Not a happy camper...

First off, please excuse me from my week long absence, I was on the bestest vacay with my wonderful fiance. But more on that later, right now I have a more pressing issue.... Story:

We were away on our little one week excursion when I receive a text from my wonderful and sweet puppy-sitter that our AC has gone out.

We thought maybe it was a glitch or something that could be easily fixed - NBD - so we told her not to worry about it and we would take care of it when we returned on Sunday...

We walk through the door at 7:30pm last night and are met with a wall of thick and hot air straight from the depths of Hades. I kid you not. It's been 100+ here just about every day and with 3 days (going on 4 today...) of no AC, it gets pretty smoldering.

My handsome handy-man/fiance attempts to fix said problem. All attempts fail. So we call our "landlord" - I use that term loosely because a month ago our real landlord sold the house we are renting out from under us and now our house is property of a private school. Why? Because said school has bought not only our house, but both houses on either side of us and have already pretty much torn the other two down to create a parking space. Not a parking space for the school...a parking place for the construction workers who will be building a real parking lot for the school on the other side of the school. Needless to say that has been another headache in itself. I digress...

So we call "landlord" who says he has left messages at all after hours AC repair places and now we have to wait for a call. Seriously?!? Do you know how hot it is in this house?? Do you know what I'm like when I get too hot??

Anyway, it is now 3pm and temps have reached their peak for the day (a cool 99 degrees I might add) and I still have no AC. I did, however, just receive a call from the people who are supposed to be coming to repair the AC. Wanna know what he told me...?

That I'm on the "priority list" (and have been for some time now) and they should get to me soon. I asked for a time frame...couldn't get one...hopefully today. Please, Lord?

Shoot me now.

Stay cool my friends, and be thankful for AC! It's heck without it!

How did pioneers live like this??

the simple things...

Hey y'all! Happy Thursday!

I have a pretty busy day of running around trying to take care of things before we head out Saturday for our vacay. You know, fun things like: getting the car serviced and detailed, running by the pharmacy, doing laundry and dishes....

and I received our wedding invitations in the mail yesterday!! YAAAAY! So I also need to print little info cards for directions to the location and hotel info, stuff envelopes, stamp them and get them sent off by tomorrow. So busy, busy (and very happy) bee today. I recently stumbled across a new blog that I just adore by sweet Jesslyn Amber who has a link up on Thursdays called "The Simple Things" and I am excited to jump in and play along. It's important to remember and be thankful for the little things, for that's what life is made up of :)

Play along and enjoy :)

....ice cream on hot days....
....family visits....
....movies with sweet friends....
....getting organized....
....sweet puppy love and puppy kisses from my babies....
....sons of anarchy on netflix....
....brownies, yum!....
....being inspired....
....sunrises....
....sweet tea....
....a new razor....
....feathers in mah hairrrr....
....summer projects....
....a great book....
....holding hands with my sweet loverface....
....afternoon naps....
....wedding excitement....
....God's unending love and grace....

what simple things are making you smile today?

Hello There...and WILW

Where has the time gone...?!

It has been ages since I've blogged, minus that one or two rand-o post. My blogging sabatical has not stopped me from reading all your lovely blogs! So much going on in the blog-o-sphere - weddings, babies, moves, oh my!

So what happened to lil' ol' me, you ask? Well kids, I got sucked in to the deep, dark world of what is known as "The First Year". What is this strange phenomenon? It is more commonly referred to as "teaching". Yes ladies (and gentlemen?), I am officially done with my first year of teaching 8th grade social studies and coaching volleyball and track. It was a whirlwind of cramming as much information into my head (and the students) as possible, learning the ropes of a new profession, and trying to balance my professional career with my personal life. No easy feat...at least not for me. But more on that later this week...

Other than teaching, which basically consumed my life, I managed to get some wedding planning done - which is only 66 days away - EEEEK!! - and move from an apartment to a house. I am loving the house, mostly because our puppies now have a giant backyard to run amuck in, but the extra space inside is also great.

Now that school is over and I have finished my summer training, my "true" summer can begin! YAY! So what better way to celebrate than with sweet Jamie and WILW :)

I'm loving....that I am officially on my summer vacay! I love getting to watch Good Morning America and Today in the mornings (makes me feel accomplished, like I'm actually keeping up with current events, haha), then doing my workout and having the rest of the day to tackle projects and wedding items.

I'm loving....the "Insanity" workout. Yes, the name says it all. Ok, ok, so it may be a love/hate kinda thing, but in the end the good outweighs the bad. It is truly insane but it hurts sooo good! Haha, gotta get myself in tip-top shape before the big day!

I'm loving....that I am getting to spend time with some of my lovely friends today! Lunch with one of my bridesmaids and then off to see Bad Teacher with two of my sweet pals. I feel like I haven't seen any of my friends in forever because of work and then training right after, so this will be a very welcome escape :)


I'm loving....that my sunburn is just about gone and has turned into a nice little tan :) I remembered the sunscreen...but forgot to reapply after three hours. Not good when you're floating a river for six and a half hours in 102 degree heat. Which brings me to...


I'm loving....White vinegar, aloe vera gel, and deep moisture lotion. The trifecta of skin saving solutions has tamed the burn and prevented me from peeling, yay!

I'm loving....the Ke$ha pandora station I created. It gets me moving and grooving, so whether I need to wash a few dishes, sweat it out in a workout, or just need a pick-me-up it has become my go to station.

I'm loving....the books I've (finally) been able to start reading. They're helping set goals, learn how to get from point A to point B, and just feel more organized and focused in my life...and boy do I need it!

I'm loving....the vacation we are taking starting Saturday! Spence was able to get the week off and so we are taking a legit vacation. Not to see our parents or bringing people along, just him and me and the wideopen road and spaces of Colorado and then up to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. I'm so excited to spend some time in the great outdoors (and in some cooler weather!) with the love of my life, just the two of us and some time to get some serious R&R.


I'm loving....all of your sweet and fun blogs. It makes my day to read them :)

I'm loving....my sweet fiance, as always!

What are you loving today? :)

Friday Favorites

Hey y'all!!

I know I've been MIA for a while....like the last 7 months... yeah...sorry about that :( Work really started kickin' my booty and I needed a break. So for now I'll be taking baby steps back into blogging and what better way to start than with a few of my favorite things? I will try to post some updates soon and should be able to since my Spring Break started today - YAY! :)

I'll be heading to home to see my family on Sunday and I just cannot wait! I haven't seen them since Christmas and me and S are beyond ready to head home for some rest and relaxation! Not to mention some pampering ;) I also hope to be getting a lot of wedding things accomplished while there. Anywho....on to some Friday Fun! :)

Favorite time of day: When I get home from work on a Friday :)


Favorite season: Oh gosh...I love them all for different reasons! Spring for the all the flowers blooming, summer for the beach and getting a tan, fall for the crisp, cool weather, and winter for the holiday season!


Favorite month: December for my birthday and Christmas


Favorite holiday: Christmas :)


Favorite subject in school: In high school it was English, in college it was International Issues...and now I am a history teacher, haha :)


Favorite channel: FX for Glee and Archer, ABC for Grey's Anatomy


Favorite color: Purple


Favorite song: I actually don't have one


Favorite movie: The Little Mermaid! :)


Favorite celebrity: I do love Zooey Deschanel


Favorite kind of music: Texas Country, but I listen to a little bit of everything


Favorite TV show: Glee, Archer, Grey's Anatomy, and NCIS


Favorite thing to do: Spend time with S and the pups, read, and craft :)


Favorite place in the world: Anywhere with my love :)


Favorite hobby: Reading and crafting


Favorite kind of animal: Horse (and my two pups of course!)


Favorite place to live: Somewhere close to family, I do love the Texas Hill Country


Favorite place to vacation: So far, Belize has been the best but anywhere with a beach and some sun will make this girl happy :)


Favorite restaurant: I love food way too much to just pick one place! Hmm...if I had to...Cheddar's.


Favorite food: Again....way too much of a foodie to just have one fave, I love anything homemade :)


Favorite thing to cook: Honey-Mustard Salmon, Artichoke Chicken, anything that turns out delicious!


Favorite drink: Sweet tea


Favorite chore: Vacuuming


Favorite makeup: Bare Minerals


Favorite hair products: Pureology...it is a must try! My hair is the healthiest it has ever been :)


Favorite lotion: Anything with Shea and Cocoa butters in it


Favorite perfume: Givenchy's Irresistable


Favorite blogger: There is no way I could choose...y'all are all SO great!


Favorite thing to blog about: Randomness


Favorite books: The Bible, all Jane Austen books, Francine Rivers "Mark of the Lion" series, the Harry Potter series, there really are too many to name - I love books!

Favorite verse: Micah 3:3.


Favorite thing to wear: You can never go wrong with a cute dress :)


Favorite kind of day: One where I can sleep in, get in a good workout, eat lunch with S, soak up some sun with a good book, cook out with great friends, cuddle with my love, a long, hot shower, then bed!


Favorite memory: Saying yes to spending the rest of forever with the love of my life!

12 Days of Christmas {Day 1}

Hey y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, I know I did! It was so great to spend some quality time with my best friend - just hang out, relax, and eat lots of food! Hah. It also made me realize I need to carve out more time to go visit, I've missed girl time so much!

Hopefully I'll get some time over the break to upload some pictures and give a better recap, but for now I'll be joining in on the fun going on at Aly's Analyze This. Yes, dear friends, I know it's not yet Thanksgiving butI'm so overcome with Christmas spirit (and so are quite a few of you, haha!) that I've decided to do the 12 Days of Christmas blogging challenge!

Here we go....! :)

{Day 1} Christmas/Holiday Traditions

This year will be a year of new traditions! But before I get to those, some that I'll be keeping from my childhood are:

• Having Christmas with my mom's side of the family the day after Christmas and eating Mexican food - yumm!


• Having a "traditional meal" (and by that I mean turkey, ham, and the fixin's) with my dad's side on Christmas day


• Watching the Santa Clause trilogy...probably numerous times

Now, this is our (mine & Spencer's) first Christmas together, so we're having to make compromises and try to arrange the best schedule for everyone - no easy feat. But so far I think we've come up with a good plan that will last through the years :)

• Jam out to wonderful Christmas songs and decorate our humble abode. (<-- We're doing this TONIGHT!!)



{via weheartit.com}
and I wish our house would look like this!
A girl can dream...

• Taking Christmas photos and sending out Christmas cards.


• Have our own "family" (me, S, and our 2 pups) Christmas in our home before we head out of town to our parents homes. I also would like to start reading The Christmas Story together and create a new tradition :)


• Spend the 23rd with S's family and go look at Christmas lights and then go to dinner.


• Spend Christmas Eve with my family and do our small family celebration (this year we'll be going to see The Nutcracker at the Houston Ballet, soo excited!)


• And then pick back up from my childhood Christmas traditions :)
  

So it's nothing too terribly excited but it's me :) I'm sure as the years go by we'll add some here and there but for now that's about it. I can't wait to read about y'alls and get some new ideas!

Hope everyone has a superb week!!

Fill-In-The-Blank Friday and I'm off!

Oh it's Friday! YAY! :) I'm feeling like some fun so I'm linking up with Lauren over at The Little Things We Do... If you wanna join the fun, head on over and link up! I'm also taking a half-day at work today and heading to see my BFF after lunch - SOOOooo excited! It's time for a break! And speaking of breaks, Thanksgiving break is next week! So in the spirit of the holiday here is a Thanksgiving themed Fill-In-The-Blank....woohoo :)



1. My Thanksgiving plans this year will include cooking my first turkey! Whoa! Let's hope it turns out well because I'll be having dinner with my fiance, future-in-laws, future brother-in-laws (two of them), and their grandparents. Anyone else feel the pressure? Haha, also, any and all turkey tips will be appreciated very much :)


2. My favorite Thanksgiving was hhmmmm... I really like every Thanksgiving, not sure if I have a favorite. I'm just thankful to spend time with my family :) .


3. My signature Thanksgiving dish is cream cheese and pumpkin layered pie. Soo delicious! It's my momma's recipe and I think it's the only kind of pumpkin pie I've ever eaten. I also make some killer sweet rice, candied yams, and green bean casserole. But I'm looking to branch out and try some new things....like a turkey, hah! :/


4. My favorite Thanksgiving food is candied yams and sweet rice. And dinner rolls. And pumpkin pie. So basically carbs. Hah.


5. Thanksgiving free association! Turkey, cranberry sauce (the canned kind with the lines), pumpkin pie, yams, potatoes, family, football, blessings, Addam's Family movie (weird, I know...), shopping (Black Friday anyone?), and putting Christmas decorations up :) .


6. Thansgiving is wonderful! I love the food and family time, plus it's a sign that Christmas is just around the corner. And bonus that there's no school for both, hehe :) .


7. I am thankful for my family. Both my biological family and the amazing family I will be marrying into. An amazing and ever loving fiance. Four hilarious brothers. Wonderful and supportive parents. Crazy, silly puppies. My BFF Jennie and the special "sister" bond we have. A merciful and loving Father who pours out His love for me everyday and directs my life. And lastly, my students. They may drive me bananas 99% of the time but they are all so unique and full of life and I just love them. They put things in perspective for me and help me work on my patience, love, and mercy which I try to show them everyday :).

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I'm off and will hopefully have lots of pictures for you on Monday... Ciao bellas!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

Hey y'all! It's been a while and I've missed you so! :) So here is what I'm loving this wonderful Wednesday...:

{one} That I'm back! I started my first year of teaching and coaching in August and have been MIA since! I was so busy that something had to give, and sadly it was blogging :( womp, womp. But now I've gotten things smoothed out enough and have myself into a little routine that I'm able to get back to blogging - yay! :)

{two} Cardigans/Wraps/Cover-ups. I'm able to pull off many different looks (which is great on a teacher's salary) and stay cozy in this cool weather with these lovelies.

{three} Sweaterdresses and leggings. My new fave combo! Comfy and classy! LOVE IT!

{both via Victoria's Secret}

{four} Our Save-The-Dates arrive today!! I can't wait to get off work to rush home and see them! Eek!

{five} Tomorrow is my BFF Jennie's birthday...AND I get to go see her on Friday and spend a whole weekend with her! Sooooo happy! :):):):)

{six} This wonderful fall/winter-ish weather. Dressing warm, being cozy, and eating lots of soups/chilis/warm meals in general makes me (and my tummy) happy.

{via weheartit.com}

{seven} This song by JJ Heller - "What Love Really Means". I heard it this morning on KLOVE and fell head over heels for it immediately.

Can't wait to see what everyone else is loving today!