Oh Happy Day!

Had a wonderful day! Went to church and then worked in the nursery...got to play with some really cute kiddos :)

Went to Village Inn with Vick (Brad went to another church after ours for a school project) and had a particularly yummy lunch ... Fresh Strawberry and Banana French Toast Combo (with a sunny side up egg and some sausage links). Then I went home and scrapped for a bit and made this....

Just for fun. Kinda random. All about how I love to sing!

Took this photo during the week I took photos for a "Week in the Life" album. I really need to print some more photos!

Supplies used: Boxer Scrapbook Productions paper, Bazzill cardstock, Heidi Swapp florals small, Tres Jolie French Kisses button (it is a button from the cutest little jam container, Amanda!!!), Rusty Pickle Swirly Whirlie Chipboard Accents, e-z Tintz Walnut Ink in white, Making Memories Chipboard Shapes Heart, Pressed Petals Chip Chatter "Hip" & "Tall", orange yarn, & a Zig Writer 0.5 mm pen.

I listened to this song over and over on youtube.com while I scrapped. (I think Tina got sick of listening to it!). I really like it even though I have never been a big fan of Bucky... Let me know what you think about it :) Kinda reminds me of the Judds song Grandpa (you can watch the video on youtube.com). Love that song. Old country is the best!

After some scrap therapy and some goldfish eating, I worked on a final review for my Organizational Behavior class. And then took my final (it was an online test) and ended up making a B on it plus my 35 points (because I never missed a class) so I really made like 118% on my final! That means that that I am down to only two finals and a presentation! That makes me super happy!! :)

After I finished my final I watched some TV with Bradley and then hopped online to check my email, facebook, blog, and read my favorite blogs and came across this.

My sister rocks. Totally made my day!!

So cool to see my life in a collage!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!! :) Only 6 more days till graduation!

BDQOTD: "Following Jesus does not mean you will have no trials. It is the presence of assurance, knowing that God will get you through." 4/29/07

BVOTD: "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13 NIV (One of my very favorite verses!)

Congratulations to Dayna & Ryan!

My wonderful friend, Dayna, called me late last night to let me know some exciting news...

She is engaged to be married!! :)

We have been friends since high school and though I don't get to see her very often, she is very dear to my heart. She is such a godly woman and I am so blessed to call her a friend. I had the opportunity to meet Ryan in March and he is such a gentleman. They are both following hard after the Lord and I know that Ryan and Dayna are going to accomplish amazing things together for the Lord!!

Dayne will be the first of my high school gals (see the previous post) to be married...

I wish them both all the best...I know that they will be so happy together!!

BVOTD: "Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves." Song of Solomon 3:4a NIV

Quiz + Scrappiness

Linda tagged me, so here goes...

7 random and weird things about me...any topic, any category...

1. I love to eat corn on the cob and have big plans to go to the Corn Fest this June... I also plan to run the race so that I can get a Tshirt and a corn on the cob dressed up in a cowboy hat ;)

2. I am extremely sore from running 14 miles in the last three days...it pretty much hurts to move...boy, am I going to miss my gym starting next week!

3. My guilty pleasures are McAlister's chocolate chip cookies, scrapbook time, Dr. Pepper, and those little Neopolitan candies that I buy at the grocery store (you know, from the machines where you stick in a quarter and get 3).

4. I am pretty much grossed out by meat (like steak, BBQ, ribs, etc.) and hate to cook it because I don't like to touch raw meet. It is not that I am against eating meat...it just is not very appealing to me. (I am always sad when we have BBQ for lunch at work!)

5. I have no earthly idea what the Lord has planned for us in the future, but whatever it is, I know it will be awesome!! I am just trying to let go of worry and fear, and let God rule in my life! Matthew 6:25

6. I absolutely love dance dance revolution. I got to do it at a CBS party a few months ago and LOVED IT!! I would totally buy it if I had something to play it on (we don't have a gamecube or a PS or anything like that). I wouldn't need a treadmill if I could get DDR! :) (It would take up a lot less space, too!)

7. I miss living in the corn (somehow tons of houses are not as cute as little corn stalks or empty fields). I miss driving by really friendly people (I wave at people in our neighborhood and they look at me like I am crazy). I miss being able to look out the window and seeing God's beautiful creation (there is something so peaceful about fields of God's creation!). I miss looking up at the sky at night and seeing gazillions of stars (all the lights of the city drown out the stars). I miss the creek (we have nothing like that wonderful creek around here). I miss the quietness and solitude you can only get out in the corn (especially on warm summer nights with fireflies flying around and the scent of the mimosa tree on the breeze). One thing I do not miss; however, is the 30+ minute drive to get anywhere.

I am tagging Vicki, Amanda, MAM, Riss,& Mel!

And I thought I would post a layout I made the other night full of Creative Imaginations goodies... I LOVE KAREN RUSSELL STUFF!! :)

Felt good to create a couple of pages and use some really fun products!!

Supplies used: Creative Imaginations paper, chipboard, stickers, and clip tabs (thanks, Julie!!), Paper Studio white cardstock, and Heidi Swapp chipboard alphabet in whisper blue.

I also thought I would share my design team tryout layout with my gals because I realized I had never posted it...love you girls! :)

In case you can't read the journaling, it says:

Sharing the journey with these girls over the last 9 years has been such a joy. The five of us - friends since high school - Dayne, Mel, Riss, MAM, & Lace. They are stress relief, encouragement, camaraderie, laughter, fun, godly examples. Separated by miles but connected by facebook. Always there for each other. Always excited to catch up. Don't know what I would do without these girls. Always happy to be together.

Supplies used: Cosmo Cricket "Storytime", Bazzill cardstock, Basic Grey chipboard block alphas, Deluxe Designs brackets, Making Memories Jumbo blossom, MM Strawberries & cream paint, Bo Bunny Bodacious brads Sweet & Sour, Color Box chalk charcoal, Doodlebug Design Sew Easy rub ons, Hero Arts stamp, Staz On Ink jet black, Swatch Books Narratives Impress-ons, CK Frayed computer font, Cutter bee curvy cutter (love that wonderful tool!).

BDQOTD: "Until you believe God's grace, you can't receive it. We must receive it by faith." 9/24/06

Shop Therapy

I have been bad lately and have been ordering up a frenzy online. I ordered this kit from Cocoa Daisy (and just got it in the mail today and I can't wait to play with it!) and ordered this Ali Edwards' kit today. (Not to mention the goodies I have been picking up from Scrapbook Fever!) Am looking forward to doing some serious scrapping in the days ahead. (Think of all the extra scrappy time that I will get when I graduate!! Ahh!! :)

As I see it, I deserve a little shop therapy.

I am recovering from a rough month (really multiple months but April was *by far* the worst) full of reading, studying, writing papers, making SWOT analyses for cases (if I ever read a case again it will be too soon), taking tests, creating a playbill, dealing with teachers, working on group projects, waiting on teachers to grade my projects, selling stuff to my Sales teacher, making presentations, etc.

Will be happy to not have to worry about this stuff anymore. I only have 3 finals and one presentation and then I am SO DONE!! Am looking forward to things slowing down here in just a bit. Cannot believe we graduate next Saturday! :)

My cool sister helped me get all of my announcements ready to mail...wow, who knew that would be so time consuming!?!??

As an added bonus, I have convinced my wonderful boss to let me work crazy hours (i.e. working from like 8:00 in the morning till like 11:00 at night a couple of days a week and then having DAYS off instead of just evenings...it is kinda how I have been working this semester since the earliest we got out of class was 2:00 pm everyday...I love working without interruptions...and being able to sing at the top of my lungs without being yelled @ :).

I am totally excited about having full days off...I am much more productive that way. I get more done at work and at home if I have a full day to focus on it.

Oh, and I thought I would leave you with a photo I took today near MAM's place...the yellow butterflies loved the yellow flowers :)

Check back soon...I have been tagged by my wonderfully talented scrap buddy Linda!! :)

BDQOTD: "He gives us an inexpressible joy. Love. Peace. Do you have these qualities? There is a joy in Christ that has physical manifestations/responses."

Just One More Reason...

why I scrapbook.

Gotta love watching Brad and Tina admire my work (an album that I made for Brad for our 2 year wedding anniversary). :)

Will hopefully get some good scrappy time tomorrow! (Will be working on my Design Team layout with Anika and Breann pics!!!) I totally miss scrapbooking right now!!

Also wanted to let you guys know that we are alive...and (I think) successfully making it through our last few days as college students.

ONLY 14 MORE DAYS TILL WE ARE COLLEGE GRADUATES!! CRAZY, NO?!

If only we can make it through a few more tests and quizzes!!

Hope you all have a fabulous and relaxing weekend!!! :)

(I am going to mix it up and give "A Brother Dan Quote of the Day" occasionally) :)

BDQOTD: "If you are not growing in the Lord, then you are simply drifting. Our holy faith is life changing."

What a good reminder...it is so easy to get caught up in life and responsibilities and so many things that are not even important... and forget to talk to God and dig into His Word. Thankfully, He continuously reminds me that He is there with me every day!! :) Gotta love our Lord!!!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Just wanted to wish daddy a Happy birthday.

Am so blessed to have him for a daddy.

He really is the best daddy ever!!!

He as taught me so many things and has helped me become the person that I am today.

I love him so!!

Happy birthday, daddy!!

BVOTD: If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31b NIV

I'm Dreaming of a White... Easter?!??!

Who knew that I would get to see inches of snow in April? Gotta love it when you can have a snowball fight on Easter!! Only in Texas!!

Unfortunately, we did not get any snow at home but out in the corn they got quite a bit and I had a lovely time making a snowman on Saturday night (the bums Josh, Alyssa, and Vicki would not even come outside to play with me in the snow using the excuses that "they had already played in it" and "it was cold"...lame, I know) and throwing snowballs at Vicki and Brad on Sunday morning (which daddy got on tape...quite a funny video if you ask me...I make funny noises when I throw snowballs, lol!).

After the sunrise service (that was held inside a gym and we were still freezing), Josh, Alyssa, Vicki, Brad and I went to eat breakfast and got to see an Easter bunny snowman right next to a pool. :)

Took some photos on the way home of bluebonnets freezing in the snow.

We had a fabulous Easter ... lots of family, food, egg hunting (eggs filled with CANDY, not hardboiled eggs, mind you!! I took a poll and apparently most families use hardboiled eggs, but clearly, candy-filled eggs are the way to go!! What kid wants to eat hardboiled eggs for Easter??!), chatting, taking photos of the kiddos, and hiding Easter eggs in the snow.

We had some really awesomely decorated eggs this year. Even some with "hair" (aka string leftover from a sweater that Mo Mo made for Em Em).

Another strange thing about our family...

We nominate eggs to be voted on each year. It is a big family affair. The eggs must make it through two hunts (not sure who made up that rule but we go with it). We then select five or so eggs and then take a vote on our favorite. The lineup for this year...

I voted for the basket egg (there is also a bunny painted on the opposite side)...it was the big winner of the year.

Oh how I love my crazy and fun family.

Our past years' winners are proudly displayed in my aunt Nelwyn's china cabinet all year round (except for when they are displayed on the piano at Easter) ... they even have fancy stands for them....

I know, we're cool. :P

After everyone went home we decided that the five of us would head to the movies to see Blades of Glory. Funny but probably not worth going to the movie theater to see. (I just like getting to watch "the return on Napoleon" because his character in the movie was a lot like Napoleon). Ate some yummy food at Casa Ole and headed home to recover from a crazy weekend!

How was your Easter? Hope you had a wonderful Easter and celebrated our Risen Lord!!!

BVOTD: So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Matthew 28:8-10 NIV

The {L} List

• Had a day off work and school today for "Play Day"...ran at the park with Brad, ate a chicken biscuit from Chick-Fil-A for breakfast (which I hardly ever get to do so it was a big treat!), cleaned the house a bit, hung out with Tina, chatted with Breann on Hello, got my grocery shopping done, and helped a friend with some CBS stuff.

• Planning on heading out to the corn to work on taxes tonight....YUCK! (So glad that daddy knows what he is doing cause I have no clue!) Hate having to find all of Brad's papers from his installs...a thorn in my side! But nonetheless, love going to mom & dad's to hang out!

• Fiber One bars...read about them on a blog and decided to check them out...so I picked up a box of "Oats and Peanut Butter" bars today...they did not disappoint - they are SO YUMMY!!!

• I turned in another big project yesterday...my business plan for Entrepreneurship. Just a few more big projects and I will be done!!

• We picked up our caps and gowns last week from the bookstore!! The end of school is SOOO near!! We graduate May 5th!!

• Getting together this weekend for Dave, Brad, and dad's birthday celebration...making some Tomato Basil Squares and Peanut Butter Balls...

And I thought I would give the recipe for Mrs. Buchhorn's Peanut Butter Balls (Krispie Peanut Butter Drops) in case you want to try it out (Riss this is especially for you!)...I promise they are YUMMY! And very easy to make!! :)

1 c. white Karo syrup

1 c. sugar

1 1/2 c. peanut butter

5 c. Rice Krispies cereal

Bring Karo and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter till melted. Stir in cereal. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper in a waxed paper lined 9 x 13 pan. Let cool.

Have a fabulous weekend!! :)

BVOTD: “Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” Luke 9:23-23 NIV

WHO KNEW??!?!

Who knew that it would be freezing/raining/sleeting/snowing here in April?!?!?!?


CRAZY!!


Stinks to be me, though because I haven't seen any snow yet!!!! :(


Vicki, Perez, MAM, Riss...all of them got to see snow!

It only rained and sleeted at work all day!

At least it is kind of cool to see the house with some ice on it in April!


Heading off to the corn to spend some time with my awesome family!!


(And play in the snow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)


HAPPY EASTER, EVERYBODY!!


HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!


BVOTD: "He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay." Matthew 28:6 NIV

Happy Birthday to Brad & Gene!!

Wanted to wish my sweet boy and father-in-law a HAPPY BIRTHDAY today!!!

Brad is the big 2-5 today...Gene would rather forget that it is his birthday!

This picture was taken last year on their birthday at work...

(Gene would not wait for me to get my camera so he is showing off his empty cup that used to have cake and ice cream in it :)

We are celebrating by going out to eat tonight :)

BVOTD: "Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." Luke 12:19b NIV

Two Months & 80 Miles Later...

(80=42 miles in February + 38 miles in March)...

I am finally feeling healthy!!

(Isn't my gym *awesome*?! I love it!! I usually run on one of the four treadmills on the left. Notice the 4 TV sets... I can plug my headphones in and listen to any station I want to...I usually watch the Today show. I study and read scrapbooking magazines while I run, too! It's like I'm not even exercising!!)

What a change from where I used to be. I can remember thinking that one mile was difficult... now I run 5 miles at the gym twice a week...and occasionally run a few miles with Brad at the park on Sundays...

I have not really lost much weight but I have gained muscle. My clothes fit a little better.

The really crazy part is that I actually kind of enjoy running now. On spring break when I couldn't go to the gym I really missed it!! I always thought that Brad was crazy for enjoying running...now I am crazy just like him! When I don't get to run I just feel sluggish and lazy. I am currently trying to convince Brad to get me a treadmill (and also trying to figure out where in the house to put it) since I will lose my gym when we graduate.

Brad and I went to a health fair at school at the end of March to see how healthy we were...

We are both "normal" when it comes to weight and have good glucose (I totally thought my glucose would be through the roof because I eat so much sugar!) and cholesterol levels. We actually have the same body mass index (22.8%)! And we both have good bone density.

I am pretty proud of my body fat percentage at 22.7% (21-33% is recommended for 20-39 year old females). I know that my percentage had to be quite a bit higher a couple of months ago.

The lady that checked our blood pressure said Brad was "cool as a cucumber" but that I "must be anxious about something" because my blood pressure was high (134/74). I joke with Brad that we are not sure if he is still alive because his is always so low!

(Side note: When I told Gene and Linda about my high blood pressure they both made comments that since I have a Type A personality, that was to be expected. I don't really think that I have a Type A personality, though! Brad calls me a "shy Type A")

The chiropractor had some bad news for me, though. He said that my right side is 1/2" higher than my left and that I carry 20 pounds (he said 5 is the most he typically sees) more in my right side than my left (probably because I carry my heavy purses and bags on my right shoulder and my body is trying to compensate for it!).

When I went to the chiropractor's office the next week to get my free check up he said that my lower back, part of my middle back, and my neck needed readjustment..then he wanted me to pay $160 for xrays during my *free* appointment and I said heck no...so my back is still not fixed.

Not surprised about the neck problems...I am so stressed out these days!!! (We will both be so thankful to finish all of our assignments, papers, and presentations!!!)

Overall, we are both happy and healthy and I am so thankful for that.

My challenge for you is to get out there and exercise...walk, jog, swim, rollerblade, dance (I added that just for you, mom & dad!), play your favorite sport, etc. It will make you feel better, I promise!! (If you are already active, then KUDOS to you!!)


BVOTD: "Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise unto him with psalms." Psalm 95:2 ASV

Bluebonnets and Babies

I think they go together nicely, don't you think? :)


Had the pleasure of going with my friend Breann, her baby Anika, her sister, her sister's 2 daughters, and her mom (whom I LOVE and get to see each week at CBS!) to take pictures in the bluebonnets today. It was such a beautiful day!! Hope you enjoy! :)

P.S. That is my first ever photo with Miss Anika...and I am sorry there are so many photos...I took 293 and these were my favorites :)

BVOTD: "Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalms 46:10a NIV