something incredibly sappy.

This is my fiance.

These are a bunch of random reasons why I love him.

-He never looks the same.

beard, mohawk, no facial hair, trucker 'stashe, emo bangs, blue hair...he's constantly shakin' things up.  (i on the other hand, have basically looked the same since high school.)

-He talks a LOT.

like, a lot a lot.  he never shuts up.  i love that he's always got something to say, even when i don't always have an interest in what he's going on about.

-He's tremendously loyal.

to the point of ridiculousness.  i have no problem cutting people out of my life when they've wronged me, but this guy... seriously, once you're his friend, you're his friend til the end.

-He puts others ahead of himself.

yeah, he can be selfish (can't we all?), but he's always thinking about other people.  wanting to make sure he stops to say goodbye to every single person at an event even if we're running late for something else...eating probably the most boring food ever night after night because it's what i want to eat for dinner...remembering that a friend likes a certain thing and buying it randomly for them...

-He's a musical genius.

well, to a point i guess. he hasn't picked up his guitar in ages.  but he always knows who sings that song, and he always knows lyrics.  and he always knows the best song for whatever situation.

{i'm posting this because i just found out he actually reads my blog.  and this is just a little snippet of the zillions of reasons i fall in love with him again every single day.  yeah, sappy. whateverrrr.}

friday's letters...{of remembrance}

dear fiance:  thank you for surprising me with real florist flowers last friday.  they're beautiful.  and sorry for being so astonished i didn't thank you properly.  dear newborn nephew:  i love you so much already.  really.  you're adorable and wrinkly and the cutest thing i have ever seen.  i can't wait to watch you grow up.  dear sister:  sorry i've been sick and haven't been able to visit.  dear other sister:  so excited to see you tonight!  dear mom: sorry you got nothing accomplished while dad was off on a hunting trip.

dear paul: tomorrow would have been your 25th birthday.  if things had gone the way they were supposed to, you and nanci would have been celebrating in florida.  you'd be in your second year of school, and she'd be doing her nursing thing down there.  we'd all miss you guys, but we'd know we could visit any time.  even if you'd had cancer, and had to stay here...but had actually gone into remission, we'd be up here, probably having a camp fire. drinking. corn hole.  nothing can ever bring you back to us. and we miss you every day.  and i hope wherever you are now, you are at peace.

linking up with Ashley :)

Coffee Talk {2.0}

 Linking up with Natalie for another little Coffee Talk :)

1. What is your favorite kind of coffee? Iced? Hot? Frappe? Or are you a tea kind of person?

I have always loved tea.  It never ceases to remind me of sleeping over at my grandma's house (because she always made me tea with breakfast in the morning), and as such is always my go-to comfort drink of choice.  I love a good chai, or even just plain ol' orange pekoe.  Lately I've fallen in love with the wonders of iced mocha's (especially from McDonalds...seriously) and mocha frappe's too :)

2. What is your dream computer/laptop? And what kind are you using now?

I haven't ever lusted for a computer (honestly I don't know the differences in any of them anyway), but for my birthday my mom was amazingggg and got me a wonderful HP laptop that I'm obsessed with.  No idea what the model is or anything, I had one of the IT guys at my work pick out the options I required for being online and running photoshop smoothly, and my baby was purchased.  Guys, it even has a fingerprint scanner! No lie. I don't know how to work it, but it's there.

3. Have you ever regretted a blog post? What did you say?

I don't think I've ever published something I've regretted writing down.  I am usually aware of choosing my words carefully to avoid alienating certain readers (like, I'm pretty sure my fiance's grandma reads this from time to time, and it's easier to make sure everything I say, while not censoring my true feelings, is written in a way to not offend her sensibilities). 

4. What is your favorite book? 

Hello, hardest question ever.  I have read so many books it's truly hard to pick a favorite. So I'll give you a few within different genres.

- The Duke and I by Julia Quinn.  Yeah, silly historical romance novel.  But I love this author's style.  It's really focused on the love story and the heroine isn't a bumbling idiot.  It's clever and I've read it dozens of times.  Seriously.

- The Eyes of the Dragon by Stephen King.  Not his usual macabre at all, but a fascinating fairytale/fantasy that I could read over and over and not get sick of it.

- Lamb by Christopher Moore.  Some more devout Christians might be offended by this book, but it is a funny approach detailing the years of Jesus's life that aren't written in the bible. 

5. What's in your bag? (pictures too please!!)

Well, kind of shoddy pictures, but that's what happens with my {not so} fabulous cellular telephone device.  No iphone here. 

1: Vera Bradley Tote.  40% off, thankyouverymuch. A day later, I saw a woman who was 85 if she was a day with the same bag.  Thereby validating my fiance & family's assertions that I have the same taste as an old lady. Whatev.

2: Jessica Simpson Wallet.  $14.99 @ TJMaxx.  LOVE.

3: An electric bill.  Paid.

4: A form from the town assessor's office I need to fill out.

5: A recipe for Potato soup.

6: The new Tastefully Simple Fall/Winter catalog. YUM

7: Dooney & bourke change purse.  Brown leather. $7.99 @ Marshall's.

8: Several tubes of lip stuff.

9: a pouch of stuff (includes gum, band aids, sewing kit, tweezers, nail file, hand sanitizer)

10: another thing of hand sanitizer.

11: 2 paycheck stubs

12: Betsey Johnson sunglasses.

13: migraine stuff & pepto bismol.

14: Bath & Bodyworks Sweet Pea body spray

15: Avon hand lotion (the oatmeal kind...awesome)

16: Notepad

17: pens (red, black, purple)

18: used up check book

19: wedding invitation & response card proofs

20: hair tie & clip.

Seven More Questions.

1. Do you ever have reoccurring dreams?

Yes.  I can't remember it now (thank goodness) but there was this one super awful nightmare that stuck with me for years...it seems I've finally managed to tuck it far away!

2. It's the first day of Fall (or Spring for you southern hemispherers) in a few days, what are you looking forward to most?
I'm determined to wear my "cowboy" boots more often this fall!  They're really from BCBG so not really cowboy boots at all, except in the fashion-y sense, but I've had them for a couple of years...it's time they were made a more regular part of my wardrobe!

3. Because a lack of coordination, would you rather not be able to tie your shoes or cut your own food?

Honestly, I forgot how to tie my own shoes when I was in high school.  You know that period where every shoe you own is a slip on?   Yeah, after that happened I totally lost how to tie shoes.  One of my friends retaught me eventually.

4. Would you rather live in a house made entirely of glass or a house with no windows?
House with no windows.  I could cover the walls in art and make it habitable, but a house of glass?  There'd be no way for me to escape when having a migraine and needing the darkest place possible.

5. Would you rather walk on you toes or heels forever?
Toes.  I kind of run that way already...right on my tippy toes.

6. What's your favorite sense? (you have 5 btw)
Touch.  Oooh or taste.... but probably touch.

7. What's your favorite movie quote of all time?
I have too many to count. 
1: "You're a Claustrophobic!" "What did you say to me?  I've never even looked at another guy!"
2: "Rob, you were there!"
3: "Ray, if someone asks you if  you're a god, you say yes."  (from my fiance!)
4: "Look! Cobwebs!"
5: "Ma'am, there's only one God, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that"
6: "We will carry a river forth to thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be..."


Linking up with GentriLee :)

the day my family was featured in a music video...

Ok, the day my fiance and {future} stepdaughter were in a music video.

Soooo. My fiance is friends with these guys in a band.

This band has recently landed a record deal and finished a Europeba tour.

And now they're recording a full length album, thus releasing their first official music video.

For this video they invited their local fans to come and help out.

This is the video:

{the little girl who sticks her head up to peer into the camera is my stepdaughter}

Versatile Blogger Award...say what?!

So, not that very long ago, I discovered this fabulous blog called Nonsense Things.  I was super excited to find out that this blogger's name also happened to be Traci (yes spelled with an i and everything!!).  Needless to say, I fell in blog love.

And then, Traci was kind enough to nominate me for this:

Here's the rules:
1. Nominate up to 15 fellow bloggers who are relatively new to blogging
2. Let the nominated bloggers know that they have been nominated for this award
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself
4. Thank the blogger who has nominated you
5. Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your post


Ahh, seven random facts about myself.  Well, at least you knows all know by now how much I like to talk about myself.  But anyway:
1) I love to read.  Boring, yeah, whatever.  The silly part is...I pretty much primarily read romance novels.  Not like the 50 shades of gray romance either - the real romance stuff that's more love story than the down & dirty.  No lie, I probably own upwards of a hundred romance novels.  In the end they're all pretty much the same story, but that's why I read them so often.  For goodness and light.  Other than that, I am perfectly content re-reading Harry Potter, or any of the Walking Dead trade paperbacks I've collected so far.  

2) I am terrified of rodents.  Seriously, hugely horribly afraid.  It's the stupidest phobia.  I don't know why it even started, but everything in the rodent family scares the pants off me.  If I ever saw a capybara in real life, I'd possibly die from fright.  (google it - these things are as big as COWS).  My phobia of rodents has extended uncomfortably so that I'm actually a bit afraid of everything with fur.  So I really don't much care for dogs or cats, because it reminds me too much of how furry rodents are. I am a freak. I know, I know.

3) I have a very elaborate plan set in my mind in the event of zombie (or other more likely) apocalypse.  Like learning to operate a crossbow (hello, Daryl Dixon), any and all types of guns, throwing knives, and other means of killing gross zombies.  Also, how to fly a plane.  Drive a standard automobile.  And a semi truck.  Or anything that moves.  How to siphon gas.  How to build fires out of nothing.  Ok, my plan is an elaborate list of survival skills.  The best part?  I know none of this.  If the zombies should rise tomorrow, I'd be dead by Monday.  Legit.

4) My biggest celeb crush is Patrick Stewart.  My inner monologue is his voice.  

5) I am a burlesque dancer, though I haven't danced in a year.  (My troupe is named the Zombettes. I'm not like obsessed with zombies or anything at all am I?)

6) I kind of stink at being a good real life friend.  I consider myself to be very generous and kind (um, most of the time), and once you're my friend I've got your back for life...but I suck at keeping in touch sometimes.  I promise, I'm not ignoring you on purpose!  Sometimes I just like to be lonely.  (In fact, my fiance tells me all the time I need to make more of an effort with people or else no one will be there when I do feel like hanging out with a friend, so I've been trying a lot harder lately.  I've just always preferred my own company and it's a hard thing to change.)

7) I get horrible, awful, painful chronic migraines.  For awhile they weren't around so much, but when I start to stress out they're ridiculous.  I'm talking once or twice a week when they're bad.  I know there are about 300 or so different migraine triggers, and everyone I know is confident they have a cure for me.  Well, I've tried about every holistic means possible, kept food journals to trace my triggers, stayed away from caffiene...and all I've learned is that being around too much cigarette smoke & certain types of perfume definitely bring it on.  Otherwise...your guess is as good as mine.  I'm almost considering a lobotomy at this point.  Just to kill the damn pain!

And now, my nominations.  I admit, I read a ton of blogs, but most of you guys seem to have been around FOREVER! At least longer than I have been!  But here's a few I just have to read every day:
1. Elyse @ Home Sweet Holmes
2. Natalie @ a moment of wonderful
3. Steph @ Whatever is Lovely and Noble
4. Jess @ Time for Tea

Dearest Friday...

I am well aware that I've {probably} posted this one before...but I love it and it makes me happy and it's me an my fiance who I just keep loving a bit more every day {especially this past week that has been not so easy} so I am subjecting you all to it again.  Deal with it and pretend it's the cutest thing you've ever seen.  Kay?  Thanks.

dear baby nephew: as i type this, you still aren't born yet.  i cannot wait to meet your precious little face, and i hope you're not giving your mama too hard of a time.  i love you so much already.  dear scrapbooking: holy shinola i can't believe how long i slacked off on you.  these classes i've been taking with my sister have been heavenly for inspiring my creativity, and i can't wait to go to class tonight {and hopefully show off a newborn nephew picture to boot!}  dear fiance: oh hey bay-bay.  you know that thing you do when i'm all upset and you hold me close and call me wifey?  yeah. thank you for reminding me of all the good stuff. i love you so much, it's kind of redonk.  dear walking dead: why do you have to start in october?  and why do i need the satellite dish to watch you?  jerks.  dear enormous headache: please please please go away so i can enjoy my weekend.

dear readers: i owe you a giveaway.  i've been slacking because i felt so slighted on my birthday {spoiled little brat, i knowwwwww}, but also because i couldn't think of what i want to giveaway.  have no fear, it's coming.  or be afraid.  idk, maybe it'll be spooky or something...

Linking up with the most fabulous Ashley here:

Coffee Talk

I really love link-ups.  Especially fun ones where you get to talk about yourself for awhile.
Well that didn't sound self absorbed at all, did it?
Anyway...
If we met for coffee (oh, I'm drinking an iced mocha of some sort by the way), and we hadn't yet met, or hadn't spoken in awhile...



1. It's finally fall! What are you looking forward to this year?
Oooooooh my favorite shows to start back up!!  Ok, I guess I'm just waiting for Walking Dead & Modern Family...but whatev.  Also, probably one last bonfire before the weather turns too cold...I love sitting around a fire with friends, drinking a beer and just enjoying the night.  (sidenote - while playing Yahtzee last night with my fiance and his stepdaughter, she definitely said "whatev" about something.  which was pretty hysterical. i mean, she's ten so she's starting to be all preteen and all, but i've never heard her say it and i say it all the time so i loved it.  ahh my influence on little people! haha)

2. What fall item is in your closet that you can't wait to pull out?
All of my hoodies and sweaters!  I am a comfy hoodie kind of girl.  And I just bought a cute new dress that'll be making its debut at a friend's wedding this weekend! (it was on sale too! win!)

 

3. Since Halloween is the first holiday to celebrate, we all get treated with a horror movie marathon all month long... what is your favorite scary movie to watch?
I really don't like scary movies that much.  Well, scratch that.  I love scary movies that are of a certain genre...blood guts gore...all of that is just fine.  But throw in a haunting or some supernatural stuff?  I freak.  Absolutely cannot watch any of that.
Uh, anyway...
My fave to watch around Halloween (also Christmas!) is The Nightmare Before Christmas.
My favorite actual "horror" movies are the Resident Evil movies, and House of 1000 Corpses, and the Devil's Rejects...and some campy older horror stuff I'm probably  forgetting too.

4. What is your favorite fall treat? (recipes welcome)

{recipe}

So last Thanksgiving (ish), a guy I work with (my cousin actually) brought in this divine pumpkin dip and absolutely refused to give anyone the recipe.  He claims he made him himself, though I have my doubts.  (I'm pretty sure it was his wife.)  Anyway, thanks to the magic of Pintrest, I found a recipe for it and plan to try it out myself shortly!  (It's best with 'nilla wafers, or just eating big spoonfuls of it. Either way. Delish)

5. Now that summer is finally over, what will you miss most about it?
Nothing.  This was a pretty wretched summer for a lot of reasons.  I'm just hoping my migraines subside enough for me to actually enjoy this fall!

 Linking up with Natalie Blair for the first "Coffee Talk" link up :)

 

 

Seven Questions

funny photo. @ my sister's wedding. i am all about the captain & coke.

1. Do you have any weird food combinations that you love?
Yes. Like mozzarella sticks with ranch dressing.  And french fries dipped in blue cheese (totally a buffalo thing)...

2. Have you ever written a blog post, published it, then immediately deleted it?
YUPP.

3. What is a hair style you wish you could pull off, but would never be brave enough to try?
A mohawk. Pretty sure I would rock it.  I will do it before I die!

4. Would you rather have to always use the sun to tell the time or directions by the stars?
I don't know.  Both would be helpful in the event of zombie apocalypse.

5. What is a fall trend that you are excited to try?
I don't actually know of any "new" fall trends.  I am exited to bust out my extensive hoodie/sweater collection though! LOL

6. Who is your style icon?
I don't really have a style icon.  I like little bits and pieces from a lot of different people.

7. What's your favorite outdoor activity?
Sitting around a campfire.  Preferably there are smore's involved.  <3


Linking up with Miss Gentri Lee :)

5 lovely little things

When I started this blog (alright, admittedly only a few short months ago), about once a week I typed up a list of five things I was particularly thankful for that week.

You'll notice it's been sadly lacking lately.

For the past few months (or, most of the stupid summer), life has been a struggle.

Seriously.  So much stress between my fiance and myself...not a very fun time.
But, things are already starting to get better :)

Five things I'm grateful for:

1: My fiance's new job.  Who knew he'd like being a construction worker so much?
2: My (future) stepdaughter.  This girl is incredible.  Such a sweetheart - we made thank you cards for her grandparents & my mom for her birthday gifts, and I read what she wrote inside them...she's too smart for her age I swear.  Growing up way too fast.
3: My (future) mother in law.  I just got my birthday gift from her...and it is exactly something I wanted to buy for myself but didn't have the money to do so.  And it wasn't really even something I'd mentioned.  Yupp, that's how much on the same wavelength we are.  Awesome.
4: This gigantic bag of Peanut M&M's.  Today, I need that chocolate and peanutty combo.  Yummmm.
5: My family.  Specifically, my little sister who should be having my little nephew at any time now!!  I'm just praying for a safe delivery for her and my nephew.  Also, that it happens soon, because my sister is about done being preggo.


What are you grateful for, today?