netflix love

I don't have cable so I am pretty thankful for my Netflix subscription.

At eight bucks a month, you can't beat that kind of entertainment.

(Especially if y'all have ever watched Orange is the New Black.)

If you haven't. Quit reading and DO IT!

I also have Netflix to thank for my current obsession: becoming a homeowner.

You see, I finished up Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids last night and Netflix suggested that I watch My First Home.

And that's what I did.

And am currently doing.

And obsessing about.

The one problem I am having....

I don't even know where to start. I have not the slightest idea what the first step to buying a home even is.

So, for now, I'll just keep watching Netflix. Until M comes home from working out of state so we can talk about it face to face.

And he can tell me what to do.

thankful for my lungs even if they don't always work

As an asthmatic, I am thankful for my inhalers, breathing machine and my medicine.

I know it sounds so crazy to be thankful for such a thing but my "breather" has honestly kept me alive and well.

As someone who has had asthma since the age of nine, I've learned to become thankful for the life that I have, because there is someone who is worse off than me.

I have to especially be thankful for my breather today because I left it at work tonight (since I don't have an inhaler right now) and it almost sent me into an anxiety attack. Luckily, I was able to calm myself down and drive the 46 minute round trip drive just to get it.

You can absolutely bet that I will never do that again!

Even if my lungs aren't perfect, my life is pretty awesome and I can't complain.

cars, friends, heating pads & Veteran's

On the eighth day, I am thankful for having wheels. As in car wheels.

My car isn't brand new. And it certainly has seen better days, but it gets me to where I need to go.

One of those places that I needed to go this weekend: Bountiful.

On the ninth day, I am thankful for having this lovely lady in my life.

She absolutely means the world to me. She had brain surgery three days after she started her senior year of high school and not even three months later, you can't even tell that there was anything wrong. I had the privilege and honor to love all over this past weekend.

And I wouldn't have had it any other way. 

On the tenth day, I am thankful for the heating pad. And the person who invented it. 

As good as I sleep when I am away at camp, my back is always out of whack. Then, if you add in some extra doses of stress, it will be nice and tight. So I laid around and slept with the heating pad attached to my back. Thinking about it now, I think that's what I'll do for the rest of the night. 

And today, and all of the rest of the days, I am thankful for our veteran's. 

For anyone that has ever served and continues to serve. 

I have some really important and close people in my life that have made the sacrifice to fight for me and for our country. There is no thank you big enough to ever repay them for their service.

Not just today, but for the rest of my life, I will always honor those who have served. 

cooking

I know it's late and I really wanted to get a post in before I head out of town tomorrow.

(And if you try to come to my house, my fiance will kick your butt!

Anyway, today, I am thankful for the ability too cook. Since I am leaving for another youth retreat this weekend, I made sure that my honey is hooked up.

There is a roast in the crock-pot, leftover chicken (that he made me for dinner last night) and PLENTY of junk food to binge on.

I know one way to his heart is through his stomach so it brings so much joy to my heart (and his) when I cook for him.

Have I made some disgusting dishes? Of course.

Have I made more delicious dishes than terrible ones? Absolutely.

Cooking is something that I love to do. I was never taught by anyone, although I did watch my grandma cook. And I when I get to have my niece and nephew over, I love to cook with them.

I am thankful that I have a love for cooking and I am thankful that I am good at it. Not only will M be fed, but so will my kids and that brings me true happiness.

(It's a good thing M is marrying me or else he would be eating frozen dinners for the rest of his life.)

opportunity

Today, I'm thankful for opportunity.

I may not always get opportunities, nor may I always take opportunities given, but the hope in opportunity makes me thankful. 

Within the last year or so, I've had the opportunity to...

Take M skydiving

Go on a cruise to Ochos Rios, Jamaica / Grand Cayman / Cozumel, Mexico
via 

Carnival Valor

Laid on the beach in Cozumel

Swam with the dolphins in Cozumel

Climbed Dunn's River Falls in Ochos Rios

Drove through Fern Gully in Ochos Rios

Explored great heights in Ochos Rios

Captured stunning views in Grand Cayman

Indulged in a fresh coconut in Grand Cayman

Swam with the Stingrays at the sandbar

Snorkeled in the Caribbean Sea

Got engaged!!!

Prayed for this beautiful soul

Gave this little fella a home

Staffed numerous retreats/camps for Community of Christ

You could be here all day reading about the things that I have had an opportunity to do, and the things that I haven't but wished I would have taken, but the point is this...I am thankful and extremely blessed for every. single. one. 

here's to organizing

Today, I am thankful for organized people that can help me become more organized.

Every year I make a New Year's Resolution to become more organized and every year I don't follow through.

However, this year, I started reading more blogs about organization and seeking out free printables.

(Because who doesn't love free printables, or free anything for that matter).

This year I have reorganized some closets, utilized cute to do lists and completed other little tasks. I continue to learn more about organizing and feel more motivated than ever before because someone, someone else does the work for me, and I just have to copy it.

(Thank you sweet baby Jesus).

Here are a couple of my favorite organizing blogs:

Organizing Made Fun

A Bowl Full of Lemons

iheartorganizing

on the fourth day...

On the fourth day, I am thankful for FOOD!

Our refrigerator has been pretty bare the past couple of days, except for some condiments. I'm not even sure what M ate while I was out of town this past weekend. Perhaps butter with some hot sauce on it. Or maybe just spoonfuls of jelly. Who knows.

The list of things I won't eat is rather short.

To be honest, I would much rather get paid to travel the states, because let's face it foreign countries have foreign things that I would much rather not consume, and eat at restaurants. Or diners. Or dives. Or holes in the wall. Or fancy restaurants. Either way, I would be happier.

M and I went to the grocery store tonight and it was almost like we have never seen food before. He picked up a Dulce de Leche pie for himself and I picked up some raspberries for myself, among the other eighty-five dollars worth of food we purchased.

When it's all said and done, we sometimes, okay, all the time, for the most part, take food for granted.

Not only am I thankful for food. I am thankful for the grocery store, the farmer who grew my fruits and vegetables, the trucker that brought in the food and all the other hands and people involved in the process.

I am very lucky to be able to purchase such pies and different kinds of fruits and vegetables. A lot of Americans go hungry every night. Many people think that hunger only happens in third world countries, but friends, take a look around you; it's your neighbor, co-worker, or student at school who goes hungry.

I am very blessed to be able to provide for me and M. Our bellies are full and we are thankful time and time again.

thankful for...

This past weekend I was at one of my favorite places with some of my favorite people so I didn't get a chance to post what I am thankful for days one and two so you get an extra dose of thankfulness.

One. I'm so incredibly thankful for this guy! He keeps me grounded and he stands beside me and we balance each other out. He has completely stolen my heart and I can't wait to be his wife.

 

Two. I am thankful that I have these cute little faces in my life. No words can express how much I love my niece and nephew. 

Three. Incredibly thankful that I have this place in my life. It has made me who I am and what I continue to be. 

Stay tuned for more thankfulness...

wedding stationery & a beautiful video

I know what you are thinking. But y'all.

She is so breathtaking.

And this is so beautiful and romantic and this just makes me even more excited to marry M.

Speaking of marrying M.

I haven't posted anything about our wedding plans because well, we haven't decided on a date yet because we are the ones footing the bill for the entire wedding and we don't want to set a date and then not have enough money to follow through with it all.

Let's just say, we are covering our bases.

But...we have started throwing out ideas about what we want, don't want, etc.

I thought I had everything planned out before M purposed, but when it actually happened, I wanted only half of what I originally wanted. So...back to the drawing board I went. And then WE went.


I sent in for some samples of save the date cards/magnets and some invitations and that's when M got really involved and finally gave me his voice. I am so over the moon about him wanting to really be a part of the whole wedding process. A lot of brides will say, "this is my day so I'm gonna do whatever I want" but in reality, it's BOTH the bride and groom's day and I'm happy to be on this journey together.

Here are some of the save the date/invitations that M and I like:

There are soooooo many options out there and these are just the ones that we received in the mail in sample form. And I know that we have a weird combo of whimsical, rustic and vintage, but we still have time.

I will probably find something I love even more than these. After all, I am always looking. 

Which ones do you like?

she tied it up

If there is one thing you should know about me, it's that I absolutely LOVE Kelly Clarkson. Her music pulled me together through such a rough patch in my teenage angst years and even got me through my break-up with my high school boyfriend.

I feel like Kelly and I would be best friends if she knew I even existed. I have only seen her in concert twice, from a distance, but she has the most energetic, bubbly, kind hearted and funny personality. Her heart is so huge and I love how humble she is. I think we are truly the same person. I know, I'm crazy.

Y'all just have no idea how much her and her music has changed me, influenced me and moved me.

So, in case you haven't heard....

SHE TIED IT UP...

and look how STUNNING she looks!!!

She totally deserves true happiness, as we all do. And as odd as it sounds, I am so over the moon for her!

So, Kelly, even though you don't know I exist, I am truly happy for you and I will never stop being your biggest supporter and fan!!!

what the what & some hashtags

So clearly I didn't meet my "i'm-gonna-blog-the-whole-month-of-October" goal, but there are things.

Things like a trip to the ER, not for me, but for M. He is okay.

Insomnia.

Dishes. Lots of dirty dishes.

Weird work hours.

Netflix. It steals my life. Is this what happens when you deprive yourself of cable?

Etc. Etc.

Also, let's take a minute to talk about my observations from the last couple of days.

(And I wish I had sly picture taking skills to go along so that you get the full effect, but I haven't perfected that...yet.)

- A lady at Kroger in the bakery section shoving a donut in her mouth while looking for another one. #shesnotgonnapayforthat

- A lady walking down the street in the ghetto with five kids in 45 degree weather, two of them not wearing shirts or shoes, two more of them wearing Eskimo jackets with shorts and flip flops and the other one, well, he was dressed appropriately and the one thing they all had in common: they were each walking a pit bull. #putsomeclothesonyourkids

(I love pit bulls. That wasn't the problem I had with this scenario.)

- A man using a squeegee on his windows this morning. In the rain. I haven't quite figured out if he is a genius or just ridiculous. #whatsthesqueegeerage

- A full grown women yelling "it's their freedom of speech" when hearing about the 12 and 14 year old girls who bullied a girl so bad that she ended up killing herself. #areyoufreakingkiddingme #atnopointisbullyingokay

- Co-workers blaring not so enjoyable music too early in the morning. #ishouldntbeabletohearit

- A girl doing a sobriety test. On a main road. In front of a busy fast food restaurant. Before 6:30pm. #shefailed #stayofftheroad #dontdrinkanddrive

I'm not judging any of these people (except the lady who is apparently all FOR bullying and the girl who was drunk driving), but I just can't wrap my head around the actions of some people or why people do the things they do. Whatever happened to intelligence, common sense and respect?

Thank you sweet baby Jesus that it's almost Friday.

Can I get a hallelujah and an amen?