5 on Friday (on Saturday)

1. Bacon Bowls: I ordered these for Derek for his birthday and they finally came. We made these delicious bacon bowls Wednesday night. They were so good!

2. Thursday my love brought me flowers to work and took me on a date to Murry's. These will be somewhat like our wedding flowers. We both decided we needed more roses definitely in my bouquet.

3. A coworker recommended getting a humidifier to help with my cough. I think it is working pretty well. I didn't cough much last night and I didn't have a sore throat last night.

4. Derek made me a deal to stay off Facebook for ONE week. I have almost succeeded. Tomorrow will be the end of the week. I'm finding that I don't miss it that much. If I go all week without Derek will take me ice skating in Jeff City.

5. It is a three day weekend! Woohoo!!! I hope to get a lot down around the house and for our wedding. 

Brr.....

Last week it was COLD. I mean real real cold. On Monday it was -8 degrees. It started late Saturday night and I stayed in all day on Sunday. I put together three puzzles here they are, and I put the fleece sheets on my bed. They helped me stay nice a warm.

Yes check out the temperature outside. It is -2 at 10:40 am (my clock is 10 minutes fast).

And today it was a high of 66 degrees! 

2014 New Years Goals

I have been compiling my list of goals for 2014 and wanted to share my goals for the new year. Some are old from last year and some are new. I hope to make 60% (yes I know that is a low percentage but I wanted to be realistic) of my goals new habits that will not be goals in 2015. Here is my list:

1. Read the bible. I want to make it a habit to read my daily devotions each work day. I have an app on my phone and want to make this a habit to do each morning before I get out of bed. 

2. Go to Church more. Derek and I have decided to split and go half of the time to Faith Family in Fayette and then go First Baptist here in town (our wedding church). We failed the first Sunday of 2014, but not because of us, it was the weather. 

3. Blog more. I am hoping to make blogging a habit. With this continue I want to take more pictures. 

4. Save, Save, Save. Derek and I have big plans to save in 2014. He is on the same page with me and will be saving :)

5. Recycle. When people ask me if we recycle I usually say "we are bad people and don't",  but know I can say "yes!". I have already started this! 

6. Write more handwritten notes. 

7. Work out 4 days a week. I hope to lose weight and keep it off.

8. Eat healthy. I only want to eat out 2 times a month for work lunches and 4 times a month for Derek and I. I want to cut down on sweets and carbs and eat more fruits and vegetables. 

8. Complete our house projects. Currently I want to re-stain the kitchen table, re-paint a dresser, and re-upholster the kitchen chairs. Derek wants to build a shed. I have big plans for this shed :)

9. Garden.

10. Stop complaining and be more positive. I want to say 2 positives for every negative I say. 

11. Organize the house even more. Thinking about what the year has in store and that Derek will be here in 9 months, I need to start figuring out how to make room for his things. Primarily his clothes and DVDs. This will be a task to figure out how to share the closet and dresser. 

 Overall I want to do things to make me a better person and continue to be happy.

Happy New Year! 

Look at New Year's Goals

As it is the end of the year It is now 2014 and I am finally posting this and I want to take a look back at my goals I made for 2013 and see what I accomplished. I also want to see what I need to work more on for next year.

1. Live on a budget - I grade myself 80% For the most part I do live on a budget - yes! It always seems like around the holiday's the budget goes out the window. I will do better in 2014 to figure out where else to cut corners and save :)

2. Follow a weekly meal plan - Overall I would say I get an 80% on this. I typically do plan weekly meals, but some weeks I skipped. This might have been when I was working late or leaving town.

3. Blog once a week - I get a big.fat. "F" on this one. 2014 WILL BE BETTER

4. Journal each day - Again an "F". I noticed I did this when I was feeling down and blue, but I need to do this more than just then. 

5. Take more pictures - 75%. I can do better 

6. Be more positive and less negative - 75% again I can always do better. 

7. Attend church once a month - Started off the year with a bang and did this, then it was dwindled away.

8. Work out three times a week - For the most part, yes I did this. 

9. Don't let the little things in life bug me - 80%. From time to time I still let the little things bug me. 

10. Only eat lunch out twice a month - Again did AWESOME at the beginning of the year. I am going to make it another goal for 2014. 

* This was written well before 2014, I had saved it to post closer to the new year, then in Oklahoma the internet was not working and then I got sick. 

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve. I've been SUPER busy since I have been in Oklahoma. I have ran errands for my Nannie, cleaned the house, made fudge, cranberry salad, stuffing, and much more! I have also got to spend a lot of time playing dominoes, cards, and doing puzzles. Here are some pictures of my trip so far.

We got ice on Saturday. Here is a picture of part of their backyard and the ice on the clothes line and their shed. 

Paw and I using the grinder and making the Cranberry Salad

Dad and I at his house.

The fudge Nannie and I made

And the blue christmas tree

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve. I've been SUPER busy since I have been in Oklahoma. I have ran errands for my Nannie, cleaned the house, made fudge, cranberry salad, stuffing, and much more! I have also got to spend a lot of time playing dominoes, cards, and doing puzzles. Here are some pictures of my trip so far.

We got ice on Saturday. Here is a picture of part of their backyard and the ice on the clothes line and their shed. 

Paw and I using the grinder and making the Cranberry Salad

Dad and I at his house.

The fudge Nannie and I made

And the blue christmas tree

Address Labels

My dear friend Cortney gave me my Christmas present last week. She is so thoughtful and gives such great gifts. I got some wonderful address labels to use on all my wedding items (save the dates, invitations, thank yous...). They are so cute! I am so excited to use them.

These are what I am going to use on our Thank You notes.

And these I already used on my Christmas cards and will use on our invitiations.

And check out the monogramed checkbook holder she got me with my soon-to-be initials. I love it!!! 

Deals and Steals

Anyone who knows me knows I love to buy on sale. I am a shopper, but I rarely buy full price. *Note I will for others and I do have expensive taste, but will request those items for my birthday or Christmas. My favorite place to shop is the Loft. People say the Loft's clothes are super expensive; but really if you watch the sales and use coupons, it is really affordable. For instance I got this cute sequin top and cardigan recently. Guess how much I paid ?! 

(Originally 39.50)

 (Originally 49.50)

Look! 

That is right. Out of my pocket I paid $1.15. See I love Loft because if you have their credit card you earn points and receive money back to the store. It isn't one of these "Fast Cash" deals where you have to spend $50.00 to save $20.00. No its just like cash. I had $20.00 to spend to the store. The great thing about the credit card is that I can pay it off right in the store with my debit card. What I usually do is swipe my credit card. Then tell the cashier I want to make a payment and then swipe my debit card for the amount. I know people don't like to use credit cards, but I get all of these coupons, earn points and pay it off right in the store. Anyways... these were on sale and I had a coupon for $25.00 off a purchase, then $20.00 cash back to the store, so I got this sequin tank and cardigan for a whopping $1.15. I even had to count out change because I did not want to use my debit card for just that amount. You cannot beat a deal like that! 

5 on Friday

I'm back.... Let me tell you blogging is hard work. It's hard to make it a routine especially when I have TWO blogs to keep up on. Here is my "5 on Friday"

1. We are getting our first snow storm :). We are supposed to get about 4 inches of snow. We will see in the morning how much we get. Stay tuned for some more blogs this weekend as I might be snowed in :)

2. I am OBSESSED with Birch Boxes. I didn't discover them until recently and LOVE them!!! I got my December box today. D loved the candy that was in it. It was chocolate and had pop rocks on the outside.

3. We got our Christmas Cards/Save the dates this week. Aren't they so cute?

4. Cortney and I had a great time at the EPIC Chamber event last night. I am so so glad she wanted me to do the Chamber events with her. I can't wait for all of the luncheons and subcommittees.

5. We had a white elephant gift exchange at work and I got this candle from Kaylee. I love the way it smells!

 That's all for now! Enjoy this Friday evening!

Christmas is Here!!

The house is all decorated for Christmas! I love this time of year. Here are some pictures. I am ready to get tons of Christmas cards to put on my new card holder.

10 Months Left...

I have 10 months left by myself in my house... As some of you know when Derek moved home in September, it was a HUGE transition for me. I don't do well with change and hated that our little life together had to change. We had gotten into routines and everything changed when he moved home. I know why he did (to save money) and completely understand. I was upset for a while about the change, but now I am trying to soak up all my alone time as it will be the last time I will live by myself. Because of that I am trying to enjoy every bit of it and have found so many things I love. I plan to take full advantage of the next 10 months before our big day. Here are some things I have grown to love over the past few months:

1. Parking in the middle of the garage
2. Not shaving my legs for days :)
3. Sleeping in the middle of the bed
4. Keeping the house as cool as I want it
5. Having full control over the DVR and being able to record any and all crap TV shows I want
6. Watching whatever I want on TV while I go to sleep
7. Not having to watch sporting events at all :) I am NOT a sports fan and love that I don't have to hear every football game or basketball game.
8. Organizing and re-organizing each and every room/drawer in my house.
9. Having the walk-in closet all to myself. I have already wondered what we are going to do when Derek moves in. I have clothes in my room and the spare bedroom. Is it bad to make him use the spare room closet?
10. BBF nights and slumber parties. *These will not be given up after we are married, but I will probably have to check with the hubs before I spend a night away from him
11. Being able to wake up early and watch GMA in bed with coffee.

Happy Hump Day!!!

As Thanksgiving is approaching tomorrow, work is rather slow today. I have caught up on all my to-do items and am just passing time until I can leave. I thought I would catch you all up on a few things I have done this week.


Monday: I got my hair trimmed and colored, then I got Hy-Vee Chinese for dinner. Those that know me know I LOVE Hy-Vee Chinese and their salad bar. I have not had Hy-Vee Chinese in a long long time and will not have it again for a while. HY-Vee Chinese = upset stomach, it was bad news :(.

On Tuesday night we had girls night + D. We went for a drink at Applebee's then went to Flat Branch. It was like old times with Jamie and Jules, but we missed our turtle (Jess). I think D had a great time as well.

This morning Jamie and I woke up super early and watch "Run Away Bride" before work. I have never seen that movie and it was so cute! Now that I am at work waiting until noon to leave I have been doing some christmas wish list shopping for myself. I am being bratty and should be thinking of others right now, but I am not. Maybe I will do that this weekend.

Here are some of my wish list christmas items:

I really really want another watch. I have my eyes on this Michael Kors watch. I told D I wanted it, but only if we can find it on sale somewhere. 

I really want some more pj's. I bought a pair from Victoria's Secret two years ago and love them. I want these snowflake ones this year. 

What's on your Christmas list?

5 on friday

I have been making smoothies most mornings for breakfast. I am finally figuring out the correct proportions and have created a delicious orange banana smoothie.

This week I have been busy with a bunch of crafts. On Monday night a friend and I went to a craft class and made this adorable wreath out of old sweaters. We got to have some cocktails while doing it! The best was a cocktail made with apple cider, apple slices, maple whiskey, and some maple syrup. It was dangerously delicious!

On Friday I had a sleep over with my BFF and best girl ever and we made these Christmas card holders. Now I need just to get a ton of Christmas cards to put on there. 

Thursday Derek and I saw the Hunger Games. We went to the 8:30 show, so it was a late night for me! We didn't get home until about 11:30. I still can't decide if I like this movie better or the first one. It was nice to see it early especially since the theater not crowded at all! We got lucky!

 And I got some clinical clients this week at work. I do my first FBA (Functional Behavior Assessment) on Monday all by myself. I am so excited to use my license.