Miles a Minute

Friday's Letters

2013-02-22T10:41:00.000-05:00

Dear weekend, I’m not sure I've ever been so ready to see you. This week, working two positions, and longer commutes has worn me out.

Dear 5:30am, I have not enjoyed seeing you this week. I guess we will get to know each other more now, but I’m not happy about it.

Dear Miles, when you wait by the window and run to the garage when I pull into the driveway so you can meet me at the door, just makes my day. You are too cute!

Dear Miles, I hope you enjoy your play date today! Please run your little heart out, you've been full of too much energy lately.

Dear husband, even though you roll your eyes at me and think I’m crazy, thank you for putting together my composting bin.

Dear crocs, I never in a million years thought I would ever own a pair of your very strange shoes. However, last night changed my mind. My feet have been killing me and I need a good pair of walking shoes, your comfort and price were just what I needed.

Dear 29^th Birthday, like I told my sister, I've been avoiding you like the plague. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m now a year away from 30 or if it’s because you are bringing more and more gray hair, but I have not been looking forward to you.

Wednesday Musings

2013-02-06T14:19:00.002-05:00

Just a few thoughts for a Wednesday afternoon...

My grandparents house was listed for sale last week, my mom showed us the listing on Saturday. At first glance, I was really pleased with how well the house looked and I knew the time was coming to sell it. But the longer I thought about it and looking through the listing again the next morning it really sunk in that we are selling the house. I thought about sitting on the couch looking out the window at all the snow. I thought about how many mornings my grandfather would cook us pancakes in the kitchen or how many thanksgiving meals we sat around the kitchen table preparing (or really dancing and singing) thanksgiving dinners. And the time when there were so many of us for thanksgiving one year we had dinner in the basement on the ping pong table. There are so many wonderful memories in that house, too many to count. But it’s not about the house, it’s about the people we shared those times with, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents. So while I’m sad that we are selling the house, I’ll always cherish the wonderful memories we had there.

We are starting the interviewing process to fill my position today. I’m actually really nervous about it. I have never interviewed someone before. I Googled some good interview questions but I’m nervous that I won’t be able to tell who the right candidate for the spot is. Thankfully, I’m just giving a recommendation and not making the final decision.

We are headed to the Hawks game. The only other time I have been to a professional basketball game was a few years ago when the Hawks made the playoffs and were playing the Bulls. My mom gave Ryan tickets to the game for his birthday. Growing up we would watch the Bulls in my grandparents basement but since then I've hardly paid much attention to professional basketball. I know my husband is thrilled to be going, me on the other hand, I’m more concerned with how late we will be out tonight and missing Nashville. I’m such a nerd.

An update on my friends mom, she thankfully does not have encephalitis, however she has an infection in the bone in her ear which is causing vertigo and still battling shingles. If you could, please continue to keep her in your prayers.

Promotions and a Prayer Request

2013-02-05T16:13:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday was a big day in the Pace household. Very unexpectedly, Ryan and I both received promotions. I mentioned a few weeks ago that Ryan had been studying for his life insurance license and needed to pass to be eligible for a promotion. Thankfully he passed! So while, we knew a promotion was in the works, he was quite secretive about the timing. My promotion, on the other hand, came out of left field. Monday morning my boss pulled me into his office to inform me of an opportunity that had become available at one of our properties in Buckhead. So, we were both promoted within a matter of minutes on Thursday, a little surreal.

I have to brag on my husband a little here. He worked for Enterprise Rent-a-car for five years. That is no easy task! He was promised promotion after promotion with little to no follow through on them. They treated him poorly, paid him poorly, he worked long hard hours with so little respect and he never complained. We were so fortunate and thankful to find his current company and we have been blessed with the mutual respect and admiration the company provides. It really is a dream job. He works so hard to prove for our family and is so supportive of me everyday. I am so blessed/proud to call him my husband.

On an unrelated note, my friend's mom has been battling breast cancer for the better part of a year. She has undergone a double mastectomy and a very aggressive form of chemo. It seems there has been complication after complication and she has ended up in the hospital several times throughout this process. She finally completed her chemo and we thought she was in the clear and would start radiation shortly. Unfortunately, she ended up in the hospital last night with shingles which they fear has caused encephalitis; they are currently awaiting results of the MRI to confirm. I am asking that you lift my friend Jenny and her family up in prayer, I know they could use them.

Friday's Letters

2013-01-25T12:38:00.001-05:00

Here are my Friday's Letters....

Dear 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess: thank you for captivating me this week. You have truly inspired me, challenged me, pushed me, made me laugh and much, much more.

Dear icy, North Georgia roads: please melt before I leave work or be kind to and let me get home, you and I don't have a great history.

Dear Nashville: thank you for being a ridiculously addicting drama that combines country music and love affairs. It's the perfect combination and I look forward to watching every week.

Dear GroupMe: I am so glad I we found you. You have been the perfect app to connect with some of my best girlfriends, all together, everyday. You have brought great joy to my life this week.

Not much today, just looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend. Happy Friday!

Weekend Rewind

2013-01-23T13:48:00.003-05:00

Friday was a big day! Ryan had been studying for two full weeks for his Life Insurance License test. The test is extremely difficult and covers a lot of material; many people at work do not pass the first time they take it and he was extremely nervous. He called to tell me how it went and quickly informed me that he did not pass and he would have to take it again. I had a feeling he was joking, he has a tendency to fool me, and luckily, this was one of those times. He passed and is hopefully eligible for great things at work. We are so thankful! We celebrated Friday night by going out to dinner with my sister, brother-in-law and niece and slept in on Saturday morning.

Saturday we finally, went to get a new washing machine. Thankfully, I knew exactly what I wanted and Lowe’s made it quick and painless. Unfortunately the delivery was not as simple and I am quite disappointed with Lowe’s. When we were in the store on Saturday the sales rep confirmed that they had the washer in stock and would be able to deliver the next day. We received a delivery time of 5:30-7:30 PM on Sunday evening. I was a little perturbed by the time on a Sunday evening but since we didn't have to work the next day and we had a lot going on Sunday afternoon I went with it. 7:30 PM arrived and no washing machine. When Ryan called they couldn't get a hold of the delivery team, they were finally reached and arrived at my home at 8:15 PM Sunday night. They were less than courteous and installed the machine with the wrong hoses. So we now have to go to the store, get the hoses we paid extra for and then install ourselves, which is why we paid for the hoses in the first place, they assured us they would install. I’m less than thrilled with the service Lowe’s provided. On a happier note, I am glad to have a working washing machine again and I do like how the new machine runs!

Sunday we had planned to return to our old church because we both are frustrated with the church search. However, we were out late Saturday night, Ryan celebrating, me at home with my sister and the baby, and we did not get up in time to make the trek into the city. We did however make a very successful trip to Costco. My grandmother was still in the hospital recovering from her broken hip so I picked my sister up to spend the day with us. We watched Ryan coach his basketball team and made it home just in time to watch the Falcons. There were a few disappointed people in our house after that game.

I wasn't as interested in the game, so I chased this little one around. She is growing up entirely too fast!

Monday Ryan and I both had the day off for Martin Luther King. This is the first time both of us have had the holiday off since our wedding. Since we didn't get to celebrate our anniversary Wednesday night (he was studying) we took the day for ourselves.

We watched the inauguration and then took a drive up to Carter’s Lake. It’s a beautiful, secluded lake in north Georgia. And because we live so far north already, it was quick drive up. We enjoyed walking around and taking in the sites, even if it was a little chilly.

We are hoping for a low key week. After the run around of the holidays and then a busy start to the new year, it would be nice to have a slow week.

Friday's Letters

2013-01-11T12:41:00.000-05:00

I love reading blogs. There are a few that are must reads! A few of them have participated in Friday Letters, so I finally looked into the blog that started them. I absolutely love her blog.

So, here are my Friday Letters...

Dear Weekend... you could not have come soon enough! It was been a very long week.

Dear boss... thanks for letting me start my weekend a little early! It's much appreciated!

Dear husband... I'm so proud of you for studying hard all week to take your Life test next week, I know you will do great!

Dear Christmas decorations that have been hiding behind closed doors... I will finish putting you away this weekend!

Dear washing machine... thank you for breaking right after Christmas, your timing is impeccable. You will be fixed or gone by the end of the weekend!

Dear third anniversary... it's hard to believe you are next week. The past three years have been a roller coaster and I look forward to many many more!

Happy Weekend!

A New Year (a little late)

2013-01-09T14:18:00.000-05:00

I left 2012 with mixed emotions. It was a very difficult year, however it was also one of great joy. We welcomed both my niece and my nephew and we bought a house, but also we lost the most beautiful woman I have ever known, my mom went through two knee surgeries, and I had a lot of internal struggles. Needless to say, I have high hopes for 2013. I’m hopeful for change!

And I think we started the new year off just right, with some of my very best friends in Huntsville, Alabama. It was a low key night, but probably my favorite new years of all time.

I have a few goals for 2013….

Read my bible every day….

I have started The Daily Bible that has devotionals and reads the bible in chronological order. Unfortunately, I’m already a few days behind, but I have been reading every day. I have a tendency to fall asleep while I’m reading so I have to complete the day the following day, which puts me behind. I’m still working to find the perfect time of day to really dig in and get a full daily reading in.

Blog more….

I have debated this blog for a while now. I've changed the layout, I've changed the name, but nothing really seems to motivate me to actually blog. I think part of it is finding the time to do it, part of it is insecurity, and how much I want to put out her on the internet. I enjoy reading other blogs and always feel inspired to write more after reading others, but have been a little insecure about posting. I’m afraid no one is interested in my mundane everyday life. But I’m going to put those insecurities aside and blog for me, isn't that what this is supposed to be for anyway? As a memory to look back on, and like I said, I have high hopes for 2013, so I would like to remember it!

Find a church….

Ryan and I loved our church. We loved the people we met, we loved the small group, we loved going on Sunday mornings, we always took something away from the message. But, we moved, and we moved pretty far north. After spending every day in the car to get to work the last thing I want to do is drive into the city on the weekend. Plus, I like the feel of community a church brings and being at least thirty minutes from church makes it difficult to participate in things like a small group or Sunday school. So in the new year, I’m putting my foot down to find a church home close to home.

Eat healthier, Exercise more...

Self explanatory :)

Craft more...

I got a Cricut for Christmas and I can not wait to try it out!

Enjoy life more...

I have a tendency to look towards the future, look for what will change. I want to live in the moment more. Stop focusing on what it could be or should be and what it is.

There you have it. Just a few goals for 2013! Cheers to a great new year!

Thankful

2012-11-21T08:49:00.000-05:00

In all honesty, it's been a little difficult to be thankful lately. It's been a difficult few months for me and for my family. However, that's not to say that I'm not thankful. I keep a running list of things to be thankful for, so I won't forget how blessed I truly am. And as a reminder that even when things are difficult, there is still much to be thankful for.

This year we will be celebrating Thanksgiving at my parents home here in Georgia. This is only the second time in my life that I will not travel to Chicago to be with my family, to be with my grandmother. The first was when I was in high school, my sister marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It's not going to be easy. My mom and I are cooking on our own, we will have a very small crowd, my sister is not going to be with us, and most importantly, my grandmother won't be with us. There will be tears, some happy, some sad.

I thought I would share a few of the things I'm thankful for:

1. Long weekends

2. Long conversations with my dad

3. Long conversations with my mom

4. Painting pottery with my sisters

5. A very patient husband

6. House starting to feel more like a home

7. Instagram so I can keep up with my cousins

8. Lighter holiday traffic in the mornings

9. Woman in the car in front of us paying for our Dunkin Donuts

10. Snuggly puppy

This list may seem trivial, but I'm so thankful for the little things!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Election Day

2012-11-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

I have read a lot today regarding voting. I have listened to CNN all day about people going to the poles. Earlier today I put a tweet out there that I am ready for all of this election propaganda to be over! And I mentioned I am not voting. I did not receive a huge backlash but there were a few people that responded to me and some that responded indirectly, so I decided to take my tweet down. Not because of their response but because of my own beliefs. My grandmother always said it’s not good to talk politics in a social setting. I’m not even sure why I posted it in the first place, it’s very out of character for me.

But, I did and I thought I should explain. It is my right and my right alone whether I chose to vote or not. I’m not trying to sway people not to vote or to vote one way in particular. I understand that especially as a woman I should feel a strong obligation to vote considering how many women fought to get the right. I’m not trying to take anything away from that. I understand that there are several places in world that people do not have the opportunity to vote or have gone to great lengths to be able to vote. However, it is my personal opinion, that until they change the way the votes count, I am choosing not to vote in this election. It baffles me that the man who wins the popular vote may not win the electoral college and therefore will not win the presidency. So, my vote doesn’t count, right? Right.

I’m not saying which way I would vote, but in a historically red state, if I chose to vote blue, it wouldn’t count at all, and if I chose to vote red, well I’m in the majority, so what will one vote do? Nothing. And since I cannot positively agree with one side or the other, I chose not to vote. I don’t talk politics too much, even though I have been known to voice how I feel about certain issues, my overall knowledge in politics is limited. What I do know, is that our country is in a bad way. But one man, one candidate, one party line does not hold all of the answers.

I don’t expect anyone to agree with my choice. It is my choice and I feel confident in it. If you feel led to vote, you should do so! Whichever party does win, I will pray that they make the decisions that can help get our country moving in the right direction. There is no argument here that there needs to be change.

Scentsy Buddies BOGO

2012-10-26T16:35:00.004-04:00

Scentsy buddies are one of my favorite things about Scentsy. They make great gifts for baby showers or gifts for birthdays and holidays. Kids love them because they are so cute and parents love them because they stay smelling fresh!

Now through the end of the year they are buy one get one free! What a great deal!! Make sure to stop by my website to check them out! Christmas is coming!

Happy Weekend! We are off to finally plant some bushes in our front yard!!

A Roller Coaster of Emotions

2012-10-24T15:34:00.002-04:00

I’m not sure where to start. The past few months really have been a whirlwind of emotions. At first I thought it was only September and October, but I guess it really started in the summer, back in June. I wrote this post about my grandmother being in the hospital and thankfully making a miraculous recovery. We had the joy of the birth of our nephew in August. We had the joy of finally after years of searching purchasing our home at the end of August. We quickly sprinted off to the beach with my family and then returned home to finally settle into our home.

Unfortunately, life never goes as planned. And this has always been a tough lesson for me, very Type-A planner. Early September 28^th, we lost my grandmother. I was on my way to work when my mom text me that I needed to call when I got to work. Knowing that at 7:30am this was not normal. I immediately pulled off the road and called her. So in a vacant Applebee’s parking lot I learned that we had lost one of the most beautiful women I have ever met. I knew her health was not the best and I knew that she was having a very hard time remembering us, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

We flew up to Chicago Saturday to prepare for the funeral. It was truly a bittersweet time. I was able to connect with some of my cousins that I haven’t seen in years (seven to be exact, when my grandfather passed away). We went through so many things from her home, especially pictures. We put together a board for the visitation that had pictures of her with all her grandchildren. These are just a few of my favorites.

It hasn’t been easy. I cry a lot. I miss her a lot. I think about her a lot. My cousins have been sharing stories back and forth on Facebook about her and my grandfather and it’s tough to read. Some make me smile, some make me laugh, some make me cry so hard it hurts. I’m not sure my words could ever do her justice. We read 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 at the funeral and no truer words could ever be said about her.

The following weekend I took a drive down to Auburn. I debated most of the week whether I wanted to go or not, but I’m glad I did. It was a nice relaxing Saturday. Mallory, her sister and law, her mom and I went to the Auburn v. Arkansas game and it was dreadful. Unfortunately, we are worse than terrible and it was miserably hot. But, I loved spending time with one of my closest friends and her family. We ate, we slept, we laughed, it was great.

My mom had her second knee replacement surgery. Unfortunately, it did not go as well as the first. She spent five days in the hospital with a fever and a sinus infection. But, she is home now and doing better every day, hopefully.

And we have started our first “big” project for the house. I believe in my previous post, I mentioned how terrible the landscaping or lack thereof is. I’m not sure what made us do it, but we started taking out the bushes in the front yard. Ryan took the chainsaw to them, we also cut down a tree in the backyard, talk about mini panic attack, but alas we made it unscathed. My BIL came over this weekend to pull stumps up out of the ground, these bushes were like trees, and if we had to dig them up by hand I would have quit. Right now our hard is much “cleaner” we have laid top soil down to map out our plan. We took a trip to Lowes, Home Depot and Pikes and still have yet to figure out what we want to plant. We were minutes away from buying an apple tree, but upon further investigation, they grow to be about 15 feet wide, so the front yard is not ideal. No worries though, I have big plans to clear out the back yard and plant two apples trees back there (they have to cross pollinate to produce fruit).

I almost forgot, in the midst of our landscaping mess, we took a break to head to the pumpkin patch. It was Lainey’s first trip and I’m so glad we got to go. Boiled peanuts, homemade ice cream and pumpkins, what’s not to love!

Happy Hump Day!

To Do List:

2012-09-21T15:12:00.000-04:00

I love to do lists. I love writing them out and the satisfaction of crossing off items that have been completed. I even love rewriting my lists so that they don’t include the items checked off because I love the clean look of a list (weird, I know, I’m a little OCD). So, I figured since my to do list is a mile long and I need somewhere to keep track of all my projects, I would post them here. Hopefully this will help me stay on track and hold me accountable for actually completing the projects. It doesn't help that Pinterest has so many great ideas! If only there were enough hours in the day and enough dollars in my bank account!

Thanks to my wonderful parents, one of my items was checked off immediately. My mom and dad spent the first few days in our home completely redoing the laundry room floor. The linoleum was looking pretty rough so I wanted to cover it with the peel and stick tiles. My parents kindly volunteered for the job and did a much better job than I ever would have. Instead of putting the peel and stick tiles over the current flooring, they ripped everything out, leveled off the floor and installed the new tiles. My dad even repainted the trim. It looks fabulous and I’m so happy to have a clean, updated laundry room.

Family Vacation

2012-09-20T15:55:00.001-04:00

So we moved into our home and then took off for the beach! It sounds crazy and probably is a little bit, but the vacation was much needed! We’ve started taking a family vacation every year to Seagrove, FL. We used to go as a family every summer but once we were in college it was hard to find the time. Thankfully now that we are all out of college and we can save our vacation time, we are able to take a trip as a family again. I took my camera along but unfortunately never took it out of my bag. Instead relied on my phone for quick pictures.

We took some time one night to take some family pictures. Not too long ago we realized the boys all had the same shirt, so we had them wear it and turned out quite funny. And if I do say so myself, this was the cutest baby on the beach, and as my aunt pointed out, she was the only baby on the beach!

We visited some of our favorite restaurants while down there, we had breakfast at The Donut Hole and we went into Destin one night for our favorite Amberjack sandwich at The Back Porch. There is also a new rooftop bar in Seagrove, owned by a pilot. Of course we had to check in out for the Bears/Packers. Who knew a fire pit could be so wonderful at the beach?!

It was a lovely trip and really hard to come back to reality, when reality is unpacking from moving, unpacking from vacation and going back to work.

At Last!!

2012-09-19T14:38:00.000-04:00

Does anyone else hear Etta James in their head when they say that?

If you follow me on twitter or instagram or are friends with me on Facebook, you’ll know that I posted this photo two weeks ago announcing that we are finally home owners!!

It was a very loooong process but we are so excited with the outcome! We are blessed to have a four bedroom, two and half bathroom home in a wonderful neighborhood. We have many projects to tackle, but that’s to be expected. We spent the first few days cleaning, redoing the laundry room and moving our belongings in. I was very thankful for the help from our families and the long weekend in which to get it all done (even though two weeks later there are still several things to unpack).

Miles isn't quite sure of his new home, he seems a little restless, but that’s good for us, he runs up and down the stairs a lot which tires him out! He does seem to be slightly more attached (more so than he already was, if that’s possible) and very protective of me. He does seem to bark a lot more, but there are several more birds, squirrels and trees with leaves to look at. Hopefully he will settle down in the next few weeks, I think he must think we are going to abandon him and once he is sure of where he is, he can chill out!

The only downside to this move, is we are in Woodstock, GA, which is a great area and we love it. BUT, it increased my commute quite a bit. It's an hour every morning and I'm lucky if it's only an hour coming home. But, I am trying desperately not to complain, even though my husband might tell you otherwise.

I’m hoping to post some of the many projects on here as a reminder of what the house was and what we make it into.

So Worth the Wait

2012-08-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

I saw a onesie a few months ago that said “So Worth the Wait” and I thought it was perfect for Wyatt. Unfortunately I did not purchase it in time and have not had any luck in finding it again. I think it sums up just about everything Amy and Kevin are experiencing right about now though, and really the rest of the family as well. It was a very joyous occasion last Saturday (early) morning as we welcomed Wyatt Edmond Pace at 1:14am. Thankfully the nurse knew how long we had been patiently waiting for his arrival and let us all in the room to meet the little guy!

Weekend Review

2012-08-08T09:15:00.001-04:00

1. I took Friday off of work, it was a much needed personal day. I got to have lunch with this little cutie, so it really started off the weekend right. Unfortunately as I was saying goodbye she decided to spit up on me L, just a little parting gift.

2. While at home, I found a great picture of my sisters and I at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Check out my hair! Unfortunatly I did not use a hair straightener until later in life. We did have a lot of fun when the Olympics were here. We were lucky enough to go to several events and had a lot of fun.

3. Ryan has been dying to see The Dark Knight Rises. He begged to see it at the IMAX theatre at the Mall of Georgia, but seeing how tickets were $17.50 a pop and we are on a strict budget, I refused. He settled for a 10:30am matinee. We loved it, I’m sure he is already trying to find to go see it again.

4. Our 10 year high school reunion was this weekend. We did not go. I had been on the fence about going, it was going to cost $100 (yes, I know, it’s not that much) but Ryan really didn’t want to go. It was held at Sweetwater Brewery from 4pm-7pm and we both felt it was such an odd time. We have also been to the brewery and not many classmates were going. From a class of 800+ only about 80-100 went. Plus, Ryan was not interested in the same questions you hear every time you run into someone you haven’t seen in a while. He joked that he was embarrassed to be married to me, (I was the shy, quiet type, he was not) but we all know that’s not true!

5. Instead of heading to the reunion, we chose to meet up with some of my close girlfriends and their husbands after at Front Page News. So much has changed since high school, so it was nice to catch up. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures.

6. Sunday we took our moms to see the house. We didn’t show the house to anyone before we put an offer on it, and only told family that we had. We’ve been burned in the past and didn’t want to take our chances. Of course having plenty of time in the house has us already planning millions of projects. I have to keep reminding myself, one at a time.

7. Speaking of projects, we spent a good hour and a half walking around Home Depot pricing things out and getting ideas. This was extremely dangerous! We also stopped at Brands Mart because Ryan assured me that our TV is not big enough to mount over the mantel and we will need a bigger TV. Ha!

8. We ended the weekend with a little bit of a scare. Miles started choking on a rawhide bone. Unfortunately, I could not get it out, but instead he swallowed it. I did some research, and turns out, you really aren’t supposed to give dogs rawhide bones. I don’t give them to him often, but I didn’t know any of the issues that they can cause. We have watched him closely for the last two days and he isn’t experiencing any of the symptoms that would indicate he is having trouble. Needless to say, we won’t be giving him bones anymore!

Things I've Learned From House Hunting

2012-07-19T10:35:00.000-04:00

As most of our friends and family know, we have been searching for the right house for some time. Some may say we are picky, I say we are meticulous. I thought I would share some of the things I have learned about house hunting/selling a house.

Make sure your house smells good. This is key. We have walked into some pretty nasty smelling houses. This could mean one of many things, you are dirty, smelly people, you have pets that you do not clean up after, you smoke or you have mold issues. Making a home smell nice is inviting (Scentsy products do wonders to a home :) ).
Clean up. It's unbelievable to me how messy some people are. If you are selling your home, make sure it's appealing, first impressions are everything. If nothing else, run a vacuum to make sure there are not dead bugs laying all over the place.
Price your home right. It's been our experience, if the home is priced right, it sells quickly. In our experience we find the ones that are overpriced for the market (or our budget :/) sit on the market longer and the seller becomes unwilling to negotiate.
Staging. This goes back to cleaning up. If the home is staged right, it gives the buyer an idea of what the home will look like with their stuff. If you have too much or too little, sometimes it's hard for they buyer to get a feel for the size of the home. *Side note: we have walked into homes that people clearly need to be nominated for the hoarders show.
Information. Realtors that leave disclosures, maps and neighborhood information for the potential buyers have a much better chance selling the home. All of that information is helpful to the buyer, especially if they are new to the neighborhood. Plus it shows that the seller is up front and honest about the condition of the home.

Clearly I am no expert, but I find these small things helpful.

Summer Reading

2012-07-13T10:07:00.001-04:00

I always dreaded the summer reading assignments when I was in school. I was never a very strong reader and the books they chose were boring. Since I have graduated college though, I enjoy reading a lot more! I have been reading a lot this summer so I thought I would share some of the books I chose!

I started with Kisses from Katie. I could hardly put the book down. I think I finished it in just a few days. Katie's heart for God and the children/people of Uganda is awe inspiring. She says yes. She says yes to some of the most devastating circumstances and God always provides. It’s truly an amazing testament of God’s faithfulness and the power of love. I strongly recommend this book. You can read more about her journey on her blog.

The next book I started on was One Thousand Gifts. I started this book but found it hard to finish. I actually have not finished the book. At first I really enjoyed her message and story, however I felt the book became repetitive. I truly think I took some great insight into finding joy in the midst of chaos.

Lastly, I've had a hard time finding things to read so I've resorted back to some books I have read previously. I started cleaning out our guest bedroom, because I thought we would be moving soon and because the room is just full of junk, and found my collection of Stephanie Plum books. It's been awhile since I read most of them and they are laugh out loud funny. I am now on book six and get some funny looks when out at lunch reading because I can't stop laughing. Stephanie is a bounty hunter and isn't very good at her job which winds up in some ridiculous situations. It's a great, easy summer read! By the way, since I was reading the books again, I tried watching the movie, I had to turn it off. It was terrible!

If you are looking for a great devotional everyday, you should follow along the She Reads Truth.

On the go...

2012-06-27T10:25:00.002-04:00

May and June have been somewhat of a whirlwind. Every month I have plans to blog more, to craft more, cook more and the list could go on and on. May and June every year seem to be our busiest months. Between both of our families we have seven birthdays, mother’s day, father’s day and then of course memorial day. Not to mention we are shopping for a house in our spare time, which isn’t going so well but that’s another story for another day. While all of these celebrations have been wonderful and time with family has been great it’s left little for anything else. I feel like I’m swimming in things I need to get done. But this past week has reminded me that none of those things are important.

Lainey and Wade were baptized on Father's Day. It was a very special morning. My mom made Lainey's baptism dress and blanket, she looked like an angel! Later that night we received a call about my grandmother.

My grandmother was admitted to the ICU Sunday afternoon with little to no chance of survival. She has a DNR and the doctors had done everything they could but because of the DNR they couldn’t do any more. Since it was 7pm on a Sunday night and there were no flights available our only option was to drive. We didn’t want to wait around for a flight the next day because we probably wouldn’t make it either way but at least we weren’t sitting around waiting. I truly believe us starting to drive is what helped my grandmother. She had not met my niece and told my aunt she wasn’t going anywhere until she met the baby. That truly gave us comfort to know that there was a small chance we could make it in time to say goodbye. Thankfully we got that chance, and thankfully we didn’t have to say our final goodbyes. She was able to meet Lainey and was able to go home. I thank God that we were able to have that moment with her, I know it’s a moment my family will treasure forever.

While it was very stressful being in Chicago away from work, away from home, worrying about my grandmother, it was also a breath of fresh air. I didn’t have deadlines to meet, I didn’t have to worry about whether the laundry was done, or the bathroom was clean or the list could go on and on. The only thing that mattered was being with family, enjoying each other. And it’s those moments that I treasure.

A Dream Home Wish List

2012-05-18T11:23:00.002-04:00

With Ryan switching jobs, we had to put our house hunt on hold. I feel like every time we start looking for a house, there is always a reason we have to put it on hold. Hopefully now that Ryan is settled into a new job that we can see him being at for a while, we can really start our house hunt and have a house at the end of it.

Ryan’s new saying is “we are going to miss this” and I can honestly say I don’t think I will miss apartment living. I have been living in an apartment/dorm room for the last ten years and I'm ready to have a home! I’ve started a mental checklist of a few of the things I would love to have.

So for my dream home wish list (in no particular order):

A large sink. Our apartment was built in 1986 and has not been upgraded. So to wash a pan, a pot, a Crockpot, anything that is oddly shaped is near impossible. I usually end up spilling water all over the place because it doesn’t fit in the sink and is hard to rinse. There has been a time where I washed a dish in the bathtub (don’t judge).
Cabinet space. We have very little cabinet space. Our dishes are too large to fit in the cabinet so they have to be put away at an angle, which means most of my dishes are in storage.
Counter top space. Are you sensing a theme? We need a bigger kitchen! There is very little to any countertop space and when you have nowhere to put a microwave but on top of the counter, well that means your space to cook is very limited.
A working refrigerator. A few months ago our refrigerator quit working. It took the apartment complex two days to fix it, so I ended up throwing out about $100 worth of food. Since then our refrigerator has constantly dripped. We have called several times with no fix. The bottom drawer fills with water which means I have to throw out the food that sits in that drawer. We have cups inside the fridge to catch the water but it doesn’t always do the trick.
Neighbors that don’t smoke pot. If you follow me on twitter, you know that we come home to a very smelly apartment several times a week, especially on Fridays. It would be nice to have neighbors that don’t smoke pot, but if they do, a place where we won’t have to smell it.
A basement! I have lovely Auburn pictures that my husband bought me for Christmas two years ago. We don’t currently have a place to hang them, so they are still sitting wrapped in the original brown paper until we can find a place for them. It would be nice to have a basement to have a sports themed room or a place for our future children to play in.
More than two bedrooms or at least a place for an office/craft room. Right now our guest bedroom is a catch all. The dishes that I mentioned are stored in the closet, the crafts are stored in a bin in the corner. The dresser and chest of drawers (or as my husband calls it chester drawers) is filled with odds and ends. As much as I try to declutter, the stuff just accumulates. It would be nice to have a desk to sit at with the computer and or a room to organize craft supplies.
A fenced in yard. This one is huge. Our poor puppy sits in a kennel while we are at work. It would be nice for him to have a place to run around in after we get home. Right now he has to settle for a quick walk around the block and hanging out on our patio. Not to mention I could build my garden!
Windows! Right now our apartment has two windows which are covered by thick curtains to keep the sun out. Unfortunately our apartment does not circulate air very well so if we leave the windows open the apartment heats up like a sauna, which means we live in a dungeon. My husband has so lovingly called me a vampire on more than one occasion.
A deck. I love to eat outside on patios but that can get a little expensive. I would love to have a deck or patio area that we can grill out, have a fire pit and hang out at night. A few of the homes we liked had a screened in porch as well as a deck. In a dream world I would love to have both!

I’m sure if I gave it a little more thought I could come up with several more items but alas I am out of time. I know these items don’t make a house a home, we can be happy anywhere, but they sure would be comfortable!

So What Wednesday

2012-05-16T09:25:00.001-04:00

So I decided to once again link of with Life After I Dew for So What Wednesday. This week I am saying so what if:

• I have worn my hair “curly” this week because I’m too lazy to blow dry my hair. And when I say “curly” it’s more of a wavy, fluffy mess.

• We have had McDonalds and frozen pizza for dinner this week. We’ve been on the go and we probably will be eating something quick again tonight.

• I’m sad that all of the season finales are this week. I am slightly too invested in Hart of Dixie.

• My husband and I are slightly obsessed with Costco, we mention the deals we get in everyday conversation. My parents think we are ridiculous.

• I'm slighty obsessed with my niece. The amount of pictures I take of her are out of control. She is just so dang cute!

I finally folded the clean laundry that has been sitting on the guest bed for the last two weeks. At least it was clean, right!?

Same old...

2012-05-10T17:02:00.000-04:00

Song and Dance. Have you heard of that saying, maybe it's a song? I feel like everyday is the same old song and dance. Don't get me wrong, the last few weeks have been very exciting! Welcoming a new niece, celebrating birthday's and enjoying time with family and friends. But do you ever feel like your life is on repeat? I feel like I say the same things, do the same things and nothing ever changes. In church several weeks ago during the sermon the pastor said something that really stuck with me. Do you ever feel like you wake up in the same old bed, get in the same old shower, get dressed in the same old routine, go to the same old job, eat the same old lunch, come home from work at the same old time, eat the same old dinner, watch the same old tv and then go back to the same old bed and repeat the same old routine again the next day. I would say that's me.

Every morning I struggle to get out of bed to feed and take the dog out. Then I struggle with something to wear and that in turn makes me late. Every morning I feel like I am rushing out the door to go sit at the same old desk, talk to my coworkers about the same old thing, I answer the same old phone calls and then I come home. Every week I have the same old conversation with myself, this week I'm going to make a weekly menu instead of making something up last minute or eating out. Every week I say I'm going to go to the grocery store so, again I have things that are healthy instead of resorting to fast food or Mexican. Every week I say I'm going to find my passion, and instead I get stuck in the same old rut. And it's frustrating. I keep going in a vicious cycle and I can't seem to break it. I use the excuse that I'm busy and while I do have some busy nights, the truth is I'm not that busy, I'm mostly tired. I'm tired of the same old song and dance. But the truth is I don't know where to start. I debate ideas over in my head by my follow though is not that great.

Don't get me wrong, I have several things that I am truly grateful for. I have a wonderful family and great friends! I don't typically get so negative on here, I just really needed an outlet to think through some things. Our church does a young adult community gathering once a month called Vespers. Its a renewing time of worship, prayer and communion. So tonight I'm going to take that time to reflect and start fresh with a new attitude.

Quick Update

2012-04-19T11:05:00.000-04:00

The last two weeks feel like a month have gone by! Last week I came down with strep throat and a bad cold. I can't remember the last time I had strep throat and I'm not sure where I could have caught it. Thankfully no one else caught it. I was so worried that my sister was going to go into labor and I wouldn't be able to be there to see the baby!

Speaking of baby, Lainey Danielle has finally arrived!! My sister went through several hours/days of labor to finally have that sweet baby girl at 12:09am on April 18th. We are completely smitten!! She is just a doll! She is so alert and will look at you when you talk to her. She constantly looks like she is trying to smile. She found her hands and keeps looking at the mittens on them, its the cutest thing! I've posted these pictures to facebook, but thought I would share here too!

Watch My Garden Grow

2012-04-13T14:27:00.001-04:00

Living in an apartment is really tough when trying to plant a "garden". Last year Ryan and I tried our hand at tomatoes, strawberries, red peppers and a handful of herbs. Unfortunately the only thing that made it was the red peppers and the cilantro. This year, since we are in a different apartment and have a little more room on our balcony, I sent my sights on bigger and better things!

I found a coupon for a website that guaranteed the plants would grow, because they only ship when the plants are ready and the conditions are correct. I ordered a lemon tree, a lime tree and an orange tree, all dwarf size, meant to fit on a patio. Being that they said trees, I was expecting something a little larger when they arrived. They are all about the size of my hand and look tiny in the big pots we have for them. I've had them about a week now and so far, they don't seem to be growing all that much.

Lemon Tree

Lime Tree

Orange Tree

I love the idea of fresh fruit! One day I hope to have a nice big garden that I can grow a lot of fruits and veggies. I also one day hope to have a bee hive with fresh honey. Oh a girl can dream!

So What Wednesday

2012-03-28T14:18:00.001-04:00

I found the link up for So What Wednesday and I thought it could be fun!

I'm saying so what if:

I haven't had a hair cut since before Thanksgiving. My hair is in desperate need of a hair cut, but I'm too cheap to pay for one. Plus, for some reason, it takes them two hours to cut my hair and I just don't feel like sitting there for that long.
I don't floss correctly. I went to a new dentist and they harassed me about not flossing and that I don't floss correctly. My old dentist is looking like a saint after today!
I wrote a review on Kudzu about the experience I had at the dentist. It wasn't a nice review, people need to know who they are going to see! (No, it wasn't just about the flossing, there were several bad things that happened to me)
I really want new spring clothes and shoes. I've been eyeing shoes on eBay because I'm too cheap to buy them anywhere else.
I don't cook dinner every night. I have really tried to cook at home more and this week we have resorted to the Mexican restaurant down the street and peanut butter sandwiches. I just haven't felt like cooking.
I had a regular coke today! I've been drinking diet coke or water in an effort to cut back calories, but a regular coke just sounded so good!