I've Made it To The Bloggy Big Time

Y'all, I've made it to the bloggy big time.

Big time guest posting, that is.

I have the great privilege to be guest blogging and this little lady's blog today:

I'm sharing what I had always dreamed the first year of marriage would be like...

...and what it actually was like.

Let's just say I didn't imagine it exactly how it turned out.

If you don't read her blog,

screw my guest post,

get over there and get to reading - she is awesome!

{Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge} Holiday Decor

Today's Topic:

Holiday Decor

Who has two thumbs and no house to decorate this year for the holidays?  This girl.

Who chooses to live vicariously through Pinterest, planning all the elaborate holiday decorating she will be doing next year when she better have a home or else she may go insane?  Also this girl.

Please enjoy my imaginary holiday home decor for 2011.



Source: centsationalgirl.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: infobarrel.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: homeforchristmas.co.uk via Casey on Pinterest

Source: adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: kimboscrafts.blogspot.com via Casey on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Casey on Pinterest

Quotable Tuesdays

{Fabulous Holiday Blog Challenge} The One Where I Think There's a Car With a Bow Outside

 Today's Topic: Fave Gift Received EVA! 

The first gift that came to mind when I read today's topic was definitely the year my parents got me a car for Christmas.  It was the Christmas before my sweet 16th birthday, and it was one of the most generous and exciting gifts I've ever recieved!

It wasn't exactly like this.

When I came into the living room on Christas morning, there was a little gift from Santa that made me squeal with excitement!

There was a little black car key tied with a bow!  I was so excited - "they really bought me a car!" I thought.  Immediately, I ran the to garage to check my new set of wheels out.

No car.

Okay, they must have left it outside in the driveway.

Opened the gararge door. 

No car.

Is this some kind of sick joke?



I went back inside and sat down, on the verge of tears thinking my parents were playing some kind of mean joke on me.  Holding the key, I looked down.  There was a brochure for Honda.  Then I looked closer at the key.  It was not for a specific car, it was a blank car key.  Oh my gosh, they are going to let me pick out the car.

After good ole Gardening Mom and Hat Daddy came downstairs a few hours later, they explained that yes, we were going to go pick the car together the next day.  At first I wondered why they didn't go the big bow route.

And then I remembered who I am.

A slightly neurotic, completely compulsive, control-freak.

(My blog name has the word 'stress' in it for God's sake.)

My parents knew exactly what they were doing by not giving me a big ole car with a bow on, that I ultimately would have wondered whether it was exactly what I wanted.  They gave me the choices, let me let my control-freak flag fly. 

Regardless of how I got the car, getting a car for any occasion, in any way is an insanely generous and kind gift.  And that's the kind of parents I have. 

Thanks again, 'Rents!

Grateful Sundays

This week, I am grateful for local family.

Really, I am grateful for all family, but something about having the luxury of spending Thanksgiving day with so many family members that just makes you grateful for the fact that so many live close by.

I never had the luxury of spending every holiday, birthday, and random Sunday barbeque with my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents growing up.  Gardening Mom's family was (and is) all on the East Coast, and my closest cousins growing up lived a five-hour drive away.  We spend some holidays together, but it wasn't the same as Handsome Husband's family.  It wasn't like cousins growing up together so close you could think they are siblings. 

I love that we all live so close that I can see Gardening Mom, Hat Dad and my Sisters, and still manage to see so many members of Handsome Husbands family all in the same day. 

I think often times people take that for granted - the emotional closeness that comes from geographical closeness.  There may be downsides...family drama, a packed social calendar, a never-ending list of family members that must be invited to things.  But there is definitely an upside too, and for that, I am grateful.

I Have a Potty Mouth

It's true.

I curse like a sailor.

It's not a rebellion thing - my parents have never cared.  It's certainly not a thing to make me sound cool - I know I'm cool.  I don't really know where it even came from (probably Hat Dad - is cursing genetic?).

Up until recently, I never really cared.

My MO was always kind of, 

If you're going to judge me by what curse words come out of my mouth,

you don't deserve to know the sweet girl behind this potty mouth.

But that all changed recently.

Due to someone in my current science class we will call...

Pink Lab Coat Girl.

Pink Lab Coat Girl (PLC Girlie?) puts any sailor-mouthed shit stuff I thought I had going on to shame.  She literally curses so much she'd be a freakin' musical on a cable TV show with all the bleeps she would require.

Recently I accidentally sat in front of her during class.  It is was like sitting near two teenage boys.  F-bombs were flying like it was a curse war.  It was bad.  

And then it hit me.

Is that what I sound like?

Obviously no judgement, but it sounded rash, trashy, and just rough on the ears.  After that fateful curse-ridden day in class, I have decided to make a much bigger effort to clean up this potty mouth.  I had actually already improved quite a bit due to the whole working with kids thing.  But now, every time I blurt out a dirty word, PLC Girlie flashes before my eyes and I cringe a little.

Real Life Friends, feel free to call me out on this one.  Seriously thinking this could be a big improvement for this potty-mouthed girl.

Oh, and if you're reading this PLC Girlie?  Sorry, but the truth hurts.  Also you're kind of a biatch.  See - improvement already!  Biatch doesn't count as a curse word, right?  

I'm Not Anti-Babies

In October, I talked about how I'm not ready for motherhood.

Today, hop over to Life With the Ellwoods, and read some of the reasons that I can't wait for family-growin' time!

Come on over and check it out!

{Plenty to be THANKful For} Things Thursday: Things I Love About Thanksgiving

1. Pretty tablescapes.

2. Pumpkin pie.

AnythingbutPerfect.com



3. The smell in the house all day on Thanksgiving day.

4. Spending the time to really think about what you are thankful for.

5. The Dollar Game - love this game we usually play with Handsome Husband's family.

6. Pumpkin pie.

7. Days off work/school!

8. Greenbean Casserole and Nanny's Fruit Salad.

9. Thanksgiving means Christmas is right around the corner.

10. Pumpkin pie.

{Plenty to be THANKful For} I'm THANKful for the Special People in my Life!

 Today's Topics: I'm THANKful for the Special People in my Life!Oh I sure am! 

I feel like I am always talking about how much I love the special people in my life on this little blog here.  Love them I do, and thankful for them I AM!

My Handsome Husband,

You can read Our Love Story,

how proud I am of my HH,

how grateful I am for marriage,

and how grateful I am for him.

Our Wonderful Families,

My family at our February 26 wedding this year

My HH's family at our wedding

Sister Swimmer, Myself and Sister Singer

Me and HH with his mother, Mother-in-Law Red

HH, Me, Lil C, Tutor Girl and Cousin Ronomon

You can read how lucky I feel to have such a great support system,

and how it's not all just rainbows and cupcakes and a perfect life,

and check out the recap from our latest family vacation.

And My Beautiful Friends.

From L-R: Kindergarten Teacher, Swagger, Sister Singer, Me, Fashionista, Sister Swimmer, Cute Apartment, and Ms. Does it All

Dimples, Myself, and Future Dr. Babies

Nurse Sarcasm and Myself

Ms. Smiles, Me, and Drummer Boy

Me and my favorite twinners (okay, love my sistos, too): Twin Beauty School, and Twin Unicorn

Our best friends after our wedding

You can read my monthly recaps, which always feature fun times with our friends,

why I think some nights are totally worth the hangover,

and read about San Diego, a city that holds lots of our favorite friends.

Quotable Tuesdays

Support for the Supporter

You need to have Tara's blog in your life.

{Plenty to be THANKful For} I'm THANKful for my Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe!

 Today's Topic: I'm THANKful for my Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe! 

I have a totally easy, completely favorite Thanksgiving recipe that unfortunately (or fortunately for me, cause it's my fave) not everyone loves.  I think it just takes a certain taste to appreciate this masterpiece.

 Nanny's Fruit Salad

Also known as Ambrosia

This is not a photo of MY fruit salad - mine is cuter.

Ingredients:

1 large can pineapple chunks, drained

2 cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 half-jar of maraschino cherries, drained and halved

4 banannas, sliced

3/4 large bag of miniature mashmallows

Sour cream, to preferred consistency

It's all very simple, you put all fruit in a bowl, add your mashmallows, and add sour cream until you like the consistency.  I prefer mine pretty firm, as the leftovers get...mushier with time.  The key to this fruit salad is draining the fruit as best as possible - it will pay off in the end!

Also, another thing I love love love to eat on Thanksgiving (and I am not a huge fan, as I mentioned on Thursday) - Handsome Husband's Aunt Fancy Chef's Green Been Casserole!

Again, not her actual casserole.



I've tried my fair share of green been casseroles and hers is by far my favorite ever!  Last year we missed dinner and only came for dessert, and she even sent me off with my own container full of the good stuff!

What's your favorite Thanksgiving recipe?

Grateful Sundays

This week, I'm grateful for our jobs.

As the holidays approach, the people without jobs, homes, or much or anything start becoming more prevalent, and more heartbreaking.  For me, not only does it make me feel for these people, but it inspires me to be grateful for what my husband and I have that we so often take for granted.

We both have great jobs, that we actually enjoy doing!  Not everyone can say that, and it is something to thank God for, and give ourselves a pat on the back for too.  It's not easy to get a job in the world we live in today, and I am proud of us for landing the ones we have.

What do we do, you ask?

Well.

Handsome Husband works in Lease Administration for a company to owns and operates shopping centers.  He does a lot of tenant relations, as well as abstracting, or "summarizing" the leases.  His job rocks because they have events at shopping centers (what kind of wife wouldn't like that?). 

I am a pediatric LVN working for a big organization in my area that has multiple hospitals and clinics.  I am the Clinic Supervisor at my clinic, and while I don't get to do too many nursing procedures, I get the help my patients and their families get the care they need.  I also am loving all the fun little things I can do to my little clinic!

While we may complain sometimes, I am reminded to be grateful for what we have, especially when so many others would switch with us in a heartbeat.

Wedding Recap: Gettin' Down the Aisle

Walking down the aisle on my wedding day was one of those things I had gone over in my head (and maybe practiced in my bedroom a time or two) a million times.  I imagined what it would feel like to be standing there with my Dad moments before I would marry my best friend, what it would feel like to watch my girls strut down the aisle before me, and how I could possibly soak in everyone's looks as I passed by my friends and family in the audience.

There was no way I could have prepared myself for the overwhelming feelings of joy and excitement I felt walking down the aisle with Hat Dad (who managed to make it the whole day without a hat on his head).  I always wondered whether or not I would cry, but in the moment, tears were the farthest thing from my mind.  I was smiling so much my mouth hurt, but intense happiness was the only emotion I felt.

The boys made their way to our alter,

followed by Handsome Husband's Grandma Beach Bum and Grandpa Golfer.

Handsome Husband walked his mama down the aisle.

And my mama did a little paparazzi wave on her way down.

HH took a moment to pose with his buddies in a sport-themed squatting photo (much to my prior disagreement).

And then my girls made their way down the aisle.

Bridesmaid Does it All

Bridesmaid Swagger

Bridesmaid Kindergarten Teacher

Sister Swimmer

Bridesmaid Cute Apartment

Sister Singer

Maid of Honor Fashionista

My daddy and I soaked up my last few minutes as his oldest unmarried daughter.

And started down the aisle.

I couldn't help but make faces at some of my friends and family in the audience.

And HH's smile was huge.

We got to the end of the aisle, and my daddy shook my groom's hand,

and put my hand in his, giving us his blessing that would be the beginning of our ceremony.

Next time?  The actual ceremony.

Wanna catch up?  First my lovely bridesmaids showered me with love, then we headed to Palms Springs for a bachelorette weekend!  Bridesmaid Kindergarten Teacher shared her birthday with us for our rehearsal dinner, and two days later we got an early wake up call on our wedding day!  The boys got to sleep in before they got ready, and I (thank goodness!) managed to squeeze my booty into my wedding dress.  Handsome Husband and I saw each other for the first time on our wedding day, followed by bridal portraits, photos with my ladies, and photos with HH and his best buddies.  HH and I took some romantic portraits with one another, and then some pictures with our entire wedding party gaggle.