Weekend Project

A few weeks ago I went stir crazy and convinced Austin to help me rearrange our living room furniture. This is not such a new concept for me, since my father always said my mother rearranged furniture during every month with an "R" in it (think about it -- that's a lot), but for Austin it was like pulling teeth.

I love the arrangement so much more than what we had before, but since then it has always kind of bugged me that we had nothing above the television. I hate blank walls. Living on base (where you cannot paint) is going to be one of the worst parts of military wife-ing for me. So, this weekend we undertook a project.

Even though it is not technically my last name yet, here is the final project:

Closeup:

 

We had the mats cut at Hobby Lobby, and bought the frames there as well at 50% off. I downloaded the photos online, so this was a pretty cost effective project in sort of the same vein as the popular found alphabet type projects, but more vibrant, in my opinion (and again cost effective...read: cheap).

We also started our collection of prints from all of the places we have lived with a print I picked up in Madison this summer representing the famous Terrace Chairs at UW.

We love it! What do you think? 

'Weekend' Trip

...I use the term "weekend" loosely as really it was a Thursday - Friday trip.

To where, you ask?

To see little Miss Emma Grace!

I had been dying to drive up and see the whole Rolland family, and finally had the opportunity this past week. Diana is one of my nearest and dearest friends, so to be so close and have the opportunity to meet this new part of her life was a must. (And, might I also say that I hate that we are moving further away just as Emma has entered the world!)

I arrived on Thursday evening to their lovely home where, despite Diana claiming otherwise, everything was as spic and span as it normally is, despite having a 5 week old in residence. I was amazed, but shouldn't have been, clearly, since Diana is a homemaker extraordinaire.

Emma is so beautiful and sweet! She loves sleeping on people's chests and snuggled up in what is referred to as her "butterball" stance on my chest to sleep a few times while I was there. It will melt your heart.

It was really great just to see this new family and how they are all shining in their new roles. I love spending time with such loving and down to earth people. I stayed until Saturday morning and then headed back to good old Athens so that both my little family and theirs could still get some weekend tasks accomplished (more on that later).

And now for some shots of the cutie pie in her - and mom's - new favorite thing; her swing.

 

  

{isn't she precious?!} 

This just made my day

Just Because...

I did this on my facebook, so I thought I would trow it up here too. It is just 25 random things about me.

After all that thought, it shouldn't go to waste!

1. My middle name is Rae, which I used to hate when I was little, (mostly because of the rise in fame of Billy Ray Cyrus) but now I love and will pass on to a daughter if I ever have one.

2. I traveled for my national sorority and since being in grad school have not been able to be involved with my national organization. I miss it every day.

3. One of my biggest pet peeves in life is when people cannot format outlines correctly, especially in Word or some other computer program that makes it for you.

4. My favorite punctuation mark, yes I have one, is the semi-colon. I use it at least once in every paper I write. I also believe that commas can be used as a form of artistic expression in writing, per my professors in college. Sometimes my graduate school professors disagree.

5. I secretly want to disregard all of my education and be a stay at home wife who gets to snuggle with her dog and a good book every day…for at least a few years.

6. I love cooking and think I am pretty darn good at it.

7. I would still consider going to law school at some point in my life.

8. My best friend Corey and I have thought about starting no less than 50 businesses in the duration of our friendship.

9. I really love dirty martinis, with extra olives.

10. I own an electric typewriter and do any creative writing on it. The rhythm of the keys keeps me in a groove.

11. As much as I love weddings, I secretly enjoy helping others plan theirs more than planning my own. It is super fun to play with other people’s money.

12. I want four kids. You may think that is crazy. I do not.

13. I have issues with quitting. Even at a minute level. If I start watching a horrible movie on TV, or even start reading a book I don’t like very much, I will still finish watching or reading.

14. I love cupcakes. A lot. In my opinion, they are the best dessert.

15. I watch at least three channels of TV at the same time. It drives Austin insane.

16. I dream of writing the next great American novel…on a typewriter.

17. I want to live abroad before I have children for selfish reasons, and after I have children so that I can raise them to be global citizens.

18. I will spend down to the last dime I have on an awesome pair of shoes…but now that I am also responsible for the spending of someone else’s money I sometimes feel bad about it.

19. Even though Austin is going into one of the safest places in the military, I worry about his safety almost every day.

20. When I go to visit my parents, I feel more relaxed and secure than any other place in the world, even though I never lived there.

21. I do not have a passport.

22. I am one of the biggest procrastinators I know – other top ranking putter-offers include my father, sister and brother. My mom hates it.

23. I have been pretty lackadaisical about actually booking a church to get married in. I have a dress, bridesmaids, reception venue, décor, etc. but no church…yet.

24. People on Bluetooths or on speaker phone in public annoy me.

25. I have only taken a handful of legitimate vacations in my life, (maybe two, maybe) a ratio which I will begin improving as soon as I have the means to do so.