Woohoo!

Wednesday, February 1st - The students at school surprised the staff with a little love!

Thursday, February 2nd - Had to work at the Manship this night. Here are two coworkers, Logan & Erin. Love them!

Friday, February 3rd - Not exactly "my" picture, but it was definitely the highlight of my day! My friends, Amanda & Matt, had their Gender Reveal Party...this pic is just beautiful to me! I'll be posting it in full-size later, because it just makes me so happy! I attended via those hangout thingies in Google Plus... just so i could be there for the reveal! They live in Cali now, so they had other family watching that way, too. Anyway, as you can see by the cake, it's a BOY! So fun!!

HOW WAS YOUR WEEK?

Soup, Salad & SAGs!

2012-02-04T18:34:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday night we had Girl's Night at Charlynn's. LOVE her place. So cute! Anyway, it'd been far too long since our last little get together & we were anxious to see each other! We decided on Soup & Salad Night, and as you may have figured, we watched the SAG awards, too. Fun times!

Charlynn preparing her Sensation Salad. It was delish!

Emily & Lauren arrive...

And later, Rachel, who is Charlynn's best friend & who i just recently met. I LOVE her! It's like having two Charlynns in the same room, which is pure goodness!

The soups were delish. I made the Tomato Basil Parmesan, and Char made a Sausage Lentil soup! We had the Sensation salad, plus a ramen noodle kind of salad that was amazing, a tomato & mozzerella salad (so good!) & an avocado-mango salad! YUM! All salads I hadn't had before & all were so good! We had tons of food & a wonderful time talking & laughing!

Some of us had mugs, so we could have a little of each soup!

At this point, we were stuffed. ;)

Natalie, Emily & Rachel

Cannot tell you how much i love this woman!

Emily was just snapping away. This one makes me smile. :)

Me & Emily! (She blogs now, by the way. Go give her some love!)

Love these girls!

They're silly, too!

I love this one!

Good times. Hope to do it again soon! Gotta love girlfriends!

One word for you: WEEKEND!

2012-02-04T01:30:00.002-06:00

So, I made it through another week & am home for a break!

Although, not really, because I actually had to bring work home with me. Something I've never done before & something I swore I would never do. Well, I've always wanted to be a teacher & here I am bringing grades home to input into the system for report cards next week! So, there ya go!

I am still hopeful that things will calm down a bit. Not sure how certain I am that this will actually happen, though. The jury is still out on that! But i have had some help this week & hopefully things will sink in. I am beginning to think it is no coincidence that the daiquiri place is right next door: "Home of the Attitude Adjustment" is their motto. Hmm. I might one day find myself there on my way home! Oh, yeah, except for the sugar. DANGIT! (Is it sad that i don't care about the alcohol, that it's the sugar i'm afraid of!? Well, it is. I don't get drunk. I've never even been tipsy. Sugar, however. Well, i have definitely been what they call, "chocolate wasted". It's not pretty.)

source

On Tuesday (or was it Wednesday? It's all a blur!), the students did Staff Appreciation. It was cute. They put streamers & balloons all over the ceiling & posters lined the walls with our names on each one with a balloon on top.

Awww :) Every staff member had one of these & the students were going around signing them. :)

And here is the staff! Not the best pic, but it gives you an idea! I like these people!

I worked very, VERY hard this week & hopefully will get some more done this weekend. One day i will catch up? :)

* * * * *

...in other news...

* * * * *

My husband is sick as a DOG...as i write this he is coughing up a lung. Ha. Sorry for the bad visual, but I'm just saying. He's SICK. Please pray that i do not get whatever-it-is, because there is no way i can miss work. Maybe ever. HA! (Still overwhelmed, if you can't tell!) And please pray that he feels back to his old self again soon. He's pretty miserable. He also had a root canal this week. Fun times!

* * * * *

On Thursday, I worked as a backstage rep at the Manship Theater for the Hot 8 Brass Band. This is what you call NEW ORLEANS JAZZ. For real, y'all! I loved it. They were FANTASTIC. Video'ing was not allowed, but I got special privileges. I hope they don't mind me posting this. Honestly, though, it's like 5 seconds at the end of two songs. I am sad that's all i got! I thought i got more, but realized i didn't actually press the record button. Ha! So anyway, this should be fine since it's only a tiny snippet!

Good times!

* * * * *

Other Randoms...

Here is a cool site about seeing your blog stats. I know you can do this right here on blogger, but this way might be cooler. We'll see.

And here is a funny blog post by E at E, Myself & I. This girl cracks me up. If your guy needs a cheat sheet in this area, feel free to pass it along. Ha!

-Things I would like to get done this weekend-

1.) clean the kitchen

2.) do all laundry!

3.) clean the bathrooms! (my house is a wreck, can you tell?!)

4.) begin Operation Organization! Starting with our closet & under our bed! (Scary.)

5.) Do some practice photography!

6.) JUST DANCE on the wii!
7.) Enter all grades.

The ones in bold are the ones that actually will happen. The other ones are not likely!

What are your weekend plans?

Fill in the Blanks!

2012-02-04T00:00:00.000-06:00

Time for Fill-in-the-Blank Friday!

1. If money wasn't an issue, the first thing I'd cross off my life-list is a house. I would buy one. Immediately. (I almost put traveling . I think it is sad that I chose a house over seeing the world. But that's just how bad I want (need!) one.)

2. Blogging & theater are two things I like that other people think is weird. (I have lots of "normal" friends, apparently!)

3. If my life were a movie right now the title would be She Works Hard for the Money? (Haha! Because seriously, y'all. Job is KILLING ME! (It'll be okay, though!))

4. Three things I am looking forward to this month are (hopefully) a sweet Valentine's Day date, taking an online photography class (more on this later!) & losing some more weight!

5. My favorite song to sing in the shower is whatever is blasting on the radio. Usually Kari Jobe, Crystal Lewis or Kelly Clarkson (P.S. I don't sing in the shower, because I'm typically not quite awake at that point. Singing happens in the car.)

6. If i found out that the production of the wonderful Sharpie Pen was ending this month, I'd go out and buy as many as i could tomorrow.

7. One thing I'll never grow tired of is Brad-hugs. They are amazing.

HAPPY FRIDAY :)

5 Questions for you...

2012-02-03T23:34:00.000-06:00

Just 5 Questions!

1. What have you done recently that you are proud of?

Hmm. This is tough. My new job is quite challenging for me, so far. I don't know if I've made myself proud there quite yet. I am still buried under stacks of paperwork. I lost 5.5 pounds in January, and that's not too bad! ;)

2. What is your favorite way to work out?

I love Zumba! LOVE! Sad I haven't been able to go lately. I got a wii recently, and Just Dance is a blast!

3. If you knew you best friend was cheating on her spouse would you tell?

Gosh. I don't even want to THINK of this! I would talk to her, first and foremost! And if she refused to get a grip, I'd probably tell her husband, her pastor AND her mother! Ha! (I'm only laughing because this is a ridiculous scenario. Obviously, if it happened in real life, I'd cry for weeks & agonize over what to do!)

4. If you could afford a live-in maid or nanny, would you have one?

I wouldn't want a live-in maid or nanny. But I would take a part-time maid, thankyouverymuch!

5. Do you stress out about birthdays (specifically the age) or do you enjoy them?

No, and i don't get why people stress about them! Aging is beautiful, to me. And I enjoy every birthday. Mine, others, young, old, it doesn't matter! It's celebrating a person's life!

The bonus is silly! For the record, though, my answer is exactly the same as Mama M's. :)

Link up, or answer the questions in the comments!

Peace

2012-01-31T22:28:00.000-06:00

So I would do a stream of consciousness thing or maybe just a random bullet point post, except there is only one thing on my mind.

WORK.

Work, y'all. WORK! OhdearLordinheaven, HELP ME!

Haha. Okay, i can say this with a bit of humor, because today was a much better day! But work has been really stressful. I am still happy about this job & I still believe it is the right job for me. Just some adjustments that need to be made. :) I have a meeting tomorrow & it should get things going in the right direction.

I do love my boss, my coworkers & the students, though. It's just the actual workload itself that has me drowning. In tears. Haha.

Oh, yeah. It's bad. Cried all the way home last night, got a Brad-hug, took a hot bath with a glass of wine, and stayed up till midnight finishing work. Something i said i'd NEVER do. But something that HAD to be done.

Today was better. And hopefully tomorrow will be even better!

On top of all that, we are having car issues. Brad had to get 2 new tires on Saturday, we had to have my car checked out & I didn't catch exactly what is wrong but i did catch that it will be about $1200 to fix it. And this is a guy who always charges us SO LITTLE that we throw in a large tip because we think he undercharges us. For real. ANYWAY... other than that, Brad has to get a tooth worked on tomorrow & we have no idea how much that will cost since he doesn't have dental insurance (had i but known, i would have put him on mine!). AND Brad is getting sick. Like, VERY sick. He sounds & looks horrible. I mean...he's handsome as ever haha, but you know what I'm saying. SICK. Dear Lord, please don't let me get it! I can't miss work!

So yeah. When it rains, it pours, can i tell ya? You already know this, I'm sure!

I did quit my job at the Manship Theatre, though. I've got mixed feelings about it. I'll finish out February since that schedule has already been done, but then I won't be working there anymore. A little sad, but glad overall. It's the right decision.

Still deciding about the other theater thing. Because i really want to do that one, but I'm just not sure if i can pull it off. Not with this job. Which i'm feeling more positive about today, but yesterday, MAN! I put it on facebook, because i felt SO CLOSE to a breakdown that i really needed some prayer. I just needed someone to lift me up! (More on this later.) Someone texted me this Bible verse after reading my post (thanks, Amber!). I need the reminder. Always.

"I am leaving you with a gift. Peace of mind & heart. And the peace I give isnt like the peace the world gives. So dont be troubled or afraid." -John 14:27

How are YOU, my friends? How can i pray for you? Are you going through a rough time, too?

Tell me. We can pray for each other. :)

{GROUP HUG}

P.S. Is the weekend here yet?

My week in photos - # 4

2012-01-28T16:11:00.001-06:00

Week 4 of 2012

{January 22-28}

I am really surprised I got a photo each day this week. All with my phone. Work was insane this week, as discussed in my last post! But I managed to get pictures anyway!

Sunday, Jan 22 - This was my view from after church until bedtime. I know. Exciting life I lead. :)

Monday, Jan 23 - FINALLY finished receiving inventory at work... had to bring some of the boxes to my office to distribute on campus the next morning. This pretty much sums up the day: Boxes, boxes, boxes!

Tuesday, Jan 24 - House Managing at the Manship Theatre for the Jewish Film Festival, third night in a row! Great audience!

Wed, Jan 25 - Oh, the perks of working for Aveda! Great discounts on wonderful products! Finally got my Smooth Infusion & I love it! Smells so good, too!

Thurs, Jan 26 - I finished off our new student orientation at work by distributing kits to the new students (their bag with all of their school supplies = pretty much Christmas to them!). This was the mess when we were done. I have seen more boxes this week than ever in my life. If you are ever moving & need boxes, you might want to ask me!

Fri, Jan 27 - House Managed at the Manship Theatre for Loudon Wainwright & The Punch Brothers - both EXCELLENT! This is at the end when they both did a song together. LOVED these guys!

Sat, Jan 28 - Breakfast at the in-laws this morning! Saying goodbye to Fani, their Rhodesian Ridgeback before leaving. Isn't she a beauty? They were lion hunters, did you know that? (Fani is actually missing the ridge... She's still gorgeous!)

How was your week?

On traveling.

2012-01-28T15:15:00.000-06:00

I really love to travel. A lot of people may not know that about me, because I rarely actually do it. I have dreams of seeing the whole world, and I hope I get to see at least part of it some day. It's just that traveling is expensive & right now, the priority is saving for a house & other things.

ANYWAY. Yesterday's Fill-in-the-Blank Friday was on Travel. Is it too late to play?

1. My favorite place I've ever traveled to is Santa Monica, California. It's just beautiful there. We went on a missions trip with the Dream Center in Los Angeles, but a free day in Santa Monica was fantastic. Shopping & the beach right next to each other, along with perfect weather? LOVE. I also really enjoyed NYC & want to go back!

2. Europe is somewhere I'd love to go someday. Specifically, Italy. More specifically, Greece. But all over Europe, really. I've never been.

3. I pass the time on a plane (or bus or train or car ride) by reading novels or flipping through magazines.

4. My three must-haves when I travel are books, magazines, & my iphone.

5. My favorite travel companion is Brad, once we actually get there! He can be a bit of a pain during the preparing to go process! He worries about getting lost, he gets anxious about money & packing & directions, & he often doesn't want to go at all. Once there, though... he's the perfect travel buddy. :)

6. The craziest thing that ever happened to me while traveling is getting stuck in the Detroit airport overnight. Ugh. What a long night!

7. The most exotic food I've tried while traveling is alligator. I know that's sad, considering there are much more exotic foods to be had! And this is silly considering i've lived in Louisiana my entire life! But I didn't try alligator until i was on a missions trip in Panama. We were in the Darien Jungle & the natives took two of our team members & 2 of our leaders & they hunted an alligator during the night. He was for dinner the next day. And yes, he did taste like chicken. :)

8. If i could live anywhere else, I'd live in Charlotte NC, Savannah GA, or Natchitoches LA.

Where was your most favorite roadtrip/vacation?

Where would you like to go someday?

Stress = tears.

2012-01-25T22:14:00.002-06:00

This week = INSANITY.

I've been stressed to the max. I won't go into the details of WHY, but yeah. This girl needs a massage. A glass of wine. And LOTS of prayer. I mean it.

I'm making it, though! And after tomorrow, I should be good to go!

Part of this was poor planning on my part. I scheduled myself to work at the Manship the same week as new student orientation. Orientation won't be a big deal in the future, but this is my first time. Not to mention other first-time assignments I've also been given to accomplish this week. To be honest with you, it's not a one person job. At all. But I'm making it!

I've cried everyday at work so far this week. It's what I do when I'm under stress. In fact, I've realized that tears flow for me more because I'm under too much stress or because I'm very sick, and less because I'm sad or angry. Isn't that strange? I've had 2 girls cry in my office at work this week & apologize for it, and both times I was able to say, "It's okay... I've already cried today. It's that kind of week!" It makes them feel better, at least.

My week looks like this:

Monday: Work 8-5. End up working on a project at work until 5:30, when I'm supposed to be at the Manship Theater at 5:45. Try to load 3 boxes on a dolly & the top one falls over & a huge glass bottle of massage oil crashes to the ground. NICE. Made it to my second job late. Work till 10, home by 10:30. Straight to bed.

Tuesday: Work 8-5. Work till 5:30 AGAIN because i can't leave until certain things are done. Late to Manship AGAIN. Work till 9:30, home by 10. Straight to bed.

Wednesday: Work 8-5. I can't tell you if today was worse or better than Monday. It's a toss-up. My presentation to the new students for their orientation went well. YAY. :) Left work at 5:15 & went HOME. Home sweet home.

Thursday (tomorrow): Work 8-8. Tomorrow is the second day of orientation & my presentation for them is the last thing on the agenda - from 5-8. Once that's done, I can go home.

Friday: Work 8-5 (hopefully!). Manship at 6:15. Probably will get home around 11.

SATURDAY: NOTHING! DAY OF REST/RELAXATION/BLOGGING/READING/ETC

So that's my week. Hopefully i survive tomorrow's presentation (kinda nervous about it, because I have not been able to prepare yet!). Pray for me between 5 & 8, if you think about it.

Please know i am not complaining. I still love my job. It's just a tough week & I knew it would be going into it. I will make it! And after this week, things will be better.

Time for bed.... Night!

P.S. I have some important decisions to make regarding my second jobs & if they are a good thing for me at this point... I could use some prayers in that area as well.

XOXO

My Week in Photos - #3

2012-01-22T14:53:00.002-06:00

Week 3 of 2012

{January 15-21}

Sunday - Baby Shower for Mika...soon-to-be mama of twin girls!

Monday - Off of work today! Got a new book & new blender in from Amazon. YAY!

Tuesday - Hung out with my friend Aimie that evening...was really mad i didn't get a pic with us! Instead I got a pic of a smoothie. Whatever!

Wednesday - Got my Jillry order in! Love my new earrings & bangles! Pretty! (Check out Jillry on Facebook. She has amazing jewelry & great deals!)

Thursday - I cheated here, too. Had a date with two of my besties, Shana & Sarah, at Deangelo's. We spent about 20 minutes in the car trying to get a decent pic of us. Laughing until we were crying, because EVERY pic chopped off our heads or had Shana's eyes closed! My phone died. And then it was too late, I had deleted all the bad ones! This salad actually is from Friday. Bummer!

Friday - I got business cards at work! And isn't Fievel so cute?!

Saturday - Breakfast with my good friend, Lindsay at Another Broken Egg! Yay!

What were the highlights of your week? :)

My Week in Photos - #1 & #2

2012-01-20T23:24:00.001-06:00

You know how one of my new year's resolutions was to take a pic a day everyday in 2012? Well, I've been doing that. The album itself is on facebook, but I meant to post a week's worth every weekend.

This post will catch you up. :)

{2012, so far}

Week One

January 1-7

Sunday, Jan 1: New journal I found at Barnes & Noble. A question a day for 5 years.

Monday, Jan 2: Showing off one of my new scarves! Meant for the pic to be more scarf, less face.

Tuesday, Jan 3: Back to guzzling the water. Yay! My body thanks me.

Wednesday, Jan 4: An "unwhich" from Jimmy John's! So good!

Thursday, Jan 5: Cupcakes at work that i did NOT eat. (Proud!)

Friday, Jan 6: Got to have lunch with my good friend, Danielle!

Saturday, Jan 7: Hit the lakes for a little photography lesson!

Week Two

January 8-14

Sunday, Jan 8: The classic underbite.

Monday, Jan 9: The day of the LSU/Bama game was crazy. I didn't see a single person that day not in LSU attire. And this big flag was flying high on the boulevard where I work. We lost, though. Lots of sad people in Louisiana that evening (for the record, I don't watch football. But even i got a little infected that day.).

Tuesday, Jan 10: I made SkinnyTaste's stuffed peppers for dinner. They're so good, y'all. And healthy.

Wednesday, Jan 11: Met my old coworkers, Tonya, Wendy & Monique, for dinner!

Thursday, Jan 12: No sleeping with us, but Fievel does get the bench at the end of the bed. He loves it!

Friday, Jan 13: I got a wii! So much fun! Just Dance 3 is awesome!

Saturday, Jan 14: Date night with Brad!

So there you go, you're all caught up. I'll give you one of these each week!

(Try not to get too excited, now!)

Links & some answers!

2012-01-20T21:23:00.000-06:00

I have not blogged all week. It's just been so insane at work, and other than Wednesday, I've had somewhere to go after work. I'd just come home & go straight to bed! All i wanted to do today was come home & BLOG! So, here I am. :)

* * *

FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY

from My Little Life

1. Where do you hide the really good snacks?!

Um... there are no snacks here. Except fruit & there's no need to hide that! The only temptation left for me in this house is Brad's cereal, but guess what?! He loves my smoothies so much, he said he'll stop buying the cereal! This is really good because if it's a really weak moment, I really want that cereal!

2. Do you keep your vehicle clean?

My car is so gross, y'all. I'm not even kidding. I need a professional wash, stat! Honestly, i don't have a lot of STUFF in there... I can be good about bringing that stuff in the house (although right now i can't say that). But little bits of trash, grass, etc? It's gross.

3. Have you ever been to Vegas?

4. Warm room, light blankets or Cold room, warm blankets?

I like option B.

5. What is the worst flying/airplane experience you have ever had?

When i was 21, I flew to Canada to be in my friend's wedding. It was my first time flying, my first time in Canada (or up North, PERIOD), my first time being a bridesmaid, my first time singing in a wedding. All at once! I had a layover in Detroit. Keep in mind, I'm BY MYSELF! There was a layover or something on my first flight which made me miss my next flight and so I HAD TO SLEEP AT THE AIRPORT. Overnight. ALONE! They would not put us up in a hotel. And for some INSANE reason, I didn't call my dad to rescue me?! To this day i have no idea how that happened? I mean... I would have called my parents. And SURELY they would have gotten me set up in a hotel? That's what they would have done. And yet... i stayed overnight at a hotel. In detroit. Alone. The details are foggy, but that i do remember! When I arrived in Buffalo, NY, the next day where my Canadian friend was waiting for me, I was DEAD tired. It was bad.

---Links For You---

Wanted to share some interesting reads for you! You should check these out.

My friend Mackenzie just moved to Belgium. Yes, BELGIUM! Her hubby got transferred there for the next few years & the whole family is tagging along. She wrote this post today on how grocery shopping is so different there, and i thought it was pretty interesting! P.S. Mackenzie was my role model when i was a little teeny bopper. Also, she has the CUTEST family you've ever seen.

I've been working on cutting sugar from my diet. I did very, very well this week. I have to learn to eat low carb/very low sugar because I want to reverse my insulin resistance. It is possible & I am learning. Anyway, I got the book Sugar Nation & it is really good so far. I also saw this article on my twitter & thought it was an interesting read. READ IT. Sugar is bad for you. I know that is not fun to hear, but honestly. Check it out.

Speaking of twitter. I'm on it. I like it. I am surprised, because i joined in March 2009 (according to them... I don't remember) & I hated it. It was stupid. Well, I like it this time around. So if you are there, you can follow me if you like. My name there is lilmrsmarried.

This is my new favorite blog. For serious. She writes so well & she's funny & honest & everything you love in a writer. You have probably already read it by now, because i had a couple of friends post it on facebook & one friend blogged about it. But if you are a mom, read this one. I'm not a mom, but i loved it.

Ever want to be a little more blog savvy & create one of those photo collages? Smitten just did this great tutorial & I thought i would share. :)

I guess that's enough links for one day.

Happy Friday!

A little game for you!

2012-01-15T23:52:00.000-06:00

Awhile back, Katie tagged me in this little game thing. I love these things, to be quite honest with you, and I haven't done one in awhile. Please participate if I tag you! It'll be fun! Haha!

(Don't worry, I will not tag you to play if she already did!)

[the rules]

1. You must post the rules.

2. Post 11 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and then create 11 new questions to ask the people you've tagged.

4. Tag 11 people and link them on your post

5. Let them know you've tagged them!

[11 fun facts about moi]

1. I love left-handers. I don't know why that is. I just do.

2. I also think people who take their coffee black are super cool. I might already think you are cool & then notice you take your coffee black. And suddenly you are even cooler than I thought. That's just the way it is. (I do not take my coffee black. I wish I could, because it's cool. (And healthier.))

3. I am often told I look like Reese Witherspoon. This is a huge compliment to me, but I wish people would leave it at that. When they add, "Has anyone ever told you that?" or "I bet you get that all the time, don't you?", I start feeling a little awkward. If i say, "yes", it just sounds a bit like I'm trying to flatter myself. And I hate it when people do that. But if i say no, I'm lying.

4. I get a lot angrier at inanimate objects than I do at people.

5. I dream of having a house with a wrap around porch & a hammock. And a backyard with a fence. And lots of cabinet space in the kitchen. And lots of storage. And nice floors. And walk-in closets. And one of those tubs with the claw feet. And a library, just a little one. You get the idea, right?

6. I make lots of silly faces. My husband believes my face is made of silly putty.

7. I sometimes feel sad that the whole world cannot experience how incredibly funny my husband is. I was crying from laughing last night. Nobody sees this side of him (except his family), because he's pretty reserved in public. What a shame!

8. I LOVE to read. For whatever reason, I prefer fiction to nonfiction. I don't believe anything is wrong with fiction, but i sure do wish i could fly through nonfiction just as quickly.

9. I wish everyone understood that many skinny people are just as unhealthy as fat ones. People do not believe this. But it's true. EVERYONE should work on their health.

10. I still want to move to Savannah, Georgia or Charlotte, North Carolina. But I would settle for Natchitoches (nacho toe cheese), Louisiana. Why? Because they're CUTE.

11.The following phrases annoy me: That is all, But I digress, FML. (There are a lot more, but I can't remember them right now.) There is nothing wrong with these sayings (other than FML) if they actually fit into what else is being said. I am finding, however, that people are using these phrases to sound clever, when it doesn't actually work with what is being said. Instead of sounding clever, it sounds like it's copied from someone who did sound clever when they wrote it. Am I making any sense here? It bothers me! These are perfectly fine sayings, just over used.

On Grey's Anatomy, in an argument, the characters often say, "You don't get to say that!" when they feel that what the other person said was unfair. It's a great line, but it annoys me because it is so over used. This is a mistake on the writer's part. Each character should have their own character flaws, sayings, quirks, etc. "You don't get to say that!" should come from one character, because that is their "thing" to say. Not every single character whenever there is an argument. It's bad writing. (I love that show, but I'm just saying.)

Side note: "I'm just saying" does not bother me because it is usually funny & works with what is being said. The other ones never sound like they work to me. It always sounds like the author trying to be clever.

That is all.

HA! I used one! See? It worked, I think, but it still annoyed me!

That was way too long & probably made no sense. Moving on!

[Questions from Katie]

1. If you could only own cats or only own dogs for your entire life, which would you choose?
DOGS, hands down. I am just now starting to kinda sorta maybe like cats, but it is still nowhere CLOSE to how much i love dogs.

2. What was the last sleep dream you had that you can remember?
I dreamed a good friend of mine was pregnant. She & her husband told me the news. It was good!

3. If you had no fear of failure, what would you try?

I would definitely finish a novel, starting with one of the many I have already started that sit in notebooks under my bed. I would also get some headshots done & start auditioning.

4. If you could save only one photograph, which would it be?

I don't like this question. Can i save my entire wedding album?

5. Deserted Island: What three books would you take?

The Bible, a good piece of chic lit, & "How to not lose your mind on a deserted Island". Surely there is a book with that title.

6. What skill do you wish you had & why?

I wish I were a dancer. Because it's BEAUTIFUL & has to feel so freeing!

7. What is your favorite meal to cook?

I like cooking. Anything. But soups are easy. I like just throwing stuff in a pot, and you can do that with soup. :)

8. How long does it take you to get ready to go out of the house?

An hour. I can do 30-45 minutes, but it's not very fun & I'm certainly not at my best!

9. What is your favorite childhood memory?

Exploring/playing in the woods/neighborhood with my friends. Family vacations. Opening Christmas presents early & then re-wrapping them so i wouldn't get caught! HA!

10. Deserted Island: What 3 movies do you take? (It's a strange island that has a working dvd player.)

Sleepless in Seattle, The Proposal, The Help

11. How long on average does it take you to read a book?

A few weeks? Gone are the days where I could just fly through them! Adult life = responsibilities!

[The Chosen 11]

1. Betty at It Takes Two

2. Kate at Dancing in the Minefields

3. Ashley at It's Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocus

4. Susan at The Life of Susan

5. Patti at Emersyn & Everett, Our Biggest Little Blessings

6. Linds at A Dollop of My Life

7. Ashlee at Blessed Chick

8. Rainey at Sunshine on Rainey Days

9. Ashley at A Treasured Legacy

10. Emily at Thoughts

11. Angela at Tomorrow is Another Day

(Some of you may not give this the time of day, and that is okay. Even though it'd be really fun to read it!!! A couple of you are brand new to blogging, so if you do not have 11 people to tag, that's okay with me.)

[Questions for The Chosen 11]

1. What are your biggest pet peeves, not including traffic issues? (We all have traffic issues.)

2. If you could go on an all-expense paid vacation & take one person, who would you take & where would you go?

3. If you could do anything you wanted for your next birthday, what would you do? (Money is no object & everything is okay to eat!)

4. What is your favorite play or musical? If you do not have one, how are we friends? (Totally kidding. I don't watch football, it all evens out!)

4. What are some of your favorite girl names? Favorite boy names?

5. What is the biggest lesson you have learned in life?

6. What is your favorite recipe? (Link please!)

7. What is the last book you read? Did you enjoy it?

8. Who is your favorite author or speaker?

9. Which bloggie friends do you hope to meet in real life?

10. What is your nervous habit?

11. What do you hope will happen (that could happen!) in 2012?

Well, that was fun! (Time for bed.)

Some link love!

2012-01-15T20:29:00.001-06:00

I just won a little blog award from Laura, who writes at One Step at a Time. I haven't participated in one of these in awhile, so I thought I would do it! Thanks so much, Laura, for your sweet words about me & for nominating me. ;)

Please know that if I nominate you, I really could care less if you pass the award along! I just want to give you a little well-deserved recognition!

So basically I am supposed to nominate 5 people who have less than 200 followers. (I have a little more than that, because Laura cheated. HA!)

So here we go. Check out these blogs, y'all!

1.) Ashley at A Treasured Legacy - Ashley is a friend from church. I actually grew up really good friends with her older sister, Kristin. I went to their house to hang out a lot over the years, especially in my teens. Her parents threw some awesome Christmas parties! Ashley lost her dad in October 2010 & she was a big-time daddy's girl. He was one of my most favorite people & it was a big shock when he went to be with Jesus. When that happened, though, Ashley ran TO Jesus instead of away from Him. She got baptized & has been drawing closer & closer to Him everyday. I am so proud of this girl & I know her daddy would be (is!), too! She is now blogging what God is showing her, along with some culinary creations & other stuff. She's joining me in the Made to Crave Bible Study as well. Her blog is brand new & not exactly how she wants it to look yet, but she deserves some recognition already! So, go give her a little support, will ya?! :)

2.) Patti at Emersyn & Everett, Our Biggest Little Blessings - Patti is a blogger I've been talking to for quite awhile now & one of those i REALLY need to meet in person. I love her. She has two ADORABLE kiddos & she is REAL. I love reading her blog. You should definitely check her out & her cutie pies!

3.) Laura at A Hearty Overflow - Laura is one of my very best friends in the whole wide world. We have been blog friends for 5 years now & I finally went to meet her in December. She is real & honest & writes about important things. She writes about things that matter. I love reading her blog, whether it's about her adorable kids, her crochet projects, her photography, or what she is learning from God. She is just very genuine & honest, she is not afraid to speak the truth in love. LOVE THIS GIRL & you will too. So check her out!

4.) Emily at Thoughts - Emily is one of my favorite bloggers. She is actually a real life friend of mine from the theater. I'm so glad she is a blogger now, too! She's taking a very short break (Short break, Emily. Right?), but she will be back soon. You need to give her some love. She's been going through a rough time & needs hugs! I love reading what she has to say, too. She's adorable. And my future babysitter. So be nice to her! Haha!

5.) Katie at The Amazing in the Ordinary - I LOVE HER. Love reading her thought-provoking posts. She is a godly woman & she knows who she is. She's also pretty funny. The things she says are so relatable, she sometimes cracks me up. :) Another one I must meet in person!

6.) (I cheated. 6. So sue me.) Kimberly at A Fresh Perspective - I got to meet Kim when I got to meet Laura! Kim & Laura are real life friends. I love Kim. She is mainly a photography blogger. You must go see her photos because they are pretty fantastic!

YAY. I'm glad I did this! It gave me an excuse to show off some wonderful bloggers! Please go check them out!

Love weekends!

2012-01-15T18:50:00.002-06:00

I've had a good weekend. And it's not over yet! We have tomorrow off for Martin Luther King Jr day. Woohoo!

It's been a great weekend so far.

I can't even remember what we did Friday. Probably nothing. ;)

Saturday was good. It started out with me in a bad mood & I have no idea why. Then we spontaneously decided to have a date night! That must have been what I needed? It cheered me up right away!

I had been wanting to see the movie, War Horse, so we saw that. It was very good. Touching.

After that we browsed in Barnes & Noble for a bit. I saw two books I would like to get. I didn't, though... I'm determined to finish some that i have before I buy any new ones! Brad didn't buy anything either. This is kind of a miracle for us to go into that store & not buy anything!

After that, we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. Brad had gotten a gift card there for Christmas. We found ourselves right in the middle of a bunch of fans watching a Saints game. If i am in the room w/ a Saints or LSU game, i will watch. Brad won't even do that. He just does not CARE! Haha! I actually do want LSU/Saints to win, but not enough to ever watch a game. i glanced at the screen a few times to see what was going on. The screams/cheers in the restaurant were ear-piercing! Haha. I saw enough to know that it was a close game, but we didn't win. The food & service was great, though! We stopped somewhere we shouldn't have on the way home. I'll keep that part to myself! Not my best eating day... yikes!

Today we went to church & the sermon was AWESOME. I will write about it in another post! Afterwards, we had lunch at Sammy's. I did better there as far as eating goes! I had a baby shower to go to, so we had lunch there & then did a quick walmart run! After that, he went home & i went to the shower. Got to visit with my good friend Shana the whole time. Hadn't seen her in too long! It was fun. Mama-to-be is having twins & got TONS of things for those baby girls. Love her baby bump!

It was a good day. And i am so glad tomorrow is free, too! WOOHOO!

If you're happy & you know it! (Also, pinterest.)

2012-01-13T22:15:00.001-06:00

I am so happy, y'all. It is RIDICULOUS! And nothing significant happened to make me feel like that. I just... am HAPPY. It's Friday night of a 4-day weekend. I have the sweetest husband in the whole entire universe. My dog is curled up beside me on the couch. Things are just lovely.

You know what song is in my head? "I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!"

Do you remember that song? If so, you might be singing it all day now. The "WHERE?!" part is annoying. I'm sorry. But it's true. I've got the JOY.

Oooh, and now Brad is playing the piano. Even better!

I feel like sharing some random things today.

It was a good week at work. Productive. A lot clicked in this brain of mine. I really enjoy the talking to students part of my job. It's fun. They're fun. I want them to do well. I also love my coworkers. I totally bonded with one of them today & it was awesome.

I got a wii. Oh, I already told you that, didn't I? It's still not hooked up yet. We'll do it this weekend. I bought Just Dance 3 today. I am ready to start exercising!

I am also ready for my blender to arrive! I got the email... it should arrive on Monday! And I'm off Monday!

Speaking of being off on Monday... For Christmas, I thought we only had 1 day off. Then i found out we had an entire week off. It was kind of better that way, because I was overjoyed. I have not gotten that long off for Christmas since college! Well, this time i had been told we didn't get off for MLK day. And that was fine. It wasn't until this week that I found out we are off. WHAT?! Next year I'll know all the holidays we get & it won't be nearly as fun as this is.

I am going to a baby shower on Sunday. She's having TWIN GIRLS! What?! :) You say, "Poor mama!" I say, "LUCKY mama!" (I know. I'm crazy!)

To tweet or not to tweet? That is the question.

Also, Pinterest. I am still finding names of people who are not on Pinterest. Sometimes I click "find friends" just so i can see who is new to pinterest now that i am not yet following. And while I'm at it, i see this whole list next to it of people NOT on pinterest. And then i think, "OHMYGOSH! Why is she not on pinterest?!!? I mean, she's a designer/teacher/creative person/great cook, she would LOVE pinterest!" But I don't send them the invite because I don't want to annoy them. But seriously. If you are not on pinterest & you want an invite, TELL ME. I will invite you. Today!

Here are some things I saw this week that i must have/do/create/eat.

I'll take one of these, please!

Source: Uploaded by user via Melissa on Pinterest

Considering I love tomatoes & cheese, this might be the perfect salad for me.

Source: bellavita-bellasblog.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

I love the pink & blue for a future baby girl's nursery. Who says blue is just a baby boy's color?!

Source: hodgepodgehouse.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

And they always have these pretty decorating ideas! Buttons in a vase! Genius!

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

And things to get you moving!

Source: adailystumble.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

For real, y'all. Pinterest is wonderful. I like it a lot!
Well. I gotta go. Happy Weekend to ya!

Healthy things!

2012-01-11T22:36:00.005-06:00

It's been so crazy busy these days... mainly because of work! But everything is good!

I've been spending money lately. It's kinda fun. Too bad it will all be gone soon.

I'm just kidding. It's just Christmas money that I'm spending!

I finally invested in a blender. I can't wait till it comes in. I've been wanting a new blender to make breakfast smoothies. The one we have now is a joke. It was like $6 at a discount store, so maybe that's got something to do with it? Anyway, I recently put a question about blenders on facebook. I asked for recommendations on one & several people said the Ninja & another several said a Hamilton Beach. I'm sure the Ninja works like a charm, but I didn't really want to spend that much money. So i got a newer model of the Hamilton Beach. It was about $35. I went to 3 Walmarts & 1 Target. All three of them were fully stocked EXCEPT for their Hamilton Beach ones! Those were on display but the shelves were empty! This has to be a good sign. The reviews on Amazon (where I finally ordered it) were also great. So here it is! I like the pour thing. It seems less messy?

I also bought a used wii from someone who is getting rid of theirs. I got a good deal, as it's a good bit cheaper than the ones online, but it includes a lot more stuff. I'm getting it tomorrow! Another friend said i can borrow their Wii Fit! YAY!

This means I'm going to have to order Just Dance 3. That's the whole reason I wanted a Wii in the first place!

I also ordered a book called Sugar Nation. Sugar is BAD! Not just for me, because I'm insulin resistant, but for everyone. It's okay if you eat it, but i'm just telling you. It's bad news. What I have read so far about this book sounds like something i definitely must read (as I am still addicted to the stuff.). I am excited for it to come in!

Oooh, and I'm doing this Bible Study again! It is a great book. I read it last year. But i am in DIRE need of a refresher course!

You can join us, you know! It starts January 15th! You just need the book! You can watch Lysa's webcast here.

Getting my health in order, y'all! What are you doing to get in shape this year!?

By the way. I normally write about all this in my other blog. I don't know why I didn't today!

Expanding Your Vision (a photography lesson)

2012-01-08T13:21:00.000-06:00

So, one of my resolutions (or goals/to-do items/whatever you wanna call it) was to finally read & finish Bryan Peterson's book, "Learning to See Creatively". It was recommended to me by my friend, Laura, & I bought it way back then. Only... like so many other books of mine that aren't fiction... I never got around to reading it. I decided 2012 will be the year i read it - along with several other books I haven't gotten around to reading yet. :)

I got a Canon Rebel a year ago & have just started learning to shoot in Manual instead of Auto. (I know. Took me long enough.) I love it. But you have to keep on practicing to get better. I have no dreams of being some famous photographer, but I really want to be able to take great pictures. That's all. And I'm not there yet.

Yesterday I read the intro & the first part of Chapter 1. I wanted to share the first exercise with you. Now, you may just scroll down & see nothing but a bunch of trees. And that's okay. But isn't it a fabulous tree?! I could totally climb up there & read a book. :)

The first chapter of the book is called "Expanding Your Vision". Peterson talks about how, as a photographer, you can get so much more than just pictures of what you, as a human with a certain view, can see. You can get on your knees, you can get on your belly. You can climb a tree or a tall building. You can get just about anywhere to get a picture from the view of the bird or squirrel. Or from a small child.His goal is for you to see all the different views you can get just by getting closer & closer to your subject, and cutting out all the surrounding "stuff".

First, you are supposed to go to the local park or your backyard & choose a subject. It can be a tree, a swing, your husband, or a friend - whatever. I went to City Park at LSU. I was planning to go to the LSU lakes but wasn't sure what i'd find that wouldn't require me to walk in the water (you'll understand when you read the exercise!). As it happens, I had to pee really bad (tmi), so i went to use the restrooms at LSU's City Park, just down the road from the lakes. And then I saw the tree, an amazing one we had taken some pictures by for our first year anniversary pics. Plus, though the playground & dogpark were FULL of people (& dogs - haha), for the most part, there was nobody around this tree.

For this exercise, Peterson wants you to expand your vision. He says to set your focal length to 35mm & make it a point NOT to change this during the entire exercise. From whatever distance necessary to do so, make sure your subject falls in the middle of the frame, allowing for a lot of "empty space" above, below & to both sides. Take a picture then walk forward five steps & take another one. All the way until you are right up next to your subject. You are supposed to do it again on your knees & again on your belly.

Keep in mind that my first pic I am at the top of a hill. I know it doesn't look like it, but each step I take is going downhill, not straight towards the tree. I didn't change my settings hardly at all, but the lighting changes a lot. I'm guessing because the sun was shining brightly & in some spots there were branches overhead & in others there weren't any. Also, all of these shots are SOOC (straight out of camera - not edited).

So here I am far away from that gorgeous oak tree. As you can see, it's surrounded by other tree branches, a road, the hill I'm standing on, etc.

5 steps closer...

Another 5 steps...

Another 5...

5 more... (you're getting the picture, right?!)

I really like this one. I guess because I'm finally getting just the oak.

Here's where the shadows start getting all crazy. Haha.

As I said, you were supposed to do it again on your knees & on your belly. I kinda cheated on this one b/c for one, it was really dirty!! And for two, people were watching! (I know. Bad reason!)

So i went about halfway back & sat on my bottom...

Went forward about 10 paces...

At the end, I was to go for it again on my belly. It was REALLY dirty, y'all. So i did it just right there really quick! I know. I suck at this! HAHA. (I think i was getting the point, though.)

Then, flip over & take a shot at the sky!

Ahhhh. :)

So it was fun! And this may be just the most boring post ever for y'all & that's okay. Just wanted to document it!

Five Q's for you!

2012-01-06T19:34:00.000-06:00

I cannot even tell you the last time I did one of these. So here we go. :)

1.What is the weather like where you are & do you like it?

It is currently 63 degrees. Most of today has been in the 60's. Tomorrow the high is the mid-70's. Here's the thing... I LOVE 60 & 70 degree weather... in the SPRING! And SUMMER! December, January, February? That is when i like to get my sweaters out! And usually we do, yes, even down here in South Louisiana! But not this year. No. We've had some 30 degree days, but it went right back up to 60! Ah, well. :)

2. When you're sick what do you seek comfort from?

Cozy blankets & cozy pajamas. And a hubby who doesn't mind waiting on me. Ha!

3. What do you need to do by the end of the month?

With my job there are all these things I have deadlines for. I could tell you what they are for the first week of the month, since that's this week. But off the top of my head? I can't remember what's due at the end of the month! It's okay, it's Friday!! (And I'm still new!)

4. Have you ever served on a jury?

No, but I want to. Yes! I do! Everyone complains about getting called & I don't think I'd mind. I know it's a "hurry up & wait" kinda thing, and i probably wouldn't get picked to be on some major trial, but I still don't think it'd be SO terrible. I think I would find it very interesting. The only thing I would REALLY hate is if it ruined some plans of mine!

5. If you could be any animal, what would you be & why?

You know... I am an imaginative person. I like to think out of the box at times. But i hate questions like this! #1, I DON'T KNOW! #2, You can't just be an animal! & #3, a dog of course... especially an inside one! Boy, do they have the life! :)

{HAPPY FRIDAY!}

Good Friends + Dinner Party = {SMILE}

2012-01-04T22:27:00.001-06:00

I've gotten a tiny bit behind in blogging.

So... December 30th. :)

We had 3 couple-friends over for a dinner party. My friend Amanda was in town for Christmas with her husband, Matt. They live in California now so I only get to see her a few times a year, if that. Last year, we planned a small dinner party for while she was here & invited a couple of our mutual friends. I decided to do it again this year. We had a great time!

Both years I made the main course & everyone else brought drinks, appetizers or desserts. Last year, I made Pesto Chicken Lasagna, which was delish but took forever! This year, I decided to do 2 different kinds of soups. Soups are easy. I could put one in the crockpot & make one on the stove & we'd be good! And we were. They were so good!! OMG. I had already had the Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup... i can't wait to make it again. It's my favorite. And I also tried Cheeseburger Soup for the first time. It was yummy!

Becca & Amanda. Love them so much!

Amanda & Matt, in from Cali! Yay!

Adam & Katie - aww.

We played some Taboo too. Mike & Becca were cracking me up!

I like this of the four of us... Katie, Becca, Amanda & me!

A shot of the guys... Mike had just left because he had to work at an ungodly hour the next morning. I wish I'd gotten one before he left! Anyway... Brad, Adam & Matt

This one cracks me up.

And this one might be my favorite! Ha!

These two are mommies-to-be! Katie is due in May & Amanda is due in June!

Fun Times!!!

Um, FYI

2012-01-03T21:22:00.001-06:00

How do you read your blogs? By checking your "reading list" right here in blogger? Or from Google Reader? Or somewhere else?

All this time I've been going to blogger & checking my reading list. It seemed to work for me & I was put off with the way the reader doesn't allow you to see the actual blog. Actual blogs are prettier. So i just kept going to my reading list. The problem with that is that you sometimes miss some. It only shows the blogger blogs i read, not the ones from my friends at wordpress or somewhere else. So i'd bookmark them, but sometimes forget to check.

I like the idea of Google Reader, but couldn't ever get it organized & besides, I wanted to see the ACTUAL post. All of this to say... if you know what I mean (or even if you don't & have been happy with your google reader all along), go read this post. Now. Thank you.

Seriously. Laura sent me the link awhile back, I followed the directions & OH MY GOSH! I have been in blog reading heaven ever since. It's changed my blogging life, i tell ya! For real!

Project 366 - 1st Pic of the Year

2012-01-01T19:53:00.001-06:00

Day One

01.01.12

I bought this journal the other day at the bookstore. I just really liked it. Every page has a question & a place to answer it for five years. Random Questions like "What is the last restaurant you went to?" & more serious questions like "What is your mission?". I think it's kinda cool. It will be interesting to see the difference in my answers once it's all filled up. I will be almost 39!

P.S. It's Leap Year. In case you are wondering why "Project 366" looks weird. :)

New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-01T16:49:00.000-06:00

Time to share with y'all my 2012 New Year's Resolutions!

I love a new year. I love the idea of starting new. A clean slate. A fresh start.

I saw this picture today & I love it. 2011 was TOUGH. Especially these last few months. I am so ready for a new year & I believe it's going to be a good one!

I love a new calendar. All those blank squares just waiting to be filled. It is fun for me to think about what might happen in the months to come. I have friends expecting babies in January, February, March, May, June & July. I have other friends who are getting married. And as for me? I'll turn 34. I'll celebrate 4 years of marriage. I'll stage manage 39 Steps. And I'll experience my first year at Aveda, a job I love. Who knows what else? I can't wait to find out!

{New Year's Resolutions}

I have broken these down into separate categories.

SPIRITUALLY

Over the last month, I have drawn a lot closer to God. This is good news, obviously. :) I felt like I was slipping away from Him, but my trip to Pennsylvania really refreshed some things in my life. It was a God-thing, me going there. Ever since, I have prayed more, and I have been more spiritually-minded. I have definitely drawn nearer to God & as a result, He has drawn closer to me (James 4:8). I want to continue a close walk with God in 2012. I guess that's kind of broad, so...

-Read the Bible. Daily.
-Become an involved member of my church.

-Love people. Really love them, the way God has called me to.

-Minister with song again.

-Be a better friend.

-Read some christian books, including Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge & Crazy Love by Francis Chan.

PHYSICALLY

-Track food daily on My Net Diary.

-No sugar or white flour. (Fruit is allowed.)

-WATER, WATER, WATER

-Exercise at least every other day.

FINANCIALLY

-GIVE MORE

-SAVE MORE

-Stick to the budget more. :)

PHOTOGRAPHY

-Take a photography class (or two or three).

-Do the Picture-A-Day thing (I tried this one last year, but quit on purpose. I can't bring my camera to work everyday & by the time I get home, there's not a lot of time for photography after exercise & dinner! But this year I have an iPhone, and you know what? iPhone pics count! So yes. Picture-A-Day in 2012.)

-Participate in photography blog hops

-Read "Learning to See Creatively" by Bryan Peterson

-Read "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson

So there you have it. My List.

Here's to 2012!

*photos from we heart it