My Wonderful Weekend

So to those 12 of you who follow my blog, I apologize for falling behind, terribly behind. :( What can I say...life got in the way! :)

Ok, so I have to tell you...IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! :) I'm so excited! I'm taking half a day to spend the afternoon with my boys at the zoo. Woo hoo! Then dinner with the family at my new favorite place, Monells. Get excited! :)

I know I need to do Day whatever, but I want to tell you about my crazy long weekend. :)

I had a wonderful weekend-actually a wonderful 4 days because Thursday was great too! I got off work Thursday and met Mom and Levi at the park. We had so much fun! It was great to watch little man run around and slide and swing. He would just throw himself down the slides like he'd been doing it his whole life! I can't wait for some play dates to happen, if we can ever get our schedules right! :)

That night, Jeffrey and I went to our second meeting of the Maple Hill Young Marrieds Group (MHYMG). This is a wonderful group of couples who are all in similar stages of life. We decided to get together and do a Bible study once a month. There's also a young marrieds class at church that just got started this month, and it seems to be loved and accepted by all. I'm so excited about this group! Jeffrey and I have been wanting to be a part of something like this for years, and it's actually happening!  :)

I got off work a little early Friday because of a work conference. So, I of course took the opportunity to pick Levi up early and spend some quality time together. We had a nice play date planned for the park with Malorie, and I was so excited! Well, Levi had different plans that involved nothing but a NAP! Haha. That's ok, because I was exhausted and clunked out on the couch for a bit, too. :) Jaime and I did a wedding rehearsal that night to prepare for the big wedding Saturday afternoon. Everything went great, and I knew the wedding was going to be easy-peasy. :)

Saturday was, well, exhausting! My Aunt Shirley's birthday is March 5th, and mine is TODAY :), so we always like to get together sometime in March to celebrate them both. We went to Demos' and just had the best time! I love when it's just us girls (and Levi of course), and we can just chit-chat as much as we want. :)

After that, it was off to the wedding! This was officially Jaime's first wedding! She booked it and had handled everything up to the day of. Since it was her first time to do everything, she asked me to help so she could just watch and learn what to do. I think she could've done it by herself! She was awesome! Polite, accomadating, organized. I'm going to LOVE having her around! :) We just did the coordinating for this one, no planning. Everything was absolutely beautiful! The bride and her family did an amazing job! It all went great except for a little cake-cutting incident...nobody had been designated to cut the cake, so guess who ended up doing it? Yep, me and Jaime! Poor Jaime had to use a plastic butter knife for the groom's cake! Haha. I hope somebody got a picture of that! :) Another lady helped me cut the big cake, and let's just say that well, the cake tasted good. Lol. I kept telling people, "It's not pretty, but it sure is delicious". It was bad. I will not be adding "cake-cutter" to my resume anytime soon! :)

Sunday was fun and relaxing as always. Church, lunch, playing outside-doesn't get much better than that!

After such a great weekend, I can't wait to see what this week has in store for me. I'm looking forward to celebrating my birthday with my friends and family. I'll try to do better on the challenge, but I'm hoping to have lots of other stuff to talk about this week, so maybe not! :)

Day, um, 19?

I know, I know...I'm not doing so hot on this challenge anymore. :(

Let's try to catch up, shall we?

Day 19: Something You Miss

Are you ready? Get ready because this is profound...

I miss...

SPRING BREAK!!!

Ok, maybe not the crowded beach with all the drunk people...but a break would be nice! I mean, seriously, why do we think students are the only ones that need a break in the middle of spring? Don't they know I want to be out enjoying this beautiful weather for 14 straight days? Don't they think that I, a full-time working woman, would enjoy 14 free days to travel, shop, straighten my house, spend time with my family or just sit at home and do nothing? I would LOVE that!

I was never the one to like a crazy large spring break trip or anything like that. Fortunately for me, Spring Break usually fell around my birthday. So, I usually got to travel for my birthday! Either with the family, softball or some school-related thing. I was almost always somewhere, and it was great! I remember my first year at work when I didn't get a "spring break". I wanted to cry that whole week. :( 

So, I know this wasn't very deep, but it's what's on my mind this week. Yep, Spring Break, ahh the good ole days...

Regrets Schmegets

Good morning friends! Today is Wednesday, and I'm excited for several reasons:

1) I'm going out to lunch for my birthday! Woo hoo! Let the celebration begin! :)
2) Church night! I hope little man is still feeling good so we can go (don't worry guys-he's not contagious!).
3) It's supposed to be beautiful today! Bring on the sunshine!

Ok, I have to share some pictures with you. Saturday, the police department (where my sister works) put on a child safety event at Kroger. They gave away id kits, had face painting and a cookie decorating station. Their mascot Scruff was there, too. Levi was NOT happy about Scruff. He cried everytime he saw him, but then he'd go looking for him. Now does that make any sense at all?! He eventually got used to him, and even ended up petting/hitting him. Take a look:

I love doing stuff like this with him. He's just at that age where everything's new, and his face just lights up! :)

Ok, one more Levi thing (sorry!). He has 2 new favorite things to do, and I caught both of them on camera the other night. The first is to de-rail his train. He knocks it over then grunts and struggles to turn it back right. Not sure why this is fun, but hey, he loves it!



Notice the tongue out in immense concentration

 Now, his other favorite thing to do is climb up on my stomach and prop his feet up on my shoulders. Again, not sure why this is fun, or why he has to stick his tongue out while doing it... :)

Alright, I'll do the challenge now... :)

Day 18: Something You Regret

Ok, so, I always hate this question. I mean, who really wants to focus on things they regret? Plus, I can't change it, so it seems kind of silly to talk about it. But...that is the challenge today, so I will answer. Regret to me is just something you wish you'd done but didn't or wish you hadn't done but did. My regrets aren't life-changing necessarily. They're just things I'm sorry for in one way or another.

I regret anything I've ever said or done that has hurt somebody.

I regret not doing something just because I was scared.

I regret not spending more time with my grandmother in the years she was in the nursing home.

I regret getting a credit card in college.

I regret not staying physically active.

I regret not telling every person I've ever met about Jesus.

I regret cutting my hair off my senior year of high school (I mean, I looked like a boy!).

I regret not going sky-diving when I turned 21. I had always said I was going to, then it came time, and I just didn't.

I regret ever going to the tanning bed.

I regret I didn't stick to my "no sweet tea diet" because now I'm addicted again.

Ok, so I'm sure I could come up with some more. But my title explains how I feel about regrets. I don't like them, and I don't think they're necessary. In fact, I think they're detrimental (ooh big word) to my well-being. As always, I try to turn to the Bible for help. Here's what the Bible says:

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." Isaiah 43:18 (NIV)

So, that's what I do. I forget the regrets and focus on the good. I try not to "regret" any big decisions, and here's why: If my past wasn't my past, then my present might not be my present. Does that make sense to anybody but me?! Haha. In other words, I wouldn't be where I am today without my past, regrets and all, and I'm happy where I am. I'm a sweet tea drinkin, never been skydiving, out of shape happy mom and wife, and that is more than fine with me! :)

Croup is Crappy

Yes, Levi has the croup. Ugh, poor little guy! He was perfectly fine all weekend, then we get home Sunday night, and BAM!, bad cough! He would cough so hard he couldn't breathe. SCARY! It was so bad we considered taking him to the emergency room. Instead, I stayed up all night holding him everytime he woke up scared and coughing. I think it was 2am when I decided sleep was impossible for me, and I was just going to take advantage of the cuddle time. Poor little guy-it broke my heart. :( I took him to the doctor first thing Monday which is when they confirmed croup and the beginning of an ear infection. I want you to know that my sweet little boy just smiled, laughed and played the whole time. Oh if only adults (especially me) could learn to still be happy when we're feeling bad. :) They gave him a shot, and he did much better last night. He's home with Daddy today, so hopefully he'll be back to his usual self soon! (Although I have to say I'm enjoying the extra hugs and cuddle time...haha. Maybe we could keep that part! I usually can't get him to sit still!)

This doesn't happen very often... :)

Alright, moving on from sickness...

Day 17: Something You're Looking Forward To

Well, my first thought was Heaven. :) My second thought was seeing my loved ones who have passed in Heaven. :) Then I decided I'd be a little less serious-minded today, and tell you about a completely worldly and frivolous thing I'm looking forward to...

Our anniversary trip to a DUDE RANCH!!! :)      



No, your eyes did not deceive you, I said dude ranch. :)

Back story: Each year, we take a trip on our anniversary. First year: North Carolina (Asheville, Boone, Blowing Rock).

Second year: NYC!

Third year: (B&B in Goodlettsville, TN-ok, Levi was a couple months old and we didn't want to go too far or spend a bunch of money-haha. However, this Bed and Breakfast was amazing! We would highly recommend it: http://www.thistletopinn.com/)

We have a list of places we want to go on future trips, and one requirement is that we've never been there before. Well, dude ranch is on that list!

We thought we'd have to go out west to fullfill this dream (and "out west" is still on our list), but alas, there's one in East Tennessee! Who woulda thunk it?! We also thought we'd never be ablet to afford it (dude, dude ranches are expensive). However, I bought a package for HALF PRICE off http://www.livingsocial.com/ (check it out!), and so we're going!

The place is called French Broad River Dude Ranch, and we are so excited! Rustic (but nice) rooms, fishing, whitewater rafting, "grub" and of course, horseback riding! I can not WAIT to spend 3 days at this place, just me and the hubby. I look forward to our anniversary and our time away all year long. I love Levi tremendously, but I think it's a neccessity for Jeffrey and me to have our alone time. We both agree that happy parents make a happy baby. And let me tell you, after 3 fun-filled days on a dude ranch with the hubby...I will be a happy momma! :)

Home Sweet Home

I know, 3 topics in one day is a bit much, but I want to stay caught up. :)

Day 16: Dream House

Here is a picture of my dream house:



Whoops, that's Barbie's dream home. Sorry, here's mine:

Does that look familiar? It should, it's our current home! Ok, now don't think I'm copping out on this day, because it's the truth...we are currently living in my dream house! :) Seriously, if we were to build a house, I don't think we could make it more perfect than this one. It has everything I had wanted in a house: double vanity in the master bath, big soaking tub, pretty and different colored walls, hardwood floors, big open kitchen...I could go on! I feel like the couple that built this house built it for us! Everything they picked out from the floor plan to the door knobs is what we were looking for. Even the land is perfect! We have the acreage we wanted (well, Jeffrey would like a lot more), and it's in the country without being too far out (ok,  some people think it's a little far out). :) But seriously, the view, the outside of the house, the windows...love it! :) There are definitely some things we want to do to it, and we definitely had to paint the purple and blue walls, but all-in-all, it's pretty much perfect for us!

Catching Up...

Once again, I have fallen behind in the blog challenge. :( We had such a busy weekend that I didn't really have time to focus! It was such a good weekend though-filled with friends, family, food and fun birthday times! Levi's friend Levi (yes, he's Levi as well) turned 1, and we celebrated on Sunday with an adorable farm-themed party. I can't believe these babies are one already. Ahh!! Jeffrey went to see George Jones Saturday night with Courtney and Ben. Mom and I took advantage of that and went shopping. Woo hoo! It was a much-needed excursion for me. Last week, I decided to clean out my closet. If I had had the item more than 5 years, I tossed it. If I hadn't worn the item in the past year, I tossed it. (*Please note: I didn't "toss" them necessarily; more like bagged up to take to a community sale.) :) I stood in the closet forever pondering over some pieces when Jeffrey finally came in, took them out of my hands, and threw them on the floor! He told me to just get rid of it! If I didn't wear it anymore, throw it out! So that's what I did! It was kind of liberating! Haha. Anyways...I got some great stuff, and I'm super excited to wear it all! For instance, look at this adorable dress:



Yay!

Ok, moving on...I'm covering 2 days in 1. I'll try to keep it short though! :)

Day 14: A Picture You Love

When I thought about this topic, this picture immediately came to mind. That's my dad holding me and my grandmother kneeling beside me. I was young (5) when my dad passed away, so I don't have any memories of him. My grandmother passed away in November 2008. I have memories of her, but unfortunately, a lot of them have faded. But I will always have this picture, and I can't begin to describe how much it means to me. I didn't know my dad very well, but I love him just the same. My grandmother was and still is my hero. She was just the most amazing woman and such a vital part of my childhood. People, especially Jeffrey, always laugh at me because I have my camera everywhere and am constantly taking pictures. This picture explains why. Even though they're not here anymore, I have this picture (and many others) to remind me of them and to bring up those special feelings for these 2 very special people. I love this picture! :)

Day 15: Bible Verse

I'm assuming the unspoken part of this post is "favorite". I have a few favorite verses but the one that stands out to me at this point in my life is Jeremiah 29:11...

^"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

This verse has always brought me peace and security. I know that even when I don't know what my future holds, the Lord does. He has a plan for me, and I need to trust in that. I've been struggling lately with what I want to do with my life: part-time job, full-time job, business, stay-at-home-mom? I just have to keep praying and have faith that God will show me my path in His own time. :)

See that was good, 2-in-1 and it's not 10 pages long! :) Now for another post for Day 16...

Hopes and Dreams

It's FRIIIIIDDDDAAAAYYY! Woo hoo! I just love this day. It brings such happiness to my heart. :)

Today, however, there's a touch of sadness to my favorite day of the week. So many people have experienced such loss and devestation from the earthquake and tsunami. I can't imagine my home and loved ones being taken away from me in one split second. Please keep these people in your prayers.

Also, Jeffrey and I actually got to go on a date last night. Woo hoo! We saw Adjustment Bureau, and I would HIGHLY recommend it! GREAT movie! :)



Ok, ready for the challenge...

Day 13: Goals

Isn't it funny how our goals can change so quickly, even from day to day? I often find myself having short-term goals and long-term goals. For instance, my goal today is to not drink sweet tea. Considering I feel like this:



...I might not meet my goal for today. :)

I also have a goal of getting Levi's thank you cards written out. I am determined to meet this goal this weekend!

Another goal, get my house clean. This might take a while...Lol. :)



Ok, it's not THAT bad...hehe. But you know how sometimes you look at a couple of things strewn out on the kitchen table or the living room floor and it SEEMS like this is what you're looking at...that's me right now.

But those are all short-term goals and somewhat trivial...they're easy. It's the long-term goals I struggle with.

I'd say my ultimate goal is to get to Heaven. Along with that goes my goal of getting all my loved ones to Heaven with me. :) That's an "easy" one.

I had the goal of becoming a mother, and I've accomplished that. Now my goal is to be a good and godly mother. Working on that one daily! :)

I, of course, strive daily to be a good wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc. That's definitely an ongoing goal!

Professionally...I'm still figuring that one out! :) I always dreamed of owning my own business, and I do and love it! But now, I'm not sure I want to do it full-time, long-term. It's just so tough to be away every weekend from April-November. And I know it will only get worse as Levi gets older and starts playing sports and such. However, this is my dream! I don't want to give it up! I'm hoping that having Jaime on board will relieve some of this stress and worry. I'm only taking 2 weddings a month, and she's taking 2 or ones that are on the same days as mine. I think that's going to be such a big help! So, ask me about this one in a year or so... :)

Jeffrey and I have a goal to have everything paid off except the house. We started to put a date on it, but with his hours being so unpredictable, that's kind of hard to do. So, someday SOON is our goal! :)

I think my ultimate goal in life is to just be happy. I know that sounds cheesy, but that's what I want. I want to be doing something that makes me happy. I want to be living life with the people that make me happy. I want to be content and proud of myself. If I'm happy, and the people I love are happy, then I'd say my hopes and dreams have been fullfilled. :)