Lots of Link Love

 

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Like Tara, I think it's important to emphasize the importance of community in the blog world and not only focusing on ourselves and our own blogs, but to spread lots of blog love to those who deserve it.  Every other Saturday, I will highlight the posts over the last two weeks that touched me, made me laugh, pulled at my heartstrings, and inspired me. 
This week, I'm excited to move Lots of Link Love to Thursdays!  I hope you'll consider linking up with me this week if you haven't linked up on a Saturday yet!

• Mandy wrote a post about divorce and the realities of "right now vs. the big picture."

• Jessica shared the sweet sweet story of her daughter Harper's recent birth.

• Meagan admitted some of her shortcomings in the most honest, relatable post I've read in a long time.

• Ashley made me laugh out loud with her, "If I Was Domestic" post, referencing Pinterest in the most ironic ways.

• Lindsey shared a big announcement - her little baby boy is HERE!

• Meg got real and shared her anxieties about going back to work and leaving her daughter, Kennedy for the first time.

• Megan wrote the sweetest letter to her husband, and shared it with us, too!

• Raven celebrated her first-born's 4th birthday - he is the most adorable 4-year-old ever!

• Joelle shared some thoughts on what it means to be a lady.

Lots of Link Love is also a call to arms for you to join me and do the same - to spotlight your fellow bloggers by showcasing the posts that you loved over the past few weeks.  And when you spread the love, you might just get some back.

Please,

join me!

Link up, even if you just mention one blog post you love at the end of your post, even if you have a list of 20, even if you can't link up until Wednesday (the link up will be open all week), join me in supporting your fellow bloggers!

If you've been featured here at Stress Case, or if you're linking up, please use the button above to help spread the link love and enoucrage others all over the blogosphere to join us.

Remember, the next Lots of Link Love will be Thursday, March 22nd.

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 10: Love My Vices

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I can't believe the end of the challenge in here!  So many thanks to everyone who linked up!! I am so glad Neely and Amber invited me into their awesome Challenge hostess circle, and hope I'll be back for the next one!

Today's Final Topic: Love My Vices

We've all got 'em - let's hear it.

So, I used to have a major major vice that I've only mentioned one other fleeting time here on the blog:

That's right, Stress Case was a full-fleged smoke-a-holic.

I spoked for about 4 years before I quit, and it was a total vice for me.

Every time I get stressed, I lit up.

I was sad, I lit up.

Angry?  Well, you get the point.

Read a little bit HERE about how my sweet Handsome Husband banned together to get over 3,000 people to encourage me to quit smoking!

But I am so happy to report I've been smoke-free for over 2 years now.  It's a lovely feeling to wake up in morning without feeling like there is an elephant on your chest and soot in your lungs (smokers or ex-smokers, you know what I'm talking about).

So, nowadays?

My vices pretty much consist of the following:

And what about you - what do YOU indulge in to get through the rough days?

Link up!

Thanks again for all of you lovely ladies for participating in this Challenge!  Come back tomorrow for the second edition of Lots of Link Love at Stress Case:

And also there are some fun things coming up here at Stress Case, so stick around:

• Monday I'll be making my first VLOG debut!  Come check it out!  (And don't judge me!)

• I have a pretty awesome giveaway coming up for you!

• I am teaming up with my good friend Tutor Girl from Heartfelt Happenings to host our first-ever Swap!  More details coming soon!

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 9: Love My Family

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Yesterday's posts were beautiful, ladies.  You should all love yourself for being amazing bloggers on top of everything else!

Today's Topic: Love My Family

Share your family's traditions, quicks and/or photos!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

I wanted to share some photos of my super hot family with y'all today!

They are amazing and wonderful and supportive and fun, and 

super gorge - just talk a looksie!

From L-R:

Me and Gardening Mom at my Pinning Ceremony,

Gardening Mom's side of the family at our wedding,

Me and Sister Swimmer on the way to our wedding venue on our wedding day. 

From L-R:

Sister Singer and I having a moment on my 22nd birthday,

Mother-in-Law Red and I at a family poker tournament.

From L-R:

Sisters and I during some sight-seeing on Tour de Oregon,

Nurse Auntie and I dancing with one of my little cousins at Best Cousin's fabulous wedding.

From L-R:

Best Cousin and I at her wedding in Oregon,

Sisters and I on Christmas Eve,

Gardening Mom, myself and MIL Red at a BBQ Summer 2010.

And I could never leave out my teeny little family:

My sweet Handsome Husband and me - our little family.

Your turn - let's see YOUR fabulous families!

Link up!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love My Vices

We've all got 'em - let's hear it.

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 8: Love Myself

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Loved reading all of your reasons for loving blogging yesterday - we have such a wonderful blogging community here!! :)

Today's Topic: Love Myself

We are too often complaining about ourselves instead of loving ourselves!  What's your best feature, your favorite personality trait of yourself, something you love about YOU!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

Okay, so this one is hard!

Not to sound like I don't love myself, cause of course I do, but still.

Talking yourself up?  Not easy!

But here goes nothing...

I love that I can laugh at myself.

I love that I may get in very bad moods, but I also get in unpredictably great ones.

I love that I am a very good friend.

I love that I put my whole heart into just about everything that I do.

I love that I am responsible without being boring.

I love that I can drink beer with the guys, and cosmos with the girls.

I love that I am incredibly honest.

I love that even though it hurts, when I do something wrong, I feel the guilt in a physical way because that's how much I wish I could take it back.

I love me.

What do YOU love about YOU?

Link up!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love My Family

Share your family's traditions, quicks and/or photos!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 7: Love Blogging

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Cuteness overload from everyone's creative ideas yesterday!  Keep it comin', ladies!

Today's Topic: Love Blogging

Why did you start, what posts are your favorite, share anything with us!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

Well, my 1-year Blogiversary is past approaching, and in case it's not obvious, I totally

love blogging!

It has been such a wonderful outlet to share my thoughts,

meet new friends, 

and chronicle this crazy time in my life as a newlywed, nurse and student!

I am so glad I started blogging, and absolutely adore the bloggy friends I've made!

My blogging promise to you, my readers?

I will never ever get "too big" to appreciate the time you take to read my ramblings, comment, and follow this blog.  Ever.

Promise.

Now, tell me, why do YOU love blogging?

Link up!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love Myself

We are too often complaining about ourselves instead of loving ourselves!  What's your best feature, your favorite personality trait of yourself, something you love about YOU!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 6: Love to be Creative

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Now that you ladies have had the weekend to rest up, can't wait to see the rest of your awesome V-Day Challenge link-ups!

Today's Topic: Love to be Creative

Share some Valentine's Day crafts, recipes or gifts you've got up your sleeve!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

Pinterest is my best friend for things like this, because in the real world?

Stress Case don't have time for all this fun stuff!

Between work and school and trying to maintain a speck of a social life - the creativity unfortunately gets slid to the backburner.

But, if I did have the time,

this is what I'd be doing!

I'd be decorating my (non-existant at the moment) house like this:

Source: itsthelittlethingsthatmakeahouseahome.blogspot.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: thehouseofsmiths.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Casey on Pinterest

Making these adorable crafts:



Source: bedifferentactnormal.com via Casey on Pinterest

And, of course, I'd be baking up these yummy treats:



Want to see more of my Valentine's Day Pin Board?

What creativity are YOU putting to use this Valentine's Day?

Link up!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love Blogging

Why did you start, what posts are your favorite, share anything with us!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 5: Love My Girlfriends

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The weddings from yesterday?  Gorgeous!  Those of you who haven't had your big day sure have some amazing ideas in store, and those who have...absolutely stunning!

Today's Topic: Love My Girlfriends

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

Girlfriends.

What can I say about mine?

They are...

Fun,

Hilarious,

Caring,

Beautiful,

Supportive,

Understanding,

The Best.

I LOVE my Girlfriends.

Why do YOU love YOURS?

Link up!

Make sure to come back next week for the second week of the Valentine's Challenge!

Monday's Topic: Love to be Creative

Share some Valentine's Day crafts, recipes or gifts you've got up your sleeve!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 4: Love Weddings

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Y'all had some hot outfits yesterday!  Glad we're back for Day 4 - this is a good one!

Today's Topic: Love Weddings

Share your wedding photos, your friends' or families', or your pinterest inspiration!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

Well, I am pretty embarassed to share the fact that I am still not done re-capping my beautiful wedding day (for shame), but you can check out the recaps I have shared!

Getting ready and piling into our limo with my best ladies by my side,

while my Handsome Hubs did the same with his best buds.

Giggling with my girlfriends while I got into my wedding dress,

and getting to to have my first-look with my man.

Some bridal portraits,

photos with my girlies,

some snapshots of the boys,

some lovey-dovey couples shots,

and finally we got the whole group together for some photos of our entire gaggle.

I finally headed down the aisle with my Daddy-o by my side,

and our ceremony was beautiful (even is not as perfect as I had planned).

And that, my friends, is where I left off!

Want to see how the rest of the day went?

Stay tuned!

Your Turn - Show me some gorgeous wedding photos!

Link up!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love My Girlfriends

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 3: Love My Outfit

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Day 3, ladies!  LOVED reading all of your bad date stories - hilarious!

Today's Topic: Love My Outfit

Share a favorite V-day outfit from your past, or your dream outfit for this year!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

Well, you ladies got a little glimpse of one of my past Valentine's Day outfits when I shared my Best Date story earlier in The Challenge, but here's another looksie:

Valentine's Day Outfit 2010

Dress: Forever 21

Heels: Charlotte Russe

As far as my dream Valentine's Day outfit for this year?

Well, I'm thinking this year is going to be pretty low-key, as we are currently on super-save-money mode, hoping to start searching for our first home in mere months!

Here's a little something I think would be fun to wear to a casual date night for V-Day:

Source: texastanners.blogspot.com via Leah on Pinterest

What's YOUR V-Day Fashion Look Like?

Link up and tell us!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love Weddings

Share your wedding photos, your friends' or families', or your pinterest inspiration!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 2: Love Telling This Bad Date Story

 

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Back for Day 2 of the Challenge - thanks to everyone who linked up with us yesterday!  Lets keep it going!

Today's Topic: Love Telling This Bad Date Story

The story of your worst date ever!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

Being that I've been happily coupled up for over three years, and married for almost one (eep anniversary around the corner!), it's been a long time since I've been out there playing the field. 

When I was out there though, wow do I remember some bad dates.  But more so than bad dates, I remember a whole lot of not really a date-dates.  Like, hanging out in a group of people and a guy considering that a date.  And watching a movie at one of your parents' house and calling that a date. 

Those are not dates.

A date requires thoughtfullness, and planning and attention to detail. 

It doesn't have to be expensive, or elaborate, or extravagant. 

But it should be something.

So it's a good thing I've got my sweet Handsome Husband to have all those non-date dates with nowadays, and to take me on real dates every once in a while.

If you want to read a real juicy bad date story, you have got to read Cute Apartment's guest post back from September: The Brutally Blind Date.

Now, what bad date can YOU share?

Link up and tell us!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love My Outfit

Share a favorite V-day outfit from your past, or your dream outfit for this year!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

{Fabulous Valentine's Challenge} Day 1: Loved This Date

 

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Hello, ladies!

I am so very excited to kick off this Valentine's Challenge with Amber and Neely today!!  Who's been excited?!  I hope you ladies are ready to link up with us today, and for the next 2 weeks - so grab the button above and lets get to it!

Today's Topic: Loved This Date
The story of your best date ever!
(See all topics and dates HERE.)

My best date ever just so happened to be to celebrate Valentine's Day!  Perfect for this challenge, right?

Valentine's Day 2010 happened to land on a Sunday, which was not going to work for this (at the time) nursing student who would have 6 long hours of nursing courses the next morning.  So my sweet Handsome Husband (who, at the time was only my Fine Fiance) agreed to celebrate with me on Saturday night.  He promised to take care of everything, and that it would be a wonderful celebration of love!

On February 13th, 2010 HH told me to pack an overnight bag and get my booty to the car.  The idea of a night away just the two of us was so exciting, especially considering at the time we lived with two roomates who (while we adored them) really liked to have people over, and really didn't like to wash dishes which really tended to drive me banannas.  A break would be so wonderful, not to mention romantic!

We hopped in the car after I packed my bag with a cute dress for a fancy dinner we'd be having that night, and started driving around sunny San Diego.  We were headed towards downtown and finally arrived at our destination...

The Hyatt Manchester Grand in Downtown San Diego

A beautiful hotel that I had mentioned more than once how much I'd love to stay in.  HH had reserved a gorgeous corner room with awesome views of the city that we called home for a few years.

But that wasn't it.  Handsome Hubs told me to get all dolled up and that we were going to a dinner I wouldn't soon forget. 

And he was right.

That night we headed to Sally's Seafood on the Water for the best dinner I had ever had in my entire life up until that night.  It was a set menu, and the foot was amazing.  It was the first time in both of our lives that we really realized why people pay more for nice dinners - it's worth it.

Because Grandma Beach Bum and some of my long time family friends read this blog, we'll just say the night ended with fabulous dessert and some small talk (right).  But really, the night ended with a young couple, spending way too much than they should have a dinner that they didn't but that made them feel so excited about the love they shared on a holiday built especially for that.  And the revelation that next year's Valentine's Day would be twelve days before our wedding, and seriously, how crazy is that?

Best.  Date.  Ever.

What was YOURS?

Link up and tell us!

Tomorrow's Topic: Love Telling This Bad Date Story

The story of your worst date ever!

(See all topics and dates HERE.)

*All photos from The Hyatt website.