A Cup of Tea

Our Valentines Weekend

2012-02-13T20:59:00.001-06:00

Well, we did it! Our first official 5K race is complete! It was so much fun (despite the 29 degree weather!) to run with a huge group of other people with a common goal in mind. There were married couples, parents and kids, friends, and some solo people just there to run. I've mentioned before we don't really get super into Valentines day so this year we wanted to do something a little different. We have been putting a lot of emphasis on health in the Boydstun home and we thought what better way to celebrate our love and our health then to train and race in a Cupid Couples 5K together? We got pancakes and coffee afterward, a much appreciated reward.

I hope your Valentines is full of love and happiness! (And full of sweets, too!)

Lately...

2012-01-30T15:10:00.000-06:00

Oh, gloriously delicious and beautiful coffee, what would I do with you? The semester has only just started and I have already consumed way beyond the suggested amount of caffeine intake per day. It just hit me how great it is that I work at a coffee shop while I'm in college. I knew filling out that Starbucks application would prove worthy! My days lately, besides constantly consuming coffee (hmm, blog name change?), are filled with either working or going to class, doing homework, reading, or at this awesome yoga studio near my apartment. Remember when I took yoga as a college class just to see what it was all about? Yeah, that. I'm hooked. Ever since leaving that class I have wanted to join a yoga studio but never could, because we only had one car and it wasn't feasible for me to invest the time and money into it if I knew I would hardly be able to attend the sessions. But did you notice that I used the past tense there? That's right! WE GOT A SECOND CAR!! After a year and half of marriage with one car, I am one happy happy girl!! We have been looking to buy through a dealer, going back and forth on what we should do and when we should just crack down and do it, but nothing ever seemed to work out. I kept my patience (mostly) and prayed, asking God for an opportunity for money to come in somehow...and guess what? A car appeared! Actually, it was there the whole time, sitting in my in-laws driveway. Since my Father-in-law retired, him and my Mother-in-law hardly ever leave separately and turns out they've been thinking about getting a new set of wheels. What was once John's Mom's sweet little 2 door Pontiac Grand-Am is now OURS! It has already proved to be a huge blessing to have a second car. Three semesters we have had to coordinate our school schedules, which the further you get into school is harder and harder to do, but coordinate no longer! It's been great being able to go to the grocery store if I need to, or go do homework at location besides my living room couch. I had forgotten the sweet sweet freedom four wheels can bring to a person, and it feels good!

Small change of subject, the 5K we signed up for is less than two weeks away! I feel slightly better about it since actually running a whole 3.1 miles the other day. I can humbly say that I am really proud of myself for that one seeing as a month ago I could hardly run a mile! I really and truly felt a conviction to become more active and healthy and I want to stay true to that. Our bodies are a temple, right? So my temple is getting a head to toe, inside and out makeover! You know what I've found to be a really great motivator? Food! Ha! I feel less guilty having that cheeseburger if a couple hours ago I was in the gym. I am weighing myself to track progress, but my true purpose here is to be healthy and focus mainly on that then the numbers. (Although watching that scale move down a few pounds IS exciting!)

Well, now it's time to get back to some homework and have a study session before class tomorrow. (Complete with the sounds of Sigur Ros and a cup of coffee.)

I Can Only Go Up From Here!

2012-01-13T20:06:00.001-06:00

This has been my mantra through my running training. Today I was laying in bed after a nap and was literally arguing with myself on whether or not I should go running. I find if I list all the reasons I shouldn't run (usually I can't think of any) then I get up and do it. Today was a bit harder. I was giving myself a pretty great argument against myself. (Hmm..maybe I shouldn't admit to that) John and I both have been trying to incorporate healthier habits into our life and today we registered for our first 5K!

For Valentine's we are doing a couple's run! Now John is way way wayyy better at this whole running gig then I am, (He ran 9 miles today...for fun.) but he is super supportive of his slow, can hardly run a mile without sounding like a wheezing pug wife. Since we signed up for the 5K I decided to push my usual 1.5 mile run to a 3.1 mile run. Well, it's more of a walk/run, but now I have set my original 5K pace and time...

Now I have burning shins and super sore hamstrings, BUT I did it! This isn't the greatest time, but I pushed through and did the longest treadmill workout I've ever done. I can only go up from here! This is a huge accomplishment for me, and I am really excited about adding healthy living into our daily routine so we can live a long healthy life.

What are ways you have initiated healthy living into your life?

Hey! Long time no see!

2012-01-02T14:48:00.000-06:00

Hey guys! Long time no talk. I've had a seven month hiatus from the ol' bloggy here and I've started to miss it. I hope during 2012 I post more updates on the happenings of my little ol' life, even if it's just a picture. (Like the one above!) One of my resolutions this year was to make more handmade goods. My Great Grandma passed away a few weeks ago and a part of her legacy is held in every stitch of every item she has made for everyone in our family. I know how special each of my "Goggy items" are and I hope to be able to create things that make others as happy as she has made our family. That neck warmer is one thing I've made and love and hope to make more to give to friends/family/strangers..ha!

I hope everyone's holiday was filled with love, laughter, and sweet memories. Happy New Year!

Inspiration Workshop: Kitchens!

2011-06-09T00:00:00.042-05:00

Here we go again with week two of Gussy's Inspiration Workshop! I'll tell you what, going through everyone's post last week really inspired me to do more handmade projects. This week she asked us to write about our dream kitchens! I decided to first post what we've done with our little apartment kitchen, then show some of my dream kitchen!

This is the view of the kitchen from the living room.

Not much space!

This mat was inspiration for the color scheme. Red, turquoise, yellow, green!

Stove! That tea kettle gets a lot of use around here.

The beverage station.

The cute canisters John got me for Christmas '09.

Our fruit basket that is currently used as a hot chocolate station.

My cookbooks that don't hardly get used enough.

Now, if I wasn't restricted by a small apartment kitchen:

So much color! I love all the natural light.

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I'm in love with the colored open cabinets.

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Dream 50's style stove! I drool over this.

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This mixer. In this color.

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I really dig this fridge!

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Love the pots and pans and cottage chic look.

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I dream of yellow in my future kitchen. My mom always had a yellow kitchen, and I hope I can pass that tradition off in my own home.

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Head on over to GussySews for some more kitchen inspiration!

Date Night x 2!

2011-06-07T20:42:00.000-05:00

A typical day these days consist of me waking up before the rest of the world (anywhere between 3:30AM and 5:30AM depending on my shift that day) coming home after work, kissing John goodbye as he goes to work, then I don't see him until after 10PM. So when I say we hardly ever see each other? I mean it. Miraculously, though, we had two nights in one weekend free! We took full advantage of it, got all dolled up and went OUT! We never go out.

I even wore lip gloss!

My handsome huz.

The venue.

We went and saw Peter Bjorn and John Thursday night, then Saturday night went and saw Eisley perform. Both bands get lots of playtime on my ipod so it was so fun to see them live! I think my husband is one of the most fun people in the planet so when we actually get to hang out it is always full of laughs and memories.

What's one of your favorite date memories? I'd love to hear about it!

Inspiration Workshop Week one: Handmade

2011-06-02T12:57:00.003-05:00

This is the first week of Gussy's inspiration workshop where every week her reader's link up and post about whatever that week's topic is. This week's is handmade. Whatever your favorite handmade memory or item, she asked us to write about! So here's my most treasured handmade item to date: My double ring wedding quilt made by my Aunt Toni, Great Grandma Goggy, Grandma, and Grandpa. (All people who inspire me artistically and through life)

Tearfully holding it up at our wedding shower.

They stitched their signatures.

It's bigger than our futon!

Whenever I see this quilt I'm reminded how loved I am and how awesome it is to be apart of a big ol' crafty loving Texas family!

Now get on over and see what all the other lovely people are posting about at GussySews!

drumroll please

2011-05-27T14:08:00.000-05:00

A few days ago I posted this photo of a sneak peak of one of my projects that I'll be putting in my shop soon.

Four lovely guesses came and ONE was correct!!

Anonymous said...

Apron!

Introducing The Copper Kettle's garden aprons!

Turns out "anonymous" would like to stay that way and requested for me to give it to someone as a random act of kindness. (Which was very sweet, by the way!) So I decided to do the next best thing. A draw!

I really appreciate you girl's interest in my shop! I love that yall can be apart of it from day 1. I have lots of big dreams for it! I put all 3 of your names in a bowl.

Then this handsome man drew for me.

And the winner is..........

Crystal of A Bunch of Britts!

(Crystal, check your email!) ;)

This exact one I think I'm gonna keep for myself. (Kind of like when restaurants keep the first dollar they make for luck?) It's the first apron I've ever made and while making it I was really inspired and other ideas just flooded my mind on cute ideas for the shop! And besides, the lace I used for the bottom fringe, my great-grandma gave me so I'm kind of attached to it.

So get ready for some cute cute cute garden aprons making their way to my shop!

Summertime love

2011-05-25T11:04:00.002-05:00

Well, we did it! We managed to go to school an entire semester (both at two different schools) on one car, and do well in our classes. Another semester down, a bajillion to go. (At least that's what it feels like to me!) But really? It's all good, because this is my life and I will do my best to enjoy whatever season I am in...this just happens to be a really long season!

Summertime so far has consisted of work (duh), chillen at home watching season finales of some of my fave shows (which have all been decent, none have given me that shock factor you find in most finales, but whatevs) and my sewing machine has been back in full force! I know I opened up shop, listed two things, and then kind of let it all sit there. Now that school is over, though, I'm definitely going to give it a little more love and attention. I even have a mascot for it now!

I found this beauty at a cute boutique store in Oklahoma this past weekend. I was there watching a dear friend of mine get married, and had some time to kill before the nuptuals so decided "just to browse." Ha! I left with 4 things, this vintage copper kettle included.

Speaking of The Copper Kettle and a busy sewing machine, here is a sneak peak at something I've been working on!

Can you guess what it is? If you are the first to guess correctly I'll send you a FREE Copper Kettle Coffee Cozy! And you'll also be the first to own one since I don't have any listed yet. (Ahem, or anything else besides the one pouch that's been listed for months now.)

Yaaay, I knew starting a shop would be fun! :] Hope you are all enjoying your summer as much as I am!

One of the best sandwiches evah!

2011-05-11T14:54:00.000-05:00

Oh, how I love having a little herb garden at hand for when it's cooking time! Here's a sandwich recipe I heard on Oprah (love her or hate or it's a darned good sandwich!)

Simply pluck 3 fresh basil leaves (or grab the basil shaker from the spice rack)

Prep your grilled cheese (yes, grilled cheese!) with whatever bread and cheese you like. We bought this delicious 3 cheese artisan bread from Panera and it's so yum with sandwiches!

The secret ingredient is in this honey bear. Simply drizzle a light drizzle (a little goes a long way) over the basil.

Grill as usual!

Eat with tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and hummus and you've got a fancy delicious honey and basil grilled cheese lunch!

So next time you're craving grilled cheese, try this recipe. You won't be dissapointed!

Easter Time!

2011-04-24T20:50:00.007-05:00

Woke up to Easter goodies from E. Bunny!

We enjoyed dressing in our Easter best and going to church with The Boydstun clan. It was a wonderful day of celebrating the risen Lord, eating Tex Mex, and looong Sunday naps.

Le Boydstun Bistro

2011-04-18T12:41:00.002-05:00

When picking out the layout of our apartment, what truly sold me was the wrap around patio. I dreamed of early morning coffee sipping, long afternoon reading, and sunset dinners on the beautiful balcony. Since we moved in without really owning much furniture (and not to mention August when only the crazies are outside during the inferno that is Texas summer) decorating the patio was not priority. I made a goal that this Spring we would start to furnish my dream balcony, and start it we have! I mentioned to my Grandma a couple weeks ago that I wanted to start a little herb garden, but wasn't sure how to start one. She gave me some advice and also said she had some stuff she could bring me to help out. To my surprise she came over with 8 already potted herbs and flowers!

Mint

Azaleas

Pretty red flowers, basil, and sage.

Hibiscus

They are all gorgeous! Since we started putting plants out we figured it was a good time to shop for patio furniture. After looking around, we fell in love with this set from World Market.

I think the elephant table will spark a kind of Indian theme to our balcony. This morning we were eating cinnamon rolls and drinking coffee out there and daydreaming about what else we'd like to do. Hanging lights, grilling set, and some more plants are on our wish list as of now. I told John we need to make a sign that says "Boydstun Bistro" in which he turned down saying it was too corny. Maybe I'll be able to talk him into it eventually. ;)

What ways are yall enjoying the Spring season?

Sunshine and Love,

Happy Spring!!

2011-03-20T12:45:00.000-05:00

Photo source

May your Spring be full of sunshine, flowers, and joy. (And hopefully not too many allergies!)

Hints of Spring

2011-03-06T21:16:00.000-06:00

We went on a walk today to enjoy the sunshine and each other. I stood under a tree that looked like the one in the above photo (the pictured tree is in my apartment complex) and just started breathing deeply. It smelled like the sweetest smell I've ever smelled! It smelled like Spring! The trees only stay looking like cotton balls for a short while. I think it's God's way of giving us a little hint that Spring is just around the corner.

A Weekend Road Trip

2011-03-01T13:15:00.000-06:00

We spent the weekend in Austin, TX with my sister and her beautiful family. Getting to see the ministry they are doing down there was both encouraging and a breath of fresh air. They lead a college group that meets twice a week...once for prayer and the other for a Sunday morning Bible study. We got to sit in on both and it was so great seeing how the Lord is moving through their group. It was also so amazing to hang out with the little munchkins! All five of them were so much fun to play with and talk to. The two older girls are getting old enough now to have less baby convos and more in depth convos. (At least as in depth as an 8 year old will let you get!) Their neighborhood is a young neighborhood that has a lot of houses being built and are for sale. John and I had a lot of fun day dreaming about the kind of house we want when we settle down and buy. I love to day dream. :]

Now we're back in the full swing of things, but it was sure nice to step away for a weekend. Happy March, everyone!

My not-so-secret announcement!

2011-02-28T16:09:00.001-06:00

I am proud and excited to announce the opening of:

Click banner to see the shop!

This should be fun. :]

Our Valentine's Day

2011-02-15T14:01:00.001-06:00

We're not hugely into Valentine's day, seeing as it's right smack in the middle of Christmas and our birthdays, so we don't blow the holiday up into something fancy. (Let's face it, I'd rather be spoiled on my birthday than Valentine's!) This year we decided to make it a fun fondue night at home. The Melting Pot is one of our absolute most favorite restaurants for a romantic night out, but it's just a teensy bit pricey. We got a fondue pot for our wedding and finally busted the bad boy out to use it!

We started with a seriously delicious blend of cheddar monteray jack cheese. Added a little beer and worcester sauce and some milk....

Dipped these dippers in and it was so unbelievably tasty! We're such cheeseoholics.
Once we ~~licked the pot clean~~ finished up our meal of cheese, we cleaned up and got ready for everyone's favorite part of fondue...the chocolate part!

We made a milk chocolate and peanut butter concoction that turned out to be yummazing! The Red Velvet wine from Cupcake paired perfectly with the chocolate and sweets. If you've never tried Cupcake wine, you really should. John was skeptical because he didn't know if he could trust a wine called Cupcake, but I got him to try it and now we're hooked!
It was such an amazing meal with such wonderful conversation and laughs.

To show some love to my fam & friends I found some really cute Valentine's cards to send them all with a little love note attached.

I loved getting the texts all day when each person got there's in the mail! I'm really gonna have to write letters more often to people...so much fun!

I used the leftover cards to make one big collage Valentine for John!

He surprised me with Bakerella's Cake Pop book! I've followed her blog for forever, and even made some of her cake balls for a Christmas party I went to. I can't wait to experiment with her recipes! Who wants some cake pops? :] The flowers are beautiful too! I love having fresh flowers in our home.

We finished the night doing homework and reading our school books. I definitely felt the (frugal and fun) love from my sweet Hubby. I hope you felt all warm and fuzzy loved yesterday!

Guilty Pleasures!

2011-02-11T22:16:00.000-06:00

I found this fun little blog carnival over at The Little Things We Do through a bloggy friend of mine, Graduate Extraordinaire. It kinda takes me back to Xanga surveys, and it's fun to read some of the other guilty pleasures of people! Some make mine not seem so bad. ;)

1. The TV show/website that I watch/read that I would be embarrassed to tell anyone about is: Most definitely, Jersey Shore. I have this thing for really bad reality TV shows. It's kind of like sneaking around with the bad boy in high school. Okay, maybe it's nothing like that, but it's definitely a guilty pleasure!

2. An item of clothing that is worn and torn but that I love far to much to throw away is:

Definitely that t-shirt! When John and I first started dating in 2005 he gave me there CD, and we always listened to it. Then, when I was in Colorado and he was still in Texas he sent me this shirt after he had got it from their concert. I think I wore it every day for months! (Note: holes in BOTH armpits) I've thought of incorporating it into a quilt, but I would for sure miss wearing it.

3. My grocery store impulse buy is: Probably candy of any sort. It's never on our grocery list, but it's always in our home!

4.  Something I do at work to pass time that I wouldn't want my co-workers to know about is: Hmm, not sure because I am almost always busy. I guess on the off chance I do have a spare second I'm talking someone's ear off about something they probably could care less about! Ha!

5. One thing in my life that I could give up, but never will is: Coffee. It's a part of my daily routine (and not to mention my job!) that I look forward to most. I'll change it up with tea sometimes, or maybe cut back some, but never give up completely!

6.  A little indulgence that I have is: My cup of Tazo: Calm tea before bed. It's become my "sleeping pill" if you will, in that it's soothing chamomile and rose petal blend brings the perfect amount of comfort to fall asleep to.

7.  The junk drawer/area in my house is: In my kitchen and full of coupons I will probably never use!

Whelp, there it is. Hopefully you won't judge me too bad! Happy weekend, all!!

A teaser post!

2011-02-06T17:00:00.000-06:00

I have something very exciting coming soon! It's been a dream for quite awhile, and now it's becoming a reality. Here's a hint!

Okay, so that was a few hints. :]

A Snowy Adventure

2011-02-04T19:20:00.000-06:00

This was in our apartment complex, right after breakfast when we weren't sure if John had to go into work or not. That snowball? My sad attempt at a snowman.

Fortunately, John got the call he didn't need go in! So we stepped up our snow adventure to the park in our neighborhood. This is where we usually have our picnics, but as you can see, we probably won't be picnicking here anytime soon!

I really really really love this shot John got. I want it framed and I want it framed now!

The squirrels even came out to play! So cute!

So much snow. So much fun.

Ice, Ice, Baby!!

2011-02-02T23:09:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is day 3 of schools being cancelled in our area due to ice. So hard to believe it was literally 65 degrees and then BAM....thundersleet. I have never heard of thundersleet before until this ice storm that has shut the entire metroplex down came, but apparently it's a thing. It sounds more like a terrible 80's metal band to me. Anywhooo...besides the six hours I put in at work today it's been pajamas, hot chocolate, Phase 10, and knitting projects around here. I'm loving these neckwarmers I've been making. So much fun! I'm almost finished with this really cute purple, teal, and ivory one, and I'll post some pretty pictures of it. :] I feel kind of lost not being in classes this week. There was only one thing that was due as far as homework of any kind so I guess that's a good thing. Hopefully there won't be too much catch up work and hopefully we'll be back in class soon...because, yes, I am one of those nerds who actually likes being in a classroom.

Now to get my nightly cup of tea and snuggle in my snuggie under my sheet under my comforter (hey, I'm telling you it's coold!) and read my book. Stay warm, everybody!!

Catch Up Cup!

2011-01-31T16:27:00.002-06:00

It seems as though since this semester started things have been moving 100 miles a minute! It feels like if I'm not at school, I'm at work, and if I'm not at work I'm trying to get more than 6 hours of sleep at night. So before this whole semester flies by in big fat blur, I wanna sit here with my cup of tea, take a deep breath, and catch up on what's been going. You got your cup of tea?

Good, me too! Let's start with my husband. My busy schedule does not even blink an eye at his! One of his passions is caputuring beautiful moments through photography. So on top of school and two jobs, he's teamed up with a good friend of ours who started a photo business a little over a year ago. I've been telling him foreverrr that he should be doing hired photography and long story short, he is now! Check these officially official biz cards...

That photo is one the engagements he shot and on the back is all the pertanent info. The website is HERE. Ya know, not that I'm bragging, because I'm totally not a super proud wife or anything. ;)

I know I just did a write up about the Francine Rivers series, but I just finished another wonderful book,

It really doesn't matter how busy I get, I can always find time to stick my nose in a (non-school related) book! It's definitely one of my favorite outlets. This was such a sweet story of 5 young moms who find friendship meeting at the park where they take their kids to play. It takes place in early 70's when women's rights movements were taking place in nearly every city. They all have a passion for writing and decide to create a writing club where they read and critique each other's work. The friendship between the women get them through high times and low times in their lives. The whole time I was reading it I thought of my 4 girlfriends who I've been friends with since high school. I could see a little bit of us in each of the characters. It made the story more personal and fun to read.

We went to church yesterday. It felt so good being around a bunch of believers singing praise songs to our Lord and Savior. The message was inspiring, uplifting, and challenging. We're hopefully going to join a young marrieds small group. We're so excited about it! This Sunday we're going to a superbowl party with the group. I can't wait to get to know the other couples, and hopefully it's a good fit for us and we'll jump right into their next study! I've really missed being a part of a bible study and digging deep into the Word and discussing how it impacts our lives.

Well, my cup of tea is sipped and my school books are staring at me to open them up and read them. Time to read about bits and bytes and the beginning of labor unions and American expansion. Woo.

Her Mother's Hope & Her Daughter's Dream

2011-01-27T22:11:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I've done a reading write up. These were so good I had to share it with you!

I started this series the week after Christmas. It was the first books I bought and read for my Kindle, so I was really excited about it! What I wasn't anticipating was reading through BOTH in less than a month! It starts out with Marta, a girl living in Switzerland right before World War I, and her journey in growing up and leaving home to find a better life for herself. She falls in love, gets married, and starts her own family. Then the story begins to focus on one of her daughter's, Hildamara. Once we hear her story of growing up and living through World War II, the story focuses on her daughter Caroline who grows up through the 60's and how she dealt with all that was going on then. Caroline's daughter, Dawn, is featured next and we hear of her sweet story at the end of the novel. It's 4 generations of women and we see how much is truly passed down from generation to generation with our struggles, hopes, and dreams. Each one wanting more for their children then what they had for themselves. Francine Rivers shows how God moves in their lives in ways that applies to us now. It was so moving to read and, as usual, challenging in my own spiritual journey. I HIGHLY recommend these books to any Rivers fan...or really any reading fan in general!

Before/After: A clean room is a happy room.

2011-01-19T18:53:00.000-06:00

We really love our cozy little home. We've absolutely loved building it up together. We take pride in keeping it clean and having friends and family over to hang out and make sweet memories.

See? Clean. Comfy. Cozy.

That is...until you get to our bedroom...

Welcome to our crazy/messy/unorganized/hot mess of a room.

Our romantically unmade bed and nearly bare bookcase.

Oh look! A pillow that belongs on our bed and a printer! (A printer?!)

So many clothes! So many piles of ~~crap~~ paper!

This is me. Having a nervous breakdown. In my pajamas.

Aren't bedrooms supposed to be your zen place where you wind down and relax and recharge? I mean we do still sleep on a futon and we haven't spent as much attention on our room as the other parts of our apartment. But really? It was high time we just work with what we do have and give our room a little love. After some sorting and organizing and scrubbing...oh my word, we have a grown up room!

Ta da!! A made ~~bed~~ futon! And we finally hung the picture that's been leaning against the wall since we moved in 5 months ago...

Always a friendly reminder. ;]

There really is a top to the dresser!

Instead of having our little wedding mementos randomly scattered about, I decided to display them and some other odds and end books we have on that empty bookcase.

Now that beautiful quilt can be seen by all without being covered pile high in John's clothes. And that other bookshelf I made our school bookshelf for textbooks and some supplies. I also appropriately put my Willow Tree: Angel of Learning on top. :]

It's seriously a breath of fresh air stepping into our room. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and stressed in there, we finally have our own little place to rejuvenate!

Have you done any "cleaning out" projects lately? And if so how GREAT did it feel when it was done?

Snow day!

2011-01-09T15:14:00.000-06:00

Pink fuzzy socks!

This is what I woke up to today! I know it's not much (but it's Dallas so it's basically a blizzard!) and it's supposed to just keep falling. Whenever I see snowfall I get pretty nostalgic. So many great snow day memories! So now, I'll just keep sipping my hot chocolate...

...and work on my knitting project...(shhh, it's for my mom's birthday which is Tuesday! My knitting fingers need to work faster)...

...and make another snow day memory.

Whatever the weather in your neighborhood, enjoy your day to it's fullest today. Maybe make someone a little handmade gift or write a little note to a friend...it'll make their day!!

2010...

2010-12-31T13:15:00.000-06:00

2010 will go down as one of the most exciting, challenging, joyful years of my life...

January:

My best friend and love of my life asked me to marry him! I mean, what better way to start a year then that?!

February

A lot of wedding planning started, we both picked up a LOT of extra hours at work.We also started our premarital counseling this month!

March

I turned 22, went on lots of walks and the restaurant we went to the night John proposed burned down.

April

John turned 23, we took our engagement pictures, started a new Easter tradition in which we give each other an Easter basket (I know it's not a new idea...but it was new for us!), and pretty much had everything crossed off of our wedding to-do list.

May

Nashville flooded, and my heart broke. I truly have a piece of my heart..and some very dear friends..who live their and couldn't believe they went through this. Of course, they are all champs and did get through it!

June

June was definitely party month! My bachelorette party and wedding shower both happened. Both flooding such great memories. Still wasn't nervous and still very excited!!

July

After 6 months of planning, I married my best friend! This entire month went by way too entirely fast...but it was a great month!

August

Had the most amazing Colorado honeymoon, we moved into our first apartment, and got settled back into the reality of working retail jobs.

September

We went to the state fair, I started sewing more (see: messenger bag in above photo), and ate a lot of candy corn.

October

Lots of picnicing and spending time outside happened this month since the weather was gorgeous for most of it! We also carved our cutest pumpkins to date.

November

It seems I don't have a picture for November...woops!...but November was kind of a hard month for me. My face was the most broken out it has ever been...hello?! Isn't acne supposed to leave once you're in your twenties?! But I was stressing out over things that didn't need to be stressed over. So, I took a step of faith and stepped down from my position at work (which officially happened in December) and started prioritzing my life goals and family goals (I have a feeling 2011 will be a lot of this actually).

December

December has been full of friends, family, and love. We love being apart of each other's families. I'm soo incredibly thankful we don't have any in-law issues...just lots of love!

I'm really excited about 2011. We're both signed up for classes that start in January and are eager to learn. Our brains miss being challenged! As far as new year's resolutions go...it's pretty much the same it always is! We've made some financial goals, health goals, and relationship & spritual goals.

Happy New Year, everybody!

Christmas has come and gone yet again...

2010-12-28T19:37:00.000-06:00

...and not without some very warm and loving memories I will carry with me forever, and look back on in Christmases to come.

Fireplace at my in-laws

First married Christmas rocked my face off! Sad to see it go, but excited for the New Year and what it will bring!

Christmas week ramblings!

2010-12-19T18:25:00.000-06:00

photo credit

It's Christmas week!! *Insert little girl shrieks of excitement here* And I am soo excited about this Christmas.

My best girlfriends and I spent this past Friday night together for our 2nd annual secret santa sleepover. It was full of food, giggles, girl talk, presents, wine, and love. These girls hold very special places in my heart. It was so much fun! I don't have any pictures of the night yet, since we had only a couple cameras going. I think one of my new year's resolutions is going to be to take more pictures. I'm a little less apt to take pictures since John is usually the picture taker, but I think I'll get more shutter happy.

My family also spent this past weekend together remembering the life of my great uncle Larry. He fought a very long and hard fight with cancer that ended December 11, 2010. His memorial was beautiful.There are so many questions when a loved one passes away. I take comfort in knowing God knows the answers to all my questions and it's not my job to know just yet.

John and I are going to finish our Christmas shopping officially tomorrow! I'm pretty sure he knows what I got him (I'm not very good at keeping surprises), but I seriously have no stinkin' clue what he got me. No. Stinkin. Clue! I think we've done pretty well on getting the perfect gift for our family members. I love shopping for people, and shopping this year has been a blast! Hopefully they all like what I got them as much as I like them! ;)

When I got home from work today, I noticed John had cleaned the kitchen really well and took out the trash. (I know...he's great.) I guess that means I should clean up the rest of it. (How exactly does this apartment get soo messy soo easily?!) Time to turn on my Christmas music and get to cleaning! Enjoy your Christmas weeks, everyone!!

A tour.

2010-12-07T18:05:00.000-06:00

We've lived in our little humble apartment for nearly 4 months now. We had a few trinkets we'd collected from living in our own apartments before, but basically started from scratch with our place. So for memories sake (and because I really like seeing other people's homes and assume others do too!) here is a tour of our cozy home! Welcome!

Right when you walk in.

The living room.

Our comfy couch and mint m&m's in our Christmas candy dish!

One of our very special wedding presents we received!

Our Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

The stockings hung by ~~the chimney~~ the bookshelf.

Christmas teddies!

I love having John's photography hung up in our home.

And my tea collection!

Dining area!

Some more of John's art...and some more Christmas decor!

Our friends & family wall! Not complete yet, but I still love it!

Kitchen!

Looove my cookbooks!

We have a bedroom and a bathroom, but they aren't really up to being photographed at the moment. As they get to be more put together I'll do a tour part II!

You know those country songs?

2010-11-23T23:25:00.001-06:00

The ones about picking up your guitar and headed west..or east..or just anywhere else? The songs about running? Well, if I had a country album it would be full of songs about that. Because I? Am a runner. It all started when I was 17 when I packed my stuff, leaving behind some best friends, my Senior year of high school, and my family. (Sounds like a country song already, right?) It starts with an itch in my soul that things aren't as they should be, and everything in me screams to run...and I usually do. Now? I'm married and can't just run without consulting him first. But that itch? It's back. John even told me the other day how he knows if I hadn't married him I would have left a long time ago. He's right. This itch in my soul has been there for months. Every time I hear of a new place I wonder what it would be like to live there and want to go find out for myself. There is a louder voice in my soul, though, that has and is telling me to stay. Stay, Heather. Stay and wait. Ahem, God? Stay and wait are probably my two least favorite words in the dictionary. And then I realize...exactly...I'm right where I need to be. I need to learn to deal with situations at hand instead of running away from them. Friends? It's. So. Hard. I am not a cryer, and I feel like I cry all the time over this. I'm out of my eliment and just want raise my white flag, and surrender, and run away to Alaska. Stay. Wait. Stay. Wait. It's like when a dog owner tells their dog to stay and wait but you know all they want to do is jump up and down because they know they're going to get a treat out of it. All their owner is doing to is trying to teach them discipline. (Hint: I'm the dog in this situation) I know after this time of learning to stay and wait there will be something beautiful. I want to be open and willing for whatever it is that God has to show me. I'm praying for a softened heart and ears that hear His still small voice. So instead of running, I am staying...at least until I get the green light, and then I'm Alaska bound. ;)

On being so cool.

2010-11-14T20:26:00.000-06:00

J: "Oooh, we both have the morning off."
H: "Oh yeah! We should do something tonight."
J: "Like what?"
H: "Hmmm, I don't know...I'm pretty tired."
J:"Me too. We should clean the apartment then go to sleep."
H: "Yeah...that sounds amazing actually!"
J: "We are so cool."

Transition and pumpkins.

2010-10-25T15:08:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went and visited the church I grew up in. It was a wonderful service with great music and a powerful message on soul rest. It felt so natural to be there. Like time had kind of stopped and I was 17 again sitting with all my bff's. But I'm not 17. And almost none of the people I grew up with in that church were there. A lot of the same adults were there, so for them to see John and I hand in hand, husband and wife was probably kind of surreal for them, too. And to me, they have always been the adults who ran big church, but I was the kid in their Sunday school classes and youth group. And honestly, they don't seem that old to me anymore...funny how that works, huh? Seeing all those married couples (not just at church, but anywhere really) I feel like such a baby. Like, John and I are just playing grown up in a world of actual grown ups. This is probably how every young newleywed feels. I just wish there was a place where we fit in. We are both still college students, and there are a lot of college groups, but usually centered on singles. We're married, and there are plenty of marriage groups, but everyone is usually a bit older. Is there a we're still in college and we got married before all our friends group somewhere that I don't know about? Cuz that would be awesome! We're going to continue going to church and mingling with the grown ups and trying to find our nitch. It's been on our hearts to be more involved with fellow Christians in any shape or form. We long for community and holy encouragement. I fully believe we'll find it.

On another completely off topic and unrelated note:
We had our annual pumpkin carving last night! Friends were over, cookies were eaten, and pumpkins were carved.

John did a happy ghost, and I did a cupcake and crossbones! We had such a good time with everyone! See? We're trying to get a sense of community around here, even if it does mean you have to get your hands in some pumpkin guts.

On being attached and knowing when to let go.

2010-10-22T22:16:00.000-05:00

I have issues.

Attachment issues.

Always have. I could sit here and blame it on my childhood and life experiences, but I won't. It's just something I developed and have been trying to kick ever since I realized there was such a thing as too attached. I get attached to people and love people and trust people too easily. And then, when this person I'm attached to does something to tear themselves away from my death grip of love...it really hurts. Like, your heart was just placed on a butcher's table and chopped in half hurts. It's ridiculous, really. People are people and will make mistakes and I should know better than to just wear my heart on my sleeve so much and that should be that! Right? If it were only so easy. If I could just stop caring about other people's lives and become a hermit and live in my own little bubble I will never get hurt by another human being again. So should I stop loving? Stop caring? Maybe. It will probably be easier that way. But I refuse. I won't stop loving people too much. It does sometimes leave bruises on my big ol' heart, but I'd rather die knowing I loved too much then loved too little.

And on knowing when to let go...

...you just have to know. It's the hardest part. But like my good friends The Fray say, "Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same." You spent enough energy on loving them, now let them move along to whatever endeavers they have decided for themselves. Send them happy thoughts when you think about them. If they come back into your life, keep on loving them. So there you have it.

I love too easily.
I trust to easily.

And there's just nothing you can do about it!

Picnic in the Park

2010-10-07T16:52:00.004-05:00

Sandwiches. Books. Sunshine. Robins. Autumn air. Corduroys. Squirrels. Love.

Thankful on a Thursday

2010-09-30T13:16:00.000-05:00

It has been a loooong week. Doesn't mean it was bad by any means, just really long. Like worked 8 hr. shifts 9 days in a row long and I know people work hard like that all the time but seriously..how do you do it?! So I suppose I will kick this off by saying I am thankful for my job. I am also thankful for work parties at Dave and Busters.

It was so much fun!! We had another store cover our store for the night allowing (almost) all of us to just hang out, relax, and win crap tons of tickets! I got this pink fuzzy journal with a princess crown on the front and a hackie sack for John. Did I mention it was fun?
I'm also sooooooo incredibly thankful for the weather we've been having. I swear everyone in TX is in a much better mood than they were 2 weeks ago. It totally feels like Fall! The air is crisp. The leaves are changing (hardly, but still...I've seen one tree turning yellow so it counts!). And I have candy corn in my candy dish.

So you know it's Fall when the candy corn comes out! I'm so excited for our annual pumpkin carving. I bought Halloween cookie cutters last night and can not wait to use them!
So you know how we've been picnicing on the floor? Well...not anymore!!

Haaaalelujah!! We have a dining table!! Let me say just how exciting it's been to save money for furnishing our apartment. I am so thankful for this purchase we made the other day. Actually, we made it the other week and had to wait for this color to ship to the store and then bring it home. I promise there will be more photos of our new place soon, especially now that it will be more than just mass amounts of carpet! You see those flowers on top?

I'm thankful for those. :] I walked in from work last night to those on our table. They are a beautiful arrangement of Fall colors, totally brightening up our dining area. The Hubs picked those up while he was at the store. Yup, definitely thankful for that guy.

So that's been my Thankful on a Thursday post. To celebrate with others click on the banner on top of this post and join more thankful souls at The Outdoor Wife's blog. Much love to all!

Midnight ramblings

2010-09-21T23:48:00.000-05:00

So it's nearly midnight, my husband is snoring next to me, and I'm up reading my Bible. I had to play a little catch up today seeing as I missed a couple days. I really don't want to make a habit of that...but now that I'm caught back up I have no excuses! So I'm in Leviticus now and if you've ever read Leviticus before, you know it's a hard one to read through. It's a lot of God telling Moses what to tell the Israelites. A lot of sin offerings and guilt offerings and what's clean and unclean and how to repent and what you need to do if you accidentally sin without knowing it but then you realize you did something bad and how it's okay but you still need to go find the purest cow and 2 doves and chop their heads off and burn half there bodies but keep the other half, etc, etc, etc...It was 27 chapters of that! I did it though, I read it. As I was reading I realized how glad I was for Jesus' sacrifice. Because of Him, we don't have to worry about sin offerings or guilt offerings or cows or doves or being quarentined for 14 days because it's our time of the month! He did a beautiful thing. The ultimate Love offering.

We went to a new sushi restaurant tonight. We are both sushi fanatics so were really excited to try it out. News flash to all sushi restaurant owners: playing the Taylor Swift album and having Dancing With the Stars on all of your television sets totally kills the going out for sushi mood. I like both of the above, but when I go out for sushi, I want the whole sushi experience. The Japanese decor, the Asian music, the cute cats with one hand raised up...not country music and reality TV. Just sayin!

I did all of our laundry today. Laundry is my absolute least favorite chore. The sorting, the washing, the drying, the sorting again, and then folding, and putting them away...before you know it the hamper is full and you get to sort/wash/dry/fold all over again! In my laundry frenzy today I decided to wash all our bath towels too. Good idea until I hopped in the shower while they were washing and when I got out realized all of our towels were in the wash...and not on the towel rack. I used the one wash cloth that was in there to dry off. Believe me it was quite the scene! So much for me trying to be super wife! Have I mentioned I don't like doing laundry?

I've really missed being in school. I miss going to classes and exercising my brain. I really want to head into school full force when I go back in the Spring. I've decided along with early childhood development I want to work with special needs kids...specifically children with Autism. I guess it's because of my little cousin, Carter who has autism. Seeing first hand how difficult it is to raise an autistic child, I want to be part of the cure. Unfortunately I can't just hop into that profession without a degree of some sort, so college here I come! (Again...)

And that's been your midnight ramblings with

The B-I-B-L-E...

2010-09-17T11:42:00.001-05:00

...yes, that's the book for me!

My sister tweeted the other day and I thought, well that's ambitious! Reading the Bible in 90 days?! With 5 kids?! And a husband?! And your going on an awesome beach vacation that I'm super jealous for you and the g-parents and aunts and uncles that went with you?! And your STILL going to read the Bible in 90 days?! I even went to a Bible school and didn't end up getting through the thing in a year. There's too much! It's soooo long!

Excuse...Excuse...Excuse...

*knock, knock, knock*
Ummm...who's there?
*It's GOD, stop making excuses and just read one of my greatest gifts to humanity!*
Oh, okay God...You're right...as usual.

I really got to thinking on this too, how long had it been since I opened up my Bible and really poured my heart and soul into reading it? I don't even want to admit it, but for the sake of being open here it probably hasn't been since Bible school...4 years ago! Don't get me wrong, I've read bits and pieces here and there and taken it to church and read along with the pastor. Just me, my Bible, my journal, and God? That hasn't happened in way too long. If anything, this is forcing me to get back into a reading routine. I use the word "forcing" very lightly here, seeing as it doesn't take much when I know in the deepest parts of my soul that I need to do something...and I know I need this. Want to join my sister and I? Want to delve into the Word, one of God's greatest gifts to humanity? Start your reading plan now! Let's find out what happens when we pour ourselves over the Word!

P.S.- If you decide to take this journey (which I really hope you do) something that has worked for me is to split up the reading in half. Read the first half in the morning, and the second half before bed. It's the perfect beginning and end to your day!

From curtain to carrier!

2010-09-09T21:57:00.000-05:00

Remember this curtain I made for my old room?

Since I moved out of this room, this curtain has been in a box waiting for another window to embellish. Unfortunately, this particular curtain fabric doesn't match the stuff in my new apartment. My new apartment is across the street from work and I've been walking a lot lately back and forth. While I was walking one day I thought to myself, "Hmm, I could really use a bigger bag to carry all my stuff." (Sidenote: the bag I was using...not a small bag. I have a problem with putting everything I own into purses, filling them to capacity requiring me to get yet an even bigger bag.) I didn't want to spend money on a bag...and I had 2 yards of beautiful fabric laying there in a box. Hence the idea to use the fabric to make a bag!

It's my upcycled espresso & cream colored floral damask messenger bag.

I used two magnet clasps to secure the flap closed.

And there is a front pocket for easy access stuff. (Keys/wallet/cell)

I don't think I'll have a problem with it not fitting all my stuff!

It hangs a little lower than I prefer (trial and error!). But it's nothing I can't go back and fix later.

Hanging on our coat rack!

I had a lot of fun making this. I made my own pattern for it (hence being off on a few measurements!) so it made for a good learning experience. Can't wait to create something else!

Whelp, we're over a month in!

2010-09-03T00:53:00.000-05:00

I've missed writing (or typing rather) here. Our internet was just connected the other day and the first thing I wanted to do was write a big 'ol blog post about what's been going on since becoming a wedded wife! I realize it's just another blog on this vast huge internet world but it's my little corner of internet that has been holding my story for the past couple years and I don't want it to end at me getting married, because lets face it...life is just beginning! So I have my cup of calm tea and I'm ready to pour out some love into this blog of mine.

So we got married, had the most incredible honeymoon I could have dreamed of, and are now settling into our cozy one room apartment here in Richardson, TX. Our home is coming together slowly but surely. We still don't have a coffee table or dining table so it's been a lot of picnicing on the floor. It started out really cute and fun, but 3 weeks later having to bend over to eat just isn't as cute as it started out. :] With each paycheck we're adding more furniture and pieces to make this apartment our home and tables are most definitely at the top of the list! Not having everything completely furnished hasn't stopped me from putting up our Fall decorations. We've got our pumpkin spice candles burning as I type! Today was the first day it really felt like Fall...is it even actually Fall yet? I don't think the season starts for a week or two anyway but if Texas is wanting to get a head start you won't hear any complaining from me! Spending time in Colorado (that's where we honeymooned!) was a nice break from the heat, but it wasn't long enough! What comes with Fall (besides football, Go Cowboys!) is school, and everyone is back into the swing of things with that...everyone except John and me. We're both really bummed about not taking any classes this semester, me especially since I really shouldn't be pushing my degree any further away than it already is! It's just the best choice for us this semester as we save money, pay off our credit cards, and get some darn tables to eat on! Another way we're trying to simplify and save is that we got rid of my car and are just using John's for now. It was so sad saying bye to my 1995 Isuzu Rodeo. It's the vehicle that has taken me on all of my (thus far) life journeys. I had it in Colorado while I was at Bible school, it drove me to Nashville where I learned more about myself than any other time in my life, and it brought me back home after my time I spent in Tennessee. It was a sad but very thought out decision that is only going to benefit us in the long run. Well, that is a very condensed version of what's been going on around these parts. I've finished a couple books that need a Heather review on here, and definitely need to share some photos of our new home!

Our Wedding Day!

2010-07-27T14:36:00.000-05:00

We did it! 6 months of planning and preparing and worrying and hoping and excitement finally paid off! So while I have the day's events fresh on my mind, I will share a play by play of one of the best day's of my entire life.

The day before was the wedding rehearsal and dinner. Everything went smoothly, besides it being wicked hot outside...but that's kinda what I get for planning an outdoor wedding...in late July. My bad. The dinner was at this really cute Mexican restaurant in the square where the house was. We had a big fajita dinner, enjoyed each other's company, and had such a great, relaxing time with each other. At this point I was pretty calm, realizing that there was nothing else really to do except get married! A really surreal moment was when John and I said bye to each other. Knowing that the next time I was going to see him was when I was going to walk down the aisle was such an amazing/scary/exciting/crazy moment! We shared one last engaged couple kiss (gross, I know!) and went our seperate ways. All of the bridesmaid's and myself went over to one of the girl's parent's house for the night. We had so much fun sipping wine, eating cheese and crackers, playing board games, and having girl talk. I thought I was going to have trouble falling asleep, but I was so exhausted at this point that I zonked out pretty fast. I was the first one to wake up (as usual), turned to the 2 girl's I was sharing a bed with and said, "GOODMORNING!!" There were lots of squeeling and excitement, as that was the morning I woke up a Thomas and will fall asleep a Boydstun. So. Surreal. The host mom was so amazing. She prepared the most amazing bridal brunch I could have ever asked for! She made french toast, bacon, sausage, fruit, and delicious coffee. She also served these mimosa things. I know they weren't mimosas..but they were similar and they were so good! After brunch was our hair appointments. The girl doing my hair and I had such great convo about Lady Gaga and weddings and music...Lady Gaga was doing a show in Dallas the day of the wedding...we seriously considered going to see her, but thought that maybe we had more important things to do that day. She did such a great job on my hair..it was exactly what I wanted and she was so much fun! The rest of the day was really relaxed. We sat around my friend's house doing make-up and watching Sex and the City, and having more girl talk. 5 O'clock came fast. We were all headed out the door and headed to the venue. I thought that drive was going to last forever. It seemed to take a lot longer this time around than the day before! We were the first there, and immediately started changing into our wedding clothes. Everyone looked so beautiful. I had to sneak over to the main house where I was going to walk out from, we were almost succesful having no one see us! All of us girls piled into this bathroom while we waited for the ceremony to start. This time was full of photos and giggles. Then we got the call...it's show time! Everyone lined up outside, except me. I waited behind this door so John and I couldn't see each other. This was the first time in 2 days I had been totally alone. I couldn't believe I was about to walk down the aisle and marry the love of my life. It was such a serene moment with the Lord. I prayed much thanks to God for giving me these family and friends and almost-husband. I worshiped Him who gave us marriage. Then the door opened up and it was time to walk! My brother and mom walked me down the aisle...and I've gotta be totally honest here...the rest is such a blur! Being up in front of everyone, saying our vows, I could only see John. Everyone around me was just a blob of people. It was beautiful. I really thought at least one of us would shed a tear, but it was such a happy time we just couldn't stop smiling! After pronouncing us husband and wife (still not used to those titles yet, btw!) we had our first dance to Joshua Radin's Today, ate delicious food, danced a little bit, mingled with guests, said a lot of Thank You's, visited with old friends, tossed the bouqet and garter, ate cake, sang Happy Birthday to my niece (she turned 8 that day!), and then it was time to go. We walked through a tunnel of bubbles and cheering friend's and family, got into John's jeep and off we went. Married. Finally! We both just couldn't stop saying, "I can't believe that just happened!" We are both so thankful for everyone who took part in that day. It was so beautiful. It was everything we could have asked for and more. We have officially started our lives together, and couldn't be more happy about it.

Some final thoughts.

2010-07-22T00:54:00.000-05:00

It didn't actually hit me until I clocked out of work today, turned to a co-worker, and said, "The next time I clock in I will be Heather Boydstun!" I came home and my tummy was a'turnin! After an afternoon of assembling and organizing everything that will be taking to the wedding (minus those blasted favors), which STILL aren't here, everything else is ready to be taken to the venue! It's still so surreal. My fiance is having his bachelor party tonight, so I stayed home and drank Sangria and played Apples to Apples with my almost-in-laws. Funniest moment of the night: The judge was my almost-mother-in-law, and the green card word was "hot". The winning red card was "whips", played by ME! We are all closer because of that game. Now I'm folding laundry and trying not to be a nervous wreck. I'm pretty much just rambling now because I am exhausted but at the same time can't sill still for 5 secongs. Whelp! I promise my next post will be more info-filled and interesting. I just felt like writing one last post as a single lady. <3

Less than 6 days to go!

2010-07-17T17:27:00.000-05:00

People keep asking me how I'm doing. Am I nervous/excited/thrilled/exhuberant? Okay..no one has actually asked me if I'm exhuberant but it's definitely one of the words I'm feeling! Everything is in place, sans a few things I'll get to in a sec, and just waiting for it be 7 o'clock Friday night. John's excited. I'm excited. Parents are excited. I can't believe after 6 months of planning it is finally here! And by the way...I don't know how anyone can plan longer than 6 months. If I had to wait any longer I think I would go nuts! We've kept things pretty simple and low key, but even still I'm ready to stop planning and start our lives together. 6 months has been the perfect preparation time. Alright, so you know how I said I have a few things that aren't ready?

The party favors.

Let me preface this story by saying I have had AMAZING interactions on ETSY. I chose ETSY to find some of the wedding stuff because I knew it would all be unique and different. We found these favors we loved. I bought them in May. IN MAY!! She said, due to the favors being the freshest possible, she would send them on or around July 2. I was totally okay with this because I didn't wanna give stale gifts to my guests. So July 2nd came and went...and now it is July 17th and I still have NO favors. I messaged her about the delay and she informed me of all of these horrible things happening in her family and her orders have been delayed because of it and she swears she is going to get them to me on time. But if I want to cancel my order she would understand, because I seemed to be very nervous.

I seem nervous?!

You bet your behind I'm nervous! She said the favors would get here no later than Thursday. Ya know, the day before the wedding. Hopefully they don't get here later than Thursday, because if they do then I'm going to have 100 favors all to myself!

Sigh.

I could have made my own from the beginning, but I didn't because I thought it would keep stress down paying someone else to do it. Note to future brides: Make your own favors!! And I DO feel bad for the things going on her family, and have prayed for comfort and peace over them, but you can not run a business and not clue in your clients when there are delays. She only told me after I asked her about them. It'll work out.

I am really grateful that this is basically the only speed bump we've run into. Hopefully they will get here in the next couple days and it never even turns into a speed bump, but more of an annoying pot hole.

Overwhelmingly blessed

2010-06-27T15:16:00.000-05:00

First of all, I've been a terrible blogger lately. I've hardly been keeping up with reading my blogs let alone write my own! It has been non-stop action around here. As the big day comes up (26 days!) things have been getting busier and busier. I've been picking up hours at work to make up for the time off I need during wedding week and honeymoon, and I end the day pooped out! It's fun, though...I'm not gonna lie. I love the excitement and craziness that goes on. Everyone around me? Not so much..ha!

Anyways...

Why we feel overwhelmingly blessed! Yesterday was our wedding shower. It was the best wedding shower I could have asked for. My family was there. My bridesmaid from Nashville, Jeffi and her husband drove down for it, John's sister and brother-in-law, and mom were there, my sister and all her kids, some relatives who I haven't seen in years made it...it was incredible. A few photos were taken, but I was really distracted by talking with everyone that I didn't get that many...but here are some from the day...

The little girls were our helpers...they did SUCH a good job handing us the gifts! Only a few ribbons were harmed in the process.

Some of my amazing family and friends who came!

Dominoes! We are huge Mexican Train addicts!

This is me giving my sister a high five for getting us a fondue pot! Score!

This is one piece of an antique tea set that my friend Jeffi (the one from Nashville mentioned earlier) hunted around for us. Each cup and saucer is from a different place and time period. The one pictured is the oldest one from 1890 England. Coolest. Gift. Ever!

I really DID love the fruit basket, I swear! (Dunno what I was sassing about, here!)

Every new bride needs a Betty Crocker cookbook! I got another cookbook from my friend's mom in which she hand wrote 10 different pasta recipes and got us the coolest pasta serving set. Who wants some pasta??

Yes, my friends, that IS a Dyson Ball Vaccuum!!

And now for the gift that blew me away...

I know it just looks like a quilt, but it isn't. It's a quilt that my Great Grandma, Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt handmade for us. I saw it, and started crying immediately! It came complete with a letter from my Aunt explaining the process and a poem from my Great Grandma that I made John read out loud, because I couldn't get through a sentence! It's the most beautiful quilt I've ever seen.

Here it is layed out on John's bed.

This is embroidered on the middle square.

Their signatures!

Isn't that back fabric gorgeous!!

Seriously. Blessed. We could not believe the thought people put into their gifts and how much love we felt. I told John at the end of the day that whenever we feel down or defeated by life that we need to remember this day, and remember how loved we are by our family and friends. I've said it before, and I'll probably say it a million more times in the next 26 days, but I can't wait to start this journey with my husband-to-be!!

P.S.- Just because he's such a cutie pie...who somehow ended up with all the balloons!!

L.O.V.E.

2010-06-06T13:15:00.002-05:00

I saw this Rob Bell video a few years ago, and it changed my way of thinking about the word "love." I'm currently reading his book Velvet Elvis, so I went back and watched it again...and it was just as powerful as the first time I watched it.

(I realize it's covering up everything on my sidebar, but I couldn't make it any smaller. It's worth it!)

Alice, I Have Been

2010-06-01T19:22:00.002-05:00

This was a book that was not on my book list. I came into work one day and it was sitting in my box! I let it sit there for a couple days before I just swiped it (thinking it was there by mistake), but sure'nuff my manager put it there for me to read on purpose! I love these kinda books. The ones that you weren't looking for, but they found you anyways.

This is a story about the real Alice of Alice in Wonderland-who Alice is based off of-and her life as she grows beyond the rabbit hole. It's a historical fiction (one of those, based on true events kinda deals) that kept me entranced from the turn of the front cover. It's a story of life, of love, of heartbreak, and of truth. Truth that everyone has to grow up, and when we do, we have to live with the choices we've made and make the best of them. It was really an easy read, but the content of the story was really rich. I am so glad this book found me!

P.S- So my anti-Facbook rage subsided and I reactivated it. (I know, so weak!) Still practicing time-management skills! Like reading more...but what to read next?

Statistic-shmatistic!

2010-05-20T18:43:00.000-05:00

I just read this statistic on Yahoo! News:

If your parents were divorced, you're at least 40 percent more likely to get divorced than if they weren't. If your parents married others after divorcing, you're 91 percent more likely to get divorced.

Whelp, this is the category I fall into. Looks like I only have a 9% chance of a lasting marriage. You know what I have to say about that?

STATISTIC-SHMATISTIC!

I will not be bound by any statistic or opinion. I know it's not always going to be easy. I know it's not always going to feel this happy. I know it's a daily choice to love my husband no matter what. I've seen marriages fall and even less marriages last, but I have a hope in lifetime love. I have an even bigger hope in the One who created that love. So booyah, Yahoo! News!

Brookies!

2010-05-16T22:06:00.001-05:00

Tonight I made Bakerella's brownie/cookie (brookie!) recipe from last week. So simple!
What you'll need:

2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 lb. light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips

To make:
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
Combine butter and sugar using a mixer until blended.
Add eggs, one at a time to sugar mixture, mixing on low in between each addition.
Add vanilla and mix.
Add flour and mix until combined.
Stir in chips.

Happy baking!

You Shall Know Our Velocity

2010-05-13T12:54:00.000-05:00

"32,000 dollars must be given away in a week, around the world. But why?"

This is my first Dave Eggers (John's favorite author) book to read. His writing is so fluid and unique. The words are basically dancing on the page! Parts of it even gave me chills with how well it was written. This particular story was really fun, because it takes place in different countries all over the world. I love to go to new places and meet the people who live there and see what life is like through their eyes. Being able to do that through the characters was really neat! I've never read anything like this before. That's what I wanted to do with this project of mine though, was to broaden my horizons when it comes to literature. This book definitely did that for me, and if you haven't read any Eggers yet, this book gets a must read from me!

What are you currently reading?

I can't stop thinking about them.

2010-05-04T19:59:00.000-05:00

All of those families...

All of that damage...

It's hard to believe I used to live here.

That Joe's is where I had my 20th birthday party.

All of my loved ones have been accounted for, but I still can't stop thinking about them and all the rest of Nashville. I want to be there, helping with the healing process after it all. All Im able to do, though, is pray and give. I don't know why this isn't getting much coverage...maybe this guy has a point...but Nashville needs our love. I'm so excited to see that Mckmama's latest giveaway went to help Nashville. If you (like me) can't physically be there, there are still things we can do. A safe place to donate is The Red Cross, if you feel so inclined. If you don't have monetary donations, prayers are free...and I know they appreciate every last one of them.

*All photos are from Tennessean.com

Much love, Nashville!

I went on a walk today...

2010-04-28T19:22:00.000-05:00

I went on a walk today.

My wedding to-do list...

2010-04-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

...is getting smaller!

As far as the main list, we crossed the last things off today! They were...

~~Cakes: bride and groom~~
~~Photographer~~
~~Wedding meal~~
~~Wedding rings~~
~~Ceremony music~~

YES! Sooo exciting! The photography was my biggest worry, because I really wasn't sure what we were going to do. Turns out a good friend from my childhood church, who was one of my youth group leaders is in the photo biz nowadays!

It's really coming together, this whole wedding thing! :]

Weekend Wrap Up

2010-04-26T00:33:00.000-05:00

This was a weekend of highs and lows...

...but mostly highs!!

My manager was on vacation this past week, which always is a recipe for disaster. Earlier in the week we couldn't even open our store because our power was off and wouldn't turn back on. {Can you say chaos?!} Imagine hundreds of caffeine deprived people and what they can get away with..
...shudders in fear...
The rest of the week/weekend wasn't so bad, it was just a high stress level week for all of us. Though, I AM glad my manager got a vacation because she sure deserved one! {I'm just really glad she's back!}

John and I both had today off. We slept in until noon {yup, heathens not going to church}, made cheesy egg biscuit sandwiches, put on our outside wear, and had the most amazing walk through the park. We both wanted to be untethered so we didn't bring any phones/cameras/distraction...just wanted to enjoy what the good Lord gave us for today. So many families were out with their dogs and kids, enjoying each other and loving the simple pleasures of life. It truly restored some of my hope in mankind. I'm so used to seeing grumpy/unfriendly/high maintenance people that I forget these kinda folk still exist! We {gasp!} said hello to strangers walking past us without getting the "don't talk to me" glare. We sat by the creek and watched kayakers glide over the water. We saw the cutest ducks and geese. We had great conversation about God, life goals, and what we want from our lives.

It was so rejuvinating.

We topped it off with our first cook out of the season! Mama and Papa B set up the most delicious meal complete with hot dogs, hamburgers, potato chips, waldorf salad, and baked beans.

I can confidently say that I am ready for what the week entails. {Not that I'm asking for any more drama or chaos!}

Today gave the term "day off" a whole new meaning.

Have a blessed week!

Thankful on a Thursday

2010-04-23T01:25:00.000-05:00

I'm slowly but surely developing a blog-crush on this girl. Her posts are inspirational, personable, and hilarious! More than once {or twice...or three times...} I've read what she has shared about what the Lord is doing in her life and it in turn encourages me. She has a blog carnival called "Thankful on a Thursday" and reading through her and other people's posts about what they're thankful for..on a Thursday..is both enlightening and encouraging.

So here I go, my first {and hopefully not last!} Thankful on a Thursday post...

Thankful on a Thursday

I have a crazy/busy/sometimes gives me eye twitches job...and it's been a huge blessing.
There is a man asleep in the room next to mine who loves me enough to marry me. {In 3 months exactly today! Eeeek!}
The sun rises anew every day, giving us new opportunities to start fresh.
The wild flowers are in bloom, and some of them are in a vase atop my bookshelf.
I have a roof over my head.
There may be a wall of boxes packed with all my junk in my room, but it's a sign that I'm in transition...and times of transition are when God speaks to me most.

Well, there you have it. A few things I'm thankful for.

{Yes, I realize it's technically not Thursday anymore, but I couldn't sleep...so I blogged!}

Earth Day

2010-04-22T22:19:00.001-05:00

Why celebrate it? Why one day? Why care?

I'm so glad you asked!

Let's not even get on the subject of global warming and carbon footprints and yadda yadda go green! Lets just talk about your house. Or your apartment. Or your loft. Wherever you call home.
Lets pretend like your home was your home planet. You really could survive for awhile never reusing anything and throwing your trash in the floor and smoking inside with no windows open...but it wouldn't last long. You would eventually get sick and die. Blunt? Yes. But lets not sugar coat things.

This is why Earth Day is important. We need to realize that the way we treat our planet is important no matter if global warming is real or if it is a big facade.

At work {I work at an extremely well known coffee shop that is on every corner in every big town.} awhile back, they tried to get us to stop giving out coffee sleeves with every hot beverage. This did not go well. At all. It turns out people don't like to scald their hands with 160+ degree beverages. Go figure? That's when I decided to make these...

Cloth cozies! They are re-usable, keep your drink hot and your hands blister free {even more so than the flimsy cardboard ones}, and are just so darn cute! It's just one way I have been able to add a little more green to my life.
{Disclaimer: It is even better to have a re-usable mug, but sometimes that's not always an option!}
I also try not to waste in general...re-use plastic bags, recycle, use less water, keep air-conditioning/heating at reasonable levels {also helps when the bill arrives!}, and just try to generally be less of a wasteful person.

Try it. You'll feel better, and your planet will feel better. God only gave us one, so lets treat it right!

P.S- John walked in with these in his hands last night when he came in from work...

All because he knew I hadn't had the best of days. :] Such a sweetie-pie!

Aren't these the cutest little faces you have ever seen?!

2010-04-20T12:49:00.000-05:00

It's the first picture I have of all five of my nieces and nephews since they adopted little Bethany Rose!

I could just eat their faces off...

...but I wont...

...because that's slightly cannibalistic...

Seriously though, I just want to run around and play duck duck goose and eat ice cream with them. Why does Austin have to be so far away? *sigh*

In which I complain about complaining

2010-04-17T22:21:00.001-05:00

I am so tired of complainers. I am tired of hearing adults whine and complain about things that they have full power to change, if they would just stop whining and start doing. I also have a confession...

...I am probably the biggest complainer I know.

Ever since I became a ~~babysitter~~ supervisor, I'm realizing how many grown adults complain and whine about anything and everything. I'm not sure why, exactly, it's just now dawning on me...maybe it's because everyone's problems get placed into my hands to magically fix and when things aren't perfect you bet your behind I'm going to hear about it...maybe.So, as I was venting to a fellow co-worker something clicked in my brain...I'm complaining about complaining! Sheesh..no wonder I'm developing eye twitches and tense shoulders!

So I made a pact with myself...

..No more complaining!

I am learning to let things go and to remind myself daily...maybe even twice daily...that it is not the end of the world when things go wrong and I'm not perfect. {Nope, I'm not perfect, this was a shock to me too!} Complaining about things just adds bitterness and negativity to your life that could be so easily replaced with joy and happiness.

I feel less stressed already.

99

2010-04-15T11:46:00.000-05:00

Oh my cow.

We are in the double digits!

99 days and counting...

until I become the wife of this guy...

*Mmmmm, breadsticks!*

I'm starting to get just a teensy bit nervous, but am trying to stay away from being nervous and just being excited! Because I am. I'm ecstatic, actually. :)

RIP little black dress!

2010-04-12T23:14:00.002-05:00

This picture...

...did not come at a small cost. *sigh* Nay, it came at a great cost. A loss. A travesty. This dress, I wore in one of my good friend's wedding as her bridesmaid. After the wedding, I hung it in my closet for another special day. Months and months went by with no occasion worthy of such a dress. But then that fateful day came...engagement picture day! I thought to myself, "What a perfect opportunity to wear my little black dress!" So, I took it off of it's hanger and tried it on. I sucked in, zipped up...and tugged...and zipped up...and well, it just didn't zip up as easy as it once had! After much sucking and zipping it did fit. (I just couldn't breathe.) So, off to engagement photo shooting we went! We were having a blast. So many great shots were had and much laughter was laughed. Then our photographer came up with the brilliant idea for me to hop up on this {rather high} ledge. "Yeah!" I said...then as John gave me a boost and I pushed myself onto this ledge we all heard that terribly painful sound, "Rrrriiiipppppp!" Knowing full well what had just happened, I kept smiling and reassured everyone that it was okay, it had probably just come unzipped and to keep taking pictures! It was a good thing...no, a GREAT thing...that I had decided to wear the cardigan with the outfit because what I had told them all was just the zipper unzipping was really this...

It wasn't the zipper that had unzipped, but the zipper had detached from the rest of the fabric. "This is not so good for my self esteem", I thought. But after a lot of self-pity and mourning I realized it was worth the super cute picture commemorating our engagement time.

And I now have some great fabric to work with, too!
{Choosing optimism!}

As Sure as the Dawn

2010-04-12T22:01:00.001-05:00

MUST READ! MUST READ! MUST READ!

This book completes the Francine Rivers' series I have been reading. I actually finished this book awhile ago and am half way through my next book but realized I forgot to write a follow up post! This book....oh this book!! It is so good. It is based on a character you read about in the first 2 books, but he is not a main character. The 3rd book gives a follow up to his life and where his journey of faith leads him. I could read and re-read this series over and over and never get sick of them. Rivers has a way of capturing your every emotion through her writing. You WILL find yourself a changed thinker after reading this series.

M.I.A.

2010-03-25T22:25:00.000-05:00

Sorry, blog, for being M.I.A. lately. It's just that there really hasn't been much excitement going on. Yes, it was my birthday last Tuesday, and yes, it was a wonderful day full of sunshine, wedding invitation assembling, seeing my mom, and shopping, but besides that...things have been pretty monotonous. I'm becoming a non-stop work machine. I guess my boss thinks highly of me or she wouldn't be having me work 1-930 every single day of my life...or she just really hates me. One of the most exciting presents I got was our Pottery Barn bedding I registered for! It was one of those items I thought no one would actually buy us, but it turned out being one of the first things purchased on our registry!! I can't wait to see it on our future in bed in our future apartment. Here it is in the super cute Pottery Barn photo...

Eeek!! I love it!! :) Now I'm off to eat some Sonic....at 1030 at night...when did I become such a night owl?

Weekend Wrap Up!

2010-03-07T21:45:00.001-06:00

Friday was a long day for me. We had a supervisor meeting at work, which always lasts longer than initially planned because us supervisors giggle a lot and tend to get off track when we are supposed to be talking about important things...like dark cherry mochas and chimichangas. (Yes, chimichangas.) Then I had to stay and close up shop. We also ordered our invitations...they're adorable!

Saturday morning I woke up to Mama B making a delicious pancake breakfast. I love living with a mom! It was especially wonderful because neither John or I had to go into work until 1 and we were able to spend the morning together...something I'm realizing is a rare occasion due to our opposing work schedules. Work that night was slow-ish but lots of fun...we got to detail clean! (Something I loathe doing at home, but find almost medicinal to do at work. Weird, I know.) John bought his wedding suit which he looks incredibly handsome in! We ended the night meeting some friends at BWW and enjoying some cheeseburger slammers. OH! Also, we found an officiant to do the wedding! The pastor we initially hoped could do it will be out of the country doing mission work...sheesh, who does he think he is?!...so now my friend Chad is going to do it! He is one of my bridesmaid's husbands and brother from another mother. I know he'll do a great job!

Sunday morning we have our pre-marital counseling class. It was really good today...we talked about communication and the different ways men and women communicate. We haven't really connected with any of the other couples in the class like I hoped we would, but we are still enjoying it nonetheless. They have a drawing every week for the couples who are there, which is a really great tactic because every Sunday morning I'm rushing John to get up so we don't miss our chance at winning! It's usually a gift card to a restaurant or a book...something to do together...and we haven't won yet. Maybe next week will be our week. Then I came home, added things to our Pottery Barn registry, took a nap, did laundry, and went out to eat with the fam.

Ahhh....now that I've processed my weekend, I am ready for the busy busy week ahead! Hope yours is a great one!

An Echo in the Darkness

2010-02-28T22:08:00.003-06:00

Could not put this down! It's the sequal to A Voice in the Wind. The dashing gentleman you see on the cover is a character named, Marcus. He is a part of the family that Hadassah, the Jewish slave from the first book, served and loved. This book is mainly about his journey after a tragedy, trying to make sense of why God allows bad things to happen to His most devoted followers. It's rivoting. It's heartbreaking. It's challenging. It's convicting. It's wonderful! It's a must read from me! Before my Sunday afternoon nap today, I started reading the third segment of this trilogy. Even though this is the second time I'm reading through these wonderful pieces of literature, it's no less amazing.

P.S.- I changed my URL to ACupofTeawithHeatherLee, since my last name will be changing and all...and it is the name of the blog. Have a great week!

An airport goodbye.

2010-02-17T14:34:00.005-06:00

There's something different about saying goodbye in an airport than other sorts of goodbyes. The cell phone goodbye is one of the easier goodbyes, seeing as you never physically were with them at any point in the conversation and it ends in a click. The doorstep goodbye is a bit harder since you end up having to close the door, separating the two of you. But the airport goodbye...I can remember every single airport goodbye. Turning away from my loved ones at the ticket counter with tears streaming down my face, trying to keep it all together whilst feeling sick to my stomach at the fact that I don't know exactly when I'll see them again. Airport goodbyes are definitely the hardest. One specific airport goodbye has been on my mind lately. It was after I had spent a wonderful and hard birthday week at home. My mom was really sick that week and wasn't completely better when I left, and I hate not being with her during her sick times. It was stressful but also wonderful being able to be with my family again after being in Colorado for so long.
There was also this boy.
This boy that I wasn't really dating (anymore) but I was definitely attached to and still maintained a strong friendship with. He was amazing during this week. My grandma and I had to take my mom to the hospital but we forgot her purse. When I told him, he made a trip back to my house to get her purse and a few other necessities we didn't think to grab in our hustle and bustle to get my mom to a safe place. He sat with me in the waiting room, distracting me with card playing. He made me the most beautiful and delicious birthday cake I have ever had to date. He held my hand and said prayers for my family. When this craziness of a birthday week was over he took me to the airport, it was time to go back to Colorado. As we stood in front of the security lane, waiting until the last possible moment to part ways, we hugged. I said a prayer right then and there to God saying something along the lines of, "I don't know your exact plans for who you have ordained to be my future husband, but if it's this boy I really wont argue with you!" Time went on, we both dated other people but remained good friends. Eventually realized we I had been fighting my true feelings this whole time and started dating again...though we weren't really dating in the sense of the word as we were separated by hundreds of miles still. And now, that boy I said a prayer for during our heart wrenching airport goodbye? I guess God listened. I get to marry that boy. We are no longer separated by hundreds of miles but only by a wall.

His lease on his apartment just went out and, instead of spending money on another short lease, decided to move in with his parents. He's in his room he spent 18 years of his life in, and I'm in his sister's old room. Now, I don't only have 2 amazing housemates....but 3! It's definitely not your typical living situation, but I'm not complaining. After years of patiently (yeah right) waiting, I now get to be with my best friend with just a few steps into the hallway...and there aren't any more airport goodbyes in sight.

A Voice in the Wind

2010-02-09T18:56:00.004-06:00

This is book 1 of 3 of Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series. I read this series back in high school in which they became my favorite books of all time. They still hold that rank today! I just finished reading the first book and it left me with as much encouragement as it did the first round. I don't know how she does it, but Francine Rivers has a way of taking a fiction and putting so much truth into it, that it leaves you humbled and strengthening your own faith. I love that. I love a read that challenges me and when I finish, feel that I have taken steps forward. You will fall in love with the main character, Hadassah. Watching her faith, as a young Jewish girl in a time when the world's hatred of the Jewish community was at a high, grow and blossom before your eyes is something so beautiful you will find yourself in tears as she faces the challenges that I could never even imagine facing. She is taken from her family in Judea and forced into slavery for a powerful Roman family. As much as Romans hate Jews, they really hate Christians. And Hadassah, though Jewish by heritage, has been brought up Christian. The cliffhanger ending will leave you flailing for book 2!

MUST READ!!

A lot on my mind.

2010-02-06T20:16:00.002-06:00

Ever since that conversation with my manager, I have not stopped working. I am loving being a supervisor at my store! I've even ran a shift at another bigger, much busier store than mine (successfully!). Nonetheless, it has been go! go! go! ever since. This is the first night in a while that I am able to sit here, not worry about setting my alarm for 3:30am, and be able to catch my blog up on the latest events.

So for some wedding updates:

-Tomorrow starts John and my pre-marital counseling. We are both really excited about it! We don't have too many couple friends getting married right now, so it will be fun getting to know others in the same boat as us.
-We booked the wedding!! This was the biggest detail (duh.) that I really wasn't sure how it would turn out...but fortunately it did turn out, and quickly! Now it's just a matter of waiting for July 23 to get here and figure out the smaller details in between...like bridesmaids dresses, flowers, invitations, a photographer...to name a few.
-We DO have our cake topper...a detail I didn't realize was so important to me until it came down to picking one.
-To veil? Or not to veil? That has been a big question on my mind lately.
-We set up our registrations!! This is a bit early, I realize, but both of our birthdays are coming up (mine in March, his in April) and we thought it would be a good birthday present tool as well. We are set up at Target, Pottery Barn, and Bed Bath & Beyond. It was soooo much fun setting those up, day dreaming about our future home together!

There really aren't any non-wedding updates. I'm almost finished with my second book of 2010. At this point, if I'm going to finish 50, I think I should be on book 4...we'll see what happens. Expect a full length synopsis of The Voice in the Wind soon! And now, I must re-watch part 2 of this season's first episode of LOST to see if I missed any vital information the first go around. Obsessed much? I'll write a LOST post soon too...I know you're excited about that. Love.

I'm still in shock! Part 2!

2010-01-31T19:06:00.002-06:00

Today, I purchased my wedding dress. The dress that I am going to say my vows in. The dress that I will walk down the aisle in. The dress that I am going to start a new chapter of life in. It was the perfect dress outing! I had a few dresses picked out to try on before I got their, and the consultant picked out a few just to try. The dress was the first one I tried on...and it wasn't one I originally picked out! The moment I stepped onto the box and looked in the mirror..I knew..this is it!! The dress I have dreamed about since I was a little girl was staring at me in the mirror. Of course, I tried the other dresses on too and gave them a fair chance...one came close, but not close enough. I tried on the dress one more time just to make sure. Every consultant in the room stopped what they were doing and came over to me, telling me that the dress was perfect. It was such a great moment!! So, I sadly took off the beautiful dress, and gave it back to the lovely ladies. But my dress is ordered, and on it's way! I am really nervous about the alterations that need to be done to it. I know they are all professionals and will do a beautiful job, but the dress needs a couple major alterations and it's hard for me to not know exactly what it will look like in the end. But like I said, they are professionals. Oh, I can hardly wait to have the finished dress in my hands!! :)

I'm still in shock!

2010-01-28T22:31:00.010-06:00

If you take a look at my sidebar, you'll notice where it once said "The Boyfriend", it now says, "The Fiance"!!!! I seriously can not believe I am an engaged person..with a fiance..with a whole wedding to plan..and that this is really happening! But lets start from the beginning...

Tuesday, January 26, 2010...
I had to open shop that day, and it was an unusually busy Tuesday morning and we were down a person which always makes things seem extra stressful. The thought getting me through the morning was that John and I finally were going to get to go on a date! Things have been so chaotic since before Christmas that our "dates" have consisted of watching Lost and eating pizza...which honestly, I love doing as much as the fancy dates. So when I finally got off work I took a shower, washing off the layers of sticky syrup that accumulated during the latte craze and then it was time for our outing! The Bodies Exhibit is something I have been wanting to go to since I lived in Colorado. It's a traveling exhibit so it doesn't stay in one place for too long. That experience is worth another post of it's own. It was so amazing all that I learned about the human body and how every little tiny part of us serves a very important purpose. All I could think about was how creative our God is, and how detail oriented He was in crafting the human body. Since we were already downtown, we decided to go to our favorite Italian restaurant, Terilli's. If you are ever in downtown Dallas, I completely recommend this restaurant to you! Just don't forget to order the tiramisu! During our dinner, John's phone rang and he was confused by the number on it. I looked to see and said, "Hey! That's my mom's number!" John got all strange and wouldn't take the call at the table so he stepped outside and called my mom back. This was very confusing, because A) My mom and John don't typically hold phone conversations on a regular basis and B) When they do talk, it's not ever in secret. They could only be talking about one thing...me! I got a little giddy while he was outside, so I tried to hide my excitement by stuffing my face with angel hair pasta and Italian bread. When he came back inside, he convinced me that she randomly called to talk about my birthday. I believed him, because that is something my mom would totally do! She loves birthdays and it doesn't surprise me in the least when she starts planning them 3 months in advance. So we wrapped our dinner and headed back to his apartment to hang out. When we got to his place, I went to the bathroom. (Insignificant in itself, but it was convenient for him, because it gave him a chance to set up.) When I got out of the bathroom, he was sitting in his floor looking through his letter box that holds every single letter I have written him since 2005.

It even has the sign I made him after he asked me to prom when I was a Junior in high school that states...

"John's the bomb for asking me to prom!"

I know..I was creative. Most of our relationship (and friendship for part of that time) has been long distance and we commuted primarily through the writing of letters. So, we reminisced through the good times and bad of our relationship that built us up to the point where we are now. When we reached the bottom of the box, I noticed a letter that I had not written to him. I opened it up and he had made me the sweetest, most thoughtful and romantic card...

When I finished the letter he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I could not believe my ears!! I immediately started jumping up and down and squealing with excitement! I hardly remember if I even said yes...though I guess I did because he took the ring out and slipped it perfectly on my finger.

It's perfect. And his proposal was perfect. And that phone call from my mom? Definitely not about my birthday. She was calling to wish him luck! He had talked to my grandma and my mom beforehand making sure they were on board and approved of his asking...which I love that he respected their opinion enough to ask their permission!! So now there is a wedding to plan!! We are looking at July dates which gives us 6 months exactly..

So, let the planning begin!!

Final thoughts for the evening.

2010-01-16T23:59:00.003-06:00

I have a feeling this post is not going to make much sense. I feel like rambling to someone but my usual ramblers (friends whom I typically call to ramble on and on about nothing) are currently occupied...so guess who gets to listen (err..read, rather) my ramblings. Yes, consider yourself privileged. My thing for the past week has been to watch Lost season 2 and knit. Since I have already seen that season (and every other season for that matter) it's good to have on as background noise while I knit. I finished my project and it didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. Oh well, how much use is a yoga sock gonna get anyways? Yup..yoga sock. Basically a sock without a heel or toes. I guess it really isn't that bad..the knitting itself is actually quite good (toot! toot!) <-That's me tooting my own horn, it's just that it's too big so I either need to give it to someone with bigger feet or just...well....I dunno what else I would do with it. If anything, it was good practice with small stitches and following patterns. I bet I could make an actual sock that I could actually use. I set up my sewing machine the other day. John's mom had her computer in this room but moved it to her room which freed up room for my sewing machine. I would have already used it except now I can't find my sewing box that has all my thread. And I have looked everywhere! I also can't find my box that holds my Christmas tree...yup, it's half way through January and my tree is still up! Decorations and everything! Since I just got paid I should go to the fabric store and stock up on supplies. I don't even know what I would create but I have been itching to make something...hence the attempted yoga socks...but I actually wanna make something useful. I have an idea for a new cozie pattern I would like to try. I think I'll try it. But for now? I am going to pick up where I left off in my reading and read until I fall asleep. And then I will dream about the Cowboys woopin' the Vikings bootays tomorrow in their playoff game. Aren't you glad you know all of this really exciting stuff? I know you are. Goodnight to all!!

A conversation with my manager, Jill

2010-01-14T19:36:00.002-06:00

Phone: buzz, buzz (It was on vibrate)
Heather: Hello?
Jill: Hey Heather, it's Jill!
Heather: Hi Jill, what's up?
(Assuming she needs me to cover a shift cuz someone's sick or didn't show up)
Jill: Well, just wanted to call and ask you something.
(Okay, here it goes...who's sick this time...geez I would much rather stay here and keep knitting than go in on my day off.) I wanted to call and officially offer you the shift supervisor position!!
Heather: (Gasp!) Seriously?! Of course!! Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!! (Yes, I did say thank you at least seven thousand times before our conversation ended) Oh that's so great!! Thank You!!
Jill: Well, thank you for accepting it!!
(Duh!)
Heather: That's so exciting! When would you like me to start?
Jill: Well, I'm still working on getting some information for you but you start training Monday.
Heather: THANK YOUU!!

So, there you have it. You are looking at Starbuck's newest shift supervisor. :)

Must Read

2010-01-06T10:28:00.003-06:00

Along with logging which books I've read in 2010, I am also going to write a short synopsis of each book as another means of keeping record of them. Hopefully, it will also be a tool to whoever reads this as book suggestions.

I stayed up (far too late, I might add) last night to finish reading This Present Darkness by: Frank E. Peretti instead of getting an adequate amount of sleep to be 100% at work this morning...but it was completely worth it! This read was a suggestion by John's mom and I am soooo glad she introduced me to this novel! I seriously could not put it down from cover to cover. It's 508 pages kept me on my toes, kept me intrigued, and kept me wanting more. It's a story of a small town called Ashton. There has been a noticeable change in the town as of late causing a pastor and a reporter to raise questions. They soon find themselves involved in a battle, both physical and spiritual, and they must learn to walk by faith and not by sight. I promise that this is not a cheesy Christian-fiction novel (as most are), but one that keeps you thinking and challenges you throughout each chapter you read.

I'm going to rank each book on scale of...Don't bother, Pretty good, and Must read.

This Present Darkness by:Frank E. Peretti gets a "Must Read" from me!!

2010 Book List

2010-01-06T10:00:00.005-06:00

Last night I stayed up until 11:30 finishing up my first read of 2010. My goal for this year is to read 50 books...and now I'm down to 49. I'm going to write my list on this post mostly for me as a record keeper, though feel free to use it as suggestions if you are looking for a good read! I have placed a * by the books that will be re-reads that I loved so much I want to read again.

1.Kavalier and Clay by: Michael Chabon
2.Winter of our Disconent by: John Steineck
3. The Dubliners by: James Joyce
4.The Virgin Suicides by: Jeffrey Euginides
5. House of Sand and Fog by: Andre Dubus III
6. On the Road by: Jack Kerouac
7. The Great Divorce by: C.S. Lewis
8. A Lineage of Grace by: Francine Rivers
9. Same Kind of Different as Me by: Ron Hall
10. Velvet Elvis by: Rob Bell
11. Three by: Ted Decker
12. ~~This Present Darkness by: Frank E. Peretti~~
13, 14, 15, 16. Zion Chronicles by: Bodie Thoene
17. Blue Like Jazz by: Donald Miller
15. Cross Centered Life by: C.J. Mahaney
16. The Moonflower Vine by:Jetta Carlton
17. Catch 22 by:Joseph Heller
18. The Catcher in the Rye by: J.D. Salinger
*19. Ender’s Game by. Orson Scott Card
20. Hunger Games by: Suzanne Collins
21. Catching Fire by: Suzanne Collins
22. A Heart Breaking Work of Staggering Genius by: Dave Eggers
23. ~~You Shall Know Our Velocity by: Dave Eggers~~
24. Zeitoun by: Dave Eggers
25. What is the What? by: Dave Eggers
26. Everything is Illuminated by: Jonathan Safran Foer
27. Animal Farm by: George Orwell
28. 1984 by: George Orwell
29. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by: Jonathan Safran Foer
30. The Convalescent by: Jessica Anthony
31. The Kite Runner by: Kaled Hosseini
32. Blink of an Eye by: Ted Dekker
33. Timeline by: Crichton
34. Wild Things by: Dave Eggers
35. The Life of Pi by: Yann Martel
36. The Piano Tuner by: Daniel Mason
37. When the Ground Turns in its Sleep by: Sylvie Sellers-Garcia
38. Proof by: Bill Bright
39. The Constant Princess by: Phillipa Gregory
*40. The Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis
41. The Alchemist by: Paulo Coelho
42. My Sister’s Keeper by: Jodi Picoult
43. 1776 by: David McCullough
*44. The Chronicles of Narnia by: C.S. Lewis
45. The Wedding by: Nicholas Sparks
46. Blink of an Eye by: Dekker
*47, 48, 49. ~~Mark of the Lion Series by: Francine Rivers~~
*50. Enjoying God by: S.J. Hill
51. ~~Alice, I Have Been by: Melanie Benjamin~~

Seems most of 2010 I will have my nose in a book!! Happy Reading!!

Couch potato...

2010-01-05T18:06:00.003-06:00

...to 5K!!

I started one of my new year's resolutions today. It's a program called "From couch to 5K"...though John's brother in law throws the word potato in there. It's an interval training program that takes you from your couch potato ways and has you running a 5K in 10 weeks. Hear me when I say I am not a runner..at all..never have been. John's sister has been doing it and her journey through this program has really inspired me to start doing it too. Did I mention it was free? It's on itunes under Podrunner: Intervals. The free program is actually called First Day to 5K. The first few weeks are mostly walking with some running. It plays music while you walk and you move to the beat, then when it's time for you to run it plays a bit faster music. Running has never been made easier in my life. Not that is was easy persay (cuz remember, I'm not a runner) but the way they lay it out makes it easy to follow...and dare I say...fun? This will be a huge accopmlishment for me ~~if I make it~~ when I make it to the end of this thing. A verse that has been running (no pun intended) through my head as I've begun this goal is:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. - 1 Cor 9:24

Running is not easy for me and takes training, like this program, and practice and motivation in order to accomplish this goal I've set for myself. It also ties along with our walks with the Lord. We need to run towards the goal (eternal life with our Lord and Savior, bringing along as many as we can) whatever it takes. I am going to run to win, spiritually and physically.

I completely recommend this program to anyone and everyone looking for a way to add more exercise in your routine and your not quite sure where to start. Happy running!!

So long, Farewell!!

2009-12-31T12:50:00.003-06:00

To 2009!!

2009, though a year of much learning and growing and change, is a year I will look back on and not wish to repeat..ever..again. It's those refining times that we need to have in our lives in order to get to the next step of whatever life has in store for us. Don't get me wrong, there was a lot of good that happened this past year! I started going back to school, I got to see a part of the world I've never seen, my cat ran away but then came back and I got a new sewing machine, (though I didn't get a new sewing machine because my cat came back, but they were just both in the same post so I tied them together!), & my good friend, Martine, came to the States from Holland and stayed with me for awhile. So, I guess I can't complain too much about 2009...but I will say that I am looking forward to 2010 as a post-refining year (though I guess we are always in a process of refining) and be able to take what I learned in 2009 and help it to shape who I become in 2010. I have made a few New Year's resolutions and am ready to take 2010 head on, with confidence in the Lord that He will never leave me nor forsake me and will be with me every step of the way.

Here's to the New Year, 2010!!

Stuff.

2009-12-29T20:52:00.005-06:00

We get consumed with it.
Sometimes I wonder if we didn't have any commercials or advertisements or pressure to have the latest and greatest if we would have as much stuff as we do. And the amount of stuff you have is relative to the person you compare yourself to. Five times now I have packed up all my stuff and thought...dang, I have too much stuff. Compared to the person without a roof over their head and can fit all of their stuff in a small bag..my stuff probably seems like riches. Then I look at the person with their super fancy this and that and think...my stuff is lame, I wish I had their stuff. It's a viscous stuff cycle...that we could also refer to as consumerism...that I believe has taken over us, our families, and even our country, and we are losing sight on the more important stuff. Living with the Boydstun's has already turned out to be a huge learning experience for me. I should preface this with the fact that they have lived in the same house for nearly 23 years. They have kept their stuff in good shape and some of the stuff they have has been here since day 1! The stuff that they buy, they have until it no longer is useful! They haven't let the pressure to have a ton of stuff get to them. Don't get me wrong, the stuff they have is great stuff...in fact, there house is by far in my top 3 coziest homes list. (The other 2 being both sets of grandparent's!) I think I have slept more here than have in the last 6 months! And they don't need all of this stuff to accomplish having a wonderful home. It's a really good thing to have them to look to as examples in this, because there are so many other people who do not live by this philosophy...they live along the philosophy of get something until they make a better one then buy that one until they make an even better one then buy that one and before you know it your way in over your head with payments of stuff that you really don't need. Oh and don't get me started on the word "need". I feel like I have heard that word so much lately..."I NEED this!" & "I NEED that!" Especially when people order at work..."I NEED a venti extra extra caramel frappuccino with extra whip cream"...Excuse me, but do you really NEED that? Is that calorie filled beverage really something that you NEED?!
But I digress...
I'm not sure why this has been in the forefront of my mind lately, maybe God is truly just trying to show me a lesson in stuff. To always be content with where He has me and with the stuff that He blessed me with. And to not be jealous of the stuff that other people have...even if it is really really pretty stuff that I know is impractical to have but would look oh so great if I were the one to have that stuff and not them...not that I am referring to any such real life experience...
Hey, I'm a work in progress here! And God quickly popped me upside my head (or so to speak) and had me examine my own stuff. And you know what? The stuff I have is just fine to me! I mean, it's just stuff anyway.

Christmas wrap up

2009-12-27T15:37:00.006-06:00

This wrap up starts with Christmas Eve through Christmas night...

Worked at the 'Bucks and ate many treats given to us by our regular customers and other partners (employees) that were off that morning. Braved the beginnings of a snow storm. Headed to Dallas to the g-parent's house early and spent mom & Heather time. I miss my mom. She's doing a lot better by the way! Helped prep for the festivities. Family. Food. Hugs. Kisses. Presents. More snow!! Laughter. Spoiled my nieces and nephews. More hugs. Drove in the ice, saw a car spin out on the highway without hitting anything. Woke up Christmas morning to a fire in the fireplace and Christmas music playing. Cinnamon rolls. Presents. Love. More food. More driving. Christmas evening at Aunt Susan's in Sherman. Little sister lovin. Amazing 4 course Christmas dinner. Gift card exchange. *The Thomas Family grab bag. More hugs. More love. Definitely did not get to spend enough time up there. This Christmas was a little different than Christmas pasts but also a wonderful one!

*Aka- Redneck Christmas: Three years ago, my dad started "the grab bag". It was his way of pawning off some of his ~~junk~~ really neat stuff his work gave him for free. Basically everyone has a number and with every item he pulls out of the bag a number is drawn and if you are the lucky winner, you get whatever item it is. This year more people contributed to the grab bag items (there were three grab bags!), adding more useful things (candles, photos, decorations, etc). So instead of buying for each individual (though we also did a gift card exchange) a present, it turns into a ya' never know whatchya gonna get kinda thing. Believe me when I say it's a good time!!

And now we all have the post holiday blues, getting ready to head back to work and get back on a normal sleeping schedule. But first, the Cowboys are about to kick-off and the pizza is about to be here...hoping for another game like last week's!! I hope yall's holidays were all wonderful and filled with love and joy and celebration!

December So Far

2009-12-22T17:25:00.008-06:00

I know people say this all the time..but I really can't believe December is almost over!! With all the pre-Christmas festivities, moving, shopping, and the busy month that it's been at work it has flown by! I think I've made roughly seven thousand hot chocolates and peppermint mochas this season. Not to mention the twenty million gift cards I've swiped. And no...I'm not exhaggerating! (Okay, maybe a little bit!) This past Saturday John, his mom, and myself went to pick up his sister at the airport. She came as a surprise Christmas present for her dad. She also landed a couple jobs here while she's staying (she's a speech therapist and will be working at various nursing homes) which helps her out a lot seeing as the school she works at in Hawaii (yeah, it's really hard for her there if you could imagine!) is off for break. Her husband surprised his family in Arkansas and will be spending Christmas there and come back to Dallas a couple days later and they'll both spend the rest of their stay here.

Also, during that weekend my best friends from high school got together for a secret santa sleepover! We have been planning this for nearly 3 months now. We really miss each other a lot and have been so busy with school and jobs that we hardly all get together at the same time. It was full of food, laughs, games, tears, and food. Oh, did I say food twice? There was a ton of food...mostly sugarry chocolatey foods. So good. It was a wonderful time!! I love each of those girls soo much!

Yesterday marked John and my 2 year dating anniversary!! When I say this, John always chimes in with, "This time around!" Because back when we dated in high school it was about a year that we dated and he likes to add it all together. He surprised me with these absolutely beautiful red roses...

I really was surprised, because the last time he gave me flowers was when we were in high school (4 years ago!) and had been dating for 1 month..he brought me 1 white rose. We had dinner at The Melting Pot, our anniversary tradition! Of course it was amazing...we even got an anniversary card from the staff! It was a very lovely evening.

Today officially marks the END of my Christmas shopping! I don't typically wait so close to Christmas to get it all done, but that's just how things rolled out this year. I love how Christmas trees look with the gifts wrapped underneath!

This is the Boydstun family tree. The snowman bag in the front with the red and white tissue paper is from me to John...he has NO idea what it is!! :) So sneaky!!

This is my baby tree (yes, I set it up in my new room...I will NOT let anything get in the way of my Christmas cheer!) with all of the presents for my side of the family so they wouldn't get mixed in with the others.

Now it's just 2 more work days until Christmas Eve night and then Christmas day!! I wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

~XOXO~

All (Almost) Moved In!

2009-12-07T17:14:00.002-06:00

I am officially (almost) all moved into the Boydstun's most comfiest home. Yesterday we brought over all the big stuff...dresser, bookshelf, reading chair, as many clothes as we could...then today I went back by myself and packed up everything else (oh my goodness I didn't realize how much stuff I have accumulated in a year and a half!) and moved it...though most of the boxes are still in my car cuz I am pooped and am waiting for back up troops (John and his dad) to get off work to help with the rest. Of course it's been cold and drizzly the last two moving days, but that really didn't make moving any harder. People keep asking my why I decided to move out, and without airing other people's dirty laundry, the answer I keep giving is that it's just no longer the greatest environment for me to be living in right now. I am a firm believer in that the place you live should be peaceful and a place that charges you up instead of sucking you dry. Your surroundings have great power in how you live your life, and if it is causing negativity, you have to change it. Sometimes that looks like a good clean sweep through your house, or a new coat of paint, or new ground rules for your tenants, or a new air freshener...for me it was ~~get the heck outta there~~ find a new place to live. Luckily, the Boydstun's took me in with wide open arms and I will thank them every single day for allowing me to take over there corner of the house. Already I can feel a difference in my attitude and am even breathing easier! Well, I have some unpacking to do and Sweet Mama B has made up some snacks to warm us up!

The nomad is back!

2009-12-02T14:37:00.003-06:00

No matter how hard I tried to fight it, the nomad that lives in my soul is packing up my things and swifting me away again. Lets count...that's 7 moves since 2005...not including the move in the (very) near future. The thing about this move is that it's only 2 minutes away from where I currently live. If it were me, myself, and I in the decision making process here I would probably be moving somewhere a bit further away, but I am perfectly content with the situation as is and am extremely beyond thankful for the Boydstun's who have opened up there home to me. Yup...I am the new resident at casa de Boydstun...well, as soon as I have all my things packed which I have pretty much got down to an art at this point. The next thing people have been asking at this point of our conversation is, "But John doesn't live there...isn't that kind of awkward?" My response is usually something along the lines of, "Heck no!! John's parents rule!!" So what if my new roommates are in there ~~60's~~ "wiser years"? Those two have more energy than me even after I have my ~~drugs~~ coffee! Those are party people if I have ever known any and I can't wait to stay up until 2am watching the weather channel and doing jigsaw puzzles with them. I am excited (and did I mention thankful?) for this next chapter, though I hope to not be in there hair for too long. This chapter should...notice I say "should" because knowing me and my life you never can be 100% on what happens next...be the preface to the next chapter. What is the next chapter, you ask? I have no cotton pickin' clue. That's the beauty of being a nomad! But hopefully it looks something along the lines of saving enough money to be able to move into my own place and not have to mooch too long on the generosity and kindness that the Boydstun's are showering me with.

The Bridal Shower That Changed My Life

2009-11-28T16:57:00.005-06:00

After working a 530 AM to 1 PM shift today, a few of us baristas carpooled to one of our co-worker's bridal showers. Yup..I went to a lovely bridal shower wreaking of coffee and sticky with syrup. At least I wasn't the only one and at least I brought a change of clothes to hide the fact. Anyways...to the point where my life was changed...I don't think I like bridal showers and weddings anymore.

*Insert horror movie scream here!*

But Heather, haven't you been enamored with weddings for as long as you can remember and don't you jump at every opportunity that you can get your hands involved in a wedding? Yes, but that was the old Heather. Don't get me wrong, it was a lovely bridal shower. The bride being doted upon with gifts and encouragement and advice, preparing her for the life ahead. It was all really nice. And it isn't that this one shower is what changed me, but a compilation of every shower and wedding I have been to in the past three years...which is somewhere close to 15 (I lost count after 10)...It's all of the planning and the worrying and the bride-zilla that every bride turns into. And don't tell yourself you don't turn into one because I have yet to see a non-bridezilla. Okay, actually I can count two. And those two who were not bridezillas had really low key chill weddings. Women turn into people they aren't when they plan their weddings and everyone loses focus on THE most important factor. Two people joining lives together. Maybe I have just had bad wedding experiences. Maybe I'm just a bitter non-married girl. Maybe I have been up for too long and all of the caffeine intake has gotten to my head. Maybe I'm procrastinating my cleaning chores. OR maybe I have had some sense knocked into me and wisened up about the wedding biz. Maybe. And I haven't completely lost my love of weddings..I'm just done with the phoney balogna that weddings have become. Thank you, and goodnight.

Thanksgiving Wrap Up

2009-11-27T21:25:00.002-06:00

Malt-o-meal & toast breakfast. Laughter. Kiddie feet pitter patter. Perfect sunshine weather. Food. Grandmas. Grandpas. Seconds. Pie. Cake. Cookies. Brownies. Corvette. Jigsaw puzzle. Cozy comfy. Thanksgiving blend coffee. Nap. Stretchy pants. Catch up time with cousins. Phone calls & text messages. Surprise visit from my uncle Steve. More family. More food. More babies. More coffee. More pie. More wonderful, unforgettable family time for the record books.

And I leave you now with a glimpse of the neighbor's house who has the most ultimate fantabulous Christmas house. Ever.

Yup. Our 'hood is bumpin' with those Christmas beats.

When Heather can't sleep...

2009-11-23T19:10:00.003-06:00

I woke up at the ripe hour of 6 AM today. One of those...couldn't really sleep because your mind is thinking about a million zillion other things at once...so what did I do??

I put up my Christmas tree!! It really was quite medicinal. I put on my Christmas music mix and fa la la la la'd until I couldn't help but just smile and be happy. We usually go all out at Christmas with lights and stockings and decorations. Our big tree is my favorite part because it's like putting up a history of our family with each handmade ornament from years past. It seems my baby of a tree will be all the holiday decor this season will have at the Thomas house. I think the fact that Christmas has exploded at work makes up for it though! If you don't believe me, swing by your local Starbucks and check it out...it's the best holiday decorations I have seen to date. I will enjoy this holiday...baby tree and all...and cling to the silver linings. For example, this Thanksgiving is the FIRST Thanksgiving in many many years that my ENTIRE family will be present. I can not wait for us all to be together! Yay!! Happy Thanksgiving to you all!! :)

94 Years and Counting

2009-11-15T18:03:00.006-06:00

Her 94+ years of life is an example to us all. Happy Birthday, Goggy!! We love you!!

Knitting the Worries Away

2009-11-13T16:45:00.006-06:00

When knitting, everything else seems to fade away.
With each stitch comes a loosening of any anxiety/stress/worry that I have going on outside my knitting...but when I am knitting, those problems go away...even for just the time being.

I'm not sure what it is about knitting that makes me feel this way. Perhaps it is the focus and attention to detail with each stitch that keeps my mind from wandering, or maybe keeping my hands busy channels that "anxious energy" into something besides worry.
And hey, the outcome of that energy ends up being something beautiful.

Needless to say, I have been doing a lot of knitting lately.

44 days till...

2009-11-10T20:48:00.002-06:00

...CHRISTMAS!!

I just got home from my holiday meeting for work where we discussed new beverages/merchandise/goals/etc. I wore my new snowman shirt and snowflake earrings to add to the festivity. We ate pizza and talked about our ~~crazy~~ wonderful customers we will encounter during the holiday frenzy. This will be my 3rd holiday to work at Starbucks and it is by far my most favorite time of year to work. Despite the hustle and bustle (aka: so busy you don't know whether to cry or pass out) of it all, it's so exciting making that customer's beverage that makes them feel like it's the holidays, that when they take that first sip it sends them back to holidays past and the joy of the holiday to come. It's those moments I would not wish to work any place else. I mean, how many workplaces get to have that experience with the people they serve? I really really really love this season.

Before//After

2009-11-09T00:11:00.005-06:00

Before:

After:

My boring 'ol window needed something to pizazz it up. I decided to utilize my new sewing machine and give it a use. I'm happy with the outcome. When fabric hunting I fell in love with this fabric, despite how high the price was per yard. (Aint that how it always is though?!) When checking out at the counter, another customer gave me an extra 40% off coupon...knocking off a good portion of the price. Yes..this fabric and I were meant to be.

Ahh...

2009-11-06T22:58:00.006-06:00

I went on a sunset park walk today...

It was so calm.

I'm so glad our leaves are FINALLY changing colors. Fall colors are my favorite. One day my home will be filled with warm reds and oranges and chocolate browns and forest greens..all Fall inspired.

Even the duck family went on a sunset swim.

And I had a pretty good walking buddy to tag along with me and hold my hand as we took in all the sights and sounds and smells of this amazing short lived season.

Ahh Fall.

Weekend wrap up

2009-11-01T11:20:00.003-06:00

Here is the wrap up of my week in bullet form.

Worked a lot which I didn't mind so much because it was a welcomed distraction.
School was pretty good this week. Some really good grades came through which is ALWAYS something to celebrate.
We are doing social change projects in my sociology class and my group is doing alternative energy..we are learning about it/presenting what needs to change/discovering myths about it/how we could utilize alternative energy in our day to days...it's really been a very interesting project. I'm definitely working on patience with some of my groupmates.
Was slightly back stabbed by a friend...needless to say there wont be anymore heart to hearts with said "friend" ever again. Ever.
It's okay though, because I am surrounded by really amazing people and this week reminded me exactly how amazing they really are.
I missed going to the Ft. Worth art museum for my art appreciation class because of family business that needed to be handled. What started as my "easy A" class has turned into the class I'm struggling most in. Go figure.
Chloe is back with my step sister. Having a dog who constantly potties on the carpet was too much for my step dad right now so he took her back. She's probably happier there anyway. I guess we're just cat people.
I can't wait for Thanksgiving because my ENTIRE family is going to be here. I have an aunt in Italy who is going to be home w/ her 3 babies and I haven't seen them in 7 years. Actually the youngest babe I have never met before! It's gonna be one busy, amazing, and chaotic Thanksgiving. I can't wait!
Mom is getting better. She is still at my grandparents which has been a little hard on everyone. I want my mom HERE with ME but that's just me being selfish. My grandparents have been absolutely amazing in helping us out. She's been told she can go back to work next week, but she was also told that 3 weeks ago and still hasn't been able to go back. Praying that this time she gets better and STAYS better.
I started my Christmas shopping this week which has been so much fun!! I really love the "hunt" for the perfect gift for people.
I talked to my bfftwdafm this past week who lives in Colorado. She showed me this picture of what it looks like there right now...

This is the mountain town I used to live in. There Fall is looking slightly different then ours, wouldn't ya say? Oh boy, I miss this place.

I contemplated quitting school this week. It was a short lived thought.
Halloween was very anticlimactic for me. Worked 8.5 hours, dealt with more family business, worked on my 8 pg. History assignment, and fell asleep early. John bringing over a frozen pizza and watching Flash Forward didn't suck so bad though. :) I really love that guy.
Now starts a new week. A fresh, new, untainted week that I will make the best of no matter what.

The throw.

2009-10-28T23:22:00.003-05:00

Preface: While living in Tennessee a terrible storm came through in the spring. I mean really terrible..like tornadoes touched down 10 minutes away and every building had storm damage terrible..I'm already a wuss in storms as it is so you could imagine me sitting in my living room watching the weather, knitting needles in hand with John on the phone and feeling like I was going to yak if I heard those dreadful tornado sirens again.

My mom has been staying with my grandparents for the past week trying to get better...no, she's still not better...but slow progress is still progress no matter how much I want her to better now. She took this throw blanket I had made her and given to her for Christmas two years ago and showed my great grandma, Goggy, who then wrote this little 'ol poem and then had my grandma email it to me. It made my day...nay, it made my MONTH!!

"Was a dark and stormy night
In the state of Tennessee.
I found myself a'knittin
And scared as I could be.

I heard the thunder rolling
And saw the lightening flash,
But I kept on knittin'
In hopes that it would pass.

The storm was finally over
I kept a'knittin row on row,
Before the night had ended

I had made a throw."

Goggy
October 28, 2009

Not Me! Monday!

2009-10-19T13:20:00.004-05:00

To see what everyone has not been up to, click the "Not Me, Monday" button above for some Not Me, Monday fun with MckMama & friends. As for me...

This week has definitely not been emotionally/physically/spiritually draining so I did not include Chili's sweet shot desserts into my "diet" yesterday in hopes that it would cheer me up. I would never compromise getting healthy in such a way as to indulge in a fatty sugary sweet dessert(s).

After my shower yesterday, I did not just slip on my robe and wrap my hair in a towel and just lounge around as so since I was the only one home. My door bell did not ring twice in which I figured it was just my mom who couldn't find her keys. I did not answer the door and to my surprise it was not two really cute cub scouts with their dad selling me popcorn to help their cub scout troop. I was not completely mortified and the dad did not blush and scoot his kids politely back down the sidewalk and one of the little boys did not say, "Thanks anyway have a great day!" in the most innocent cutest way and was not completely unaware of how embarrassing of a moment that really was.

We did not get Thanksgiving Blend in this week at work and I did not jump up and down all excitedly because I have not been counting down the days since we stopped selling it last year. I am not completely thrilled about waking up tomorrow morning at 6:30 just so I have enough time to slowly sip into coffee oblivion before I have to go to school. I am not that obsessed with a silly 'ol cup of coffee.

What have yall not been up to this week??

Pumpkins!!

2009-10-17T11:37:00.014-05:00

It's that pumpkin time of year again!!

There is a church down the road that sets up a pumpkin patch every year. Since we are city people there aren't any "real" pumpkin patches around here, so we make due with what we have! And all proceeds go to benefiting their church and service they do for the community. There were so many great pumpkins to choose from but we finally found them...our perfect pumpkins!!

And yes, I DID wear orange all day in anticipation for this very pumpkin patch outing.

I picked mine mostly because of the sweet stem on top that made it look like Elvis..but later in the car it fell off...lame...at least we still had a rattling good time...

...get it? Bones. Rattle. I know, I should do stand-up.

After picking out the perfect pumpkins, we picked up two delicious caramel apple spices to drink as we carved them!

Is it strange that scooping out the pumpkin guts is my favorite part?

I think they turned out way cute. :) And can you see the resemblance between the pumpkin and the carver?

Hope everyone's Fall is going fantastically fun!!

Catch Up Cup

2009-10-11T01:04:00.015-05:00

My newest hobby is contained within this box...

...If you follow my twitter you probably have a good idea about what it is...

I have been making these for awhile now...

What is that? Glad you asked!! It's a cloth coffee cozie you use instead of those cardboard ones. I got the idea when Starbucks was making a really big deal about cutting back on coffee sleeve usage because they cared more about losing money over burning customer's hands. They have been a big hit so far within my friends and family. I even have an order I need to start working on. All the ones I have made so far have been hand stitched with my Heather hands, but thanks to my early Christmas present, I will be able to knock out these cozies with minimal hand crampage!

I also am bursting with ideas of other fun, functional, eco-friendly, projects.

One of my childhood friends, Cheryl, has really inspired me to be more conscious of "living green so other's may live." I would love to utlize my new hobby and early Christmas present to do good for the world.

...even if it's just passing on that cardboard sleeve and using a cloth cozie instead. Or always using a reusable water bottle instead of plastic. Or choosing to walk to the grocery store across the street instead of driving for two minutes.

On another equally exciting and happy note, guess who found their way back to their favorite spot??

OLIVE!! :) She came back home the morning after this post where I finally gave up and said my farewell to me beloved kitty cat. Well, she must of had internet access where she was staying, or maybe sensed another queen had ~~replaced her~~ been brought in to sooth this family's mourning.

And queens they both are. Between Olive's sassafrassiness and Chloe's jealousy, we haven't been sure if we would be able to keep them both. (And honestly, if it came down to it, we would give Chloe back to my step sister and keep our baby Olive, but don't tell Chloe..she has that jealousy issue.) After a few days of getting used to each other, they have now agreed upon a truce to allow there to be two queens in this one house. How did we pick, out of every pet in the planet, pick the two most prissy pants pets out of them all?! I have no idea..but we are SO incredibly happy and overjoyed to have Olive back, and are excited to get to know Chloe. And you better believe the moment our kitty came back home we went and got one of these for them both...

If your pets do not have collars, or if they do but you don't have them wear it all the time...start having them wear it 24/7 because you never know when they will sneak our for a little peak at the world and be lost for 10 days straight. This seems common sense, right? Well, we had to learn the hard way so please learn from our mistakes.

And for even MORE good news...

I was voted at work for partner of the month!! It's something that all partners (employees) vote upon which partner they believe worked exceptonally hard that month. Though I am honored to sport this lovely apron for October, I do believe our store as a whole deserves "store of the year" aprons with all the craptastical crap we have gone through this past year. SO glad things have smoothed out and we have a manager we love and don't completely dread coming to work anymore.

I will now wind this post up with a funny story. Tonight at work, when I was just getting off my break, my co-worker Jason says to me, "Heather, I left you a surprise at your bar." Then he giggled to himself. So, I cautiously walk back to the bar and to my confusion and awe see this...

If you look closely, you'll see those cups are filled with about two inches of water...and the only way of moving them results in water spilling absolutely everywhere. Touche, my friend, touche...but you have now opened pandora's box of pranks and I will retalliate when you least expect it. I would sleep with one eye open if I were him. (By the way, I'm terrible at pranks and am accepting ideas...I definitely do not bark worse than I bite) And that concludes our catch up cup of tea with Heather! I would LOVE to know what yall have been up to lately...enjoy your weekends and hope the Cowboys play better tomorrow than they have been....lets root for NO turnovers this game, K Romo? Thanks.

Dates, Decor, and Dogs.

2009-10-03T20:10:00.006-05:00

Movie date nights are one of my favorite date nights...in between Steak & Shake date nights and park picnics. And I don't care what you say...Blockbuster microwave popcorn is the BEST popcorn on the face of God's green earth. It took a lot for me to get John to agree with this particular rental but he actually ended up enjoying it...sorta...at least that's what he told me.

And since we're talking about Fall decor...we weren't? Oh well..we are now...I didn't have a Fall/Halloweeney candy dish so I spruced a small glass bowl up with some ribbon I had.

Of course filled with Dove chocolate's chocolate/peanut butter amazingness!! And this candle is not only super cute, but smells like a 7 AM crisp Fall morning when the dew is resting on the fallen leaves and it's chilly enough to wear that really cute knit scarf you have been waiting to wear all Summer long.

A bit dramatic, I know, but seriously...it smells darn good!! AND literally 5 minutes after I posted my ode to Olive the cat, I hear my mom say from the hallway, "Meet Chloe!" And in came in the cutest blonde Pomeranian dog I have ever seen!! She reminds me of my grandparents dog, Melanie, who was around since I was born until I was 12 or so. She was my step-sister's dog but she can't care for her anymore. She used her to breed puppies as a means of income, and has now started breeding another breed of dog and gave us sweet puppy Chloe!! She's 6 yrs old which means we don't have to puppy train which always makes life easier. She is so lovey and snuggly...definitely filling the Olive shaped pet void left in this family's hearts. We'll see how this all goes with a new dog in the house. And now..more reading of The Poe Shadow for my English class..I swear this book is getting longer the more time I spend reading it.

Olive, my Olive...

2009-10-03T15:32:00.016-05:00

To my cat, Olive, who has escaped out into the wild of Murphy, TX and has been missing since Thursday September 24, 2009.

Olive, you were such a great cat.

Named after Olive, from Little Miss Sunshine.Your shriek of a meow could be heard a thousand miles away...

We loved you anyways.

Though you had peculiar pastimes, we never judged you.

Because you were a happy cat.

Your love of suitcases makes me wonder if this was your plan all along, that we were just a chapter of one of your 9 lives before you packed up and moved on.

I will miss your cuddly companionship.

And miss your love of water..which is weird cuz you're a cat...but again, we never judged.

We just hope your happy.

And safe. And warm. And comfortable.

We love you Olive.

And we miss you very much.

Whatever's in front of me, I'll choose to sing...

2009-09-28T12:15:00.004-05:00

...Hallelujah!

Who can hold the stars
And my weary heart?
Who can see everything?

I've fallen so hard
Sometimes I feel so far
But not beyond your reach

I could climb a mountain
Swim the ocean
Or do anything
But it's when you hold me
That I start unfolding
And all I can say is

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
I'll choose to sing hallelujah

The same sun that
Rises over castles
And welcomes the day

Spills over buildings
Into the streets
Where orphans play

And only you can see the good
In broken things
You took my heart of stone
And you made it home
And set this prisoner free

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
Help me to sing hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Whatever's in front of me
I'll choose to sing hallelujah

Thank you, Bethany Dillon, for playing while my ipod was on shuffle in my car and all my windows were down and I was ~~screaming~~ singing at the top of my lungs and other car's windows were down around me and I was getting funny looks but I didn't care cuz it reminded me to keep saying hallelujah no matter what lies in front of me.

I do know how to write grammatically correct sentences but sometimes I type how I talk and when I get going I definitely speak in run-on sentences especially once I just got off of a shift and did a million coffee tastings and feel buzzed beyond belief and really really really need to eat something to counter all this caffeine I have consumed in the last 8 hours.

This sucks.

2009-09-25T10:42:00.002-05:00

This week sucks. My mom is back in the hospital with the same junk she has been dealing with for that past 10 years, I have been sick and can't seem to get any better, and my cat, Olive, is missing. I know I need to rejoice even in times of trouble but I am really having a hard time with that at the moment. I missed class all this past week, which is honestly the least of my worries, but it does mean I will have a lot of catch up to do. I just want to scream and cry (which I have...more crying than screaming as I have little voice left from being sick) and kick and not talk to anyone again ever!! Okay..maybe a little dramatic there..but I am so tired of all of it. I'm tired of the fact that my mom will be on medication for the rest of her life and that this very well might happen again in the future. I'm tired of not being able to breath out of my nose. I'm tired of sleeping but not feeling rested. I'm tired of passive people who don't do anything.

Did I mention that this sucks?

Well, now that I'm done blog venting, I am gonna go put together an overnight bag for my mom while she stays in the hospital getting better. I'm gonna thank God that He created today and I am still breathing (though, not through my nose) and be thankful that He still has control. I will rest in Him even if I am having a hard time resting in anything else. I WILL find the silver lining in all of this even if I have to make something up.

Not me!!

2009-09-14T12:00:00.004-05:00

I, along with everyone else in the blogosphere...can't believe I just said blogosphere...love to read MckMama's "Not me Monday" posts.

"Not Me Monday was born out of my desire to admit some of my imperfections and reveal a few moments I'd rather forget." -MckMama

As a long time reader I always delighted taking some time out and scrolling through her and everyone else's posts, relating and laughing along at life's humorous imperfections. I never thought I would actually be a participant. Maybe it's the fatigue after a 5 am shift. Maybe it's the basket of laundry I'm avoiding. Maybe it's all this rain that's been keeping me couped up the last 5 days and I'm running out of in-door activities...but I'm gonna go for it.

I most definitely did not run out of face wash, body wash, and deoderant at the same time and preceded to just use my 19 year old brother's until pay day when I could go out and replenish my stock. I most assuredly did not smell like said 19 year old boy for 4 days straight. My store did not get an email from our district manager telling us about a complaint email sent to her from one of our customers claiming they saw someone "lick milk off of their arm, cough a congested cough, scratch their head, and wipe their hands all over a lid while putting it on a cup and hand it to the customer." (No, this was not me but it did happen in my store so I take partial credit seeing as we still don't know exactly who the culprit is) That is just repulsive and disgusting and would never take place in our fine coffee house establishment. (Please keep coming..it will never happen again and know when we find out who'dunnit they will get a big slap on the wrist and a lesson in basic health management!) I most assuredly did not start decorating for Fall a week before the actual season starts. I always enjoy the seasons to it's fullest and never decorate before it is "socially acceptable."

Well that's it for my FIRST "Not Me, Monday!" It was actually quite liberating!! You should try it too!! (You know you want to!)

P.S.- I did not get that pumpkin candle at Target and it doesn't fill my entire room with pumpkin spice and make it feel like the Fall season!! You shouldn't go get one yourself!! ;)

A Cup of Tea

Our Valentines Weekend

Lately...

I Can Only Go Up From Here!

Hey! Long time no see!

Inspiration Workshop: Kitchens!

Date Night x 2!

Inspiration Workshop Week one: Handmade

*drumroll please*

Summertime love

One of the best sandwiches evah!

Easter Time!

Le Boydstun Bistro

Happy Spring!!

Hints of Spring

A Weekend Road Trip

My not-so-secret announcement!

Our Valentine's Day

Guilty Pleasures!

A teaser post!

A Snowy Adventure

Ice, Ice, Baby!!

Catch Up Cup!

Her Mother's Hope & Her Daughter's Dream

Before/After: A clean room is a happy room.

Snow day!

2010...

Christmas has come and gone yet again...

Christmas week ramblings!

A tour.

You know those country songs?

On being so cool.

Transition and pumpkins.

On being attached and knowing when to let go.

Picnic in the Park

Thankful on a Thursday

Midnight ramblings

The B-I-B-L-E...

From curtain to carrier!

Whelp, we're over a month in!

Our Wedding Day!

Some final thoughts.

Less than 6 days to go!

Overwhelmingly blessed

L.O.V.E.

Alice, I Have Been

Statistic-shmatistic!

Brookies!

You Shall Know Our Velocity

I can't stop thinking about them.

I went on a walk today...

My wedding to-do list...

Weekend Wrap Up

Thankful on a Thursday

Earth Day

Aren't these the cutest little faces you have ever seen?!

In which I complain about complaining

99

RIP little black dress!

As Sure as the Dawn

M.I.A.

Weekend Wrap Up!

An Echo in the Darkness

An airport goodbye.

A Voice in the Wind

A lot on my mind.

I'm still in shock! Part 2!

I'm still in shock!

Final thoughts for the evening.

A conversation with my manager, Jill

Must Read

2010 Book List

Couch potato...

So long, Farewell!!

Stuff.

Christmas wrap up

December So Far

All (Almost) Moved In!

The nomad is back!

The Bridal Shower That Changed My Life

drumroll please