Gross

While Jeff and I were riding in the truck together a radio conversation caught my attention.  The DJ was about to announce the number one thing that GROSSES guys out about their spouse/girlfriend.  Of course I'm was oh so curious about my grossest tendency.  When I asked Jeff what I do that grosses him out  **I was very specific to only ask for one answer and not a whole list**
It took a minute or so for him to think of something, but I wasn't surprised with his answer.  I won't tell you what it was, but I will tell you I fixed it as soon as we got home and will try to have better habits.  He returned the question to me and I contemplated my options, then delivered my answer.  It was a very good conversation for us to have.  Both GROSS things were easily fixable, it just calls for us to be a little more attentive.  Before we went to bed, I noticed that his grossest tendency was also fixed.
Yaaay communication!!!
Earlier this week I was reading in our "Quiet Time For Couples" devotion and a sentence stuck out to me.
"Married life is a continuing process of seeking to be a benefit to your partner"
This was a great reminder for me.  Since reading this, I've been waking up thinking, "how can I benefit Jeff".  Ok so the first thing I think when I wake up is, "SNOOZE", then "why do you have to get up so early", but I eventually get to the "how can I benefit him" thought.  Or when I get to the evening time, "have I benefited him today?"  This holds me accountable and helps me evaluate how I use my time and energy.  A major benefit we can have is communicating.  Don't play games with your spouse, be clear with your words, thoughts, feelings and give them ample opportunity to do the same. . .even about gross stuff.

I made this for a Shutterfly magnet, then my coupon expired...sad day.  Photo by Jana Candler

Flooded

Downtown Charleston is a scary place to be when it rains.  With only a few roads off the peninsula and the rain flooding some of them.  People get a little nervous.  I'm definitely one of those people. Today after work, all I wanted to do was get home safely, without my car stalling in high water, pray that Sunnie "goes potty" quickly, THEN not leave the house all day.  I might even fix a cup of hot chocolate!

Check out this picture from today...(Charleston City Paper)

Liebster

This was a lovely surprise!  I've been nominated by Sarah Gilliam over at Morning Glory and Hallelujah for the Liebster Award!

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers by bloggers. It’s a way to acknowledge each other and say “you’re doing a great job”. It is for blogs with 200 or less followers, so it’s also a nice way to spread the word about smaller blogs and get them more readers and followers!

When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself and answer 11 questions from the person(s) who nominated you. You pass the Award onto 11 other blogs (make sure you tell them you nominated them!) and ask them 11 questions. You’re not allowed to nominate the blog(s) who nominated you! (To get the button, right click the picture on my page and save the picture to your computer. You can then upload to your blog.)

So here are 11 random facts about myself!

1.  I'm an active sleeper.  talking, walking, redecorating.  I've been known to take frames off the walls in our bedroom.  Jeff isn't a fan of this habit, especially when he has to be up at 6am, but he loves me anyway.

2.  I work at a candy shop, tempting, I KNOW.  My favorite candies from our thousands of candies are: Haribo Grapefruit gummies, Haribo Pink Grapefruit gummies, Haribo Fruit Salad, Anything covered in yogurt, Milk Chocolate covered Praline covered in powdered sugar, Chewy Sprees, Gummy filled whales, Soda Pop Shoppe Jelly Belly, and Sour belts.  You can surprise me with these anytime.

3.  I like to try new things at restaurants.  Sometimes I'm rewarded for my attempts of finding something new, sometimes it's a slap in the face.  Like this one time at a restaurant downtown(which will remain nameless) I ordered something I could not pronounce, thinking "we're in Charleston, at this famous restaurant, nothing can go wrong."  Then my plate was delivered...raw meat.  raw.  From now on I run my decisions by Jeff.  He is nice to say "I do NOT think that's a good idea" or "that sounds good."

4.  I. analyze. everything.  yet I all misread directions.

5.  As much as I love DIY crafts and decorating my home, I cut myself off from all clearance corners, goodwills, and crafts for the home, back in October.  We'll be packing up life here and keeping it in boxes until next summer(or later) so I've tried to practiced DISCIPLINE.

6.  Today I will paint my toenails "On a trip" and fingernails "Sugar Coat."

7.  Jeff and I have already dreamed up our kids' names...now we just need to be sure to have 2 boys and 2 girls. ha!

8.   I'm a sucker for routine, I have a precise system for most every action.  Yet I can be spontaneous and yearn to burst out of structure.  I'm an extroverted introvert. . . I'm a CI in the DISC personality test.  This means my life is an inner battle. all the time.

9.  I frequently thank God that I am no longer in school.  Everytime I think about someone studying or going to class, I get a surge or gratitude that I am no longer in that stage of my life.  I enjoyed school, but I enjoy life much more without the busy work and assignments.

10.  I'm the 5th of 6 children, the middle of the youngest 3, so technically I'm a middle child.

11.  Keeping touch has never been a natural thing for me.  I'm quite horrible at it.

Here are Sarah's 11 questions for me!

1.What did you dream of being when you were a child? 

An artist and a physical therapist/athletic trainer.  Jeff is studying to be a Physical Therapist so I'll do the artist thing.

2.  If you could change one thing about your high school experience, what would it be and why?

I wouldn't have taken so many classes senior year.  I should have been more of an extrovert(see #8 above)  oops that's 2 things.

3.  What wardrobe item did you desperatly cling to at some point in your life, but are horrified by in retrospect?

In 6th grade I tied a black sweater around my waist EVERY DAY.  I wore it so much that I strung it through my belt loops.  I was so horrified of the possibility that female stuff would happen and I wouldn't be able to cover it up.  

4.  If you could train for an medal in any olympic sport, which would it be?

Gymnastics, I'm fascinated by their abilities.  I'm also the right height for it :)

5.  If you died today, who would give the eulogy at your funeral and what hilarious story would they share about you?  Is that one too morbid?

No this isn't too morbid.  I like it.  uhm. . . I'm not sure.  The first person who came to mind was Ashley King.  I think because she would be most merciful to me, and only say the nice things.  Of course there's Jeff, Mom, sisters, church leaders.  Ashley what story would you tell???

6.  Knowing what you know now, what is one piece of advice that you would have given yourself 5 or even 10 years ago?

Pray more.  Don't hesitate in life, get out there and go for it!

7.  Describe your dream vacation.  

I don't know where we'd go, but I know who'd be there.  My family.  We'd eat a big breakfast in the morning.  Then the girls would split up and hang out all day(shop, tan, swim, talk).  The guys would go off and do guy stuff(fish, surf, not talk).  Then we'd come back and prepare a big dinner and eat it.  then eat dessert.  All while enjoying conversation, nature, and having no worries at all.  Then we'd take a boat ride or walk on the beach.  I'd take pictures of all this happening, and the pictures would edit themselves automatically.  That's a vacation.

8.  Name a few elements that are must-haves in your dream home.

Windows.  I want walls of windows so I have the perfect lighting to photograph candid moments of life!

Curtains.  When night time comes I need attractive, artsy curtains to cover all these windows so no creepers look in. 

Porch.  screened in, glassed in, or open air- an outside oasis for family gatherings and morning Bible study.

9.  Are you/were you rooting for Peeta or Gale to end up with Katniss?

Was this something on the Bachelor?

10.  What super power would you choose to have?

Does "taking the perfect picture every time" qualify as a super power.  If not, I'd like to fly at super human speeds.

11.  Describe yourself as a paint color.  Give me a name (a simple green won't do) and tell me why it fits you.

"Tinkering Teal"  I've always got my hands in multiple projects(tinkering) and I can be lively and bold, or calm and relaxed(teal)

Now I need to nominate my fellow bloggers!  There's only 6, apparently I don't get around much.

1.  Our Journey Together

2.  Jacob and Lauren Goetze

3.  Cathleen With a C

4. Fighting Superwoman

5. Peanut Butter and Gumballs 
6. Life Expressed Digitally

Bloggers, here are your eleven questions to answer:

1.  If you knew you would not fail, what is the first thing you would do?

2.  (Borrowed this question from Sarah)  Describe yourself as a paint color.  Give a name and tell why it fits you.

3.  What were you most scared of when you were a child?

4.  What is your favorite quote right now?

5.  If your mom called you right now and said she's cooking dinner and wants you to plan the menu what would you choose?

6.  If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

7.  Describe your favorite hobby. . . why is it your favorite?

8.  (Borrowed from Sarah, she had fun questions)  What elements are must-haves in your dream home?

9.  This dinner that your mom is fixing...who would you invite?

10.  If you had a day off with absolutely no obligations or limits, how would you spend it?

11.  Who do you look up to the most, and why?

Football

I'm feeling a wee bit homesick today.  It's the start of the 2012 high school football season.  James is coaching at Pendleton High School, where he also teaches :)  As I look over his schedule for the season, I realized that I'll only be able to attend 2 games of his regular season.  My fingers are crossed for some playoff action.  Between weddings and moving to Lancaster, our weekends are packed.  Actually it's 2 weddings in Greenville that get me up there for the 2 games.
Anyways, football season always brings back memories of our last season with Dad.  We all relive the process in some way or another.  It had wonderful highs and very deep lows.  God certainly carried us through each part.  Thanks for listening, I just had to get the words out so I can return to being a somewhat functional human being.

Football season is a family affair - BR vs TR 2007

Moving

It's official.  We're moving.  Ok, it's been official since we knew Jeff didn't need to do all of his clinicals in the Charleston area.  Tonight we actually decided on a date to rent a giant U-Haul to pile our home into.  Here's the plan for the rest of Jeff's schooling.
Present - October 12: Enjoy the rest of Charleston
October 13: Hola Lancaster
December: Holidays...we'll be traveling, I don't know where we'll actually live
January - February: Greenville, Greenville, Greenvillllllllle
March - April: Jeff in Dallas, Jenny in Greenville
May 17:  Jeff Graduates!!
That's as far as I can go for now...
Daddy Vince always asks, where do you see yourself in 10 years?  Right now I'm looking at next June and can't even figure it out.
I learned a lot about how(not) to transition in my first move of a lifetime to Charleston just last year.  My hopes are to be a much better transitioner(new word) this time around.  Considering there's no time to waste, I must dive in and enjoy every second.  Jeff and I are excited about this next year, and eager to see where God places us.
On a lighter note, we are expanding our watersport hobbies.  This is one that we can do on a river, pond, lake, ocean.  Chances are, wherever we end up, we'll be able to paddle board.  Oh the opportunities!

Paddle Boarding on Shem Creek

excuse the watermark, I was stuck in PDJ exporting mode

Peacock Wedding Theme - DIY

I realize that I never uploaded my wedding pictures to facebook.  It's silly, considering everything else I do is in a facebook album.  What had happened was...there were so many pictures to choose from, I could only narrow down to 300.  AND my lovely photographer(Jana Candler) had uploaded some while Jeff and I were honeymooning. So I didn't bother, I just focused on being a married woman.  Well now that we're a little further down the road(1 year, 3 months) I need to share some details.  There have been quite a few people who have asked about our peacock decorations, so I think a blog is the simplest way to share.  They were all DIY except for the bouquets, which were done by a wholesale flower shop - yaaay budget saver!

1.  First and foremost you must have a groom that you are hopelessly in love with.  That makes the day complete before it even begins.  Then you can start the planning.

2. Must have hot, coordinating shoes.  See above.

3. COLOR is important.  This is what shows up in your pictures!  Must I remind you that pictures/video/husband are the only things you'll have left when the day is over?  I went a little on the different side when it came to my flowers to stick with the teal scheme.  Blue Bomb Orchids, green hydrangeas, purple somethings, and fuchsia somethings.  Originally, I wouldn't have chosen the fuchsia, but the combination needed some help.  Peacock feather were dispersed among the flowers.

4. Must employ big brother to move antique couch from house to peach orchard.

4 1/2.  Bridesmaids dresses from Belk = $40 each.  Groomsmen suits from JC Penney = $99 each.  Groomsmen Ties from Burlington Brands = $6 each.

5. A personal touch- I added a locket(Hobby Lobby-jewelry section) that held my Dad's picture.  It was helpful to have that during the day.

6. Groomsmen Boutonnieres- I trimmed the peacock feather to an appropriate size, to keep from making them distracting instead of complementing.  The pearl and silver beads at the base were held on by a silver pin that you can find in any earring/jewelry making store.  Then used floral tape to hold everything together.  They were a little difficult to make, but I had them done 5 months before the wedding.

7. Personalized Guest Book- This was created on Shutterfly.  I made the cover and peacock pages in a separate program(Adobe Photoshop) and uploaded them as a regular picture, set as the background.  Since the wedding, Jeff and I have enjoyed reading our guests' notes.

8. Programs- This peacock feather was stamped on each program.  Stamp & Ink from Hobby Lobby.  The text was designed on Adobe Illustrator.  I also used a "thank you" stamp and the same feather to make all of our thank you stationary.  It took some time, but I enjoyed them being unique.  Basket from Goodwill.

Now to the reception fun.  These lovely ladies did the hard work!  They dealt with the Asparagus Fern...who knew it was prickly??
9. Centerpieces- Tall narrow glass(borrowed).  This brought height to the room and didn't block table conversation.  The glass was filled with fish tank rocks(mom used these in the garden later).  5 peacock feathers and 4 or 5 peacock swords were placed in each glass, then the asparagus fern to droop down.  Oh and some tan squiggly twigs I got at Goodwill.

 Final Product!

10. Legacy "table"-  I've seen legacy tables done before and I always wonder...who are those people?  I labeled mine and told their relation to Jeff & I.  It was helpful, I think.  These frames and the tree twig/glass vase are now used in my home :)  double dipping.

11. Tree- the twigs were bought from hobby lobby and Hobo's Consignment shop.  I printed out collages of us from Picasso and cut the pictures of Jeff & I, then taped them to coordinating card stock.  Tied with 50% off ribbon from Hobby Lobby.  Peacock feathers were dispersed throughout the arrangement and on the table.

12.  All in all, see number 1, because what actually matters is who signs that marriage license.  It's for better or worse, and I'm not talking about decorations here, I'm talking about LIFE.