30 by 30... in a book

I feel like I am in desperate need of a new craft project. And recently I just happened to purchase a perfect little Kolo photo album. I love Kolo. Seriously... they have the most beautiful photo memory products.

At first, I wasn't quite sure about what I should do with my new Kolo photo album. But then... I had a brilliant idea. Just brilliant I tell you. I thought it would be pretty cool if I captured my 30 by 30 list in book form. You know, kind of like a scrapbook. Dedicate one page for each item on my list... maybe journal a little bit about why the item is on my list and what I did to accomplish my goal... maybe a picture or memento to capture the whole experience... brilliant, right?

Then, I thought... "what if I don't have enough pages??" So I counted, and amazingly enough there are EXACTLY 30 PAGES. It's a sign.

I can't wait to start this project. I have been having crafting-withdrawals.

a good weekend...

This past weekend was just one of those weekends... you know, the laid back kind... where the weather is absolutely perfect, you get to sleep in on Saturday, you eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast/lunch, you hang out with good friends, read a book in the backyard... you know, one of those weekends. (apologies to all my little 'new mom' friends, I realize these types of weekends are a thing of the past for you... didn't mean to rub in the whole 'sleeping in' part).

On Saturday, Lance's younger brother, Bryan, graduated with his Master's in Teaching. Congratulations Bryan!

The weekend "beer research project" has been postponed. However, I did sample one of the Belgium beers from the basket... There was this one bottle that was quite larger than the rest, called Three Philosophers... it seemed to beckon to us. The bottle was just so pretty and was too tall to sit with the other beers on the bottom shelf of the fridge. But... sad to say, this one looked a lot better than it tasted. It was a really heavy, dark beer that just wasn't for me. I'm sure I'll have better luck next weekend...

i lost harry...

That's right, folks. I lost Harry Potter. Well, actually I prefer the term "misplaced." You may remember on my last book review, I had just started reading the second Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It seems that I may have temporarily misplaced my book... oops. I guess this just goes to prove to you all how terribly inconsistent of a reader I really am. I was wanting to try to finish this book up so I could start back up on the dreaded Twilight series... and I couldn't find good ol' Harry anywhere. This has happened to me before, but usually I find my book shoved under the bed. No such luck this time. I last remember taking Harry with us on a road trip, so I'm really hoping he's in my car somewhere... we shall see.

PS... Any comments on the 3rd Twilight book, Eclipse? I barely made it through New Moon, and had to give the whole saga a rest for a while... but I would really love to read Eclipse before the movie comes out. I've heard mixed reviews on this one.

told you they were thoughtful...

Just in case you didn't believe how incredibly thoughtful and awesome my birthday presents were... I figured I would prove it to you...

My early morning flowers... Anytime you are greeted first thing in the morning with flowers and a sweet card from your husband, you can pretty much gaurentee it's going to be a good day. And the day did not disapoint.

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My Ann Taylor shirt & necklace... The other day I said something about really loving the fun colors that Ann Taylor was using this season, and how I really wanted a cute top and necklace... Then, poof! My trendy co-worker fashionista came to the rescue!

My very own Elise Blaha mini book... You may remember a few Thankful Thursday's ago I talked about my favorite crafty blog... well, it turns out that Elise makes these cute little mini books and my friend/co-worker Courtney totally ordered me one. I love it!

My beer basket... I received lots of suggestions for my quest to "find a beer that I like" from my 30 by 30 list. But a couple of co-workers went above and beyond in helping me find the perfect beer... I will be conducting a serious research project this weekend.

My very own copy of Pride & Prejudice... Also on my 30 by 30 list is to "read a classic" (#17). My good friend April bought me this beautiful copy of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice. Isn't it the prettiest book you've ever seen? I can't wait to start reading my classic!

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My Osage strawberries... I already kind of mentioned these in yesterday's Thankful Thursday, but these strawberries are worth mentioning twice. Yes, they are that good. And they are almost gone...

My favorite snacks... On the day after my birthday, I found this awesome grocery sack of goodies right outside my car door before I left for work. A Kroger bag full of IBC Cream Soda, Good & Plenty's, and some Pepperridge Farm Milano cookies... so delish. I knew instantly that this little b-day present had to be from someone that knew me incredibly well. These are some of my secret indulgences :) Thank you Portia!

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Told you they were the most thoughtful gifts ever... Told you.

thankful thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for:

1) Thoughtful gifts. Seriously... yesterday I received some of the most thoughtful gifts ever. There is just something about knowing that someone took time out of their own busy life and thought about you... just something about knowing that they listened to the little things you said... something about knowing that you were thought of first thing in the morning. Yesterday was so wonderful, I could not have asked for a better 29th birthday. Thanks to all who helped make my day so special with your thoughtfulness.

2) Strawberries. Specifically strawberries from Osage Farms in Rabun County... these things are amazing. When I finally got home last night, I was greeted by an overflowing basket of Osage strawberries. Lance and I already ate about half the basket! Thanks so much Daphney!

3) My mom. She really is the best mom ever. Really. My mom is one of those people that always goes out of her way to make others feel special. She is my constant source of encouragement. She is one of the most optimistic people I know. She says hello to everyone... really, everyone. She prays for me. She is the most selfless person I know. Told you... she really is the best mom ever. I love you Mama... Happy Mother's Day!

happy cinco de mayo...

Go ahead... enjoy a margarita today. I know I will.

30 by 30 :: progress

So, a while back I came up with a list of 30 things I want to do before my 30th birthday.... And what better time to check the progress of my 30 by 30 list than the day before my 29th birthday?

I'd have to say, I think I'm moving along quite nicely. With exactly one year left, I'm feeling like we can make this happen folks....

1. be a local tourist

2. see the Dave Mathews Band live in concert ::concert is July 27th and the tickets are on the fridge!

3. make someone’s day anonymously

4. organize my old pictures ::working on this one right now

5. sleep under the stars

6. watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Casablanca" ::watched Casablanca... so good.

7. edit and update my website

8. throw a themed party

9. photograph my first wedding ::check. second wedding is scheduled for July 10th!

10. put in some volunteer hours

11. go to a Colts game

12. buy a pair of toms ::check. and they are AMAZING.

13. get my second tattoo

14. workout consistently

15. pay off debt ::just paid off credit card number 2 yesterday.

16. take a class/workshop ::have been going to some apple one to one clinics, but haven't decided if this counts yet.

17. read a classic

18. have a massive yard sale ::check. best yard sale ever.

19. put that yard sale money towards any open debt (see #15) ::check. every penny went to visa.

20. clean out the craft closet

21. bake cookies for my neighbors

22. take a hot air balloon ride

23. visit Chicago and/or Seattle

24. attend a book signing

25. find a beer that I like ::any suggestions?

26. support a young missionary ::AJ's going to Africa... & Joey's going to Nicaragua...

27. learn a new word, and actually use it

28. organize the contacts in my address book

29. check out all the Harry Potter hype ::working on this one... currently reading book #2

30. learn about my “family tree” and history

i want an iPad race car

This weekend was much needed. After a fairly draining week, I could not have been more ready for the weekend and some good time spent with loved ones. The weekend included some pre-birthday celebrating, lots of food, a mani/pedi with the girls, funny stories, and some iPad race car driving. Top that.















That's right... you read correctly. My birthday cake says, "PHAB DIRTY HAY." This is what happens when you let your sister rearrange the candles on your cake.

So, my dad recently bought an iPad (surprise, surprise). And this thing is awesome. He has this race car game on the iPad, and we all took turns racing around the track. It was HILARIOUS. I am so upset I didn't get a picture of my mom, her face was priceless, and she couldn't stop laughing. As you can see in the photos below, we were all very concentrated drivers. Although, as it turns out, concentrated does not equal good.

Dad...














Lance...














Julia...














Chris...














And finally, Jenna... (priceless)
















Had so much fun... only wish you guys could visit every weekend.

this or that

I saw this cute post over at Tales from the Fairy Dust and I thought I would play copy cat. I included a blank one at the bottom, in case anyone else is interested...

Tea or Coffee... I'm not really a huge coffee fan... unless it's coffee ice cream or a Starbucks Caramel Frapachino. But I love hot tea, especially if it has lots of sugar in it.

Matte or Glossy... I'm thinking photos here, and I usually prefer glossy.

Sweet or Salty... Sweet, duh.

TV or Radio... While, yes, I have a few favorite TV shows... I love me some Pandora radio. And anyone that has a long commute can appreciate a good morning radio program.

Morning or Evening... Evening, no doubt. I am NOT a morning person. I can still sleep in like a champ.

Pencil or Pen... Like Tales from the Fairy Dust, I too, love a good ballpoint pen. But for whatever reason, I prefer a pencil, especially if I'm jotting something down in my planner. I always use pencil in my planner.

Introvert or Extrovert... This one could go either way depending on the day... but I genuinely love some really good "me" time. I am perfectly okay sitting at home by myself on a Friday night, and sometimes I prefer it that way.

Mountain or Beach... Beach, for sure. And I could really use a beach trip about now... really.

Spontaneous or Structured... Some people may call it OCD, but I prefer the word "structured." There's nothing wrong with a little bit of organization, right?

Neat or Messy... I mean, seriously, what "structured" person isn't going to answer "neat" on this one.

Town or Country... Back in the day, I probably would have answered "town" on this one, but after falling in love with the 'Sham, I think I'm a country girl now.

Eat In or Take Out... I don't cook. Like ever. So we are a take out kind of family. I'm hoping this will change one day when we have children, but not making any promises.

Your turn...

thankful thursday

This Thursday I am thankful for:

1) Family visits. I am super excited today because my mom and dad are flying in from Houston for a weekend visit! And if that weren't exciting enough, my sister and her boyfriend are driving up from Birmingham tomorrow. I am so, so, so thankful for both my parents and my sister and the relationship we have. The older I have gotten, the more I have realized that what my family shares is truly special. Can't wait to see you guys!

2) Modern Family. This show is hilarious. Absolutely hilarious. If you have not seen it, you are missing out. I come to realize that most of my "thankful thursday's" include either TV sitcoms or favorite foods... I promise that I do more than just eat and watch TV... swear.

3) My Family Tree. One of the things listed on my 30 by 30 list is to "learn about my 'family tree' and history." And while, I still have lots to learn... one thing I do know is that my family tree has deep roots... on both sides. Both sets of my grandparents deeply value the meaning of family... and it is for this reason that I was able to write the things I did in #1 about my own parents and sister.

(Noticing a trend this week??)