Mr. and Mrs. Happily-ever-after

Biggest Loser

2009-12-02T19:28:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that I love watching The Biggest Loser. I stuck with it this season, even though the contestants were whiny and multiple people cried during every episode. We're (Mr H and I) are a day behind on our tv due to work schedules, so we just watched last night's show. It was while I was eating my Chic-fil-A dinner (while watching the show - horrible!) that I realized that the show is supposed to motivate you to lead a healthy life, not encourage you to consume more fast food. Am I the only person that does this?
Mr H and I cannot wait until the finale. Neither of us were able to vote (Go Amanda!) because it was closed by the time we watched the show. After next week, we plan on resuming our quest to be healthier.

Recent Happenings...

2009-11-30T19:39:00.002-05:00

So I know that I said nothing has happened since I last wrote, but that is oh so wrong. Many things have happened, some of which will have to wait until later, but part of the reason I need to write again is because my mom has recently been diagnosed with cancer. I just need to get so much out that I've been holding in for awhile now.

About a month ago, my mom went to the doctor for a routine screening not expecting anything. The doctor came back with purple bracelets for the American Cancer Society. There is no family history for this, so everyone was completely shocked. Words cannot even describe the wave of emotions that I felt. Why my mom? Why now? She is a healthy person, works out, eats right. Why? How could this have happened? I was hysterical to say the least. I even cried in front of one of my clients because I just could not keep it together.

She is doing much better now. They think that they caught everything early, and she only needs screenings for the next few years. But, this raises a whole new set of questions: Why did God let my mom be 'lucky' while others are not? I am extremely thankful, but it makes me feel bad for other daughters going through much worse than me. I only hope that I can be there for others the way that some of my friends were there for me.

Cancer is a horrible disease that catches you off guard. But, the optimist in me refuses to look at the negative. Instead, I have to be thankful this holiday season, realize how blessed I am, and continually thank God for all that He has given me.

My Blogging Hiatus

2009-11-29T19:16:00.002-05:00

It's been quite awhile (about 2 months, I think) since I last blogged. To be honest, I needed a break from something in my life. As much as I blog to relieve stress, it was the first thing to be cut. I was not handling the pressures of living my life in limbo (since we still are not sure when/where we're moving), starting a new job, keeping up with the house, and many other things going on. But, I not only am ready to blog again, I need it. There are somethings going on that I just need to get out, and there is no better way than write/blog.
So, what's new? Nothing much. Really. I know, in 2 months things are bound to be different, but they're not. We're still living in Smalltown, USA, working, and trying to figure out this thing called life.

September 11, 2001

2009-09-11T08:30:00.000-04:00

Eight years ago today the worst attack on US soil occurred. Who can forget that day? Seeing all of the images of buildings burning and that feeling of pure shock. I remember sitting in my Senior English Class watching as everything happened (not to date myself) and thinking, "This is not really happening." We will never forget all of the loved ones that were lost, or the tragedy that was September 11, 2001.

Thankful Thursday

2009-09-10T21:06:00.002-04:00

This is my absolute favorite time of year - I love football, but especially the Steelers. It gives me a connection to home that I do not have during the rest of the year. This was especially important on a day like today when I am missing home soooo bad. Seriously.
So, this Thankful Thursday goes out to all of you that love football, the Steelers, or your family.

1. Today is the NFL season opener.
2. We are going to the Tennessee v. UCLA game this weekend
3. My car broke down. Again. BUT, I was only 10 miles down the road, so I was able to make it back take Mr. H's car to work today.
4. I had a HUGE breakthrough with one of my clients today. I can't give out too many details, but it was HUGE.
5. Our house is clean! Woohoo, it does not happen too often
like this!

Empty.

2009-09-09T07:30:00.000-04:00

As I posted yesterday, our house has been devoid of food for a few days. Seriously. Here are a few pictures of how little we had.
Fridge? Unless we ate a liquid/mandarin orange/condiment dinner on Saturday, we had to order pizza. Said pizza is the only thing of sustenance we in this picture. Sad, I know.
I promise that we eat. A lot. We just both eat two meals per day at work, and had not made anything with left overs in awhile. Plus, Mr. H is on this kick where we eat everything in the house before buying more.

I agree with that philosophy; however, I enjoy having more than this in my house. This picture of the freezer does not even do justice to how little we have. Most of the 'bags' are frozen vegetables and cheese (I know, most people do not freeze it, but it keeps well enough for casseroles and cooking. And, it keeps for longer). Yes, I do have freeze pops. They're great, and can double as ice for a cooler.

Here's our 'pantry'. Keep in mind that there are only two of us so we don't need as much as families. But there is not a whole lot that we can use to make a meal in here.

So now that I've shown how barren our house has been (a little embarrassing I must admit), here is how the same cabinet looks now.

Much better. Unorganized (it's usually better than this, but we just kinda threw things in for now), but better. The fridge and freezer look much the same. It's nice to be able to plan actual meals and not have to scrounge when getting home from work.

I heart days off

2009-09-08T07:30:00.000-04:00

I have one word for this weekend: productive. We had so much fun relaxing and watching college football, but we accomplished so much around the here. Don't you just love those weekends?! Mr. H's car needed a whole bunch of routine maintenance which we have not had the time nor the money to do until now (we're talking brakes, rotors, transmission fluid, oil change, rotate tired, alignment, etc) so we spent most of Saturday morning doing all of that. Then we cleaned out the house. Ah-mazing! Clean kitchen floors? Yes, please. Move the furniture to vacuum in all rooms? Check. I think you get the point. We even made time to get rid of our massive amount of cords near the TV (it was heinous).
Most importantly, I finished the quilt that I have been making for Mr. H (it was supposed to be for his 21st birthday - 4.5 years ago). He loves it and promised to stop teasing me about it. It's even long enough to cover his entire body (he's 6'2'').

Menu Planning Monday

2009-09-07T09:37:00.004-04:00

We finally went grocery shopping yesterday (post to follow on how little we had in the house), and we are ready for a week full of awesome meals. The total price for the entire meal is listed as well (keep in mind we always buy on sale, and combine with coupons).

Monday: Fried, Oven Chicken*, stuffing, green beans ($5.00)

Tuesday: Tacos, corn ($6.50)

Wednesday: Salad with almonds, mandarin oranges, and raspberry vinaigrette ($4.00)

Thursday: Calzones (me = lots of veggies, Mr H = lots of meat) ($5.50)

Friday: Homemade Subs, carrot sticks ($3.00)

Saturday: Tailgating food with Carolina Couple before the Tennessee v. UCLA game :) (???)

Sunday: Whatever we feel can find, but keep it lite

Total Cost: approx. $24.00**

Our week will be a little crazy, but we have the game to look forward to (hopefully I can keep the food somewhat healthy while we're there)

*We make fried chicken, then bake it on a cooling rack in a cookie sheet for 30 - 45 mins to let some of the grease drip off (it's actually good)

**This is an estimate based on what we have spent on our food. We usually do not eat everything that is planned because our schedules are crazy, plus there are always lots of left overs for the 2 of us.

Wake me up when September ends...

2009-09-01T19:04:00.005-04:00

Today was a rough day. You know, the one where you're already tired and nobody is cooperating with you (funny how the two always seem to go together?) Instead of having a 'whoa is me' post, I though that I would share a couple pictures that I took with my phone on my drive today (I did not even look down at my phone until I got to work. Don't worry, mom). Since it's cold and the highway is higher than the valleys that the farms are on, I'm above the fog and it's absolutely gorgeous. Please excuse the quality is not that good - it's a phone camera, the car was moving and my windows are really dirty. It makes the drive even better. :) These pictures don't even do the view justice (the fog doesn't really show up/look remotely close).

Happy September!

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

2009-08-31T18:00:00.004-04:00

Usually I would post about what we're eating for Menu Planning Monday, but I think that I can make an exception today since I've been so MIA lately. Mr. H and I are going crazy trying to figure out our holiday plans. Our families live at opposite ends of the east coast, making it complicated on how to divide our time. We usually go see my family before Christmas and leave the day after to drive and see his family through New Year's Day. It seems easy, but I don't get off from work until Dec 23rd which would only give us a few days with my family. If we stay longer, there is no point in driving all that way for a few days. We could spend the whole time with his family, but it's different. My family is together for about 36 hours straight, and it's awesome. Mr. H's family tends to spread out (from my understanding), and we've decided that it's no way to spend such a major holiday. We like family time. A lot. Especially when we both feel like we're part it.

SO, do we crunch a trip to see his family for Thanksgiving, spend Christmas with mine (which we're not budging on that one), and New Year's by ourselves? OR do we try to visit both families over the Christmas holiday? I know this is early, but we need to make plans soon so his sister knows when to take off work, and so everything is settled with no more worrying.

We're also getting ready to start buying presents for everyone. Even though I have a job this year, we're keeping a really, super tight budget so we can save money for a house/grad school/two cars/furniture/retirement. We're trying to decide what to get for everyone. I'll post pictures as we find stuff. I cannot wait until Black Thursday, regardless of where we are.

#21: Fold All Laundry for 1 Week

2009-08-26T19:22:00.002-04:00

If anyone out there is even remotely like me, then laundry is one of the worst chores invented. It's amazing how much laundry multiplies when you're doing it for more than 1 person (I give all mothers a lot of credit because of this - and many other reasons). Mr. H claims that he used to only do one load per week; I did two every month or so. How we end up with about 4 loads of dirty clothes per week is beyond me.

Anyways, Mr. H and I have a deal that I do the laundry and he folds it. It works great, but he is in need of a serious break (he's been working 60+ hours/week lately). So, I decided to fold the laundry until his work schedule calms down a bit. It was 5 loads worth (and that doesn't include towels and sheets) - I wasn't exaggerating before. The time is longer since our dryer does not dry in 1 cycle (crazy, right?), so it's been some late nights here combined with early mornings. Fun times. At least I can cross something off of my 85 in 850!

This Week's Menu

2009-08-24T07:00:00.001-04:00

I had such a crazy time with my family, details on the shopping and whole weekend will come later (after a little rest). It is time again for Monday and for a little menu planning (is it really another week already?!).

Monday - Grilled Pork Chops and Broccoli

Tuesday - Crock Pot Roast (with lots of veggies)

Wednesday - Chicken Quesadillas

Thursday - Out to eat with some friends :)

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Soup and Sandwiches

Sunday - Hamburgers with Tater Tots and Carrot Sticks

Sorry, no recipes this week since we're eating simple food. More planning will go into next week (along with prices). Happy Planning! :)

For more great recipes, visit Orgjunkie.

Thankful Thursday

2009-08-20T16:22:00.002-04:00

This week was hard to narrow down to 5 things that we are thankful for. After conferring with Mr. H as to what to write, we've decided on the following (and that we are extremely blessed):

Mr. H is spending tomorrow night hanging out with a friend from work whom he has not seen in awhile (they no longer work together for various reasons). I don't think that he has been this excited for something in awhile.
My first paycheck is tomorrow, and I get to go shopping.
My sister is bring the nephew out to my parents' house this weekend. I haven't seen him since he was 2 weeks old and he looks so different in pictures now.
Happily-ever-after pooch went up to someone at the park. He is a rescue dog that usually avoids any and all people he does not know at all cost; this is especially true when he's outside of our house. This has taken going to the park at least 2x/week for 3 years to get to this point.
I have today and tomorrow off from work, and did not even had to go in to organize my room. I was able to 'sleep in' this morning until 7 and ran some errands. We haven't done a few things, like buy milk, this week because of work.

We hope everyone else is having a week full of blessings!

Now that I'm in the "real world"

2009-08-19T18:38:00.005-04:00

Not that anyone cares whatsoever about my plans for this weekend, but I just had to post it. I am going to my parents' house to see family (my sister and nephew are coming out, too) and see my younger sister perform at a local baseball game. BUT I am so excited to receive my first paycheck and shop with it. I really shouldn't shop since we want to save our money for a house and have some fun; however, this is my first real paycheck so I think we can spare a little bit of money. What am I going to buy?

How about these jeans (or something similar) since I have the hardest time finding jeans that fit me well and I can wear them to work.
And these, which I have had my eye on for a long time. Much more expensive than I usually spend, but I can get them since it's my first paycheck, right?

This wallet (since it's a wristlet/purse all in one). I usually do not go for Vera Bradley, but love this pattern and the concept (no more lugging a purse around everywhere.
Maybe I'll find a few other things as well. I'm thinking that some scrubs (pants) and plain shirts may be a good buy, too, since I can wear it to work (plus it's so comfortable!). I absolutely cannot wait to actually be able to shop and not feel completely guilty. I will still look for deals (and probably will not buy anything pictured here since it's all more expensive than what I usually spend).

Menu Planning Monday

2009-08-17T06:30:00.001-04:00

This week's menu is a little crazy since I'm not really sure if I have to work on Thursday and Friday or not...If not, I plan on going to visit my parents/family while Mr. H works and fends for himself (he's a really good cook, and will be alright!).

Monday - grilled chicken in italian dressing with green beans

Tuesday - Homemade pizza with easy to make dough

Wednesday - Crescent Chicken with carrots

Thursday - Teryiaki Wings (wings tossed in teryiaki sauce)

Friday through Sunday - Mr H's choice :)

Recipes:

Crescent Chicken

Chicken, cooked and cubed ( 3 chicken breasts)

2 cans crescent rolls

1 package cream cheese

chopped green onion

garlic salt (a dash or so)

Melted butter

Bread crumbs (Panko with seasoning added, or whatever desired)

Combine cream cheese, garlic salt and green onion

Add chicken to cream cheese mixture

Pull crescent rolls out of can, press 2 triangles together to form rectangle

Place spoonful of chicken & cheese mixture in the middle of crescent roll and fold sealing sides (Make sure triangles are still sealed, as they come apart sometimes during this step!)

Coat outside of roll with butter and cover with bread crumbs

Cook on cookie sheet according to directions on crescent roll package

Easy Pizza Dough (from Cooks.com)

2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. oil
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 c. water (warm)

Mix yeast and warm water; let set 5 minutes. Mix into first 4 ingredients. Let rise in warm place for 20 minutes. Press into 10 x 13 inch pan. Add favorite sauce and topping. Bake about 20 minutes or until done at 400 degree oven.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Anything Goes!

2009-08-16T20:12:00.002-04:00

We had such a crazy weekend filled with a visit from my brother, catching up on rest, and much to do with cars. You see, it all started when I pulled into the parking lot after a long day at work and saw my brother on his cell phone near his car with the hood popped. I thought, "this can't be good." And, it wasn't. His transmission went (we think, won't know until tomorrow) right as he got into town. What a way to start the weekend?! So, we got it towed and squared away. Then spent most of the day Saturday figuring out how he was getting back to Pittsburgh and getting my oil changed and changing my spark plugs (Mr. H did a wonderful job changing them). We also researched cars and crunched some numbers since my car is getting up there in age and miles (it's a 2000 with 127k - and has been driven all over the US). I am afraid that I may need a new car within a year (hopefully not, though!). My head is spinning just from thinking about it!

My car is the car that both my brother and I learned to drive on. It has dents on the driver's side from a run in with a dump truck on a side street and all kinds of crazy quirks (like you have to turn the AC off if you want to accelerate really fast or go up a steep hill with more than one person in the car) but, I love it. I'm not even close to ready to part with this car due to all of the memories. A new car means that I am growing up (which I am still in denial about) and moving on to the next stage in life.

It means that I am a real adult (not that paying bills and having a job have not shown me this already), and have to do real world things like haggling over a price and making some larger investments. Not ready for that. Nope. I have Peter Pan syndrome, and don't want to grow up. I still love talking with Mr. H about what we want our future house to be like, how we'll decorate it, kids, etc. like it's really far off (not right around the corner). I mean really, who wants all of that responsibility? I much prefer not worrying about it, at all. Which is why we are doing a TON of 'young' things this fall (like going to multiple college football games and tailgating like pros) instead of being completely responsible (and maxing out Roth IRAs).

It's okay to do this now, right? I mean, when else in our lives will we have a chance to be this irresponsible again? Yup. I much prefer this at the moment because I know that the years of doing the responsible thing is not far off. Once kids and a house and life happen there is no turning back. Everything will be planned - braces, college, retirement (if that is even a possibility for our generation), mortgage payments, home repairs, the list doesn't end. So, we're going to live it up while we can (while still being quasi-responsible and saving some money) so we don't look back on this time in our lives and think, 'why were we in such a rush for all of this?'

Thankful Thursday

2009-08-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

It's been a week full of adjustments for us, but a good one. Here's why we're thankful

I started my job this week, so I'm not waiting at home for Mr. H all day and then decide that the moment he walks through the door is the best time to talk.
My brother is coming to visit (mostly with Mr. H) this weekend. So fun - I have not seen/hung out with him in such a long time!
Mr. H's xbox came back from being repaired. This gaming system does amazing things for our marriage (like time to clean without being interrupted)
Traffic on my way to work has not been bad at all.Tomorrow night is date night.
Mr. H is leaving work early and driving to the town where I work for a fun dinner - so exciting!

Happy Move-in-iversary

2009-08-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I tend to make up words, frequently, even though my profession as a Speech and Language Pathologist tends to frown upon this in clients. But, today is the 2 year anniversary of when Mr. H and I moved in together (after we were married). You see, we planned the whole wedding before I moved to Nashville, then found out that my program ended in August, not May. So, we kept the date and plans, just not the honeymoon and living together for the first 6 weeks part. It was tough, but in the end it helped us keep the focus of the marriage during wedding planning (we did not care so much about the small details as long as we were married at the end of the day).

In honor of this day, I thought I'd share a few pictures of our favorite things to do together.

We always love the holidays, mostly because we spend time with family (my family spends over 36 hours together during Christmas, and we both love this time). While our tree looks like Charlie Brown Christmas meets A Christmas Story, it was one of the first major compromises we made (Mr. H thinks tinsel is the best decoration...I'm more of a modern, ribbon person) - I get to pick the decor for a big tree someday. :)

Snowboarding. It is such a stress reliever during long semesters. Plus, we make complete fools of ourselves and it's okay. Mr. H really wants to master a jump and I a black diamond next season (we've only 'hit the slopes' maybe 15 times each).

Making fondue, especially in the fall during football games. We make a pot of pizza fondue and eat all day while watching games with the windows open and the cold air coming in.

Lately, we really enjoy taking walks at the park. It gives us a lot of time to just talk and get away from all of the distractions at home. We leave our cell phones in the car so it really is just us (an the dog).

So many more, but I'm worn out. Happy Wednesday, half way there.

She Works Hard for the Money

2009-08-11T20:01:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it's already Tuesday night! It's funny how quickly the week passes when you're a working woman (i.e. have more to do than sit at home all day). I started work yesterday, and while I'm still a little scared to actually start I love it. They have training for a week and a half due to how involved working with this population is, but it really has not been too bad. Even the drive has not been as bad as I had originally thought (ask me in a month and I may have a different answer).

Although, I have not kept up with housework so far (nor do I see myself staying on top of it!). Any thoughts on how to manage a 9-10 hour work day, working out, cooking, AND housework?! It's too much for me to wrap my mind around since I've been exhausted at the end of the day and don't want to be up until midnight (or later) every night. I mean really, too much.

Show Us Your Life - Wedding Reception & Honeymoon

2009-08-07T14:14:00.008-04:00

The theme for the blog tour from Kelly's Korner this week is wedding reception and honeymoon. We wanted a unique reception site that was not your typical hotel-type wedding. Since a destination wedding was out of the question for many reasons and we couldn't find a barn or other rustic-like setting, we 'settled' for a historic hotel south of Pittsburgh. The ballroom was absolutely beautiful: wooden floors, huge windows, beautiful fireplace, balconies (which I wish our photographer had used for more shots). The day was perfect! Here's what half of the ballroom looked like set up.

Of course it would not be a Pittsburgh wedding without a cookie table

We had a traditional cake topper and had pictures of our parents cutting their cakes (not pictured) on the table.

Our immediate honeymoon consisted of driving back to Nashville and hanging out for a few days before Mr. H had to come back for work, and I finished my master's. We did take a cruise for our 1st anniversary, though, and count that as our real honeymoon. We spent 7 days aboard the Carnival Liberty, such a treat and sooo relaxing!

Our first stop was in Key West, FL where we visited the southernmost point in the continental U.S., shopped, and did a bar tour.

Next was Grand Caymen Island where we went scuba diving (sorry - no pictures, I forgot my camera on the ship). Our last stop was Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We climbed Dunn's River Falls, shopped a bit, and swam with the dolphins (one of my life long dreams!). They also had a walking trail with exotic animals (we both held an iguana that was bigger than my head!).

Our honeymoon was so much fun that we're planning another trip for (hopefully) next summer!

Couch to 5k Review

2009-08-05T13:52:00.003-04:00

I have gotten into trying to become a better person as a whole: mind, body, and spirit. Well, my mind is about full from going to school for so long, and I have been on a spiritual journey since I was a child (which is continuing to grow each day). However, I had let my body go since I was unable to swim anymore (after my senior year in high school). I had always hated running, with a passion. So I dabbled with other forms of exercise, but never really stuck with one.

I had decided last summer/fall that I needed to get back into shape since the 'married 15' was creeping up on me. So I caved and started running. Originally I did the C25k program to ease my way into the world of running, and found that even the 1st round of running for 1 minute at a time was difficult for me (yeah, I was that out of shape). I was making awesome progress until my hip started killing me every time I ran (and even when I wasn't running). I had to stop. Boo, hiss. Upon returning my hip was still killing me...I turned to yoga, wii, and upper body workouts for awhile before giving everything up around the holidays.

Recently, I have been motivated to begin working out again. I started with the basic level of the C25k to get myself acclimated with running again. This time, to prevent further injuries, I stretch after a 5 minute brisk walk (and I know when I've skipped this or not stretched enough after about .5 mile). It seems to do the trick. I have veered away from sticking to the plan and loosely follow it (I run 3 or 4 times per week and do the warm up and cool down), but instead I follow my own plan. I started running as much as I could, walk for about 2 minutes, then run the same amount of time, repeat for about 30 minutes. It works wonders! I'm up to about 5 minutes at a time right now (not bad for the person that could barely make 1 minute before). I've learned that following the program is not as important as getting to the destination, and everyone has her own pace.

Now if only I could find more motivating songs for my ipod....

Tuesday Ramblings

2009-08-04T14:40:00.002-04:00

This is my last week at home. I start my first real job next Monday, and have not been this nervous in a long time. What if I forget how to do therapy? What if I cannot manage my time effectively? sigh. Once I get started, everything will come back to me. Anyways, I want to make this week productive so that everything is in order around the house and I do not have to come home and clean (at least for the first few weeks).
Here's my list of what needs to be done:

scrub kitchen floor
wash walls
clean bathrooms
create mail organization system
do all laundry
dust
tidy all rooms
clean closets
vacuum hardcore (move all furniture)
finish Mr H's quilt

It doesn't seem like much when it's written, but i swear it takes me longer than most to clean (motivation has something to do with it). Wish me luck!

Show Us Your Life Friday - Wedding Flowers

2009-07-31T15:12:00.000-04:00

Kelly at Kelly's Korner has a great blog carnival called Show Us Your Life. In the past the themes have been about showing your house, and my house is not anything to show. All of our furniture has been free (except a $20 bookshelf from Target), and nothing goes together yet. Oh, the life of a grad student. Well, this week is wedding attendants/flowers/ceremony. I've included some pictures of my dress, too, since I did not participate last Friday.

My attendants were my two sisters (Maid and Matron of honor), Mr. H's two sisters, and my college roommate. Sorry, no pictures since I do not even put pictures of myself, I do not want to put a picture of someone else without her permission. The girls wore black dresses that pulled to the side (my dress did the same). They all carried multi-colored Gerber Daisy bouquets (daisies are my favorite!).

I had white roses (that ended up not being so white) and Stephanotis (which is similar to the white violet - my sorority's flower). The flowers were dried and framed and now hang in our bedroom - a great way to remember the day.

Here are my flowers with our rings. Look how much larger his hands are than mine (makes me wonder what our children will be like!). Mr. H. used yellow gold for the engagement ring because my wedding band was my great-grandmother's wedding band. I absolutely love my family and family traditions being incorporated into our lives, so I was thrilled when everything worked out.

One interesting attendant that we had and most wedding do not is a sign language interpreter. My undergraduate and 1st master's degrees are in Deaf/hard-of-hearing education, and wanted to incorporate this part of my life into the wedding. (Mr. H even learned how to sign in order to know what my PIC and I were talking about in college. That and there was a large Deaf population/culture on our campus, so most people learned at least a few signs.) My friend, Joy, did a wonderful job. Since we were the only 2 that graduated from the D/hh program our year, we signed in each other's weddings (so fun!).

Here is my dress. It's from David's Bridal because I could not see myself spending a ton of money on a dress that I was only going to wear once (I fought with my mother over this fact on so much for the wedding - I just wanted to be married at the end of the day and did not get too wrapped up in the details). It originally had cap sleeves, but I did not wear those because it was too much on me. I would like to have my dress made into Christening gowns for our children some day.

There's my veil (wish I had a better picture) it had little details on it that matched my dress. And that is my dad hiding with me before he walked me down the aisle...such precious moments.

My Husband Rocks!

2009-07-31T08:30:00.001-04:00

My husband rocks just because he is a great teacher. Last week we stopped to see Carolina Couple on our way home from Florida and hit some golf balls at the driving range. Ms. CC and I had only done this a few times in our lives. We needed a bit of teaching to say the least. Mr. CC tried teaching his girlfriend, but could not get through to her (sometimes the best teachers are those that you are not in a relationship with). Mr. Happily-ever-after spent no less than 30 minutes teaching and helping us (enough time for me to hit a small bucket of balls). He even put down his club at one point to watch us and help make sure we were hitting the golf ball exactly right. Seriously, what guy would do that?! I often tell him he is in the wrong career and would make a great teacher (especially early childhood teacher).

Thankful Thursday

2009-07-30T15:50:00.002-04:00

Thankful Thursday is back...

I am going out to dinner tonight with a friend from school (we haven't 'hung out' since graduation).
My car broke down. on the side of the road. 50 yards away from the dealership while I was on my way there. but at least it is this week and not when I'm an hour away from home.
We had time to go hiking, and the views were beautiful.
All of our papers (i.e. bank statements, bills, etc) are neatly filed away (finally!).
We get to go visit my family this weekend! :)

Divine Intervention

2009-07-29T11:37:00.004-04:00

I have been writing this post for a few days now, and still don't feel like it's quite right, but not sure how else to put emotions/feelings into words. As a psychologist once said, "Emotions are something you feel, there are not always words for them." So, bare with me.

We have been married for a little over two years now (about 25 months to be exact), and we still love one another more than when we first met. The Brad Paisley song Then comes to mind when I think about this. Our families and friends acknowledge this, and have even asked how we maintain overall happiness with such hectic schedules. Our response is usually the sugar coated answer, "When it's right, you know." Most people accept this and move on; however, a few have inquired further.

Personally, I truly believe that God wants us to be together. Really, it was a fluke and a stretch that I ended up attending the college where we met. An even bigger fluke that he was behind me in line to sign up for a bank account (I still remember waiting with my parents, turning around, seeing him, and thinking 'college will be good.' Even though I did not say anything to him, and he barely remembers this). We were friends throughout that year and my boyfriend at the time accused us of having feelings for one another...at the time we both just thought that we would never be more than friends, ever. We started dating at the end of the year, and it was so right from the moment we first held hands. A friend even told me, "I saw the two of you and it's like he's a totally different Mr. H and your a different Mrs. H. But, it's a good thing. A really good thing." I cannot deny divine intervention when I think about moments like those. That is why we say when it's right, you know.

My relationship with Mr. Happily-ever-after has brought me closer with God because through this relationship I have seen the closest thing to the perfect love that He (God) has for me. I could go on about his habits that get on my last nerve, there are plenty of those. And, I know that I do my fair share of bothering him. But no matter how mad we get at one another, it never lasts long. And it's not even anger, disappointment most of the time. Anger arises because I do not always express my disappointment in the best ways.

This has been a lot of babbling, I know, but these feelings are important to get out for others who are looking. And this is so not where I thought this post was going when I first started writing.

Menu Planning Monday

2009-07-27T13:19:00.004-04:00

In an effort to become organized (a goal that I have struggled with for years), I have decided to participate in Menu Planning Monday from Organizing Junkie. I've been meaning to do this for weeks, but have been too unorganized to get it together in time. ha! Another goal (which I'm better with) is saving money/living as frugally as possible. Our goal is to only spend $200/month on food for the two of us, for everything - including going out to eat.

Weekly Menu:

Monday – goulash, spaetzle, and cooked carrots $9.00

Tuesday – grilled cheese and tomato soup $2.00

Wednesday – ravioli with marinara sauce and peas $3.50

Thursday – grilled chicken and green beans $4.00

Friday – salad with grilled chicken $3.00

Saturday & Sunday – whatever we eat with my parents in Pittsburgh!

Weekly Total: $21.50 (not including the weekend) I was liberal with all of my costing (meaning that most of my meals probably cost less than the estimate) so my total is most likely less than this. We also need to add in $2.19 for a gallon of milk to go with our dinners. This is not the overall total for the week since we eat more than dinner everyday nor does it include fruits/veggies/snacks which usually cost about $10-15/week. Keep in mind that we only buy what is on sale (Sundays tend to be the best days for meat/produce at our local supermarkets), so this cost is based on what we find.

Goulash Recipe:
1 lb roast (cut of choice)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cans water
1 package dry onion soup mix

Directions:
preheat oven to 350, cut roast into cubes (about 1 inch), place all ingredients in cast iron or other oven safe dutch oven, cook for 2 hours

I'm Baaaack!

2009-07-24T11:53:00.004-04:00

Mr. Happily-ever-after and I arrived back at home last night after a great trip to see his family. We spent all of yesterday driving back home. We stopped in South Carolina to eat lunch with my grandparents (I wish we could do that more often!). Then we went to see Carolina Couple a little further down the road. We brought subs from Publix (Mr. H and his friend's favorite) for everyone. We then went to the driving range to hit a few golf balls. Although we did not get in until 1:30 this morning, I love breaking the trip up like that.
We have the post trip hangover. You know the one I'm talking about, you walk into your house and look around and realize how much you have to do to catch up from being gone (this especially happens once everything is brought into the house). It hits like a brick wall. Every time. The amount of laundry that needs to be done, all of the small things (that really add up) that need to be put away, the mail, e-mails, etc, etc, etc. Sigh. It's almost worse than a real hangover because it will take an entire day (maybe more) to catch up on everything and a nap/tylenol/water will not cure it...and it will still be around if avoided.
So, today is going to be spent coming out of the fog and back to reality. With lots of fun music for motivation (can we say 80's?) and maybe a DIY show or two (to motivate Mr. H). AND knowing that we get to go out to dinner tonight after everything is finished...for free!

Remeber these?

2009-07-20T12:16:00.003-04:00

Mr. Happily-ever-after and I are in Florida visiting his family. We're enjoying some time hanging out and relaxing. Since we've been here we have played board games from childhood, especially after dinner. I had forgot how much fun Life can be...especially with a 5 year old (I kept thinking that I'm still trying to figure out 'Life'). OR Uno? Remember that one? I haven't played it since I was younger. It is still so much fun, especially now that we're older and have strategies on how to play (like saving all of your draw 2's for the person with 1 card left....or who ever won last time). Seriously, these games were so fun...I think tonight might include Clue. That is, unless my niece convinces everyone to play the Candyland DVD game (somehow I don't think that will be quite as good as the real thing, but we will see).

My Husband Rocks because....

2009-07-17T13:09:00.003-04:00

I know that I've skimped on this subject, but it is still an important topic since a marriage needs constant maintenance to stay strong. So, without further adieu:

My husband rocks because he has the most patience out of anyone that I have ever met. ever. I have a tendency to get caught up in the moment and hot-headed. He usually has an even temper about everything and keeps me in line. If something goes wrong, he looks at the situation and thinks of what would make it better. Seriously, I usually get frustrated and upset thus making the situation even worse.

Mr. Happily-ever-after has stayed extremely calm with the whole we're moving, oh wait, no we're not...maybe we are after all. During all of that, I debated starting a job or waiting it out...or finding a job that is not in my field to help pay the bills....I was a wreck and didn't know what to do. He just held me and made my worries melt away.

For more information on MHR Fridays, click here.

Happy Hump Day!

2009-07-15T22:05:00.006-04:00

I must admit that Wednesday is quite possibly my favorite weekday for two reasons: (1) the name still gets me when someone says "happy hump day" and I'm not expecting it from them like a boss or casual acquaintance (juvenile, I know, but it's the small things) and (2) if you make it through the day then you're more than half way through the week. #2 is mostly the reason because I'm a bit of a list maker (even though I rarely make it through my whole list). I always have been, probably always will be. I even counted down the minutes of every single class from high school through my last course in grad school.

Makes me sound organized, right? Yeah right is more like it. I am quite possibly the most unorganized person on the planet. My mother still tells me that I would lose my head if it was not attached to my body. I try. Seriously, I've been working on getting better; however, the thought of cleaning often holds me back. You know, looking at a pile of stuff to organize, the piles of mail, half finished projects. They kill my life. I get so overwhelmed and do not even know where to begin. (If anyone has any advice on how to overcome this cleaning anxiety, I welcome any and all ideas!)

Well, lately I've begun to turn a new leaf. I've decided that waking up to a sink like this outweighs any negative feelings that I have toward cleaning. I mean really...who wants to wake up to grimy dishes that need to be washed before you even use them? Dawn doesn't go well with coffee.

Instead, I make sure that my kitchen sink is clean before I go to bed at night. It looks more like this. I wake up every morning with one less item on my daily to-do list and a lot less avoidance of my kitchen. One of my mom's other famous lines from growing up was 'It will only take 2 minutes' to try to motivate my siblings and I to get something done. And she is so right with this one (don't you just hate when you realize your mom is right...or worse, that you are becoming your mother...scary)

Growing Up and Cleaning Out

2009-07-13T12:51:00.006-04:00

One of Mr. Happily-ever-after's friends says that you know you're getting older when your buddy tells you that he got his girl pregnant and instead of saying, "What did you do?" you say, "Congrats, man, that's great." I was shocked, too, the first time that I heard it...But it is so true. We are getting older. Friends are getting married and having babies and we are so happy for all of them (not that we were not happy for them when everyone was younger, it is different now)

I had another one of those experiences today while shopping (shh, Mr H does not know that I went, yet). I went to the normal stores - Old Navy, Kohl's, Target, the mall (which only has about 25 stores in it, I kid you not). I was in the mall and about to walk into American Eagle to see their sales when I saw a group of girls that looked like they were still in elementary/early middle school going into the store talking about 'how cool' their clothes are....I even think one mentioned her first kiss in the conversation (not really, but they were talking about boys etc)...At that moment I decided that maybe I'm getting a little to old to wear the same clothes as these girls. It's not that I'm too old, I got to thinking about how they are cut, etc. Will my body look flattering in this, if it is not made for people that have curves? I mean, some of them aren't too bad, but really I get nervous that I'm trying to hold onto my youth too much.

So, I skipped the stores of my middle and high school days (AE, Aeropostale, Holister) and moved on to the department stores....I must say that shopping in the women's section at these stores does not mean that you cannot find cute clothes. I found a TON that I loved, but settled on a few since I don't start work until next month. I still plan on shopping at the 'young' stores every now and again (you never know when you'll find something cute and grown up, right?)

I also came home to clean out everything that is faded/does not fit so well anymore. I love purging my closet of everything that is taking up space and making my life more cluttered. (If only I could accomplish this with the rest of my house/life) And, it feels good to donate everything that I know will not be worn to Goodwill.

So what did I buy, you ask?
I got all of this

And this

And spent less that $60! I know, I could not believe it either. But when you have tags like this, it is hard to say no.
That's right, I got one shirt (it was a plain, but still) was $2.97...and others for $7.20 and $4.99...I love finding a good deal on clothes! I plan on going back to Kohl's to get a pair of jeans on Wednesday when their sale begins. I hope Mr. H does not get too mad at me for spending some money. After all, I did pick up a few things for him.

If you can't take the heat...

2009-07-12T21:53:00.002-04:00

...don't try the spiciest wings on the planet! Mr. Happily-ever-after and one of his friends from college decided to do a food tour of the state this weekend...we started my meeting his friend and girlfriend about two hours away for a burger - the place was closed by the time we got there (who only stays open until 4:00 on a Saturday?!), so we grabbed a bite at a local pub before going to see The Hangover. The movie was absolutely hilarious....I highly recommend it. We came home, watched the UFC fight and finally went to bed at about 5 (how I used to pull all-nighters is beyond me....seriously, I felt so old this morning when I couldn't get out of bed).
Today we went to a wing place about 2 hours in the opposite direction. The challenge is to eat 10 of their spiciest wings to get your name on the wall of flame, a t-shirt, and an ulcer. I did not try this since I have been having reflux issues and decided that anything in which a waiver is required before eating is not worth it. Mr. H. and his friend, however, decided that the benefits/bragging rights outweighed the risks. Mr. H barely finished all 10 of the wings...he scratched his leg after wiping off his hands with a wet nap and his leg started to burn. His friend made it through 3....I have no idea how either even ate one!
One of the waitresses showed us the basic sauce - it is black AND the main ingredient in pepper spray (if that gives any indication as to what they were up against). She said that they mix this with their hottest 'other' sauce to make in more mild. Seriously, who would willingly do this?!
In the end we have a lot of good memories and pictures of the event (sorry I still can't post pictures)....Mr. H got a t-shirt and his name on the wall.

Update

2009-07-11T00:01:00.002-04:00

Everything went well on Wednesday. The Dr said that I'm still recovering from c.diff (I haven't had it since early March!) and my nerves in my GI tract are still on edge. He gave me some medicine to help ease the constant pain I've been having. AND I got pictures of my vocal cords....I would post them, but my computer won't let me upload pictures from my camera or scanner right now. That, and if you have ever seen pictures (I suggest using google if you haven't), they kind of look like another part of female anatomy and I don't want blogger coming after me for posting explicit pictures, even though it's innocent enough.
Since I've been home and taking it easy since I still cannot eat a whole lot, I've been working on a baby gift for a friend of mine from college. It's an adorable lion quilt that looks similar to the one below, but not exactly (darn camera!). I hope she and the baby like it!

This weekend friends from undergrad, Carolina Couple, will be visiting. We're going to various places around the state/area because Mr. H and his friend are obsessed with the show Man v. Food on the Travel Channel and they have to try these wings and a burger and hot dog...I'll be taking pictures and enjoying the company.
Happy Weekend!

It's been awhile...

2009-07-06T12:12:00.002-04:00

I know that once again it has been awhile since my last post....I'm horrible! But, I've been getting everything in order in my personal life. I ended up taking the job, and cannot wait to start! The job is a about an hour away, so I'm thinking some books on tape/CD may be necessary to help pass the time. Any good suggestions? It is amazing how everything has fallen into place. In this post I reported that Mr. H would possibly be transferred. Turns out that his HR director asked him to commit to the local university for another semester (or year) depending on openings at other schools. Seriously, everything is working out.
I've also been making sure that I have a clean bill of health. I was really sick this past spring with C. Diff, not fun. I still have some abdominal cramping and pretty bad reflux, so I have seen a dr and I like his style...he actually communicates what is going on, is scientific about his practice, and actually has experience (I know I sound picky, but feel that I can be when it comes to health concerns). Anyways, on Wednesday I will be getting my entire g.i. tract scoped to make sure that everything is okay (TMI, I know). As much as I am dreading the whole process, I made my doctor promise to take a picture of my voice box and I should have some answers. I hope there aren't any major complications and I can start working out again by early next week.

Crazy Week, huh?

2009-06-26T10:29:00.006-04:00

This has been one crazy week in the media! First, Ed McMahon passed away. What a legacy to leave behind...I don't always pay attention to celebrities' lives because I'm a firm believer that they need their privacy as well...but, I had no idea that he was not doing well/sick.
Then, yesterday Farrah Fawcett passed away yesterday (I actually knew that she was not doing well).
The real shocker was the passing of Michael Jackson. I think the whole world is completely stunned by this. His recent actions are more than a little questionable, but his legacy on music is unforgettable.
These three have left impressions in the media that will never be forgotten.

In other news, this may sound like it contradicts my previous statement about privacy, but they put their business out there on reality television (versus playing a character in a movie/t.v. separate from you're personal life)...Although, I haven't wanted to play into the paparazzi spectacle so I've stopped watching. But, have read the headlines on CNN/MSN in passing and can't believe that Jon and Kate are getting divorced!
It was less than one year ago that they renewed their vows because (and this is the general quote) 'It is important for the kids to see that their parents are going to be together forever.' It just goes to show that a lot can happen in a year...and what happens when you put fame and money above family/marriage.
It also makes me realize how lucky I am to be married to Mr. Happily-ever-after. You see, divorce is not an option for us. We've discussed it (even recently with all of this going on) and would only divorce if every single option is exhausted (including lifestyle changes). We know that marriage is like tending to a garden...you can't plant the seeds and walk away...it takes care and upkeep to be successful.

What to do in the off season?

2009-06-23T11:09:00.005-04:00

With summer in full swing, I can't help but think about snow. What?! I know, I never used to like being cold...at all. I would count down the days until summer. Now I am the complete opposite - I find myself dreading the heat and looking forward to cold weather. The football, sweaters, wrapping myself in blankets, and most of all snowboarding.
I never thought that I would actually find going down a mountain at a fast speed fun, much less missing it during the off season. I like to be in control and know exactly what is going to happen next. That is not always the case when you're going down a mountain that you've never even seen before. Add in other people doing the same thing, and there is almost a recipe for disaster. But it's so fun. I find that it gives me time to think and let go. For a short amount of time, my life is somewhere else and the only thing that matters is having fun and letting go. It gives me complete clarity.
Right now, I miss that time away to think. So, I do what any avid fan would do - play Shaun White on the Wii almost every night. It's great - I use the balance board and go around the world to snowboard. I'm much better here than I am in real life, too.

It's not the exact same as the real thing, but it is the closest thing that I have found so far. And, since we cannot afford the time or money to travel during the off season, this is a close second. Plus, it is a work out. Mr. H and I have been running and eating healthy, etc, but we are both really sore after we compete against one another on this game. Weird, huh?
When our snowboards are not in use, we have them on the wall in our guest room. It adds a more personalized flair to decorating and gets the boards off the ground/out of the way. I love this picture because it shows how much shorter I am than Mr. H (it's about a foot difference in height!).

This picture doesn't show the height difference as much, but shows our boards. I was really lucky because my parents bought mine for me for my birthday a year ago (they got my bindings for me, too!). We bought Mr. H's snowboard after doing a TON of research. (He needs a wide board because his feet are so big and hang over and drag on a regular board).

Oh, how I miss winter!

#1 Find a job that I love

2009-06-22T21:38:00.002-04:00

So before I went home and to visit my sister/brother-in-law/nephew, I had a job interview. The interview went really well, and was so right. It's a school for children with severe/profound disabilities that's about an hour away. They offered me a job, so I can officially go by Mrs. Happily-ever-after, M.S., CF-SLP. It is a pretty sweet deal...but, Mr. H. just found out that another university in another state is interested in him. So, what to do. Take the job and only work for a week or two (maybe even a month) or don't take the job and it doesn't work out in the other state?

What to do...

2009-06-18T17:45:00.002-04:00

Sorry about the lack of posts as of late...my life is that boring that I literally have nothing to post about...seriously. I do have a few job prospects (and hopefully will be employed in the near future). As for the move, we're not thinking it's going to happen any time soon. Mr's company does not have a lot of openings with the economy (people aren't moving/leaving their jobs so much) and they lost a couple of big accounts....SO hopefully something eventful will happen in the near future...even if it's only the completion of a craft....

85 in 850 Update

2009-06-14T19:32:00.003-04:00

I've completed a few items from my 85 in 850 list.

#4: Keep Track of my Phone for 1 week
My family and friends will tell you that I am notorious for not keeping up with my cell phone. They typically call Mr. Happily-ever-after if they need to talk to me (he's the one that is glued to his phone). Since this is often my only line of communication (we don't have a land line), I thought it was a good goal to set. I have successfully kept track of my phone for 10 days now....I didn't lose it once!

#9: Begin a couple's devotion with Mr. Happily-ever-after
Going to church has always been part of my life (Mr. H. grew up much the same). During our marriage counseling it was recommended that we do a couple's devotion because it helps to form a strong marital foundation based on faith. We use Devotions for Couples by David & Teresa Ferguson. It is a one-year book and goes by date. We started on June 1 (the date we started), not at the beginning of the book. Admittedly, we have missed a few days and just picked up with the current date instead of back tracking. This book is a great way to end our day with reading on faith and reminding ourselves of the little things that make a good marriage into a great one.

#21&40: Fold all laundry for 1 week
Oops, I made the same goal for 2 numbers! Anyways, folding laundry is the bane of my existence (as is most cleaning). Mr. H. and I usually have laundry folding parties to split up the work, and make it seem like it might be fun. Part of the dread is the shear volume of laundry we have...we usually have at least 4 loads/week. I have been washing and folding all laundry for about a month now (since graduation), just haven't documented it.

My Husband Rocks Fridays....and an update

2009-06-12T10:56:00.008-04:00

My husband rocks because: he insisted that I go see my new nephew this week....He asked me if I was going on Monday morning like it was even a question...even though we really can't afford a trip like that right about now since I'm still a stay-at-home wife not using my very expensive degrees...He knows how important my family is to me and how close we are to one another.
____________________________________________________

Here are some pictures of the baby:

We (my mom, younger sister, grandmother, and I) decorated the mailbox...We also printed some pictures from after he was born and filled some empty frames for when they got home and made my older sister's favorite meal so she didn't have to cook.

Here's a picture of my nephew, *Paul. As with all of my pictures, I'm not posting any pictures of faces for his privacy.

His feet are so small! (He is only a 6.5 lb baby!)

He had a head full of hair.

*I've also changed his name for the family's privacy.

____________________________________________________

It's been quite a week, I'm sorry that I haven't really posted...It's crazy when you're last-minute traveling and don't have your own computer with you. I had planned on Menu Planning Monday along with some other stories. Fail. I need to get back on the creative blog train...My friend, Lexi, and her fiancee are visiting this weekend. I hope that I'll get some inspiration from the weekend.

Yay!

2009-06-08T23:33:00.002-04:00

Today was Mr. H's day off. We had a wonderful day planned full of going to the mountains, hiking, and a great steak dinner to be followed by Shaun White on Wii.....what really happened? My sister called me at 8:00 and woke me up...not so happy, until she told me that her water broke! I hopped in the car, drove to my parents house, then to the hospital with my mom, other sister, and grandmother. We got there just in time....it was a little shaky for the first couple of minutes (his first apgar score was 1)...but he quickly improved and both mom and baby are doing wonderfully now. Not to brag, but I think he's a really cute baby (especially for a natural birth, hardly any cone headedness going on)....I am so excited for my sister and brother-in-law!

Baby Shower Photos....awhile later

2009-06-07T18:49:00.004-04:00

I posted about ideas for my older sister's baby shower about a month ago. I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures of decorations and the gifts that I gave her...sorry, I completely forgot to actually use my camera once the shower started so none of other gifts.
Here's a picture of the diaper cake that I made with the help of my dad and younger sister. I must say that I have the best father on the planet, and he was so into figuring out the more efficient way to tie the diapers and put everything together (he's very science-y).
Mr. Happily-ever-after priced out diapers and diapering supplies with me for weeks before we bought anything (seriously, those things are expensive!). He also had the brilliant idea to use diapering items, i.e. wipes, diaper genie cartridge, diaper ointment, in the center of each tier. That way it would cut down on the amount of tying and it was all usable. My sister is having a boy and the nursery is blues and greens...which are the colors that we used for everything that day.
My mom suggested that my younger sister and I use a tea party theme, which was amazing. The food was great! We had chicken salad in pastry shells, salad, fruit, cake, and tea (of course!).
We carried the idea of a diaper cake over to the centerpieces: diaper cupcakes. It's a smaller 1-tier version of the diaper cake. I've seen it done before with using a small stuffed animal as a topper and pacifiers/other small toys to decorate. We decided to use ribbon instead to make it similar to the large cake...plus it added color to the otherwise white table.

I made a basket full of 'SLP' items. What can I say, it's hard to get me out of speech therapist mode. It included: a variety of books, feeding items (SLPs work with dysphagia...aka feeding/swallowing), oral care items, a crib mirror, and other goodies (the monkey items match the nursery). Instead of putting newspaper in the bottom, Mr. H. suggested using diapers and covering them with a receiving blanket. She loved it, especially the diapers since she had not gotten any yet. She also liked the actual basket since he had not gotten a hamper either.
I also got a little creative and made some burp clothes. I used cloth diapers and added flair with fabric and ribbon. It's a great way to personalize a gift, plus it really does not take that long. (sorry about the lighting, I took these really quickly)
My younger sister made the most adorable onsies (I wish I had gotten pictures). She usually doesn't like to sew or do crafts, but is really artistically talented. Each onsie had a different item on it, frog, whale, etc. So cute, and really easy. She also made a memory box out of a wooden box that she stained and put pre-made jungle animals on the outside. Once again, so cute, wish I had gotten a picture.

Mr. Happily-ever-who?!

2009-06-06T17:07:00.003-04:00

I thought that I would share one of my favorite stories/quotes from Mr. H:
We were in college, getting ready to go out one night when I asked him to get my coach wristlet out for me. His response was, "Who's Coach?" (and he was being dead serious)....really?! I am the girl that calls her purse by its proper name, Kate (it's a Kate Spade for those of you who are still in the dark), loves to shop, and is completely addicted to shows like The Girls Next Door and What Not to Wear. I could not believe that a guy with 2 sisters would not know 'who coach is.' I immediately called my sister to tell her (since I tell her everything)....needless to say he was introduced to a store the next time we went to Pittsburgh.

#56: Try 3 new, green cleaning methods

2009-06-05T11:36:00.004-04:00

I've been working on my 85 in 850, but this is the first I've posted about completing something from that list. One of my personal goals is to become more 'green.' Not only will I be helping the planet, I will also be helping my bank account. You see, I've researched ways to use ordinary household items to clean. I won't have to waste, I mean spend money on the over priced products at the store.

One thing that can be found in (almost) any house is baking soda. It not only deodorizes the refrigerator, it can be used with some water to clean the oven, and in my case the kitchen counter. You see, we still live in an apartment that has laminate counter tops. It is always getting stains, always. This picture doesn't do the situation justice. You can barely see the spot here. Believe me, it is obvious in person.

I sprinkled a little baking soda on the spot and used a wet dishcloth to clean. Viola! No more stain. (Sorry I didn't post an after picture, but it would have just been white)

I've also found the power of vinegar. I know, I know, the smell isn't the most pleasant, but it isn't too bad. You can add essential oils to help with the smell (recommended especially if you're cleaning before company comes over). I use a mixture of 1/2 vinegar 1/2 water in a spray bottle. It's a great surface cleaner for hard surfaces (mostly the counter top). My dad said that it should kill germs, too, because the vinegar is acidic (I'll do more research on this). It also worked to clean the hard water spots on a shower curtain in our guest bathroom.

I also use white vinegar to clean our towels. That musty smell that you never can seem to get rid of vanishes when vinegar is used. I use a cup of vinegar (sometimes 1.5 cups) and hot water. That's it. It doesn't work if you use detergent, etc. It's better for the environment, and colored towels than bleach. The combo of hot water and the acidity of the vinegar is sufficient enough to fully clean, and oust the smell. The best part is, the rinse cycle rids the towels of the vinegar smell. No additional washing necessary. I use fabric sheets when drying, but that's it. One of our friends does this and doesn't use the fabric sheet in the dryer and her towels do not smell.
I was told that this washing only needs to be done once a month or so (whenever you think your towels are starting to smell), the rest of washes can be done normally. We've gotten into the habit of using hot water and vinegar every time.

The best part of these methods is that they don't take extra effort/time. I love being able to help the environment and save money (which is always a plus in this economy). Just because I've checked this off of my list does not mean that I'm finished being 'green.' I plan on continuing to find better, more efficient ways to clean the house.

My Husband Rocks!

2009-06-05T10:04:00.002-04:00

After a small hiatus from MHR Fridays (not because he doesn't rock...more like I don't rock for not posting), it's back. My husband rocks because he constantly challenges me to try new things that normally I would not even consider. Socially, he’s a definite extrovert. He’s always talking to someone and is ‘Mr. Advice’ to so many people; he’s always been like this. In college he would stay up all night sometimes helping someone who was feeling down. Me? While I love people and am generally considered to be outgoing, I much prefer to be a home body. I am so happy on our date nights when we get a movie from redbox, sit on the living room floor, and hang out. Mr. Happily-ever-after is always encouraging me to go and hang out with people. I end up having a blast most of the time, and am glad that I went. If it weren’t for him, I’d probably be a hermit by now.
Mr. Happily-ever-after is also a huge thrill-seeker. I like to play it safe; the less risk, the better. He has gotten me to try all sorts of things since we have been together. I now love snowboarding; whereas before I was terrified by the thought of going down a mountain at high speeds in which other people would only be there to break my fall. We also tried scuba diving on our cruise last summer. I was a swimmer in high school, but hate the idea of being trapped underwater and of getting bitten by fish/sharks/octopus, etc (I think I’ve seen Jaws a few too many times). But, he wanted to do this excursion, so I compromised and went. It was so much fun.
Mr. Happily-ever-after is always encouraging me to try new foods, ideas, ways of living, and I love it!

2009-06-04T22:59:00.004-04:00

Okay, don't judge me for this, I'm an old woman on the inside. I wear reading glasses, have hip pains, take lots of naps, and absolutely love quilting/sewing (which is what I've been doing a lot of lately). So my life is extremely boring at the moment. I've resorted to doing all of the sit-down patient things that I have put off/not been patient enough to finish.
Here are some pictures of a quilt that I made for a friend in my program that had a baby. It's not perfect, but the 1st one that I've made completely on my own (my mom usually helps at least a little).

I have a few more projects that I'm working on at the moment, to be posted later.

The Other Love of My Life

2009-06-02T20:31:00.003-04:00

So I discovered a new love (okay, so I've seen it for awhile, just didn't act on it): Polyvore. It's amazing. You can create art, outfits, looks, etc. Some of the items are unattainable for me (i.e. the $1,500 clutch purse...), but many are affordable. Mr. Happily-ever-after said, "Goodness, you don't need a find like this," in regards to the site/my picks (it has taken me years to finally get him to part with jorts. I'm not kidding)

Here's my first set...kinda bland, but I couldn't find a color that looked right. In the end I decided that silver is the perfect color to play it safe with this color of pink. Sorry it's so small...

BTW - does anyone know how to really upload these on here? I've seen it done on multiple blogs, but cannot figure it out.

30 Day Shred

2009-06-01T20:57:00.003-04:00

My friend from another life, Ashlee, has an amazing fitness blog (and, no, I do not believe that I have actually been reincarnated...I just know her from a place where I have previously lived). She gives awesome advice on how to lead a healthy lifestyle, like shop the perimeter of the grocery store because that is where the fresh, healthier food is located. One thing that she uses/used to workout is Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred workout DVD (pictured below).

Jillian is one of the trainers from The Biggest Loser, which I absolutely love. She is so tough and keeps me motivated, plus it's only a 20 min workout (and usually I hate video workouts and quit after about a minute). After warming up, the workout is broken into 3, six minute circuits. Each circuit contains 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of abs.

Mr. Happily-ever-after made fun of me for doing girl push-ups and needing to take a break during 1. His exact words were, "Why do you need a break? You're doing the easy ones." So, I challenged him to 'Shred' with me one day. Jillian totally kicked his butt and then some. He was covered with sweat and complaining during the 1st 3 minutes of strength. He now admits that I'm not a total wuss, and is reluctant to participate...ha!

My goal is to make it through the entire video, which means working out for 30 days straight. This seems like an easy feat, although I have yet to make it out of the 1st level (there are 3 levels, 10 days in each). In fact, I have yet to do more than 3 consecutive days (I'm a slacker). But, I think that Shred and a C25K program (I'll talk about that in a later post) will be a great combination for getting back into shape.

There, my goal is on the internet now. It's official...kind of like putting something on facebook official.

What a Weekend!

2009-05-31T21:00:00.005-04:00

Mr. Happily-ever-after's birthday was earlier in the month, so we celebrated with a party last night. We had our friends that live locally over, plus some friends from undergrad came. We had so much fun! It was great to have one last night to hang out with friends before they/we move. Here's a recap of the night:

We made 5 dozen cookies and some of these

(We also had chips, spinach dip, etc...so not healthy!)

And drank beer and this

These are the cups for a game we played (before we began playing)

And here's us playing the game (takes me back to undergrad, but oh so fun)

Great party, awful for the diet/workout plan. We'll get back on track after we recover and get the house cleaned, tomorrow.

I hope you had a great weekend, too!

Lets Go Pens!

2009-05-30T00:28:00.004-04:00

Growing up in Pittsburgh brings a certain loyalty to all teams from the 'burgh. (I still LOVE the Pirates even though they are going for the record of most consecutive seasons below .500) Since it's technically Saturday and the 1st game of the Stanley Cup is tonight, I have to say - LETS GO PENS! It's time for revenge...call Arnold Slick from Turtle Creek (Crick, is the Pgh pronunciation), Lord Stanley is coming home (I hope).
On a more serious note, the Pens made a Katrina-like storm (the Carolina Hurricanes) look like a mere tropical depression. They've 'not seen nothing like the mighty 'guins.'...if you don't get that, read on, read on.

Wii Fit

2009-05-29T12:58:00.002-04:00

I’ve been doing a Couch to 5K running program. Correction, I had been doing. You see, I did well, then came the holidays, then I became really sick this spring and am just now getting better. I began to run again, and my right hip is starting to bother me. I stretch after the warm up and after the cool down, but it’s still not doing well…even with new shoes, etc.
Anyways, I’ve been doing Wii Fit to help keep me active, while not doing anything too strenuous. It has helped with balance and overall to help take pressure off of my right side (ironically, Wii Fit said that I put more of my weight on my right side)…I’m still going to the park to walk at least every other day. Hopefully I will be able to run at least once this weekend and get back on track.
I also love using the balance board for Shaun White Snowboarding, Mr. Happilyeverafter is amazing at this, seriously, and Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009. I’m not totally convinced that the Wii Fit/balance board can replace an actual workout; it helps to keep me active. I’ve heard that the new Wii Active gives a better workout, does circuits, etc.; although, I have not tried it.

For further reading on the effectiveness of Wii Fit, read the following (these are not the most reliable sources of research, but what do you expect to find on the internet):
Fitness Magazine
Consumer Reports (old, but still somewhat useful)
Wired (for the gamer in you, don't be ashamed)
Wii Mommies (for all those parents. No, I do not fall into this demographic)

Organization

2009-05-28T11:58:00.002-04:00

For those of you that don't know, I am quite possibly the most unorganized person on the entire planet (just ask my parents, husband, college roommates). I'm trying to turn a new leaf, especially before we move. This site give amazing tips for organizing your life. Also, I'm an Organizing Junkie gives great tips (including Menu Planning Monday, which I plan on participating in).
I've been cleaning out all of my old clothes...I still have some from high school! Do I really need them? No. So I've taken 3 trash bags full of clothes to the Goodwill. Our closet now fits both of our clothes, plus I have more space in my dresser (I was used to having 2 before we got married...it's amazing how much you realize you don't need when space is cut in 1/2). Now if only I could get Mr. Happily-ever-after to get rid of some of his old clothes (My personal favorite is a maroon t-shirt from undergrad that was mended, def. not by me, with pink thread - seriously, he has a TON, this one needs to be tossed, not worn).
I've also gone through all of our kitchen 'stuff.' I threw away anything that said "Made in China." Due to the threat of ingesting lead-based paint, no one needs that. Then I made a donation pile of drink ware we've collected (mostly wine glasses) and do not need any more. Other items around the house are either being donated or auctioned on ebay (like the NASCAR wheel for the Mr's XBox 360 that he just had to have, binders from my school days, and other misc. items from around the house). Luckily, my mom volunteers with Relay for Life and many things were given for their rummage sale (you know, those wedding gifts that are nice, but just not really your taste).
I seriously wish that I had pictures of how much we've gotten rid of in the past month or so....More organization updates to follow!

Jon and Kate Plus 8....a little late

2009-05-27T20:05:00.003-04:00

Okay, let me start by saying that I am very opinionated when it comes to families...if you don't agree, that is fine with me...I'm not going to argue. This is how I feel.

So I watched Jon and Kate Plus 8 on Monday night. I honestly haven't kept up with it since they began making every episode into an advertisement for a product/toy/trip. I like seeing how they live and make it work - AT HOME. I don't care to watch 30 mins of tv, 20 of which are spent with product placement. I'll stick to commercials/the internet for that. But, with everything in the tabloids (including Kate's alleged infidelities, Jon's social activities, the money, the fights, etc) I had to watch.
It was sad to watch them not do interviews together. What struck me as even worse is (and this may be from the tabloids) that the paparazzi or "p-people" were at the birthday party. I remember watching an episode where they said that they would continue to do the show as long as it was 'normal.' My question is: at what point do you call it quits? Your marriage is falling apart (in front of a national audience), ugly rumors are being spread, you can't have a regular birthday party due to the paparazzi, and, from what friends have told me, only one parent (Jon) spends time with the kids on the show b/c the other (Kate) is frequently out of town...seriously?!?!
Now, I cannot say that I blame them. They were in a situation in which they needed money, and jumped at the chance to do the show. I would have done the same. However, the second my family started to fall apart is when I would call it quits. Hard times are part of every marriage, believe me, I know. During those times, it is best to take a 'timeout' to be together and regroup. Maybe that's what they need to do - step out of the spotlight and take a moment to breath. For the sake of their children.

I'm addicted...

2009-05-24T16:33:00.004-04:00

...to America's Next Top Model, that is. They've had marathons of previous seasons on Oxygen all weekend. Mr. Happily-ever-after has to work this weekend, and I have totally indulged myself with watching the show. The photo shoots are amazing, even though I would never be able to pull that off. I give all of those girls soo much credit for putting themselves out there in front of so many people. But seriously, how much fun would it be to do some of those shoots? They would be 'fierce.' To have the opportunities to meet the designers and wear those clothes would be surreal. If only I were about 6 inches taller, sigh.

Learning to be a Housewife

2009-05-23T19:04:00.002-04:00

With my recent graduation and current unemployment (I'm waiting to see where we're going...), I've become a stay at home wife. Something I never thought that I would do, not once in my life. Most girls grow up dreaming of things like their weddings, having kids, and staying at home. Not me. I always wanted a career working with deaf/hard of hearing children, a marriage (there's a difference b/w a wedding and a marriage), and kids, but not to stay at home with them.
I honestly give stay at home moms a lot of credit...it's just not for me. It scares me, to be honest. If I had to write a Postsecret it would read something like: I'm scared to death to have kids b/c I'm worried that I will raise them wrong or I'm afraid that I will forget about my kids. Yes, that's right, I'm absent-minded. So much so that I WILL forget something major, like to feed them (I've gone days without eating. Not b/c I have an eating disorder, but rather I just forget to eat. This is especially true when I have a crazy busy schedule.).
So in the past week, I have done just about everything that can be done in a 2 bedroom apartment. And, I think that I might go insane if I have to be stuck here for another week (or more!). Any ideas of what to do, that doesn't require spending money?

My Husband Rocks Friday

2009-05-22T19:08:00.002-04:00

My husband rocks because:

-he is not getting antsy with me not having a job yet, even though I know he is dying on the inside.
-he watches Gilmore Girls with me daily. (it's my guilty pleasure!)
-he motivates me to run/work out.
-we have so much fun together, always.

Thankful Thursday

2009-05-21T14:57:00.002-04:00

We continue to be so very blessed. Here are some ways in which we have been blessed lately:
1. We have spent almost 2 weeks together...Mr was on vacation from work, and I'm currently searching for a job to hold me over until we move.
2. The weather has been amazing this week.
3. We have been to the park to run/walk every day this week, so far.
4. I get to hang out with the girls tonight (much needed!).
5. We spent last weekend with my family (also much needed).

Comparing Prices

2009-05-20T18:47:00.004-04:00

I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this or not, but Mr. and I were shopping last night and noticed that the smaller sizes were often less expensive than the larger ones. The store that we were in guarantees low prices, but the smaller box of cereal was less per ounce than the larger box. Weird. Typically, I would think that the opposite were true. We found this with laundry detergent, cereal, salad dressing, etc. Since we're trying to save money (isn't everyone these days?), this tip came in handy when we went to the next store (which doesn't post how much everything is per ounce). We recommend using the calculator on your phone to figure everything else (and write yourself a note to help compare prices from one store to the next).

85 things in 850 days

2009-05-19T17:05:00.003-04:00

I've seen this done...and decided to make my own "to do" list. Yes, it is a bit random, but so is my life. I use this site to calculate 850 days from today -- September 16, 2011. Here's my list:
1. Move out of our current town
2. Find a job that I love
3. Bake a pie from scratch
4. Keep track of my phone for 1 week
5. Get involved at church
6. Visit 3 new cities
7. Carve down a mountain
8. Hike 2 new trails
9. Begin a couples devotion with Mr. Happily-ever-after
10. Decorate for more than one holiday/year
11. Complete a Couch 2 5k program
12. Run in a 5k
13. Buy a new kitchen table
14. Send one card per month for 6 months
15. Start a Roth IRA
16. Begin recycling
17. Sew 2 quilts
18. Finish our cruise scrapbook
19. Go camping
20. Buy a house
21. Fold all laundry for 1 week
22. Decorate our bedroom
23. Learn 4 new recipes
24. Make ice cream
25. Eat a picnic at the park with Mr. Happily-ever-after
26. Attend church every Sunday for one month
27. Go to the beach
28. Read a book for leisure
29. Host a cookout
30. Pick a pumpkin
31. Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day for 1 week
32. Organize our 2nd bedroom
33. Decorate a cake
34. Keep the house clean for 2 weeks
35. Take the dog to the park 1x/week for 1 month
36. Go fishing
37. Host a bbq
38. Buy a new bed
39. Cook 5 new, healthy recipes
40. Fold all laundry for 1 week
41. Send Christmas cards
42. Write a letter to my grandma
43. Go sledding
44. Recycle old phone books
45. Make tapas
46. Visit my sister (at her house)
47. Go to Disney World
48. Do yoga 1x/week for 4 weeks
49. Begin a swimming workout
50. Do not eat sweets for 7 days straight
51. Organize an office space
52. Volunteer in the community
53. Cook a turkey dinner
54. Start a holiday tradition with the Mr
55. See a ballet
56. Try 3 new, green cleaning methods -(6/5/09)
57. Donate $200 to charity
58. Organize an event
59. Plant flowers
60. Grow a garden (vegetables)
61. Send a care package to my younger sister
62. Complete the 30 day Shred
63. Go to my favorite restaurant and try something new
64. Buy new clothes
65. Get involved at church
66. Only use coupons/best deals to food shop for 1 month
67. Save over $5,000 in one year
68. Go on a fabulous vacation
69. Sew an article of clothing
70. Donate old clothing to charity
71. Pay off my credit card
72. Dust the house 1x/week for 4 weeks
73. Clean my oven
74. Write Mr. Happily-ever-after a love letter
75. Read a classic book
76. See a play
77. Give Mr. Happily-ever-after a back rub
78. Make fondue
79. Host a game night
80. Learn to can food
81. Start a compost
82. Get a pedicure
83. Drink only water and milk everyday for 1 week
84. Start a personal Bible Study
85. Do 15 regular push-ups in a row

Now that it is posted, I better get started. Some of these may need to be modified depending on how our lives work out, but tentatively I think I can accomplish all of it.
What would you put on your list?

Movie Review: Angels and Demons

2009-05-18T16:38:00.005-04:00

So the Mr is off until Thursday afternoon, which gives us TONS of time to hang out. Awesome. We've been together non-stop for over a week now....I love my husband, but need time to myself once in awhile. Anyways, to pass the time, we went to see Angels and Demons. It was really good...now, I haven't read the book, but really want to now that I have seen the movie. There were a few twists and turns in the movie...the special effects were great. I'm not a huge fan of action movies that leave you in suspense, but enjoyed this one. Definitely worth the $$ to see a real movie.

In other news, Mr found out that his company lost an account in the area that we are looking to move, so looks like our plans may be put on the back burner. I may end up taking a job near my parents' house while he stays here. Boo, hiss...c'est la vie.

My Wish List

2009-05-17T20:52:00.008-04:00

Okay, Okay, I know I promised pictures of the baby shower, but I cannot locate my camera at the moment. Instead I will post some of the things on my wish list. Since we've been living on one income for awhile, shopping has not been an option, yet. Hopefully we will know where we are moving soon and I will be able to find a permanent job which pays well...until then, here are a few things that I covet most:

A unlimited shopping spree to J.Crew....There are many other stores like Banana Republic, Limited, Macys, Nieman Marcus, etc that I cannot wait to step foot in knowing that I can buy something without feeling guilty.

This is another store that I LOVE....it's kinda like a bath and body works, only with better products. The store in Columbus offers facials, manicures, pedicures, and has an amazing staff to help with every need. Like, my fly-away hairs that will not stay still no matter what (even multiple hair stylists have tried) - that is until I asked someone there and she recommended an amazing conditioner and spray.

Sevens jeans. Enough said. J/k....I've been longing for more stylish jeans. Luckily we live 2 hours away from a store that sells these; however, I plan on buying some as soon as I get my first *real* paycheck.

I've been dying to update our bedroom. Mostly we need a new headboard. I love the one in the picture, but adore the bedding. It's neutral and will match our decor no matter where we move. Pottery Barn is another favorite of mine, and that is where I found this.

Our bathroom is another place that I would love to update....We received bedding and bathroom accessories for our wedding, but I saw this by Lenox and it took every muscle in my being to not buy it. I also love the the set below.

My Husband Rocks Fridays

2009-05-15T20:21:00.002-04:00

My husband rocks because he drove with me to pick up my sister and then listened to us gossip for 3 hours on the way back to my parents house....AND did not complain one time. (For those of you whom have had the pleasure of seeing my sister and I together, we tend to have full conversations of laughing in which we can understand one another, but everyone else has no idea what is happening.)

Mini Vacation

2009-05-12T18:58:00.008-04:00

So the Mr. and I took a much needed vacation to Washington D.C. It was so much fun! We mostly walked around on Monday to see the monuments (which I had never seen before). Above is the Washington Monument - it is sooo tall when you get close to it. (Sorry it's above the text, but it wouldn't move) It was a little cloudy, so don't mind the lack of sun.

Here is the World War II Memorial. It is quite possibly my favorite - absolutely AMAZING in person. The picture only captures half-ish of it. The memorial is really an oval...all of the columns have the names of the states and there are various quotes and dates of battles engraved throughout. Wonderful, highly recommended.

This is also the WWII Memorial; it's the "cost of freedom" wall. The gold part are individual stars that represent all those that lost their life in the war (even though you can't really tell in my picture). They reflect into the water. One word: beautiful.
The next stop was the Lincoln Memorial. Look, it's just like the back of my pennies! (j/k, even though it really is)
Here's Honest Abe himself. He's much larger than I pictured in my mind.
All of the architecture was gorgeous. This is the inside of the National Archives, right by where the articles of freedom are kept. The building was much darker than National Treasure portrayed; they have to keep it dark for preservation.
Here's the Capitol Building. We didn't go up to the building or go inside because of a lack of preparation (i.e. we didn't write to our congressman in advance to schedule a tour)...maybe next time.
It was an amazing trip. We were exhausted from all of the walking, so we went to the hotel and slept for a bit before meeting up with one of my friends from high school for dinner and to watch the hockey game. (It was tough to watch the game as a HUGE Pittsburgh fan in D.C. with all Capitols fans - especially since the Pens lost). It's a trip we plan on doing again, only seeing other attractions.

Baby Shower

2009-05-09T23:00:00.007-04:00

My older sister is very pregnant (she has told me that it hurts to sit down at this point), and her baby shower is next weekend. Now, I know that I am a procrastinator, but I honestly did not mean to put off the bulk of planning until now. It's been too crazy with finishing up, cleaning, and packing. Oh, and I don't live near my parents' house (the location for the shower).
Anyways, Martha Stewart has provided so much inspiration for this weekend. Maybe I will come up with something cute like those to the right or the clothes
line. Now for game, I'm thinking nothing too cutesy because my family is not really into that type of thing. I like the idea of setting a timer and the person that brought the gift that is being opened when the timer goes off wins. Any other ideas? A friend told me to have races to see who can put a cloth diaper on a doll the fastest, although I am not sure how I feel about this.
I have everything to make a diaper cake, although I doubt that mine will be as cute as this one. Mr. Happily-ever-after and I spent weeks shopping around and pricing out everything (since we're still on a one income/grad-school budget)...diapers are expensive when you think about it (13 cents per diaper x8-9 per day adds up, and the money spent literally gets thrown away). I plan on putting things that go with diapering (ointment, wipes, refill cartridge for diaper pail, etc) in the center on each tier.
We (the guests and I) will be eating lite, shower-type foods since the theme is a tea party. These cupcakes are uber cute, but I'm not talented enough to pull this off. Hopefully everything will come together, and a good time will be had by all. Pictures will be posted as to how everything turns out.

*note, all pictures for this post were taken from the baby shower idea section of Martha Stewart

Finished!

2009-05-09T22:49:00.002-04:00

I am officially finished with graduate school! Woohoo, I never thought that this day would get here. One year ago I was seriously contemplating dropping out of my program at the local university. See, I already have one master's degree from a prestigious, southern university, but it is not in the field that I would want to work in for the rest of my life. Don't get me wrong, I have a passion for that population; however, being an SLP will give me more opportunities down the road.
This program has not been my favorite - it's the first time that I have felt like a number in the classroom. My G.A. advisor convinced me that leaving would not be the best idea, so I stayed. I loved my internships and the field that I am going into. If only Mr. Happily-ever-after knew where we were moving next so that I can find my dream job.

Lost to do!

2009-05-08T10:24:00.002-04:00

In preparation for our weekend guests, there is much to do around the house! Here's a list (it doesn't sound like much, but I absolutely abhor spending a whole day cleaning):

vacuum (including moving all of the furniture to ensure we don't have dog hair everywhere)
do 3 loads of laundry
fold said laundry and put it away
put sheets on the guest bed
organize a TON of papers that are scattered around the house (we don't have one place for our mail, so it gets sprawled out)
organize the closet in the 2nd bedroom
clean 2 bathrooms
sweep and mop the floor
make a run to goodwill
grocery shop
make dinner
shower
get ready for graduation tonight

Like I said, it may not seem like it's a lot, but it really is for me. Wish me luck with completing everything!

Thankful Thursday

2009-05-07T22:08:00.002-04:00

Here's our weekly list:

Tomorrow is graduation!
My (Mrs. Happily-ever-after) parents and younger sister are coming to visit for the weekend, which excites me to no end.
Our dog finally went to the groomers, and looks mighty cute.
The weather has been decent enough to walk/run all week.
We have a clean house! We have spent this week cleaning and going through everything in anticipation of moving, and it feels so good. Hopefully the cleanliness lasts!

2009-05-06T09:09:00.002-04:00

We are getting ready for this weekend. I am graduating from the local university this Friday and couldn't be happier. In the me meantime, we are cleaning the house (and by that I meant apartment). We're getting rid of all of that stuff that neither the Mr. nor I were willing to part with when we moved in together (like VCR's, candleholders, and books from college). It is amazing how much the pile for Goodwill has grown in the past week - I'll show pictures when we're finished. Anyways, it feels good to rid myself of everything and prepare to move...Now, if we only knew where we were going next....

Going Green

2009-05-01T20:47:00.004-04:00

We are attempting to better ourselves and our planet, so we've changed a few things around the house. In our "energy efficient" apartment, our clothes do not dry in one cycle. It usually takes 2 cycles (4 for towels) to get everything dry. Since we do not have the space to line dry, we found a new way to do our part - cut the second round down to 30 mins instead of 60. People have suggested that something is wrong with the dryer, besides the fact that it looks like it came out of the 80's (before energy star appliances became a hit) or that we over-fill it. However, our maintenance man has been out twice and cannot find anything wrong with it. Nor do we put too many clothes in at one time. We do about 4 loads of laundry per week (neither of us can re-wear clothes to work/internships), so cutting our drying time by 20 mins per load = 80 mins per week of saved energy (4,160 mins/year!). Plus, this saves on our electric bill every month (when one person is a grad student, every penny counts).

One of our showers was dripping for awhile, so we called the office at our apartment complex (I love that we can do that and it will be fixed within 24 hours) to fix it. While our water bill is included in our rent, it helps to save the planet and we don't have to listen to water dripping all night. We turned the water heater down as well. I'm not sure if that will help, but I don't scald myself every time I step in the shower.

Other things we are doing include: opening the windows instead of turning on the air, using fans to circulate air in the house, plastic over the windows in the winter (we felt a difference in temp), making lists/inventory to take fewer trips to the store each week.

One other small thing was placing a blanket by the front door during the winter. It helped with the draft, although I'm not sure if it helped a ton in the grand scheme of saving energy. We used a wool blanket that is usually used to insulate while camping, but there are more fashionable ways to do this. Also, don't judge the lack of color in these pictures...I LOVE color, it's just not represented in these pictures.

My Husband Rocks Fridays

2009-05-01T15:34:00.003-04:00

What a better way to end the week than proclaiming reasons why your spouse still makes you get butterflies in your stomach. I found this idea from The Great Adventure (the rationale behind the theme is explained there). Anyways, I figured my first post on this would be a Bible verse from Song of Solomon:

You made my heart beat faster with a single glance of your eyes.
Song of Solomon 4:9

I find this verse especially true with Mr. Happily-ever-after. After dating for 6 years and being married for almost 2, I continue to get that giddy feeling and can't help but smile.

Thankful Thursdays

2009-04-30T12:18:00.003-04:00

We decided to do posts entitled 'Thankful Thursdays' to help us stay focused on how blessed we are. Plus, it helps when the world is grim with things like the swine flu and the economy can easily get you down.

Here's our 5 for the week:
1. Mrs. Happily-ever-after finished her final externship for school.
2. The tempurature has finally cooled down.
3. We have started packing the house (one step closer to moving!).
4. Our supportive families.
5. We now have more free time together (no more visiting the Mr. at work in the evenings!).

The Story of Us

2009-04-30T10:57:00.000-04:00

We're your typical young, married couple. We met as freshman at a small college in NC, and got married four years later. I am getting ready to graduate from a university with my master's degree in speech-language pathology. Mr. Happily-ever-after works at the local university. Our lives are hectic, but we're finding our way through life together. These are the musings of us.