Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Mary, Did You Know?


{"Mary, Did You Know?" performed by Pentatonix}

This is not my favorite Christmas song. 

It just never appealed to me. It's dark, it's really dramatic, and it talks a lot about the grown up Jesus at a time of year that I just want to think happy thoughts about the adorable baby Jesus in the manger. 

But this year, it means something different to me.

Instead of the dark song I heard in the past, I hear a couple powerful reminders that have made me stop and reflect throughout the Advent season.

The first is of the amazing potential each child has. Mary knew she was going to give birth to the son of God, but did she really understand all that he would do? Could she have ever fathomed that we would still worship him and follow his teachings more than two thousand years after she gave birth to him? I find myself wondering what my own son, due in April, might accomplish with his life. The possibilities are endless. Trevor and I have no way of knowing what he might grow up to be, but we hope we can support our son, no matter what he chooses to do with his life.

The second reminder is of Mary's incredible sacrifice. I'm learning with each aching joint, each stretching pain in my growing belly that pregnancy is no easy thing. It hurts! And I'm not even close to giving birth yet. Mary went through all this because God asked. Did she understand what those those nine months would entail? Does any woman really understand what she is getting into before she's pregnant? Going through a pregnancy I was more than ready for, a pregnancy I very much wanted, has not been easy for me. I cannot imagine what it would be like to go through this not because I wanted to, but because God wanted me to. Was it easier for Mary because she knew she was doing God's will, or was it a struggle because she hadn't asked for a child yet?

Christmas is very different for me this year, and I'm so glad I've had these chances to stop and pause throughout the past month to reflect on what that first Christmas might have really meant for Mary --and for what it truly means for us as followers of Christ. 

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

20 week update

Sorry this ended up so long! I realized I hadn't really updated since I announced our pregnancy on the blog in October! Since so much happens in the second trimester, I had a lot to say today! I'll try to update a little more regularly from here on out!

I'm nearly seven weeks into the second trimester and I'm feeling great. The nausea is gone, the fatigue is pretty much gone, and my food aversions are mostly gone. We drove past a barbecue restaurant a month ago, and the smokey smell actually appealed to me for the first time since I found out about the pregnancy. I actually shed a couple tears! Chicken and anything grilled turned my stomach so badly until I finished the first trimester. Those first ten weeks of pregnancy symptoms were the worst!

At 15 weeks, we paid a visit to Baby Dimensions, an ultrasound boutique in Newnan. They are able to discern gender at 15 weeks in most cases. Since we couldn't wait to find out and start prepping the baby's nursery, we went in as soon as we hit 15 weeks. Our baby was quite obviously a boy! Apparently, that part of the anatomy is a bit, um, out of proportion at that stage, so it's quite easy to see on an ultrasound!

The 16 week appointment went quite well. The midwife was able to find the heartbeat with no problem. Because my ten week ultrasound (an emergency one due to major pain) showed an anterior placenta, it had been tough to hear the heartbeat at all our previous appointments.

Around 17 weeks, I started feeling the little guy wiggling around a little bit, especially when I was excited or had just eaten. Since hitting 19 weeks last week, he has been noticeably wiggly each evening. On Black Friday night, he started wiggling as soon as I laid down to go to bed, and each time I woke in the night, I felt him wiggling. When the alarm went off on Saturday morning, he was wiggling again! I guess this means that he is, unfortunately, a night owl like his parents!

Feeling movement was a huge milestone for me. I am a worrier. I have been looking forward to feeling movement since the moment I found out our baby was on the way. I craved the reassurance that he was still there, and still doing well. Knowing that he's going to be active sometime in the evening definitely helps keep me calm (babies are most active between 9PM and 3AM, on average).

We have made a lot of preparations for his arrival lately. Trevor fixed the drywall tape and nail pops in the room that is about to be his nursery. Trevor also started painting the room and his dresser (the cheap Ikea dresser I used when we first moved to Georgia and soon found wasn't able to hold adult denim without bowing the drawers). We have his crib and mattress, and they will be assembled as soon as we're rid of the futon that fills his future room. We've also purchased some clothes, some cloth diapers, and his crib comforter (which we know he won't use until he's a toddler, but we wanted to use it to choose paint colors). And of course, we completed our baby registries so our families could use those to shop from this Christmas.

Our 20 week appointment included the big anatomy scan, where they check to see that the internal organs are there and that the limbs look normal. Our little guy is perfect, they said. I was warned that I would feel a lot more movement after the anatomy scan. I was surprised that it took just a couple days for me to feel the first movement that really caught me off guard! Baby boy is definitely growing big and strong. Movement still isn't consistent, but it's getting more frequent and stronger.



Friday, December 5, 2014

Friday Five: 5 Ways We're Celebrating Advent

1. I printed these cute cards to add to our advent calendar. We have a box with little drawers that we refill with chocolate each year. Since our baby will be on solid food by this time next year, I'm starting to think about what kind of treat we can put away for him!

2. Elf on the Shelf. Our elf is named Hermione (yes, another Harry Potter name, just like the cats). My mom, sister, and grandmother also have elves, and we try to trade pictures of the elves regularly during the season. We tend to go for funny and cute, but Nicole goes for diabolical. She draws her inspiration from Silence of the Lambs and Saw.

3. I'm creating a December scrapbook mini album. I did one the first year Trevor and I were married to document that first Christmas, and I'm coming back to this project five years later to document our last Christmas before baby. I'll share more about that album as I get further into it. Being pregnant means it's hard to plan anything, or guarantee that anything will be done!

4. We're giving to an Angel Tree family. Our community group chose to help a family of six children between the ages of 4 and 12 this year. Trevor and I aren't able to give a lot this year, but I've raided my stash of new-in-package Thirty-One items and we caught a good sale at Carter's, so we were able to provide some nice gifts to three of the children without spending a lot. If you want to do the same, your local Salvation Army can help you find a family in need of help this holiday season.

5. I'm reading a couple different devotionals right now. I'm doing a YouVersion 14 day reading plan on prayer, as well as The Purpose Driven Life 40 Day edition. I'm also reading through the New Testament Epistles and Acts on YouVersion, but because that is an 85 day plan, I'll barely make a dent before Advent is over!

Monday, December 1, 2014

One of those weekends...

It's been one of those weekends around here. Seriously. If you're married to a pilot, you know that the number one rule is that if something is going wrong, your spouse is out of town. Rule number two is that if it's a holiday, he will almost definitely be working.

On Thanksgiving Day, Trevor had to leave the house at 1 p.m. to commute to Fort Lauderdale for work. So, at noon, he said, "Let's call my parents quick." He called, and I stepped towards the phone to say hello only to realize it's not on speaker, it's on Facetime -- and I am a mess! I was still in my pajamas, bathrobe, and glasses. My hair hadn't been brushed yet, either. Truly, a mess. I squeaked out "Happy Thanksgiving! I'm not Facetime ready!" and ducked out of the camera's sight for the rest of the conversation.

We quickly scarfed down our meager Thanksgiving dinner of mashed potatoes, turkey breast, stuffing, cranberries, and apple pie before getting Trevor on the road in a hurry. Of course, as I'm sitting here in a total state of mess, Crookshanks started heaving...a lot. I thought for sure he was going to blow chunks, but he didn't. I gave him a ton of hairball treats and prayed that he would start to feel better. Instead, I found a pile of foamy cat saliva on the floor next to the Christmas tree. Fantastic...

Fast forward to the next morning. I was - once again - a total mess. Because it was Black Friday and I do not shop on Black Friday, I had no intention of going anywhere. Before I finished my morning cup of coffee, I heard a shrill beep from downstairs. It took a few minutes of careful listening to determine it was the carbon monoxide detector in the kitchen. I pulled out the step stool and pressed the reset button, hoping to buy myself some time. The beeping ended, but not without causing me some serious worry. Where could I go for safety with two cats on a holiday weekend? 

I hopped in the shower because I desperately needed to clean up (pregnancy will do that to you). I pondered the huge list of things I would need to pack if the beeping started again, and wondered how I would handle the litter boxes, which I am not allowed to touch while pregnant. I started to think I wouldn't be able to get out of the house with even the basic necessities if it came down to it. I started to worry that if we went to someone's house, Crookshanks would be barfing all over their house from his treats finally working.

And then it struck me - why was I worrying? Worrying would not help me control this situation. What could help, though, would be appealing to the one who IS in control. I spent the rest of my shower praying over our house, our baby, and the cats.

Shortly after I got out of the shower, Trevor called and let me know that our house isn't hooked up for gas. The only thing that would set off the carbon monoxide detector would be if a car had been left running with a closed garage door! Since my car was definitely not running and his car was gone, I was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief. He suggested I change the batteries, though, if the beeping began again.

On Saturday afternoon, I decided it was finally time to venture out and do some shopping. I got showered and dressed. I was all set. However, I couldn't find my keys. Trevor was the last one to drive my car, so I checked the kitchen, the living room, his desk in the office, his night stand, and his dresser. No luck. I checked my purse just in case pregnancy brain made me forget they were in my purse. Again, no luck.

So, I did a second round of the house, just to be sure, but this time praying the prayer I learned in our marriage prep classes with Father Tom: Tony, Tony, Come around. Something's lost and can't be found. Something told me to check the car. They weren't in the ignition or the cupholder. I checked the backseat. I looked up from the backseat and saw something on the trunk of the car. My keys were sitting atop the mail that had come on Wednesday while we were out!

Yep, it was definitely one of those weekends...but both of the big potential catastrophes were averted by taking the time to pray. God spoke to me in a big way by answering my prayers this weekend, and I hope I won't forget the lesson God was teaching me: prayer really does change things!

Edited to add: It's Sunday afternoon as I write this, and Crookshanks still hasn't passed his hairball, but it sounds like it will be coming out soon. He's making more, um, productive noises now that he has had three sets of hairball control treats in the maximum dosage!

Thursday, November 20, 2014

30 @ 30

I see a lot of lists of things to accomplish during a certain year of a person's life. I felt like 30 was the perfect time to start doing these lists of my own. Obviously, since my birthday was over two months ago, I'm already in progress on several of these goals. I don't think I'll be doing monthly updates like I did with the "Before 30 Bucket List" (I'll be posting a wrap-up of that list soon).

1. Organize my craft room
2. Hit Gold status on my Starbucks card.
3. Create an awesome nursery for Stormageddon.
4. Write at least 12 blog posts a month.
5. Do a December Daily.
6. Catch up completely on Project Life.
7. Survive labor and delivery of Stormageddon.
8. Finish the assortment of projects I already have in progress.
9. Start a scrapbook for Hudson and keep it up to date for his first year.
10. Bake a batch of cookies each month.
11. Clean out my dresser drawers and closets.
12.Go to Pure Barre four times a week once the doctor clears me to resume exercise after Stormageddon's birth.
13. Read two books a month.
14. Read the New Testament.
15. Host a Christmas cookie exchange.
16. Finish my home management binder.
17. Complete and order the pregnancy journal I'm making on Shutterfly.
18. Create 52 scrapbook layouts.
19. Host a Christmas party.
20. Reach my preferred minimum personal volume with 31 each month.
21. Earn level one Ready, Set, Sell kits for each season with 31.
22. Clean out my 31 stash.
23. Have two 31 parties a month.
24. Go home to North Dakota twice.
25. Paint canvases for decorating our house.
26. Make all of our 2015 Christmas gifts for friends and family.
27. Have a family photo shoot.
28. Do a maternity photo session.
29. Have a newborn photo shoot for Stormageddon.
30. Finish our wedding scrapbook.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

29 best moments

Last year, when I turned 29, I started planning a series of posts related to my thirtieth birthday, with the intention of starting to post them about a month before the big day (September 15). Well, just before August 15, I found out my baby is on the way, and I basically became worthless for several months as morning sickness and fatigue ruled my life. Now that my energy is coming back and the nausea has subsided, I'm planning to revive the blog, share those planned posts, and create some new content to share as well. 

1. Seeing the Biltmore Estate
2. Hearing "Welcome Aboard!" when I was hired at the middle school
3. Eating Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream with my parents at the Country Living Fair at Stone Mountain
4. The night Crookshanks climbed into my lap for the first time ever
5. Celebrating Friendsgiving with Jennifer and Justin the night before Thanksgiving
6. Meeting baby Austin and celebrating Thanksgiving with him and his parents, Mike and Brittany
7. The night Rachel was in town and we ate at both Yeah! Burger and Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream
8. My first trip to the Newnan Jimmy John's location - I'd been waiting four years for it to open!
9. Being home for Christmas in North Dakota
10. Celebrating New Year's Eve with Jennifer, Justin, and Rachel at our house
11. When Trevor returned from training for Valentines Day
12. When the blossoming pear tree started blossoming in the spring
13. The night Trevor came home from training for good
14. The moment I realized I was done with telling myself "No" and "Maybe later" when it came to getting or doing the things I really want
15. My first Pure Barre class in May!
16. When one of my students started calling me "Mama" and said he couldn't drop out of school because "I would miss you because I love you."
17. The last day of school
18. My fourth Pure Barre class, when the manager/instructor complimented my form over the speakers!
19. Flying home to see my family for the first time in six months
20. Seeing the Badlands with my family and Trevor
21. Praying together with some of my dearest friends at the Women's Night of Prayer at church
22. Celebrating Steve and Nelcia's wedding with the newlyweds, Nick, Jorge, Dane, and Anu
23. Starting school and returning to the same school for the first time in my teaching career
24. Seeing a Braves game followed by a Weezer concert with Dave and Trevor
25. Finding out the next afternoon that Stormageddon was on his or her way
26. Having a DQ Blizzard on Miracle Treat Day in honor of my co-teacher's son, a former Miracle Child of the Year
27. Celebrating Trevor's 32nd birthday
28. Sharing the news with our families that Stormageddon was on the way
29. Seeing Stormageddon for the first time at our 8 week ultrasound

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

A little announcement...



Baby V will be arriving in late April. I am currently 14 weeks pregnant. I feel like my bump really popped out this week, but I'm still too small to need true maternity clothing. I've been getting by with belly bands, rubber bands, a few loose tops and dresses, and a handful of maternity tees. I have two pairs of below the bump pants from Target, and they are heavenly! I think they are almost as good as yoga pants!

 I've felt pretty good most of the time, but when I've been unwell, I've been REALLY unwell. I have a lot of sinus trouble each fall, and as it came on this year, it brought a lot of nausea and pain. I missed two days of school because I was too miserable to consider going in. I had a nasty sinus infection in September, on my 30th birthday! 

 I'm very tired most days, but I feel blessed to miss out on the constant vomiting others have experienced at this point! The stretching pains were a surprise to me. Now that I know they are normal, they aren't too bad - but I was awfully alarmed the first few days I had them!

Baby is developing normally. According to my Ovia pregnancy app, he or she is the size of a beet and weighs nearly an ounce. We have had several appointments already, and for those trying to guess the baby's sex, each appointment has recorded a heart rate over 150 beats per minute. At our nuchal translucency scan last week, baby was kicking like crazy and looking very much like a baby (and not the gummy bear we saw in the eight week scan).

I'll leave you now with a picture from that 13 week scan:


Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Before 30 Bucket List: July/August Update

1. Run a 5K. Take a step toward better overall health.

My Pure Barre membership ran out at the end of June, and honestly, I'm not sure when or if I am going to go back. It's a great class, but the price is so high for a monthly membership. I don't feel like I was getting the customer service I would expect for such a significant investment. The instructors are all awesome, but the studio does not respond to client communication in anything resembling an appropriate time frame. I may give them a second chance, but for now, I'm not sure I want to go back.

2. Make my office/scrapbook space perfect.

Getting there. We will just leave it at that.

3. Pass the Middle Grades Social Sciences GACE.

This really isn't a goal any longer. The August window didn't work with my school schedule this fall, and I'm just not sure that I will get a teaching job with a second certification. I think I need a Masters degree and more experience.

4. Re-do/refresh our bedroom, including paint.

We aren't painting any time soon. This is really a weekend project, and Trevor works every weekend in August. I am really happy with the decor in the room, though, and it's really becoming a happy little retreat for us. Crookshanks and Minerva spend most of their time napping or playing in our master suite, so we have found ourselves spending more time in there, too.

5. Make curtains for the guestroom.
Done as of May 27

6. Make curtains for the living room/kitchen.

Done as of June 19

7. Finish A Clash of Kings.

I'm right around page 500. I think if I decide to read about 30 pages a night before bed, I will finish it by my birthday.

8. Complete our wedding scrapbook.

I'm not really sure that this could possibly happen before my birthday. I think I'm going to order a Project Life Wedding Mini Kit while it's on sale on Amazon.com and use that as the basis of my layouts.

9. Reduce my wardrobe.

This is tabled for now. I realized that I need a good consignment store before I attempt this. I have a lot of dresses I've worn once or twice that don't fit me right or don't work for my needs (like the pretty white sundress that I can obviously never wear to a wedding). I can't stand the thought of just donating them when I know I've spent a lot of time and money obtaining these dresses.

10. Finish my home management binder.

I'm now looking at this as something I want to finish by the first of the year so I will start 2015 with a management binder that is ready to go.

Friday, June 27, 2014

Friday 5: Weekend Reading

As I find my voice and figure out what I'm aiming to do with this blog and the features I've developed for it, I've decided to start sharing 5 articles or blog posts I have recently read and loved as one of the Friday 5 posts each month. Other blogs are doing this, and I am always pleasantly surprised to find articles I wouldn't have discovered on my own. I hope you too will find something new each time I post this feature.

I loved this post on how to offer advice.

I was surprised to find myself nodding along while I read this article about why the world would benefit from creative types saying no more often.

This article about handwriting made me think about how education and language might be evolving, and whether that evolution is a good thing.

My friend Allison shared this blog post about beauty last week. She emailed it to all the women she knows. It is beautiful, and powerful.

Finally, my friend Dave shared these images via Facebook last weekend. I loved the juxtaposition of the pristine landmarks with evidence of every day, modern life.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Tina's Graduation Card

Trevor's youngest cousin, Tina, graduated high school this spring. I looked her high school up on Google so I could make this card in her school colors! I used yet another Lori Whitlock A2 Box Card design from the Silhouette Studio online design store.



Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Before 30 Bucket List: June Update

1. Run a 5K race. Take a step toward overall better health.

I'm still doing Pure Barre, though my membership ended yesterday. I'm on a little vacation in North Dakota right now, so I'm putting that on hold until I return next week. I wasn't totally sure I wanted to keep going after my initial 5 weeks were up, but then I started noticing my thighs are a little harder, my butt is a bit more defined...and I realized I definitely need to keep going!

I have also found that I am making a lot more choices that support working out because Pure Barre is such a substantial financial investment. I'm eating healthier snacks and cutting back on sodas because I've found it's a lot tougher to hold in my abs during the work out when I've had a soda before hand! My weight hasn't changed, but that is OK because my BMI is right where it should be, and truth be told, a bit toward the low end of "healthy" for my height.

2. Make my office/scrapbook space perfect.

I've done a lot in the past week or two to make this space more functional. I'm hoping I can keep the momentum going when I get back from my trip.

3. Pass the Middle Grades Social Sciences GACE.

I completely missed the cut off to take the June test, which is OK because I wasn't totally ready, anyway. My next chance is in August, but I'm having some serious doubts about whether this will help me find a job anyway.

4. Re-do/refresh our bedroom, including paint.

We finally hung up curtains in the room, but they weren't what I had originally imagined for the room, so I'm now questioning my paint choice for the bedroom. I had originally chosen a "Bamboo Shoot" sample from Valspar, but the curtains are a ocean blue stripe, so I think the green might bring too much color into the room. I'm tabling the decision for a little while.

5. Make curtains for the guestroom.

Done as of May 27! Pictures to come at some point...

6. Make curtains for the kitchen/living room.

Done as of June 19! We purchased curtains for our bedroom and living room about two weeks ago as part of a great sale Target had going on, and I had made a valence for the kitchen. Last week, the curtain rods were also on sale, so we got everything hung up. Once again, pictures are coming at some point...

7.  Finish A Clash of Kings, the second book in the Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire series.

I am around page 400 right now. I am hoping that the four flights and approximately 10 hours in the car over the next week will help me make a bigger dent in the book this week.

8. Complete our wedding scrapbook.

Officially tabled until August. I have other projects I want to take care of right now, but I really hope I will make a dent in this project before my birthday.

9. Reduce my wardrobe.

I did a closet organization, and as a result, let go of a few clothing items and three pairs of shoes that will go to the Salvation Army after my trip to North Dakota.

10. Finish my home management binder.

It is pretty much done, but I think some things are not working the way I want them to, so I will be doing some revising after my trip. Like most of my projects, this is tabled until mid-July.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Seasonal Frame Project: Summer



This little project began at Easter. I had very few decorations for that holiday, so I did my own twist on a Pinterest project, and ended up with three awesome pieces I wanted to hang in frames. I bought the frames over spring break, fully planning to swap out the Easter pieces for a set of year-round decor.

I never hung the frames, so they were stacked by my desk until last week, when I couldn't handle having them there any longer.

I started playing around, and I ended up creating this summer series. These frames are on a large wall in our foyer, which faces our neutral and aqua dining room, so I stayed with the cool end of the spectrum with these nautical die cuts. I designed the monogram myself, although it's really hard to see the monogram in these pictures (I'll confess, I used my iPhone and there was little natural light when I took these pictures). 

This set will probably be up until late August or early September, when I will swap them out for something that is either "year round" or a Halloween set. I have a list of 9 sets I want to create, so I will be swapping these out approximately every 4-6 weeks.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Xander's 7th Birthday Card

Our sweet little friend Xander turns 7 in June. His family and friends celebrated his special day a couple weeks early with a pool party at his Mimi's house. Since we have known and loved his family since he was 3, a special card was in order. 

Enter the Lori Whitlock a2 box card. These designs are a little time consuming to cut and assemble, but they never cease to wow the recipient - and I always know they will turn out stunning!



One trick I figured out for these cards: use a needle to run the twine through the little banners, then put a little pop dot behind each one. Since the flaps fall down when the card comes from the envelope, the banners can get a little messed up or tangled when it's opened. Using the pop dots helps keep the look natural, yet keeps everything in place.


{Supplies: Neenah Desert Storm card stock for the base, Studio Calico grid paper, pop dots, Studio Calico Color Theory ink in Orange County, twine by American Crafts, orange cardstock by Bo Bunny, and an assortment of scraps from SC kits}


Friday, June 20, 2014

Austin's First Birthday Card

Our sweet little friend Austin turns 2 today! I realized a couple weeks ago that I had never actually published the post about his first birthday card. 

This card is a design from Lori Whitlock in the Silhouette Design Store. I chose the colors to match his gift and nursery decor. 

I stamped his initals on the banner to really make it personal. 

Friday, June 13, 2014

Friday 5: Confessions

1. I am currently obsessed with anything monogrammed. At first, it was just a typographic theme in our house - not necessarily monogrammed. However, now, I find myself wanting our monogram (or just my monogram) on everything. Probably a good thing I have a Silhouette die cut machine and an active status as a 31 consultant, right?

2. I am really behind on scrapbooking. Like, 7 or 8 years in some cases. I skip around and do what I'm most inspired to work with at the moment. One day, I might be working on our wedding photos from five years ago, and the next, it might be a picture of the kitties I took a week before.

3. I am a terrible influence on my husband. I buy him candy when he says he's trying to quit eating sugar. I can't help it. I just feel like he should have a little treat when he gets home from his trips, and let's face it, he's not going to turn down Mrs. Field's Cookie Dough bites.

4. I can taste the difference between grass-fed and regular beef. I grew up on grass-fed beef, and restaurant beef always tasted different. Not bad, just not...right. Once grass-fed beef burger restaurants started opening in Atlanta, I found the "right" flavor again.

5. Pedicures and massages are very difficult for me because I hate having other people touch me, but I am always soooooooooo happy with the way I look or feel after. I think the pedicurists especially think I am insane for the way I wince and squint while they are working.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Get well card


{Supplies: Kraft cardstock by the paper studio, blue by American Crafts, white by Bazzill, stamps by Papertrey ink, inks by Studio Calico, clouds die cut using my Silhouette Cameo}

One of Trevor's airline friends, Jay, was in a terrible motorcycle accident last week. He spent some time in the hospital before having facial reconstruction surgery at the end of this past week. He is home recovering now, so we sent him this card to let him know he is in our thoughts and prayers. 

Technique-wise, this card is fairly simple. I stamped the plane and trimmed it with scissors, and I cut clouds with my Silhouette Cameo. I used the negative cut to guide my placement of the clouds. I used some washi tape to secure the negative to the background, and then I placed the clouds back in their holes. I did place the bottom cloud by hand, though, as it would have covered my sentiment otherwise!


Sunday, June 8, 2014

What we've been up to - June 2014 edition

Pictures from April and May
Trevor's first day in his Spirit uniform - April 5, 2014

Minerva's new favorite spot

Treats from Trevor's first trip at Spirit

Sampling color in our house for the first time - April 15

Date night at Jeni's Ice Cream - April 19

Easter Sunday at Virginia Highlands Church with Jana and Jay

Trevor flew over the Grand Canyon on the first trip he operated at Spirit

Braves versus Giants with Rachel - May 3

First cross stitch project in about 20 years

First experience with Jamberry Nails - may 12

Mulching the backyard hill - may 12

Sewing guest room curtains - may 25

Erin's 21st birthday

Today, this girl turns 21:


Erin is my oldest cousin. When she was born, I was nearly 9. I loved her instantly, but I never realized what an amazing woman and friend she would grow into. She is smart, funny, and totally adorable. Trevor and I were lucky enough to have her spend a week with us in Georgia in 2012, and we cannot wait for her to come back again!

Happy birthday, Erin!


{Supplies: Stamp by Mama Elephant for Studio Calico (December 2012 card kit), patterned paper by Studio G, washi tape by Pebbles (November 2012 Studio Calico card kit), Clean Slate ink by Studio Calico, Silhouette die cut machine, background Silhouette cut file by Lori Whitlock, and the font used to cut the 21 is a freebie titled "Champagne and Limousines"}

Friday, June 6, 2014

Friday 5: June 6, 2014

It's a very pop culture edition of Friday 5 this week. I guess that's what happens when I'm home from school for the summer.

1. A spelling bee judge quoted "Milkshake" by Kelis.

2. It turns out that Snow and Prince Charming, my second favorite TV couple, are actually a real-life couple, and they had a baby last week (you all know Danny and Mindy of The Mindy Project are my favorites, right?).

3. In case you missed it, season 3 of Sherlock is available on Netflix as of Monday!

4. Have you seen Brad's Paisley's awesome selfie in front of protesters at his concert?

5. And just to prove how popular One Direction is, a fan fiction series about Harry Styles was picked up by a publisher for an asinine amount of money this week.


Have an awesome weekend!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Throwback Thursday: Best Friends' Weddings

This week has been a lot of reminiscing about weddings. I had two best friends in high school, Samantha and Carrie. Trevor's best friend was Paul. All three were married on the first weekend of June, so their anniversaries are in a row on my calendar. 


Samantha and Craig were married June 2, 2012 in Bethel, Maine. I never did get a clear picture of Craig's face during the wedding or reception, but we did get a fun picture at brunch the next morning of the newlyweds, Trevor and me, and Samantha's sister, Sarah, and her husband, Chris. Sarah, Samantha, and I had been friends for a very long time, so it was wonderful to see both girls together again, along with their husbands.




Carrie and Braden were married June 3, 2006 in Rugby, North Dakota. This was the first time I was a bridesmaid in a wedding, and it was the first wedding I attended where I actually, really knew the bride and groom. It still felt like we weren't grown ups back then. I had just moved from my dorm room to an apartment, and I really didn't think of myself as an adult, or as someone anywhere near ready to get married. If someone had told me then that I would be getting married just over three years later, I would have laughed in their face. It just goes to show how God's timing works versus our expectations!



Paul and Maggie were married June 4, 2011 in St. Paul, Minnesota. Trevor and Paul had been friends since late elementary school. Paul was a groomsman in our wedding, and Trevor was one in Paul's. Paul actually asked Trevor to be a groomsman on Christmas Day 2010 in the Atlanta airport while Paul was on a long layover between flights from Minneapolis to Johannesburg, South Africa! Their wedding was beautiful, and so very much reflected their personalities. 




Saturday, May 31, 2014

Before 30 Bucket List: May Progress

Happy weekend! Here's the latest progress on my Before 30 Bucket List. I'll warn you, there's been little progress since my last update. We were kind of living in survival mode for the few weeks of school, but now that the school year is over, I hope to make some real progress (and do more blogging) with all this extra free time I suddenly have!

1. Run a 5K race. Take a step toward better overall health.
In April, I wrote that I was reassessing my goal to run a 5K. Pure Barre opened in Peachtree City in mid-May and offered an awesome pre-opening special. Our friend Pier of The Newlywed Lefebvres had blogged about her experiences at another studio, so I decided to try it out. I've been to four classes in the past two weeks, and I plan to do about ten more before my special is up.

2. Make my office/scrapbook space perfect.
This space had to take a back seat while we got the main living areas tidied up these past few weeks. We have a guest staying with us for about a month while he trains at Delta, so we wanted the place to look like home and not an episode of Hoarders while he was here!

3. Pass the Middle Grades Social Studies GACE.
Still planning to take this in June -- if I don't decide to take a different test instead!

4. Re-do/refresh our bedroom, including paint.
No real change since April -- There is a sample swatch of Valspar Bamboo Shoot (light green) taped to the wall. I found a couple new decorating items, and I'm actively searching for a new duvet cover.

5. Make curtains for the guest room.
I finished the curtains on Tuesday of this past week! I had made them far too long, though. So, when I pinned them up to be hemmed, I realized I would be cutting about a foot and a half off each panel. These extra pieces got trimmed and hemmed to become valences for the kitchen window! I'll be sharing pictures sometime next week, I hope.

6. Make curtains for the living room/kitchen.
Not much progress since April -- Fabric choices are picked out, but I need to get Trevor to come along and help me decide which fabrics to use!

7. Finish A Clash of Kings, the second book in the Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire series.
Still hanging around page 350. I've been trying to read Georgia Odyssey ahead of my GACE for middle grade Social Studies, so fun reading is out the window for awhile.

8. Complete our wedding scrapbook.
Ha. Ha. Ha ha ha. I haven't been in the scrapbook room enough to clean it up, let alone do any actual scrapbooking.

9. Reduce my wardrobe.
I cleaned out one drawer. One.

10. Finish my home management binder.
I've made a little progress, mostly in the calendar section, and mostly out of necessity!

Monday, May 26, 2014

Grandma Marian


On May 2, my great-grandmother, Marian Tande, would have been 97 years old. She passed away peacefully on Easter morning this year. She had been sick. She had been having trouble getting around, and she had been in pain. Grandma Marian began expressing her desire to be done with the pain of living about a week before she passed.

I was extremely fortunate to have her in my life for nearly 30 years. Many people aren't fortunate enough to have their grandmothers for that long, let alone their mother's grandmother. I had always imagined that Grandma Marian would get to see my first child, and maybe even live long enough that my children would remember her. I certainly thought she would live to be 100. She had been in good health up until a year ago or so. Last July, she moved into an assisted living facility and then into the attached nursing home in February. Until then, she had lived on her own. She was widowed when I was just a few months old.

Though I am really sad she is gone right now, I feel peaceful about her passing because I know she was ready - even if we weren't ready to see her go. I think the holidays will be the hardest because Grandma Marian was such a big part of Christmas. When we sent out our photo Christmas cards, she would always send us a thank you note for the "nice picture." I think those cards meant a lot more to her than I could ever understand. At the family holiday gatherings, she was always running the kitchen, and she was known to make amazing fudge that she sliced as though it were cake. When friends joined my family for Easter in college, they came back to school telling everyone about her amazing fudge.

I remember visiting her apartment in Minot one time with Mom and Dad. Grandma Marian took two desserts from her fridge and said, "First we'll have this dessert, and then we'll have this one." That's right. We ate two desserts that afternoon. I don't think anyone could ever deny that Grandma Marian had a sweet tooth!

Goodbye, Grandma Marian. We will miss you so much!



Thursday, May 8, 2014

NO and LATER



I did something very drastic and out of character for me. I bought a paint sample without consulting a half dozen people. Then, I taped off a two foot square on the kitchen wall, and I painted it New Avocado green. As I was doing it, I asked myself why I hadn't done it sooner. It was simple to paint the sample on the wall. It didn't cost much. I completely loved the results.

I realized as I was painting that I hadn't done it sooner because I had told myself NO or LATER every time I had thought about it previously. I started thinking about all the things that I hadn't done yet because I had told myself I either had more time to do them or didn't have the power to do them. I had been saying NO and LATER to myself for as long as I could remember.

There were so many things I just hadn't let myself do because I thought I couldn't do them. However, I've also done a great many things I didn't think I could do. I realized that I would never know my full potential until I start attempting things I don't think I can do. If I am meant to fail, I will fail. If I am meant to succeed, I will succeed. But for either outcome to happen, I need to try.

So, I'm removing NO and LATER from my vocabulary. I'm taking chances and I'm living in the now.

Today, when I got to school, there was a postcard for a local gym offering all school employees a free membership for the month of May. I immediately logged onto my computer and signed up. One thing that I had been saying both NO and LATER to was my health. I don't work out. I really only like running, but my doctor said I can't run outdoors due to my severe, chronic allergies. Jumping on a treadmill though? Totally fine. Doing it for free? Even better.

Tonight, I'm working in my office. I've been neglecting this space because I kept saying I could get it ready LATER. The time is here. I'm not letting it go any longer.

I'm excited to see how my life and my home look in a month. I feel like saying NO and LATER have made me feel far more stress simply because these tasks are just hanging over my head instead of being accomplished. I am so excited to feel the sense of accomplishment instead of the nagging feeling of needing to do something.

Are there things you have been saying no or later to? What are they? Join me in this new adventure!

Friday, April 25, 2014

Before 30 Bucket List: April Progress

1. Run a 5K race.
 I'm re-assessing this. I maybe should have said something like "start working out" or "join a gym."

2. Make my office/scrapbook space perfect.
I have been working in the office the past two nights, but otherwise, I haven't been in there much lately. It's mostly in the clean up/reorganization stage right now.

3. Pass the Middle Grades Social Studies GACE.
Planning to take this in June -- if I don't decide to take a different test instead!

4. Re-do/refresh our bedroom, including paint.
There is a sample swatch of Valspar Bamboo Shoot (light green) taped to the wall. I found a couple new decorating items, and I'm actively searching for a new duvet cover.

5. Make curtains for the guest room.
Hoping to finish this one over the weekend! I'm going to wash, dry, and iron the fabric tonight, and hopefully pull out the sewing machine tomorrow! The curtain rod is already up, so it's just waiting for curtains.

6. Make curtains for the living room/kitchen.
Fabric choices are picked out, but I need to get Trevor to come along and help me decide which fabrics to use!

7. Finish A Clash of Kings, the second book in the Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire series.
I'm on about page 350 of 900+. At the beginning of the week, I was at page 70. Proctoring the CRCT definitely helped me make a dent this week!

8. Complete our wedding scrapbook.
Ha. Ha. Ha ha ha. I haven't been in the scrapbook room enough to clean it up, let alone do any actual scrapbooking.

9. Reduce my wardrobe.
I cleaned out one drawer. One.

10. Finish my home management binder.
I've made a little progress, mostly in the calendar section, and mostly out of necessity!

Friday, April 18, 2014

Five for Friday: Beauty

Today, I'm sharing some of my favorite beauty supplies with you. I have been thinking about this post for a long time, so I'm really excited to finally have it ready for you all!

1. People always tell me I have incredible eyelashes. I really don't. It's all Lash Blast Volume from Covergirl. It makes my eyelashes look longer and fuller, and it has the added benefit of making my eyes look bigger. I've been using this mascara for probably seven years now, and I've never even considered switching to something else.

2. Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Hemp Almond Pure Castile Soap - Trevor calls it hippie soap. I call it magic soap. This stuff smells like frosting, and it is all natural. It doesn't have any acne fighting chemicals that dry out my skin, but there's nothing in it that makes me break out, either. You can also mix it with sugar and oil for a really awesome exfoliating scrub, too. You can use it to wash your clothes or dishes, and some people actually use it to brush their teeth! 

3. C.O. Bigelow Mentha Vitamin Body Wash - This minty body wash helps me during allergy season. The mint helps clear my sinuses, and in the heat of summer, it's a nice way to cool off, too.


4. Coconut Oil - I just the Trader Joe's brand because it's a bigger, cheaper jar than I can get anywhere else. I mix this with sugar and Dr. Bronner's for a scrub, I use it in place of Vaseline, and sometimes, I rub it on my hands for intense moisturizing. I have friends who rub it in their kids' hair to smooth away frizz without adding chemicals to their kids' hair. The added bonus to coconut oil is that is actually smells like coconut, too!

5. Suave Keratin Infusion Shampoo and Conditioner - My hair has never been smoother than it is right now. I've been using this combination for about a year and a half. I really love how well this works on my hair, and I honestly don't believe a more expensive brand would work any  better on my hair. 


Trevor will be coming back from his Initial Officer Experience trip tomorrow afternoon. We will be staying put for Easter this year, as usual. I have to work the day after, and we really don't know yet when Trevor will return to work (likely around May 1, though). We haven't planned anything at all for Easter year. Neither of our families really placed a lot of emphasis on the holiday growing up, so I think we both tend to forget about planning anything until the last minute. I *did* go out and get some things for Trevor's Easter basket, though! He said he will be doing my shopping when he gets back this weekend - here's hoping he gets something good for me! ;)

Friday, April 11, 2014

Five for Friday - April 11, 2014

1. Real eye shadow brushes - I got sick of those sponges breaking off my freebies that come with my eye shadow palettes. I am really impressed with the results.

2. Pandora's "Let It Go" station. It's like a mash up of all my favorite Disney and Broadway songs together in one station. There's everything from "Bye, Bye Birdie" to "Hakuna Matata" included. So much fun!

3. 31's April special: The All-Pro Tote for $25 when you spend $35. This is one of my favorite bag designs from 31. Yes, I am a consultant, but I would probably be sharing this with you anyway! The bright pops of color, the pockets, and the shoe compartment are awesome. There's also a fun little jewelry clip inside, too, complete with holes for your earrings.


4. Cosmos: Totally loving this series right now. I wish there were more educational programs on network television during prime time. 

5. How Great Thou Art by the Crossroads Newnan worship team. This was the opening for the 25th anniversary services on March 29 & 30, 2014. This was the weekend we sat in the front row with our friends, Jessica and Anthony Bridges. It was definitely the right weekend to be up front and center!


Sunday, April 6, 2014

One Little Word 2014 - First Quarter Update



I think I have been more true to this word than I have any previous OLW. I have stuck with it for three whole months, and I have repeatedly asked myself, "How can I have more joy in my life?" I kept finding myself coming back to one phrase.

Let it go.

Let go of the negative emotions, the grudges, the hurt feelings. Just let it out and let it go.

The funny thing about this is that this realization had nothing to do with the song, but once I heard the song, I knew it was perfect for me. It is kind of my anthem for the first part of 2014. 



I ended up letting go of my usual morning radio station this winter. I had listened to and loved a local contemporary Christian station for the past few years, but I found there to be a little too much silly chatter about The Bachelor and other pointless reality shows simply because they had featured or were featuring participants who were Christian. I'm probably in the minority here, but hearing that there is a Christian participant on those shows just disappoints me - it does not make me want to hear it recapped the following morning when I'm expecting to hear uplifting music!

I'm also in the process of letting go of a lot of junk that is in our house. I'm throwing away clothes that are too worn out to wear to school, I'm donating gently used items, and I'm making room for more people in our house. We are in a position where we may have house guests frequently over the summer and fall, and I'm just so determined to get rid of the clutter and be able to say that no room in this house is off limits to our guests. My spring break project will be finishing up a lot of this uncluttering work and dropping off donations at thrift stores in town. 

Overall, I feel like what I've been doing with the first few months of 2014 has been simply laying the ground work to have joy for the rest of the year. I am energized to clean out my house and unclutter. I'm excited to have less stuff. I'm starting off my morning with radio I actually like listening to again, and I'm not holding grudges or hurt feelings. 

2014, let's do this.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Brittany's 30th Birthday Card



I am totally in love with Lori Whitlock's A2 box cards. This card came together in a snap! I used my September 2013 Studio Calico card kit with a few extra pieces added in, and I loved how this turned out! I definitely plan on making more of these cards in the near future!

I am SO excited for spring break! I am free for 9 days beginning at 3:30 on Friday. This week is really kicking my butt at school, but I am being very productive at home, so maybe that means I'll be able to enjoy my break instead of working on a hundred different cleaning projects!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

What we're up to - April 2014 Edition

Trevor passed his final evaluation at Spirit Airlines, so he is done with training! He has been home for almost a week. He will start actually flying very soon. We won't see his April schedule until later this week.

Something interesting happened while he was gone. Crookshanks became a snuggler. At first, it was just with me, on the sofa. Then, he started sitting with me at the breakfast bar, and eventually, in my office chair. Pretty soon, he started doing the same for Trevor. Last night, Crookshanks slept behind my knees all night. He has only slept next to me once before, so this was an amazing development. He has come a long way since his first days with us in September.

Minerva is thrilled to have Trevor here again. She is so totally in love with him. I'm a little nervous about Trevor going back to work later this month! Minerva has a tendency to puke when he's gone. :(


I am looking forward to spring break and doing some projects I've been considering for awhile (like actually planning blog posts and queuing them in advance). Three work days after today...I think I can do this!

I'm also exploring the possibilities for next school year. My principal said I was over qualified for my current position, and everyone assumes I'm looking for my own classroom, so there would be no hard feelings over me leaving. I just want to stay at my school! It was always my favorite school when I was a sub, so I can't imagine fitting in as well somewhere else. I am mostly planning on being back in my same role next year, but I am also considering taking tests to be certified in other subjects to increase my chances of having my own classroom. 

We picked up some paint chips at Lowe's this weekend. We are thinking it's finally time to get rid of the builder grade paint and add some color to our house! My plan is to tape them up in our bedroom tonight to see how they look, and maybe get some small samples later this week before tackling the actual painting during spring break next week.

Last night, we started on a couple projects I've been planning for over a year. Trevor finished off the spray painting and hardware while I was at school today. There is another step I want to add to the clementine crate, but it will probably have to wait for spring break (AKA ProjectPalooza).

I'll be back again soon with some cards to share and other updates. 





Friday, March 28, 2014

Five for Friday - March 28, 2014 edition

A short list of random things I'm into this week.

1. Sara's Not Quite So Mellow Playlist

2. This photo and video of Marge Simpson brought to life

3. "Oceans"  by Hillsong United. It's a beautiful song. You can watch a video below, or check out one of the many versions available on YouTube.


4. Cadbury Mini Eggs. OMG. I always forget how great they are until Easter approaches, and then I cannot get enough of them.

5. Savannah Smiles Girl Scout Cookies. So amazingly delicious! I just have a few left, and I just got them last Friday. I told my "dealer" I may need a whole case next year!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Around here...


I haven't really posted an update about our lives since sometime last year. Yikes! I think it's about time for such an update.

I am super busy at work right now. We missed 8 days this winter that we won't be making up - but staff must make up those hours. That means I'm working hard with my teachers to get our students ready for the CRCT exams I'm April and putting in extra hours to make up the 50+ hours I missed. I'm counting down the days until Spring Break in April, and I'm happy to say it's soon going to be in the single digits.

At home, I'm finally falling into a routine again. It was tough this semester because we didn't have many long stretches of school until March. After six months in our home, Crookshanks and Minerva are finally settling in. Minerva is mellowing out a bit and needing less attention, while Crookshanks is beginning to be very affectionate. I still can't pick him up, but he does climb in my lap at least once a day now.

The blossoming pear tree we planted two years ago is blooming. I'm planning my container garden and dreaming up long-term plans for our jacked up backyard. Sometimes, I can't decide if I want to put the work required into the backyard or if I just want to sell this house and buy one with a much better yard. Both options seem to require more work than I would like to put in at this point. 

Trevor is in week 7 of training at Spirit. He really just has one evaluation and a initial operating experience trip between him and officially be an A320 pilot! With luck, all that will be done within the next two weeks, and he will be home with me again for a few days before beginning his April schedule. It is really crazy how quickly all this happened. Training seemed to fly by for me. I hope it went as quickly for Trevor as it did for me! I feel like there are still a million things I want to get done before Trevor comes home, which is silly because he's been home three times since he started training.