new look

Hi friends, happy weekend to each of you.... 

Pardon the mess around here, I am slowly installing a {beautifully fabulous} new look around here.  Hope to have it all complete by Monday, so hopefully you'll find it even prettier then.  In the meantime, close your eyes.... we'll be refreshed and ready soon!

XO

...and the award goes to...

I love blog awards.  No lie, it's like you have a real prize, only it's in the form of a digital promotion :) 

I would like to thank the academy, my fellow cast members and of course my supportive husband.

Oh wait, not that kind of award.  A girl can still dream, dadgummit!!

Seriously THANK YOU to adorable dew + olive  for selecting me as a recipient of not just one, but two awards: the Seven x Seven award and the Liebster Award!!  I hope I do you proud!

For the 7x7 Award I have to share 7 facts about myself, link to 7 blog entries and nominate 7 other bloggers.

 The Liebster Award requires the following:
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them.
2. Post the award to your blog.
3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you appreciate and value.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.

I am going to combine my award recipients, which may be cheating but I don't think the award police will find me...btw, Liebster is German for 'favorite'...I had to Google that one! 

Let's get started....

Seven Facts About Me:

1. I love flying and hate landing.  I brace for impact every. single. time.
2. I ration out any treats of candy I eat to match or come under the serving size, except when eating Haribo gummy bears, at which point I somehow forget how to count to 732 pieces. 
3. I sing really loudly and with great passion in the car and often get busted by fellow drivers.  
4. I want a tattoo and just haven't found the guts to do it...yet.
5. I cry easily over sweet/sappy things...I cry at the Hallmark commercials, for crying out loud...I cried when I was cheering on some half marathoners last weekend....I cry when I see my nieces and nephews smiling at me...I am my mother's daughter.
6. I can't go to sleep before 11:30, sometimes even 12:00, no matter how sleepy I am! 
7. Fonts are one of my favorite things to look at online.  What can I say, I am a sucker for pretty cursive, fun print and everything in between!  I think a font can say so much about a person! 

Seven Blog Entries:

1. Monday musings and why i cant seem to focus
2. Love is [color] blind
3. 30 before 30
4.  Honeymoon!
5. 30-day challenge, the final post 
6. The Big Apple & Newlywed Game!
7. Pure Joy

And now my sweet fellow bloggers to whom I am awarding these back to: 

1. Lauren at Better With Freckles  
2. Leigh at All You Need Is Love
3. Brynn at Wicked Sweet Tea
4. Chrissi at B&C and Baby Makes 3
5. Elizabeth at Burfitt Beginnings
6. Ashley at Hutson Happenings
7. Katherine at ps, i love you

Have fun, and thanks again Julia! 

30 before 30

Some people look at turning 30 as a bad thing.  I happen to be very excited about embarking on my 30's in less than 18 months...It will certainly be, as Tim McGraw said, the ending of an era and the turning of a page.  In preparation for this forthcoming milestone, I have created a personal 30 before 30 list.  Some of these have been on my "want to do" list for a while, and some have been added after spending way too much time pondering life while looking out the window of an airplane.  Regardless of when I decided I wanted to do or accomplish these things, they all make up a very random and extensive list of things I need to get started on.  You will see some are already crossed off, and that is simply because I have been able to tackle them in the last year, when I actually began to dream this little goal up.  I look forward to sharing my progress with you.....

1. Go to Las Vegas
2. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
3. Learn new ways to frost a cupcake (I sure do love me some cupcakes and frosting!!!)
4. Drive up [at least a portion of] the West coast
5. Walk to the top of Stone Mountain (hard to believe, as a native Atlantan, that I have never done this)
6. Become a mom
7. Take a cooking class
8. Move
9. Keep a plant alive 6 months, without the green-thumbed help of BL
10. Ride on a motorcycle
11. Fly a kite
12. Get my mile time down under 9 minutes, consistently
13. Go to a foreign country with BL
14. Snow Ski
15. Volunteer regularly for a cause I believe in
16. Do a big random act of kindness
17. Meet at least one blog friend in person
18. Read the entire Bible
19. See the Grand Canyon
20. [begin to] Learn French again
21. Get to the next level at work
22. See Celine Dion or Adele sing in person (both would be amazeballs but I will gladly take one)
23. Write out our love story
24. Go to Seattle
25. Run another half marathon
26. Learn something new
27. Enhance my blog and expand my reach
28. Become a better coupon user
29. Take dance lessons
30. Be on a game show (I have already done this once, but would love to again!!)

....and here goes nothing....let the fun begin!

 

Guess What...?

Some random/surprising/brain-dumping thoughts on a Monday evening....

My husband was camping this weekend in these crazy storms with my dad, brothers and brother-in law.  I am still thanking God that the boys all made it back safe & sound!

I am also just thrilled that my husband loves my family so much that he actually wants to go on guys trips with them.  I believe that says a lot about how cool my family is the bond of family!

I am about to travel more for work than I have in a long time....  I am going to miss my bed, my pup, my coffee maker, and most of all my sweet BL.  So many trips in such a short period of time?!  Buckle your seat belts, friends, it's going to be a wild ride!  ...ps, I am happy they are all short trips, but still too much time away...

Also a random thought, I am so thrilled that all of these Delta flights will help get us on vacation this year!  Thank you, SKYMILES!!  I guess there is a perk to this travel, after all!

Last but not least....

I chopped my hair off....I actually surprised myself by my bravery at taking so many inches off & I am so happy I did it!

I hope you have a wonderful week ahead!  Choose happiness friends, and make it a great week!