Could it really be as simple as this? It's my mantra this week.
Happy Wednesday!
XoXo,
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Three Simple Rules | Wednesday Wisdom
Could it really be as simple as this? It's my mantra this week.
Happy Wednesday!
XoXo,
Friday, January 11, 2013
H54F | January 11
Thank goodness for the weekend.
Quick disclaimer: Just in case you questioning H54F (just like my husband!), it stands for High Five For Friday! It's a post where I celebrate the end of the work week & the exciting things that happened in the last week. As always, I am linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk.
I don't know about you, but this week seemed to take forever. It was my first full week at work in almost a month and it was the first week I have worked all five days in the office in what seems like forever. Plus, I had a rotten Thursday. I was anxiously awaiting an email with important news that I thought I should have received on Wednesday, which resulted in my checking me email every 20 minutes. And in the end, there was a voicemail there the entire time that I never noticed.
Talk about unnecessary stress.
And then later that night, I biffed it down the stairs while trying to carry two cups filled with cold, old coffee. Imagine a 24-year old covered in day-old coffee with a bruised hip and a bruised ego. That was me.
So here we are at Friday, a few more hours until the weekend and I am 99% positive that I will make it. Nothing can be as bad as the sopping wet hair I had after that coffee fiasco. :)
Here's five things that made this week great:
1. Family
My brother & Betsey were back in Minnesota for the weekend and we got to spend Saturday celebrating at a family friend's wedding and Sunday celebrating Christmas. It was nice to have most of us under one roof and we even got to have a sleepover at the 'rents like the good old days.
2. Christmas is officially over.
I love Christmas (love might be an understatement), BUT I was ready for Christmas celebrations to be over. We opened the last presents on Sunday and we recycled the tree on Wednesday. It's done. Thank goodness. No more appetizers or cookies, please!
3. #BISONATION
My beloved Bison (and the entire state of North Dakota) traveled to Frisco, TX, for the national championship game last weekend and won. #BisoNation lives on.
4. Crafts are back
After I got through Christmas, I vowed to put my inner craft nerd to rest for a few weeks. But a few big things happened this week that will force me back in business shortly -- new fabric, an email that my "For The Makers" box is on the way, a quilting class this weekend and best of all, I finally got my Cameo out of the box. I just don't have the determination to avoid my sewing machine after all that in one week.
5. It's National Milk Day
Enough said. Can we all agree to drink a glass to celebrate?
Happy Friday!
XoXo,
Quick disclaimer: Just in case you questioning H54F (just like my husband!), it stands for High Five For Friday! It's a post where I celebrate the end of the work week & the exciting things that happened in the last week. As always, I am linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk.
I don't know about you, but this week seemed to take forever. It was my first full week at work in almost a month and it was the first week I have worked all five days in the office in what seems like forever. Plus, I had a rotten Thursday. I was anxiously awaiting an email with important news that I thought I should have received on Wednesday, which resulted in my checking me email every 20 minutes. And in the end, there was a voicemail there the entire time that I never noticed.
Talk about unnecessary stress.
And then later that night, I biffed it down the stairs while trying to carry two cups filled with cold, old coffee. Imagine a 24-year old covered in day-old coffee with a bruised hip and a bruised ego. That was me.
So here we are at Friday, a few more hours until the weekend and I am 99% positive that I will make it. Nothing can be as bad as the sopping wet hair I had after that coffee fiasco. :)
Here's five things that made this week great:
1. Family
 |
| {the beautiful women of the May family} |
2. Christmas is officially over.
 |
| {We finally remembered to take a "Christmas" picture} |
3. #BISONATION
 |
| {we didn't get to watch the game because of the wedding, but that didn't mean we couldn't show our Bison pride!} |
4. Crafts are back
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| {new fabrics from Mills End Textiles - I may or may not have a fabric obsession.} |
5. It's National Milk Day
 |
| {via} |
Happy Friday!
XoXo,
Thursday, January 10, 2013
2012: A Photographic Review
 |
| {2012 In Review | January 2012 - Upper Left; December 2012 - Lower Right} |
Here's a little key:
Jan: Mexico!
Feb: Back To NDSU
Mar: Little Bro's Big Win
April: First 5k
May: Eric Church
June: Cattle Shows
July: MJP Lut Wins!
Aug: Mashed Potatoes On A Stick & Fairs
Sept: Blakeman Turns 1
Oct: Harvest
Nov: Breaking Cattle
Dec: Homemade Christmas
Did you catch all that?
If not, here's a really quick month-by-month breakdown:
January: January brought my first every warm weather vacation and I loved every second of it. Free drinks, beach reading & a tan? Can a girl ask for anything better? I will take one every January.
 |
| {Perfect trip to Riveria Maya. You can read about it here.} |
March: March brought amazingly warm weather so I decided to train for that
April: A lot of things happened in April but none of them hold a candle to my first 5k. I was the girl who hated, maybe even despised, running and I did it. 3.1 miles conquered. It was a great feeling.
May: May is my birthday month so it was bound to be fabulous. We celebrated with an awesome trip to Church on a Thursday (Eric Church, friends!), a few trips to Twins game, a weekend trip to the lake and a lot of family time.
June: I could describe June with two words. Cattle. Shows. Luckily I got to spend a lot of time with the four people below and good cattle which made all of the sweat & disgustingness worth it. Another highlight? I donated my hair to someone who needed it more than me. Check that one off my 101 in 1001 list.
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| {Maynard, Jason, Matt & Mark - my summer travel companions.} |
 |
| {MJP Lut & the Purfeerst family} |
August: August was a bittersweet month for the May family. We had a lot of lasts. The last 4-H steer in the cooler, the last Dakota County 4-H beef show, the last championship drive as a nervous sibling and the last Minnesota State Fair auction. It was a fun run and we came a long way from that skinny dairy steer Andy May showed nearly 20 years ago. August was also the month we packed Jason up and sent him off to Kansas...and didn't anything hear from him for 2 and a half weeks.
By the way, the picture in the center square of the collage at the top of the page is my favorite photo of the year. I am so lucky to have all of them.
October: October 2012 will forever go down in the record books. Last year I was worried that everyone would be harvesting corn on my wedding day; in 2012, our last kernel was tucked safely in the bin on October 7th. Regardless of how unheard of it was, it meant I got my husband back, which was a definitely plus.
November: November marked one year as husband and wife for Mark & I. Our first year made me a firm believer in the power of marriage - you may have the very best relationship, but I promise, it will even get better when you say "I do" and I love that.
 | |
| {christmas favorites | tree, skiing & mittens} |
Anyway, besides the stress, December was the best. I learned how to ski, spent a lot of time with friends, was able to see my crazy family a lot and had a really gorgeous red & green house for a few weeks. There is nothing better in my opinion.
And now it's January 10th. If the last 10 days are any indication of what's to come in 2013, it will be full of both challenges and blessings. And hopefully a lot more photos that capture more fantastic memories. :)
XoXo,
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Wednesday Wisdom | Stay Positive While Climbing That Mountain
I absolutely love this quote. In fact, I actually might make a sign just like this when I finally get my Cameo out of the box. I have been in too many fabulous situations with a crabby person that tries to bring everyone down. So it's a challenge? So what? So we are we walking down a freeway off-ramp in France looking for a hotel that we have absolutely NO idea where it is - so what? We're in France. Doesn't that make it fabulous regardless? (I have been there, done that, if you couldn't tell.)
I dare you to live by this. Life can get hard. I know that, however, we can always find a positive in any situation...even if the only positive you can find is that you can't hear my stellar singing voice while I climb ahead of you.
Happy Wednesday!
XoXo,
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
The Time I Tried To Be A Family Photag
What I learned? It's a lot harder than it looks.
I've owned my D7000 for nearly four months and I am confident it's one of the best purchases I could have made. I am starting to get all the fun features figured out...though I have yet to figure out how to do video -- any help?!?...and really having fun with it. I am always amazed on how sharp & crisp the photos are, and you want color? The D7000 delivers.
However, I will be the first admit that I am not a professional. A lot of people think that if you buy a nice camera, you can immediately take great pictures. But it's not that simple. It takes so much time and practice to really get to know your camera, let alone perfect your craft, but I do think the camera is a start and any time I can shoot pictures, I will. It's all about learning.
So when my sister asked me to do an casual family photo shoot for Christmas card photos last fall (I know...just posting about it now!?...you don't have to remind me), I hesitantly agreed.
Don't get me wrong, I was really excited. This would be a great opportunity to practice photographing people (I tend to get a lot of practice on cows, not always people) and all I needed was one good one, right? But there was that nagging voice that kept reminding me how terrible it could go. You know, the whole "I am not a professional" thing kept dragging me down.
Then I reminded myself that Cathy wasn't paying me, so I warned her a few times that it could go terribly wrong, put on my big girl shoes and did it.
Here are some of my favorites.
All in all -- it turned out pretty well! We ended up with some photos that not only will work, but also managed to capture the personalities of my niece and nephew perfectly. (Aren't they the cutest?) That's definitely the bonus of having your sister be your photographer. We didn't have too many forced smiles, managed to escape with only a half-crabby kid and got to enjoy a beautiful fall day tromping around the woods together.
I'll mark it down as a success.
Hopefully we can try it again in the spring and hopefully by the time my kiddos role around (in the far, far future), I will be aprofessional a little more confident.
By the way, a downfall (and a perk) of having a grown-up camera is all the photos you take. In less than an hour, I snapped 546 photos. WHAT?! That, friends, equals a LOT of editing.
And finally, I have no idea what settings I used to take these photos (literally, I had owned my camera for less than a month when I took the pictures), but I did do most of the editing with the help of good old PW's photoshop actions. You can download them here.
So what do you think? I'm open to friendly critiques. When I took the photos I was so frustrated with the amount of bokah in some of the photos, but luckily Cathy liked it...and unlucky for me, I haven't figured out how to come even close to the same results again. Suggestions? I am also on the lookout for a good photography book to read this winter -- let me know if you have a favorite!
XoXo,
I've owned my D7000 for nearly four months and I am confident it's one of the best purchases I could have made. I am starting to get all the fun features figured out...though I have yet to figure out how to do video -- any help?!?...and really having fun with it. I am always amazed on how sharp & crisp the photos are, and you want color? The D7000 delivers.
However, I will be the first admit that I am not a professional. A lot of people think that if you buy a nice camera, you can immediately take great pictures. But it's not that simple. It takes so much time and practice to really get to know your camera, let alone perfect your craft, but I do think the camera is a start and any time I can shoot pictures, I will. It's all about learning.
So when my sister asked me to do an casual family photo shoot for Christmas card photos last fall (I know...just posting about it now!?...you don't have to remind me), I hesitantly agreed.
Don't get me wrong, I was really excited. This would be a great opportunity to practice photographing people (I tend to get a lot of practice on cows, not always people) and all I needed was one good one, right? But there was that nagging voice that kept reminding me how terrible it could go. You know, the whole "I am not a professional" thing kept dragging me down.
Then I reminded myself that Cathy wasn't paying me, so I warned her a few times that it could go terribly wrong, put on my big girl shoes and did it.
Here are some of my favorites.
I'll mark it down as a success.
Hopefully we can try it again in the spring and hopefully by the time my kiddos role around (in the far, far future), I will be a
By the way, a downfall (and a perk) of having a grown-up camera is all the photos you take. In less than an hour, I snapped 546 photos. WHAT?! That, friends, equals a LOT of editing.
And finally, I have no idea what settings I used to take these photos (literally, I had owned my camera for less than a month when I took the pictures), but I did do most of the editing with the help of good old PW's photoshop actions. You can download them here.
So what do you think? I'm open to friendly critiques. When I took the photos I was so frustrated with the amount of bokah in some of the photos, but luckily Cathy liked it...and unlucky for me, I haven't figured out how to come even close to the same results again. Suggestions? I am also on the lookout for a good photography book to read this winter -- let me know if you have a favorite!
XoXo,
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Here's To 2013
As we welcome in 2013 (with friends and remnants of last night's fun littered all over our house), it seems impossible not to log on to the sorely forgotten Cows, Corn & Country Girls and reminisce on a really great, nearly perfect 2012.
We were blessed.
There are no other words that do 2012 justice.
We are blessed to have each other and our families who drive us to do better and love deeper. We are blessed to have friends that are there to celebrate our greatest accomplishments and build us back up when we need their support. We are lucky to have jobs that remind us that life requires work and dedication, but also provide us with the means to try new things, splurge every once and while and live comfortably. We are blessed to have a happy little home that afforded us the opportunity to explore a new community, find a dive of a bar that we love and enjoy Sunday morning coffee shops and quirky dinner dates. And we were blessed to have a year that allowed us to fall in love with each other and life even more than we thought possible.
And I fully expect 2013 to be even better.
Hopefully it will bring a vacation of a lifetime so we can finally check that honeymoon off our to-do list and if we all cross our fingers (are you crossing them?!), maybe by early summer I will be looking out our window at cows on pasture and be spending my nights checking for heat and weeding the garden. (Doesn't that sound amazing!?) Oh and another potential game changer will be a legitimate craft room where I can maybe finish a quilt or two.
2013 will likely bring a lot of cattle shows and road trips to watch our little brothers and family accomplish big things and we will spend a lot of Saturdays celebrating the weddings of our friends. We will hopefully babysit our niece and nephew a little more, have more nights relaxing with our families and find reasons to laugh until we cry. And hopefully, in between the adventures, we finally find our purposes professionally and continue to grow in our careers.
There is no doubt that there will be challenges. I hope and pray that everyone I love and everyone that they love stays safe, happy and healthy, but I know that won't always be the case, so hopefully Mark and I can find trust in God and find peace in even the most heart-breaking moments.
2012 ended with some unnecessary tragedies. My heart hurt for my friends, family and even complete strangers too many times in December. If nothing else it reminded me to love each and every person in my life to the fullest, to wear my seatbelt and stay focused on the road and cherish the life I have. Every moment is a gift.
Like every year, I hope to read a few more books, make a few new friends, reconnect with old friends, continue blogging and get high-school skinny again. Those resolutions are oldies but goodies and somehow make the list every year. Hopefully I can actually accomplish a few in 2013 (especially the high-school skinny & blogging...). But I also have a few big dreams for the year ahead. Big, scary ones. And I can't wait.
So here's to you, 2013. Let's make it a good one. I plan to love every minute.
XoXo,
We were blessed.
There are no other words that do 2012 justice.
We are blessed to have each other and our families who drive us to do better and love deeper. We are blessed to have friends that are there to celebrate our greatest accomplishments and build us back up when we need their support. We are lucky to have jobs that remind us that life requires work and dedication, but also provide us with the means to try new things, splurge every once and while and live comfortably. We are blessed to have a happy little home that afforded us the opportunity to explore a new community, find a dive of a bar that we love and enjoy Sunday morning coffee shops and quirky dinner dates. And we were blessed to have a year that allowed us to fall in love with each other and life even more than we thought possible.
 |
| {love him} |
Hopefully it will bring a vacation of a lifetime so we can finally check that honeymoon off our to-do list and if we all cross our fingers (are you crossing them?!), maybe by early summer I will be looking out our window at cows on pasture and be spending my nights checking for heat and weeding the garden. (Doesn't that sound amazing!?) Oh and another potential game changer will be a legitimate craft room where I can maybe finish a quilt or two.
2013 will likely bring a lot of cattle shows and road trips to watch our little brothers and family accomplish big things and we will spend a lot of Saturdays celebrating the weddings of our friends. We will hopefully babysit our niece and nephew a little more, have more nights relaxing with our families and find reasons to laugh until we cry. And hopefully, in between the adventures, we finally find our purposes professionally and continue to grow in our careers.
There is no doubt that there will be challenges. I hope and pray that everyone I love and everyone that they love stays safe, happy and healthy, but I know that won't always be the case, so hopefully Mark and I can find trust in God and find peace in even the most heart-breaking moments.
2012 ended with some unnecessary tragedies. My heart hurt for my friends, family and even complete strangers too many times in December. If nothing else it reminded me to love each and every person in my life to the fullest, to wear my seatbelt and stay focused on the road and cherish the life I have. Every moment is a gift.
Like every year, I hope to read a few more books, make a few new friends, reconnect with old friends, continue blogging and get high-school skinny again. Those resolutions are oldies but goodies and somehow make the list every year. Hopefully I can actually accomplish a few in 2013 (especially the high-school skinny & blogging...). But I also have a few big dreams for the year ahead. Big, scary ones. And I can't wait.
So here's to you, 2013. Let's make it a good one. I plan to love every minute.
XoXo,
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Celebrating The Birthday Boy!
My hubby turns 27 today!
Happy, Happy Birthday to him!
He's my absolutely very favorite & I am lucky to have him! Now off to wrap some presents and spoil him... :)
Happy, Happy Birthday to him!
He's my absolutely very favorite & I am lucky to have him! Now off to wrap some presents and spoil him... :)
Monday, November 12, 2012
CCC Christmas Wish List | Sweet Auburn Studio Goodies
It's never to early for a Christmas list, right?
Let me start this post with a disclaimer. I really don't NEED anything for Christmas this year. I am blessed in a lot of ways and being a grown up with a really great husband has allowed me the discretionary money to buy something if I need it (or occasionally even if I don't need it, but I convince myself it is a good deal.). I am really pretty lucky. With that said, it's still fun to dream and gather a list of really pretty things I wouldn't mind having, right?
So, with that in mind, I decided I am going to put together a weekly blog post highlighting some fancy little things I think any girl would love, from now until Christmas. Last year I did a Pinterest list, but that got really confusing for my non-Pinterest addicted husband and Mom (I know, how is it possible that anyone is not addicted?), so this year, I am going to share my wishlist on a platform they understand. And, hopefully along the way, you can pick up some new ideas as well!
So without further adieu, I present to you the most beautiful bracelets from Sweet Auburn Studio. What girl wouldn't love one of these?
And even though this might be too simple for some of you, this sweet bracelet would go perfect with my favorite earrings that I ordered off etsy last year. I know big, bold jewelry is in, but at $10, it would make a fabulous stocking stuffer or a simple gift for a friend. Plus, you could also consider ordering more than one. :)
What do you think of the Sweet Auburn goodies? And do you have a favorite (or your own) Etsy store that I should browse? I will be back next Monday with some more pretty little things for your Christmas wish list!
XoXo,
Let me start this post with a disclaimer. I really don't NEED anything for Christmas this year. I am blessed in a lot of ways and being a grown up with a really great husband has allowed me the discretionary money to buy something if I need it (or occasionally even if I don't need it, but I convince myself it is a good deal.). I am really pretty lucky. With that said, it's still fun to dream and gather a list of really pretty things I wouldn't mind having, right?
So, with that in mind, I decided I am going to put together a weekly blog post highlighting some fancy little things I think any girl would love, from now until Christmas. Last year I did a Pinterest list, but that got really confusing for my non-Pinterest addicted husband and Mom (I know, how is it possible that anyone is not addicted?), so this year, I am going to share my wishlist on a platform they understand. And, hopefully along the way, you can pick up some new ideas as well!
So without further adieu, I present to you the most beautiful bracelets from Sweet Auburn Studio. What girl wouldn't love one of these?
I am having an internal debate on what I would have engraved, but I am set on the coral color. It's just gorgeous.
And even though this might be too simple for some of you, this sweet bracelet would go perfect with my favorite earrings that I ordered off etsy last year. I know big, bold jewelry is in, but at $10, it would make a fabulous stocking stuffer or a simple gift for a friend. Plus, you could also consider ordering more than one. :)
What do you think of the Sweet Auburn goodies? And do you have a favorite (or your own) Etsy store that I should browse? I will be back next Monday with some more pretty little things for your Christmas wish list!
XoXo,
Friday, November 9, 2012
H54F | November 9th
Happy Friday!
I am definitely looking forward to the weekend. It's going to be full of old-friends, my husband and Christmas crafts. Perfect in my book.
By the way, remember yesterday when I was so excited about making all my Christmas gifts? Then I made a list and got really scared. I have a lot of freaking stuff to do. Say goodbye to lunch breaks and lazy Sundays...
Anyway, every Friday, I like to celebrate the little things that made my week exciting by linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk for her High Five For Friday post. And there is a lot to celebrate this week!
1. One Year Anniversary
2. FBO Cheese Cave - Let me introduce you to The Cheese Cave. It's a little slice of heaven hidden in downtown Faribault. We've stopped in a few times before, but our visit last night was the best by far. I love it because the food is delicious, the wine is local, they have our favorite beer, plus the cheese gives France a run for its money even though it's made right down the road in the caves of Faribault.
3. FBO Beer Lovers Unite - Have I ever told you that I really, really like good beer? No mixed drinks or girly cocktails for this girl, I usually stick to beer (preferably dark) or really good red wine. In fact, one of my 101 in 1001 goals is to complete an Old Chicago beer tour. So, when we found out Faribault has an Unsettled Ale Society that gets together once a month to dabble in beer tasting, I almost died and went to heaven. Faribault, you really have been impressing me lately.
4. Weekend - Can I be thankful for something that is yet to come? Regardless of your answer, I am looking forward to this weekend. I have a date with my craft room and a brunch planned with my high school classmates. Plus, if my husband manages to not shoot a deer this weekend, my fears of eating venison can be laid to rest for another 365 days.
5. Crazy Good Gap Day - If you know anything about me, you know I have an obsession with Gap clothing. On any given day, you can find me wearing something Gap. It's partially because I had that ridiculously great discount card (read about that here) for a year, and partially because of days like I had this week when I walk away with impossibly good deals. By the way, Friends & Family event is this weekend -- 40% off your whole purchase. I wonder if I can convince Mark that I need to go again?
What are you thankful for this week? If you are linking up for H54F, share your post in the comments!
Have a great weekend!
I am definitely looking forward to the weekend. It's going to be full of old-friends, my husband and Christmas crafts. Perfect in my book.
By the way, remember yesterday when I was so excited about making all my Christmas gifts? Then I made a list and got really scared. I have a lot of freaking stuff to do. Say goodbye to lunch breaks and lazy Sundays...
Anyway, every Friday, I like to celebrate the little things that made my week exciting by linking up with Lauren at From My Grey Desk for her High Five For Friday post. And there is a lot to celebrate this week!
1. One Year Anniversary
 |
| {You can read all about it here.} |
 | ||
| {via} |
4. Weekend - Can I be thankful for something that is yet to come? Regardless of your answer, I am looking forward to this weekend. I have a date with my craft room and a brunch planned with my high school classmates. Plus, if my husband manages to not shoot a deer this weekend, my fears of eating venison can be laid to rest for another 365 days.
5. Crazy Good Gap Day - If you know anything about me, you know I have an obsession with Gap clothing. On any given day, you can find me wearing something Gap. It's partially because I had that ridiculously great discount card (read about that here) for a year, and partially because of days like I had this week when I walk away with impossibly good deals. By the way, Friends & Family event is this weekend -- 40% off your whole purchase. I wonder if I can convince Mark that I need to go again?
What are you thankful for this week? If you are linking up for H54F, share your post in the comments!
Have a great weekend!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Ridiculous Thoughts For A Thursday - Christmas, Apples, & Elections
I have a few fun blog posts in the work for next week, but for now, let's keep this simple.
Here are the completely random thoughts running through my brain today. Enjoy?!
1. I am listening to Christmas music as I type this. And I am not ashamed one little bit.
2. And speaking of Christmas, I am so excited to start making Christmas gifts. Yup, you read that right, my goal is to make every Christmas gift this year. Totally unrealistic, but still trying...
3. Yesterday, my blood was boiling all day over the ridiculous Facebook & Twitter posts over the election. Where did the days of not talking about politics go? And since when did Facebook become a venue where we should say things we would never actually voice out loud in real life?
And on the same note, did anyone notice that this ridiculous social media backlash was somewhat generational? I remember when my Mom & Dad would come home from the polls and refuse to tell us who they voted for it because it was a personal decision for them. Clearly, my generation decided their political beliefs were public, and if someone didn't believe the same as them, they should "unfriend them," "unfollow them" or spew hate at them. And maybe it's the PR professional in me, but I would refuse to hire you for any job if you posted such offensive tweets/posts that I could publicly see.
4. On to a more positive discussion, we put our apple peeler/corer (one of our favorite wedding gifts) to good use this week. Two batches of homemade apple sauce in the crockpot and apple crisp -- yum!
And I learned that I should probably stick to being in charge of grocery shopping from here on out. I sent my husband to grab some quick-cooking oats and nutmeg for our Betty Crocker apple crisp recipe. First, he called me in panic looking for the oats - I am nearly positive he was looking for oats like we feed our cattle - and then he came home with Maple Brown Sugar instant oatmeal packages. And he forgot the nutmeg.
Oh well, we needed a laugh, and it still worked!
5. Last, how long is it acceptable to leave pumpkins on your front step? I am fully intending to leave ours out until Thanksgiving. Too long!? I plan on giving Thanksgiving all the attention it deserves this year so I am refusing to put up Christmas decorations up until November 23rd. However, that does not mean I am not making new Christmas pillows tonight....while listening to Christmas music (if they made Thanksgiving music, I would listen to that, I promise).
And that's enough torture for one day, but feel free to add any and all (as long as they are appropriate and don't spew any more election hate) random thoughts of your own in the comments. See you tomorrow for a High Five For Friday!
Happy Thursday!
Here are the completely random thoughts running through my brain today. Enjoy?!
1. I am listening to Christmas music as I type this. And I am not ashamed one little bit.
2. And speaking of Christmas, I am so excited to start making Christmas gifts. Yup, you read that right, my goal is to make every Christmas gift this year. Totally unrealistic, but still trying...
3. Yesterday, my blood was boiling all day over the ridiculous Facebook & Twitter posts over the election. Where did the days of not talking about politics go? And since when did Facebook become a venue where we should say things we would never actually voice out loud in real life?
And on the same note, did anyone notice that this ridiculous social media backlash was somewhat generational? I remember when my Mom & Dad would come home from the polls and refuse to tell us who they voted for it because it was a personal decision for them. Clearly, my generation decided their political beliefs were public, and if someone didn't believe the same as them, they should "unfriend them," "unfollow them" or spew hate at them. And maybe it's the PR professional in me, but I would refuse to hire you for any job if you posted such offensive tweets/posts that I could publicly see.
4. On to a more positive discussion, we put our apple peeler/corer (one of our favorite wedding gifts) to good use this week. Two batches of homemade apple sauce in the crockpot and apple crisp -- yum!
And I learned that I should probably stick to being in charge of grocery shopping from here on out. I sent my husband to grab some quick-cooking oats and nutmeg for our Betty Crocker apple crisp recipe. First, he called me in panic looking for the oats - I am nearly positive he was looking for oats like we feed our cattle - and then he came home with Maple Brown Sugar instant oatmeal packages. And he forgot the nutmeg.
Oh well, we needed a laugh, and it still worked!
5. Last, how long is it acceptable to leave pumpkins on your front step? I am fully intending to leave ours out until Thanksgiving. Too long!? I plan on giving Thanksgiving all the attention it deserves this year so I am refusing to put up Christmas decorations up until November 23rd. However, that does not mean I am not making new Christmas pillows tonight....while listening to Christmas music (if they made Thanksgiving music, I would listen to that, I promise).
And that's enough torture for one day, but feel free to add any and all (as long as they are appropriate and don't spew any more election hate) random thoughts of your own in the comments. See you tomorrow for a High Five For Friday!
Happy Thursday!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Happily Ever After 367 Days Later
On Monday, we celebrated our first official anniversary.
It was a big deal for two reasons:
1. It was our first anniversary as husband and wife.
2. It was our first "official" anniversary as a couple.
Can you believe we never had an official start date? (I will tell my someday daughters to get it in writing.) For the last eight years, I have just convinced him to like me a little more during the month we started dating. And/or my best friend would nicely remind us every county fair of our first "date" in the beef tent.
I found out that I clearly have been missing out. My husband is good at anniversaries. I am glad we officially have one on the calendar for rest of our lives. :)
Monday was low-key, but perfect. It involved a breakfast date before work, Italian takeout for supper, a bottle of French wine that I saved for our wedding night that someone forgot to bring to the wedding, homemade apple crisp, wedding pictures, year-old cow cookies, Gossip Girl and a really terrible movie to watch on your anniversary. Thanks to"What To Expect When You're Expecting," we now have no plans to expect anything any time soon.
1. It was our first anniversary as husband and wife.
2. It was our first "official" anniversary as a couple.
Can you believe we never had an official start date? (I will tell my someday daughters to get it in writing.) For the last eight years, I have just convinced him to like me a little more during the month we started dating. And/or my best friend would nicely remind us every county fair of our first "date" in the beef tent.
I found out that I clearly have been missing out. My husband is good at anniversaries. I am glad we officially have one on the calendar for rest of our lives. :)
 |
| {small town USA breakfast. Everyone there was regular, breakfast was cheap and the service was fabulous.} |
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| {Augusto's & a bottle of wine I brought home from France for supper.} |
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| {Just so you know, year-old sugar cookies aren't good, even if they are your wedding cow cookies.} |
And by the way, I just realized I NEVER posted about my wedding. I will have to work on that, but until then, here are some of my favorite photos. By the way, my photos were done by Jeff Loves Jessica -- an amazing husband/wife photography duo.
I am pretty blessed. That's all.
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