babies. babies. and some more.

it seems like everyone in the blog world (that i read almost daily) and in my world is pregnant or recently had a baby.  so many babies due soon in our life group.... and i'm pretty excited about it.  michael will be done with school in the spring... i'm just sayin'...  the thought has crossed my mind a couple of times. ;)

enough baby talk.

i finally got to hang out with my dear friend, crystal (who is not preggo). i just love that girl.  and kadi is a pretty big fan too.

photo from a couple of years ago.

i'm not a fan of michael's night classes. sitting here watching tv without him just isn't the same.

this is a completely random post... but i kind of feel like this is how my head has been all day long. thinking about so many different things.

i keep having dreams (as in we live there and it's decorated SO adorable.) about the house we ALMOST tried to buy. that house was so cute. it's perfect in my dreams. but, in real life: the kitchen was tiny, the basement leaked water, it was a one car garage, the closet space was lacking, it was a short sale. it was top of our budget. it wasn't for us.

birthday week...

i mentioned that my darling little niece is about to turn five.  so, i was looking back at pictures of her as a baby and she's not changed too much.... (HA) except for now she has long-curly hair, a princess attitude, and lots of random songs she sings and things she says. she's very.... creative.  but, one thing has not changed.  she still makes this face:

by the way...

i deleted a post i wrote last week.  i felt like it was weighing on me to do so...i felt like i was being a downer and this is, after-all, just a blog about my life.... not my life.  thanks for reading friends! :)

little reminders.

‎

my friend anna.

"Look at the birds of the air; 

they do not sow or reap or stow away in barns, 

and yet your Heavenly father feeds them. 

Are you not much more valuable than they?

 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

 Matt. 6:26 & 27

i was reminded of this verse today by a sweet lady that is awaiting the final stages of adopting a little girl, daia.

i needed this verse today.

oh deer!

i love stealing pictures from my sister of these two.  (i blame her for the poor quality:)) anyways, it's almost miss kadi mae's birthday week.  she'll be five. FIVE. i can't believe it.

4 simple goals: to a healthier, happier me.

1.  Drink more water.
2. Walk/run Millie every single day (weather permitting).
3. Start yoga.
4. Get enough sleep.

i'm doing these goals to feel better and healthier.  a lot of days i feel tired and drag somewhat, but i know it's lack of sleep and what i'm taking in.  i'm a fan of soda... it just tastes so good. i've already limited my intake of pop so now i need to increase water.....and fruits/veggies fall right into this because i hear there's a good amount of water in them.  millie and i both could use the extra exercise and hopefully i'll have the energy to run with her more when i get enough sleep.  i've never attempted yoga.  the thought really hasn't ever crossed my mind.  i've done other workouts and even turbo jam, but something about yoga sounds relaxing, peaceful and just what i need.  any tips?

goals inspired by elsie.  i'll probably be doing a couple of other areas in my life too in a later post.  :)

house arrest.

basically for the next two days i'm under house arrest.  millie did great with her surgery yesterday, but she been pretty loopy and i can tell she's in some pain.  she's been so calm... it's kind of strange.  we pulled her huge crate into the living room and i slept on the couch to keep an eye on her.  it was the very first night michael and i haven't slept in the same bed since we got married.  but, i'm glad i did because she was whiney and pulled the towel off in the middle of the night.  the secretary at the vet scared me a little because she explained what could happen if she pulled the stitches out.  anyways, she looks a little something like this:

we plan on taking lots of little naps and watching some movies.  

i read this post on sometimes sweet and it's got a lot of good, true stuff in it.  it's probably some things i need to hear as i'm still in my early-ish 20's (i'll be 24 in october.) 

fall is my most favorite.

picture taken last year.

life is getting crazy again. michael started classes on monday and he's been one busy boy.  millie is at the vet today so we won't have any millie puppies.  i have lots of cleaning/laundry piling up from working 24 hours in the past 2 days.  BUT, this weather.  oh my goodness.  we slept with the windows open last night and it was glorious.  i'm ready for labor day weekend.  mostly because my husband will have a little break and we're going to my parents for a day or two....which means i can ride my horse.  i'm thankful for this time... so i'm not wishing it away, but this fall like weather is making me so excited for oatmeal in the mornings, hot tea, cardigans, pumpkins, mums, and silver dollar city in the fall.  oh, and my birthday.  fall is my most favorite.  this pretty much sums up my love for fall in pictures.

anyone have any good movie recommendations? we got netflix and it seems like we keep getting action/blow up movies in the mail.  i need a good romantic comedy or major chick flick.

happy birthday to my big brother!

this guy is hilarious.  he's kind of loud and the best big brother.  i need to go to dallas more to see him (and go to ikea :)) he's 9 years older than me, so he's getting to be an old man.  his oldest will be 10 soon.  it doesn't seem possible.  LOVE YOU brother.

oh, and you can imagine football season with us. michael (my brother), and my dad love the cowboys.   michael (my husband) and my dad-in-law love the chiefs.

a beautiful exchange.

time to purge.

source

i've decided it's time to clear out the closet.  there are sooo many clothes i never wear and, to be honest, probably never will.  i try them on and then immediately take them off.  my "style" is slowly changing as i get older.  i don't mind it, but i want a whole new wardrobe sometimes (ok most of the time).  today i will clean out our closet and clear out our spare closets.  i already have a pile for a garage sale and by the end of today i think it will grow.

i feel like i need to "purge" on other things too.  maybe no more dr pepper... or spending less time on my computer and more time outside as the weather cools down.  do you have anything you'd like to say buh-bye to?

sweet millie.

we welcomed millie into our home the end of april.  tonight i was looking through pictures on michael's phone and saw some pictures of her when she was soooo little!  i haven't weighed her lately, but i'm positive she weighs a lot more than the 12 lbs she did back when we first got her.  we're hoping she's under 51 lbs or her surgery (we won't be having any millie puppies) she's having next thursday will be more expensive.  she's one smart pup and we love having her in our little family. :)

HAPPY FRIDAY!

(picture i took of my friend, anna, on my horse, fancy)

today i have the urge to ride my horse (but she's an hour & a half away so i probably won't) and chop my hair off.  i always miss it when i cut it short.  and by short... i mean short. my husband is all for it, so i might just do it.

jessica stroup's kinda my hair inspiration at the moment.

dinner with the gordon's.

we've decided we need to have more dinner parties.  we've decided we need to have friends over more, just in general.  however.... i think i might need to teach my husband a thing or two first.


we eat pretty unhealthy dinners on the days i work (luckily only 2-3 times a week).  working from 6:30 in the morning until 7 at night is TIRING.  so, when i get home i don't exactly feel like cooking or even thinking about what to eat.  michael tries to help out from time to time.  tuesday night he decided sloppy joes and fries sounded good.  i come home from work and see him at the stove through the window.... so cute.  he tells me he has it under control and by the time i get out of the shower it will be done.  i said, "are you sure?" and he said "i think i can handle sloppy joes" and then i said (knowing he forgot something) "where's the meat?" and he said "OH MAN."  it was quite funny and adorable.  then, last night he called and said to pick up chinese.  so i didn't argue.  we were eating (on tv trays in front of the television i KNOW it's terrible) and before i knew it michael's whole thing of chicken fried rice was in his lap.  rice everywhere.  i ended up vacuuming him with our wonderful little vacuum.  i was laughing so hard and he wasn't.

we're having a LOT of people over soon.... to watch a football game.  so, i wake up this morning and see post-it notes everywhere of things michael wants to do in the house before our guests come over.  funny man.

football & fall... i'm excited.

now i have to go clean up a muddy, stinky dog.

happy birthdays.

it seems like SO many of my family members have a birthday around this time.

amber (sister-in-law)   & justin (cousin): august 14
coy (brother): august 15
mark (dad-in-law) & kadin (cousin): august 16

that's FIVE birthdays in three days. goodness.  we were cheap this year and bought michael's dad a pin (he collects them) from a museum in kc and we bought my brother car air fresheners because he just got a new car.

so, happy birthday everyone!  love you all!

yesterday we went to church (early because michael played drums), then drove to joplin for coy's party at red lobster, then went to my dad's office for cake/ice cream, then drove back to springfield a couple of hours later for mark's birthday party where we had yummy fajita's and more cake/ice cream.

his "healthy" cake.

our grandparents :)

(the usual) big sister saying:  stop being so goofy.

it only takes about an hour from joplin to springfield but we were TIRED.  and millie was HYPER (we let her out between events).  so, today i'm taking it easy with millie and hoping i'll have some good news later. :)

away we go.

chad, sean and my handsome husband.

the wedding was lovely and it was so good to be around friends!  michael got to hang out with all the guys from the band. skyler and i always have a fun time just talking.  and i am a horrible person because i didn't take one single picture of the bride and groom.

after the wedding we hung out with the watsons and watched "away we go".... it was a neat movie, but was a little dirty and dropped the f-bomb frequently.  so, i wouldn't highly recommend it.  their apartment is adorable though and it was fun to be around those two.  skyler:  we NEED to hang out more!

it was a good (but exhausting) weekend.... a wedding and two birthday parties.  i think it's bedtime. :)

a wedding day!

CONGRATS to our friends Dave & Julieanne!  today is their wedding day.  we are so blessed by these two! last night at their rehearsal they had this verse on the table:

  

 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;

 bind them around you neck,

 write them on the tablet of your heart.

 Then you will win favor and a good name

 in the sight of God and man.

                                    Proverbs 3:3 (niv)

such a good reminder for marriage!



i also like today because.....i get to see my husband in a tux.  he's going to look so hot. ;)

i love weddings.

laundry soap.

i made my own laundry detergent today.  my friend skyler has done it since she got married. it's been good to her for over a year and she has saved SO much money.. so i thought it was about time to try it for myself. go here to see how it's done.  i'll let you know how my load of laundry goes tonight! :)

***UPDATE:  my clothes smell wonderful and fresh.  i'm happy.

it's ok to be lazy.

we were pretty lazy yesterday. it was just what we needed. things are about to get crazy around here again.  michael's fall classes will be starting soon, he's starting a new position at work (which we are both very excited about), and i'm going to be taking a fun class on monday nights (which i'm pretty excited about) plus job hunting.  i'm blessed to have lots of breaks and some down time to do as i please, but michael has been going to school non-stop full time (he took fall, Jan-term, spring AND summer classes) and working full time so he NEEDED that break.  he'll be done with his marketing degree in the spring and i'm a proud little wife!  he may be finishing a little after he would have liked to... but i'm super glad he traveled with the band (time of favor) or i may have never met my drummer boy.

our surprise when we came home was this painting from michael's mom: 

our monday

ok, this is the final post of our mini-vaca!

we spent monday at worlds of fun, but probably should have chose oceans of fun because it was HOT outside and pretty miserable.  good thing there are mist fans and a couple of water rides at worlds of fun.  i love roller-coasters, however, i tend to get motion sickness on a select few rides...... i forgot this one tornado-like ride got me every single time i've been on it.  it was the third one we got on.  so, i was pretty much done for the rest of the day.  i was a good sport and rode a couple more, but when i started to feel like i could pass out.... i was reaaally done.  poor husband rode a few on his own. we had some dip&dots...which made things a little better, got a funny cartoon drawn of us...it doesn't really resemble us BUT it was fun.  michael isn't a fan of the long neck.  it was (for the most part) a fun day, but i was happy to be heading home!  we got a surprise when we arrived home!! i'll share later on that.


i PROMISE i've done other things besides blog today.  michael goes back to work tomorrow (booo) so today we took it pretty easy.  we relaxed by his parents neighborhood pool and watched some hilarious kids make up fun games, went grocery shopping (i loooove going to the store with him because then i'm not all by myself), and even stopped at an antique store up the street.  the rest of the day was spent playing with millie, eating chick-fil-a, sitting around on our computers, eating pizza, and watching "old dogs" (funny, but kinda cheesy).

tomorrow i get to spend part of the day with the lovely miss anna kicker!  i love friend time!

our sunday

sunday was our day, 8.8 :)  we had a nice breakfast, visited a park, had lunch at baja 600, went to another museum, had some pool time, saw michael's aunt, uncle and cousins, and ate at pf changs.  it was a lovely day.

p.s.  i'm starting to save for a new camera... any suggestions?

our saturday.

we stayed at the intercontinental hotel on the plaza.  we took a walk to the plaza pretty early....nothing was open yet, so i guess we thought it was a good idea to dance with the sculptures?  then, we shopped until we thought our bank account said we should probably stop.  (side note:  neither of us are really big spenders... we like to save our money) we had some kc bbq (fantastic) and then went to a world war I museum.  he was excited.  i tried to be a good sport.  i did like the lovely flowers as we walked across the floor.  michael's sister gave us a gift card for christmas to the movies, but it didn't work here so we went to the movies and saw "dinner with the schmucks".  anyone seen it yet??  it was funny, but it was the type that made me mad because everyone just goes wrong!  we watched it in style though (recliners, dinner, waitress, etc) and it was kind of fun.  we don't have theaters like that in springfield!  it was a fun day.


by the way, my puppy doesn't really look like a puppy anymore.... she's getting biiiiig.

mini-vaca

we had a fun 4 day weekend away.  we celebrated our first year of marriage in kansas city on the plaza.  my husband was super sweet the entire time (not that he's not always sweet, but he was extra sweet.)  the first year of marriage is said to be tough by some, but we pretty much came to the conclusion it was cake and we hope every continues to get better and better.  we lived downtown, then we bought a house, we got a dog and made her our baby, he got a promotion, i've discovered more of what i'd like to do with my life, we became friends with a lot of married "folk" and we both grew together and as individauls and, most importantly, in Christ. i'm telling you:  it was a gooood year.

sorry for the PDA in advance... clearly, we're in love.

he's such a funny, funny man.