Happy Valentine's Day!

In honor of Valentine's Day, five things I'm loving! 
one// I've really been having a blast with our 14 Days of Love this Valentine's Day! I'm so glad that I decided to really commit to the challenge on love on my husband selflessly! 

two// #pimpinjoy. I absolutely love the idea behind this movement! March 3rd-7th is pimpin joy week - spread joy wherever you go! For more information on what the heck is going on, go {here}. 

three// I'm particularly loving my new phone! Tomorrow will mark one week that I've strayed from Apple land, and so far, I'm completely happy with my new Android! LG. Life's good!
four// Sean Lowe {aka 'the Bachelor' from season 17} gave his testimony this week for I am Second. What is 'I am Second' you ask? Great question! 
I am Second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next-door neighbor. People like you. The authentic stories on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living. These are stories that give hope to the lonely and the hurting, help from destructive lifestyles, and inspiration to the unfulfilled. You’ll discover people who’ve tried to go it alone and have failed. Find the hope, peace, and fulfillment they found. Be Second.
To watch Sean's video about the difficulty of being on reality television in public scrutiny while clinging to his faith, go {here}. Y'all, it's seriously amazing! LOVE.IT.

five// I discovered the Avocado app this week, browsing random Android apps of course! However, I freakin' love it! And what a better time to discover this app for couples than the week of love?! I can't think of one. 
Avocado is the fun, private, and secure app for couples to stay connected. Send messages, share calendars and lists, doodle on photos, and more! Avocado keeps your favorite person as close as your phone. Why Avocado? Whether you’re miles apart or continents away, this couple app helps you and your boo stay connected anytime, anywhere. And just like home, it’s a private space for the two of you to collect and share a life. Colten didn't take to this app as much as I did {go figure}, but he has stuck it out for a few days and is learning to love it :). It's for Android or Apple, so there's no excuse not to try it with your significant other! 

Happy Valentine's Day, y'all! I absolutely adore my readers and always look forward to communicating with y'all. I hope you know that you are loved!! 

Linking up with THE GOOD LIFE BLOG.

14 Days of Love

I hate/completely despise/loathe/can't stand/am repulsed by/resent even just thinking about what to get/do for Colten for Valentine's Day. Every. Single. Year. He's a typical guy, for the most part. He gets his hands dirty, isn't overly sensitive or romantic, loves playing video games and anything camouflage. 
With that in mind, what the heck do you get for your man for Valentine's Day?! That runs through my mind every year, until now. In doing some actual research and scouring Pinterest, I came across a blog {surprise, surprise right? ;)} that had me at:  So remember how I kinda neglected my husband on Christmas.
Tiffany over at Raising Lemons posted about her idea for Valentine's Day last year, and I was hooked instantly. Check out her post {here}. Her idea was to go along with the catchy '14 Days of Valentine's' theme for her husband, but with a twist. Instead of doing corny little gifts every day {"I chews you," with chewing gum...}, she decided to focus on her husband's love language. Umm, thank you! From there, my 14 Days of Love commenced. 

Immediately, I knew I would be doing that this year, so I began on the several daunting tasks that laid ahead of me. I would start on February 1st and the last day would be on the 14th, Valentine's Day. First up: the list. I knew that Colten's love languages are acts of service and physical touch. How do I know? Well, he took the quiz, of course! Yes, there's a quiz. If you don't know what the love languages are, head over here to check them out! Since Colten tied on these two, I decided to incorporate them both into our 14 Days of Love. 
THE LIST 1. long kiss
2. wash dishes
3. foot massage
4. make the bed
5. buy groceries
6. long embrace
7. cook dinner
8. hold hands at the movie
9. breakfast in bed
10. 30 minute massage
11. laundry 
12. snuggle while watching tv together
13. Ace duty
14. full service 
Up next was creating a banner that would hold/display each day's surprise. Again, I went with Tiffany's idea but made it my own. I started with a trip to Hobby Lobby - where else? I purchased a pack of the mini craft sacks in brown, a tiny heart box {to trace the hearts}, and paper! 

I traced hearts onto some heart paper I purchased and cut them out. 

  Then, I numbered the hearts 1-14 and glued each one onto a craft sack! Seriously easy stuff here, y'all. 

  Next up were the cards - I used cardstock, cut them to size using the measurements of the craft sacks (2.5"x4") and then wrote the "physical touch" and "acts of service" activities on them. 

I then used jute that I already had at home to hang on our bar in the kitchen and attached the sacks using mini clothespins that I had purchased previously for my thankful tree. {Sorry about the unbelievably blurry pic on this one...}

We're on day 13, and Colten is loving it! I had to get a little creative for day 1 because we were out of town for the weekend. I wrote him a letter explaining the 14 Days of Love idea and even kissed the letter by signature for an extra special touch! I rolled up the letter, added day 1's card, and tied it together with some jute. Then, all I had to do was keep my big mouth shut until February 1st when I could finally reveal my plans! It's hard for me to keep a surprise a secret, so I was definitely tested. But, I did it! He really enjoyed the idea and has been looking forward to each day's activity. 
It's just a special way to really show your spouse that you love them {on a budget}, and what better way to do that than through their love language?! I considered our schedules in planning out each day's activity, and I definitely rearranged the order as we received our work schedules and things came up. It worked out because he didn't know what the next day held anyway, as long as he didn't snoop! 
Instead of just doing little things around the house, I added just a few extra surprises in the mix, such as a movie night! I incorporated the "physical touch" aspect by holding hands during a movie and will surprise him with movie tickets after he opens the card {that's tonight's plan}. I received an email from Treat.com that presented an opportunity to personalize my 14 Days of Love even further! I will be able to present the tickets in a personalized card, just for him! I was blown away by the cards from Treat and the ease of creating them! 
Treat.com is a Shutterfly affiliate that specializes in personalized greeting cards. I love what they say on their website: "Relationships aren't cookie cutter, so why should greeting cards be?" Seriously though, what a great idea! You're able to customize a card for any occasion {Valentine's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy, thinking of you, etc.} for anyone on your list! All you have to do is create an account {for free} and get to personalizing! With an account, you can set up reminders about something coming up that needs a card, schedule a card to be sent in the mail, and even send digital cards if time isn't on your side! 
I received two cards, one for Valentine's Day, and one to hold the surprise movie tickets and just to tell Colten that I love him. Look at how great they turned out...

The cards are way more gorgeous in person! The picture quality is clear {as long as you've uploaded a good picture} and the cards themselves are super thick! I chose to have them mailed to me so that I could give them to Colten myself, but Treat also provides the option to mail a card directly to the receiver. Super convenient! I know I'll be doing business with this company in the future. What better way to show a loved one you care than by personalizing a greeting card they can cherish forever?! No more cards being thrown away, people. This is a new era. 

No more missed birthdays, long checkout lines
or last-minute drugstore dashes.

We make it easy to stay thoughtful all year long—from the comfort of your couch.

*via*

The 14 Days of Love was a big commitment to take on, but I'm so glad I did! I was held accountable for all the things I said I would do, and by doing it through Colten's love language, I was really able to focus on loving him and not be distracted by my own wants and needs. It's definitely a Valentine's Day we won't forget!  
**I was not compensated financially for this post. I received these cards from the kindness of Treat's social media team. The opinions are 100% my own**

Marriage: {Two Years}

Two years ago today, I said 'I do' to my best friend. Two years ago today, my life changed forever. Two years ago today, I entered into married bliss...and I'm even more in love than ever! 
Over the past two years, my life is more enriched with love and happiness than I could have ever imagined. Is every day a breeze? Definitely not! Are there days where I just completely fall apart and disagree with everything my husband says? You bet! But is it worth it to work together, learn from each other, and live life every single day with my husband by my side? Absolutely. 
Marriage isn't easy. And I don't think there is a married couple out there, no matter how long they've been married, that would tell you otherwise! It's work. A lot of work - by both individuals. But it's so completely worth it. The bad days are nothing in comparison with the good days. I'm unbelievably blessed to experience this life journey with my best friend. He makes me laugh, knows exactly how to make me feel better when I'm stressing over something stupid or just had a rough day, and loves me unconditionally every single day of his life. I have never experienced a love like ours, and I can't even put it into words! We laugh together, cry together, and love together. Even the most random, common thing can put a smile on my face when I'm spending time with my husband. We're meant to be together, through all of life's trials and tribulations, we will be successful because we know love and have a healthy marriage. We work at it together. 
People keep asking me if it's felt like we've been married for two years already, and the answer to that is, 'no'. The saying holds true, "Time flies when you're having fun!" These past two years have held a lot for us, and it's been two long years of learning. Learning what makes the other 'tick'. Learning what it takes to truly make each other feel loved. Learning that life isn't full of flowers and rainbows, but it doesn't matter when you're experiencing the hurdles of life with someone you love unconditionally. The joys life brings are magnified when you're living them with your soul mate. Colten understands me in a way that absolutely no one else does, and I love that! He's always been there for me, 100%, from day one. He never judges me or questions my actions, even if he knows I'm wrong. He supports me in ways I've never known before, and he holds me when I fail. He's my number one fan!  Although we've been married for two years already {y'all, that's 730 days!}, I still say that we're newlyweds. I don't know when I'll stop considering us that, but I absolutely love it! I think back to our wedding day and smile. We were surrounded by so much love and support - I couldn't have asked for anything better! It was well worth all of the planning, stress, and tears ... It was perfect. Thinking back to that day now, I am reminded how blessed I truly am. Family and friends came out to support Colten and I's love for each other - they celebrated our love with us! I cherish the memories and the photographs, which will last me a lifetime!  But to be at this point we're at today, I keep in mind that the wedding day is just the beginning. It's the marriage that truly counts. I go to bed every night and wake up every morning with my husband. And I smile. I am a lucky, lucky girl to walk this life with Colten. Sure, there are days when we completely disagree on things and cannot come to an understanding with each other. There are moments when we just need our space and time apart from each other. But those moments pass. We become stronger because of those moments. We cherish the love a bit deeper and appreciate one another a little bit more. 
A marriage takes three. Husband, wife, and God. We vowed forever with God as our witness, and strive to become close to Him each and every day. Are we perfect? Gosh no! Do we have room for improvement in every single aspect of our lives? Yes! But we are learning and living together, striving for a more intimate bond with God and with each other. I am blessed to be the wife to such an amazing man. Every day is a surprise. Every day is a gift from God for us to learn more and more about each other. I never stop learning from my husband, and our marriage is never stagnant. We know that it truly takes effort and that it is a decision to love each other every day. It's a decision we make over and over every day. We choose to love. We choose to share our happiness with each other and to keep learning together. I know there are still struggles ahead. Struggles we cannot even begin to fathom. But with Colten by my side, I know we can do it. I know we'll make it through and will have so much to show for it.  Two years ago began a whirlwind of a marriage. Not a day has gone by in which we haven't told each other the we love each other. That's actually one of my favorite things about our marriage. We say 'I love you' every day, several times a day. And they are not just empty words that you routinely say. I feel the passion and genuine feelings behind his words every day. Not just a few times a week or once a month - EVERY DAY! I look forward to our future, as I have no idea where it'll lead, but I know we'll get there together, hand in hand. I know our love for each other will only grow, as we grow closer and closer to God. I know the road ahead will be a bumpy one, but I truly look forward to sharing every part of the journey with my husband. 
Colten, thank you so much for treating me with the utmost respect and showing me what true love really is. I have enjoyed these past two years and look forward to many, many more! Thank you for making me your wife and for truly making me happy. I love you! 

National Donut Day!

It's National Donut Day!    Did you really think I wouldn't be super pumped and excited about this enough to post about it?!  Yeah, didn't think so!   Prior to realizing what today was, I had told my co-workers that I would stop by Krispy Kreme this morning to pick up some donuts.  We've all been working overtime and could use the pick-me-up.    Well, this was a completely epic fail, as I woke up super early after working job #2 last night and not getting much sleep, got ready for work, and left early - I am NOT a morning person, just FYI - I was proud that I had accomplished everything that morning and would still arrive on time to earn my overtime hours.  BUT, when I arrived at the drive-thru, I learned that the store did not open for another thirty minutes.    Yes, I was up and out of the house before Krispy Kreme even opened!  Sad day.    I had told my husband about my plan this morning, so I ultimately told him how my plan went up in flames.  He rubbed it in that he had donuts this morning...just not KK (Krispy Kreme).    Later in the morning (about 9am), I decided that I was going to go to KK on my break and get donuts - I had already gotten my heart set on them and it was definitely worth the drive!  So, my co-worker and I headed out to get breakfast!  It was amazingly delicous and we enjoyed every bite!   See?  

When my husband got off of work, however, he texted me and said he had my donuts for me for when I got home later in the day.  So nice of him.  I texted him back saying, "Ok. We went to KK after all :)." 

His response: 'Ok, I guess I'll turn around then."

Y'all, the sweet, sweet man was going to DRIVE TO MY OFFICE TO DELIVER DONUTS because he knew how much I was looking forward to them this morning and then wasn't able to get them. 

This man melts my heart.  And I am so blessed to be his wife! 

Happy Donut Day, everyone!

Surprise, Surprise!

HE WENT TO JARED!  (again)

My husband is the absolute best!  If you follow me on twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, you already know that my husband picked me up and took me out to lunch yesterday!  So sweet!  He hasn't had a reliable vehicle for so long, and now that he does, it's amazing!  He was off yesterday, so he picked me up at work and we headed on over to Which Wich.  Their sandwiches are seriously amazing.  But anyway...on to the point of this post. 

Later that afternoon, after an amazingly sweet lunch date, he texted me and told me not to look at the bank account.  We recently received our tax return refund and were paying off major credit cards, so he was having to deal with the fraud team of our bank.  But any time he tells me not to look at something, I obviously get concerned...or nosy....or anxious....or, let's be honest, all of these at once!  I want to know immediately what's going on.  Well, of course he wouldn't tell me....he just begged me not to look!  Upon inquiring when he'd let me in on whatever it was that was going on, he said he would talk to me about it when I got home.  Now, that doesn't seem unreasonable.  However, it was only 2pm and I had to go to job #2 yesterday, which meant an entire 8 hours before I'd be home.  Ugh.  I'm ridiculously impatient and he was definitely testing me!  So, I waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  And in between all of that waiting, I was texting him, teasing him that I was going to look at the account.  But, I managed to wait and opened the door to the apartment...

He told me to close my eyes as he left the room.  When he returned, he told me to open my eyes.  And to my surprise was a bag from Jared's!  I almost started crying.  Seriously, my husband is always thinking of me and doing little things for me.  Sometimes I find myself taking this for granted, but I'm definitely working on that and am sure to tell him just how much I appreciate him and his efforts.  A year and a half/two years ago, he surprised the HECK out of me with a Pandora bracelet from Jared's.  And ever since, I've been obsessed with trying to fill that sucker!  By the way, I've succeeded!  It's officially full of charms!  But, my husband has been super helpful with this task.  He's always looking for very meaningful charms to add to my collection.  And yesterday was no different.  He surprised me by taking my bracelet to, first of all, get cleaned.  Then he began his search for a new charm - and boy did he score big time (with getting the perfect charm...dirty minds...)!  Just look at this beauty:

It's the 'guardian angel' charm!  He said it's in remembrance of my granny that tragically died a little over a year ago.  This man is so dang thoughtful!  I seriously started crying when I saw the charm and he explained its significance.  I now have several guardian angels watching over me, and I will cherish this charm forever.  Every time I look at it, I think of both of my grandma's, my aunt, friends, the grandpa I never met, and so many others that have passed away.  He's good...I'll give him that!  I already have a cancer ribbon charm in remembrance of my other grandma that passed away almost 9 years ago to cancer.  I also have a dog charm, lots of hearts charms and 'i love you' charms, as well as a very expensive birth stone charm, bible charm, and a stack of books charm for when I graduated college!  I also have a horseshoe charm for my 'country roots' and for luck! He spoils me...

So, I'm proudly wearing my Pandora bracelet today, and am going to work on color coordinating the bigger stone charms!  It's definitely a favorite addition to my jewelry collection, and I wear it proudly.  And, thank you babe, as you surprised me yet again with your big heart and giving ways.  I truly appreciate everything you do for me and will always cherish the love we have together.

Surprise, surprise...my husband is amazing!  No real surprise there, as I already knew this ;).  

The Newlywed Game {Take 4}

Linking up with Karla and Veronica again this week for the Newlywed Game! 

1.  Who does the laundry in your home, you or your spouse? Any good stories?

 Colten does most of the laundry, as he's home more often than I am.  I do a load or two every now and then, though. 

I do the laundry because she works two jobs, along with the rest of the house chores.  (and it means the world to me!!!)

 

2.  If your spouse had to eat at one restaurant for the rest of their lives, what would he or she pick?

 Olive Garden.  That man can eat SO.MUCH.SALAD it's ridiculous.  And he loves their pizza for some odd reason!  He seriously will never order anything but pizza there.  

 

I would prolly say pok-e-jo's or subway eat fresh - she loves those places.  

 

3.  Are you or your spouse better at cooking? Any good stories?

 I am better at cooking!  He does it more often, but give him a difficult or lengthy meal to make, and it's pretty funny.  Hmm, good stories... He tried to set fire to our oven at our last apartment.  It gave our poor dog PTSD for months!  He hears the sound of something sizzling on the stove and immediately freaks out.  Poor little guy!  

I'm good at cooking.  I do most of it because she works two jobs.  I'm off or at home more, so it makes more sense.  Have you ever made BBQ sauce with your feet?  I have hahaha.  (oh my gosh...the BBQ sauce!  he seriously made it with his feet...crazy, crazy night!)

 

4.  Which one of you is more concerned about their "fashion"?

 Definitely, 100%, hands down ME.  That man never gives any thought to what he's wearing! 

Umm, she is, duh.  She is a WOMAN - they're all like that.  Me, just give me a pair of jeans, a sleeveless shirt, a pair of boots, and my favorite rebel hat and we're good to go.

 

5.  Ideally, if you don't have them already, when does you spouse want to have children?

 He wants to have them already, but knows that we need to be way more financially stable first.  Ideally, within the next few years I'd say.  

We would love to have them now but financially can't afford them.   (he's so smart haha. and yes, I know that you never really can afford kids...)

 

6.  Who planned dates when you were dating? And what was one of your favorites?

 We didn't get to go on a lot of actual dates when we were dating.  It was a long distance relationship, and I'd usually just go to Yorktown to visit him and we'd just hang out.  Those moments were priceless though!  One of my favorites was the first time we really met.  I drove down to see him and we went to a tractor pull in the nearby town.  That night, we stood out by the car for FOUR HOURS just talking about everything.  Time flew by...

 

It's hard to say because I didn't have a vehicle.  If I'm thinking right, she did.  Mine was all of them, but my favorite one was when me and her were with my best friend or 'my brother from another mother'.  We were in his truck and Bri and I were making out in the back seat and all of a sudden he yelled, "Look, it's a UNICORN!!!"  We just busted out laughing!  Good ole times, good ole times.  (that was so hilarious!)

 

7.  What's been the toughest part of being a newlywed?

 The toughest part has been the finances.  We didn't really have a budget or a plan prior to getting married, and then we combined accounts, which pretty much forced us to start budgeting.  However, the system our parents use and we now use is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. and is a lifesaver!  But we get through anything and everything, so it's all good :). 

Nothing really because we get through everything together. (good answer babe!)

 

8.  Who is the best with the finances?

 We both have gotten way better with the finances.  It's pretty mutual - neither of us is the only one that budgets or pays bills.  

Umm we both are. 

 

9.  Who is the strict one?

 Neither of us are very strict.  We're pretty laid back and don't really keep the other from doing something or pursuing something...  We try to be strict with money though, which is hard! haha

Neither one of us.  I think, anyway. 

 

10.  What will you plan to do for your first anniversary? Or if you've already celebrated your first anniversary, what did you do?

 We both had to work that day, so we just stuck with simple and went out to eat.  It's the quality time that matters anyway!  Then, we came home and ate the top of our wedding cake that had been sitting in the freezer for a year.  That thing was soooo disgusting!!!  I would never recommend it to anyone.... gross! 

We went to our favorite restaurant and ate at Olive Garden.  (yep!)

 

Another Day to be {Thankful}

This week has been FABULOUS! 

Here's why:

1. It was a three-day weekend last weekend, which meant only 4 workdays this week!

2. I only had to work job #2 ONCE this week (tonight)!

3. My husband and I went to a high school basketball game earlier this week to support a family friend, and it was a nail-biter!  So much fun to see them again and to be back in that atmosphere.

4. I was able to spend much needed and way overdue quality time with my husband yesterday afternoon.  For those of you that don't know, we don't get much time together, so we definitely took advantage of the time we were blessed with together yesterday!  It was one of those super relaxing days, knowing we didn't have to get anything done.  We were just silly with each other, laying in bed talking and watching tv for a few hours.  Just one of those little moments that wasn't dramatic and was exactly what we needed. 

5. My mom underwent surgery this morning to repair her rotator cuff, and it was successful! Praying her pain regarding this injury is on its way out the door. 

6. I had ribs from Pok-e-Jo's.  Enough said!

7. I'm feeling GREAT today!  My hair is amazing and cooperated well this morning; my outfit is amazeballs and has been complimented about a zillion times today; Grey's is all-new tonight; and I know the weekend is right around the corner!  Here's a pic from today:

8. I get to pick out free jewelry.  And I'm a girl.  They go hand-in-hand of course!

9. I'm leading a book club next month, and the winner was determined yesterday.  I'm so excited! 

10. My grandpa was recently diagnosed with cancer (a post to come on that soon, as its been hard).  He received glorious news yesterday that it hasn't spread, which means he can 'possibly' start radiation next week!

I've been witnessing firsthand the power of prayer and God's glory!  He has been busy at work in my life and in the lives of my family members.  It's been a truly astounding week for me, and I'm cherishing every second. 

It goes without saying that there have been some low moments this week as well, but it's so important to focus on the great things going on around us!  What are you thankful for today? 

Our {Valentine's Day}

Yep, it's LOVE month!  It's the time that all of the happy couples swoon over each other and stress over the *perfect* gifts.  It's the time when all of the single people are grossed out to the max at every single 'couple' they see or hear about.  It's the time that I reflect on my MR and I's relationship thus far. 

Every Valentine's Day has been different for us these past 3 and a half years.  Our schedules are so sporadic that we just never know where we'll be or if we'll even be together.  We've made it work so far and will continue to do so year after year.  It's what we do best!  This year was no exception.  And now you're thinking, what do you mean, 'was'?  That's right, we celebrated our Valentine's Day yesterday afternoon.  This week is actually a very busy week for us, and Monday afternoon was the only time I would be home (I work both jobs today, tomorrow, and Thursday, and Friday I'll be headed out of town after work).  I should probably also take this time to explain that the MR had to go to class within 10 minutes of me getting home at 4:30.  So, our Valentine's Day lasted a whole TEN MINUTES.  And it was an awesome ten minutes!

He greeted me in the garage as soon as I pulled in.  And he was holding a dozen roses, specially wrapped and all!  Now, he knows I'm a sucker for roses!  I know it's a cliché, but I love them!  He had 6 pink and 6 red - so adorable.  He gave me a giant hug and told me just how much he loved me and how much I meant to him.  Then he walked me upstairs, helped me get the roses in a vase with water, and then he was on his way to class. 

He's so adorable - and I love him so much!  Quirky qualities and all!

End of Valentine's Day.  Or so I thought... 

He is usually in class until 10pm, which means he doesn't get home until 10:30.  He surprised me and was home at 9 last night!  :)  I was one happy girl!  He watched my girly shows with me and we just spent great quality time together.  It really was perfect.  I know it wasn't anything huge or glamorous, but I'm a simple girl.  I don't need to be waited on hand and foot or showered with expensive gifts.  It's always been 'the little things' that mean the most to me - a concept I'm continually trying to get my MR to understand.  He's coming along, though ;).

So, another Valentine's Day is in the books, and it was perfect.  We do have 'small' plans for Thursday, but I won't be getting home until 9:30pm and he has to be at work the next morning by 5:00am, so he'll most likely be sleeping already.  We'll see!  Regardless of how Thursday works out though, I'm very blessed to have such an amazing man in my life to share in the ups and downs thrown our way.  I'm truly thankful for our relationship and blessed to be in a very healthy and happy marriage.  We've survived year one of it, and it just keeps getting better and better!