MIA but Thankful

Lets be honest, I am obviously not meant to be a blogger. I don't post ever, I get on binges when I post a ton, then I am MIA for days, weeks sometimes months. This is why I wasn't an English major... I don't like to write. It makes me nervous.  Best part? I know this!! I don't try and act like I am a good blogger or that I am motivated to keep up with it.  But you know what I am good at? Being Thankful. I have always been a person that knows I have, and I am thankful for the little things.  Hence... Thanksgiving day... a list of being Thankful 

Top 6 things I am Thankful for

6. My friends. When I went to send my "Happy Thanksgiving" text message today, I said that I would only send it to people I had talked to recently and was already in my text messages... that was almost 14 people. I have some amazing friends that I talk to on a daily basis, as well as people that I may only talk to every once and a while that I love and know are there for me. 

5.  My upbringing. I know that this entails a ton of things. But I was blessed with a mom and dad that wanted me to have things that they didn't have. I got to experience things that people only dream about. 

4. My brother. We have never been the best of friends, but I know my loves me and is always there for me. I hope that one day we can become better friends. 

3.  Blue. My cat. Yes- I am thankful for my cat. I got her in a time when I struggled with who I was, and the things going on around me. She was a therapist during late nights, she was my confidant when I wanted to laugh about dumb things, and when I am sick or crying- she is right there cuddling with me. 

2. My Job. I may not like my job, or really ever want to be there. BUT I am thankful to have a job that is flexible at times and has thought me to become a leader 

1. My Marriage. I was blessed to meet and marry a man that is wonderful to me. If you know me, I never thought I would get married. I never thought I'd find someone who would love me for me. He does that and more. I can't put into words my love for this man. 

I hope that you are thankful for the people and things in your lives. With out them.. what is your day made of? 

here is a funny to end the post with. I asked my brother to take a picture of my husband and I. I said "Can you make me look skinny?" this is what I got. Thanks JC. 

Random photos

As I have mentioned before, I have been trying to take more photos and working in a program to edit them. I am not very good. I am having a hard time learning the difference in ISO and all the specific settings. But hey- I am doing something that is different. I am hoping that for Christmas or my birthday I will get a book on photography and some tutorials. In the mean time, here are several photos I have that I like.

 what do ya'll think? Any advice or suggestions?

5 on Friday

I love 5 one Fridays. I am not sure why I don't do them more often. I Linked up with Natasha from Hello! Happiness for another rendition of 5 on Friday.

{one} Love the weather
The weather here in north Houston has been pretty marvelous this past week or so. I think it is safe to say that Fall is here and hopefully here to stay for a while. I just wish it would drop about another 10 degrees in the day and evening, and it would be perfection!

{two} Football Friday
Football season for the highschool is starting to come to an end. We are still in the contention of play offs. With a new coach this year, a playoff spot would mean a ton for his credibility. So lets see what happens with these last 4 games of the year :)

{three}Nothing
Yep, that is what I have planned for this weekend. Absolutely NOTHING. No alarm set for Saturday morning, no agenda, no must have's. Just a weekend of want to's. If I want to get out of my PJ's I will, if not, PJ's it is for the day :)

{four} Shake it off
That stupid, yes stupid, Taylor Shift song Shake It Off is stuck in my head. It has an insanely catchy beat and just keeps playing over and over in my head. I wish I was tech savvy enough to be able to put a clip of the song in here. But I have NO idea how to do that.

{five} Last but not least.... Randomness
I have my wedding photos on my work computer as my screen saver, so I randomly catch pictures that I didn't remember seeing when I first got my photos. The ONE thing that I notice more than anything, I was a freaking sap at my wedding that and I have one ugly face when I cry. LOL

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Several Days..

Instead of doing a daily update of my October photo challenge, I decided to do a weekly update. In hopes that I will actually complete this one.

Here is the challenge...

{one} a selfie

Granted this was NOT from October 1st.  But it is a selfie

{two} fall leaves 

We don't really get fall leaves here. So I found the next closet thing. 

{three}night sky 

Usually I get a night sky picture before kick off of Football, but I was working Volleyball that evening so I ran outside and got this picture. Turned out to be a much prettier sky than I thought

{four} handwriting.... I failed miserable with this one. I tried and couldn't find anything for handwriting. oopps 

{five} make up

Look at that make up!! This guy is famous for the Houston Texans. We saw him at a tailgate in Arlington for the Texans/Cowboys game

{six} addiction - My addiction is completely of taking pictures of the sky. I do it all the time. My instagram is filled of pictures of the sky. 

I will add more probably next week. Hope everyone is having a great week!

Fall Bucket List

Yes,  I stole this from Kayla at My King of Yellow It is such a great idea!! Plus, If you haven't read her blog, go do it!! I am just one of those crazy stalker blog ladies. I have never met her, but I know we would be friends if we met.

1. Which will obviously happen... Decorate our house. I bought new stuff at the end of last year's Halloween and I am excited to put it out.

2. Decorate our yard for our Halloween Party. I have never done this, so it should be interesting. Any good ideas? My parents threw great Halloween parties when we lived overseas. My mom said she would help me come up with some ideas and would go thru old pictures to see what she can find.

3. Carve pumpkins with my husband. Last year we didn't carve any, so I am hoping this year we can get around to doing it

4. Complete a October Photo Challenge... USING my husbands big camera.
This is the one I am going to do....


 

5. Try 3 pumpkin flavored dishes. I have NEVER tried anything Pumpkin. It scares me. Yet I LOVE the smell of pumpkins

6. Have a Fall inspired double date night. I think picking pumpkins, or going to a fall festival. Something like that would be exciting to do.

7. Cook a dish for Thanksgiving Dinner that is new and different.

I came up with 7. How many items do you have on your Fall Bucket List?

It is....

OCTOBER 1ST!!!!! 

This is by far the best time of the year. I like to call them the BER months and they are officially here!!!  I woke up today with a smile on face and ready to start decorating, which will have to wait till after work today.

Anthony got down my Halloween boxes 2 weekends ago, and I think I have gone through  them 20 times already, but have left them in the garage. Today.. they will  make their way into the house and things will go up on the walls!! Today and tomorrow will be shorter days at work, which means I will have more time at home to decorate. We will be out of town this weekend so I need to get it done sooner rather than later.

This also means, I get to go buy Halloween candy for our neighbors. I wont be able to to trick or treat/hand out candy this year though :( We have a varsity football game that on actual Halloween night, so I plan on giving some candy to our neighbors kids before hand. Also, welcome in the new family that  moved in down the street last weekend.

Does everyone else really just love Halloween and these next couple months? or is it just me?


Have a great day!!

5 on Friday

I like list. So I love 5 for Fridays and since it is our bye week at work, I actually have time to think today!! 

{one}

I am wearing a pair of wind pants that I got while in college. I put them on this morning and they still fit. Amazing, except I remember now why I don't wear them. The inside of them are itchy because they are THAT old. Julie-  you know what pair I am talking about!!! 

{two}

It has been a rainy 3 days here in north Houston. I love rainy weather. It just makes me want to curl up and watch trashy tv shows. Too bad I have a jammed packed weekend and a TON of things to do to get organized for the weekend. 

{three}

Speaking of a ton of stuff to do this weekend. I have a jammed packed weekend ahead of me. Tonight is girls night! I am getting to see some girls I haven't seen in a while. We are going Top Golf. I have never been and have heard great things about it.  Tomorrow- I am helping host a baby shower for a great friend, then it is my hubbys 10 year high school reunion and THEN we are going to his parents house on Sunday afternoon to watch the Texans game and celebrate his birthday and his dads. Jammed pack I tell you!! But I am looking forward to all of it. 

{four}

I updated my phone last night to the IOS 8. I think I like it so far. Not to many changes that I could tell. Just little things. BUT the big thing is that you have to have 4.6 GB of available space to download the update. I only had 1.1 GB of space, so I had to go thru and delete a bunch of stuff. I had 5.3 GB just in messages. I made the decision to delete ALL my message except the ones from my pawpaw. That free'd up all the room I needed :) 

{five} 

I am sad/happy to admit that I listened to Christmas music yesterday. I was in a mood and needed something to put me in a much happier mood and Christmas music does it for me. I instantly was happier and ready to tackle the world!! Is that strange? 

Hop everyone has a great weekend! 

Getting Ready- Day I became a married women

I realized that I haven't done ANY post about my recent  wedding. How sad is that?  I know there are a ton of link up series for weddings but I don't necessary blog as often or consistent as I should/want to, so I am just going to do my own write ups on it.

Getting ready the day of the wedding was a surreal moment for me. I was surrounded by great friends and family and about to take the biggest walk of my future.

The day started bright and early in the Presidential Suite at the Marriott. I somehow or another got upgraded to a gorgeous room.

We all pilled into Courtney's rental car and made our way to the wedding venue. Along the way, there was a very crazy  stop at Starbucks, talk of stopping at Target and a phone to call my then-fiance to get my last minute things that I forgot.

Once we got to the Venue, I showed my girls around and then we set up shop in the Bridal suite and waited on hair and make up to start. It seemed like the hours just dragged on. I was so excited and ready to get going, but wanted to savor all the details.

My brother came in before I got dressed to give me his gift, and to give me my husband gift to me. It was a monogrammed North Face vest. We went to Alaska for our honeymoon and it was the perfect gift. I was so surprised. I got him a personalized autograph JJ Watt jersey. I actually got it almost 2 weeks after the wedding, so on the day of the wedding, I had a book of the 100 reasons I loved him.

Between the getting ready and taking pictures, we had some sandwiches and played some games with my adorable flower girl. As the time got closer and closer to walk down the aisle, I had several friends stop in to say hello and then came the moment that my bridesmaids had to go line up.

Talk about nerves starting to set it. I have always been the type of person that when I walk in a room and I am nervous that my first instinct is to turn around and walk back out. Well, that isn't something I could do this time. So as my dad and I made the walk down to the chapel he asked me questions like how the job hunt was going, what was the coolest injury I had ever scene, you know things that I thought he was asking to make me less nervous. Turns out he was doing it more for himself!!!

I could go on and on, but I would rather let the pictures do the justice.  So here is my photo dump!

All our beautiful pictures were taken by Jackie Ray. She is amazing! Go visit her website.

Kitchen

My Hubs and I have been working on fixing up our house and making it a home. Right now we are in the middle of it being painted. We are extremely blessed that my father in law owns a carpeting/painting company so we just had to the buy the paint (which we got on a huge labor day sale) and he is sending his guys to paint. The only downfall you ask? They started on Monday, went to another job Tuesday and Wednesday and hopefully will be back to finish Thursday. Not a huge deal, but our house is a disaster and in major shambles because of it. I am still beyond thankful for my father in law to foot the bill of the painters. So blessed.

I am working on a before/after post with pictures for the house with the new painting and the new lighting. Until then I have done some searching on Pinterest for pictures of kitchens/decor/organization that I like and want to incorporate into our house. Here are the pictures

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I need to start looking at thrift stores and cheaper places for things to decorate with. Where do you find good deals? 

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday. I get to go to Target today and buy stuff for a baby shower I am throwing Saturday :) I just love babies!!

Calm Down!!

I hate the words Calm Down. I hate even more when I am upset about something and someone tells me to calm down. I feel like the person telling me to calm down doesn't respect the fact that I am upset. Which leads me to this post. I get upset/worried about the stupidest things ever. My mom is a huge worrier and I swear, that is one of the ONLY things I got from her. 

Example: Last week I took my mom to the airport bright and early. She was going to NYC but meeting my dad in DC first. She told me to text her in about 30 minutes to make sure she got to her gate okay and everything. So once I got home, I called her. No answer. I texted. No answer. So I thought maybe she just didn't hear her phone. I waited a little bit. About 30 minutes later.. Nothing.  So I panicked. And by panic I mean... Kinda had tears, emailed my mom several times, blew up her phone, called my dad, texted my husband and pretty much went into "I've watched way too many dateline episodes mode".  Finally about 20 minutes later my phone rang... It was my mom. Her phone was at the bottom of her purse and she didn't hear it ring. WOW I panic  and am screwed when I have kiddos. 

I am currently waiting to hear from a lady about a potential job and I am inpatient as all get out. I am panicking on the inside that I didn't get it and I am back to square one.  Well I happen to text my husband about it today and this was his response. 

    

The Fortune cookie says "Don't Panic" Oh how he knows me so well. 

Well off to do more work!! Have a great day and hope you enjoyed reading my extremely random Post!