A Little Bit of Randomness...

So...first of all, let me just say how SHOCKED I am that I am actually blogging while sitting on my front porch! Little Miss is playing in the lava rock and her Radio Flyer wagon, and we actually have a slight breeze blowing!

(photo from Instgram app on my iPad, so if the quality is poor, there's my excuse!)

The past few days in the 'ol Bluegrass have been quite unbearable! The humidity is out of control, people!

Anyway, So excited that "So You Think You Can Dance" is back! This season is going to be amazing! I'm still mourning the finales of my favorite shows (Greys, Vampire Diaries, etc) but I really think that my poor little DVR needs a break!

I'm feeling so blessed at this point to be home with Little Miss, but girls let me tell ya, after working for so many years, and for the past year and a half going to grad school full-time on top of work, this little homebody is getting a little cabin-feverish! LOL My husband would say I'm just never satisfied, and I try to roll my eyes and protest, but he's usually right! (Shhhh!) I'm the girl who LOVES buying a new planner just to mark and scratch all in it! It's definitely been an adjustment so to speak! Especially the whole not being able to run to my favorite stores and buy new pretties, now that we are down to one income! It's a new adventure! ;)

However, I did just recently celebrate my 26th birthday. (Now officially closer to 30 than 20, man I feel old!) I say all that to say this: I got a new pretty! My parents instead of actually buying me a gift, gave me money so that I could buy my own. Now normally, I like to hoard gift cards and whatnot, but with this shopping dry spell, it didn't last long! Bought a DIY project kit at Hobby Lobby, (more on that later!) AND because I am a certified bargainista, I hit up my local TJ Maxx. (LOVE that freakin place!)

And this beauty found her way into my arms and heart:

My newest baby, chillin with the Petunia's I've manage to keep alive for more than a few days...

For months now, maybe even a year, I had been pining for a tan Michael Kors addition to my collection. Howev, after perusing the aisles and not finding what I liked, or anything in my little price range, I decided on the sweet little Cynthia Rowley number seen above! She will be an excellent neutral "go-to" bag!

At least I can enjoy my MK sunglasses:

Night ya'll!

Reshaping it All!

Hey ya'll-



Hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day holiday weekend. We spent some time away with my parents and had a great trip.

While away, I was able to finish the newest addition to my book collection:

"Reshaping It All," by Candace Cameron Bure, is an excellent read for those who want to lose weight using Biblical references for support and guidance. Candance gives you a workable plan to reaching your goals, whether they be losing weight, feeling better about yourself, or bringing your whole family into leading a healthier lifestyle.

I honestly could not put it down! Now that I've read it once through, I'm re-reading each chapter and making notes in my prayer journal for Scripture I want to be able to easily look up and/or memorize, and notes for keeping myself on track. I look forward to seeing the results as I shape up and slim down this summer/fall/winter/spring, etc! :)

If this sounds like something you'd like to do as well, I highly recommend this as your next book buy!

Away

We are on a tiny little weekend getaway with my parents...see ya'll next week! :)

Two Teeny Tiny Years

I.Cannot.Believe.She's.Two!

Our sweet Little Miss is now 2 years and 3 months old. For this year's party, I actually went with a character theme. I had practically sworn that I would NEVER do a character theme for our birthday parties', but she's been obsessed with Dora the Explorer for a while now, so I just went with it. Hey, you're only 2 once, right!? I scoured the internet for cute Dora parties, and not just one's that come straight out of the box. I like things personalized, and don't we all to a degree?

I had a good friend bake her cake, and my mother and I also made cupcakes:

Instead of paying someone else to make cutesy little cupcake toppers, I just made them myself. Cute enough. It's not like our party will be mentioned in "TOPS in Lex" or anything! Hahaha.

Some of Ava's "auntie's", hahaha. (Only child here.)

We had wonderful family and friends share this special day with us...and I'm already planning her birthday party for next year! :)

Another 6 month update

Well...let's see...let me try to pick off where I've left off again...I swear, one day I will be a GREAT blogger! Ha!

As of May 7th, I am officially a Master in the Art of Teaching! :) After 18 months of long nights, long papers, and short patience, I have graduated with my Masters degree. (*happy dance!*) Perhaps that is why my sickly little blog has been neglected for so long! :) I had a incredible student teaching experience. The program I enrolled in allowed me to hand-pick my supervising teachers. My mother is still currently teaching in our local school system, so I knew exactly which school I wanted and the teachers I wanted to work under. My first placement was with a 3rd grade teacher who has been teaching for over 25 years...She was amazing. She also happens to be my mother's best friend, and her daughter and I have been best friends for 20 years. We met in pre-school. :)

Here's a picture of us at her wedding in September 2009:

Anywho, my next placement was with 5th grade. This was also under a wonderful Reading teacher who is just awesome...I can't believe it's all over...so now I'm working at home! LOL When Ava was born, I wanted to be a SAHM more than anything...and now I have my chance! It's definitely been an adjustment these past few weeks...being home all the time now and seeing the Mister everyday, instead of just on the weeekends, due to his work schedule. But I really love being home with Little Miss all day. I think it's made me a better mother, and hopefully my hubby can see a small difference in my attitude! LOL

Now that I'm home during the day, I have a completely different agenda and mindset. My home has never been cleaner and more organized! Still have a ways to go though! Hopefully I can document the madness on the little blog here.

Another thing that's really been on my heart lately is just to live simply. Now I love my "stuff" as much as the next person, but I really just want to get "back to the basics." I want to grow in my walk with God, I want to grow closer to my husband, and I want to be the best mother I can possibly be to Little Miss. I want to purge my home and heart of the "extra stuff" that isn't meaningful to myself or my family. I honestly believe that this "career change" is God's way of letting me take a deep breath, and clean the dust bunnies off heart and soul. It's a new season of life for me, and I am so looking forward to the work that lays ahead. I want to be a Proverbs 31 wife, a woman that my husband and daughter can be proud of. I hope I can accomplish that in this lifetime.

In closing tonight, any readers I may have out there, I must say thanks for sticking with me...as touch and go as it's been these past couple of years, I still keep coming back! LOL

Night ya'll!