Blog Challenge #9 - Something You Miss

I miss a lot of things, but the biggest one I'd say is the freedom of my younger years. The ability to sleep late on a summer day, the times when dress up was a way of life, and school was our only dread. I miss those days sometimes and wish for a time we could rewind and take a visit. 

Here are some actual "Things" I miss. The pool that used to be in my back yard. Fun Time Pizza (kinda like a Chuck-E-Cheese) I loved spending my tickets! My dog, Lady. She was the best! Lisa Frank trapper keepers! I always wanted one! I loved Lisa Frank! Pogs! What a weird fad that was! The Hanson brothers. I was in love. First posters I ever decorated my room with! The ability to eat as much confection sugar as I wanted! (I LOVE CANDY!)"What kind of candy?", you ask. Oh the worst kind! Fun Dip, Skittles, Gummy bears, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Pieces, Jelly Beans, NERDS, Gobstoppers, Hot Tamales, and the list continues! I had fall candies, Christmas candies, Spring candies, and even summer candies that I just loved! Yeah, I can't really eat all those any more...Boo!

One thing I really miss is good movies. I feel like Hollywood is bored and fresh out of ideas these days. Everything is either a remake or just an "ok" movie. (Excluding the King's Speech, of course) I guess it makes us appreciate a good movie when we see one, but I will be excited to see some freshly inspired story lines come back on the big screen!

I also miss my friends. We've grown up and gone our separate ways, but I sure do miss them! 

Ok I think that's all I can think of at the moment... What do you miss?

Blog Challenge #8 - What Happened This Past Weekend?

The short of the long of it is, we got our carpets cleaned, which was an experience! Now we are unpacking our apartment like we just moved in! I saw 2 hummingbirds, which is pretty cool because they are a rarity to see! I took advantage of tax free weekend!! That was fun! I bought some really cute shoes that cut holes into the backs of my heels...Anyone know of any cures? Bandaids were too thin! We finished off our Friday with a wonderful meal at P.F. Chang's. YUMMY!! Ted and I were celebrating our 11 month anniversary! Can't believe it's almost been a year! I gotta say, P.F. Chang's is some yummy food! I am not a huge fan of Chinese food, but they did a great job! Oh yeah, if you decide to save room for dessert, their banana spring roll dessert is AMAZING!!! Served with pineapple and toasted coconut ice cream! So good, but HUGE! Either split it with a bunch of people, only order appetizers, eat only half your entree or see if they will pack it up to go because it's ginormous on top of all the other FOOD they serve! LOL! All of that to say, we'll be back! 


Saturday was not as great. I am a sleeper. I need sleep and the weekends is usually when I get it. Not so this weekend! I was up and at it early for a fun day of shopping with my friends, and it was fun, however 2 things were against me... 1. I was tired. 2. I hadn't had my coffee yet. So we pull up to the mall, all excited for some coffee! I get out of the car and my shoe BROKE!! Not like I tripped and fell and broke my shoe. No, I picked my foot up off the car floor, put it on the ground, and my shoe broke! I hadn't had my coffee yet, my shoe broke, and we venture into the mall, with my broken shoe. Fortunately, I parked next to the "shoe" section of the closest department store and quickly found a cute pair of flip flops that were about $20. A little more than I wanted to spend on shoes I really didn't want to buy, but they were cute and I decided to splurge. At the cash register, the lady gave me the total and I was like, hold up those shoes are $20. She checked the sign and said, "No, their actually $29.99" WHAT?! 30 bucks for a pair of flip flops?! For real?! (Granted their cute, but I just needed shoes, not over priced flip flops that I wasn't planning on buying) So in a frustrated stupor, I just bought the shoes, I mean what choice did I really have? Then she asks, "Would you like these in the bag?" (This is after I explained to her my shoe was broken) I was like "No, I need them on my feet!" After this frustrating encounter, we went to Starbucks to get some coffee, which for the first time ever did NOT help my sleepy state. The rest of the afternoon was fun, but the wind kinda got sucked out of my sails at the beginning of the day. But it was good times with some great friends and topped off with dinner with more great friends! I love my friends! But the moral of this story is always have a spare pair of shoes in the car! LOL! 


So this past weekend was an interesting one filled with shopping and fun and exhaustion and heat and yummy food and great company and of course many memories!


How was your weekend?

Blog Challenge #7 - How Have I Changed In the Past 2 Years

How have I changed in the past 2 years? Hmm.. well 2 years ago, I was 23, working at the church, dating the most wonderful man in the world, and saying farewell to my siblings as they went off to school. Now at 25, I still work at the church, I married that most wonderful man in the world and life is going well. How I have changed...Some lessons I have learned are the importance of enjoying life, the true value of family, the freedom of independence, and let go of the things that don't matter. 


Letting things go that don't matter. Basically, those things might matter, but they don't really matter in comparison to what God has planned and in store for your life.


The freedom of independence. This one might sound like the same thing, but there is a freedom in independence. There is also a responsibility and learning to balance the 2 takes some time to learn. For example. I love cereal. I can eat cereal for every meal just about everyday. I am not the biggest fan of eating fruits and veggies...in fact, if given an option between the 2 cereal is easier to fix and tastes better (probably because it's bad for me) Well, I now have the freedom to eat cereal night and day and have no one telling me to do otherwise, however, the repercussions of that decision may be something that I do not like. There for I have the responsibility to take care of myself and make wise choices for myself and not depend on someone else to do it for me. Freedom vs. Responsibility.


The true value of family. Sometimes one doesn't realize what they have until it's gone. I don't mean gone forever, although that too. But since I've been married, and my siblings have moved away, I have learned to value and treasure our times together. I have tried to put aside the frivolities and annoyances so when we look back on those times we don't see an argument or how much we got on each other's nerves, we see us enjoying each other as a family. Oh yeah and my parents have learned so much in the past 10 years! I mean when I was 15 they had "no idea" and just "didn't get it!" but now, they are so smart! How'd that happen?! (LOL ;-D) 


The importance of enjoying life. In our society, we live with the never-ending pressure of workaholism and over-achieving to succeed. I have learned that there will always be work to be done or a problem that needs your immediate attention or a deadline that never gives you enough time, but we have to STOP, breath, and MAKE TIME for something we love without feeling guilty for doing whatever it may be. Clear your mind, think about something OTHER than work. Somethings I enjoy...Crafting and creating...when I have something in this area that I'm working on, it helps me get through the work day and actually look forward to going home. I am able to be productive, have fun, and relax all at the same time! ...The Beach. I LOVE the beach! It is my absolute favorite! I could live there. Talk about peace, rest, tranquility, and relaxation! I could go to the beach everyday and never get tired of it! Why? Well, first of all, I love it. Secondly, I don't know why, but I feel God's presence and love when I'm there. Ever heard how people sometimes feel closer to God on a mountain top or on the side of a cliff, that's how the beach makes me feel. I take it as a God-kiss (you know, those times when God does something JUST for you...He created beaches...just for me! and maybe you...I can share. Lol!) I am just in awe at His majestic splendor, His amazing creativity, and just how big He really is!  No matter what craziness I have going on in my life, it doesn't come with me when I'm at the beach...unless it's a book. Then it can come. LOL. Realize the importance of enjoying life before you're burnt out on the life you live. And share the wealth, someone you know might not know this secret! 


I can't finish out this post without taking a second to brag about how amazing my husband is. He's probably been a part of the biggest change in my life. I love him so much, he's such a hard worker and loves Jesus and loves me. He's very caring and thoughtful. While we still have a lot to learn, I am so blessed to have him as my best friend on this great journey of life. I love you, Ted. 


So these are a few of the ways I have changed over the past 2 years...


What changes have you noticed?? Anything significant?

Blog Challenge #6 - Happy Siblings Day!

  

I have been excited for today's blog subject since I got the list because I just love my siblings!! I am the oldest of 3, Me at 25, Andrew at 23 and Anna at 21 and growing up with these 2, life rarely had it's dull moments. And that still hold true for today!

Andrew is 23 and working towards a degree in finance and accounting. He totally inherited the math brains of the family! And he's very good at it! He also is a workout junkie (along with Anna...something I definitely did NOT inherit!) and has turned into Mr. GQ. When he was growing up he was always particular about how he looked...hair had to be just so, shirt ALWAYS tucked in, pants hiked up to his shoulders, and shoes alwasy tied a specific way and boy did it pay off! He's so handsome! And now we are trying to find him a wife! Any takers?! (JUST KIDDING!! Well...Kinda...! No, really, he can find one on his own...with the help of Jesus of course!)

Andrew was also pretty shy when he was growing up, but knowing him now, you'd never know that! He's turned into quite the social butterfly and can very easily have the whole room laughing in about 5 seconds flat. He's also musically gifted, he's Animal on the drums, dabbles on the guitar and played trumpet in school!!

Andrew's Hidden Talent: He's actually quite the artist! Without any lessons, he could draw very well for his young age...I bet that talent is still floating around in there somewhere! :)

Anna is 21 and loving life! She has always been the life of the party and a caring person for all things great and small! She is also a wonderful performer, on and off the stage. No matter how big or small her audience, she can put on quite the show...In fact, she would play dress up and dramatically read stories to Lady, our golden retriever, who always listened with deep intent. In all seriousness, Anna is a very talented actress and dancer and it's also something she loves.

Growing up Anna never knew a stranger and would tell grown adults how the cow ate the cabbage at 3 years old! No one could resist her cute pigtails! She's always brought so much joy to those around her and still does today.

 As mentioned before, she too is a workout junkie and loves the thought of a challenge...She's one of those people that can kick butt in the gym...in high heels! She is a fashionista (or a Maxx-onista...LOL!) Anna has a great eye for fashion and isn't afraid to try new things! She is bold and tenatious in both style and personality and keeps the rest of us on the cutting edge...well as much as we'll allow! LOL! When Anna believes in something, she puts her heart and soul into it. She's cute and bubbly, but can pack a punch...I see her as a Tiger Bunny. (Google it, you'll know what I mean! LOL)  And I love her.

Something you might not know about Anna: She reads the last chapter of every book before she starts it! How she can stand it, I have no idea, but it's what she does! LOL!

So all of that to say, I love my siblings! They are just awesome and I couldn't ask for a better brother and sister!!

What about you? What do you love about your siblings?

Blog Challenge #5 - What Is God Teaching Me?

There are several lessons that I seem to be learning on a daily basis that God is showing and teaching me.
Recently, I have been on a slow journey of self discovery...Kind of sorting out why I do what I do or think what I think and really working through some of the roots and sources I have in my life.

One of the biggest things God has been showing me is the importance of enjoying life. It sounds like a selfish, fleshly thing to learn at the first thought, but I have come to realize that is how He created life to be lived!

I have a great job that I am so very thankful for, but as for most of us, it is not necessarily what I do for enjoyment! With work comes pressures and stress and deadlines and expectations. But what happens after work? More work? I have the tendency to be a workaholic. I just want to get "it" done! Whatever "it" may be. That philosophy does not trickle over to my personal life whatsoever. The "do" factor stays at the office door and when I go home, a lot of times I "do" nothing. And by "nothing" I really mean laundry, dishes, dusting, cleaning up, cleaning out, or just watching TV on the couch, all night. I didn't take the time to ENJOY myself.

I am a creative being. I love to create things, be creative, and think creative. It is my favorite! And sooo fun! However, by the time we got home, I was exhausted and felt guilty for thinking or doing creative things instead of doing necessary things (chores). Why was that? I know I am created to be creative. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't be creative. Simple, yes, but true. And in my creativity within the Creator, I find my purpose. So, for a while, my creative outlet was research. I would find new ways to do things, new things to do. Scrapbooking, card making, beading, sewing, knitting, crocheting, painting, clay making, needlepoint and the list goes on! (Yes, I have done every one of those AT LEAST once if not on a regular, rotating basis.) So I collected all of these ideas, but that's all I had to show for it. Ideas. Thoughts. Nothing actually to show. Sadly enough, it fulfilled my creative knack, until I actually realized that I wasn't doing anything.

So recently, I have been forcing myself to DO something and I have had the time of my life! Because it's something I love and I'm productive with it, it makes me happy and fulfilled. It gives me a sense of fun purpose.

Psalm 37:4 - Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

There are many ways to look at this scripture:
How when you delight yourself in the Lord, His desires become your desires because you are in accordance with Him.

But probably my favorite interpretation of that scripture is God created us the way He created us for a reason. So when we use what we were created for (in my case, creativity) we are delighting Him because that is why He created us.

He did not create us to hate our jobs and our lives and walk around on this planet as miserable, pathetic creatures. He created us to be all that He has called us to be and that is to be POWERFUL where he has gifted us! And when we operate in our CALLING (not necessarily our jobs) we are fulfilled and happy and He is pleased!
Therefore, take time to find where your gifting and interests are and if there is no place in the schedule of your busy life to tap into it, make time! You will be a happier, more fulfilled person when you take the time to enjoy life!

Where is your "sweet spot"? How do you enjoy life?

What is God teaching you right now?

Blog Challenge #4 - Favorite Movie

This is so hard...I love so movies, it's pretty much one of my favorite things to do. 


I guess I would have to say my favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice. I just love the story! First off, the story is just a classic. I love the development of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy and the dynamics of their relationship. It's a default movie...you know when you can't figure out what movie to watch and so you watch the one you love over and over...that's my default. And the soundtrack is just amazing! I used to play the movie to fall asleep on a weekly basis at school. So wonderful!


Now, because I am me and can't list just one of the many movie I love here's a list of others I really like:


The King's Speech
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Finding Nemo
Kung Fu Panda
Twilight...yes I enjoy them.
Couples Retreat
Letters to Juliet
The Blindside 
The Holiday. LOVE that one!


As you can see, I really like to laugh and I love a good story. 


What are some of your favorite movies? Any I need to see?

Blog Challenge #3 - Your Earliest Memory

After seeing pictures and watching video of oneself growing up, it is easy to translate those as "memories"; as if  we actually remember being "right there" at that specific moment. This is not one of those times! LOL!

My earliest memory was when I was 3 years old. I was in Australia, in my grandma's yard playing with her dog, Honey. I do not have many details other than place and pup, but I also remember flying home from that trip...it was a LONG one...Andrew slept on the seats and I slept on the floor...of course nowadays, that would never fly (no pun intended...LOL!) It was a good trip though. It was really the first time Andrew and I had really met my dad's side of the family. (Anna was a bun in the oven at that time.) I got see my grandma 3 more times in Oz after that trip so the first one was really special.

What is your earliest memory?? How much of it do you remember?

Blog Challenge #2 -15 Interesting Things About Me...

  1. My favorite foods are pizza, Mexican, and ice cream
  2. I can touch my nose with my tongue.
  3. I feel weird and un-complete if I forget to wear my rings.
  4. I love music. I sing in my car on a very regular basis.
  5. My favorite thing in the world is creativity. I love making things.
  6. I think awkward silence is so funny....and awkward.
  7. I am a bookworm. I love to read.
  8. I knit. I crochet. No, I'm not a grandma.
  9. I have no idea what my natural hair color is. I think it might be dirty blonde...or light brown...hmmm
 10. I love having my toes painted. Even on an ugly day, I feel prettier when my toes are painted.
 11. I have a fear of deep water, sharks, spiders, snakes, roaches, heights, scary movies, and the dark.
 12. My favorite color is turquoise...blues, but that ocean turquoise is my absolute favorite.
 13. I randomly insert movie quotes in conversation.
 14. I love animals
 15. I like to fly. I really enjoy travelling, especially for fun.

Blog Challenge #1 - Summer Highlights

 Well this summer has been interesting to say the least. It started out much like Christmas did last year...Cancelled, missed and delayed flights! Yes, I know, it's just funny now...kinda...lol! We took an exciting trip to Seattle this May to see my long lost sister! Next to getting over a bug...Literally...Giardia...a parasite...yummmmy...lol! We had a lot of fun! It was more low key compared to our trip a year ago where we saw most of what Seattle had to offer in about 3 days, but we did go whale watching. I was sooooo excited about this tour! I have a hidden love for killer whales. On our wildlife search we saw bald eagles, 2 different kinds of sea lions (which was pretty cool), a couple of seals, and

2, yes count them, 2 whole whales. We sailed for about 2 hours with no luck. Usually by then, the resident pods would be in for their summer fun, but alas, to no avail, they were not in. Due to the cold winter that ran into the spring time, the pods were taking their time coming in. After sailing to Canada in search of these whales, we found a transient pod, a mother and son. Everyone found the transient pod. There were probably 10 tour boats around this small family. (Yes, we were at a safe and respectable distance) They were tricky, curious creatures. They'd go down in front of one side of the boat and show up on the other side. It was quite fascinating and entertaining. Such stunning and incredible creatures. 

Although it wasn't quite as exciting or spectacular as I had hoped for, it was still a wonderful trip. And the sight sailing back into Seattle at sunset was stunning. It was a great family day. Including some fun time with Ted's Aunt Debbie! She is such a blast and spoils us rotten! :D 

So Seattle was a big, fun highlight. It was great catching up with my brother and sister. They are such fun siblings.

In June, I turned 25! A quarter of a century. And it was quite the mind change for me. It has given me a new perspective on life and has challenged me to grow as a person and continue that search for purpose in my life. My beloved threw me a sneaky party at our young adults group and I was so touched by all the kind words and gifts my friends gave. I felt so honored. It was a very fun day!

Shortly after that, we said "Good bye" to Ted's grandpa Bob, who went to be with Jesus. We took a trip to Nebraska to remember and honor his life. It was good to see friends and family and remember the good times. He served in the military in WWII and I have never seen a military service. That was pretty amazing. Once the memorial was done, I got a huge surprise in basically having a week to do what I love. Crafting. Yes, I had about 4 whole days of creativity and I LOVED every minute of it! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but having some down time for R&R was not what I had in mind...However it was a pleasant and much needed surprise!

Once back home, we had 4th of July to look forward to...Now this is a highlight, but in a not-so-great sense, I guess. I have never seen a very broken, broken bone before. Until the 4th. We were at some friends' house for a get together they were having and one of the ladies there stumbled down the stairs and noticably broke her ankle...her right foot was on the right side of her leg. And she fractured her other foot as well. (Say a prayer for her if you think about it...) All that to say, it was quite an experience! On a lighter note, we had our very own fireworks show that was AMAZING!!! It was so beautiful! I've seen some firework shows, but this one was up close and personal! We could feel the paper from the burst hit us in the face! LOL!

So far this summer has been fun and interesting...I do look forward to the beach at some point! I LOVE the beach...it's pretty much my favorite! :)Other than that, it's been a summer to remember!! 

How about you? What are some highlights of your summer? 

30 Day Blogging Challenge

So to kick off our blogging habits, a couple of friends and I decided to do a 30 blog challenge! I'm kind of excited about this because I really do love to write and post stuff on here, but sometimes I can't figure out WHAT to write about...This will help the creative juices start to flow! So for the next month, be on the look out for that! :)

Eye On The Goal

Ever since turning 25, I have noticed a change in myself. 25…It’s just a number right? It’s not a magical milestone where life becomes clear and one’s purpose is suddenly discovered in a ray of light. If only it happened like that. However, I have seen some differences in my thinking…my perspective…my view. It was like all the sudden the little things that mattered, no longer matter. Those moments that I dwelled on because of ridiculous mistakes or mishaps or those people who just kind of vanished from my life with little explanation, seem in vain. I started noticing the change a few weeks ago. It was like all of the sudden, I didn’t care. Not so much about the people or the incidences, but the…offense. The hurt. The wounds…It was like they didn’t matter anymore… which is weird for me. I’m like an elephant. I don’t forget things. And I stay at a distance to keep from getting hurt again. This didn’t become clear to me though, until this week. I realized what happened.

A friend of mine called me with an issue that was valid for being upset. And upset we both were, but then a thought hit me. In comparison to the ultimate goal, this was something so small. Sure it seems big and hurtful right now, but I also know that God’s will and desire for us will take over. Whatever obstacles come in our way, it really doesn’t matter when we keep our eye on the GOAL. When we keep what God has promised or has for us in our front view, He will make the mountains into mole hills to jump over! Seeing the bigger picture and choosing to take that change in perspective shows how small the big things REALLY are and make the small things in life look even smaller. So I guess in the grander scope of life, the hurts, the worries, the broken trust, the personal failures, the not-so-pleasant surprises are things to be learned from but should not hold us back so far that God can’t move or work. Having the ultimate goal in the front of our minds and keeping our eye on that prize makes those other things fall to the way side. So friends, relax in knowing that the God we serve and love has a bigger purpose for us than our problems! Isn’t that great news!! Keep your eye on the goal! God is faithful and his Word is true! He will come through…maybe not at the moment where you say “Thank you God”, but more at the moment of “That had to be God!” He has a plan, a purpose, a goal for us! Never forget it!

Christmas 2010

This is a Christmas to Remember! And no, not like the song…It is actually comparative to a Lampoon’s Christmas Family Vacation or something like that!

My hubby and I were just coming off of a huge performance of "It’s A Wonderful Life" for our church production. Both of us were…kind of involved…maybe just a little bit! LOL! Ted played George Bailey and I played Mary Hatch Bailey. It was wonderful and exhausting all at the same time. Our home was in complete disarray! In fact, we had bought our very first TV and didn’t plug it in for 3 weeks due to the fact we were never home! LOL! We had 3 days to rest before we would be completely enveloped in family funness!







This is the one!



 We also bought our very first Christmas Tree!! This was sooo fun! It snowed the day we went out, which just added to the experience! 

And our little tree was just perfect for our apartment, we just loved it!

Well our holiday actually started off lovely. My Aussie cousin, Vaughan, came in to celebrate the holiday season with us. That same night we picked up my beautiful sister Anna. A few days later, my fabulous brother, Andrew, came in to town. It was a wonderful family reunion! Christmastime is just so wonderful! Decorating the tree, wrapping presents, giving presents, receiving presents. (Let’s not forget that the season is about Jesus’ birthday, but I’d like to think in some small way, we bring glory to Him when we are giving and charitable to others!) Can you tell that I’m a “Gifts” person?? :-) I about had a melt down…no actually, I did have a melt down trying to decorate our tree. It was miserable. We were just too shy on the lights that we put on our tree, so the top half of our tree had no lights. In attempt to fix it, (because mind you all of the stores had sold out of white Christmas lights by this point…) we were going to put some other lights in the middle so we UN-decorated everything we had just decorated! Our tree was sadder than Charlie Brown’s Tree! Only the bottom part had lights and ornaments…WELL, the middle lights did not work out...

so for 3 days our tree looked pathetic. My melt down came when we tried to redecorate the tree and I had NO vision for the way it was supposed to look! So I laid on the floor in deep depression while Ted decorated the tree…again…And it turned out beautifully! He did such a fabulous job! :-)

After our home was decorated and things were cleaned and put in order, we wrapped up our gifts to the family and put them under the tree. That made me soooo happy! :D We had the family over for dinner, which was exciting and nerve racking at the same time. Hosting is something I'm working on getting better at, meaning, it's not my strong suit.  Hey, I mean, Ted cooked!! He's better at it than I am! But anyway, we had a great time with the family. We had our gift exchange which is always fun! We got some awesome pressies as well! :D (New Luggage!! Thank you mom and dad!)

Next thing we know, it's Christmas morning! Presents under the tree, family all around, even Sunny the Christmas cat came our to join the fun! :) We did our tradition of singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus (I mean, it IS His birthday!) Then we played Santa, handing out gifts! Now we have an amazing family tradition which, no matter how old we become, will never die. In fact, we all kind of did this to each other this year, which made it even more amazing! We don't put our real names on our gifts...We use code names! LOL! This year, Ted and I's were themed from Burn Notice! So for example...We used the names: Michael Weston, Fiona Glenanne, Sam Axe, Madeline Weston, and Charles Finley... Those translate to Dad, Mom, Andrew, Anna, and Vaughan! So, the point of this tradition is to try to guess who you are! So fun, we've done this since we were kids and the tradition has lived on and will continue to live on! 

After presents were opened, we all settled in for an mid morning nap, then ate a scrumptous Christmas Dinner. Once the evening began to settle in, a Christmas Miracle occured...It started to snow!! It hasn't snowed on Christmas day for over 50 years! So we had an official White Christmas! Dreams really do come true! :D

 

Snow...so lovely, so beautiful, so...flight delaying!!! Up until now it has been the perfect holiday...Until Christmas evening say around 4:00. Ted and I were scheduled to fly out Christmas evening to be with his family for the latter part of the evening when we get the phone call that our flight was cancelled. I was bummed, but a little relieved because it had already been a bit of a long day. The snow came down alllllll night. It was beautiful! So we got packed and ready to go for our flight the next morning. We wake up to find our flight was cancelled...again. Not so bad!

  

Much to our surprise even though snow completely covered the ground by several inches, the mall and stores still opened with their post-Christmas sales ready to go! They were like ghost towns! The clothes I got Ted were all too big and much to my surprise we got him all of the EXACT same things in the smaller size! Crazy, huh?! So we go home log online and find that our flight was cancelled for ANOTHER day!!! Not only that, but we weren't going to fly out for another 2 DAYS! NO WAY!!! So that evening, I was getting a little fidgety. Ted's family was going back home and we were going to miss them almost entirely and I was getting frustrated because it was not going according to schedule! So I call the airline...at 11:45 at night. That was my first mistake. Calls that late at night are outsourced and while I have nothing against that, the people on the other end of the line really can't do anything about anything. So I call saying Hey! Our flight has gotten cancelled 3 days in a row now and isn't leaving for another 2 days, I need to get on a flight ASAP!" Well the man on the other line informed me there was one seat open the next day, but the only flight that had 2 seats was 2 days later...OH MY GOSH!!! A 5 DAY DELAY!!! You MUST be joking!! But no...he wasn't, much to my despair. :( I was pretty mad because I did not want to disappoint my in-laws, but settled down once I realized it was just more time with my family. We all actually got to hang out with Vaughan and take him to the airport. We had a blast with him and love him dearly!

FINALLY we get to leave! The flight is at the ungodly hour of 6:30 in the MORNING (SOOOOO not a morning person!)  On the plane, excited to get going so I can get back to sleep, we were met with the pleasant sound of the captain coming over the speakers apologizing for the delay...as it was 6:45 and we still hadn't left yet. He said someone forgot to refill the oxygen tanks, which are important, but not difficult to fix...Except, of course, that they are located under all the LUGGAGE!!! They had to take allll the luggage off the plane, refill the tanks, and put it allll back on! It delayed us an hour and a half. Our flight left at the time it was supposed to leave our connection in DETROIT! Needless to say we missed our flight and our 20 minute layover turned into a 3 hour lay over! On the bright side, the Detroit airport has a tunnel joining the terminals, it's pretty much awesome! And we HAD to take it because complete randomness happened...We met our friends Ben & Becky for lunch because they, too, had just landed in Detroit! :D Back to this tunnel. It changes colors and plays music...I loved the tunnel!

  


This is the only picture I dare take...
the traffic was driving by at 80mph!



Well, the tunnel and an unexpected visit with friends was a nice break from the madness we had been experiencing...but alas, that is all the season could afford. A break! On our flight to Nebraska, it was delayed...only slightly, but still... We land with little incident and find our long missed family! One of Ted's aunts and his uncle came to greet us and pick us up! Finally! Nebraska! We made it!! It's about an hour and a bit drive to Lincoln from the airport. And about half way there, we RUN OUT OF GAS!! Yes, indeed. After days of cancelled flights, delayed flights, missed flights, being snowed in for a week, we run out of gas! We waited about an hour for AAA to get there. We got checked on by a Highway patrol who sent some help...They actually beat AAA. And after about 30 minutes of waiting. Ted's uncle went with the highway patrol help and by the time they made it back (it's Nebraska...the nearest gas station was about 15 minutes away...) AAA was just pulling up! Finally, we have gas, we are ready to go!! We go to start the car and nothing. Someone left the lights on while we were waiting! And now a dead battery! This was the icing on the cake! I just busted a gut! I was so tired and sleep deprived that I got slap happy! It was just funny at this point! Fortunately, we discovered this BEFORE AAA left, so they gave us a jump! But I'm pretty sure we laughed the whole way home! After this point, it was still eventful, seeing as we had 5 days to cram in 10 days worth of visiting and vacation, but not nearly as crazy! We visited with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins for 2 days, then we took on the task of driving to Texas! At night...on New Year's Eve...What were we thinking?! We picked up a new passenger along the way, the newest member of the Scheve family. Meet Gracie, an 8 year old Corgi who came along for the ride!

She is such a sweet and funny little dog and fit like a glove with the family! So we started our little drive at 4ish...it was said that this drive would only take 9-10 hours. That would put us in between midnight and 2am... That's ok  we can handle that...Yeah, no. 12 hours. It put us in a 4AM!!! I was sleep driving, sip of coffee, sip of water, sip of coffee, sip of water...Just a note...The water woke me up more than the coffee, but that's another topic for another day! We had 2.5 hurry, flurry days in Dallas before getting back to the grind! Even though it was craziness to the max, it really was a Christmas to remember and memories that we will hold dear forever. Merry Christmas Everyone!



The Nebraska Sky, beautiful.

How was your Christmas? Any crazy stories?? :)

2010

2010 was a great year filled with adventure, love, fun, memories, experiences, and did I mention love? It started off December of 2009 when the love of my life asked me to marry him! I said yes (obviously!) and after that the sinking feeling of "We have a lot of work to do" came over me. In January, the madness began. Planning and colors and dates and decisions and excitement! Ted and I were asked to lead our College and Career group which has become a great adventure! February we found the dress!!! Important! February we also took a blitz trip to Dallas for wedding ideas and shopping. We shopped for flowers, favor bags, decorations, ribbon, flower petals, dresses, and on and on! And we had a blast! March we had some close friends get married which took us to Seattle, Washington for a fun blitz of a time there! We saw Deception Pass, Tulip Fields, Seattle Space Needle, Snowqualmie Falls, Pikes Place, and Mt. Rainier in the distance. It was a blast! We got to see my spectacular sister and Ted’s awesome aunt while we were up there which was a fun bonus! We had bundles of fun tearing up the town! After our jaunt to WA, it was back to our own wedding plans and growing madness! April flew by taking Easter and our Engagement Pictures with it and May did about the same! June brought some fun times. Our wedding decorator came in for a week of bouquet making frenzy! She pumped out 11 bouquets in a week! Amazing! And they were gorgeous! When she arrived, so did Sister from WA for the summer and I caught the flu. No, seriously, summertime flu...Yeah I’d never heard of it either! I was on the couch for about a week but worked up enough energy to go to the surprise party my wonderful Fiancé threw for my 24^th birthday! He’s so sweet! And so was the White Chocolate cake! YUM! After that, summer flew! July was fun with bridal portraits done and everything coming together, September was right around the corner! September 5^th finally showed up! A great day! It would’ve been my grandmother’s 99^th birthday and it was Ted’s grandparents 56^th Wedding Anniversary and it was Ted and I’s wedding day! It’s a blur but it was a dreamy day! The weather was perfect, we were surrounded by all of our friends and family and loved ones, good food, great venue! It was perfect for what we were wanting! Our honeymoon to Puerto Rico was amazing! It was so nice to just rest and relax and catch up from the past 9 months of madness! So worth it! After our honeymoon, we hit the ground running. Ted and I were in our Christmas production of It’s A Wonderful Life. Ted played George Bailey and I played Mary Hatch. It was a ton of fun but also a TON of work!! But it all paid off! The best show we’ve put on pretty much ever! October we celebrated Ted’s 25^th birthday and we SURPRISED him! It was Awesome! He has NO idea it was coming and we had a great time celebrating with some of our closest friends! November I mastered making pumpkin cakes! (More about that later) And we visited the family for Thanksgiving! December, well, December Ted and I officially celebrated 3 years together. Oh how time flies! The rest of December is far too entertaining to put at the end of this long post so it gets its own title!

But how was 2010 for you? What were some memories that you will stay with you from this year?

(Possible Pictures to come soon) :)

The Freedom of Change

Have you ever had those days where you’re looking in your closet and you say, ”Self what do you want to wear today?” And from there you have a 10-minute discussion with yourself determining what it actually is you’re in the mood to wear. Who you want to be today. I had this moment while walking around the mall last week. I haven’t been one who really focuses much on how I look or what I wear. After I went to school, I seemingly lost my sense of style and I am now trying to gain it back. So I’m walking around the mall trying to find a brown sweater...That’s really all I’m looking for...a brown sweater. Apparently, this year, brown sweaters aren’t in because I’m not finding them ANYWHERE!! I looked in all of “my stores” in the juniors’ section trying to find something that resembles what I’m looking for. Nothing. Nada. Then I decide to go to the “Ladies” section. I’m pretty insecure at first because I’m definitely not “old” enough to be considered a “lady” in my shopping. Or am I? 

It’s a hard transition going from “Juniors” to “Ladies”. It’s a complete mindset change. It goes from having the limited options of a “Junior” where the only options you have are the ones the world of fashion gives you to the limitless options of being a “Lady”. Where, as a grown individual, one has options to mix and match and pull from this and that to create who they become and not necessarily try to squeeze themselves into a box they were never meant for.  The transition time is tough and yet beautiful. That time of branching out and trying ones wings. We flutter from style to style, section to section, and we bring with it the things that we are comfortable with to make the transition easier. We take what we’ve tried to conform to, throw out the stuff that doesn’t matter and blend in what we like with what we find and eventually we find ourselves. I’m still in transition. While I was on my adventures at the mall I walked into a store I had never been to in my life. In fact, in my mind it was marked as an “Old Lady Store” that I would NEVER go to even when I got older because heaven forbid I dress older than I actually was! And even if I was that “old” I wouldn’t want anyone to know so...yeah I’ll just stay with my Juniors section because that’s where all the “Cool” clothes are! So I walk into this store and my calculations were correct...It was an “Old Lady Store”... A lot of the women in there were in their mid to upper 40’s, 50’s, and possibly even 60’s. And they had the CUTEST clothes on! I was actually a little green with envy because I want to look that good! And not just "when I'm their age I want to look that cute"...I wanna look that cute now! I looked around and realized, that the clothes were just as trendy as the “Junior” stores I go to, but they were dripping with maturity and sophistication.  It doesn’t have as much to do with style and age as it does attitude. 

I had a hilarious conversation with a friend of mine about how we both now like this store and we both had the same thoughts about it and she says, "Oh no! We’re getting old!" I’m not exactly afraid of growing up and becoming “older”, but I will probably never lose my zest for newness and freshness. I want to stay current! It’s the creative side of me that won’t let "the old" happen! I’m not exactly classy and will probably never be. It's not a box I fit in well and I'm ok with that. It's more boho chic I’d say...a free spirit. With that said, I haven’t gotten it all figured out yet, but I’m well on my way. I’m beginning to figure out that I don’t have to make a choice about who I want to be in the morning...I can wear whatever I want and know that I’m still me, because no matter what I wear or how I wear it, the ultimate point is that I wear the clothes, they don’t wear me. And because of that, I don’t have to be stuck in one box, but I’m free to float from box to box and pick and choose what I would like because no one is there to tell me I can’t.


How about you? Where are you on your journey to self discovery?

Simply Unique Inspirations

Feeling the need to start a blog for a while, I spent much of my time agonizing over what to call it. Sounds like a frivolous thing to fret about, but it did hinder me from allowing my writings to flow out. A blog helps defines a person or an organization so whatever it was had to be something that showed a bit of who I am and what I’m about. To define myself and what I’m really about is something I’ve been attempting to do for most of my life and to no avail, mind you, but I will attempt to share.


So some things about me… I am me (whoever that is). I enjoy the small things in life, a beautiful sunset, a full moon, snow on a freshly bloomed rose, a beautiful day at the beach. My love language is Surprises! I love them! In the breakdown, it’s quality time and gifts but it translates into surprises! I am not quite a caffeine addict, but I do love me some Starbucks! I believe White Chocolate Mochas are God’s heavenly kiss to me. I love Jesus with my whole heart and soul. I am an extremely creative individual. Not bragging, just a fact. I love scrapbooking and crafting. I also enjoy the stage and all things that go along with it. My favorite foods are pizza and ice cream, yet my favorite lunch spot is Moe’s. I have the world’s greatest family. We are all so different but love each other dearly. My husband is my hero. I love him so very much and I am so blessed and honored to be his wife. I am excited for all of the adventures we will do together. I love animals. Dogs and cats mostly. Though I had to leave my cat at my parents’ when we got married, I hold on the strong hope of getting my own sometime soon! :) I love to travel and hope to do so more often. Right now, my goal is to see Europe. I have many interests in lots of things and dreams and ambitions, but don’t know how they will all come together. Pretty much this is me in a nut shell. The best way to describe me is Simply Unique. Not that I’m simple to figure out, but simply put…I’m Unique. So all that to say: Welcome to Simply Unique Inspirations. My hope is that you enjoy my perspective on this journey called Life.